It’s December, which round these parts means it’s time once again for The Joyzine Advent Calendar! This year we’re celebrating our 20th edition, so we’ve scoured the archives to mix in some calendar classics along with a few fresh festive cuts from our favourite artists.
As always every track on the calendar will be absolutely free to download, and we don’t force you to sign up for our mailing list (though you can if you want, here) or hand over all of your personal data. The calendar is our Christmas gift to the world (or at least the part of it that enjoys seasonal songs by obscure indie musicians), but if you’re also in the giving mood we’d love you to make a donation to our chosen cause, the excellent anti-racism charity HOPE not hate, which you can do here.
On with the free festive tunes!
Legendary indie imprint Fierce Panda has been unleashing wonderful music since long before Joyzine was even a glint in the milkman’s eye and their discography is a veritable who’s who of the indie music scene since the mid-nineties: Ash, Supergrass, Kenickie, Placebo, Idlewild, Mogwai, Deathcab for Cutie, Keane, Coldplay, Embrace, The Maccabees, Scarfo (whose frontman went on to be one half of The Kills) and Joyzine favourites Art Brut, Desperate Journalist, Scrounge, Hatcham Social, Fightmilk, iLiKETRAiNS and Six by Seven are amongst their numerous alumni. Joining this venerable list are Northern Irish alt rock five piece Wynona Bleach, who released their debut album through Fierce Panda last year (with the first single from its follow up due in January) and are heading out on a five date tour of their home country with labelmates Ash today (dates and tickets here). They’ve provided today’s advent calendar treat, ‘(Don’t Know Why) I Wished You Merry Christmas’, which you can download below.
We caught up with the band to find out more.
What have you been up to this year?
We played SXSW in 2023, and did a lot of UK touring, which will culminate in 5 dates with fellow Northern Irish Power-poppers Ash this xmas!
What have you got planned for 2024?
We will be releasing LOADS of new music including an Album 2 announcement.
Tell us about your track
This was recorded in our rehearsal room a few Christmasses ago, and we out of releasing it. We consider this one a demo to our actual version which will come out xmas 24 with added spice!
This year Joyzine has been celebrating our 20th birthday – what were you up to in 2003?
We were little kiddies opening santas gifts!!
Any new year’s resolution?
To go harder, with more heart than before.
Download ‘(Don’t Know Why) I Wished You Merry Christmas‘
Make a donation to HOPE not hate
Find out more about Wynona Bleach on their official website
Follow Fierce Panda on Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Check back tomorrow for another free festive download!
Catch up on all of this year’s Advent Calendar Tracks so far:
1: MJ Hibbett – I Got You What You Want For Christmas
2: Matt Edible & The Obtuse Angels – Advent Beard
3: Old Man May – Laden Sleigh
4: Michael M (SLIME CITY) – It’s Easy To Hate This Time of Year
5: The Fades – Last Christmas (On The Beach)
6: AK/DK – Auld Lang Syne
7: Modesty Blaise – I’ll Be Home for Christmas
8: The Awkward Silences – I’ll Be Getting a Divorce for Christmas
9: Dead Horse – Eating The Reindeer
10: Palm Ghosts – Always Christmas Time
11: Charley Stone – Merry Christmas Actually
12: Premium Leisure ft. Piney Gir – September Gurls
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