ithinkx

Top 50 Albums of 2011: 10 - 1

2011-12-31T16:58:00.000-05:00

1
James Blake “James Blake”

There'll be some groans at this being #1 but no other album this year got as much rotation. For those familiar with his EPs, such as the Kelis-sampling CMYK, Blake's debut album was something of a shock. The wonk and bass pushed back revealing a new Blake as a singer-songwriter.

(Atlas)

2
Tim Hecker "Ravedeath, 1972"

Ravedeath is an intense suite of unsettling ambient drone that consists of layers of dissonant electronics and washes of static intertwined with the deep, resonant sound of an antique church organ in an ever-shifting push-pull interplay. Powerful, enigmatic and haunting, without a doubt among Hecker's most accomplished work to date.

(Kranky)

3
Craft Spells "Idle Labor"

Craft Spells play up-tempo indie pop with a sweet tinge of melancholia. Their sound is informed by early eighties British synth-pop and New Zealand's Flying Nun. Also audible on Idle Labor are echoes of Radio Dept. and New Order (paid homage to via the cover art). A near-perfect summer album.

(Captured Tracks)

4
Tin Man “Perfume”

Weird, twisted and brilliant, Tin Man's off-kilter piano melodies and unexpected time signatures have a warping effect on the mind and the disembodied, creepy vocals will make your skin crawl. This house music isn't made for dancing, but more for sitting alone in the small hours, deliberately weirding yourself out.

(Salon)

5
Emptyset “Demiurge”

Demiurge sees the Bristol-based duo push their insanely bass-heavy industrial glitch further into the abyss. Like Byetone but made more visceral due to the dominating sub-bass throb that could only come from urban Britain in the wake of grime and dubstep. Starkly minimal, hugely absorbing and, at times almost threatening.

(Subtext)

6
Shabazz Palaces "Black Up"

This summer's Ishmael-less Digable Planets fiasco just proved who the real genius was in the band. Butler, known as Butterfly in the Digable days, has been involved with some great projects since then (e.g. Camp Lo and Cherrywine) but Black Up is by far the most inspired album he's made.

(Sub Pop)

7
Murcof “La Sangre Illuminada”

La Sangre Illuminada, Murcof's sixth album, originally only released locally, was composed as a soundtrack for the film of the same name by Mexican director Iván Ávila Dueñas. It is an intense, immersive album constructed of layers of sombre cello, sparse piano and glitchy electronics, resulting in a tense ambience.

(InFiné)

8
Kangding Ray “Or”

Or is the third, and most accomplished, album by Kangding Ray (aka French producer David Letellier). Starkly minimal with superbly crisp production, this is Bass music Raster-Noton style. Not an ounce of fat on the whole record, Hype Williams must have cried into their cornflakes when they heard this record.

(Raster-Noton)

9
Robag Wruhme “Thora Vukk”

Robag Wruhme (aka German producer Gabor Schablitzki) delivered his second solo album, hot on the heels of his critically acclaimed Wuppdeckmischmampflow mix on Kompakt earlier in the year. Warm, emotive and atmospheric, Thora Vukk is a truly beautiful album of cosy yet compelling organic 'house'. Perfect for a wintry day.

(Pampa)

10
J. Cole “Cole World: The Sideline Story”

Backed by none less than Jay-Z and following several great mixtapes over the course of almost five years, rapper and producer J. Cole finally gave us his debut album. Cole World debuted on the Billboard chart at #1 but it should've garnered a bit more critical attention than it did.

(Roc Nation)

Top 50 Albums of 2011: 20 - 11

2011-12-30T16:55:00.000-05:00

11
Tape “Revelationes”

Hailing from Stockholm, Tape are now on their eighth album and have been around over a decade. Garnering some deserved attention in 2008 with the superb Luminarium, Revelationes slipped a little under the radar. A short and truly beautiful album of post-rock with jazzy drums and a heap of melancholy.

(Häpna)

12
Timber Timbre “Creep On Creepin' On”

Featuring some subtle guest appearances from saxophonist Colin Stetson, Timber Timbre's fourth album was also nominated for the Polaris in 2011. The creepy old-timey melodic sensibility of singer-songwriter Taylor Kirk was stronger than ever on this appropriately named album. Without a doubt this was Timber Timbre's strongest work to date.

(Arts & Crafts)

13
Amon Tobin “Isam”

Known for his jazz-sampling work in the nineties, Tobin has eschewed the vinyl in favour of field recordings. More angular and disjointed, yet also more melodic, Isam a more introverted work, in terms of process and sound. Coupled with an extroverted and technically impressive live show, Tobin impressed us all.

(Ninja Tune)

14
Battles “Gloss Drop”

In 2010, vocalist Tyondai Braxton quit Battles halfway through recording their second album. One member down, they decided to continue as a three-piece adding several guest vocalists including Gary Numan and Kazu of Blonde Redhead. Gloss Drop is a fun, original record pushing their inimitable maximalist, loop-driven sound further forward.

(Warp)

15
Nicolas Jaar “Space Is Only Noise”

Inhabiting the space between James Blake and Matthew Dear, but more subtle than either, Nicolas Jaar blends samples, dubstep and deep house together to create a truly unique downtempo experience. From the Godard-laden “Être” to the latin-laced “Keep Me There”, Jaar has made a unique and long-lasting record.

(Clown & Sunset)

16
Jacaszek “Glimmer”

On Glimmer the Polish composer focuses on harpsichord and the deep resonance of clarinet. The static fuzz of drone and electronics provide a backdrop to huge gothic arches of sound, soliciting comparisons to Tim Hecker or Murcof. Expansive and melancholic, its potency's revealed by its ability to fill any space.

(Ghostly International)

17
SBTRKT “SBTRKT”

Known for his remixes and 2020 EP, the identity of SBTRKT remained unknown for most of 2011. Eventually the man behind the mask was outed as British DJ and producer Aaron Jerome. Hugely catchy, SBTRKT successfully blends dubstep, R&B and pop, sounding something like a much updated Nightmares On Wax.

(Young Turks)

18
The Weeknd “House Of Balloons”

Discovered by Toronto superstar Drake,The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye) has released a trilogy of mixtapes(mini-albums really) to download for free from his website. With a meld of R&B, dubstep, hip-hop, samples from surprising sourcesand Tesfaye's pained stories of drugs and sex, the end result isenthralling.

(self-released)

19
Bon Iver “Bon Iver, Bon Iver”

Bon Iver's Justin Vernon is another man who had the unenviable task of following-up a critically acclaimed, organically successful debut. Affecting a much more eighties sound than before, the album is a work of emotive beauty and a highly listenable one at that. The cheesy final track “Beth/Rest” aside.

(Jagjaguwar)

20
Radiohead “The King of Limbs”

Released suddenly without announcement or promo, the album isn't Radiohead's best by any stretch of the imagination, but neither is it the half-baked release that it appeared to be on first listen. “Bloom” opens with a clear dubstep influence but the ballads, especially “Codex”, are the highlights here.

(TBD Records)

Top 50 Albums of 2011: 30 - 21

2011-12-29T16:51:00.000-05:00

21
Emanuele Errante “Time Elapsing Handheld"

Time Elapsing Handheld is Italian ambient composer Emanuele Errante's third full-length release. Subtle use of guitar, harp and piano are layered under tasteful washes of warm and fuzzy electronics. This makes for some seriously gorgeous headphone listening and, like Ezekiel Honig, at times so subtle you could almost miss it.

(Karaoke Kalk)

22
tUnE-yArDs “w h o k i l l”

Oakland,California-based Merrill Garbus blends indie, punk, funk and morebesides with a heavy African inspiration that comes across moregenuine and informed than a million Vampire Weekends. Wielding lo-fiukelele, plenty of tasteful sax, proud feminist lyrics and hellapowerful tonsils, tUnE-yArDs is bold, playful, highly-percussive andmind-bogglingly unique.

(4AD)

23
Ricardo Donoso “Progress Chance”

Ricardo Donoso is a composer and percussionist from Brazil currently residingin Boston. This is (officially) his debut album as a solo, and electronic,musician. The layers of arpeggiated synths and voice samples arereminiscent of a cleaner, stripped-down Emeralds crossed with CliffMartinez. Progress Chance is a superb release.

(Digitalis)

24
Roll The Dice “In Dust”

Hot on the heels of 2010's debut, In Dust is a stunning,cinematic slice of kosmische from a duo of Swedish composers, PederMannerfelt and Malcolm Pardon. The Stockholm-based electro-acoustic outfithave created a beautifully understated yet cinematic workthat is at times brooding and in other moments outright menacing.

