It's that time of year. Blogs, magazines, websites and your idiot friends are all making their lists and checking it twice, making sure they didn't miss anything.
It's the best of 2008, according to some of us, here at I wanna listen to this.
Enjoy.
Shannon Webb-Campbell makes some of us envious by constantly getting published and interviewing cool people.
1. FLEET FOXES Fleet Foxes
2. RAE SPOON Superioryouareinferior
3. TANYA DAVIS Gorgeous Morning
4. HEY ROSETTA! Into Your Lungs
5. SARAH SLEAN The Baroness
6. JILL BARBER Chances
7. HAYDEN In Field and Town
8. STOLEN MINKS High Kicks
9. BRIAN BORCHERDT Coyotes
10. STEREOLAB Chemical Chords
Loukas Crowther is a musician, dj and design fiend. He also has a tendency of getting hit on by gay men.
Top 30 singles (I normally just do 25, but it was a special year) solely in alphabetical order.
1. Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You
2. CSS - Rat Is Dead (Rage)
3. Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire
4. Dave Gahan - Deeper and Deeper
5. Does It Offend You You, Yeah - Day of the Dead
6. Duchess Says - In Serial
7. Eric Prydz - Pjanoo (Mansion Edit)
8. Estelle - American Boy (Tenzin Remix)
9. God Is An Astronaut - Post Morem
10. Greenskeepers - Vagabond
11. Kanye West - Love Lockdown
12. Ladyhawke - Paris Is Burning (Peaches Remix)
13. Ladytron - Versus
14. Late of the Pier - Space and the Woods
15. Little Boots - Stuck on Repeat (Fake Blood Remix)
16. M83 - Couleurs
17. Oasis - The Turning
18. The Presets - Yippyo-Ay
19. The Rapture - No Sex for Ben
20. Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes
21. Sebastian Grainger & The Mountains - I Hate My Friends
22. Sons & Daughters - This Gift
23. The Tings Tings - Great DJ (Calvin Harris Remix)
24. Treasure Fingers - Cross the Dancefloor (Lifelike Remix)
25. Trevor Andrew - Bang Bang
26. The Whip - Sister Siam
27. Woodhands - Dancer
28. Woolfy - Oh Missy
29. Yelle - Je Veux te Voir
30. Young Widows - Took A Turn
Ok ok, some of those were technically singles released in 2008 when the albums were in 2007, forgive me; I cheated.
Top 5 albums.......
The Presets - Apocalypso
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Sons & Daughters - This Gift
Young Widows - Old Wounds
Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel
Simon Thibault spent the entire summer digging through record bins and old dusty antique stores for disco records. In the meantime, he tries to find time to write and cook, all the while a steady 4/4 beat plays in the background.
Some of my fave songs of the year, in no order.
1.) Happy House, Juan MacLean
At the beginning of the year, through some strange circumstance, I found Juan MacLean on facebook. I sent him an email telling him how much I loved Give me every little thing". He actually wrote me back and told me to keep my eyes and ears peeled for a new release and that it would blow my mind. I didn't keep them peeled as well as I should have, because I only discovered this gem at the end of the year, when in fact, it had been released in March. Day-um. You mean I could've been rocking to this all summer long?
12 unadulterated minutues of disco glory.
2.)Hold on, Holy Ghost
Discovered through a remix done by Mock & Toof, this is just another example of how DFA records had an amazing year this year (see: Juan Maclean, Hercules & Love affair)
3.)Just like heaven, The Watson Twins
I love cover tunes. Who knew that a country-tinged Cure song could do me in?
4.) She & him, “You really got a hold on me”
Who knew that Zooey Deschanel could do me in?
5.) Portishead, "Machine Gun”
Why not announce your arrival through a torrent of harsh and syncopated bullet beats.
6.)Antibodies, Poni Hoax
Budapest may have heralded their arrival, but this songs annouces that they are staying.
7.)MSTRKRFT feat. N.O.R.E., “Bounce”
All I do is party.
8.)Gnarls Barkley, "Who’s gonna save my soul"
Besides being a stunning track, the video is not only carries the song into the stratosphere, but into the realm of our dreams...
9.) Chad Van Gaalen, Willow Tree
I had kinda given up on Chad Van Gaalen. There was no hook for me. Then I heard this song and everything else fell into place.
10.)Adem, "Boy/Girl Song/How To Cure A Weakling Child".
It would of course, take someone else to point out to us that Aphex Twin can be delicate.
and last but not least:
11.)Hercules & Love Affair, "Blind".
