Spaghetti Blogonese's Top Albums of 2023

1. JAMES HOLDEN - IMAGINE THIS IS A HIGH DIMENSIONAL SPACE OF ALL POSSIBILITIES

Quite, simply a throwback to rave culture - not trance as a few publications made out. The bloop-bloop-bloop of a Kombucha tea being brewed sounds like his modular synths at work; Holden splicing together an hour and four minutes of vintage electronic bliss. At the center of it all, the magnificent opus of ''In The End You'll Know'' - a six minute scurry of manipulated bassline that gets buried, beamed up, filtered and squeezed through the eye of a needle; it's quite simply one of the best electronic songs of all time. The twists and turns that happen on this record make it much larger than the summation of its partakings - the sum of its parts if you'd like a cliche.

2. YVES TUMOR - PRAISE A LORD WHO CHEWS BUT WHICH DOES NOT CONSUME (OR SIMPLY, HOT BETWEEN WORLDS)

This came out on St Patricks day - so it's another early spring release that did well here. I wasn't expecting Yves Tumor to get on this list at all, as I'd never quite taken to him. But with this record, he went all Prince and just gave himself completely to the tracks. There are absolute bangers on here, other numbers oozing with soul - and the production is out of this world too. A chameleon of a band and another long named album on this list by Spaghetti Blogonese. Leaving so soon Marcoooos? Yes, editor, I have to go to work at Indian Mango. But you're here for a reason Marcooooos.

3. SLOWDIVE  - EVERYTHING IS ALIVE

Here's an album with a normal title. This one was out on September 1st, fresh for autumn and was a taste of spacey timelessness. I've lost my flair for writing about music, so need to practice more. This LP has 8 tracks of very differing quantities and themes. It's essentially the second act of Slowdive after their first three albums came out between 1991-1995 and then an 18 year gap made for their self-titled return in 2018 - a shoegaze masterpiece. This is like the gratis grateful sibling album to the previous; the previous the kestrel and this the dove. I dove right in.

4.  BLUE LAKE - SUN ARCS

Meditative music. Could have won the crown but I say this almost every year about a bunch of records. Jason Dungan, based in Denmark, custom-built his own 48 string zither, layered with slide guitar, clarinet and pump organ to communicate his walks in nature. It draws one in, in a hypnotic way - one day in summer I was in a shopping mall, buying toys for babies and ignored all the crowds with this record on headphones. Another day I was cleaning my apartment and the shimmering strings of "Writing'' came on and transported me to a state of absolute exaltation.

5. NOURISHED BY TIME - EROTIC PROBIOTIC 2

Once in a while, along comes along an artist with a brand new sound - and this was it. Marcus Brown with scat singing, piping and rapping - gets compared to Frank Ocean, but sounds much more original. I was in a bar one night and banged on ''The Fields'' on headphones and played it to two friends. One said it was weird, and the other said it's the funkiest thing since sliced bread.  I played this in my hotel room when I moved back to Vilnius in spring and it became clear that this one's an earworm.

6. SUFJAN STEVENS - JAVELIN

In which Sufjan consolidated all different sides of his career, Illinois-era big band mit backing singers, The Age Of Adz's scatty electronic production and keeping up the biblical thing, but thankfully as an undercurrent, as it's not exactly Bible-bashing music. As one of the best singer-songwriters of his generation, 48 years old, Sufjan delivered a warbly, autotuney doodly foodly - and as The Line of Best Fit aptly put it "A deeply personal, Earth-moving masterpiece exploring relationship tensions with the gravitas of an apocalypse and the simplicity of a melody passed down through generations.''

7. COMPLETE MOUNTAIN ALMANAC - COMPLETE MOUNTAIN ALMANAC

Chamber folk that is very, very delicate and supremely nuanced. Each track is named after a month of the year and it has a very natural cyclic feel. Rebekka Karijord and Jessica Dessner (sister of the twins from The National) have crafted a pastoral wonder that got better and better with each exploration. I used plenty of these cuts when making mixtapes for a special someone and I think she appreciated it in a tender way.