(The Leaf Label)

25
Africa Hitech “93 Million Miles”

Africa Hitechcomprises two talented British ex-pats now living in Australia, MarkPritchard (Global Communication, Harmonic 313) and Steve Spacek(formerly of Spacek). A dizzyingly polyrhythmic yet dancefloor-readyalbum of Bass loaded with influences from techno, dub, reggae and UKGarage to name a few. Heavy, unique and bloody good.

(Warp)

26
Kreidler “Tank”

Rhythmic and pulsating, a gorgeous slice of contemporary Krautrock. Here Kreidlersound more organic than ever. Tank is a fantastic album of tightseven-minute jams. Somewhat of a surprise comeback and probably theirbest release since Weekend, back in the mid-nineties. It'll beinteresting to see what they do next.

(Bureau B)

27
Machinedrum “Room(s)”

While Machinedrum's early work was akinto the cut'n'paste hip-hop of Prefuse 73, this latest release hasmore in common with the manic, post-modern production styles of WagonChrist or Bibio. Rhythm-heavy, yet soulful and accessible, Room(s)is built upon a base of organic-sounding drum samples and akiller kick-drum.

(Planet Mu)

28
Austra “Feel It Break”

Toronto's Katie Stelmanis, MayaPostepski and Dorian Wolf were justifiably on this year's Polarisshort list. Austra come across as a more electronic Zola Jesus or apoppier Fever Ray. Perfect for those days when you want to listen toThe Knife but don't want to enter the dark place!

(Paper Bag)

29
Ezekiel Honig “Folding In On Itself”

Ezekiel Honig's sixth release and his debut for experimental label Type. Brooding ambience interlaced withfield samples and minimal techno beats as rumbling dubby bass weaves inand out of the intricate soundscape. A delicate, unrelentinglymelancholic work and perfect headphone listening for a grey, rainyday in the city.

(Type)

30
The Psychic Paramount “II”

Six years had passed since The PsychicParamount's debut and with II, they waste no time getting backon the rails. Making an inordinately large racket for their size andeven more expansive than their debut, the end result is forty minutesof high-octane post-rock bliss that'll leave you feeling breathless.

(No Quarter)

Top 50 Albums of 2011: 40 - 31

2011-12-28T17:47:00.000-05:00

31
Lake “Giving and Receiving”

One of the most underrated andunder-appreciated albums of the year, Lake's fourth album, releasedon Olympia's K Records, is a superb slice of clean, crisp,sixties-tinged indie-pop. Standout track is the properly catchy“Roger Miller” but the album contains some of the best indie-popsongs of the year.

(K)

32
Wugazi “13 Chambers”

Wugazi does exactly what it says on thetin. Wu-Tang Clan acapellas expertly mashed-up with Fugaziinstrumentals. Obviously it could never be more than sum of itsalready excellent parts but as a fan of both artists it doesn't failto excite and amuse in equal parts. Pure inspired genius.

(Doomtree Records)

33
Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto “Summvs”

The fifth, and purportedly final, album of collaboration between German minimal glitch artist Alva Noto and Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Summvs is dominated by sparse, emotive piano residing under glitchy sine wave manipulation, punctuated by pockets of pulsating bass. It includes two instrumental re-workings of Brian Eno's "By This River."

(Raster-Noton)

34
Deaf Center “Owl Splinters”

Deaf Center's long awaited second albumis like a soundtrack for the most terrifying movie never made, or ayet unseen Herzog documentary. Evoking the ceaseless movement ofglaciers underfoot – the sound of natural forces far bigger thanus. Gloomy, sinister and unsettling, the end result is somehowsoothing.

(Type)

35
The Field "Looping State Of Mind"

Thethird album from The Field (aka Sweden's Alex Willner) is anothersumptuous soundscape of deliciously minimal loops layered to hypnoticperfection. Released on Kompakt and coming from the realm of laptopsand minimal techno, Looping State Of Mind also has some great live instrumentation, especially the bass guitar grooves.

(Kompakt)

36
Cults “Cults"

Cults quickly grabbed attention with the singles “Go Outside” and “Abducted”, which although certainly the stand-outs, the rest of the album isn't far behind. A great pop sensibility heavily reminiscent of Motown and Phil Spector, despite the dark subject matter the melodies and Madeline Follin's vocals are uplifting.

(Columbia / In The Name Of)

37
Hauschka “Salon Des Amateurs”

Hauschka (pianist and composer Volker Bertelmann) uses acoustic instruments to make dance music somewhat along the lines of Brandt Brauer Frick. The album takes its name from a piano festival in Düsseldorf, Bertelmann's hometown. Centred around Bertelmann's prepared piano, it also contributions from Múm drummer Samuli Kosminen and members of Calexico.

(130701)

38
The Roots “Undun”

On 2010's How I Got Over, TheRoots overtly sampled harpist Joanna Newsom. This time they rely on atrack from another darling of the indie scene, Sufjan Stevens. Aconcept album about a character called Redford Stevens, Undunis The Roots' most accessible album and a fine one too.

(Def Jam Recordings)

39
Wagon Christ “Toomorrow”

Wagon Christ is Luke Vibert's moniker for making weird andwonky hip-hop albums. Brought backinto play after a seven year break, Toomorrow has the beats, squiggly synths andcomedy that you would expect. There's not really anything new goingon here but it's far too much fun to ignore.

(Ninja Tune)

40
Colin Stetson "New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges”

Surprisingly, and deservedly, short-listed for the Polaris prize, 2011 was a good year for saxophonist Colin Stetson. Until now Stetson has primarily been known as a session musician, playing with artists including Arcade Fire, Tom Waits, Angelique Kidjo and Timber Timbre but Judges, his second solo album, is quite something.

(Constellation)

Top 50 Albums of 2011: 50 - 41

2011-12-27T12:40:00.000-05:00

41
Jóhann Jóhannsson “The Miners' Hymns"

The Icelandic composer's first album for the British label FatCat, The Miners' Hymns is a soundtrack to Bill Morrison's film of the same name. Appropriately for a soundtrack to a film about Northumberland coalminers, there is heavy reliance on brass. Minimal, haunting and emotive, this is one of Jóhannsson's best.

(FatCat)

42
The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble “Mr. Machine"

Much like label-mate Herbert, Mr. Machine is awork of jazzy, piano-led, left-field (albeit analogue) 'house' that staysclear of lounge. Built around the trio of Brandt Brauer Frick, herethe Ensemble swell to a ten-piece. Organic, angular yet never jagged,the catchy piano riffs contrast with lushly layered percussion.

(!K7)

43
Sandro Perri “Impossible Spaces”

The most immediately striking aspect of Impossible Spaces is the warmth of the recording. Perri's vocals bring to mind Andrew Bird or Broken Social Scene but the playing is way more freeform and intuitively led. Jazzy percussion, flutes and synths recalling more psychedelic references. A slow, gorgeous and soothing work.

(Constellation)

44
No Gold “No Gold"

In 2010, it seemed like every indie band in North America was looking towards African music as a source of inspiration, led by Vampire Weekend and Animal Collective. This debut from Vancouver's No Gold proves there's still room for African-infused indie, especially blended with great pop hooks and Krautrock grooves.

(Unfamiliar Records)

45
Widowspeak “Widowspeak"

Widowspeak is the eponymous debut album from the NYC-based trio on Brooklyn's Captured Tracks. The exquisitely sensual, breathy vocals are counterpointed beautifully with jangly slide guitar. A gorgeously slow-paced, Americana-laced album evokes Elysian Fields, blues-based femme fatales such as Mazzy Star and Cat Power and a hint of PJ Harvey.

(Captured Tracks)

46
Spank Rock “Everything Is Boring & Everyone's A Fucking Liar"

Another act that had little chance of living up to expectations was Baltimore's Spank Rock. After the departure of two members and years of legal wrangling, MC Spank Rock (aka Naeem Juwan) and XXXChange (aka Alex Epton) finally followed up the superb YoYoYoYoYo, helped along by German producer Boys Noize.

(Boysnoize Records)

47
Panda Bear “Tomboy"

It was unlikely that Noah Lennox would be able to repeat the success of Person Pitch. Not wishing to damn with faint praise, Tomboy is an enjoyable album even if it doesn't live up to the expectations set by its predecessor and the suspense created by its infuriatingly slow release.