If I had to choose one song that made it for me this year, it would be this. Released well in advance of the album, this track, featuring the haunting vocals of Antony Hegarty (of whom one would never think "disco diva") this track by Andy Butler, the mind behind Hercules & Love Affair stood out for so many reasons, not only for it's sheer wonder and scope, but for introducing countless listeners to the wonders of disco once again. No, he didn't do this alone, but he DID (arguably) forge the world of disco forward, not only for the elitists and cognoscenti, but for the masses as well.
Fave Remixes of the year, in no order
1.) "Paper Planes (DFA Remix)", M.I.A.
Yes, the album came out in 2007, but the single came into its own in 2008, thanks to a movie about two stoners. Huh.
But the track shines, IMO, under the helm of James Murphy, remixed with a sweet bassline that gives you a ride from the first beat till the end.
2.) "Hearts On Fire, (Holy Ghost remix)", Cut Copy
Although the single was actually released in 2007, the single picked up a lot of heat once the album dropped in 2008. I have my friend Hank to thank for telling me about this mix. Apparently he heard it while at Burning Man while the man was on fire. Transcendant, to say the least.
3.) "Hold On (Mock'n'Toof Remix)", Holy Ghost (tie) with "Hold On (Blackjoy Mazego Groove)"
This is such a great record that a remix not only lifts the record outside of itself, but leaves us wanting more. You want to know all the variants. From the Mock'n'toof 303-esque bassline and it's dubby vocals to the Blackjoy Mazego Groove which is ever so slightly cosmic. Just another example of why DFA is still one of the best labels out there today.
4.) "Electric Feel (Justice Remix)", MGMT.
Even just saying this record exists is like reading music blog porn for a lot of people. But forget the hype, let the speakers bang out the beat and remember why you fell in love with both Justice and MGMT all at once. Ignore the holier-than-thou hipsters who tell you you're passe. You're the one dancing, while they stand there with their arms crossed, stroking their shit. Fuck that.
5.) "Kids (Soulwax Remix), MGMT
Soulwax either hits the nail on the head or ends up hitting their thumb and we're left with listening to their expletives. Yes, this remix sounds vaguely like their work with The Gossip, but then again, wasn't that a great record anyway? All mistakes are forgiven when you can just stop and yell out, "Control yourself, take only what you need from it" at the top of your lungs.
6.) "Hey Boy, Hey Girl (Soulwax Remix)", The Chemical Brothers
In 1999, The Chemical Brothers swatted away the 2nd album curse with the release of "Hey Boy Hey Girl" featuring a dizzyingly trippy video of skeletons dancing at an all night party (we had stopped calling them raves for a few years now, thank you). It was a record you occasionally heard dropped in the middle of a set, usually when the place was ready to explode and the place was packed with people who remember hearing it the first time it came out in the clubs (which put most of us squarely in our 30's). Soulwax, for some reason, decided to play with this record this year, reminding us that the brothers never forgot how to work it out.
7.) Feed the Animals", Girl Talk
I didn't know where to put this. I'm not listing it as an album of the year, because essentially, this entire album is one giant cut-up/remix/thing. And what a thing it is. Released online early in the spring (and on cd later in the fall), Gregg Gillis not only hits his stride, he kicks it into highgear, never leaving you wanting. He has an uncanny sense of knowing when to cut, when to bring in the new beat, when to go off and when to bring you down.
Fave albums of the year, at random.
1.) TV On The Radio, "Dear Science"
The guitar, drums and bass hit you in the first three seconds. Then comes that voice. That amazing voice that brings you along for the ride. No, this album does not have a "Wolf Like Me", but it doesn't have to. This is TV On The Radio unafraid and unfettered, doing what they believe in. Their faith in their motives and practices expresses itself in their lyrics, sounds, melodies and production. This is the work of a cohesive unit who knows what it is looking to do.
2.) Sigur Ros, "Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust"
Apparently the appartition of an english language track on this album was something a lot of people thought was newsworthy. But Sigur Ros isn't made to be newsworthy. It is a very private thing people listen to in quiet huddles, either alone or in tandem. Every time I hear certain Sigur Ros tracks for the first time (or see the videos), I cry. Why? Because if I could look inside myself and listen to my heartbeat, it would most probably sound a lot like this.
