Long overdue best of 2008
OK, I started writing this list in December, and then heavily in January, a little in February, even less in March, and just decided to post it where I left off. Hope to revive the more regular smaller entries soon. Still listening to loads of new music, just not writing about it as often as I'd like. :-)
Twine: Violets (Ghostly) ( read original post)
Jacaszek: Treny (Miasmah) ( read original post)
David Holmes: The Holy Pictures
I hadn't really heard David Holmes' music in a long time, not since the years following his trip-hop entry Let's Get Killed in the late 90s. Ten years later, I'm turned onto The Holy Pictures, which could be a different artist altogether. The similarities between the off-kilter downtempo of that debut album and this one are minimal (if any at all), with most of the music of The Holy Pictures falling more in line with hazy krautrock and shoegazer rock. There are suggestions of Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream, Ride, Neu and Can by various turns here, though it doesn't sound like a nod to any one of these acts in particular. These likenings are perhaps a bit lazy, though I suspect Holmes himself would be hard-pressed to fully deny any of these names being dropped. Opener "I Heard Wonders" is straight-up Primal Scream motorik rock (think the more sublime, gliding moments of XTRMNTR), while "Love Reign Over Me" is an odd electronic pop track. The most satisfying moments of the album are when the cinematic tendencies are given some space to roam, such as "The Ballad Of Sarah & Jack" or the awesomely wide "The Story of the Ink." Some of the vocal tracks are almost too straight-forward for their own good (such as the obvious Neu-meets-vintage-Stereolab krautrock of "Melanie"), but given how much I really do like this record, these are minor criticisms. There is just something so damn likeable about it all, confounding the notion that homage or appropriation of genres, pre-existing sounds or aesthetics is somehow inherently bad. It's a major success in my opinion, one of the best albums of its kind that I can recall in recent past.
buy it: Amazon
Booka Shade: The Sun & The Neon Light (Get Physical) ( read original post)
Hatchback: Colors Of The Sun (Lo Recordings)
userslumberjack turned me onto this one in his 2008 wrap-up. I'm glad he did, because otherwise I'd have completely overlooked this gem, one that would've really struck a chord with me prior to the onset of winter. Hatchback is a San Francisco-based producer who makes quality electronic tracks, all instrumental. They're equally relaxed, sunny and functional, warming the heart as much as they cause a listener's head to bob (or occasionally, their ass to shake). Upbeat tracks like "Jetlag" and "Carefree Highway" would work just as well on a late-night floor as they would with the top down in the sun, but my favorites are some of the chunky midtempo grooves to be heard here. "Comets" has a fat bass and thick snare tempered by shimmering tones that help it go down smoothly. Likewise, "White Diamond" sways and swells with a warmth that tingles. The vague krautrock suggestions of "The Lotus and the Robot," one of the broader-reaching tracks on Colors of the Sun, eventually give way to a sweet dancefloor anthem. Elsewhere, those krautrock leanings are expanded on via the more obvious nod of "Everything Is Neu," with its more acoustic-sounding motorik kit, hazy electric chords and soaring piano patterns.
buy it: Amazon
Hot Chip: Made In The Dark (DFA)
The UK pop act cements its reputation as an outlet for quality dance music, weird genre-fuck combos and genuinely surprising left turns with this, its third album. It draws from the considerable progress of their second album and factors in how much they've solidified as a touring band, with tracks that will obviously move a dancefloor but would probably sound especially good in a crowded live show. "Shake a Fist" sets the tone as a single, with a completely bizarre breakdown in the middle that defies most typical conventions, not to mention a chorus that is considerably more jerky and erratic than one might ordinarily be accustomed to. Even "Ready for the Floor," the most obvious pop song on the record, is a bit "off" from the usual fare, with a strangely buoyant and light chorus that complements its spry, almost cheap (in a good way!) arrangements. "Out at the Pictures" and "Bendable Poseable" again subvert expectations with unusual time signature changes, rackety atypical rhythm sections and odd juxtapositions of genre. They aren't afraid to slow down for the odd R&B-tinged ballad or two, either; the last portion of the record falls a bit limp with the double-whammy epilogue of "Whistle For Will" and "In The Privacy Of Our Love," but the two are so sweet on their own accord that it feels not like an afterthought but rather a pleasant denouement. There are a couple straight-up dancefloor shakers, like "Hold On" and "One Pure Thought," showcasing the party atmosphere they're so good at live, but they aren't afraid to get a bit silly with "Wrestlers" (which really needs to just be heard rather than read about). All in all, consider it another success for Hot Chip, who seem able to straddle many different audiences, genres and paradigms with relative ease.