8. THE GOLDEN DREGS - ON GRACE AND DIGNITY

''Got to get away sometimes!'' croons Benjamin Woods on ''American Airlines'' and it becomes apparent that a major talent had arrived. In this age of listening to Spotify solo, sadly gems like this LP might not get unearthed by many, but on the plus side, why not enjoy the secret taste of these ''simmering barroom confessionals'' as Mojo superbly put it. I will be waiting with bated breath to see what their next move will be - but not with anxiety, with poise and G & D - as per the album title.

9. HEINALI - KYIV ETERNAL

Not just because of the war, - that just fasttracked it- rather played as a superb concept album of burnt-out electronica - lots of feedback and dissonance over samples that Oleh Shpudeiko captured with a handheld recorder from 2012 - here Kyiv Eternal acts as a loveletter to his city through these archived field recordings and in the mix crafts one of the best digital bodies of the year, decade, century. Yes, it's that fucking good.

10. LANKUM - FALSE LANKUM

Album of the year in five publications and getting its due credit here. Call it folk, avant-folk, drone, progressive folk or even doom-slumdog-of-a-funeral-chimney-potter - I'm down. This thing encompasses decades, centuries and eons of brutal human struggle through pure Irish conviction. The mettle and suffering underneath the surface here is certainly colossal.

Honorable mentions

everything but the girl

pj harvey

anohni

roisin murphy

sofia kourtesis

bonnie prince billy

dave okumu

jason isbell

romy

blonde redhead

david holmes

forest swords

lewsberg

home is where

witch

isolee

craven faults

fenne lily

index for working music

loscil

robert forster

john cale

water from your eyes 

Albums of the Decade - 29. Four Tet - New Energy (2017)

 29. FOUR TET - NEW ENERGY (2017)

I have a special disposition towards this artist as I started listening back in 2002 with "Rounds" Kieran Heddens third and prettiest LP - which came in at #60 in my best albums of the 2000's - and definitely opened up the: 

sluice

• barricade, 
• barrier, 
• block

• barrage, 
• milldam, 
• stank
•  [British], 
• weir

• lock

• canal, 
• channel, 
• ditch, 
• gutter, 
• trough

• breastwork, 
• bulwark, 
• earthwork, 
• rampart

• breakwater, 
• jetty, 
• seawall

A brilliant collection of words, specialy given the freshness of this ninth album "New Energy" - which had an extremely fluid and fluent texture - low on the beats and light melodies to drift into excellence...

#Four Tet and Marcus drifting into excellence #

Albums of the Decade - 31. Thom Yorke - Anima (2019)

 31. THOM YORKE - ANIMA (2019) 

The spaghettiblogonese  #1 album of 2019 - this baby had an electronic peacocking quality about it - I used to and often still do go jogging to the beats of  "Twist" - which is one of the greatest dubstep songs of all time - this is the least Radiohead-like album that their frontman has ever produced.

The hymnal "Dawn Chorus" is another highlight to this underground heavyweight of an album - it is so grainy, so dusty, so dubby, so shady - it's cobbled together sequentially - and these imperfections make the darkness rather spellbinding actually; it sputters but never freakouts. 

If you drink yourself up a scotch, you'll note that this album goes quite well with that single malt vibe - that perfect November freezing outside vibe - when the unbelievable "runwayaway" brings down the final curtain  to dub - yes dub - what the actual? Artists frequently possess the ability to spring surprises, and this cat has done it again. Cat out the hat. Rabbit from the bag.

Albums of the Decade - 33. James Blake - Overgrown (2013)

 33. JAMES BLAKE - OVERGROWN (2013) 

This was a coming-of-age album for the artist, who collaborated with RZA of Wu Tang, on one of the tracks of the decade -  "Take A Fall For Me" - about unrequited love, that packs the biggest punch, as does "Digital Lion" - another laser shredding track that is out of this macrocosm, an outlier of suspense.

