The time of year again...
I hate these types of lists cause I always miss things out (usually crucial albums that I think “duhhh” when I recall their omission) and I tend to find tons of albums from a certain year way after that year has passed. Also the new Kayo Dot never came out. Also, I got lazier near the end. Anyway, these 25 albums are in a loose order so don’t take the order too seriously.
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25. Lil B - ‘I’m Gay’
Besides from the oddly controversial title (having ‘gay’ in your album title omg!!), the main point of focus here is how varied and weird the samples are. You go from a Slowdive sample, a sample of the Spirited Away soundtrack to a sample of the worst song ever (Goo Goo Dolls - ‘Iris’). Lil B is the quintessential ‘alternative rapper’ and being so fearless in his musical depth and his persona only cements this.
24. Richard Youngs - Atlas of Hearts
Richard Youngs only has one masterpiece and that is 1998’s ‘Sapphie’ but ever since then he’s been throwing out amazingly consistent records. Atlas of Hearts falls more into his songwriter style than his avant-garde compositions and there’s not much to say that hasn’t been said about his other releases other than it’s beautiful and another strong offering from someone who will have many other records in the future.
23. Aieyiyiyi - Manners
This was a blind buy after reading it involved one half of the excellent ‘tribal’ drone outfit Pine Smoke Lodge. What was surprising is that it is actually more musical than PSL’s tapes; the tape demonstrates fine lo-fi folk drone with flutes and banjos galore. Can’t wait to see what these guys do next.
22. Boris - New Album
Boris is one of the most prominent Japanese acts this side of the internet so it was only a matter of time before the band try a jpop album and then make idiotic listeners wish again for 30 minute stoner drone epics. Heh. What you’re guaranteed with Boris is that there will be high and low moments, but there will always be moments.
21. Gypsy Treasures - Buried Goods
I was kind of iffy about this initially because Not Not Fun releases have became stale to my ears and I was tired of hearing the woman who co-runs it complaining how “downloading ruined music!!!” in Wire magazine every few months. Not Not Fun are a significant label but have settled for really subpar drone music in recent times so it’s nice to hear something like this for a change; arabic lo-fi tape surf that creeps onto the dissonant side as well as the melodic side. Really strong stuff.
20. Death Grips - Exmilitary
I can’t say much for this that hasn’t already been said but I really enjoy how Zach Hill has employed his insane math rock know how into a cohesive hip hop effort that isn’t showy and is always insanely interesting even in the record’s downtime. MC Ride is criticised for not having a strong flow but his charisma and his words more than make up for some supposed trait of rapping. The only thing that really bugs me is that it doesn’t include ‘Full Moon (Death Classic)’ which is my favourite of their songs so far.
19. Higuma - Pacific Fog Dreams
I hear a lot of drone tapes every year. They show up constantly on blogs I bookmark and people even send me them through the mail without me even knowing I’m receiving it. So it is definitely neat when an underground drone record I hear actually inspires me for once due to it’s nuance for atmosphere and attention to detail.
18. Murmuure - S/T
French black metal. Really good guitar, good atmosphere, good keyboards etc.
17. ASAP Rocky - LiveLoveASAP
This is really a case of the beats pulling along the MC. Rocky is competent enough on the mic but wow, the cuts here from Clams Casino, Spaceghostpurrp and other alumnis are some of the best beats produced this year. The new mixtape culture is exciting and it seems to me that Rocky is probably the best all-rounder from this flock.
16. Braids - Native Speaker
Indie rock has been awful in 2011 so it’s nice to hear a band like Braids bring some nice much needed arrangements and melodies to the scene. The song structures are irregular which makes for more interesting listening with the sounds just feeling like an infinite cotton candy loop.
15. David Lynch - Crazy Clown Time
Truth be told, this is exactly what I thought a Lynch record would sound like. You have this primitive bluesy guitar and vocal set pushed through the brink with effects (oh, like the effects ridden Twin Peaks soundtrack, hm?). The accompanient suits Lynch’s direction quite well and thus forms a record so undeniably cool that I feel bad not wearing sunglasses while listening.
14. Gang Gang Dance - No Contact
This was my first Gang Gang Dance record. Kind of embarrassing considering how indie famous they’ve become. Anyhow, it was really enjoyable just how drawn out and high strung these songs were. The tracks are long but they’re never boring which is the best thing you can have if your songs are at a long running speed.
13. Kon Tiki Gemini - Night Nights
Another tape from the drone canon. There is a very minimal sound but it never comes out as dull, there’s always really interesting little melodies floating around in the mix. If you’re going to make ambient music then it’s best to put a lot of detail into the sound, don’t just settle for the one long stretched drone because it’s not interesting.
12. Lee Noble - No Becoming
Really haunting, lo-fi meditations strummed through acoustic guitars and faded vocals. A really pleasant surprise, dude is really tops when it comes to crafting a nice production sound.
11. True Widow - As High As The Highest Heavens…
I love 90s slowcore music and I also love old doom metal records so it’s nice to hear a band take the slowcore aesthetic and apply it to stoner rock tones. There is no forced gimmick at play nor is there any trace of ‘these guys are just metalheads playing to an indie crowd’ sort of vibe. Just great songwriting, great musicians and a great sound.