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Omega_Switch's Listism, Pt. 3: Top 30 of the 2000s

Jul 6 2009, 18h52 por Omega_Switch22B

Yet again I've decided to waste my time- and maybe even yours- with another list of my favorite albums. This time, I've compiled a list of my 30 favorite albums from each year of the 2000s. Recommendations are greatly appreciated.

2009 so far

1. Isis- Wavering Radiant
2. Fen- The Malediction Fields
3. Wolves in the Throne Room- Black Cascade
4. maudlin of the Well- Part the Second
5. The Field- Yesterday and Today
6. Dereleech- Servant of Entropy
7. Blut aus Nord- Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With the Stars
8. Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
9. Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest
10. Steve Roach- Dynamic Stillness
11. Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.- Lord of the Underground: Vishnu and the Magic Elixir
12. Telefon Tel Aviv- Immolate Yourself
13. Drudkh- Microcosmos
14. Tim Hecker- An Imaginary Country
15. Funebrarum- The Sleep of Morbid Dreams
16. Disappearer- The Clearing
17. Squarepusher- Numbers Lucent EP
18. The Prophecy- Into the Light
19. Mono- Hymn to the Immortal Wind
20. Pelican- Ephemeral EP
21. Boxcutter- Arecibo Message
22. Wolves in the Throne Room- Malevolent Grain EP
23. Phillip Wilkerson- Constant 23
24. Mountains- Choral
25. Great Lake Swimmers- Lost Channels
26. Cobalt- Gin
27. Amorphis- Skyforger
28. Absu- Absu
29. Devin Townsend- Ki
30. Fleshgod Apocalypse- Oracles

2008

1. Jóhann Jóhannsson- Fordlândia
2. Sun Kil Moon- April
3. ColdWorld- Melancholie²
4. Dereleech- Downstream
5. Deepspace- The Glittering Domain
6. Agalloch- The White EP
7. Esoteric- The Maniacal Vale
8. Have a Nice Life- Deathconsciousness
9. Nadja- The Bungled & the Botched
10. M83- Saturdays = Youth
11. Darkspace- Dark Space III
12. Deerhunter- Microcastle / Weird Era Continued
13. Genghis Tron- Board Up the House
14. Ihsahn- angL
15. Virgin Black- Requiem - Fortissimo
16. This Will Destroy You- This Will Destroy You
17. All India Radio- These Winter Dreams
18. Deathspell Omega- Veritas Diaboli Manet in Aeternum: Chaining the Katechon
19. Steve Roach- Landmass
20. Aeveron- Existential Dead End
21. Portishead- Third
22. Moonsorrow- Tulimyrsky EP
23. Flying Lotus- Los Angeles
24. I Shalt Become- Requiem
25. Lifelover- Konkurs
26. Atmosphere- When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
27. Leviathan- Massive Conspiracy Against All Life
28. Manual- Confluence
29. Ólafur Arnalds- Variations of Static EP
30. Enslaved- Vertebrae

2007

1. Wolves in the Throne Room- Two Hunters
2. Eluvium- Copia
3. Walknut- Graveforests and Their Shadows
4. Primordial- To The Nameless Dead
5. Lunar Aurora- Andacht
6. Blonde Redhead- 23
7. dälek- Abandoned Language
8. Deepspace- The Barometric Sea
9. The Marcia Blaine School for Girls- Halfway Into the Woods
10. Nadja- Thaumogenesis
11. Stars of the Lid- And Their Refinement of the Decline
12. Burial- Untrue
13. Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd- Before the Day Breaks
14. Drudkh- Estrangement
15. Alcest- Souvenirs d'un autre monde
16. Amon Tobin- Foley Room
17. Radiohead- In Rainbows
18. Moonsorrow- V: Hävitetty
19. Boxcutter- Glyphic
20. Krohm- The Haunting Presence
21. Explosions in the Sky- All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
22. Electric Wizard- Witchcult Today
23. El-P- I'll Sleep When You're Dead
24. Rosetta- Wake/Lift
25. Legiac- Means Feaner
26. Nine Inch Nails- Year Zero
27. Dungen- Tio Bitar
28. The Angelic Process- Weighing Souls With Sand
29. Darkestrah- Epos
30. Christ.- Blue Shift Emissions

2006

1. Warning- Watching From a Distance
2. Wolves in the Throne Room- Diadem of 12 Stars
3. Agalloch- Ashes Against the Grain
4. Drudkh- Blood In Our Wells
5. Jesu- Silver EP
6. AFX- Chosen Lords
7. Tool- 10,000 Days
8. Mono- You Are There
9. Jóhann Jóhannsson- IBM 1401, A User's Manual
10. Nachtmystium- Instinct: Decay
11. God Is an Astronaut- A Moment of Stillness
12. Amesoeurs- Ruines humaines EP
13. Yndi Halda- Enjoy Eternal Bliss
14. Ahab- The Call of the Wretched Sea
15. Mahogany- Connectivity!
16. Insomnium- Above the Weeping World
17. Cult of Luna- Somewhere Along the Highway
18. Steve Roach- Storm Surge: Live at NEARfest
19. Geïst- Kainsmal
20. Robin Guthrie- Everlasting
21. Tenhi- Maaäet
22. The Knife- Silent Shout
23. Katharsis- VVorldVVithoutEnd
24. The Roots- Game Theory
25. Amon Amarth- With Oden on Our Side
26. Above & Beyond- Tri-State
27. Enslaved- Ruun
28. The Black Angels- Passover
29. Deftones- Saturday Night Wrist
30. Mastodon- Blood Mountain