(Paw Tracks)

48
Roots Manuva “4everevolution”

Roots Manuva (aka Rodney Smith) has been off his game for a few years now but the unfortunately named 4everevolution is his best album proper in at least half a decade. Apparently mostly songs planned for other artists, it's understandably diverse yet retains the unique sound the British rapper pioneered.

(Big Dada)

49
Cliff Martinez & Various Artists “Drive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)"

The first twenty minutes of Drive was one of the most beautiful pieces of cinema I'd seen of late. Shame then that the flow and aesthetics were marred by a tedious plot involving a goofy mafia duo. The speechless scenes of Gosling driving around to Cliff Martinez's score were stunning.

(Lakeshore Recordings)

50
Dustin O'Halloran “Vorleben”

Vorleben is a live performance of some of O'Halloran's best works, recorded in Berlin in the summer of 2009. Mostly pieces from his acclaimed albums Piano Solos and Piano Solos Vol. 2. What at first appears as unassumingly delicate eventually reveals itself to be an arresting and heavily melancholic work.

(FatCat)

Music Review: Craft Spells "Idle Labor"

2011-08-26T15:16:00.000-04:00

Read my review of "Idle Labor", the debut album by Craft Spells on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Solvent "RDJCS5-EP"

2011-08-24T16:02:00.004-04:00

Read my review of Solvent's latest EP, in tribute to Aphex Twin, along with a brief Q&A at the Exclaim! website.

Note about the podcast

2011-08-02T15:55:00.002-04:00

I'm currently having issues moving the podcast to a new service (and finding the time to do it) but June, July and August's podcasts will all go up soon.

Interview: Junior Boys

2011-07-01T18:19:00.007-04:00

Read my interview with Jeremy of Junior Boys at the Exclaim! website.

Festival review: Mutek 2011

2011-06-06T23:29:00.001-04:00

Read reviews of 18 of the 41 sets I caught live at the 12th annual MUTEK festival in Montreal this past week on the Exclaim! website.

Interview: Murcof

2011-06-01T23:56:00.001-04:00

I chat with Fernando Corona (aka Murcof) about his recently reissued soundtrack album La Sangre Illuminada, his new live show at this year's MUTEK festival in collaboration with AntiVJ, his working process and when we can expect a new album. Read now on the MUTEK website.

Interview: Battles

2011-05-31T17:15:00.000-04:00

Read my interview with Battles at the Exclaim! website.

ithinkx Podcast #39: Mutek

2011-05-30T23:54:00.000-04:00

PLAYLIST:
1) Gold Panda - Quitter's Raga [starts 0.12]
2) Murcof - Cometa [starts 2.31]
3) Amon Tobin - Lost & Found [excerpt - starts 9.27]
4) Four Tet - She Just Likes To Fight [starts 12.35]
5) Footprintz - Golden Dreams [starts 18.58]
6) Plastikman - Koma [starts 24.38]
7) Knowing Looks - Abandoned Skip at the Plains Hotel [starts 28.17]
8) Modeselektor - Dancing Box [starts 32.28]
9) Pole - Winkelstreben [starts 38.14]
10) Danuel Tate - Big Spender [starts 43.12]
11) Tomas Jirku - Psilence [starts 46.51]
12) Rocketnumbernine - Matthew And Toby [excerpt - starts 54.12]

Click the image to play.

Please note: Blip.tv - where the ithinkx podcast is usually hosted - has made some changes. Firstly you can no longer stream directly from their site for audio podcasts and secondly, they have messed up the iTunes RSS so you can't get it through there either - until they fix it! So for now it is hosted on PodOmatic.

News: Battles Explain Their Continued Evolution with 'Gloss Drop'

2011-05-26T17:35:00.000-04:00

I chat with Battles about their forthcoming album "Gloss Drop", their new live show and the evolution of their music. Read now on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Ezekiel Honig "Folding In On Itself"

2011-05-25T17:26:00.001-04:00

Read my review of "Folding In On Itself", the new album by Ezekiel Honig for Type on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto "Summvs"

2011-05-24T17:11:00.002-04:00

Read my review of the final Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto collaboration, "Summvs" on the Exclaim! website.

My Top 5 Favourite Podcasts

2011-05-22T13:12:00.000-04:00

When talking about the ithinkx podcast, or podcasts in general, I often get asked about my favourite podcasts so I thought I'd write up a Top 5 with a brief description of why I like them.

1) Bleep podcast:

Really four different podcasts in one, the Bleep podcast is hosted in rotation by Allez-Allez, Oli Marlow (from Sonic Router), Bleep staff member Margot Didsbury and British Library Sound Archivist Alex Wilson. Roughly four times a month, the podcast goes out serving up a diverse range of electronic and experimental sounds including IDM, ambient, dub techno, glitch, indie, the latest excursions into Bass, Drag and music from across the board that represents all that good shit that Bleep is about. The talking is kept to a minimum, with the description of the music left to the website copy, leaving room for just the announcing of tracks in hushed too-cool-for-school low tones, that sounds mostly like the presenters are podcasting late at night and don't want to wake up their parents.

http://bleep.com/?page=dynamic&module=podcastsindex

2) All Songs Considered:

NPR's All Songs Considered is a dedicated music show broadcast (usually) weekly that concentrates on indie rock, new folk and current singer-songwriters but also has features on metal, electronic music, international music and great coverage of festivals such as SXSW. The show is hosted by NPR veteran Bob Boilen and his producer Robin Hilton, joined on occasion by NPR Song Of The Day editor Stephen Wilkinson and NPR Music critic Ann Powers (in place of the sorely missed ex-Sleater Kinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein). The show's tone is conversational but informative, playing a bunch of great new releases and the banter is nearly always entertaining. The music choice is sometimes veers a bit too far into bedwetting indie territory and Robin and Stephen especially sometimes lose the criticism amongst the passion and fanboydom but the podcast is always up-to-date and enjoyable.

http://www.npr.org/programs/all-songs-considered/

3) Sound Opinions:

Chicago Public Radio presents this radio show with seasoned music critics Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis, who are often described as the Siskel and Ebert of music due to their animated but friendly disagreements. The choice of music often veers a bit too much into the mainstream, at least for my taste, but the banter is always entertaining and interspersed with some interesting facts and opinion. The format of the hour-long show is a few minutes of music news, then into whatever that week's theme is - Phoenix in the studio or a dissection of a classic album or a look at look back at the 90s Riot Grrrl scene, for example - then one or two albums reviewed under the 'burn it, buy it or trash it' scale, then a few minutes of listener feedback - which is usually angry truckers from Texas that are annoyed one of them slated the new AC/DC album.

http://www.soundopinions.org/

4) The Abstract Index:

Music journalist David Dacks has a radio show every Thursday night from 10-midnight and he puts this online as two hour-long podcasts. The show is an eclectic mix of mostly non-4/4 grooves, with an emphasis on new releases ranging from free jazz such as Wadada Leo Smith, a range of great contemporary African music, dub and reggae, lesser known latin music genres such a cumbia and tracks from the UK post-dubstep Bass explosion such as Africa HiTech and James Blake. Great presentation, occasional interviews and a fantastic selection of music, The Abstract Index is a great way to stay up-to-date with what's happening in dance, latin, jazz, experimental and music from all over.

http://abstractindex.blogspot.com/

5) Toast & Jams

Toronto resident Alan Webb gets up at the crack of dawn to host a radio show, also on CIUT, every hump day from 6-9am and he puts this online as a podcast every week. At 3 hours it's a slightly unwieldy listen but is a great selection of new and familiar releases, ranging from indie music to post-rock, folk-pop and electronic music, with a focus on Canadian releases, the selection here is always interesting.

http://www.toastandjams.blogspot.com/

What are your favourite podcasts?

Interview: Amon Tobin

2011-05-18T15:58:00.002-04:00

I chat with Amon Tobin about his forthcoming album ISAM, the debut of his new live show at this year's MUTEK festival on June 1st and settling down. Read now on the MUTEK website.