3.) Portishead, "Third"
A local punker I know emailed me and asked me if I could send him a copy of this album. I'm not going to admit to doing such a thing, for it is tenuously illegal, but let me say this. Everyone wanted to know what this would sound like. We have been revisiting "Dummy" for over ten years now and even though we probably won't be sick of it (if ever), it would be nice to know what this collection of dirty and dangerous minds wish to unleash upon us. It is dark, it is dangerous, and it is possibly some of the most beautiful sounds to come out of this Bristol group.
4.) Hercules and Love Affair, "S/T"
Proof that disco is not a dirty word. Andy Butler proves that there is more to him than being blind and leaves us starry eyed and not only wanting to groove, but leaves us appreciating a much maligned genre.
5.)Old Man Luedecke, "Proof Of Love"
Chris Luedecke often performs alone, armed with his ukelele and his wonderful songs, braving the stage all by his lonesome. It takes a special kind of performer to do this. It takes an even bigger man to know when to go out and ask for help. On "Proof of Love", Luedecke brings in a whole band which at first, is a little odd for fans who are used to his shows (and early albums) where it's usually just one man and his banjo filling the sound of the room. But here, Luedecke decides to bring his friends along, and we can't be mad at him for allowing us to be privy to his own personal musical party.
6.) Hot Chip, "Made In The Dark"
I am ready for the floor, thanks to this early 2008 release. Hot Chip started off the year right for many of us, still in love with our old remixes of "Over & Over" with a great video for "Ready for the Floor". "One Pure Thought" and "Shake A Fist" had us dancing while the title track showed us that Hot Chip is not just for groovin', but for lovin'.
The list finishes with EPs, a format which is often forgotten among most of us. We're used to being given an entire album. But here, we're given snippets, musical aperitifs as we await the larger meal which is to come.
7.) Antony & The Johnsons, "Another World"
The title track is worth the price of admission alone. Antony released this EP at the end of the year, with the promise of an album in early 2009. If this EP is any indication of what Hegarty is going to deliver, it is going to be a year full of people in awe of him and his amazing voice, once again. Kudos.
8.) Final Fantasy, "Spectrum, 14th century" & "Plays to Please".
Two for the price of one. Or rather, two amazing releases in their own right. In "Plays to Please", Owen Pallett pays tribute to fellow torontonian Alex Lukashevsky with an EP of covers. Pallett is known for producing his fair share of covers, both in concert and on a few releases, but it is never out of boredom or laziness, but rather in wishing to pay tribute to someone or something which has pleased and given him pause. On "Spectrum", Pallett sings dark and beautiful fables, especially "Blue Imelda" and "The Butcher". If this is any indication of what is to come in 2009, I can only dream.
Labels of the year:
DFA
To many, DFA has already had its golden age when it helped introduce dance punk to the masses with The Rapture's "House of Jealous Lovers" and LCD Soundsystem's first singles. But in 2007, James Murphy, co-founder and LCD's headman released "Sound of Silver" and launched a sublabel under the moniker "Death From Abroad", highlighting some of the best disco to have been distributed stateside in quite a while. This was almost like some extended intro to what would happen in 2007, when releases by Juan Maclean, Holy Ghost, Yacht, Hercules and Love Affair and Hot Chip made us stand up and pay attention to the little label that could.
Strut
Between 1999 and 2003, Strut records was revered among dance music enthusiats for unearthing many forgotten leftfield disco records with their "Disco not disco" series as well as bringing to light many forgotten records that were only known by obsessives and the dance cognoscenti (often one in the same). In 2008, Strut resurfaced, having come back with the help of K7 and kickstarted the year with the third installment in the Disco Not Disco series featuring tracks by Maximum Joy, James White & The Blacks and Shriekback.
They soon followed this up by releasing a compilation of Compass Point recordings (a studio for which we have to thank for helping create the sounds of early 80's caribbean tinged disco, ala Tom Tom Club and Grace Jones "La vie en rose" era recordings.). They also released a collection of forgotten afro funk records, italo disco classics and best of all, "Going Places: The August Darnell years", highlighting the influence that one man had on so many records that bumped their way into the nights of so many soundsystems across the us and europe.
Jeffrey Liberatore is an elitist and a snob, but spends most of his time with undesirables.
1. Lulu Rouge – "Bless You” LP (Music For Dreams)
Kenneth Bager’s Music For Dreams Label put out this amazing piece of dark dub by two Danish kids in mid may. It quickly became the soundtrack to Sunday nights fuelled by red wine. Sounding similar to the records William Bevan has been putting out of south London lately, but with an amazing array of vocalists. The record as a whole comes off like a darker version of early basic channel dub techno, this was/is my favourite record for stalking rain soaked streets at midnight.
