Albums of The Year: 2011
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: January 2, 2012
Late. And on an entirely different year as well. Ah, c’est la vie. I guess being fashionably late went out of style, even more so during Listmas. In that sense, this tardy and rather feebly constructed post puts this would-be blogger to shame; the lack of annotations, the sub-standard quality of those that do, the incredibly tacky vibe of this blog post itself. What doesn’t are the records on the list and the music it’s brought to 2011. So all lyrical soppiness aside, feel free to view 50 of the year’s best albums below. All according to me.
50. Kasabian – Velociraptor!
49. Katy B – On a Mission
48. Mates of State – Mountaintops
47. Björk - Biophilia
46. Beyoncé – 4
45. Little Dragon – Ritual Union
44. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra
43. Metronomy – The English Riviera
42. Yuck – Yuck
41. Los Campesinos! – Hello Sadness
40. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
39. The Black Keys – El Camino
38. Korallreven - An Album By Korallreven
37. Telekinesis – 12 Desperate Straight Lines
36. SBTRKT - SBTRKT
35. The Roots – Undun
34. Apparat – The Devil’s Walk
33. Active Child – You Are All I See
32. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
31. Wild Flag – Wild Flag
30. Atlas Sound – Parallax
29. AraabMuzik – Electronic Dream
28. Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
27. Real Estate – Days
26. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
25. Feist – Metals
24. Zomby - Dedication
23. Beirut – The Rip Tide
22. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
21. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation
20. Wild Beasts – Smother
19. Arctic Monkeys – Suck It and See
18. Cults – Cults
17. The Weeknd – House of Balloons
16. Panda Bear – Tomboy
15. Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind of Fix
14. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
13. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
12. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
11. Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine
And of course, the year’s Top 10 albums.
10. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
9. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
8. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
7. Washed Out - Within and Without
6. James Blake – James Blake
5. Kate Bush – 50 Words For Snow
4. WU LYF - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
3. The Antlers – Burst Apart
2. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
1. Destroyer – Kaputt
[Postscript: Critiques for albums 33 and onwards will be posted at a later date due to time constrictions. My apologies.]
34: Apparat – The Devil’s Walk
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: January 2, 2012
Sometimes less is more and that’s the entirely the case The Devil’s Walk makes over the course of its 47 or so minutes of running time; it’s 10 tracks of spacious electronic melodies laced with touches of momentous emotion.
Minimalist atmospherics and instrumentation that in no way whatsoever wishes to steal the limelight; simple and temperate, draw the listener into a world of utmost serenity but make no mistake, this is no xx. Far from it. Rather, Sascha Ring, the brilliant German behind the Apparat outfit, fills each track with subtle sensations and textures that marry stillness with a slight urgency. The layers of sound are soft yet firm, lush yet delicate and there’s an overall sense of fragility that rings throughout The Devil’s Walk the emanate tranquility and quietude.
It solicits but never begs for a moment of introspection and inward reflection. Through its understated beats and expansive melodies, Ring integrate slivers of emotion from the blissfully angelic loftiness of Sweet Unrest to heart-shattering melancholia on Goodbye to emotions somewhere in between as on the swelling The Soft Voice Die. Black Water’s use of raindrops and the theremin-esque choir vocals on opener Sweet Unrest demonstrate Ring’s prowess in coming across as poignantly emotive but restrained, never overbearing.
36: SBTRKT – SBTRKT
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: January 2, 2012
Two-step grooves and altogether undoubtedly dance-friendly tunes, not the four-on-the-floor type though, make SBTRKT’s debut eponymous for a gratuitous 40-minute listen with thumping rhythms And sure-fire beats that are teasingly gyrating; see Wildfire with vocals lent from Little Dragon.
Throughout SBTRKT’s debut, the tempo never shifts dramatically, constantly keeping a steady pace with ample allowance in terms of variation. The guest vocals from Sampha and the one-off with Jessie Ware enhance the rich mood in the air with sensuality and a personal touch of intimacy. The plethora of textures and driving atmospherics only serve to augment SBTRKT’s synthetic tunes and bring this album to the next level. Utterly satisfying.
37: Telekinesis – 12 Desperate Straight Lines
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: January 2, 2012
The urgency that resonates throughout 12 Desperate Straight Lines and the assuredness that Telekinesis ooze is infectious. Compelling and magnetic, Telekinesis deliver odes to adolescent break-ups though with a confidence that seeps into the very fabric of their assortment of alt-rock tunes making for an enjoyably riveting listen however short the jams. And all this from one man: Michael Lerner, it is indeed astounding. 12 desperate straight lines 12 Desperate Straight Lines definitely is, straightforward with a no-nonsense attitude, this album is direct with its message however juvenile and superficial.