Music Review: Murcof "La Sangre Illuminada"

2011-05-10T00:16:00.003-04:00

Read my review of the international reissue of Murcof's soundtrack for "La Sangre Illuminada" on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Ukkonen "Erriapo"

2011-05-05T00:10:00.003-04:00

Read my review of Ukkonen's "Erriapo" 12" on the Exclaim! website.

ithinkx Podcast #38: 2011 Releases (Part 2)

2011-04-25T21:24:00.000-04:00

PLAYLIST:
1) Nicolas Jaar - Être [starts 0.12]
2) Tape - Hotels [starts 7.07]
3) Emanuele Errante - Counterclockwise [starts 9.33]
4) Timber Timbre - Woman [starts 15.40]
5) Panda Bear - Slow Motion [starts 21.35]
6) Kreidler - Jaguar [starts 26.02]
7) Battles (Feat. Matias Aguayo) - Ice Cream [starts 33.20]
8) Nostalgia 77 - When Love Is Strange [starts 40.02]
9) Bibio - Anything New [starts 42.47]
10) Daedelus - Tailor-Made [starts 46.48]
11) Wagon Christ - Manalyze This! [starts 50.35]
12) Ukkonen - Thrym [excerpt - starts 56.49]

Click To Play / Right Click To Download

Music Review: Digits "Lost Dream"

2011-04-18T17:22:00.000-04:00

Read my review of "Lost Dream", the new EP from Digits on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: WhoMadeWho "Knee Deep"

2011-04-13T17:27:00.000-04:00

Read my review of WhoMadeWho's "Knee Deep" mini-album on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Autechre "EPs 1991 – 2002"

2011-04-12T17:09:00.005-04:00

Read my review of Autechre's new "EPs 1991 – 2002" collection on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Mike Watt & The Missingmen caught live in Toronto

2011-04-11T20:26:00.001-04:00

Read my review of Mike Watt's recent Toronto gig on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Bibio "Mind Bokeh"

2011-03-29T13:41:00.000-04:00

Read my review of the new Bibio album on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Footprintz "Utopia"

2011-03-28T17:26:00.000-04:00

Read my review of the Montreal duo Footprintz's "Utopia" single on the Exclaim! website.

ithinkx Podcast #37: Music For The Wee Hours

2011-03-27T08:08:00.000-04:00

PLAYLIST:
1) Morphine - Dawna [starts 0.12]
2) Morgan Packard - Sluice [starts 1.27]
3) Radiohead - Treefingers [starts 5.10]
4) Chicago Underground Duo - Red Gradations [starts 8.49]
5) Stockfinster. - All Becomes Music [starts 11.43]
6) Celer - Bracelets Passed To Spanish Hands [starts 17.32]
7) Emanuele Errante - Made To Give [starts 18.47]
8) Frank Bretschneider - Blue [starts 23.35]
9) To Rococo Rot - I Am In The World With You [starts 29.44]
10) Beastie Boys - Transitions [starts 32.55]
11) Do Make say Think - Think [starts 35.24]
12) Natural Life - Heartland [starts 43.39]

Click To Play / Right Click To Download

Music Review: Nostagia 77 "The Sleepwalking Society"

2011-03-22T15:18:00.001-04:00

Read my review of the fourth Nostalgia 77 album on the Exclaim! website.

Podcast #36: 2011 Releases (Part 1)

2011-02-28T21:48:00.003-05:00

PLAYLIST:
1) Radiohead - Morning Mr Magpie [starts 0.12]
2) The Luyas - Too Beautiful To Work [starts 6.51]
3) Cuz - Tamatebako [excerpt - starts 10.27]
4) Deerhoof - Super Duper Rescue Heads! [starts 12.43]
5) Bright Eyes - Singularity [starts 15.14]
6) James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream [starts 21.23]
7) Frank Bretschneider - Like A Little Lizard In The Sun [starts 25.47]
8) Fujiya & Miyagi - Yoyo [starts 30.24]
9) Mogwai- San Pedro [starts 33.16]
10) Tim Hecker - Hatred Of Music I [starts 38.49]
11) Deaf Center - New Beginning (Tidal Darkness) [starts 44.38]
12) Colin Stetson - The Stars In His Head (Dark Lights Remix) [starts 50.02]
13) The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation - Function [excerpt - starts 56.11]

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Interview: Tim Hecker's Hybrid Creation

2011-02-23T14:39:00.000-05:00

Read my interview with Tim Hecker at the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Psychic Paramount "II"

2011-02-22T17:17:00.000-05:00

Read my review of The Psychic Paramount's second album on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Colin Stetson "New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges"

2011-02-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

Read my review of the second installment of Colin Stetson's "New History Warfare" series on the Exclaim! website.

News: Tim Hecker Talks About His New Album, "Ravedeath, 1972"

2011-02-16T16:32:00.002-05:00

Read my news item on Tim Hecker at the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Deaf Center "Owl Splinters"

2011-02-15T16:07:00.001-05:00

Read my review of the long-awaited second album from Deaf Center on the Exclaim! website.

Podcast #35: Scotland

2011-01-16T11:42:00.005-05:00

PLAYLIST:
1) Belle and Sebastian - It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career [starts 0.12]
2) The Delgados - Pull The Wires From The Wall [starts 3.41]
3) Arab Strap - Driving [excerpt - starts 8.01]
4) Sons and Daughters - Blood [starts 9.00]
5) Teenage Fanclub - It's A Bad World [starts 13.24]
6) Orange Juice - Blue Boy [starts 17.30]
7) The Jesus and Mary Chain - UV Ray [starts 20.46]
8) Mogwai - I Know You Are But What Am I [starts 26.10]
9) The Beta Band - B + A [excerpt - starts 30.04]
10) Boards Of Canada - Turquoise Hexagon Sun [starts 35.25]
11) Cocteau Twins - The Tinderbox (Of A Heart) [starts 40.10]
12) Calvin Harris - Colours [starts 44.43]
13) Alasdair Roberts - Ploughboy Lads [starts 50.46]
14) Frightened Rabbit - The Modern Leper [starts 52.41]
15) John Martyn - May You Never [starts 56.01]

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Music Review: Jon Hopkins "Monsters"

2011-01-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

Read my review of Jon Hopkins' soundtrack to Monsters on the Exclaim! website.

Top 50 Albums of 2010: 1-10

2010-12-17T16:17:00.154-05:00

Pantha du Prince

"Black Noise" (Rough Trade)

Black Noise is Hendrik Weber’s third album as Pantha du Prince and his first for indie label Rough Trade. Expanding upon his ‘Minimal Techno with dark bells’ sound with guest spots from bassist Tyler Pope (!!!/LCD) and vocals from Animal Collective’s Panda Bear. A superb album and one that is finally getting Pantha the attention he deserves.
Listen

Morgan Packard

"Moment Again Elsewhere" (Anticipate)

Packard's latest full-length is his most self-assured release to date. His unique brand of jazz-influenced glitch moves effortlessly through ambient to IDM and deep house. Piano, accordion, and saxophone intertwine with electronics creating brittle layers of analogue warmth. An intimate and compelling headphone experience.

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Mountain Man

"Made The Harbor" (Partisan)

Mountain Man is three girls from Vermont who sing gorgeously sparse, mostly a cappella, indie-folk with a strong Appalachian bent. What strikes you most is the purity of the sound, the raw sweetness of just voice. Sounding like something from a bygone era, a Lomax archive perhaps, it is refreshingly un-hip and timeless.

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John Roberts

"Glass Eights" (Dial)

Roberts, a deep house producer from Ohio, is the first American signed to Hamburg's Dial label. With his lean, reverb-laden production, static-laced samples and percussiveness, it fits in with Dial's sound. Equal parts Berlin and Chicago, off-key and sometimes dark, the end result is uplifting, whether on the headphones or in the club.

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LCD Soundsystem

"This Is Happening" (DFA)

LCD’s James Murphy has said that this, the third album by LCD Soundsystem, will be their last and it is a great high to go out on. LCD wear their influences on their sleeve - take disco, add some post-punk basslines, some Bowie-esque guitar riffs and synth and Murphy’s inimitable nasally vocals. A simple yet brilliant recipe.

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The Knife (w/ Mt. Sims & Planningtorock)

"Tomorrow, In A Year" (Rabid)

The brother/sister team, known for their atmospheric and eccentric electro-pop songs, eschews the pop entirely for a ninety-minute electronic opera and concept album based on Charles Darwin’s "On the Origin of Species". The Knife is clearly passionate about the evolution of its music: Tomorrow, In A Year is stunning, terrifying and unique.

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Kanye West

"My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" (Roc-A-Fella)

Despite loving a few of his tracks (“Flashing Lights” comes to mind) I’ve never enjoyed a Kanye album all the way through - my teeth grate at the sound of auto-tune so 808s and Heartbreaks is off limits - but this album blows my mind. Epic, vulnerable, uplifting and impossible to not play on repeat.

