Magazine/website/record store BEST OF 2011 end-of-year list pile-up

5. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
4. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
3. M83 – Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
2. Destroyer – Kaputt
1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Oh you fucking clowns, Pitchfork.

4/5ths utterly indefensible. why are those people allowed to be tastemakers again?

despite the preponderance of tumblr&b in the grau list, i am s0 proud to be part of an organisation that has katy b, beyoncé and rustie in its top 10 instead

Several XPs: I'm guessing Jimmy Riddle is Nate Carson? I prefer Hammer for the writing even if the music in Terrorizer and R-A-R is more to my tastes generally speaking.

I understand everyone's problems with Frank Ocean bar the thing about him not being able to sing. This is just nonsense. Also, I like what I've heard by Goalpele but I don't think her songs are as strong (and no, I wouldn't want to hear her singing over Take Me To The Limit or Yellow). The problem is one of taste though, she's simply slightly too slick/sophisticated for me. If there's one RnB singer who I would have voted for personally this year if I'd heard him earlier it would have been B Bravo. As for FO, I think he's more complex than just 'sensitive', for example I don't think Bon Iver would start a song with a rumination on how much he'd like to fuck Emma in the garden. Also, this talk of 'indie' is a red herring; Frank Ocean isn't Gayngs.

I just can't subscribe to this narrow view of what should or shouldn't be allowed in certain genres though. If it works it works. It's not for me to say if Frank Ocean is great pop/rnb in general as I don't know enough about the genre. The idea that this is the only RnB I can cope with is a bit daft. I've listened to plenty of other albums/tracks that have been recommended here and most of them are - to my tastes - too insipid or too urbane. I really like Nostalgia/Ultra though, and that's good enough for me. I'm sure it's not double standards however as I like Liturgy as well. I'm not going to not listen to them just because they wear V neck sweaters, look like Vampire Weekend and live in Williamsburg.

Sorry to state the obvious but the only important thing to me is that they don't sound like Vampire Weekend.

I think Lex's point about free albums might be right however. It seems like it's worth mentioning to me that so many of my choices this year have been free downloads but I guess this is old news elsewhere.

jimmy riddle = kerr/algerian goalie/pfunkboy etc

RA

50. Moodymanc - Black Paint (Larry Heard's After Dark Mix)
49. Gesloten Cirkel - Yamagic
48. Sneaker - You Think You Think
47. L.I.E.S. - Comeback Dust (Max D's Big Top Dustheads Mix)
46. Maurice Donovan - Babeh
45. Legowelt - Sark Island Acid
44. Clockwork - It's You Again
43. Zomby - Natalia's Song
42. Miguel Campbell - Something Special
41. M83 - Midnight City
40. Morphosis - Too Far
39. Cassius - The Sound Of Violence (Franco Cinelli Remix)
38. SBTRKT - Ready Set Loop
37. WhoMadeWho - Every Minute Alone (Tale Of Us Remix)
36. Tropic of Cancer - A Color [Blackest Ever Black]
35. Floating Points - Myrtle Avenue
34. Eats Everything - Entrance Song
33. Genius of Time - Houston We Have a Problem
32. Dan Andrei - Trebuie Da, Prima Incercare
31. Storm Queen - It Goes On
30. Tiger & Woods - Gin Nation
29. Oliver $ - Doin' Ya Thang
28. Maceo Plex - Can't Leave You
27. Danny Daze feat. Louisahhh - Your Everything
26. Mathew Jonson - Learning to Fly
25. Kassem Mosse - Untitled A1
24. Osunlade - Envision (Ame Remix)
23. Four Tet - Pyramid
22. Peverelist - Dance Til the Police Come
21. Session Victim - Good Intentions
20. Objekt - CLK Recovery
19. Scuba - Adrenalin
18. Benoit & Sergio - Principles
17. Pangaea - Hex
16. Mosca - Bax
15. Burial - Street Halo
14. Daphni - Ye Ye
13. Virgo Four - It's a Crime (Caribou Remix)
12. Benoit & Sergio - Walk & Talk
11. Noir & Haze - Around (Solomon Vox Mix)
10. Unknown Artist - Sicko Cell
09. Levon Vincent - Man Or Mistress
08. Martyn - Masks
07. SCB - Loss
06. Steffi feat. Virginia - Yours
05. Todd Terje - Ragysh
04. Todd Terje - Snooze 4 Love
03. Julio Bashmore - Battle For Middle You
02. Omar-S - Here's Your Trance, Now Dance!!
01. Blawan - Getting Me Down

32. Dan Andrei - Trebuie Da, Prima Incercare
21. Session Victim - Good Intentions

would both be in mine

11. Noir & Haze - Around (Solomon Vox Mix)

expected this to be a lot higher!