This sophomore album from James Blake - I saw it on tour when he came to Taipei - was a mix of angular trajectories, piercing shreds and harsh realities. To absorb it up at Legacy in Huashan Arts Park feels like a yesterday ago and now I got the new me.

Still, though I got the new me, the old me was still grooving and getting pumped full of electrolytes when I saw this live. Holy ghost. Fucking pup.

Albums of the Decade - 54. Fever Ray - Plunge (2017)

54. FEVER RAY - PLUNGE (2017)

There's a town in Lithuania called Plungė, which apparently has a crab-stick factory within it's amenities. Not sure Fever Ray would be into that, but when this album does get kicking, at around the third track, she does start singing about planting a walnut tree - which I take as a sexual euphemism or metaphor por favor. 

I actually saw her and her amazing band play in Vilnius in 2018 - her support act was Tami T - who works with Fever Ray on the aforementioned track "A Part Of Us" - but was warming up that night with a big-strap on Dildo that she beat as percussion. It was a mesmerising set littered with sexual euphemisms por favor.

Modern dating is often the cause for concern for both Tami T and Fever Ray - "IDK About You" - is the double flash negative stance that a lot of cautious minds take now because of Tinder and #metoo. Before there'd be takers. Now, when we do plunge into dating, we feel bored faster - so let's not jackknife maybe, and bring back not necessarily old chivalry - but ditch the apps and learn how to talk to people again.

Albums of the Decade - 55. Holy Fuck - Latin (2010)

55. HOLY FUCK - LATIN (2010) 

There's a track on this old chestnut called "Stay Lit" and it bounds along with a choppy rhythm but still retains its buoyancy. It sums up an aesthetic / concept of not swaying to the pressure of the mainstream and generally keeping true to yourself; no matter how much they are trying to dictate you. The old ravey vibe which resonated with acts like Crystal Castles and Fuck Buttons has long gone now in the modern precept - but I can feel a load of cravings for that to change ahead in the new decade from 2020, which feels weird to type that number.

As blogs and sites abound rein in Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and Frank Ocean into the top end of the discussion, authentic albums of the decade will appear in various other places - but at the time of writing, only Gorilla VS Bear bears any semblance of what Spaghetti Blogonese is trying to achieve. Nothing against those three artists, but when you think back to Radiohead and Daft Punk - or even compare them to Killer Mike or Shabazz Palaces - there is no contest for vitality or quality, regardless of genre.

Holy Fuck, with the right amount of hype could've born the torch for electronica over the last 10 years - but the powers that be in places like pitchfork are now the taste-makers, the Kanye worshippers, the zeitgeist zippers - when you previously zigzagged away from it, now it's just one big pressed arrow - with the illusion of choice that is Spotiify. Where there were other choices amongst publications - Dusted Magazine, Stylus (now gone) and Tinymixtapes (thank fuck for this place) - that deviated from what EVERYONE was saying, now it's harder to find than a needle in a raygun.

Albums of the Decade - 75. Aphex Twin - Syro

75. APHEX TWIN - SYRO

Sputter. Whiz. Gargle. This LP came at the mid-region of the decade in about the summer of 14. Aphex Twin has had such amazing breadth of balls-busting electronica aplomb. If Selected Ambient Works or Drukqs is heralded as his finest output, then I'd slight at that and proffer Syro to be in with the broth too.

I wanted to type "sprawling 12 tracks at 1 hour and 4 minutes" - but it's hands-down the most elasticky Aphe material out there. I am grimacing, as I just left my Bluetooth speaker, basically my go-to soundsystem at my Mum's house in the UK, so as I was cooking a bolognese -  added tobasco, honey and cayenne pepper to this one - and the experiement paid off -  so I have only one supermarket speaker working and it doesn't do the material justice.

Sometimes you don't get everything you want in life,  sometimes you don't get what you think you want. I had no idea this record is what I'd add on here today, but it feels good. Experimental electronica, experimental cooking. Exceptional circumstances.