2005

1. Steve Roach- New Life Dreaming
2. Boards of Canada- The Campfire Headphase
3. Jesu- Jesu
4. Boris- Pink
5. Oöphoi- Hymns to a Silent Sky
6. Rosetta- The Galilean Satellites
7. !T.O.O.H.!- Řád a Trest
8. Earth- Hex; or Printing in the Infernal Method
9. Darkspace- Dark Space II
10. Venetian Snares- Rossz csillag alatt született
11. Lurker of Chalice- Lurker of Chalice
12. Sigur Rós- Takk...
13. Robert Rich- Echo of Small Things
14. Deathspell Omega- Kénôse EP
15. Meshuggah- Catch 33
16. Akercocke- Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
17. Kraftwerk- Minimum-Maximum
18. Gojira- From Mars to Sirius
19. Ulver- Blood Inside
20. Draconian- Arcane Rain Fell
21. Candlemass- Candlemass
22. CunninLynguist- A Piece of Strange
23. Biosphere- Dropsonde
24. dälek- Absence
25. William Basinski- Melancholia
26. Kriegsmaschine- Altered States of Divinity
27. Autechre- Untitled
28. Nadja- Truth Becomes Death
29. 65daysofstatic- One Time for All Time
30. Opeth- Ghost Reveries

2004

1. Drudkh- Autumn Aurora
2. Squarepusher- Ultravisitor
3. Enslaved- Isa
4. Deathspell Omega- Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice
5. Wintersun- Wintersun
6. Lunar Aurora- Elixir of Sorrow
7. Isis- Panopticon
8. Augury- Concealed
9. Meshuggah- I EP
10. Deinonychus- Insomnia
11. Proem- Socially Inept
12. Helios- Unomia
13. Sear Bliss- Glory and Perdition
14. Madvillain- Madvilliany
15. Iron & Wine- Our Endless Numbered Days
16. Leviathan- Tentacles of Whorror
17. Jonn Serrie- The Stargazer's Journey
18. Orphaned Land- Mabool: The Story of the Three Sons of Seven
19. Cult of Luna- Salvation
20. Robert Rich- Calling Down the Sky
21. The Flashbulb- Red Extensions of Me
22. Loscil- First Narrows
23. Vàli- Forlatt
24. Jesu- Heart Ache EP
25. Velvet Cacoon- Genevieve
26. The Dead Texan- The Dead Texan
27. Rotting Christ- Sanctus Diavolos
28. Aura Noir- The Merciless
29. Arcade Fire- Funeral
30. Fennesz- Venice

2003

1. Steve Roach- Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces
2. Drudkh- Forgotten Legends
3. Enslaved- Below the Lights
4. Boris- Feedbacker
5. Sun Kil Moon- Ghosts of the Great Highway
6. Explosions in the Sky- The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place
7. Gridlock- Formless
8. Autechre- Draft 7.30
9. Prefuse 73- One Word Extinguisher
10. Opeth- Damnation
11. Blut aus Nord- The Work Which Transforms God
12. Hala Strana- Fielding
13. Forgotten Tomb- Springtime Depression
14. Ulver- A Quick Fix of Melancholy EP
15. The Gathering- Souvenirs
16. Kid606- Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You
17. Ulrich Schnauss- A Strangely Isolated Place
18. Steve Roach- Texture Maps: The Lost Pieces Vol. 3
19. Alias- Muted
20. Falkenbach- Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty
21. System 7- Live Transmissions
22. M83- Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
23. William Basinski- The Disintegration Loops IV
24. Pan•American- The River Made No Sound
25. Virus- Carheart
26. The Angelic Process- Coma Waering
27. Madlib- Shades of Blue
28. Devin Townsend- Accelerated Evolution
29. Edge of Sanity- Crimson II
30. Solefald- In Harmonia Universali

2002

1. Agalloch- The Mantle
2. Boards of Canada- Geogaddi
3. Isis- Oceanic
4. Sigur Rós- ( )
5. Opeth- Deliverance
6. Arcturus- The Sham Mirrors
7. Nine Inch Nails- And All That Could Have Been/Still EP
8. Shining- III - Angst - Självdestruktivitetens Emissarie
9. The Flaming Lips- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
10. múm- Finally We Are No One
11. Porcupine Tree- In Absentia
12. El-P- Fantastic Damage
13. Nile- In Their Darkened Shrines
14. Empyrium- Weiland
15. In Gowan Ring- Hazel Steps Through a Weathered Home
16. Wilco- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
17. Biosphere- Shenzhou
18. ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead- Source Tags & Codes
19. Six Organs of Admittance- Dark Noontide
20. Judas Iscariot- To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding
21. Murcof- Martes
22. Immortal- Sons of Northern Darkness
23. Dark Tranquillity- Damage Done
24. Steve Roach- Streams & Currents
25. Diary of Dreams- Freak Perfume
26. !T.O.O.H.!- Pod vládou biče
27. Beck- Sea Change
28. dredg- El Cielo
29. Lustmord- Zeotrope
30. Jóhann Jóhannsson- Englabörn

