Note: I'm not sure how this is going to look on last.fm, so if you want to see it in proper formatting, visit
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2006 has to be the best year for new music in recent memory. From indie to experimental to dancefloor material, it seemed there was something this year for everyone. If you were having trouble finding new material to listen to this year, chances are you just weren’t looking in the right places. Starting this site earlier in the year, I simply started by recommending five albums a month, and most were a few years old. Once spring started, I not only had to expand that selection to ten, but most if not all recommendations were coming from the new releases section of music stores. With my top 50 list, I’ll be describing my experience with many of those releases I recommended, and why you might want to check them out if you haven’t. Be patient with my writing; I’m not a journalist or an English major. Just a music lover that loves to share. Please visit my
Amazon store if you are interested in purchasing these albums. So, without further ado, the top 50 albums of 2006:
50.
Dictaphone, Vertigo II [City Centre Offices]
Boomkat’s describes this type of music as post jazz, and Dictaphone might be the perfect artists for that description. Using tape loops from dictaphones, flutes, saxophones, and a hoard of other instruments (besides the drum) and melding them with electronics, Dictaphone create a form of jazz you’re probably not used to hearing, slow and awkward, but polite and intricate. Recalling at times the film scores of classic European films and fellow German
Jan Jelinek, Dictaphone perpetuate their jazz with memories, noises, and a whole lot of other ideas that make it the type of record you move onto after Kind of Blue.
Ytinav
49.
Johann Johannsson, IBM 1401, A User’s Manual [4AD]
The description for this album made me stay away for quite a while, and I wish I hadn’t. An album about an IBM computer sounds like the most boring idea ever, but this is a beautiful record of classical ambient that never fails to engage, something the genre many times is forgiven for not being able to achieve. Inspired by a recording of an IBM computer made by his father 30 years ago, Johannsson adds an orchestra and electronics to the original recording, creating a beautiful landscape from which to hear the computer instructions. Serene, beautiful, and engaging, this is one of the best ambient records of the year.
Part 5 - The Sun's Gone Dim And The Sky's Turned Black
48.
John Tejada, Cleaning Sounds Is A Filthy Business [Palette]
John Tejada is prolific. Not only has he dabbled in almost every electronic genre with various 12” and album release, but he also collaborates on the lovely instrumental rock meets electronic project I’m Not a Gun’s for Berlin’s City Centre Offices. Cleaning Sounds is his latest album on the techno side of things, and despite sharing time with an I’m Not a Gun release this year, this album delivers on the type of dancefloor success one might expect from his solo work. I hesitate to call records like this minimal because they’re so much meat on the bones of these techno tracks, when normally I find techno to lack that meat in general. Tejada manages to make tracks that are provocative in the sounds he uses, yet also friendly for head nodding and toe tapping. I liken it to some of Matthew Herbert’s work, without the big band influence. Another solid effort from a man whose work ethic is downright intimidating.
What Happened To Manners?
47.
Plaid & Bob Jaroc, Greedy Baby [Warp]
DVD album project from the electronic innovators Plaid and their visual collaborator Bob Jaroc. This project may be the first of its kind, aiming to create and audio/visual experience where both parts of the equation are necessary for full enjoyment. This is not just a Plaid album. It’s a collection of Plaid short films if you will. The videos are stunning, and the music is made to fit with them. As such, the music doesn't really stand out or even work very well on its own. It shouldn't be separated from the visual portion of the project. Listening to the music alone, you miss the meaning entirely. A daring work that, in DVD form, delivers.
Preview The Return of Super Barrio
46.
Das Bierbeben, Alles Fallt [Shitkatapult]
Crazy German dance post punk. This album is cheeky to the max. I probably shouldn’t likeit , but its charm is so overbearing, ignoring it is simply not possible. Only having one song in English, Das Bierbeben make you focus on their aloof vocal delivery by what I imagine to be a black and white version of
Annie Lennox, and their bass driven songs. If you ever had an urge to dance to
Joy Division, give this record a listen.
Don't Drink The Water
45.