Albums of The Decade - 94. Blanck Mass - World Eater

94. BLANCK MASS - WORLD EATER 

R̶a̶r̶e̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶s̶e̶l̶d̶o̶m̶,̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶t̶e̶n̶,̶ ̶o̶c̶c̶a̶s̶i̶o̶n̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶I̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶ ̶e̶n̶t̶r̶y̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶ ̶L̶P̶ ̶w̶h̶i̶l̶e̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶l̶i̶s̶t̶e̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶i̶t̶.̶ ̶

Well, I just broke that rule and put on the LP. I was listening to my favourite radio show - The Gilles Peterson show https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01fm4ss, whilst actually making Spaghetti Bolognese, and it was so soft compared to the intensity of this journey of a grizzle. It's the same old shizzle over here - reckoning that this should be higher up the list, but still, it's warranted. Shit, it was on Spotify shuffle. Shoulda played it through front to back.

While I lament the fact that the days of The Chemical Brothers, Underworld and The Prodigy are over - not to mention Leftfield (editor)  - 20 years on there are glimmers of hope with beats - and this is all on that. I wrote in 2017 "Relentless, unassuming, sputtering, splattering electronica that derives from Fuck Buttons." on this blog and that sums up the style and the origin of Ben Power, the solo-guy in this project. What a way to conclude this entry - let it sputter, as your heart flutters - mine certainly is. Fuck.

Albums of 2016 - (1-26) - Backlog

ALBUMS OF 2016 (Clearing the backlog)

1. DAVID HOLMES – LATE NIGHT TALES (MIXTAPE)

My toppest DJ of all time put together his best ever collection with a haunting, holistic and hypnotising collection of songs, comprising folk, psychedelia and spoken word among others. It includes some heartbreaking moments of self-discovery along the way and a million and one fucking highlights.

2. TIM HECKER – LOVE STREAMS

Amazing fusion of electronic dissonance, woodwind and choral voice on what could be his best album to date. It is a beautiful abstract commentary on mentalist times of selfies and love lost. Had to say it.

3. JUNIOR BOYS – BIG BLACK COAT

Tip of the fucking iceberg on the criminally underrated fifth electronic LP for the Canadian duo. From front to back it works sublimely, coming in from the fringe, in out of the autumnal rain again.

4. BLOOD ORANGE – FREETOWN SOUND

The most unlikely re-branding of my fucking short life-span; former indie lightweight Lightspeed Champion came back and brought an absolutely soulfully championed delight of a delight.

5. RADIOHEAD – A MOON SHAPED POOL

If 2016 was the best year of the decade so far for music, then A Moon Shaped Pool was the best release by the band since Kid A. A stunningly beautiful album of masterclass and tapestry.

6. BON IVER – 22, A MILLION

The third album and Justin Vernon can do no wrong. When I played this, it had just hit October 2016 and I was in Chiang Mai, Thailand and the electronics of “and I'm standing at the station” was on the headphones. At times sounding like Bain from Batman, and others like the old beardo from the log cabin that we loved on For Emma, Forever Ago – this was a prime cut indeed Jack.

7. IMARHAN – IMARHAN

Wow! - Algerian desert rock group that has some blood and musical lineage to the Malian and Algerian purveyors Tinariwen, who are also highly drinkable. Feels like drinking water in the desert – musical equivalent.

8. DAVID BOWIE – BLACK STAR

An amazing concoction of foresight to rest your head and cosmic retrograde in an artists unparalleled vision of psychedelic loss, pining and so long Davey here forever.

9. RUN THE JEWELS - RTJ3

This came out on Christmas Eve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The best musical Christmas present since Burial released the Rival Dealers EP in 2013 – it fittingly was the best hip-hop LP of the year.

10. JAMES BLAKE – THE COLOUR IN ANYTHING

The longest, perhaps greatest piece of work he has ever done – amassing seventeen tracks of electronic and experimental R&B that has to be heard to be seen to be felt to believed.

11. ANOHNI – HOPELESSNESS

Wouldn't have predicted that Antony from Antony & The Johnsons would come through to make an absolute belter of a protest album. This is so much of its time. It sums up the shite turmoil we're in perfectamundo with 21^st century production more than I could ever have imagined.