Watch his insane short film "Runaway"

The Books

"The Way Out" (Temporary Residence Ltd)

Like Negativland before them, The Books base their music on samples of everyday American culture – TV evangelists, self-help gurus, cartoons – and place them out of context, twisting them to subversively comedic effect. Skilled musicians, they place highly rhythmic live instrumentation atop the samples, creating a truly individual sound.

Listen

Ólafur Arnalds

"...And They Have Escaped the Weight of Darkness" (Erased Tapes)

Starting out as a drummer in various Hardcore bands in his native Iceland, multi-instrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds makes Modern Classical. This is his second album and a masterpiece. Similar in feel to Balmorhea or the arrangements in Sigur Rós, who Arnalds toured with, it is an achingly melancholic tapestry of strings and piano.

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It Kills

"It Kills" (It Kills)

The eponymous debut by Nova Scotians It Kills is one of most under-appreciated albums of the year. Sounding a lot like other orchestral Post-Rockers such as Explosions In The Sky, what sets them apart is their airy, soaring vocals. A fluid and accomplished debut that should for sure make it to the next Polaris long-list.

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Top 50 Albums of 2010: 11-20

2010-12-16T13:57:00.005-05:00

The Budos Band

"The Budos Band III" (Daptone)

What sets Budos apart from other Afro-influenced acts is in the heaviness of their groove; no wonder that the Staten Island Soul band claim to be inspired by heavy metal as well as soul and Ethio-jazz. Solid as ever, the New York ten-piece yet again claims the title of heavyweight champion in the world of Afro-soul.
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These New Puritans

"Hidden" (Domino)

Hidden, the sophomore album from the rag-tag UK 4-piece, incorporates Foley samples, taiko drums and choral singing into their unique brand of experimental post-punk. Fusing the angular guitar of Gang of Four with the urban dance of MIA and a healthy dose of Björk and Scott Walker, the result is cerebral, percussive and powerful.

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Beach House

"Teen Dream" (Sub Pop)

Beach House is so subtle that you can almost be forgiven for not being immediately enthralled but once the melodies work their way into your skin you’ll be irreversibly hooked. The husky, sensual voice of Victoria Legrand and the minimal guitar hooks of Alex Scally are more potent than ever on Teen Dream, their third album release.
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The Roots

"How I Got Over (Def Jam)

Since signing to Def Jam, The Roots have been pretty disappointing but How I Got Over is a return to form for the Philly Hip Hop crew. Featuring familiar collaborators Dice Raw and John Legend as well as surprising use of a Joanna Newsom sample, this is The Roots doing exactly what they do best.

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PVT

"Church With No Magic" (Warp)

Church With No Magic is the third album by Aussie Synth-Rockers PVT (formerly Pivot) and their second for Warp Records. Despite the surprising addition of vocals, it retains the heavy drums and dirty synth sound that made their last album so infectious. Do not miss the chance to see these songs performed in a live setting.

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Caribou

"Swim" (Merge)

On Swim, Polaris Prize-winning Dan Snaith traded a lot of the Beach Boys influence, lo-fi drums and Psych Rock for a more electronic disco sound, summoning the spirit of Arthur Russell. From "Odessa", the blissed-out summery opener, onwards this is not only his most club-friendly record but also his strongest release to date.

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Sufjan Stevens

"The Age Of Adz" (Asthmatic Kitty)

One of the most inventive and ambitious musicians around, Sufjan is best known for two indie-folk masterpieces from his aborted ‘50 states’ project but also an electronic album based on the Chinese zodiac, amongst others. The Age of Adz brings these disparate styles together in an epic concept album about outsider artist Royal Robertson.

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Arcade Fire

"The Suburbs" (Merge)

With The Suburbs Arcade Fire merge the Springsteen-fest of Neon Bible with that melancholic yet deliriously optimistic bent that made their debut album so good, shooting the Montréallers into the international arena. This is Arcade Fire back on form but just a few songs too long to be the perfect album.

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Balmorhea

"Constellations" (Western Vinyl)

Balmorhea (pronounced Bal-moor-ay), an ensemble from Austin, Texas, takes influence from sources ranging from Debussy to Max Richter and Arvo Pärt. Constellations is their fourth full-length release and it is a masterpiece. Emotive and melancholic Modern Classical with a twinge of country, it will appeal to fans of Pullman and Rachel’s.

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Matthew Dear

"Black City" (Ghostly)

Matthew Dear makes a truly unique brand of music - a fusion of Minimal Techno, House, Synthpop, experimental sounds and singer-songwriter indie. The live instrumentation is more to the fore than on his three previous full-lengths and the end result is a highly accessible album that is also maybe his best.

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Top 50 Albums of 2010: 21-30

2010-12-15T22:26:00.026-05:00

Gold Panda

"Lucky Shiner" (Ghostly)

I can’t think of an album that has been more divisive in the electronic scene this year than this Ghostly newcomer. With a sound like a lighter fusion of Fourtet and Apparat, British producer Gold Panda seems to have pushed everybody’s buttons one way or the other. Both warm and immediate, it is one of the most blissful electronic albums of the year.
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Emeralds

"Does It Look Like I'm Here?" (Editions Mego)

Emeralds are a trio from Cleveland, Ohio who, for the past half-decade has been blending dark ambient, kosmische and improvisation. They successfully fuse minimal guitar melodies with swirling synths and washes of ambient noise. Does it Look Like I’m Here? is their fourth official release and their best to date.

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Woima Collective

"Tezeta" (Kindred Spirits)

Woima Collective is a heavily Ethio-inspired Afro-Jazz band led by Poets Of Rhythm saxophonist Johannes Schleiermacher, who became inspired by African rhythms after visiting Morocco and meeting Ethiopian jazz legend Mulatu Astatke. Tezeta features heavy, tight, funky grooves that will appeal to Budos and Ethiopiques aficionados.
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Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

"I Learned The Hard Way" (Daptone)

Sharon Jones worked as a corrections officer and a security guard before being discovered by Gabriel Roth and becoming the first artist released on Daptone. This marks her fourth full-length release with The Dap-Kings and is yet another slice of gorgeous soul revivalism of the quality you'd expect from Jones and the Daptone label.

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Mice Parade

"What It Means To Be Left-Handed" (FatCat)

Mice Parade is the project (and anagram of) Adam Pierce, a New Yorker now based in Portugal. Releasing a bunch of highly underrated albums for over a decade now, What It Means To Be Left-Handed is among his best. Drum-heavy and optimistic, Mice Parade blends African music, indie-folk and post-rock creating a seamless, unique sound.

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Women

"Public Strain" (Jagjaguwar)

There’s a rumour circulating that Calgary’s Women recently split up. Unfortunate that a band this good only reached the two album mark. Blending krautrock rhythm with bittersweet melody and angular Polvo-esue guitar riffs, they remind me of another underrated band who have been ominously quiet of late, New Zealand’s Shocking Pinks.

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Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba

"I Speak Fula" (Sub Pop)

For a country of 14 million, Mali produces more than its fair share of fantastic music. Kouyaté, a veteran player in Toumani Diabaté’s orchestra takes the stage with his sophomore solo release. I Speak Fula is dominated by the sound of the ngoni, the African ancestor of the American banjo, and heart-stopping vocal harmonies.

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Holy Fuck

"Latin" (Young Turks)

Toronto’s Holy Fuck makes a mockery of the ‘difficult third album’ syndrome, releasing their strongest and most coherent work to date. Their distinctive style and energy that have always made them so appealing, especially live, are ever-present but Latin is less improvisational than their previous releases and is all the stronger for it.

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Roots Manuva Meets Wrong Tom

"Duppy Writer" (Big Dada)

London-based DJ/producer Wrong Tom selects tracks spanning Roots Manuva’s career so far and gives them new life as dance-able summer dubs. Making inventive use of Smith’s vocal tracks, Tom builds brand new tracks around the Stockwell rapper’s best rhymes, while lightening the mood considerably to create an immensely fun album that goes far beyond the remix.

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Nina Nastasia

"Outlaster" (FatCat)

Sometimes you want artists to mix things up and push in a new direction on every release, other times their formula is so compelling that you just don’t want new tricks. Nastasia has, with Tortoise's Jeff Parker on guitar and Steve Albini in the sound booth, created another gorgeous collection of her intense brand of indie-folk, this time leaning slightly more to the gypsy side.

