Download all ten songs Just like last year, though admittedly much less ambitious, I want to mark the passing of another year of with my thoughts on the most distinguished artists and albums of 2007 (according to me), and give you a song from each one to take with you.
If there’s one common theme in this disparate mix, it’s a delicate balance between such lush and abundant instrumentation and a sparse and minimal sound. As I’m fond of saying, it’s the space in between that’s most interesting, and that’s clearly the case in these ten songs, listed below in alphabetical order. Enjoy!
Animal Collective · Strawberry Jam · Unsolved Mysteries
I would have never known about AC if not for my brother Kevin — he was the first to suggest Sung Tongs and Feels and even sent me some pre-release mp3s from Strawberry Jam. While I liked songs from the first two, SJ was so dense (and unbelievably tense) that I found it difficult to listen to in the very beginning. But again, on his recommendation, I bought tickets to see them live and then also began to listen to SJ more intently, often for days on end, as the show approached. It’s safe to say I was absolutely blown away by their show (see my pictures and my videos from it) and now I’m completely hooked on the album in its entirety. Definitely at the top of my list for 2007.
Battles · Mirrored · Tonto
Warp heavily promoted the new BTTLS album for a number of months, but it never really caught me the way it seemed to hook everyone else. My good friend Andrew ‘Japandy’ Tweed insisted I take a second look, and I did to my great delight. I wrote about both of their incredible videos, and was lucky enough to see them live not so long ago in San Francisco (need to upload that video to YouTube, it’s amazing). I have yet to see anyone or anything play with such pace, precision, and passion; the only way I can describe it is to say that I can’t listen to their incredible album anymore: it’s too slow, too lifeless (that’s a preposterous thing to say, btw). I was exhausted at the end of their show and (still) incredibly inspired by the whole thing.
Beans · Thorns · We Rock
I came to follow Beans when Warp signed Anti-Pop Consortium (apparently soon to be reunited, thankfully). Most hip-hop bores me — even though I would listen to nothing but hip-hop if there were more artists like Beans — instead I often find nothing but unimaginative rhythms and even more mindless lyrics. I loved many songs on Tomorrow Right Now and even more on Shock City Maverick, so I eagerly awaited Thorns. After hearing Thundermouth for the first time, I thought it would be near impossible to top that track, but he did it with We Rock. Show me someone, anyone, who rocks it harder than Beans — it can’t be done.
Björk · Volta · I See Who You Are
Abby absolutely loves Björk, and while I do too, it’s not with the same intensity. I was definitely excited to see her show this summer, but after having seen her on the Vespertine tour before, I wasn’t expecting such an intense and high energy show. This song is equally intense, even though it’s much more sedate. I love the delicate instrumentation on this track and her beautiful lyrics, it’s yet another exquisite collaboration with Mark Bell (LFO). Tops.
Burial · Untrue · Archangel
The reviews on Warpmart practically begged me to buy it, but the lo-fi samples on bleep sounded flat and uninspired. I debated it for several weeks, but finally gave in and bought the album just to hear it for myself. I was immediately taken by it, no doubt egged on by my then new Shure SE530 headphones (such a guilty pleasure, but damn worth it — find ‘em new on eBay, they’re way cheaper there). This album is incredible, infinitely complex and yet just right there where it should be. I find new twists and turns every time I play it. If you haven’t heard it, you owe it to yourself to get it. btw, Abby’s first impression: “It sounds like Jamie Lidell meets Boyz II Men meets Autechre”. Yep, classic.
Flying Lotus · Reset EP · Dance Floor Stalker
When the news of his signing to Warp hit, I immediately went searching for his prior release 1983 on Plug Research. It’s an epic instrumental effort, notable for its brief but incredibly thick and dense tracks. I was immediately hooked and kept it in heavy rotation on my peaPod this past summer. Luckily, the Reset EP is all of that and a whole lot more. I played this six-track EP over and over without ever tiring of it. The bass is monstrous, the beats are genius, and the flow is absolutely out of this world. FlyLo deserves his place on Warp’s legendary roster, I can’t wait to hear what comes next.