2. Zombie Zombie – ‘A Land For Renegades’ LP (Versatile Recordings)
If George Romero was a disco DJ this is what his nightclub would soundlike. So you combine Claudio Simonetti’s soundtracks for Argento films, John Carpenter-esque synthscapes, motorik/krautrock beats a la Neu!, throw on some Daniel Ash type vocals and you get the best horror disco record of the year, plus a bitchin’ cover of Iggy Pop/David Bowie’s “Nightclubbing”, considering the past couple of years have seen alot of records attempting to achieve this dark prog dancefloor vibe, although not totally innovative, these two frenchies make you wanna dance while being boiled alive (or something). Bonus points for agitated punk screaming on “Jay Rules” and “I scream you scream”.
3. Don Rimini – ‘Absolutley Rad’ EP (Mental Groove)
Huge rave track, worth the price of admission for Manu Le Malin’s remix of “Let Me Back Up”. Every stadium rave DJ worth their weight in gold was playing this bass heavy electro monster. Rumour has it that aside from the D.I.M/Proxy/Les Petites Pilous school of electro rave this was getting big ups on scarier dancefloors by the likes of Savas Pascalidis & the Horrorist. “4/4 dirtyoverdrive techno-rock slammer” or something.
4. Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk – ‘Love Can't Turn Around’ 12’’ (Back Yard recordings)
So you’re probably thinking this record is over twenty years old, why chart it in 2008? But this ‘Love Can't Turn Around (Boys Noize Started Like This Mix)’ was the nostalgia remix of the year. Alex Ridha adds a filter to the original bassline, filters some Isaac Hayes samples, adds his own keyboard work and time stretches Darryl Pandy’s vocals. And by the time the 3:30 mark hits and Darryl is screaming ‘Work Your Body’ at the top of his lungs, you’re in warehouse heaven.
5. VA – ‘Munich Disco Tech Volume 1’ EP (Great Stuff Recordings)
Munich gets really filthy with this EP that came out this summer, there was one track that all the crunchy rave DJ’s got behind off this EP, Tonka turns in a shuddering tech house stop-start fest called "Freeze". It was charted by TIga, Thomas Von Party, Brodinski blah blah blah. My god though it has this stomping martial beat, squealing synths that just build and build and this subermeged vocal urging you to ‘celebrate’. This was played in far too many living rooms at four am this summer.
6. Fan Death – ‘Veronica’s Veil’ 12” (Phantasy Sound)
This 12” deserved to be the pop record of the year, but everybody was too busy listening to Lady Gaga. Brilliant Icy Detached female vocals, grooving little bassline, disco strings that could’ve been written by Kelley Polar, synth’s galore and lyrics about a veil that a woman wiped Jesus’ brow with? Huh? Anyho the b-side had Erol Alkan shaking off his trashy electro rock cliché to put out a extended disco version with less of the vocal and more of the strings, that quickly became an office fave (even for the people who listen to Lady Gaga).
7. Koko Von Napoo – ‘Polly’ 7” (Trouble Records)
Koko Von Napoo are a pop band. They make elegant synth drones like Blondie fronted by Mary Hansen produced by Air singing in French. It makes me Happy each morning. The End.
8. LSB – ‘Loco Motion’ 12” (Eskimo)
Biggest Disco record of the year, period. Pete Hebert attacks the dancefloor with a nice house undercurrent, plenty of piano action, vocal samples, stuttered snares, a tonne of congas and a lovely horn section at the end.
9. Last Shadow Puppets – ‘The Age Of The Understatement’ LP (Domino)
Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) & Miles Kane (The Rascals) team up to represent their love of David Bowie’s mod output on Deram and Scott Walker's early solo records. Their two voices harmonise brilliantly, Owen Pallet writes some huge scenic string sections and the boys play Morricone-esque guitars, this album start to finish is a rush to the head.
10. Wild Beasts – ‘Limbo Panto’ LP (Domino)
The most original guitar based record i’ve heard this decade? I dunno, but it’s something special, Hayden Thorpe has the most unusual voice on a rock record, kinda like Antony Heggarty, Brian Molko & the kid from JJ72. Anyo, weird humorous british tales over melodic yet bizarre drums/guitar/bass combos. There’s odd Jazzy Waltzes, Galloping Baroque pop in 4/4 time and anthem to end all anthems “Devil’s Crayon”.
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Sorry this took so long, but dang, we've been busy writing this stuff for you!
