Amidst this dearth of quality albums in my field of music, however, a small number of releases have been absolutely brilliant for me. I have whittled these down to just ten LP/EPs, knowing that I'll probably miss several great albums in the process, and that I'll regret some of the selections I've made on this list. Whatever - here are the ten most compelling releases I've encountered this year.
10. Tycho - Dive (Downtempo, IDM)
Scott Hansen's third full-length release may not be as thematically multifaceted as those of their similar-sounding contemporary Boards of Canada, but it does very well in focusing on the single concept of optimistic tranquility (see cover art) with its soothing beats and synths. My only gripe with this album is that a few of the tracks have been pre-released as singles and slightly disturb the sonic cohesion of the album (most notably the third track "Daydream" which was released four years ago). It's definitely not a deal breaker here, but I can only wonder how frighteningly good this would have been if it was written in one sitting.
9. Fell Voices - Fell Voices (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Dozens of repeated plays after, I'm still not convinced that Fell Voices (or any cascadian black metal band in general) are as talented as they're made out to be. Considering the scrappy nature of their songwriting, would they sound remotely decent if they abandoned their cascadian roots and chose not to use repeated riffs? Whatever the answer is, Fell Voices's use of droning repetition in their self-titled LP is so effective in generating atmosphere that it doesn't really matter. If you're a black metal fan, you're guaranteed 40 minutes of highly engaging music.
8. Elite Gymnastics - Ruin 2 (Chillwave)
Although Ruin 1 and Ruin 2 are double EP releases, its the latter that really hits the spot for me. Ruin 2 is basically the slower version of Ruin 1 with less cacophonous beats, and maintains the dark and depressive atmosphere of chillwave really well. The obvious standout track is "Here In Heaven 2" - one of the best tracks of 2011 - and although the last two tracks aren't really of the same calibre, they're still decent and manage to cling onto the masterful atmosphere of "Here In Heaven 2". Hopefully they'll realise just how brilliant the track is and gear their next release towards that sound.
7. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica (Ambient, Glitch, Minimalism)
One of the coolest releases of 2011, Replica combines varying genres such as ambient, drone, glitch, and minimal synth into one impressively cohesive album. It takes the listeners onto a sonic journey through differing genres - such as the soothing ambient passages of "Andro" to the glitch repetitions of "Sleep Dealer" - while sticking close to its atmospheric roots, making the listen accessible and highly interesting at the same time. The mercurial cover art also provides added depth to the album, and it's this depth in style and theme that will be central in OPN's push for recognition.
6. Holy Other - With U (Witch House)
This little EP by Holy Other is comfortably the best example of the 'witch house' genre that I've ever seen. The music in With U is one of haunting tranquility, driven by beats and samples that echo on and on to sedate the listener in a calming sense of melancholy. This atmospheric depth is perfectly complemented by the catchiness of the beats, which makes the listen quite accessible and engaging at the same time. One of the most engrossing releases I have heard this year, and I will certainly be looking forward to further releases in the future.
5. Black Swan - The Quiet Divide (Ambient)
Surprise selection of the year for me. With all due respect, when sputnik's metal-heads congregate to hype an ambient or a drone album, I tend to not buy into it. The exact thing happened with Grouper's A I A this year - while sputnik's \m/ division praised it as a successful folk-ambient release, I personally thought it was just a cliche nosy ambient release. But not in this case. Described as "drone [music] for bleeding hearts" by Black Swan themselves, The Quiet Divide has really been one of the most emotionally affecting releases for me this year. Its narrow thematic scope has been a point of criticism, but if anything, it enhances the emotional depth of the album and invites the listeners deeper into its symphony of misery and sorrow.
4. Andy Stott - We Stay Together (Deep Minimal Dub / Techno)
Although Andy Stott released both a full length and an EP this year, its his EP We Stay Together that has impressed more with its execution and thematic character. We Stay Together's main forte is its highly engrossing bass lines, which echo on and on to isolate the listener in its dark, primal, and often claustrophobic atmosphere. The complexity of this atmosphere is generally unmatched in the electronic realm, and for that reason We Stay Together is my favourite electronic release of 2011, but make sure you have headphones or speakers with strong bass reception to complement its irresistibly deep rumbles.
3. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972 (Ambient)
Comfortably the most artistic album of 2011, Ravedeath, 1972 sees Tim Hecker championing what could be termed as the impressonist movement in music. Yes, I know impressonism is a defined historical art movement, but such is the cinematic flair of this album in vividly depicting the fragility of art - "digital trash", as described by Hecker himself. Hecker takes the concept of "piano drop" from MIT - as seen on the album art, where students annually throw a piano off a high building, destroying beauty - and dovetails it beautifully with his feedback based sound, illustrating the conecpt of disintegrating beauty. An absolutely gripping album, Ravedeath, 1972 really demonstrates why Tim Hecker is one of the best in his business.
2. Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light Vol. I (Drone)
I've always considered Earth's post-Hex acoustic drone sound to be superior to their previous drone-doom sound in terms of atmosphere, and this album really proves that. What Angels of Darkness, Demons of light I attempts to depict is somewhat unique in its genre - perhaps not in terms of invention, but nevertheless in terms of depth and style - a spectrum of emotions ranging from desolation to euphoria. Moreover, the album is incredibly consistent - with the exception of the last track which is only relatively mediocre - all the tracks diverse in rhythm yet equally brilliant in captivating the listeners in its complex atmosphere. Personally this is Earth's strongest effort yet, and I can't wait for Vol. II, is scheduled to be released on February.
1. Corrupted - Garten Der Unbewusstheit (Doom / Sludge Metal)
While Garten Der Unbewusstheit sees the Japanese sludge outfit lose much of the heaviness that defined their previous releases like Se Hace Por Los Suenos Asesinos, the album more than makes up for it with a perfect depiction of the pensive melancholy that is visualised on the album art. Their sound combination of softer acoustic passages and heavier doom-sludge passages go some way in doing so, but it's really the tortured vocals that so effectively creates the compelling emotion of Garten Der Unbewusstheit. The stand out track is probably "Gekkou No Daichi" - one of the best in 2011 - but what's the point in saying this when all the tracks are fantastic? My only disappointment is with the departure of vocalist Hevi, which would make a sequel release in the same emotional vein very unlikely. Gutted.
Honorary Mentions:
Clams Casino - Instrumentals
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Eisley - The Valley
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Eisley - The Valley
Loss - Despond
Sean McCann - The Capital
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ReplyDeletebump this down and ill /kill/ u
ReplyDeleteblack swan m/
ReplyDeletegreat list dude