The Not So 10 Top Of The Year

So in trying to pick out some top albums for this year, I found myself spending too much time trying to narrow it down to a managable post. So I wrote down 42 (don’t ask) and did that whole “doing one’s finger in little circles and letting it land where it might” thingy - adding one or two that the music lover part of my brain wouldn’t let me leave out. So instead of going into some long-winded diatribe about how my life would be in a miserable state without the musings of the talents below - let’s get to it!

Komeda - Kokomemedada

“Dead”

These Swedish popsters have never done me wrong - to the point that they HAD to be put at the top. I found these cats around the time I started losing faith in music, not able to find anything refreshing - they cast me anew into the search for music. Thanks guys!

I wouldn’t say that Komeda is following in ABBA’s footsteps, far from it, but as they are the only other Swedish musical import people cannot help but compare - until they hear them.

Pulling from almost every vein of music imaginable, Komeda manages to weave a very tight mix of an almost overwhelming amount of sounds. In Komeda’s smoothest moments, there’s a vague resemblance–heavy synthesizers, infectious melodies–but even then they tend to be more energetic than Nina Persson and her compatriots, their tunes infused with a compelling excitement. At their wildest, in performance, you might be reminded of Devo. With good old-fashioned drums/ bass/ guitar pushing things along underneath the layers of futuristic keyboards, it’s clear that Komeda like to rock (and this doesn’t even quite describe the sound).

Money Mark - Change is Coming

“People’s Party (Red Alert)”

Mark Nishita, a.k.a. Money Mark, is a hard man to pin down. If you recognize the name, it’s most likely because of his role as the fourth (or is it fifth?) Beastie Boy from the days of Check Your Head on, but he’s been doing his solo thing all along.

This track pulled from the album Change is Coming is a more laid-back, jazz hole of a project for him - the sampling and weirdness have really taken a back seat this time out. There are a surprising number of “traditional” instruments here, including congas, guitars, saxophone, and flute, making Money Mark feel more like a bandleader than anything else. The album is strictly instrumental, for one thing and it delves into retro-sounding jazz/funk/salsa with an awe-inspiring intensity. It’s a testament to his skills as a songwriter and all-round musician that Nishita’s keyboard tends to sit in the background on most of the tracks; heck, a few of them, like “Information Contraband”, don’t even have a keyboard (well, okay — if it does, I can’t distinguish it from the guitars). This is less about a showcase for Mark’s keyboard skills than it is about the music, and that’s a very good thing.

If you are a fan of The Beastie Boys‘ earlier works, especially the instrumentals, grab this album with haste! Everytime I put it on, I have an overpowering urge to take a long, slow, even-paced & groovy road trip to California.

Amon Tobin - Permutation

“Toys”

OK, I can’t help it. If ever there was an electronic artist I near worshipped over all others, it would have to be Amon. This one is pulled from my favorite project of his to date, “Permutation.” The word meaning ‘A group of elements from a set in which the order of the elements is important.’ Amon has that approach with this album more so than in others. He deeply layers elements of jazz with not so subtle analog in a cinematic and intelligent fashion. His percussion alone is enough to pull you in deep. Toys shows a more playful yet sinister side of Amon, and one that I find quite agreeable. Tidy some? >:}

Stereo Total - Musique Automatic

“Wir Tanzen im 4-Eck”

Reaching number 4 on the my 10 top cutest of all time dance tracks is this one release by Stereo Total, a Berlin based band with more styles of music than I care to count. Everything from garage punk love songs about Yoko Ono to slow countryesque ballads with a twist, to off the wall cuts like this one. Every release is a different little package within itself. Their members consist of people from Italy, Scotland, Bohemia and Germany - might explain their diversity, eh?

This album is a more refined electronica sound than past projects. Leaning on the synths in a way that has me reminiscing about the late 80’s, but in such a way that the 60’s are on the forefront. In listening to this album it might be hard to pin down the bands origin, using 4 languages to present you with a different approach to pop, one that keeps ya grinnin’ all the way to the kitchen to get a tall, cool glass of lemonade - extra sweet. The songs title translated means “we’re dancing in the square”. (thanks to an anonymous poster for that)–

Kahimi Karie - Tilt

“(We’ll Go) Seperate Ways”

Cute is one of the many words I would use to describe Kahimi Karie. In a similar vein of other Japanese artists like Cornelius, Takako Minekawa, and Cibo Matto - Kahimi Karie has an ability to overwhelm the sense and sensibility of America with her brand of seductive, breezy pop. Pulling from jazz, electro-lounge and euro-pop, she adds a refreshing quirk to an otherwise drab day. I for one tend to pop her on when I am going to do a good amount of house cleaning.

“Lolita-voiced,” “pop kitten” and “Bardot-ish” are some of the buzz- words bandied about in stories about the super-cool vocalist, whose songs are said to be found in every Tokyo karaoke outfit.

