Okay, so 2009 was a pretty good year for music, well that was my perception at least. 2010 is shaping up to top its predecessor as well, which puts me in a very good mood. With a new decade seeing highly anticipated albums from some of my favourite artists/bands/etc, it seems that in retrospect, 2009 was a year of new blood, new names releasing debut or 'breakthrough' recordings. We can only hope that new records from A Silver Mt. Zion, Efterklang, Liars, Four Tet and Joanna 'dick-in-a-box' Newsom are worth getting excited for. So far I've heard leaks of ASMZ, Efterklang, Liars and they all seem to have the potential to be great...although ASMZ won't be played on Radio One anytime soon. The Efterklang LP 'Magic Chairs' seems to have the most 'commercial' appeal, with the Danish ensemble dropping their 'indie-choir' (just had a horrible image of 'performing parades' the 'cast of Glee version'. Yikes.) for genuine pop-songs. Don't be put off by this though, its not fucking Journey or anything. Liars. Here is a band that are perhaps past their peak, thanks to simply mind-fucking everyone with 2006's incredible 'Drum's Not Dead' . But their new album, 'Sisterworld' is a return to form, for me, after I couldn't really get into their last, self-titled effort.
Okay, wow, so you got two posts for the price of one it seems.
Here is 2009, or at least what I care to remember of it...
Moth/Wolf Cub - Burial & Four Tet
Let's get one thing straight, this was a MASSIVE release back in April. With minimalistic black artwork and and killer production, this became a must-have record for DJs everywhere. Moth/Wolf Cub was shrouded in mystery and this was probably of equal importance to the quality of the tracks, in terms of its notoriety. Was this a true collaboration of two of the UK's finest electronic music producers, or did one track belong to each artist. Perhaps they are homages to each others musical styles, or somewhere in between these suggested scenarios. I've seen Hebden perform both in the DJ and Live environment, and always the result is overwhelmingly positive. Two tracks that have become instantly recognizable for those in 'dubstep' clubs in the UK. Very infrequently do collaborations surpass the hefty sum of their parts, but this is THE collaboration of the year.
Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective
Upon release this was a hotly tipped AOTY contender by much of the indie media. The eighth LP from AC was a more 'accessible' version of their Psych-Folk selves, gone were a member (and apparently he took all his guitars with him) and in was a synth-oriented explosion of psychedelic ditties. Some may say that overall this album is a bit overrated; perhaps caused by the two singles 'My Girls' and 'Summertime Clothes' being arguably the weakest tracks in my opinion. For me this was perhaps their (counts in head) 4th or 5th best album. (behind 'Sung Tongs', 'Feels', 'Strawberry Jam' and perhaps....all of them) but yeah, 'breakthrough record', massive critical acclaim.
Great Lengths - Martyn
The highest ranking 'dubstep' full length of the year for me, and many others. Great Lengths seems to have been around for ages, with all manner of dj's from different sub-genres, dropping tracks from the Dutchman's debut LP. Martyn's dutch heritage is retained by the techno feeling his sound can sometimes produce, but with the classic bass-melodies of 'Vancouver', 'Elden St.' etc etc. this album has united both fans of the more aggressive south london producers (16 Bit et al) with those who enjoy the berlin-ic sounds of the likes of Scuba and Appleblim's latest productions. In a medium where the vinyl 12" release is the reigning monarch, 'dubstep' albums are usually more compilations of singles, but Martyn is an advocate of the process in which an album is produced. Believing that isolation and focus can combine to form something outstanding. Great Lengths is just that. ALSO: Martyn's stunning Fabric 50 mix, as well as cerebral sets at bestival and Warehouse Project, meant that he was always going to feature in this list!
Ambivalence Avenue - Bibio
A beautiful mix of manipulated guitar, synthesizers, 'found sounds' and IDM, Bibio's Warp debut was one of the most eclectic albums of 2009 yet still one of the most beautiful. Its release in June, this album complemented the British Summer perfectly for me. The idea of simultaneously feeling both positive and negative about some aspect of your life (that's the ambivalence bit, yeah!) summed up last year for me. From the funk of 'Jealous of Roses', the 'song-writer-ish middle section, through the more 'Electronic' 'S'Vive', the album's contrasting styles unite on final tracks 'Cry! Baby!' and 'Dwrcan'. For me the stand-out track is 'Haikuesque (When She Laughs)'.
Bitte Orca - Dirty Projectors
Love this album. Unusual rhythms and unique guitar stylings plus some lovely ladies singing lovely-ly. Pop music as it should be. Apparently Beyonce's mum is a fan. Now THAT would be a collaboration!! Hats off to DP for their music video for 'Stillness Is The Move', which is (if you haven't seen it) basically weird-sheeted-girl-group-DP, plus rugged alpaca wielding Dave Longstreth, meandering, sometimes in an unusually choreographed manner, around the wilderness of north america. Ain't that awesome, or something.
Délivrance - A Hawk And A Hacksaw
This Balkan-Folk outfit from Albuquerque, New Mexico, first came to my attention this year, I actually bought the album on recommendation from the staff in a local record shop. The precision of their playing and the energy of their live performances is truly represented on this their 5th album. Sometimes if I listen to this album I have a very vivid daydream where I am in a Bulgarian forest at the turn of the 20th century, being stalked by some weird creature similar to the 'Judderman' from the Metz Schnapps advert a couple year back. Yeah, I said it was VIVID. 'Beware the Judderman, my dears, when the moon is fat.'
Veckatimest - Grizzly Bear
Not as good as Yellow House, for me. But TUNES such as 'Two Weeks' got the masses on side, whilst tracks like opener 'Southern Point' and 'Fine For Now' rounded off a very good album. The music equivalent of a 'little black dress' (hear me out), good for dinner parties, and to have a little dance/boogie to, perfect for all occasions.
Three EPs - Shackleton
The Skull Disco Co-founder and producer's LP on Frankfurt/Berlin's Perlon label cemented a great year for dubstep. Not as accessible as Martyn's 'great lengths', Three EPs demonstrates dubstep at its most menacing. Shackleton's productions have an aggression to them without having to result to excessive 'chainsaw-bass' and fucking 'wobble' that has made artists such as 16 Bit, Rusko, Caspa etc. popular. This collection sees Shackleton preserve the classic, pure, deep basslines that made seminal tunes such as 'Blood On My Hands'; The eery 'Mountains of Ashes', is well worth a listen. This record demands a lot from the listener: firstly without a sub or decent headphones there is NO POINT bothering. Secondly it is truly epic on the intro. When the bassline finally drops, you find that you where never, ever going to be ready for it. Try as you might, you struggle, but soon 'Something Has Got To Give', and it's always more likely to be you that yields, left in a bass-riddled mess on the floor. Urgh.
the ASMZ, Efterklang leaks can be found on www.nodata.tv
Liars leak is on www.sordomusic.com
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