buy it: Amazon
Bersarin Quartett: Bersarin Quartett (Lidar) ( read original post)
Andy Stott: Unknown Exception (Modern Love) ( read original post)
Alias: Resurgam (Anticon) ( read original post)
Lindstrøm: Where You Go I Go Too (Smalltown Supersound)
This highly epic journey through a smokey disco otherworld is perhaps Hans-Peter Lindstrøm's crowning achievement thus far. Lindstrøm has gotten the lion's share of the hype when it comes to the faux-genre of space disco, though it's not without good reason; he's been at it for some time now, and generally speaking, the quality control is pretty high throughout his releases. He has a keen ear for both vintage disco flavor and sounds as well as melodic and story arc... many of his tracks are far-reaching and evolve with an ease that is beguiling at times. So it's no small feat that Where You Go I Go Too tops all of his past material, a sort of disco critical mass in the form of 3 tracks totalling almost an hour. If that seems excessive, well, it kind of is -- it's only kept in check by just how good a storyteller Lindstrøm is. Despite the title track being 25 minutes long, it never feels tedious or even very repetitive, even as it's built almost entirely around a consistent tempo and persistent, undulating arpeggios.Lindstrøm is a master of his craft, and instead of veering into self-indulgence, instead we're privy to a magnum opus of seductive beats and melodies.
buy it: Amazon
Portishead: Third (Island) ( read original post)
Jóhann Jóhannsson: Fordlândia (4AD)
Composer Jóhann Jóhannsson has always had a flair for the cinematic. His earlier records for the esteemed Touch label suggested this, even at his most stark moments... so it's not surprising that his latest for the 4AD label is quite grand and epic. The two bookends that comprise the majority of this record, "Fordlândia" and "How We Left Fordlândia," are full of broad, sweeping gestures courtesy of a full string section, with electronic flourishes over top. Some of these more aspirational moments are reminiscent of the most dramatic backing arrangements for a group like Sigur Rós (minus the rock band and vocalist...!). There is a grace and patience throughout this release that is a curious counterpoint to its namesake; Fordlândia was the failed rubber plantation of Henry Ford, located in South America in the early 20th century. So in a strange way, Jóhannsson has chosen this topic as the backdrop for his score, the soundtrack to a failed utopia. He explains this to a reasonable length on his official artist site, and listeners would be advised to check it out for more information. Musically, it's a gorgeous album. It sweeps and swoons, with several more subtle interludes sprinkled within the more dramatic pieces, with ample points of contrast to help express Jóhannsson's ideas with a distinct beginning, middle, and end.
buy it: Amazon
Benoît Pioulard: Temper (Kranky) ( read original post)
Kelley Polar: I Need You To Hang Onto While The Sky Is Falling (Environ) ( read original post)
Grouper: Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill (Type) ( read original post)
Max Richter: 24 Postcards In Full Colour (Fatcat) ( read original post)
Growing: All The Way (Kranky) ( read original post)
Morgan Geist: Double Night Time (Environ)
Morgan Geist will be eventually known (and is already considered by some) as a hero of American dance music. His repertoire reaches far and broad through a long list of impressive solo releases, in addition to heading up the Environ record label and having unleashed perhaps my favorite disco homage, Metro Area, a few years ago. Double Night Time is an odd pop release that reunites Geist with Kelley Polar (who handled many of the string arrangements for Metro Area) and also finds him collaborating extensively with Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys. The prominence of vocals here may be a turn-off for some of his more dedicated techno audience, but I think it's a pretty great pop album of its own accord. "The Shore" actually sounds like the perfect marriage of Geist's Detroit nods and the jerky R&B of Junior Boys' debut album, but there are a few moments of dancefloor bliss here that combine throwback 80s pop, disco, new wave and current tech house flirtations. "Detroit" is the most unsubtle frame of reference here, a really slick pop track with Greenspan's vocal leading the way, but "Most of All" is undeniable with its 80s swagger.
