Top 5: December 2009

Might as well...

5. Imma G (Memory Tapes Remix) - Dem Getaway Boyz


4. You've Got The Love (The XX Remix) - Florence & The Machine


3. You Are Not Alone (Synamatix Remix) - Olive


2. You Hid - Toro Y Moi


1. Feel It All Around (Toro Y Moi Remix) - Washed Out


Sorry if they're not all from December. It's all kind of a jumble.

Skream - Repercussions Of A Razorblade / A New Daw

Review
Skream Repercussions Of A Razorblade / A New Dawn
Dubstep
2010

1 Repercussions Of A Razorblade
2 A New Dawn

4.5/5

A surprisingly moody release from Skream...awesome.

Emancipator - Safe In The Steep Cliffs

Review
Emancipator Safe In The Steep Cliffs
Instrumental/Hip-Hop/Electronica/Chillout/Ambient/Trip-Hop/???
2010


1 Greenland
2 Black Lake
3 Jet Stream
4 Kamakura
5 All Through The Night
6 Old Devil
7 Nevergreen
8 Ares
9 Rattlesnakes
10 Bury Them Bones
11 Vines
12 Hill Sighed
13 Siren
14 Safe In The Steep Cliffs

5/5!!!

For a long time Emancipator has been the rare artist that, in my opinion, can do no wrong. Think the best of Nujabes, Bonobo, Four Tet and Blue Sky Black Death combined. 'Soon It Will Be Cold Enough' is certainly one of my favorite albums of all time and today it's follow-up was finally released! In Emancipator's own words:

'Safe In The Steep Cliffs' represents the tightest, most unique, most organic beats I've made in the last three years. This album has a new palette of sounds and samples from around the world, including more original recordings (guitar/violin/mandolin/banjo) and new guest artists including Japanese jazz musician Uyama Hiroto. It's ominous and overgrown, dense and ethereal. And epic. Always epic.

On first listen, 'Nevergreen' is the stand-out track but they're all amazing. I will be listening to this for years!

Zomby - Where Were U In '92?

Review
Zomby Where Were You In '92?
Jungle/Breaks
2008

1. Fuck Mixing, Let’s Dance
2. Euphoria
3. We Got the Sound
4. Daft Punk Rave
5. Tears in the Rain
6. Get Sorted
7. G.T.i.
8. Float
9. Need Ur Lovin'
10. Pillz
11. Hench
12. B With Me
13. Where Were U in ‘92
14. U Are My Fantasy (Street Fighter II Theme RMX)

3.5/5

"The rave album that was never made in the early '90s," from the very prolific dubstep producer Zomby. The album is okay, but the point here is 'Float.' Incredibly addicting song.




(sampling this, i'm sure)

Small Black - Small Black EP

Review
Small Black Small Black EP
Chillwave
2009

1 Despicable Dogs
2 Weird Machines
3 Bad Lover
4 Pleasant Experience
5 Lady in the Wires

5/5

Hot Chip - One Life Stand

Review
Hot Chip One Life Stand
Indie/Electronic
2010

1 Thieves In The Night
2 Hand Me Down Your Love
3 I Feel Better
4 One Life Stand
5 Brothers
6 Slush
7 Alley Cats
8 We Have Love
9 Keep Quiet
10 Take It In

4/5

Those four songs are a blast. The others ... not quite my cup of tea.

Gregory and the Hawk - Moenie & Kitchi

Review
Gregory and the Hawk Moenie & Kitchi
Indie
2008

1 Oats We Sow
2 August Moon
3 Doubtful
4 Grey Weather
5 Voice Like A Bell
6 Wild West
7 Stone Wall Stone Fence
8 Ghost
9 Superlegend
10 Harmless
11 Two Faced Twin

4.5/5




(from The Boats & Birds EP)

Pantha du Prince - Black Noise

Review
Pantha du Prince Black Noise
Electronic/Minimal
2010


1 Lay In a Shimmer
2 Abglanz
3 The Splendour
4 Stick To My Side
5 A Nomads Retreat
6 Satellite Sniper
7 Behind the Stars
8 Bohemian Forest
9 Welt Am Draht
10 Im Bann
11 Es Schneit

4/5

Warm and melodic. Very easy to listen/relax to.