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Top 50 Albums of 2010: 31-40

2010-12-14T08:51:00.003-05:00

31
Cursor Miner
"Requires Attention" (Uncharted Audio)

Sometimes it takes artists a while to hone their craft. Other times an artist is just too ahead of the game. Cursor Miner is probably both, but he is finally getting the attention he deserves with this latest album. Elements of Synthpop, IDM and Dubstep converge to form his most accomplished release.
Listen

32
Drum Eyes
"Gira Gira" (Upset! The Rhythm)

Drum Eyes is Shige Ishihara (AKA DJ Scotch Egg), E-Da (ex-Boredoms drummer), and K-Power and is yet another hard to categorise album. Clocking in at just 36 minutes, it's short but far from sweet. Drone rock, Japanoise, space-age synth, Fuck Buttons-eqsue digital noise and Krautrock rhythms meld together in one furious blast.
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33
Deerhunter
"Halcyon Digest" (4AD)

I have never understood the hype around Deerhunter. Having been unimpressed by previous albums, and their live show, I wasn't expecting to love this release but it is a huge step forward. By far their best album, it builds upon their sound with far stronger songwriting - no doubt partly a result of Bradford Cox’s tireless work as Atlas Sound.
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34
Black Angels
"Phosphene Dream" (Blue Horizon)

Like Tame Impala, The Black Angels’ antennas are tuned back to 60s and 70s psychedelia, in this case to the fuzz-laden garage-pop of 13th Floor Elevators and Silver Apples as much as Barrett-era Floyd. Darker and more authentic than other sonic revivalists around today, Phosphene Dream feels more akin to time travel than pastiche.
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35
Broken Bells
"Broken Bells" (Columbia)

You couldn’t go anywhere this summer without hearing “The High Road”, the blissful opener from Broken Bells’ debut album of luscious indie-pop. James Mercer (lead singer of The Shins) and Brian Burton (AKA Danger Mouse) initially conceived this collaboration as a one-off but there is now thankfully talk of a second release.
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36
Four Tet
"There Is Love In You" (Domino)

There Is Love In You constitutes Kieran Hebden’s fifth album proper as Four Tet and his strongest since 2003’s Rounds. On this release, Hebden solidifies his gradual move away from his noodly headphone roots and towards tasteful dance club beats without sacrificing the distinctive sound that made him so popular in the first place.
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37
Brian McBride
"The Effective Disconnect" (Kranky)

Another soundtrack that works superbly as a standalone album is The Effective Disconnect. Composed for “Vanishing of the Bees”, an ecologically conscious documentary about the importance of bees to the ecosystem, it is a sumptuous, ethereal album of modern classical from Stars of the Lid member Brian McBride.
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38
Thomas Fehlmann
"Gute Luft" (Kompakt)

There were a lot of strong soundtrack releases in 2010 and Fehlmann’s, released on Köln's famed Kompakt label, is one of the most compelling. Composed by the Swiss dub techno legend and ex-member of The Orb, Gute Luft was originally scored for the TV documentary "24H Berlin" yet works equally well as a standalone album.
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39
Flying Lotus
"Cosmogramma" (Warp)

Less cohesive than Los Angeles or his excellent Pattern+Grid World EP, also of this year, the success of this album is a sign of the massive respect Flying Lotus commands as well as maybe a sign of where music is headed. Cosmogramma is an album for the ADHD generation – unapologetically frantic and eclectic.
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40
Jónsi
"Go" (XL Recordings)

This year the Sigur Rós front-man released his first solo album and despite its beauty, it falls foul of the common criticism of not sounding different enough from the band he's known for being in. That aside, Go is full of positivity, energy and those gorgeous baroque strings you come to expect from Iceland's second most famous musician.
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Top 50 Albums of 2010: 41-50

2010-12-12T20:37:00.039-05:00

41
Alasdair Roberts & Friends
"Too Long In This Condition" (Drag City)

Alasdair Roberts’s raison d'être is to revive traditional Scottish folk music but to make it relevant, not to put it behind a glass case as a musical archivist might. A big improvement on last year’s rather disappointing Spoils album, it comes much closer to the giddy heights of his first four solo releases.
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42
The Chap
"Well Done Europe" (Lo Recordings)

The Chap is a bunch of weirdoes from London who make music that escapes any serious attempt at categorisation. This is their first release since their acclaimed Mega Breakfast, which put them on the map and on the road. Manic and odd, they manage to make the least accessible pop imaginable.
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43
To Rococo Rot
"Speculation" (Domino)

Berlin-based trio To Rococo Rot situates themselves comfortably in the nexus of electronica and post-rock. Delicacy and groove sit side by side in their softly spoken yet powerful Krautrock-influenced sound. Their first album proper since Hotel Morgen in 2004, it is a rewarding listen, even if it doesn’t live up to their City Slang days.
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44
Konono Nº1
"Assume Crash Position" (Crammed Discs)

Konono Nº1’s sophomore album on the Crammed Discs label fails to match the immediacy of 2004’s Congotronics but despite some iffy vocals on the opening track it is a solid album and a real grower to boot. As ever their sound is based heavily on the use of likembé (thumb piano) and strikingly energetic percussion.
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45
Autechre
"Oversteps" (Warp)

Autechre albums are highly anticipated events. Prior to this release, a band that deserves to remain unnamed ‘accidentally’ mis-tagged their album as Oversteps. Disappointing as an Autechre release it did strike listeners as a welcome departure, highlighting the quality yet predictability of the Warp mainstay's sound.
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46
Max Richter
"Infra" (FatCat)

As well as contributing tracks to Shutter Island, Max Richter has released three full soundtracks this year, including Infra, originally composed as a score for the ballet of same name in November 2008. A subtle, emotive album of ambient and modern classical interwoven with the haunting static buzz of radios.
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47
Tame Impala
"Innerspeaker" (Modular Recordings)

Tame Impala’s Beatles-laden psychedelic stoner-pop isn’t breaking new ground but it is an unashamedly fun summer album. A well-executed debut that evokes John Lennon, early Pink Floyd, Cream and The Shins, these Aussie newcomers will no doubt be festival favourites next summer, if luck is on their side.
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48
Nest
"Retold" (Serein)

Nest is the collaborative project of Otto Totland, one half of the excellent Deaf Center, on Type Records, and Huw Roberts. Retold is a re-release of their excellent eponymous EP in 2007, extended to full-length. Electronics, minimal percussion, strings and piano converge to create a haunting experience.
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49
Frank Bretschneider
"EXP" (Raster-Noton)

German electronic artist and founder of the acclaimed Raster-Noton label, Bretschneider makes minimal glitch music out of white noise and sine waves. The achievement of EXP, seems somewhat diminished compared with his previous, and spectacular, full length Rhythm. Still, the spacious static-laden sound creates plenty of intrigue.
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50
Lower Dens
"Twin Hand Movement" (Gnomonsong)

In an Indie scene dominated in part by understated, dreamlike acts like The XX and Beach House it’s no surprise that there would be interest for Lower Dens. They contain elements in common with the aforementioned bands yet trashier and more urgent. An engaging and atmospheric debut suggesting even greater things to come!
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Podcast #34: 2010 Releases (Part 4)

2010-12-05T19:36:00.006-05:00

PLAYLIST:
1) The Go! Team - T.O.R.N.A.D.O. [starts 0.12]
2) Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - I Learned The Hard Way [starts 4.27]
3) Roots Manuva Meets Wrongtom - Chin Up [starts 8.25]
4) NaS and Damian Marley - As We Enter [starts 12.23]
5) Alasdair Roberts and Friends - The Two Sisters [starts 16.31]
6) Mice Parade - Kupanda [starts 21.39]
7) Konono N°1 - Fula Fula [starts 25.42]
8) The Chap - We'll See To Your Breakdown [starts 30.51]
9) Gold Panda -Same Dream China [starts 35.29]
10) Cursor Miner - Silicon Savage [starts 40.05]
11) Holy Fuck - SHT MTN [starts 44.52]
12) Emeralds - Double Helix [excerpt - starts 47.27]
13) Morgan Packard - Allow [starts 50.50]
14) John Roberts - Dedicated [starts 53.44]
15) Kanye West - Blame Game (Feat. John Legend) [excerpt - starts 58.37]

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Year In Review: Top 10 Soul and R&B Albums Of The Year

2010-12-02T00:03:00.000-05:00

Read my write-up of The Budos Band's fantastic third album on the Exclaim! website.

Year In Review: Top 10 Electronic Albums Of The Year

2010-12-01T23:55:00.002-05:00

Read my write-up of Morgan Packard's "Moment Again Elsewhere" on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Pheek "Channeling (Worlds)"

2010-11-30T23:34:00.011-05:00

Read my review of Pheek's new album on the Exclaim! website.