12. VARIOUS – DAY OF THE DEAD – GRATEFUL DEAD

A three disc opus of Grateful Dead covers spanning three volumes and over five hours of pure Sunday folk and slumber , curated by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National – following 2009's excellent charitable Dark was the Night – the range of voices on here, from Phosphorescent to Perfume Genius to Tim Hecker to Orchestra Baobab is just incredible.

13. NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – SKELETON TREE

Offset by the death of his son - he had actually written a lot of this before the tragedy apparently – but I don't buy it – this album was so hard to listen to. And it is now – the densest, most syrupy album of the century. Listening to it now :(

14.COMMON – BLACK AMERICA AGAIN

Maybe I should try again and again to get into Kendrick, but it just ain't happening – you can't just force yourself to like something – I really am more fond of the old-school and Common Sense epitomises the need for an established voice, though it is still great that we have the upstart Lamar.

15. JAIMEO BROWN TRANSCENDENCE – WORK SONGS

Blues, soul, funk, rock 'n' roll distilled into stories of slaves and prisoners and workers. This is an absolutely phenomenal piece of artistry.

16. UNDERWORLD – BARBARA BARBARA, WE FACE A SHINING FUTURE

This is one of my besto friends favoritest ever bands. The spoken poetry of Karl Hyde over the pulsating electronica of seven gems from Bethlehem just rules better than any world, Frankenstein or purrs.

17. CAVERN OF ANTI-MATTER – VOID BEATS / INVOCATION TREX

Crunches, whirs, fizzes, cranks, shafts, tussles, shovels, pangs, bangs, crunches, slams, scrapes, clunks.

The onomatopoeic appeal of this electronic busyness should be played in its entirety at Prague's The Cross Club.

18. YORKSTON / THORNE / KHAN – EVERYTHING SACRED

Three divergent musicians with varying styles come together to make a sterling record that shuffles around musically without fidgeting or getting whimsical. It is such a nice piece that makes me feel I was being curtailed by forced collaborations before I restored my faith in them again.

19. A TRIBE CALLED QUEST – WE GOT IT FROM HERE... THANK YOU 4 YOUR SERVICE

You wouldn't have thought that at the end of a year devoid of good hip-hop, the old-school would come back and save it – ATCQ and Common Sense both dropped late 2016 albums – this one a sci-fi opus that did fantastic things for the genre, before an amazing force brought the fucking jams.

20. ADRIAN YOUNGE – SOMETHING ABOUT APRIL 2

Soul, hip-hop, noir, all of your musical grocery goods condensed into a soundtrack stye montage that recreates old soul classics. This truly was the first great long player of 2016 which was out in Jan.

21. LEONARD COHEN – YOU WANT IT DARKER

As with Bowie, what a final salutation before heading up to the clouds (if that's what happens) – this was a real crooning of an album. I love to play it around Christmas, booyah booyah. Shame he's gone, but he was 82 – good innings.

22. DEERHOOF - THE MAGIC

The sound of swirlguns melding everywhere, this is mental-riffic from a band who have cooked up a stew again on this, their thirteenth album proper.

23. ELUVIUM – FALSE READINGS

I just love this artist. He's had a bit of slander before for being a bit blow-in-the-wind. kind of new-age but the piano and drones are just out of this world again on album number eight.

24. MATMOS – ULTIMATE CARE ii

This was made with the sounds of a parts of a washing machine. I really wanna give it a ripe pun like “good clean fun” or “detergent of the year” but I'll get too washed.....er.....carried away. Experimental triumph.

25. RIVAL CONSOLES – NIGHT MELODY

Essentially a mini-album that splibbles loads of great electronica over scuttering beats. Man, the amount of times I have written the word “electronica” or “electronic” on this post is mental.

26. DIIV – IS THE IS ARE

Playing in Taipei live at the time of writing this. I wish I was there – their breezy indie makes me want my old life back there for a short run the down the streets, even in sub-tropical sweat.