TV on the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain [4AD]
Probably the most high-profile indie rock release on my list, this was an album everyone was talking about all year. Not really loving TV on the Radio’s previous output, I was hesitant to try it out, but when I did, I was glad I did. This album hits you with a subtle jolt upon first listen that grows and grows with every play. Not too soon after after that initial play, you realize the achievement of this album. These songs do not demand attention, but after a while, they need it. This is a full development of the TV on the Radio sound, and in every way the type of music they should be making.
I Was A Lover
44.
Point B, A Previous Version of Myself [SCSI-AV]
Normally, I stay away from new albums with the traditional IDM sound. To me, if you’re making Autechre beats in 2006, you need to go back to the drawing board. Because of this, most bands like
Funckarma never appealed to me, because they sounding like retreads. Point B seemed to be another heralded new artists with that traditional IDM sound, so I was hesitant to listen. But there’s something special here that deparates it from the Autechre clones. Something that made me say, you know, this is worth my time. Point B’s sound develops over the course of the album, unlike most “machines making music” albums. The sound matures track and over track and blossoms into one of the most undeniable closers of the year “Negated” where a faint female vocal effect comes in saying thanks for listening. Do yourself a favor and throw that new record from Skam away and give Point B a listen. You’ll be glad you did.
Negated
43.
Herbert, Scale [!K7]
I go back and forth on this one. Sometimes I hate how cheesy and big bandish it is, and other times I love it because of that fact. I guess I just have to be in the right mood to enjoy it. This is one of the few albums I’d be embarrassed blasting in my apartment. It’s just that cheesy. In regards to sound, because it is so cheesy and dare I say delightful, it lacks the innovation that powered Plat du Jour. But because of that, it is also so much more accessible. Herbert and chanteuse
Dani Siciliano also cloud the joyous delivery of the tracks with lyrics that at times starkly contrast the mood of the instruments. It’s a sly and subtle gesture, maybe an eye wink to those willing to dig deeper into the record.
Moving Like A Train
42.
Psapp, The Only Thing I Ever Wanted [Domino]
Now this is a lovely band. On their debut record (last year’s Tiger, My Friend), the band had a song entitled “About Fun”. I could imagine the entire band being described that way. Not the fun in your typical, vapid fun music (their arrangements and lyrics have elegance and meaning), but fun in the way the music is made. Beats made of what sound like people climbing stairs, horns coming at your ears from odd angles, a jingle here, a jangle there, this is fun music to listen to because it’s so active. It’s
The Books with a great singer and a caffeine high.
Upstairs
41.
Vorpal, Digressions [Sublight]
Breakcore is not one of my favorite genres. It’s a genre that has high highs, but very low lows, and most of the stuff in the middle doesn’t interest me at all. Vorpal is one of those artists that seems to have an idea how to hit those highs. On his second album Digressions, Vorpal mixes breakcore elements with IDM, and though his sounds can get downright chaotic, as one would expect in this genre, instead of that detracting from great sounds as with many breakcore contemporaries, or just becoming downright ridiculous, its this chaos that actually creates the beauty of the music. Vorpal also knows when to slow things down to emphasize that beauty for more traditional melodic IDM. Vorpal’s one of the few artists in this genre whose volume and BPM swings seem to be done with purpose instead of abandon, and the result is a great expansion on the breakcore and IDM sound.
Venetian Snares, take note.
The Unbearable Frightfulness Of Being
40.
Daylight's for the Birds, Trouble Everywhere
[This Generation Tapes]
Debut album from what is essentially the second coming of
On!Air!Library! Daylight’s thankfully recaptures the essence of OAL which made them so enjoyable. The dreamlike quality of the music juxtaposed with rigid instrumental precision remains, and splitting time between two female singers (Amanda Garrett stepped into the band when Claudia Deheza left to focus on her
A Cloud Mireya project), the albums still manages to retain the type of flow that made the OAL debut so captivating, and also the variety. By the time the records winds down and you’re hit with “Everybody In The Pool”, Daylight’s has managed to inflict quite a few musical bruises, which will stay in your head and on your body for quite some time.
To No One
39.
Professor Murder, Professor Murder Rides The Subway [Kanine]
Now, this is a crazy EP. Tons of fun in my world normally refers to an extremely large man, but in this case it’s a perfect way to describe this blend of indie rock aesthetic, punk rock edginess, and electro style melody and beats. At times recalling
LCD Soundsystem without the dance punk stigma, you won’t need this band to namedrop Daft Punk in their songs to bootyshake or toetap. For all intensive purposes, this is what the dance punk movement should have sounded like.