I couldn’t have put it better…

Senor Coconut - Gran Baile

“Upper Mambo/Lower Funk”

Now here is a unique fella! German DJ and producer Uwe Schmidt goes by many names (Atom Heart being one) but my personal favorite is this one - Senor Coconut. His first project was a cover album of various Kraftwerk songs, (a pioneering electronic band with their roots also in Germany) all done via his latino-electro-loungish-wackorama. Once he got that out of his system, he settled into a more serious, but not too serious, style that keeps one’s interest. Using beats similar to Square Pusher and Autechre, but with a heavy lean on latino, he lays it on pretty thick but always playful.

Bonus track - from his latest album ‘Fiesta Songs’ - Electrolatino…oh YEAH !!!

Four Tet - Rounds

“Spirits Fingers”

Kieran Hebden, a sleeper of a quasi-genious via his band Four Tet. Creating electronica with string elements - and, in no weak way, borrowing from hip-hop and the lot, he pulls from ethnic vibes and layers it with other sounds that are all too familiar from our surrounding and spiritual world. Nicely arranged works that don’t rush themselves and keep an even, near peaceful and very atmospheric pace - stories come to mind while listening to this album, or maybe I am just a little nuts (ÕçÕ) . Dare I say… an instrumental album with a plot? Well, that’s his 2003 album ‘Rounds.’ This song is not typical of the album, although it blends wonderfully with the other ones. Ya ought to get this one … you’ll dig it … really …. no, I mean it. Oh, and BTW, his first album was made out of his flat using only his personal computer. FYI, ya?

Buy This

Lamb - Between Darkness & Wonder

“That Thing (Open Up)”

Louise Rhodes and Andrew Barlow have done wonders at keeping me quite happy as the blissful and talented Lamb. Often referred to as the “Portishead of drum and bass,” Lamb is a superb duo out of Manchester England who have done more to forge a delineation within the generalist title of jungle than many of their more seasoned predecessors. Notwithstanding its mainstream characterization as a drum and bass outfit, Lamb broadens the chasm between themselves and their contemporaries. This being their fourth album, I was a bit concerned that they would follow to much in their own footsteps, but, they have created yet another unique project with tracks that might leave older Lamb fans surprised.

Magnetic Fields - I

“I Wish I Had An Evil Twin”

Every artist is due their catchy themed album or two - well Magnetic Fields have had more than a few. The first being a three album set called ‘69 Love Songs’, and now this one, ‘I.’ And yes, all of the tracks start with the letter ‘I.’ Stephin Merritt seems to never run out of clever ways of approaching the hopeless romantic, the pained heart, and the surprisingly sweet - all with his tongue planted firmly in cheek. This is a more of an organic project for them, heavy on cello and guitar, but the feel of the music is not all that much of a departure from their past, synth-blended projects. The songs captivate with their many ways of looking at love, life, and loss and that most selfish of vowels, the letter I.

Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden

“Desire”

Yes - Talk Talk. The Euro Pop sensation that gave us the widely popular and recently covered “It’s My Life”. After the release of 1986’s “The Colour of Spring”, the British band took a new approach, creating two beautifully emotional albums. Listening to these two works, one finds it hard to believe that this is the same band that was all the dance floor rage in the early 80’s. Swapping synths for live organics, the songs exist far outside of the pop idiom, drawing instead on ambient textures, jazz-like arrangements, and avant-garde accents. This track, from the album “Spirit of Eden”, is a beautiful example of how a band can recreate itself in the most wonderful ways. And I break this album out all of the friggin’ time!

These two albums have influenced (in my opinion) a range of bands, including Bark Psychosis, Alex Lloyd, Catherine Wheel and the below posted Sigur Rós. Listen…and sigh.

Koop - Waltz For Koop

“Soul For Sahib”

Another fine band from Sweden that stretches the meaning of the word ‘jazz’. Playful and atmospheric with their approach to jazz, but also borrowing from hip-hop and dance styles, creating something quite pleasing. It always amazes me, and this will sound uber-lame, when a couple of white guys can pull this much soul outta their asses. This album ‘Waltz for Koop’ is a fine collection of varying jazzified styles that will keep one very interested as it floats from track to track, never settling in one spot for very long. A fine addition to anyone’s modern electro-jazz collection.

Bonus track - Baby

Towa Tei - Sweet Robots Against The Machine

“End of a Love Affair”

Some of you may know Towa Tei from his days with the groovadelic Deee-Lite. After two albums with them, he went out on his own and started producing his own in 1995…thankfully. Deee-Lite was more about Miss Lady Kier than anything else, pushing Mr. Tei into the background. Being on his own gave him the chance to really make a name for himself with his own style of elevator-groove. He tends to lean more on the housier-smoother side of life - but this album, ‘Sweet Robots Against The Machine,’ takes on more of a broken-up, synth-driven approach. He makes good use of the slight silences between the notes - making these gaps part of the whole tripped up, ethnically tinted, electradelic and playful journey into the creative mind of a Japanese hipster. He has been busy making remixes for the likes of Bjork, A Tribe Called Quest, Shonen-Knife and M-FLO. So drop the top, pour a Hoody-Toddy, and groove. (*^_^*)

And on the second floor - Batik

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Now go get smashed on nog! ( don’t ya love the word ‘nog’? )

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