2001

1. maudlin of the Well- Leaving Your Body Map (Also: Bath)
2. Aphex Twin- Drukqs
3. Tool- Lateralus
4. Opeth- Blackwater Park
5. Björk- Vespertine
6. Cannibal Ox- The Cold Vein
7. Autechre- Confield
8. Ulrich Schnauss- Far Away Trains Passing By
9. Devin Townsend- Terria
10. Emperor- Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
11. Aesop Rock- Labor Days
12. Tim Hecker- Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again
13. J-Live- The Best Part
14. My Dying Bride- The Dreadful Hours
15. Daft Punk- Discovery
16. Pete Namlook- Silence V
17. Absu- Tara
18. Plaid- Double Figure
19. Evoken- Quietus
20. Cult of Luna- Cult of Luna
21. Dolorian- Dolorian
22. Gorguts- From Wisdom to Hate
23. Neurosis- A Sun That Never Sets
24. DJ Tiësto- Magik, vol. 7: Live in Los Angeles
25. Liquid Morphine- GrijsGebied
26. Squarepusher- Go Plastic
27. Sigh- Imaginary Sonicscape
28. The Shins- Oh, Inverted World
29. André Estermann- Balloon
30. Therion- Secret of the Runes

2000

1. Weakling- Dead as Dreams
2. Radiohead- Kid A
3. Boards of Canada- In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country EP
4. Boris- Flood
5. Godspeed You! Black Emperor- Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
6. Lykathea Aflame- Elvenefris
7. DJ Tiësto- Magik, vol. 6: Live in Amsterdam
8. Harold Budd- The Room
9. Robert Rich- Humidity
10. Ulver- Perdition City
11. Jedi Mind Tricks- Violent by Design
12. The Gathering- If_Then_Else
13. Aesop Rock- Float
14. Reflection Eternal- Train of Thought
15. Sol Invictus- Trieste
16. Gas- Pop
17. Shape of Despair- Shades of...
18. Garden of Shadows- Oracle Moon
19. Deltron 3030- Deltron 3030
20. A Silver Mt. Zion- He Has Left Us Alone but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms...
21. Hypocrisy- Into the Abyss
22. Primordial- Spirit the Earth Aflame
23. Bloodbath- Breeding Death EP
24. Amon Tobin- Supermodified
25. Immolation- Close to a World Below
26. A Perfect Circle- Mer de Noms
27. Morbid Angel- Gateways to Annihilation
28. Deftones- White Pony
29. Modest Mouse- The Moon & Antarctica
30. Behemoth- Thelema.6

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noisy love.

Nov 16 2008, 16h51 por dirtyfacade

thanks to this lovely fellow i discovered favtape. and it's miles & miles easier to use. it's not as pretty...but that's ok with me.

noisy.
noisy.
noisy.
love.
CLICK ME CLICK ME CLICK ME!!

1. Grouper-heavy water/i'd rather be sleeping
2. Inca Ore-lady days
3. Burning Star Core-beauty hunter
4. Sunburned Hand of the Man-what color is the sky in the world you live in?
5. Jana Hunter-dreamland
6. White Magic-song of solomon
7. Voice of the Seven Woods-silver morning branches
8. Badgerlore-goodnight, sweet rabbits
9. Barn Owl-she swims in clouds
10.Espers-hearts & daggers
11.TwinSisterMoon-demonized nature
12.U.S. Girls-come see lightly
13.Hala Strana-the loss of what we keep
14.Sun City Girls-tarmac
15.Hush Arbors-light
16.Islaja-haaveilija
17.Boduf Songs-light
18.Pocahaunted-roman noise
19.Six Organs of Admittance-awaken
20.Fursaxa-tuvalu
21.Charalambides-rehearsal

xox.
marie

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Some Opening Musical, Philosophical, Political, Personal Impressions and Declarations

Abr 18 2008, 0h27 por MurkyGlow

I have only been listening to last.fm for a couple of months, but I am already very impressed and inspired by the experience. It’s enriched my life by allowing me hear enjoyable stuff that I might not have otherwise heard. I’ve also read some posts and journal entries and learned some things about people. Some of these experiences have compelled me to write this journal entry, as a way to try and articulate and express some of my thoughts. Perhaps something here will resonate with someone else to create, even a fleeting or tenuous, conceptual connection.

I should note that I haven’t downloaded any software, so don’t scrobble. I prefer to keep my charts a record of the music I’m discovering here, not of music I already own. So, much of what I listen to isn’t reflected. I have recently (last couple of days) played, on my home stereo, from start to finish:
Miles Davis - Agharta
Sleep – Sleep’s Holy Mountain
Madlib - Beat Konducta, Volumes 1 & 2
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
AMM – AMMMusic
Devendra Banhart – Nino Rojo
King Crimson – The Power To Believe
Grails – Burning Off Impurities

My tastes run between the electronic and acoustic, dense and sparse, rhythmic and droning, composed and improvised, noise and folk, etc., so it’s hard to categorize with tags. I’m not trying to say that I have eclectic taste and listen to vastly different types of music either. For me, it’s all related, in that I enjoy it, and I can identify with it in some way, either because it describes a movement I find fascinating, expresses an inspiring feeling, creates a sonic environment that I can loose myself in, or provides me with an aural journey that leads me somewhere new, while being a trustworthy guide. I like music that can move me, and make me want to dance or cry or burst open or speed through an alien terrain.

