It’s the most wonderful time of the yeeeeeeear! Yes, the Joyzine Advent Calendar is back once again to bring you 24 days of fantastic free music downloads from a amazing array of our favourite artists. This year marks the 21st edition of our online calendar making it (as far as we’re aware) the longest running on the net (though we’re always happy to be corrected). As always, every track is completely free to download and we don’t require you to sign up for a mailing list (though you can if you want to) or hand over your personal data – it’s our way of saying thank you to everyone who’s visited the site during 2024 and to hopefully bring a few more listeners to some very deserving artists.
However, if you do enjoy the tracks we would love you to consider making a donation to our chosen cause, which this year is the wonderful First Timers Fest, a brilliant grassroots DIY organisation helping people take the first step into making music. Alumni include Joyzine faves Big Joanie, Panic Pocket, Charmpit and Breakup Haircut, with many more great bands coming through every year. We asked First Timers for a few words about what they do:
First Timers Fest is all about supporting new people into music! Yes that’s right, we mean you! We demystify the music making process through a series of beginners workshops that encourage people to try something new, no pressure to start a band after. The festival is open to everyone, but we particularly want to encourage people from marginalised groups to apply.
Next year we will be hosting our workshops at the Cavendish in Stockwell but following a sell out festival at the Victoria in Dalston we have decided to host the festival at a much bigger venue: The Oslo Hackney! This will take place on 4th May 2025. See you there!!!
We’ve got a sleigh-full of fantastic tracks for you again this year, including some festive tunes, plenty of exclusives and some of our favourite songs of 2024. Let’s get crack(er)ing!
Christmas is of course a time of tradition, from religious and cultural practices down to quirky family customs. On the Advent Calendar, ours has become to kick off every year with a track from the ever wonderful Piney Gir, who has featured on more editions than any other artist. We’re delighted to welcome her back this year with her track ‘Reindeer’, a festive cover of a track by Swedish duo The Knife, recorded in collaboration with Rhodri Marsden of Scritti Politti, Frank Sidebottom’s band and Dream Themes. It’s due to be released as part of a compilation of covers of tracks from 1991-2001, In The Bath, which has been put together by ECC Records, the music imprint of high street soap store Lush, and also features contributions from The Lovely Eggs, Field Music and Eliza Carthy. Pre-save the album ahead of its release in January on your chosen platform here.
It will comes as no surprise to any Advent Calendar regulars that the track is an absolute stunner, with sleighbells aplenty, strings that skip joyfully out of the speakers and a bright, pop sound that allows Piney to let loose her fantastic vocal range. You can download it on the link below.
Piney Gir released the wondrous Cosmic Upside Down EP earlier this year, the latest evolution in a 20+ year musical journey – we can’t wait to hear what she has in store for us next.
“Every year I look forward to The Joyzine Advent Calendar, the music is great, it’s a nice way to discover new bands and I love giving a little something back to our indie community… a free download every day of Advent? Don’t mind if I do!”Piney Gir
Download ‘Reindeer‘
Make a donation to First Timers
Piney Gir: Website / Facebook / Instagram
Check back tomorrow for another free festive download!
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