Year In Review: Top 50 Albums of 2010

2010-11-26T17:01:00.026-05:00

ithinkx is about to publish its 'Top 50 Albums of 2010' list and I have to say it has been an amazing year for music! This may sound a bit rash, but for my money this has been the best year for music in about a decade. 2007 is the only year that comes close and even that has nothing on 2010 in terms of number and quality of releases and general musical activity.

The influence of Africa was heard very strongly this year throughout a lot of music, both from Africa itself (Mali in particular) and elsewhere on albums by varied artists under the influence such as Vampire Weekend, To Rococo Rot, Mice Parade, The Budos Band and Germany's Ethio-jazz band Woima Collective. There were Fela Kuti reissues, the Tradi-Mods vs Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics remix album which featured remixes of contemporary Congolese bands by indie staples such as Animal Collective and new albums by Konono Nº1 and Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen.

It looked like an amazing year for hip hop and it wasn't bad, with the new Kanye album measuring up well against high expectations and much hype and a return-to-form from The Roots. We also had quality albums from Big Boi and Reflection Eternal, but we still have to wait until early 2011 for the official debut albums by Jay Electronica and J.Cole, leaving us having to sate ourselves with their latest mix-tapes instead.

It was a tall order to keep list this year's list just to 50, given the breadth and quality of releases so I want to give credit to a few releases that missed the top 50 but in a weaker year may have pierced the top 20! N.B. Re-issues, compilations, remix albums and EPs have been disregarded in the making of this list.

The Ones That Got Away!

Ninjatune celebrated its 20th anniversary this year and as well as the XX boxset and related celebratory releases there were also notable albums by newcomer Eskmo as well as albums from Bonobo and Norwegian progsters Jaga Jazzist.

Electronic music in general was especially healthy this year. Walls and Baths released notable albums and Hamburg's Dial records (whose Pantha du Prince found wider success for himself and the label by signing to Rough Trade) continued to release high-quality techno and minimal house albums by artists such as Efdemin and Pawel. Type Records' Sylvain Chauveau released "Singular Forms (Sometimes Repeated)" where he fused his sparse piano pieces with a vocal style he honed on his Depeche Mode tribute album (with Ensemble Nocturne, released in 2005). James Blake made waves with a couple of great EPs that gained him a lot of exposure and deservedly so. Ambient legend Brian Eno released "Small Craft On A Milk Sea", a decent but unremarkable album on Warp, with the help of Jon Hopkins.

The Canadian music scene looked as healthy as ever with a two-album release by techno-head and Archipel label boss Pheek, as well as a solid album from fellow Montrealers Plants & Animals. Eighties electro-pop throwback Diamond Rings made instant waves on release of his debut album "Special Affections". Black Mountain, Broken Social Scene and Wolf Parade delivered more of the same, which was enough to please the majority of their die-hard fans. French Canadians Karkwa released the gorgeous Les Chemins De Verre, which deservedly won this year's Polaris Prize.

Pitchfork darlings Yeasayer and Vampire Weekend both released solid albums this year. Sleigh Bells, Wavves, Frightened Rabbit and Villagers all released enjoyable albums but whether they will pass the test of time remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Stereolab's Leticia Sadier released "The Trip" - a gorgeous album of solo material.

Big disappointments this year came from !!!, whose album Strange Weather, Isn't It? seemed mailed-in, failing to live up to the standard of the excellent Myth Takes in 2007. Die Antwoord's official Interscope release of $0$ was a huge disappointment, managing to lose almost everything that was great about their demos, lending credence to the insinuation that they are nothing more than an amusing one-liner.

Joanna Newsom overstretched herself with a 3 CD boxset Have One On Me (one would've been great, three not so much) that contained some real gems but eventually collapsed under its own weight. Gil Scott-Heron released a potentially interesting yet ultimately disappointing, and short, album that felt all too much like he had been wheeled into the studio against his will and M.I.A. released an album that somehow was far less than the sum of its parts.

All in all it's been a fantastic year for music and the fact that so many great albums didn't make it into the Top 50 just goes to prove just how good a year it was!

Top 50 list coming soon!

Music Review: Scuba "Triangulation (Interpretations)"

2010-11-15T23:44:00.001-05:00

Read my review of the new remix album from Scuba on the Exclaim! website.

Podcast #33: If You're Feeling Sinister

2010-11-14T00:07:00.000-05:00

PLAYLIST:
1) The Knife - Intro [starts 0.18]
2) Svarte Greiner - Easy On The Bones [starts 1.58]
3) The Knife - Epochs [excerpt - starts 5.50]
4) Jose Maceda - Pagsamba - Kyrie [excerpt - starts 8.03]
5) Tom Waits - What's He Building? [starts 10.38]
6) Subtle - Flying Horse Plans [starts 14.00]
7) Francis Travis - Requiem For Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs & Orchestra [excerpt - starts 17.09]
8) The Cure - A Forest [starts 19.36]
9) Black To Comm - Jonathan [starts 24.37]
10) Richard Skelton - Scar Tissue [starts 29.50]
11) Scott Walker - Cossacks Are [starts 31 .02]
12) Library Tapes - The Leaves Have Left Us [starts 35.22]
13) Sunn O))) - Sin Nanna [starts 38.31]
14) Alva Noto - Anthem Berlin [excerpt - starts 40.45]
15) A Small, Good Thing - Owl In A Box [starts 44.56]
16) Explosions In The Sky - Have You Passed Through This Night? [starts 50.05]
17) Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral [excerpt - starts 57.24]

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Podcast #32: Matador is 21!

2010-10-18T19:04:00.015-04:00

PLAYLIST:
1) Guided By Voices - As We Go Up, We Go Down [starts 0.12]
2) Belle and Sebastian - The State I Am In [starts 3.43]
3) The For Carnation - Alfredo's Welcome [starts 8.23]
4) Pavement - Two States [starts 12.19]
5) Yo La Tengo - Let's Save Tony Orlando's House [starts 15.07]
6) M. Ward - Hi-Fi [starts 18.51]
7) Cat Power - Metal Heart [starts 22.19]
8) Pizzicato Five - Twiggy Twiggy [starts 27.59]
9) Cornelius - Magoo Opening [starts 31.55]
10) Matmos - Spondee [starts 34.08]
11) Seachange - Fog [starts 41.16]
12) Sonic Youth - Anti-Orgasm [starts 44.53]
13) Railroad Jerk - Bang the Drum [starts 50.31]
14) The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Bellbottoms [starts 54.58]

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Caught Live: Sufjan Stevens at Massey Hall

2010-10-15T20:49:00.058-04:00

Sitting in the beautiful Massey Hall, looking down at the stage, we knew we were in for something special. Support act and Sufjan Stevens band-mate, singer/guitarist DM Stith, gave his brief supporting performance sat in front of a huge projection screen amidst a daunting configuration of multiple guitar stands, several keyboards and various electronic devices, book ended by two drum kits large enough that Neil Peart wouldn’t be offended to play them.

Sufjan and his ten-member entourage filed onto the stage, including two female dancers/backing singers dressed like extras from Buck Rogers. They took their places and launched into a bombastic performance of the title track from this summer’s All Delighted People EP, immediately evoking comparison with the Polyphonic Spree. After its Bernard Herrmann-esque crescendo, Sufjan introduced the folksy “Heirloom” to soothe us “after all that drama”, after which it was straight back into upbeat electronics with “Too Much". This was followed by my highlight of the evening - a moving rendition of “Futile Devices”, the opening track from his brand new album The Age Of Adz.

Besides one video projection of Sufjan and friends that came across like a mashed-up American Apparel ad, the visuals throughout the show were, Sufjan explained, digital animations of artwork by Louisiana outsider artist Royal Robertson. Between the intense visuals, the eleven-person band and the seventies sci-fi theme the show had a pomp which put you in mind of The Flaming Lips, or even Queen in the seventies. For the most part it was inspiring and engaging but after about an hour, the set sagged a little with the weight of unfamiliar material and the sheer length of the show. After two fairly drab - and quite frankly, unnecessary - songs from the EP, the show picked up with a rendition of the 25 minute "Impossible Soul" suite, which inspired two girls in the front row to get up and dance but they were quickly returned to their seats. Judging by the audience’s laughter at the subsequent use of auto-tune they either hadn’t heard the album yet or at least hadn’t managed to get to that far into its epic final track. After the surprise subsided, the auto-tune actually worked well, especially on the backing singer’s voice.