(esp in a year where jamie jones and troxler take the top 2 in the dj poll)

wow i can actually totally cosign 8 of the top 10, wasn't expecting that - feel slightly disconnected from dance music in 2011 due to going out a bit less. as for the other two, i've heard the martyn one but can't remember it, and i don't know what SCB is

27. Danny Daze feat. Louisahhh - Your Everything

this is the one i expected to be much higher, a dead cert for my overall top 10

no move d though?! i thought that workshop 13 single was huge

good to see storm queen being recognised too, thought that slipped out without as much fanfare as "look right through" but it's excellent

Workshop 13 is really good - but Move D type stuff doesn't seem to have done particularly well in the eoy stuff

no lee foss "keep my cool" either ;_;

and no john talabot is surprising

14. Daphni - Ye Ye

Glad to see this showing up somewhere, it's been huge every time I've seen it played out.

None of my picks seem to have got anywhere near the RA eoy (other than Session Victim - not much of a surprise, and Dan Andrei - kind of a big surprise, that is definitely not an immediate record)

A very fragmented year though, will be interesting to hear the ones I don't know (which is actually most of them)

the noir & haze really doesn't seem like a very you record, april! esp the vocals

Its..a guilty pleasure;)

(I do actually have quite a bit of time for that kind of sound - tho i do prefer the instrumental)

and no john talabot is surprising

Not sure, doesn't seem to be quite where RA's head is at right now.

04. Todd Terje - Snooze 4 Love

This has really grown on me

05. Todd Terje - Ragysh

This hasn't

45. Legowelt - Sark Island Acid
31. Storm Queen - It Goes On
29. Oliver $ - Doin' Ya Thang
28. Maceo Plex - Can't Leave You
26. Mathew Jonson - Learning to Fly
24. Osunlade - Envision (Ame Remix)
11. Noir & Haze - Around (Solomon Vox Mix)
08. Martyn - Masks
06. Steffi feat. Virginia - Yours
05. Todd Terje - Ragysh
04. Todd Terje - Snooze 4 Love
02. Omar-S - Here's Your Trance, Now Dance!!

Love these ones, not heard a fair few of the others. Surprised by the lack of Jamie Jones/Lee Foss or Soul Clap in there. It's way better than the FACT list, although eyeroll at Julio Bashmore being so high. Battle For Middle You is alright but it's not that great.

God, I'm quite ashamed of knowing only about 5-7 on that RA list. Walk And Talk is classic (wonder where it'll place on the ILX tracks list). I know I've heard and enjoyed some stuff by Storm Queen but I can't remember if it's this track. Natalia's Song is a highlight on the Zomby album and I'm glad it's included here. Is the Peverelist tune a cover of Shut Up & Dance? If so I'd be very interested in hearing it. I guess it's lists like this that help me through the slow January month...

The Steffi tune is probably my favourite on there, just such a rich, satisfying vocal house tune.

Also the Onsulade/Ame track is really worth hearing, the second half is so ravey!

Also, this talk of 'indie' is a red herring; Frank Ocean isn't Gayngs.

Gayngs >>>>

The LWE list has been a joy to read, the write-ups are excellent.

So, theoretically, an 80s retro fixation should have played itself out by now (every decade looks back 20 years for inspiration, which means we should be well into 90s revivalism by now), but P4K's top three albums all have a retro-80s vibe.

Didn't expect Destroyer to rank as high as it did, but I was happy to see it.

I don't normally like to bash P4K, but their list is less inspired than the NME's. Is the Bon Iver album an 80s-retro thing? I can't stand him tbh.

5. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
4. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
3. M83 – Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
2. Destroyer – Kaputt
1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Also the Onsulade/Ame track is really worth hearing, the second half is so ravey!

yes! how had i not heard this!

i am just never going to get benoit & sergio :( sooooo dull.

not even walk & talk? :-(

do you like the Wolf + Lamb vs Soul Clap mix from a wee while back, Lex?

it was okay

is the Bon Iver album an 80s-retro thing?