The instant likeability of the tracks’ songwriting merit yet another comment on how aptly titled this record is, the songs are uncomplicated, easy to digest and great load of fun to simply listen to. And that’s what music’s all about, isn’t it?-Feeling good when you put something on. Telekinesis is just that.
38: Korallreven – An Album By Korallreven
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: January 2, 2012
From the get go, Swedish duo Daniel Tjader and Marcus Joons waste no time in dishing out what this album is about: 808s, euphoric synths, swelling melodies, swooning instrumentation. The mesmerizing repetitions on Keep Your Eyes Shut deliver the album’s greatest punch with flourishing synthesizers and breathlessly trippy rhythms while on others stark ambience dances with sparse beats. Korallreven have never performed live prior to the release of their debut record and if that is the case, my speakers tell me they would be a promising act to see. Either way, the music speaks for itself.
The album’s cohesion and fluidity suggest near-expert dexterity when An Album By Korallreven is viewed, and heard, as a whole: a wonderfully crafted collection of indie pop delicacies perfect for bedroom dreamers.
49: The Black Keys – El Camino
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: January 2, 2012
Everyone’s favourite garage band dish out yet another offering of blues rock with an Americana twist only a year after the critically acclaimed Brothers. El Camino draws from the past with a 70s jives with a rock & roll groove all the while rooting itself in the present day with slick production courtesy of Danger Mouse. Rhythm plays an enormous role on El Camino whether it’s the handclaps as they give way to roaring guitars on Gold On The Ceiling or the hard drum kicks on every other track.
Stop Stop illustrates a slight inclination towards psychedelic beats but it’s Sister with its hook and smooth verses that makes sure it worms its way into your head before the song is even done. The frenetic guitar work and momentous riffs stomp all over El Camino with a fiery lets-get-this-party-started attitude. 7 albums in, The Black Keys have come up with their work yet.
40. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: January 2, 2012
About as organic as balsamic vinegar, Diamond Mine is an earthy collection of uncomplicated songs that are grand in their simplicity and serene as the scenery in the photograph of the two young gentlemen on the cover suggest. It’s a short one but each track carries with itself a warmth and sincerity that’s hard to resist.
King Creosote’s magnum opus.
41: Los Campesinos! – Hello Sadness
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: December 30, 2011
Marrying pop-punk riffs that with gloom-laden lyricism. Bitingly sarcastic, wit permeates into every other line on Hello Sadness juxtaposed with soaring pop melodies and sing-song choruses. A match not so logical on paper, but the sharp but delivery of vocalist, Gareth Paisley-sorry, Gareth Campesinos!-is worthy of mention. The tongue-in-cheek irony and unashamedly barefaced lines that accompany the handclaps and anthemic medlodies are said with an unforced and, yes, graceful humor that is genuine and appealing.
A damn good rocker of an album. With substance to boot.
42: Yuck – Yuck
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: December 30, 2011
Take the scene band of America template, toss in lo-fi vocals, wondrous ways with a guitar, great pop sensibilities and an ear for a hook and you’ve got London-based grunge revivalists Yuck. Equal parts noise and melodious perfection, choruses have never been sweeter and a Sonic Youth throwback so free of artsy pretentiousness. Lyricism with brutal honesty that transcends cheesiness and proves to be greatly affectionate. Oddly enough, only the titles with more than two syllables aren’t the slow jams, except for the album closer, of course. The last one’s always a cracker. Haven’t you learnt anything from Jimmy Eat World?
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35: The Roots – Undun
Posted by: Illuminaudio on: January 2, 2012
Not many bands can pump out eleven studio albums and still stay this good. Undun stays socially aware of the current day and age, citing the Occupy movement, sub-prime mortgages and a million others that are rapped too quickly for me to catch on to at first listen. Though drawing inspiration from a slice of life not necessarily the easiest to stomach, The Roots put their vibrant spin on it. A concept album that chronicles the life and times of a Redford Stevens, The Roots paint a animated picture of reality with pulsating beats and a neo-soul groove delivered with spot-on vocals, both sung and rapped. Energetic and full of life, the colours on Undun burst with tones and shades that instantly resound with the common-day individual.
It’s The Roots at their best, coming across simple and effective while conveying a message that is full of earnest sincerity. Enthrallingly riveting and exquisitely executed with a bag full of ideas that invite further pursuit, undun is top-notch quality. First-class lyrics you got here as well.