buy it: Amazon
Cloudland Canyon: Lie In Light (Kranky) ( read original post)
honorable mentions:
Autechre: Quaristice (Warp) ( read original post)
Byetone: Death Of A Typographer (Raster)
Squarepusher: Just A Souvenir (Warp) ( read original post)
Raveonettes: Lust Lust Lust
Ellen Allien: SooL (BPitch Control)
Fuck Buttons: Street Horrrsing (ATP) ( read original post)
Notwist: The Devil, You + Me (Domino)
Twine: Violets (Ghostly) ( read original post)
Jacaszek: Treny (Miasmah) ( read original post)
David Holmes: The Holy Pictures
I hadn't really heard David Holmes' music in a long time, not since the years following his trip-hop entry Let's Get Killed in the late 90s. Ten years later, I'm turned onto The Holy Pictures, which could be a different artist altogether. The similarities between the off-kilter downtempo of that debut album and this one are minimal (if any at all), with most of the music of The Holy Pictures falling more in line with hazy krautrock and shoegazer rock. There are suggestions of Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream, Ride, Neu and Can by various turns here, though it doesn't sound like a nod to any one of these acts in particular. These likenings are perhaps a bit lazy, though I suspect Holmes himself would be hard-pressed to fully deny any of these names being dropped. Opener "I Heard Wonders" is straight-up Primal Scream motorik rock (think the more sublime, gliding moments of XTRMNTR), while "Love Reign Over Me" is an odd electronic pop track. The most satisfying moments of the album are when the cinematic tendencies are given some space to roam, such as "The Ballad Of Sarah & Jack" or the awesomely wide "The Story of the Ink." Some of the vocal tracks are almost too straight-forward for their own good (such as the obvious Neu-meets-vintage-Stereolab krautrock of "Melanie"), but given how much I really do like this record, these are minor criticisms. There is just something so damn likeable about it all, confounding the notion that homage or appropriation of genres, pre-existing sounds or aesthetics is somehow inherently bad. It's a major success in my opinion, one of the best albums of its kind that I can recall in recent past.
buy it: Amazon
Booka Shade: The Sun & The Neon Light (Get Physical) ( read original post)
Hatchback: Colors Of The Sun (Lo Recordings)
userslumberjack turned me onto this one in his 2008 wrap-up. I'm glad he did, because otherwise I'd have completely overlooked this gem, one that would've really struck a chord with me prior to the onset of winter. Hatchback is a San Francisco-based producer who makes quality electronic tracks, all instrumental. They're equally relaxed, sunny and functional, warming the heart as much as they cause a listener's head to bob (or occasionally, their ass to shake). Upbeat tracks like "Jetlag" and "Carefree Highway" would work just as well on a late-night floor as they would with the top down in the sun, but my favorites are some of the chunky midtempo grooves to be heard here. "Comets" has a fat bass and thick snare tempered by shimmering tones that help it go down smoothly. Likewise, "White Diamond" sways and swells with a warmth that tingles. The vague krautrock suggestions of "The Lotus and the Robot," one of the broader-reaching tracks on Colors of the Sun, eventually give way to a sweet dancefloor anthem. Elsewhere, those krautrock leanings are expanded on via the more obvious nod of "Everything Is Neu," with its more acoustic-sounding motorik kit, hazy electric chords and soaring piano patterns.
buy it: Amazon
Hot Chip: Made In The Dark (DFA)
The UK pop act cements its reputation as an outlet for quality dance music, weird genre-fuck combos and genuinely surprising left turns with this, its third album. It draws from the considerable progress of their second album and factors in how much they've solidified as a touring band, with tracks that will obviously move a dancefloor but would probably sound especially good in a crowded live show. "Shake a Fist" sets the tone as a single, with a completely bizarre breakdown in the middle that defies most typical conventions, not to mention a chorus that is considerably more jerky and erratic than one might ordinarily be accustomed to. Even "Ready for the Floor," the most obvious pop song on the record, is a bit "off" from the usual fare, with a strangely buoyant and light chorus that complements its spry, almost cheap (in a good way!) arrangements. "Out at the Pictures" and "Bendable Poseable" again subvert expectations with unusual time signature changes, rackety atypical rhythm sections and odd juxtapositions of genre. They aren't afraid to slow down for the odd R&B-tinged ballad or two, either; the last portion of the record falls a bit limp with the double-whammy epilogue of "Whistle For Will" and "In The Privacy Of Our Love," but the two are so sweet on their own accord that it feels not like an afterthought but rather a pleasant denouement. There are a couple straight-up dancefloor shakers, like "Hold On" and "One Pure Thought," showcasing the party atmosphere they're so good at live, but they aren't afraid to get a bit silly with "Wrestlers" (which really needs to just be heard rather than read about). All in all, consider it another success for Hot Chip, who seem able to straddle many different audiences, genres and paradigms with relative ease.