At least partly, yeah. One song sounds like Toto (without the rhythm section, kind of like the song you know I won't hold you back).

Surprised they went for seemingly every Benoit & Sergio *except* Everybody which I thought was kinda the acknowledged anthem.

I'm kind of sad the Art Department album didn't make any EOY lists, this year.

speaking of dull

an art department where all the paint is grey

ha xp!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph05AIKuJGY

This is the Art Department and is pretty decent - but there's also Soul Clap and Onsulade input there as well.

Generally I think they're fine when there are no vocals getting in the way.

I didn't think it was grey. certainly moody, but quite emotional and affecting.

Tiny Mix Tapes (USA) Albums EOY 2011
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/2011-favorite-50-albums-2011

50 - Tom Waits - Bad as Me
49 - Liturgy - Aesthetica
48 - Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter One: Les Gens de Couleur Libres
47 - Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo
46 - A Winged Victory for the Sullen - A Winged Victory for the Sullen
45 - Tiziana Bertoncini and Thomas Lehn - Horsky Park
44 - The Psychic Paramount - II
43 - St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
42 - Zomby - Dedication
41 - Fabio Orsi - Stand Before Me, Oh My Soul
40 - Kreng - Grimoire
39 - Arrington de Dionyso’s Malaikat dan Singa - Suara Naga
38 - Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1
37 - Telebossa - Telebossa
36 - Future Islands - On the Water
35 - The Men - Leave Home
34 - Panda Bear - Tomboy
33 - Rafael Toral - Space Elements Vol. III
32 - M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
31 - EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
30 - Lil B - I'm Gay
29 - Thee Oh Sees - Castlemania
28 - Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/Dream
27 - The Weeknd - House of Balloons
26 - Amen Dunes - Through Donkey Jaw
25 - Hype Williams - One Nation
24 - Bill Orcutt - How the Thing Sings
23 - PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
22 - Death Grips - Ex Military
21 - James Ferraro - Far Side Virtual
20 - DJ Rashad - Just a Taste
19 - Sean McCann - The Capital
18 - Flaming Lips - The Strobo Trip: Light and Audio Phase Illusions Toy
17 - Dirty Beaches - Badlands
16 - Kwjaz - Kwjaz
15 - Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
14 - Peaking Lights - 936
13 - Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
12 - tUnE-yArDs - WhoKill
11 - Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
10 - Demdike Stare - Triptych [2010]
9 - Destroyer - Kaputt
8 - Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
7 - John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
6 - Grouper - A I A: Alien Observer / A I A: Dream Loss
5 - DJ Diamond - Flight Muzik
4 - The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
3 - Colin Stetson - New History Warfare, Vol. 2: Judges
2 - James Blake - James Blake
1 - Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

^ decent enough list, huge improvement on pitchfork imo

much more interesting. James Blake in second place is a bit of an odd one, considering the quality of the stuff that precedes it, but big props for putting DJ Diamond so near the top.

yeah, the tiny mix tapes list is interesting. i mean, there's a lot of overlap and re-ordering of the titles on the P4K list, but there are also interesting items on the TMT list that didn't make it to the P4K list (e.g., dirty beaches; demdike stares; peaking lights).

btw, i haven't gone thru it yet, but the individual lists on dusted's year-end summary are always interesting (no total-staff best-of list at dusted).

The Best Rhythm and Blues of 2011
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/tools/full/152019

01 Maya Azucena - Cry Love
02 Rashaan Patterson - Bleuphoria
03 Mamas Gun - The Life and Soul
04 Lalah Hathaway - Where It All Begins
05 Beverly Knight - Soul UK
06 Goapele - Break of Dawn
07 Patti Austin - Sound Advice
08 Van Hunt - What Were You Hoping For?
09 Daryl Hall - Laughing Down Crying
10 Ledisi - Pieces of Me

no yardbirds?

^agreed. It's an outrage.

luckily we have tuneyards

I don't normally like to bash P4K, but their list is less inspired than the NME's.

Who looks to these lists for inspiration?

this muthafucka

http://rlv.zcache.com/look_to_the_light_business_card-p240048209533610449yq46_400.jpg