The Mountain
38.
Beak, The Legend of the Box Goblin
[Project 168]
For those who don’t know Beak, he’s an acoustronic artist from WATMM.com, occasionally releasing net releases when MS painting over images of former baseball player Fred McGriff becomes tiresome. This is his third netlabel release, and the second for Project 168, a project designed to get laptop artists of their asses and make decent music, with a weeklong deadline. This is the resulting three-track EP from Beak. Track one is a crunchy, horror theme explaining the title of the EP. The story of the box goblin, while ridiculous, is what actually makes the song works. It has exactly the type of humor found in the MS Paintings of Fred McGriff on WATMM. Tracks two and three flesh out the horror film theme in instrumental form, and make for delightful slice of music worthy of much more than an internet contest. He’s to hoping another Project 168 gets Beak off his ass to make more.
Buggy Ride To Balkenwood
37.
Reminder, Continuum [Eastern Developments]
Josh Abram’s debut album after touring with the likes of
Prefuse 73,
Tortoise, and
Battles. This is an instrumental hip-hop album no doubt, but it wears the influence of those artists, and at many times, the experimentalism. Josh’s arrangements never quite remain safe like, say, a Blockhead album, and sometimes that works in his favor such as on album highlight “Leave What You Came With,” a collaboration with MC
Thaione Davis that succeeds because of a conscious decision by beatsmith and MC to remain off-kilter. This approach detracts from the experience though on “Of Light”, his collab with Battles’
Tyondai Braxton, which suggests and a great track hidden underneath that is obscured by seemingly pointless noodling that never lets the true nature of the track shine through. With most albums taking an experimental approach to a relatively safe style of music, the result is a mixed bag, but there are not only great sounds, but great ideas here, and if you can get past the fact that this album could have been better, there’s a lot to enjoy.
Leave What You Came With
36.
Boards of Canada, Trans Canada Highway [Warp]
So is Boards of Canada washed up? This EP tries its best to postpone the answer to that question by re-producing one of the strongest tracks off their last album twice (once remixed by
Odd Nosdam, a good core remix with a bit too much field music tacked onto both ends) and two short tracks hovering around a minute in length. Now normally, short tracks from the Boards are not a problem as they can be as beautiful as any nine minute epic. But with these, they are certainly more forgettable than memorable. What is memorable is the beautiful “Left Side Drive”, a subtle track that hints that maybe the Boards have a little more gas in the tank. Less convincing is “Skyliner”, a track that’s good enough, but sounds like a retread maybe more than anything else in their catalogue. Following The Campfire Headphase, a good album that couldn’t stand up to their previous work, the brothers still have a lot to prove with regards to their longevity, and this EP neither signaled a slide into oblivion nor a return to greatness. Will we ever see something as incredible as Geogaddi from them again? Probably not, but we can appreciate the little nuggets like “Left Side Drive” when they appear. Hopefully, this isn’t the last time they do.
Left Side Drive
35.
Kode9 & the Spaceape, Memories of the Future [Hyperdub]
I was a little weary about picking up this album. Hearing
The Spaceape do his Jamaican accented spoken word on Burial’s debut (also for Hyperdub), I didn’t know if I could listen to a whole album of it (and he is on every track but one, so those with a predisposition against Jamaican accents, consider this your habeas corpus). I was pleasantly surprised when I did finally pick it up though.
Kode9 seems to have a distinct understanding of how to avoid The Spaceape’s delivery becoming tiresome. There is some sort of magic displayed between Kode9’s beats that harnesses the vocals in the exact way they must be harnessed for the album to be a success, and Kode9 succeeds almost effortlessly. The beats on this record seem to emphasize the Jamaican roots of dubstep more than contemporaries like
Skream, and because of that, they ignore the traps of similarity found in many of dubstep’s biggest club bangers. The creation of a dubstep album requires understanding that the sounds will be heard in other places besides megawatt club sound systems, and Kode9 has crafted a record that will succeed as well on headphones as on subwoofers.
Victims
34.