After ninety minutes of new material, Sufjan acknowledged that the crowd had been “patient and gracious” in listening to so much new material and rewarded us with a full-throttle version of “Chicago”. After a complete standing ovation that lasted several minutes, Sufjan came back on-stage for a slightly rushed solo performance of Illinois-era favourites “Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois” and the ever creepy “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.”, which welcome as it was, felt a little like placation.

Overall it was a great performance and his new songs undeniably flourished within a live setting, the precision and tone of his band remarkable. I’ve heard it said that Sufjan Stevens is a musical genius and I’m just about ready to believe it.

News: iPods are Not Meant to be Portable!

2010-10-14T19:04:00.003-04:00

It's surprising, I know, but I have this on good authority.

I went to my local Apple Store today to visit the so-called 'Genius Bar' to get my 160GB iPod looked at. It had been playing up lately, some days repeatedly stopping during the playback of songs yet on some days never giving me any problems. Now, my iPod is out of warranty, so I wasn't fully expecting it to be replaced outright but was eager to get some advice on what might be happening.

After carving my way through the throng of eager consumers I managed to check-in for my appointment and after four minutes I was called to the counter to meet my Genius. If you're wondering how I know it was four minutes, and perhaps getting concerned over how anally-retentive or Aspergers I might be, it's because I was greeted with the opening gambit "Hi. Sorry for the 4-minute wait. How can I help?"

As I began to explain to Genius the issue I was having with the device, he half paid attention, saving some of his concentration for a frantic search for damage in order to make the device failure my fault (I had the distinct impression that this was part of his training, learnt by rote: "Remember, find something that looks like damage within the first thirty seconds of greeting the customer"). When he spoke it was to point out the two 'dents' on the casing of the iPod - one on the back which was barely visible and one on the front top corner that really should be classified as a scratch.

Genius then went on to explain that the old iPods have a spinning disc drive so are more prone to damage than the solid state drives in the newer models and that if I wished I could trade in my iPod in exchange for 50% off of a replacement, which would be $139. I decided that I couldn't afford it, didn't like the idea of paying more on principle and it wasn't really a wise investment as it was eventually bound to happen again unless I got a iPhone or iPod Touch, as Genius conceded, these old iPods only have a limited shelf life.

Fair enough. It's frustrating that consumer products today are built to have a limited shelf-life, and that technology improves so quickly leaving your old and expensive device in the dust, but it's inevitable, especially with Apple. Here's the icing though: Genius then tells me that the iPod isn't really meant for walking or jogging, as moving around can damage the drive and that it should be kept in the dock at all times. That's right. Your iPod should be kept in the dock at all times.

Okay, firstly, I'm pretty certain the iPod is supposed to be a portable device. At least, phrases like "iPod classic is the take-everything-everywhere iPod" on the Apple website pretty much suggest that it is. As does the fact that it's not fixed to the dock. Secondly, I'm not sure of the exact chronology here but I'm pretty certain the iPod dock was invented after the iPod as an accessory. I'm calling the iPod the chicken, or turkey perhaps, and the dock the egg. Thirdly, why don't the people dancing on the iTunes page of the Apple website know this? STOP DANCING! Put that iPod in the dock, guys! You're gonna break them! Some people just don't know how to treat their non-portable music devices.

So, as a concerned citizen and an avid iPod user, I urge you, for Apple's sake, please put your portable music devices in your immobile desk-mounted docks for their protection.

News: basic_sounds launch electronic netlabel

2010-10-13T12:04:00.003-04:00

basic_sounds, the fantastic electronic music and art blog now bring you the basic_sounds netlabel to showcase lesser known, high quality electronic music. Launched just this August, the label already boasts two releases, the first by Bartek Kawula and the second being Will Thomas Long. They are available to download now for FREE and come with beautiful artwork and a choice of formats. Visit the website now:

Music Review: John Roberts "Glass Eights"

2010-10-12T16:06:00.005-04:00

Read my review of the John Roberts debut album on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Morgan Packard "Moment Again Elsewhere"

2010-10-11T16:06:00.001-04:00

Read my review of Morgan Packard's new album on the Exclaim! website.

Music Review: Mux Mool "Wax Rose Saturday"

2010-09-30T16:04:00.000-04:00

Read my review of Mux Mool's latest EP on the Exclaim! website.

Podcast #31: 2010 Releases (Part 3)

2010-09-26T23:35:00.016-04:00

PLAYLIST:
1) The Budos Band - Unbroken, Unshaven [starts 0.11]
2) Sufjan Stevens - I Walked [starts 5.29]
3) To Rococo Rot - Horses [starts 10.14]
4) Drum Eyes - Future Police [starts 14.05]
5) PVT - Light Up Bright Fires [starts 21.04]
6) Arcade Fire - Ready To Start [starts 25.13]
7) Women - Heat Distraction [starts 29.25]
8) The Books - A Cold Freezin' Night [starts 35.39]
9) Jay Electronica - Walking (J. Period Remix Featuring Nneka) [starts 38.54]
10) The Roots - Now Or Never (Feat. Phonte, Dice Raw) [starts 40.03]
11) Mountain Man - Animal Tracks [starts 46.03]
12) Nina Nastasia - Moves Away [starts 47.59]
13) It Kills - Dragons [starts 49.42]
14) Dinah Washington/Max Richter - This Bitter Earth/On The Nature Of Daylight [excerpt - starts 57.19]

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Book Review: 'Just Kids' by Patti Smith

2010-09-25T16:34:00.001-04:00

With 'Just Kids' Patti Smith has crafted a beautifully-written, fascinating and above all wonderfully honest auto-biography/biography of her early years with lover and lifelong friend, the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. The book charts her arrival in New York, her chance meeting with Mapplethorpe and their personal, financial and artistic struggles - and eventually successes - both together and apart. At times moving, funny and heart-breaking, and consistently fascinating, I found myself torn between not being able to put the book down and wanting to slow down and savour the journey. This is not of interest to die-hard Smith/Mapplethorpe fans and admirers, although i will most likely make you more of a fan of both by the end of it. This is a book for anyone interested in an honest account of the struggles of an artist, the trials of relationships and the confusion of a conflicted sexual identity. With a cast of famous and cult characters - William Burroughs, Harry Smith, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix - drifting in and out of their lives, this is a fascinating book about the New York art-scene in the 70s as well as the moving story of two intersecting lives. The book is an inspiring, unspoken tribute to artists, musicians and anyone who marches to the beat of their own drum.

Music Review: It Kills "It Kills"

2010-09-14T18:45:00.009-04:00

read my review of the It Kills debut album on the Broken Atlas Blog

Interview: It Kills

2010-08-20T14:48:00.031-04:00

2009-05-18T14:02:00.017-04:00

PLAYLIST:

1) Shellac - Spoke (Peel Session) [excerpt - starts 00.13]
2) Battles - IPT2 [starts 01.32]
3) Art Blakey - Amuck [excerpt - starts 03.19]
4) The Flaming Lips - A Spoonful Weighs a Ton [starts 08.47]
5) Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks [starts 13.09]
6) Mice Parade - Warm Hard in Farmland [starts 17.09]
7) DJ Shadow - Mutual Slump [starts 20.13]
8) Shellac - Be Prepared [starts 25.54]
9) Fugazi - Cassavettes [starts 29.44]
10) Pharrell (feat. Gwen Stefani) - Can I Have It Like That [starts 32.14]
11) Can - Halleluhwah [starts 37.02]
12) Steve Reich - Drumming, Part IV [excerpt - starts 55.54]

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Podcast #9: 2009 so far (Part 2)

2009-05-03T14:26:00.039-04:00

PLAYLIST:

1) El Michels Affair - C.R.E.A.M. [starts 00.13]
2) The Phenomenal Handclap Band - Testimony [starts 02.53]
3) Charles Spearin - Mrs. Morris [starts 09.51]
4) Speech Debelle - Searching [starts 11.13]
5) Julie Doiron - Heavy Snow [starts 14.42]
6) Sholi - Tourniquet [starts 17.03]
7) NLF3 - Several Kinds [starts 20.35]
8) The Archivist - I Am Not Prepared [starts 25.48]
9) Bat For Lashes - Daniel [starts 29.29]
10) Fever Ray - Seven [starts 33.10]
11) Cymbals Eat Guitars - Cold Spring [starts 39.18]
12) Crystal Antlers - Dust [starts 44.57]
13) Dananananaykroyd - Black Wax [starts 47.19]
14) A Broken Consort - The Elder Lie [starts 52.36]

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