Matthew Dear · Asa Breed · Don and Sherri
I almost left this one off, as much as I love this album and listened to it non-stop for a month straight. I saw his show in San Francisco this fall, and well, to put it kindly… It sucked. Ass. The crowd was sparse, poor promotion perhaps, but he failed to connect with it, preferring instead to plod along with his pre-canned rockstar shtick. The highlight of the show was the next to last song, the epic Don and Sherri, also known as that sick track on the Hummer commercial. Even with the goofy lyrics, this track makes me want to shake my booty. I still love the album, in spite of the awful show. I do believe he will learn so much from this tour, and I expect to see a better show next time. I still believe!
Radiohead · In Rainbows · Bodysnatchers
Yes, I whined about the 160kbps thing, impugned their motives, and generally disparaged In Rainbows in the very beginning. But the more I listened to it, the more I came to see that the music on this album is as revolutionary as all that surrounds its internet-only release. No one makes music like Radiohead, and Bodysnatchers in particular has my head bouncing from side to side the moment it comes on. But nothing, nothing tops the breakdown shortly after the two minute mark, and the way it builds back into the first part of the song just makes me want to play it all over again. And again. And again. I absolutely love this track.
Sky Observer · Sky Observer’s Guide 070707 · Skyway Drive
“Space, space, space.” It’s true, Stewart Brown and I go way, way back, and I played a small part in getting this release out to the world, but that has so little to do with how strongly I feel about it. At once timeless and yet clearly of this very moment, Brown succeeded in capturing the dichotomy of his youthful, irreverent energy and his measured, masterful touch. With no hesitation whatsoever, I predict that years from now people will love this effort the way they love Boards of Canada’s In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country, as an old friend indeed. Listen to the other four songs for free at FORKLIFT ENTERTAINMENT.
The Tuss · Rushup Edge · Synthacon 9
C’mon, we all know it’s Aphex Twin. And it’s without a doubt the most magnificent track ever created.
Late update: Here’s a pic of Sawyer helping me write this post:
↓ Download all seven songsI can’t believe we’re already in February now, with January just breezing by without a sound. It’s amazing to look back on the month that was, at the immense quantity and quality, not to mention variety, of things I was able to design and build. Unfortunately, the best stuff is under lock and key for the next few months, but I’ll share the other stuff in another post soon. For now, I’d rather share with you seven of my favorite new songs for 2007.
One of my favorite webapps over the past few years is Last.fm. It listens to everything I do, and records who, what, and when on my Last.fm profile page (I also import this data to my ephemera page on this blog). We can both see everything I’ve listened to since November of 2004 (over 14,000 songs so far). It hasn’t moved much in the last week since I bought my new green iPod shuffle (the best iPod yet) but it doesn’t synch those songs for one reason or another. It’s really fun to watch…
At any rate, here are my seven favorite new songs for 2007, in the order in which they were discovered:
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Song Beacon In The Darkness Artist Gruff Rhys Album Candylion Label Rough Trade |
First, it’s rad that this album is on Rough Trade, which was, in the 80s, the quintessential London record shop (I’ve been to the one in Covent Garden) and label of The Smiths (trust me, that’s huge). The label dissolved in 1991 only to be reincarnated in 2000 (their current roster is a veritable who’s who). As for Candylion, this album just burst on my scene and quickly found its way into my head and heart. The production is lush and full, the songs varied yet incredibly precise… never too much but always just enough. The instrumentation on this song in particular is exquisite and the groove is almost countrified, especially with the slide guitar. And I love the delicate crash cymbal as it marks each transition within the song. I can’t get enough of this song or this album. It’s truly that good. |
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Song Heart of Hearts Artist !!! Album Myth Takes Label Warp Records |
!!! (pronounced as any three repetitive sounds, commonly chk chk chk) has a new album coming out in March. I’m as excited about this one as I was the new Squarepusher album of 2006, but so far I haven’t tried to find Myth Takes online. The album artwork is stunningly beautiful, along with the soon-to-be released limited edition picture disc, which of course I have already ordered. Luckily, they saw fit to release this song for free download. It is, as pitchfork says best, “an unstoppable juggernaut.” Absolutely massive. I can’t wait for March 4, 2007. |