One of the things I’ve realized is that I like a bit of noise with my rock, along with a creativity that may run to the experimental or primal.
Grey Daturas – what a great band! Their music made an immediate impact on me. I feel it internally, and in a special way. I can’t wait to hear the new (upcoming?) release.
Gravitar – Wow, rocking! Those last couple CD’s, circa ’97, were an achievement to be proud of. I listened to tracks from these recently while sometimes jumping around and sometimes standing still, eyes closed and mouth open, thinking to myself, “god, if I were in a rock band, I’d want it to sound like this.”
Mouthus – Yeah, this is what I’m talking about. These guys inspired me one afternoon to stop what I was doing and lay down an experimental track myself, with wild, distorted guitars and layers of moaning/wailing.
Wolf Eyes – I’m on the hunt now for their full lengths, particularly their latest. The few tracks and clips I’ve heard have me licking my mouth with intrigue.
Skullflower – Interesting stuff. I want to hear more, and I’m liking the sound of the recent recordings. Nice to hear a group with this much history still doing good (unique, felt, challenging) work.

Spreading out in different directions from the noise rock area:
Davis Redford Triad – Stunning music. Steven Wray Lobdell has been helping me clean out my ears while taking me to some amazing places with that guitar of his. I am baffled at the fact that more people don’t listen to this stuff, and why it’s so hard to find. Mind-blowing, awesome work!
Grails – Beautiful stuff. I like these guys more than other “post-rock” type acts I’ve heard, because the music is interesting and dynamic, with a heartfelt feeling, while avoiding that really grand and epic routine.
Gang Gang Dance – Kind of more… dancey, I guess, but engaging, and amusing too, in a positive way. I’m quite enchanted with God’s Money. It takes me back to some near-forgotten, dreamy place I spent some time at years ago.
John Wiese – Towards the noise part of the spectrum. I find this very inspiring. I especially like the variety of textures and quality of the changes.

More in the improv, ambient, drone, guitar, or folk directions:
My Cat Is an Alien – Ambient both earthy and spacey. I love this stuff.
Parry/Soegaard – nice and atmospheric.
Grant Hunter – I like the blend of sounds, minimalist with rich mood.
Igon Strane – cool prepared guitar, experimental noise stuff.
Aidan Baker – also in Nadja, good work.
No-Neck Blues Band – Sprawling improv. I like it, want to hear more.
Ashtray Navigations – Graceful droning folk.
Hala Strana – Contemporary experimentation with traditional, folk forms. Nice.
Spires That in the Sunset Rise – What is this, where are we, and is there more? I’m almost speechlessly spellbound.

More in the free jazz direction
Alice Coltrane – I dig Pharaoh Sanders, Sun Ra, and others too, but I’ve got to mention this woman with special emphasis. Thank you, wherever you are.

These are some of the musical entities I’ve been able to hear works by, and that have improved the quality of my life. I appreciate them all.
(Some of these people, like Grant Hunter, Parry/Soegaard, and Igon Strane) live in far off (from me) places on the globe, and have fewer than 150 plays. It’s a pleasure to be able to listen to such compelling and unheard of tracks as theirs.)

Also, I feel compelled to express something that may be a bit reactionary and rant-like, but I must say: I have read some absurd opinions about there being a way to objectively measure the quality of music. This is an obviously absurd notion (maybe not so for some) for the fact that music cannot be heard (by humans, raised in a specific culture, with personal tendencies and experiences) except with subjectivity. There is no way to make any judgments on music without having personal opinions or feelings (subjectivity) about it, and anyone who talks of any art form being better than any other has fallen into the unfortunate and embarrassing error of trying to inflate their own personal and subjective tastes, by some sort of egotistical delusion or insecurity complex, and project them onto others, often times by attempting to codify them into a kind of pseudo system. These people suffer from what William Burroughs called the Right Virus, a horrible disease that pains itself to make our planet a worse place, by causing people to think that they are ‘right’ about ideas to the point of believing them to be superior to other (usually more reasonable and tolerant) ideas. The challenge for artists is to remain elusive and free from the clichés and rigidity of such posturing, inflated, pseudo systems. I don’t mean to suggest that all systems are bad. I’m sure there are a great many interesting ones, with the potential to yield notable results. But let us not let them go unquestioned, or fall into the embarrassing and harmful mistake to think that they are “right” or innately superior. Lets try to keep them working for us, for our consciousness and bodies, rather than allow them to enslave us. I’m trying not to be exclusive either; by “us” I mean the whole Earth and all its beings, the contents of the biosphere.

(Is it beneficial or harmful to speak of a dichotomy between artists and technicians? Do these share similarities with improvisation and composition? It seems to me they would likely be mingled somehow. For my tastes, however, the art and improv aspect is necessary and very much appreciated.)

A Kiss of Life for Free Ambient Rock Folk Noise Electronica, and all the Creators of Compelling Musical Expressions! And thank you last.fm.

If you have any comments or suggestions of something related for me to listen to, I’d be glad to hear.

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Jan/Feb/Mar '08: Three Records for Three Months

Abr 3 2008, 11h06 por Gioele_Emperor

Because i temporarily discontinued my monthly 'album of the month' journals, i've decided to recapitulate in this summary what i think were the most interesting records of the first months of 2008 - one album for each month, plus an additional, secondary recording if i find it particularly significant.

JANUARY - LP
- Have a Nice Life
- Deathconsciousness
- Enemies List Rec.
- Usa
- Darkwave/Ambient/Shoegaze

A surprirising debut (double) album that took five year to complete, published by a previously unkonwn Connecticut duo on their DIY label, and available only through their website: "Deathconsciousness" is a brilliant combination of multiple influences and sounds that could please a very diverse audience.