Xela, The Dead Sea [Type]
You can always paint a musical timeline with Xela. He is such a chameleon, perhaps wearing his influences on his sleeve more than The Cure cover bands. In his early days with Merck, he made effective clip-hop (check his
Machine Drum remix if you haven’t heard it). For his debut on Neo Ouija, he crafted a delightful album of downtempo glitch. Then, in 2003, in the midst of the folk/acoustronica movement, he delivered a lovely collection of guitar-plucked electronic songs on City Centre Offices. Here, he returns with his forth change in musical style, and correspondingly, fourth label, Type Records, which he co-owns. Here Xela is equally influenced by the psychedelic folk of the Fonal label (which he has highlighted in his radio shows) and the classical ambient of fellow Type artists
Deaf Center. This mix perhaps results in Xela’s most unique sound to date, a claustrophobic, sea-driven journey through the dark corners of ambient and folk.
Wet Bones
33.
Hassle Hound, Limelight Cordial [Staubgold]
What a pleasant surprise this album was. Seeing how this was a random chat room recommendation, I had no idea what to expect. What I did get was
The Books on speed, as if a copy ofThe Avalanches’ Since I Left You fell on top of a copy of The Books’ The Lemon of Pink on a hot day and started to melt together. Almost entirely built of samples, this is the type of organic sampletronica other artists previously mentioned have hinted at, but instead of emphasizing the groove of
The Avalanches or the quirkiness of The Books, it emphasizes the hilarity of sample-based music in general to create a fun and intriguing listen well worth filing in any genre between comedy, hip-hop, or polka.
Anvil Stamping Stallion
32.
Juana Molina, Son [Domino]
Juana was yet another 2006 discovery for me. Her brand of Argentinian folk with subtle electronic touches just struck such a chord with me upon hearing 2004’s Tres Cosas that I was very excited to hear about Son’s release. Son is a progression of her sound, where she experiments with songcraft, and quite obviously length. Juana seems to key in on certain parts of her songs and develop them more than in the past. To some, this might be an aggravation, but it is part of Son’s subtle charm, which Juana already had in spades. Don’t let the foreign language frighten you. Molina will draw you in with her music and voice more than the words could anyway, and not paying attention to the actual lyrical content allows you to absorb the beauty of Molina’s sparse, but hauntingly beautiful arrangements.
No Seas Antipatica
31.
Kaki King, …Until We Felt Red [Velour]
Being not altogether familiar with Kaki King’s earlier work, I may be unqualified to talk about this record, as every review of it seems to spend most of the time talking about her previous albums. Ignoring that, this record is an assured achievement from what sounds like an extremely talented, maturing artist. Kaki, on this record, blends a myriad of style, instruments, and influence. Going form lounge to indie rock, from complicated instrumental guitar work to simple pop chord progression, this is a varied record you shouldn’t expect from one girl and a guitar. And it benefits from that variety. A full CD of “Yellowcake” or “You Don’t Have To Be Afraid” might grow tiresome, but hearing them in succession just works and shows Kaki to be a true artists worthy of paying attention to, even if you didn’t before hearing this record.
Jessica
30.
AFX, Chosen Lords [Rephlex]
I’ve always considered Richard D. James to be as close to a true artist as possible, and by true artist, I mean someone that does create from inspiration or outside influence. A true artist’s inspiration comes from inside one’s self, not from some other artist or some other influence. Richard has always fashioned himself as such as well and stated as such in interviews. Sure, he was obviously influenced by
Brian Eno during the Selected Ambient Works days, and
John Cage during the creation of Drukqs, but his final works in those arenas are so far removed from those original artists, it almost always seemed like a new vision. This is a man that refused to use the amen break for jungle-based music (and if anything was an absolute staple in Jungle, it was sampled breaks like the Amen), and instead created his own drum beats in creation of the genre we now know as drill’n’bass. Knowing this, it’s was surprising to hear he had abandoned all computer equipment for analog synths in creation of his new project Analord. It’s as if he’s saying his mind inspired enough music. Now he wants to let go and have the machines inspire him. And that’s what this collection, ten of his favorite tracks from the 11 Analord 12”’s released last year sounds like. It’s Richard in relaxed form having fun with old equipment, and moreso than
Squarepusher’s recent album Hello Everything, it works on all levels, from concept to completion.
