a lot of the stuff i nommed is fairly well known around here but this is one of the best house tracks i heard this year, that melody is just so lovely:
also i’m amazed this album didn’t get more attention around here considering jazzanova’s involvement, but prommer & barck’s ‘alex and the grizzly’ lp has so much great stuff going on—the second half of this track when it morphs into proper 4/4 deep house and lois longerling takes over on vocal duties is kinda sublime:
def one of the more powerful tracks i heard this year
This actually surfaced in late 2010, but the album is from 2011 and I’ve kept it in constant rotation pretty much the entire year:
Win Win ft. Lizzi Bougatsos—Releaserpm
Surkin—lose yourself (is only 3:45 idk y all the ytubes say its 7+ mins)
Lucy Rose—middle of the bed
Also this (avoiding stuff I think everyone will know):
I think this is my favorite “schmindie” track of the year, since we’re on that wavelength at the moment:
Mozart Parties—Black Cloud
Nobody here seems to like her much, but I’ve been happy with this album. Picking an album cut rather than one of the singles since you are more likely to have stumbled over the singles already.
I particularly like how it momentarily gets all Cinematic Orchestra at around 2:17.
From Elo, the Maria Rita album I nominated. I don’t think I’ve posted a link to this song before. She is MPB, for those who don’t know:
Jensen Sportag have received no praise at all from ILM which is sad given their Pure Wet EP really rules:
they’re big favourites of Max Tundra, if anyone needs some outside recommendation
Everybody knows this one, right?
I expect my #1 will either be:
elsewhere I’ve called this my #1 Bounciest Track of the Year
or:
beautiful, slow-burning kind-of-housey soul (produced by Floating Points, who has been consistently brilliant this year)
I haven’t heard Wussy’s Strawberry yet, just three songs, but if this turns out to be the highlight, I’d be okay with that.
Joe Goddard—Gabriel (feat. Valentina)
Can be enjoyed even by those with Hot Chip phobia
Nommed on behalf of an enthusiastic listener on outloud:
Have repped for Disco En Paradiso before but will do so again:
Massive Terror Danjah banger:
Here’s RD’s Got Me Burnin’, one of 2011’s best pop songs:
Young Bleed’s Holla At Uh Dog (equal parts Mannie Fresh, Snoop and TI—fantastic)
Also I totally forgot to nominate this but it’s fantastic, like Paul Woolford remixing Dennis Ferrer’s Hey Hey:
In other PLEASE NOMINATE THIS news:
I’ll stan for this Nyan Cat:
Lamb—“Butterfly Effect”
I am wholly obsessed with this song and think everyone should love and adore it
From Shiina Ringo’s Carnation EP, this song works in the vein of her more upbeat material on her Sanmon Gossip album, but I think it’s better than any of those songs—plus it pulls in some Jihenesque vibe, especially with the piano, which I’m assuming is played by Izawa. The little J-pop kitten vocals don’t bother me in this context, though I could see how they might be a deal breaker for some people. The classical intro. doesn’t last long. (Why so few views? Probably the only information is in Japanese.)
And I like this more and think it has more going on than “Heaven” (though I do like Heaven as well). I only know Sande via ILM.
This track really took Aeroplane crown (and like other Plastic Plates remixes, has prominently featured in the Magicians Magic Tape mix series):
Social Studies—Body Language (Plastic Plates Remix)
Four tracks I love which no one else will vote for:
Not sure I’ll even find room to nominate this, but...analogue cops
really enjoy this video
Another great song from the Lamb album 5 called “She Walks”:
Most of the album (5)is firmly in the moody atmospheric downtempo realm. “Butterfly Effect” is IMO a standout track but I really do love the entire album; they manage to express a bunch of different moods/emotions within the sonic palette they’re playing with, with a couple of minor detours into more guitar-oriented tracks. They continue to work the angle of icy-warm comfort that they’ve played with throughout their entire career, setting themselves up as a counterpoint to Portishead’s paranoia exercises.
Brous—Streamers: sort of bossa-nova influenced pop
zombi, ‘time of troubles’ from the escape velocity lp
cookies—‘hypnotize’
deptford goth—‘real love fantasy’
think I’m gonna try my best and advertise some of my noms here:
Pase Rock—Nights (Shazam Remix)
Another great remix from Shazam (check his remix of Munk’s “Down in LA”, too). Digi-funk, synth-r’n’b, something along those lines. Basically something a Lex or Tim F would like (I think). Sounds wonderfully melancholic, like a walk through the city center after the rain. Synths go in and go out, letting gusts of fresh air into the mix.
Class Actress—Keep You
I always kinda wanted that The Knife’s “Heartbeat” would have a bit better bass in the beginning (which always sounds BIGGER in my head than it really is) and this song kinda caters for my dreams. A really solid electro-pop single with a powerful chorus. Doesn’t reach nowhere near the emotional intensity of aforementioned classic, but still makes an entertaining listen.
My favourite folk rock of the year:
I don’t know how much play this is getting outside of Latin music contexts, but I hope people will check this out if they haven’t heard it. Not a great song but the first large-scale mainstream manifestation I know of for tribal guarachero:
I admit it looks more like an ad, which it sort of is for this particular style. I could live with this sound getting a lot more popular.
sad that “snapped” doesn’t seem to be the most popular jhene aiko track, i think it’s stunning, like “marvin’s room” from a slightly more mature perspective??? someone who is just as wounded but is much better at hiding it? (that’s not supposed to be a knock on jojo’s, which is my favorite track of the year)
sonically v close to “skydiver” (cc #cassiefanclub):
White dopes on punk, part 83:
At Devil Dirt from Chile!
Ufesas from Uruguay
This song is probably better one to start with.
Yall can sing along with this one:
I was captive on a slave boat rowing through the swamp
they threw me off into the lake of alligators
eyes were glowing in the dark, and fear was in the air
as the beasts were closing in, panic struck my mind
swimming through the mud, yes I was swimming through the mud
and a thousand flamingos led my way,
riding to the feast for I was gonna meet my doom
Tonight a demon came into my head and tried to choke me in my sleep
Tonight a demon came into my head and tried to choke me in my sleep
There’s more lyrics, but get real, you can’t sing like Joakim Nilsson!!
Elder—Dead Roots Stirring
TV On The Radio—Nine Types Of Light
I feel that the album wouldn’t be so (relatively) underappreciated if more people heard in in the context of the movie.