Albums of 2016 - 43. PYE CORNER AUDIO - STASIS

43. PYE CORNER AUDIO - STASIS 

A nice sinister electronic edgy throwback to previous decades that has shades of science-fiction; this is a real producers record that works when feeling a bit sinister or when you want something to sink into.

I love the name of the project and it seems to be a name to watch as Martin Jenkins has only been carrying this for since 2010 so it'll be cool if he could build up a bit of a cult or legacy.

It's amazing that this album seemed to slip through the radar in most review publications. I wonder why that is. Oh well, if somebody wants to invest in Spaghetti Blogonese, I can send him to the stars and back where be belongs.

Albums of 2016 - 49. HOLY FUCK - CONGRATS

49. HOLY FUCK - CONGRATS

Canadian band that mess around menacingly with machines, often encompassing relentless assaults. That last sentence sounds alright the way I wrote it don't it? This act don't let you down in terms of sonic layers of energy and an album not to necessarily lose yourself in, but lose control of yourself in.

2016 may have been a shitty year for elections, referendums and deaths, but in terms of music releases, this may well be the best time in decades to reflect on and audio material like this would probably have made the Top 10 of this list in any other year.

I'm currently on sabbatical leave and the track "Sabbatics" is helping me groove through with Pinot Grigio. I'm supposed to be reading the last 50 pages of Murakami's epic 1Q84  but my gut told me it wants to be a bit wrenched after putting it through a 30 minute jog to go and buy said wine. Oh world, what have you done? 

When the world's going mad and your social media feed is full of friends called Todde going and getting tanked on a Friday night, you can't go wrong with a bit of Holy Fuck to help you plough through life.

Records of 2014 - 27. Land Observations - The Grand Tour

27. LAND OBSERVATIONS - THE GRAND TOUR
This concept is an absolute winner and their Roman Roads album got top 10 here in 2012. The follow-up is more of the same lush instrumental guitar tracks that sound so crisp through the effects pedals and like this fictional tour suggests, parts are mesmeric and super-noteworthy and others tide along, which is part of the process of travelling through and through and through. Absolutely best best absorbed absorbed best best absorbed absorbed in one whole in one whole. :) :) :)

albums of 2012. - 27. Minotaur Shock - Orchard

27. MINOTAUR SHOCK - ORCHARD

Is this the best year ever for appropriately titled albums? Could well be. The organic nature to the folktronica is there for all to see and this stellar fifth effort from Bristol-based David Edwards is so autumnal that you could be making apple sauce in the kitchen and have the perfect accompaniment here.

Where Edwards was previsouly described as IDM, he's managed to shake off those shackles and the seeds have been sown. Excuse my cheesy cliches here but nature is cyclic and so is cliche. Justification enough? NO? Well if you're angry at my attitude, then listen to this instead and it'll put in the right frame of mind. With 10 tracks, and most over 5 minutes, you have something, in-depth, bullshit-free and as fresh as the wind blows. Gag me. No more cliche.

BEST PLAYED: When making apple sauce in the kitchen.

Albums of 2012 - 30. Dan Deacon - America

30. DAN DEACON - AMERICA

Extremely experimental producer rolls out his most focused record yet. Like the title would suggest, it plays like a landscape and essentially is a record of two halves. The first half is quite bonkers in true Deacon style and the latter section employs more orchestration and grandiosity to culminate in a thrilling final section.

In fact, there are four "USA" parts, reaching asmooth transition for the last 20 minutes or so. It doesn't sound too measured or anything like that, because that was a concern, as previously, Deacon was bouncing about all over the shop. Yea his previous records featured cartoony splatterings of Porky Pig and Woody Woodpecker as samples. However, I prefer this more refined approach. Maybe I'm in the minority, but this record does it for me more than his previous work. Though I'm a goofy prick myself, I like the less poindexer side of Dan for sure.

BEST PLAYED: When you want something sprawling and highly original. Maybe when you're flying to America.