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Song Life is Neon Artist Neon Don Album African Dope’s Greatest Hits Label African Dope Records |
I discovered Neon Don on the impeccable Ben Mono DJs Anonymous mix I downloaded early this year (honestly, the first 25 minutes are just about perfect). African Dope Records is a South African label, and I’m not familiar with any of their other artists, but I absolutely love this song. The vibe has an almost Japanese hiphop feel at times, the beats are clever and concise, and the lyrics? You gotta check this chorus:
For the longest time I thought it was ‘boning chickens’ not cloning. I’m not sure which one makes more sense. I can (and often do) listen to this one over and over again in the car, and if you count the number of times I’ve played the Ben Mono mix it’s easily the song I’ve listened to most this new year. |
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Song Guitar Beat Track Parts 1 + 2 (Live Mix) Artist Laszlo Beckett Album Plowtrax Vol 1 Label Hand on the Plow |
This song is positively demented, but damn if it doesn’t make me shake my booty like no other song right now. The vibe reminds me of the classic Lasse Gjertsen video I posted last year, which still drops my jaw every time I watch it. I’ve also blogged about Laszlo’s remix of Pleated Lemon’s Cocks and Fannies, indeed, as it turns out, very few of us do have one of each kind. Hand on the Plow is easily one of my most favorite labels right now, their stuff is on my must-have list the day it comes out. I can’t wait to hear what comes next. |
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Song Still Artist The Marcia Blaine School for Girls Album Halfway into the Woods Label Highpoint Lowlife |
I don’t know much about these three cats from Glasgow, to say nothing of their choice for a band name (I prefer to call them MBS4G), and I’m not entirely sure why I purchased this on bleep.com, but it’s such a phenomenal release. This song in particular just blows me away, with its near-perfect blend of Joy Division, early Autechre, and a little bit of Pretty Boy Crossover too. I pretty much listened to this album non-stop for a week straight, just playing it over and over again while at work on the demo. It can fade into the background at times, which each song following the slow build → big sound explosion → slow fade routine, but it never fails to disappoint. This will likely make my end of the year best of list. Highly recommended. |
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Song No Love in Your Heart Artist The Earlies Album The Enemy Chorus Label 679 Recordings |
I saw this one on bleep.com, sampled the first song as I always do, and bought it without listening to the rest. This song alone was worth the $9.99, and truth be told I haven’t made it much past this one. I don’t know that it’s any one thing that pulls me into this song, because everything does it for me, from the slow build, to the Mark Bell-esque snares from Bjork’s Homogenic, to the horns at the end… this song just hits it hard. The lyrics are a bit on the hurtful side, perhaps a bit close to home, but the rush is so intense. I can only hope the rest of this album is as good, but I have a feeling it’ll be tough to match this one. |
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Song Underwater (you and me) Artist Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Album Some Loud Thunder Label Self released |
This album snuck up on me, I knew it was coming out soon but hadn’t kept close tabs on when. I couldn’t find it anywhere online, so I actually bought the cd at the Virgin Megastore on Market Street Tuesday morning. Apparently Virgin is having all kinds of trouble with iTunes so they’ve been forced to cut their prices on new releases to $10. At any rate, like the previous album, this one takes a more than a few listens to fully digest. Even though it sounds familiar, it is totally new (a sentiment that reminds me of a review I read on The Strokes second album, “It sounds me of the first album but without that song I like”). Regardless, this song is classic CYHSY material. The lyrics are exceptional too, here’s the chorus:
I’m really only beginning with the rest of the album, but this song distinguished itself after the first few rounds. I’m sure there’s many more to discover and I can’t wait to find them. |
That took me about four hours to do, and I didn’t even try to add artwork or links to purchase. Oh well. As always, more soon.