This album, in fact, excellently incorporates a high number of diverse genres into a coherent and cohesive musical vision, dominated by an obscure and sad feeling. In addition, the high number of tracks allows the band to explore deeply every influence, and so we get a very varied record: Joy Division is probably the main inspiration (and the deep, thunderous bass and precise rhythms take often into account the experience of other 80s Darkwave bands), but the etheral vocals and fuzzy guitar sound also reminds us of late 80s dream pop acts such as The Jesus and Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine; this, combined with the sometimes mechanichal use of the drums, allows to draw parallels even with modern Jesu's sound.
The record complete its dark spectrum featuring long atmospherical sections of Ambient or Drone music as well, that greatly contribute to the emotional impact of the record: but the main responsible for the creation of the wonderfully-crafted atmosphere that permeates "Deathconsciousness" is the production and the mixing of the sounds, which favoures low fidelity (in a way maybe derived from 90s Black Metal, a genre which -to my knowledge- the two americans are quite fond of) - so we get a deliberately homemade, vaporous [in the ambient passages], dusty[in the rocking sections] and unrefined sound, that combines excellently with the gloomy, slow, sorrowful melodies and pace of the album.

One of the best records of recent years. Plus, it's entirely streamable on last.fm: don't miss it.
8.5 / 10

JANUARY - EP
- The Field
- Sound of Light
- Sweden
- Minimal Techno

Last year's "From Here We Go Sublime" was one of the most appreciated both by the electronic and the indie-rock public: this swedish act returns with an EP created for Nordic Light Hotel: he was invited by the hotel staff to stay there, and then create a record inspired by the time spent there.

"Sound of Light" only features four tracks, but each one runs for approximately a quarter of an hour, so you get as much material as you could get from a full-lenght album; the trance-like, repetitive and dreamy melodies of Axel Willner are not always as brilliant as on "From Here..." but they're quite solid and comprise some really charming moments, sometimes (the "Evening" and "Night" parts) absolutely transcending and able to surpass "From Here" finest tracks.
A rocky-solid confirmation of The Field's ability with its style.
7 / 10

Note: it is entirely streamable at this address:
www.nordiclighthotel.se/en/Experience-the-hotel/Sound-of-Light--The-Field

FEBRUARY - LP
- Sonne Hagal
- Jordansfrost
- Luftschutz / Tesco
- Germany
- Neo Folk

Sonne Hagal confirms itself as one of the leading band (together with Orplidand Forseti) of the rich (in quantitative and qualitative terms) german Neo Folk movement - if 2002's "Helfahrt" showed a great potential and was a fine, quite strange record (with some electronic inserts and darkwave-like drums here and there), the new "Jordansfrost" exceeds its predecessor in almost all the ways.

A varied and dynamic album, "Jordansfrost" expands "Helfahrt"'s sound and mixes it with the pure folk approach of "nidar" and "Dygel" EPs - so, this record comprises many exquisite and enchanting ballads with deep, low voices, gently-strummed acoustic guitars, violins and accordions, such as "Flackerndes Feuer", "Vengeance" or "Who Has Seen the Wind".
The old experimental roots are not forgotten, though: we often find atypical deviations, with severe, rigid drums (not some random military garbage, but something linked with the dark electronic tradition) or trumpet inserts, for a very Death in June-esque effect ("Hidden Flame"), or naturalistic, Ambient sundscapes sustaining the songs ("Rokh" and "Herr Gilbhardt"), the use of english language instead of the usual german ("Ragnaroek"), the wonderful presence of piano and female voices ("The Hawk"), etc.

An always-changing and engaging album (but still very homogeneous and firmly rooted in its genre) that succeed in creating a fascinating and harmonious atmosphere without getting tedious.
8 / 10

FEBRUARY - EP
- Agalloch
- The White EP
- Vendlus Records
- Usa
- Neo Folk

Agalloch simply can't fail. This time the Oregon-based band distances itself from the usual Metal, opting for a Neo Folk sound that synthesize the previous, similarly-styled experiments in "Tomorrow Will Never Come", "Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor", "The Mantle" and in the Agalloch/Nest split.
Released on February, 29th - exactly four years after the companion "The Grey EP" (a strange, rock/ambient release) - "The White" is fille with the passion this band has for Neo Folk and the surrounding 'grey area': we have the german neo folk-influenced "Birch White" (with a quick pace and a wonderful accordion), the more experimental "Birch Black" (with electric guitars and a ), the masterpiece "Sowilo Rune" (grand-piano and synths decorates the touching atmophere), the silent, spiritual, purely ambient "Hollow Stone", the pagan and ritual "Pantheist"... Thematic unity links together all the songs, and the vocal samples from "The Wicker Man" movie helps binding together everything, as does the choice of connecting the first and last track ("The Isle of Summer" and "Summer Isle Reprise"), giving a sense of circularity, integrity and renewal.

Majestic and tender, sweet and melancholic, poetic and primitive - but, overall, touching and emotional.
8 / 10

MARCH - LP
- Ulaan Khol
- I
- Soft Abuse Rec.
- Usa
- Psychedelic/Drone/Experimental

Part of a three-records program, "I" is the first installment of this newly created solo-project of Steven R. Smith of (amongst many others) Hala Strana, an incredibly prolific -and stunningly talented- musician.

"I" is composed of eight unnamed tracks, dwelling in an eerie atmosphere created mainly with distorted guitars: a psychedelic aura characterizes these enigmatic compositions: percussions and synth waves form the background for Steven guitar's explorations - surreal reverbs, drugged arpeggios, powerful distorsions and long drones are used to forge tranquil and meditative, yet sharp and acuminate, melodies.
Just get lost in it.
7.5 / 10

MARCH - APPENDIX
- Thuja
- Thuja
- Important records
- Usa
- Free-Folk/Drone/Experimental

This self-titled album from Thuja was actually published in january 2008: i decided to include it here because of the involvment of Steven R. Smith (yes, again him!) in it.