Records of 2010 - 7. Four Tet - There is Love in You

Records of 2010 - 7. Four Tet - There is Love in You

Busy around the city? Buzzing around the city? Fidgeting on your way to work? No more my friend! "There is Love in You" is busy and minimal - but not cold! The beats have staccato elasticity to them. They crunch up. They scrunch up. So, when you're hunched up on the London Underground, do some secret dancing while you're listening to your device. It's not all upbeat however, "This Unfolds" and "She Just Likes to Fight" are total masterclasses at soothing your sleepy head after a hard day's work surfing Napster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpe4id7cLnU

Records of 2010 - 12. Brian Eno - Small Craft on a Milk Sea

Records of 2010 - 12. Brian Eno - Small Craft on a Milk Sea

What a record. I struggle to know what to say at 3.23 am. Elise is drying her hair and going to bed. Anyway:

"For Eno, the thrill of music at this stage in his pioneering career seems to be what it can stir in the mind’s eye, the imaginative place beyond any particular construct of notes. In that sense, Eno has little need for traditional composition and has instead built “Small Craft” from edited improvisations with his collaborators. None of the songs really have lead parts — several electronic elements thrum, often twisting around each other." --Margaret Wappler, L.A Times, November 2010---

Brian Eno has had an incredible year, curating the Brighton Festival and releasing a mesmeric album. Well done the egghead!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrB-iNHIP5k

Records of 2010 - 14. Wools - In Fornelo

Records of 2010 - 14. Wools - In Fornelo

Straight out of Coimbra, Portugal, this music is nowhere to be seen on the interweb. Who is it? Some young student I think. Bedroom genius for sure. You can download it from the far reaches of Magiska like I did. I took a chance and gave it a shot. It's incredible. There's no information to describe it other than your ears picking up what they're hearing. Luscious and beautiful electronica. I think that the main hipster-logs will pick up on this in time, but hey, hype is tripe. Hush yourself and listen to this icy, Portugese music. Two words that have surely never fit into the same sentence.

http://vimeo.com/17353550

Records of 2010 - 15. Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner

Records of 2010 - 15. Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner

Wearing his influences on his sleeve, Derwin Panda fuses the gaze of Fennesz, the rhythm of The Field and the playfulness of Four Tet. To be honest, this album is all over the place, but it's like an average day in the life. You never know where it's gonna go next. It has nice percussion, strong attention to detail, woozy melodies, and often a very hyper attitude. However, it doesn't feel crammed and congested, just full of great and unpredictable ideas. I tip Gold Panda for future great electronic albums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnMcvacNhk0&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=ML4oVf-d_DwKCCvQaOBnqr4lvtmHtWgR5U

Records of 2010 - 17. Walls- Walls

Records of 2010 - 17. Walls- Walls

Walls of sound? Yes.

All walls? No.

Hooks? Yes.

Good? More then good.

Rock? No.

Electronic? Yes.

Feel good? Yes. This does. And I do. Just had a shower thanks.

Is this album a solo project? No?

The guy from Banjo or Freakout and a producer? Yes.

Isn't his name Hello, Hello? No.

What is it then? You were close, it's French sounding. It's Allez Allez.

Does they work well together? Yes, I feel that they've fashioned a great sound. Distortion and harmonies that will wash over you like a wave drowning a prick. No more questions please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3pcq_LtOTE

Records of 2010 - 18- Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

Records of 2010 - 18- Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

Is it hip-hop? A friend and I debated it. He thought he won. I thought I won. I won:

"00s abstract abstract hip hop abstract hip-hop acid jazz ambient america american avant-garde bass beatscalifornia chill chillout cinematic dope downtempo dub dubstep electroelectronic electronica experimental experimental electronicexperimental hip hop experimental hip-hop flying lotus flyinglotus free jazz funk genius glitch glitch hop glitch-hop hip hop hip-hop idm instrumental instrumental hip hop instrumental hip-hop interesting jazz jazz hop jazzy left-field lo-fi los angeles nu jazz producer psychedelic rapsoul trip hop trip-hop underground underground hip-hop warp warp records west coast wonky" --generated by last.fm--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uCyv05SG1g