Anamanaguchi - Power Supply

Review
Anamanaguchi Power Supply
Chiptune
2006

1 Sting Operation
2 Helix Nebula
3 Airbase
4 Video Challenge
5 Fast Turtle
6 Flora/Fauna
7 Power Supply

4/5

Electric President - The Violent Blue

Review
Electric President The Violent Blue
Indie/Electronic
2010

1 The Ocean Floor
2 Mr. Gone
3 Safe and Sound
4 Feathers
5 Nightmare No. 5 or 6
6 The Violent Blue
7 Circles
8 Elegant Disasters
9 Eat Shit and Die 10 All the Distant Ships

5/5

Yes yes yes another album from one of my favorites! If you like this, make sure to check out the previous albums, it's all good stuff.


(an old one)

Wild Nothing - Summer Holiday

Review
Wild Nothing Summer Holiday
Shoegaze/Indie Pop

1 Summer Holiday
2 Vultures Like Lovers

5/5!

Hell yeah! When is there going to be more?!

Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring

Review
Los Campesinos! Romance Is Boring
Indie

1 In Medias Res
2 There Are Listed Buildings
3 Romance Is Boring
4 We’ve Got Your Back (Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #2)
5 Plan A
6 200-102
7 Straight In at 101
8 Who Fell Asleep In
9 I Warned You: Do Not Make an Enemy of Me
10 Heart Swells / 100-1
11 I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know
12 A Heat Rash in the Shape of the Show Me State; Or, Letters From Me to Charlotte
13 The Sea Is a Good Place of Think of the Future
14 This Is a Flag. There Is No Wind 15 Coda: A Burn Scar in the Shape of the Sooner State

5/5

The American Dollar - Atlas

Review
The American Dollar Atlas
Post-rock/Ambient

1. A Few Words 2. Age Of Wonder 3. Fade In Out 4. Shadows 5. Oil And Water 6. Circuits 7. Red Letter 8. Clones 9. Equinox 10. Second Sight 11. Frontier Melt 12. Flood 13. Escapist

5/5

Another incredible album from the band that essentially sold me on post-rock. Don't be fooled by the ambient tag, this is post-rock at its most melodic and beautiful. A bit more complex than their past (phenomenal) albums.

Phaeleh - Within The Emptiness

Review
Phaeleh Within The Emptiness
Dubstep, Downtempo

1. Dark Clouds ft. Sammi Pithia
2. Never Knew
3. If
4. Heavenly Lies
5. Numb
6. Awakening ft. Anneka
7. Moving Forward
8. Healing ft. Indi Kaur

4.5/5

Weighs a bit toward the chilled, ambient side of dubstep. Not too heavy-hitting. Strong, consistent production throughout. Don't think I could pick a favorite track if I tried (maybe Numb). Goes without saying that without a proper set of headphones or a subwoofer this album will probably be worthless.

Delphic - Acolyte

Review
Delphic Acolyte
Indie

1 Clarion Call
2 Doubt
3 This Momentary
4 Red Lights
5 Acolyte
6 Halcyon
7 Submission
8 Counterpoint
9 Ephemera
10 Remain

4.5/5

Silkie - City Limits Vol. 1

Review

Silkie City Limits Vol. 1

Dubstep

1 Concrete Jungle

2 Turvy

3 Spark

4 Sty

5 Quasar

6 Purple Love

7 Planet X

8 Cats Eyes

9 Head Butt Da Deck

10 Techno 22

11 Mattaz

12 The Horizon

13 Beauty

4.5/5