buy it: Amazon
Bersarin Quartett: Bersarin Quartett (Lidar) ( read original post)
Andy Stott: Unknown Exception (Modern Love) ( read original post)
Alias: Resurgam (Anticon) ( read original post)
Lindstrøm: Where You Go I Go Too (Smalltown Supersound)
This highly epic journey through a smokey disco otherworld is perhaps Hans-Peter Lindstrøm's crowning achievement thus far. Lindstrøm has gotten the lion's share of the hype when it comes to the faux-genre of space disco, though it's not without good reason; he's been at it for some time now, and generally speaking, the quality control is pretty high throughout his releases. He has a keen ear for both vintage disco flavor and sounds as well as melodic and story arc... many of his tracks are far-reaching and evolve with an ease that is beguiling at times. So it's no small feat that Where You Go I Go Too tops all of his past material, a sort of disco critical mass in the form of 3 tracks totalling almost an hour. If that seems excessive, well, it kind of is -- it's only kept in check by just how good a storyteller Lindstrøm is. Despite the title track being 25 minutes long, it never feels tedious or even very repetitive, even as it's built almost entirely around a consistent tempo and persistent, undulating arpeggios.Lindstrøm is a master of his craft, and instead of veering into self-indulgence, instead we're privy to a magnum opus of seductive beats and melodies.
buy it: Amazon
Portishead: Third (Island) ( read original post)
Jóhann Jóhannsson: Fordlândia (4AD)
Composer Jóhann Jóhannsson has always had a flair for the cinematic. His earlier records for the esteemed Touch label suggested this, even at his most stark moments... so it's not surprising that his latest for the 4AD label is quite grand and epic. The two bookends that comprise the majority of this record, "Fordlândia" and "How We Left Fordlândia," are full of broad, sweeping gestures courtesy of a full string section, with electronic flourishes over top. Some of these more aspirational moments are reminiscent of the most dramatic backing arrangements for a group like Sigur Rós (minus the rock band and vocalist...!). There is a grace and patience throughout this release that is a curious counterpoint to its namesake; Fordlândia was the failed rubber plantation of Henry Ford, located in South America in the early 20th century. So in a strange way, Jóhannsson has chosen this topic as the backdrop for his score, the soundtrack to a failed utopia. He explains this to a reasonable length on his official artist site, and listeners would be advised to check it out for more information. Musically, it's a gorgeous album. It sweeps and swoons, with several more subtle interludes sprinkled within the more dramatic pieces, with ample points of contrast to help express Jóhannsson's ideas with a distinct beginning, middle, and end.
buy it: Amazon
Benoît Pioulard: Temper (Kranky) ( read original post)
Kelley Polar: I Need You To Hang Onto While The Sky Is Falling (Environ) ( read original post)
Grouper: Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill (Type) ( read original post)
Max Richter: 24 Postcards In Full Colour (Fatcat) ( read original post)
Growing: All The Way (Kranky) ( read original post)
Morgan Geist: Double Night Time (Environ)
Morgan Geist will be eventually known (and is already considered by some) as a hero of American dance music. His repertoire reaches far and broad through a long list of impressive solo releases, in addition to heading up the Environ record label and having unleashed perhaps my favorite disco homage, Metro Area, a few years ago. Double Night Time is an odd pop release that reunites Geist with Kelley Polar (who handled many of the string arrangements for Metro Area) and also finds him collaborating extensively with Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys. The prominence of vocals here may be a turn-off for some of his more dedicated techno audience, but I think it's a pretty great pop album of its own accord. "The Shore" actually sounds like the perfect marriage of Geist's Detroit nods and the jerky R&B of Junior Boys' debut album, but there are a few moments of dancefloor bliss here that combine throwback 80s pop, disco, new wave and current tech house flirtations. "Detroit" is the most unsubtle frame of reference here, a really slick pop track with Greenspan's vocal leading the way, but "Most of All" is undeniable with its 80s swagger.
buy it: Amazon
Cloudland Canyon: Lie In Light (Kranky) ( read original post)
honorable mentions:
Autechre: Quaristice (Warp) ( read original post)
Byetone: Death Of A Typographer (Raster)
Squarepusher: Just A Souvenir (Warp) ( read original post)
Raveonettes: Lust Lust Lust
Ellen Allien: SooL (BPitch Control)
Fuck Buttons: Street Horrrsing (ATP) ( read original post)
Notwist: The Devil, You + Me (Domino)