"Thuja" is the free-folkish companion to Ulaan Khol release and "Owl" (last record from the eponymous solo project of Smith): an airy, mellow, smoky record in which Free-Folk guitars substitute the roaring distorted guitars of Ulaan Khol, floating atop of tinkling chimes and shadowy, subtle echoes, drones and vibrations.
Just get lost in it (2).
7+ / 10

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Top30 of 2007

Dez 29 2007, 1h49 por The Scientist

My top 30 of 2007:

1. Anat Fort – A Long Story
2. Magnolia Electric Co. – Sojourner
3. Pablo Marquez – Luys de Narvaez, Musica del Delphin
4. Arve Henriksen – Strjon
5. Vic Chesnutt – North Star Deserter
6. Marc Ribot – Asmodeus, Book of Angels vol. 7
7. Supersilent – Supersilent 8
8. Kim Kashkashian & Robert Levin – Asturiana – Songs from Spain and Argentina
9. Stars of the Lid – and Their Refinement of the Decline
10. Dinosaur Jr. – Beyond

11. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
12. Marsen Jules – Golden
13. Tord Gustavsen Trio – Being There
14. Frode Haltli – Passing Images
15. Battles – Mirrored
16. Paul Bley – Solo In Mondsee
17. Shining – Grindstone
18. Hala Strana – Heave The Gambrel Roof
19. Liars – Liars
20. Xela With Greg Haines And Danny Saul – The 12th Chapel

21. Joanna Newsom – And The Ys Street Band Ep
22. Jackie-O Motherfucker – Valley Of Fire
23. Loren Dent – Empires and Milk
24. The Thing – Action Jazz
25. Whip – Blues For Losers
26. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum – In Glorious Times
27. Fennesz & Sakamoto – Cendre
28. Tin Hat – The Sad Machinery Of Spring
29. Manu Katché – Playground
30. Doveman – With My Left Hand I Raise the Dead

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Music in 2007 any recommendations? Top 300 [upd. 2008.12]

Mai 15 2007, 21h48 por sing-sing

With a little help from my friends:

001 2H Company - Иcкyccтвo yxoдa зa AК-47
002 65daysofstatic - The Destruction of Small Ideals
003 a hundred times beloved - Antarctic Surprise
004 A Northern Chorus - The Millions Too Many
005 Alicia Keys - As I Am
006 A Place to Bury Strangers - S/T (re 2004)
007 A Shoreline Dream - Coastal (EP)
008 A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Scribble Mural Comic Journal
009 a.m. vibe - Capricorno
010 Aarktica - Matchless Years
011 Aerial - The Sentinel
012 Agnes Kain - Keep Walking Or I'll Kill You
013 Agua de Annique - AIR
014 Ai Phoenix - The Light Shines Almost All the Way
015 Air Formation - Daylight Storms
016 Airiel - The Battle of Sealand
017 Artanker Convoy - Cozy Endings
018 Alcest - Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde
019 Amína - Kurr
020 Angels Of Light - We Are Him
021 Architecture in Helsinki - Places Like This
022 Astral - Sleepwalker
023 Astrobrite - Whitenoisesuperstar
024 Acid Mothers Temple SWR - Stones, Women & Records
025 Au Revoir Simone - The Bird Of Music
026 Aus - Curveland
027 Autumn Shade - Ezra Moon
028 Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing
029 Autodrone - Strike A Match
030 The Angelic Process - Weighing Souls With Sand
031 The Antiques - Sewn With Stitches
032 The Apples in Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
033 The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
034 The Autumns - Fake Noise From a Box of Toys
035 АукцЫон - Дeвyшки пoют
036 Baikal - S/T
037 Bat for Lashes - Fur And Gold
038 Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba - Segu Blue
039 Beatbeat Whisper - S/T
040 Bell Hollow - Foxglove
041 Benni Hemm Hemm - Kajak
042 Björk - Volta
043 Blackstrap - Steal My Horses And Run
044 Blonde Redhead - 23
045 Bodyvehicle - Being Being
046 Boris & Merzbow - Walrus & Groon (EP)
047 Burial - Untrue
048 Ian Brown - The World Is Yours
049 The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horses
050 The Blacks - Nom De Guerre
051 Frank Black - Bluefinger
052 The Bridal Shop - From Seas
053 Барто - Барто
054 Бони' НЕМ - Избитые Раритеты
055 Adriano Celentano - Dormi Amore La Situazione Non E Buona
056 California Snow Story - Close To The Ocean
057 Candie Payne - I Wish I Could Have Loved You More
058 Capsule - Sugarless GiRL
059 Caribou - Andorra
060 Celebration - The Modern Tribe
061 Celestial - Dream On
062 Ceremony - Disappear
063 Charmparticles - Alive in the Hot Spell
064 Chromatics - IV
065 Club 8 - The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming
066 Coaltar of the Deepers - Yukari Telepath
067 cokiyu - Mirror Flake
068 Colleen - Les Ondes Silencieuses
069 Color Filter - Blueberry
070 Colour Kane - A Taste Of
071 Colour - Heaven
072 Coltrane Motion - Songs About Music
073 Cowboy Junkies - At The End Of Paths Taken
074 Cloudland Canyon – Silver Tongued Sisyphus
075 Cruyff in the Bedroom - Young and Blind
076 The Cinematic Orchestra - Ma Fleur Live At The Barbican
077 The Clientele - God Save The Clientele
078 The Coral - Roots & Echoes
079 dälek - Abandoned Language
080 Deepchord Presents Echospace - The Coldest Season
081 Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
082 Deerhunter - Cryptograms
083 Destroyalldreamers - Wish I Was All Flames
084 Vladislav Delay - Whistleblower
085 Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust
086 Doí - Sing The Boy Electric
087 Dolores O'Riordan - Are You Listening
088 Dora Flood - We Live Now
089 Дельфин - Юность
090 Einstürzende Neubauten - Alles Wieder Offen
091 El Fog - Reverberate Slowly
092 Electrelane - No Shouts, No Calls
093 Electro Group - Good Technology
094 Eluvium - Copia
095 Eluvium - Indecipherable Text
096 Epic45 - May Your Heart Be The Map
097 Erik Enocksson - Farväl Falkenberg OST
098 Erkki-Sven Tüür - Oxymoron
099 Ether Aura - Before We Could Sing
100 Experimental Aircraft - Third Transmission
101 Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
102 Emma Pollock (The Delgados) - Watch the Fireworks
103 Adam Franklin (Swervedriver) - Bolts Of Melody
104 Feist - The Reminder
105 Fields - Everything Last Winter
106 Film School - Hideout
107 Fjord Rowboat - Saved The Compliments For Morning
108 The Focus Group - We Are All Pan's People
109 Foreign Capitols - Ask Murderer
110 Foxtail Somersault - Fathom
111 The Fashion - S/T
112 The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
113 Dave Gahan - Hourglass
114 Gabby Glaser - Gimme Splash
115 God Is an Astronaut - Far From Refuge
116 Grails - Burning off Impurities
117 Gravenhurst - The Western Lands
118 Grinderman (Nick Cave) - Grinderman
119 Growing - Lateral (EP)
120 Group Inerane – Guitars From Agadez
121 Grouper - Cover the Windows and the Walls
122 Guitar - It's Sweet to Do Nothing!
123 Robin Guthrie And Harold Budd - Before the Day Breaks
124 The Go! Team - Grip Like A Vice (EP)
125 The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
126 Гражданская Оборона - Зачем снятся сны
127 Chris Herbert - Diluted
128 Hala Strana - Heave the Gambrel Roof
129 Habib Koité & Bamada - Afriki
130 Hearts of Black Science - The Ghost You Left Behind
131 Hisato Higuchi - Butterfly Horse Street
132 Holy Fuck - LP
133 Daniel Higgs - Metempsychotic Melodies
134 Hrsta - Ghosts will Come and Kiss Our Eyes
135 The Hot Toddies - Smell The Mitten
136 Immovable Objects - Hoping it Stays Just This Broken
137 Japancakes - Loveless
138 Jasper TX - In A Cool Monsoon
139 Jatun - S/T
140 Jesu - Conqueror
141 Jesu - Pale Sketches
142 Jill Cunniff (Luscious Jackson) - City Beach
143 Kate Nash - Made Of Bricks
144 Kinski - Down Below It's Chaos
145 Klima (Piano Magic) - Klima Final
146 Kontakte - Transmitter/Receiver (EP)
147 Kylie Minogue - Kylie X
148 Калинов мост - Ледяной поход
149 Laura Veirs - Saltbreakers
150 Laurent Garnier & Bugge Wesseltoft - Public Outburst
151 Nyles Lannon - Pressure
152 Last Days - These Places Are Now Ruins
153 Lichens - Omns
154 Liechtenstein - Stalking Skills (EP)
155 Life Without Buildings - Live at the Annandale Hotel
156 Library Tapes - Sketches
157 Lykke Li - Little Bit (EP)
158 Lights Out Asia - Tanks & Recognizers
159 Logh - North
160 Long Range - Madness And Me
161 Loren Connors – The Hymn Of The North Star
162 Love dance - Result
163 Lovesliescrushing - Chorus
164 Low - Drums And Guns
165 Luminous Orange - Sakura Swirl
166 Lustmord - Juggernaut
167 The Lionheart Brothers - Dizzy Kiss
168 Александр Ливер - Песни заграничных композиторов
169 Ленинград - Аврора
170 M83 - Digital Shades Vol. 1
171 Manual - Lost Days, Open Skies & Streaming Tides
172 Maps - We Can Create
173 Mary Onettes - Void (EP)
174 Maserati - Inventions For The New Season
175 John Maus - Love Is Real
176 Meg Baird - Dear Companion
177 Melt-Banana - Bambi's Dilemma
178 Microfilm - Stereodrama
179 Midnight Movies - Lion The Girl
180 Minipop - A New Hope
181 my little airport - We Can't Stop Smoking in the Vicious and Blue Summer
182 múm - Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy
183 Murmur - Undertone
184 Róisín Murphy - Overpowered
185 My Dead Girlfriend - 2 Songs and Cassette Tape 6 Songs from the Happy Valley (EP)
186 Neurosis - Given to the Rising
187 Mico Nonet - The Marmalade Balloon
188 New Buffalo - Somewhere, Anywhere
189 Thurston Moore - Trees Outside The Academy
190 Морэ & Рэльсы - The Great Adventure Without Me
191 A. Maнoцкoв & Элeoн - Ha кoнцepтax "Элеон"
192 Nine Horses - Money For All
193 The North Sea - Exquisite Idols
194 The Northern Two - Cinema
195 Odawas - Raven And The White Night
196 Ólafur Arnalds - Eulogy For Evolution
197 Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez & Damo Suzuki - Please Heat This Eventually (EP)
198 Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo
199 Omega Massif - Geisterstadt
200 Ormondroyd - Hit and Hope
201 Orion Rigel Dommisse - What I Want From You Is Sweet
202 Ostia - Between Two Cities (EP)
203 Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain
204 The One AM Radio - This Too Will Pass
205 The Orchids - Good To Be A Stranger
206 Panda Bear - Person Pitch
207 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T
208 Paul Hartnoll - The Ideal Condition
209 Pelican - City of Echoes
210 Piano Magic - Part-Monster
211 PJ Harvey - White Chalk
212 Pluramon - The Monstrous Surplus
213 Pooma - Persuader
214 port-royal - Afraid To Dance
215 Porn Sword Tobacco - New Exclusive Olympic Heights
216 Pram - The Moving Frontier
217 Pravda - A L'Ouest
218 Project Skyward - Moved By Opposing Forces
219 Pussygutt and Story of Rats - Sea of Sand
220 Pumice - Pebbles
221 Psychedelic Horseshit - Magic Flowers Droned
222 The Pierces - Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge
223 The Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army
224 The Projects - Voice Is Glue
225 Полынья - Капли на листьях
226 The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust
227 Rothko - Eleven Stages of Intervention
228 Raymond Scott Woolson - With Stringed Instruments
229 Ringo Deathstarr - S/T (EP)
230 Rumskib - S/T
231 David Sylvian - When Loud Weather Buffeted Naoshima
232 Säkert! - Säkert!
233 Sambassadeur - Migration
234 Sankt Otten - Wir Koennen Ja Freunde Bleiben
235 Sans Arc - When Eye Meets Eye
236 Scout Niblett - This Fool Can Die Now
237 School of Seven Bells - My Cabal (EP)
238 Screen Vinyl Image - The Midnight Sun (EP)
239 SCSI-9 - History part 1
240 The Setting Son - S/T
241 Sennen - Blackout (EP)
242 shh... this is a library - S/T
243 Shock Cinema - Our Way Is Revenge
244 Shocking Pinks - S/T
245 Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
246 Sigur Rós - Hvarf/Heim
247 Silence Kit - The Great Red Spot
248 Siouxsie - Mantaray
249 snowdrift - S/T
250 Spokane - Little Hours
251 SPC ECO (Dean Garcia & Rose Berlin) - ST EP
252 ST - People I Barely Know
253 Star - Devastator
254 Stars of the Lid - ...and Their Refinement of the Decline
255 Stars - Do Your Trust Your Friends
256 Studio - Yearbook 1
257 Sunn O))) - Oracle
258 Sunsplit - Sing For Sunday
259 Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime
260 Sugar Plum Ferry - Lack of Something
261 Sway - Winter Heart (EP)
262 The Sea and Cake - Everybody
263 The Sea - The Boats Are In The Bay
264 The Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
265 Самое большое простое число - S/T
266 Сказы Леса - Нежитие Несвятых
267 Сплин - Paздвoeниe Личнocти
268 Taxi, taxi! - Taxi, Taxi! (EP)
269 Taken By Trees Open Field
270 Te' - Soreha, Nari Hibiku Sekai Kara Genjitsuteki Na Oto Wo (Uta) Outosuru Shikou
271 Tearwave - Tearwave
272 Texas Pandaa - Days
273 The Terminals - Last Days Of The Sun
274 The Terrordactyls - S/T
275 Tinariwen - Aman Iman
276 Tillmanns - A Careless Lifestyle
277 To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie - The Patron
278 Thrushes - Sun Come Undone
279 toddle - Dawn Praise the World
280 Trembling Blue Stars - The Last Holy Writer
281 Trespassers William - Noble House (EP)
282 Troum - AIWS
283 Tulsa Drone - Songs From a Mean Season
284 Ulrich Schnauss - Goodbye
285 Utah Carol - Rodeo Queen
286 Uh Huh Her - I See Red (EP)
287 Valet - Blood Is Clean
288 The Valerie Project - S/T
289 The Vadelles - S/T (EP)
290 The Voices - The Sound Of Young America
291 Wooden Shjips - S/T
292 Wolf & Cub - This Mess
293 The Warlocks - Heavy Deavy Skull Lover
294 White Hills - Glitter Glamour Atrocity
295 World's End Girlfriend - Hurtbreak Wonderland
296 Wold - Screech Owl
297 The Wedding Present - Complete Peel Sessions
298 Xasthur - Defective Epitaph
299 yellow6 - Painted Sky
300 Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth & Collected Works
301 Y.A.C.H.T. - I Believe In You. Your Magic Is Real
302 Zelienople - His/Hers

Who's NEXT?

http://deep-sky-object.livejournal.com/7497.html
http://community.livejournal.com/best_of_2007/12019.html
http://www.last.fm/user/sing-sing/journal/2007/05/15/424728/

especially thanks:
http://dramakoenigin.livejournal.com/73505.html
http://dima-the-pilot.livejournal.com/128133.html

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Blog

Omega_Switch's Listism, Pt. 3: Top 30 of the 2000s

noisy love.

Some Opening Musical, Philosophical, Political, Personal Impressions and Declarations

Jan/Feb/Mar '08: Three Records for Three Months

Top30 of 2007

Music in 2007 any recommendations? Top 300 [upd. 2008.12]