PWSteal.Ldpinch.D
29.
Booka Shade, Movements [Get Physical]
It’s always been hard for me to find dance albums I like. It’s also seemed like unless you’re following what the latest 12”’s are, you can’t get real dance music, and it’s something that’s always upset me as I knew good stuff was out there, but seeing as how I don’t have current access to a turntable, I wouldn’t be able to get my hands on it. This year, for me, that frustration seemed to fade, and one of the reasons was this album from Booka Shade. Thank God. Finally, a good dance album. This albums represents the type of electro/techno output you’d hope to hear when you’re dragged to clubs, the type of record that builds on the tradition of dance greats and actually does make you want to, well, dance, even if as far as you get is tapping your foot.
Night Falls
28.
Yppah, You Are Beautiful At All Times [Ninja Tune]
I racked my brain for a genre or a even a few adjectives to describe this record, and nothing seems to fit. This is the type of albums that spawns microgenres like fusionpostjazzelectrocore or something equaling befuddling. This is the album
Loka’s Fire Shepherds (also released on Ninja Tune this year) should have been, fitting all the genre-bending hyperbole in the press release for that record. This is a balsy debut that works because of kitchen sink debauchery, its refusal to fit within a traditional mold or hold back any influence or sound (and there are too many of both to even start referencing here). All I can say is that this is one of the most original albums I’ve heard all year without being a single bit inaccessible. It’s the type of album that, if it was released by Tortoise, might be called the best record they’ve ever done. There’s that type of talent behind it. Stop reading what I’m saying; just find a copy and go for the ride.
Ending With You
27.
Dub Tractor, Hideout [City Centre Offices]
Dub Tractor, despite its name, isn’t really much about dub anymore. This album, to put it simply, is guitar soaked, downtempo music. This album almost sounds like a collection of lullabies, with the gentle vocals and guitar backed by sparse electronics. It’s akin to the result of drugging Mum with barbiturates before a 4:30 AM live show. I despise the word “chillout” to describe music, but this is an album that really shakes up what has become a certain style of music to define that name.
I'm Like You
26.
Panda & Angel [Jade Tree]
Debut EP from Seattle based indie rockers. Tons of influences and sounds come through on this gorgeous EP. The record chronicles the tragic story of Ohio drug addict couple Panda and Angel, where the band name comes from. Referencing just about any indie band you’ve ever loved and throwing their sound in somewhere on this EP, there’s a lot here to like, from the angst-ridden guitar in “Dangerous” to the somber vocals and narrative of “Ohio December 24th”, this is a versatile band with a lot to offer fans of many different indie stylings. For fans of just about anything in the indie rock world, this is band to pay attention to now and in the future.
Dangerous
25.
Seeland, Crimson [Duophonic]
Hearing that a band is made up of ex-members of
Plone and
Broadcast pretty much automatically makes me say “Yes, please!”, and it’s great to his that this EP doesn’t disappoint fans of either (or both) bands. This band retains the playfulness of Plone’s all too brief career (which was always oh so charming), and adds vocals and instruments worthy of comparison to Broadcast. Stand out “Turn Again” recalls some of Broadcast’s more minimal moments as subtle “are they electronic or are they instruments” layers cohabit the haunting vocals. If you were at all infatuated with For Beginner Piano or even The Noise Made By People, this is an EP you need to hear.
Turn Again
24.
Mouse on Mars, Varcharz [Ipecac]
Never ones to repeat the same sound, German duo and experimental electronic music innovators Mouse on Mars follow up 2004’s daringly poppy Radical Connector with perhaps their harshest and most inaccessible work to date. Inaccesible probably isn’t the correct work to use, as the MOM always have a playfulness that manages to reel people in rather than push them away as with other experimental music. It’s always amazing in that respect that while they change their sound each record, you can always still tell when something is a Mouse On Mars track. There’s that fine line in music with not wanting to sound the same as your previous work but still wanting to capture what made you a great band in the first place, and it’s something Mouse On Mars have done time and time again, whether they’re referencing jazz, pop, or noise.
Duul
23.
Cortney Tidwell, Cortney Tidwell [Ever]
Where did Cortney Tidwell come from? One of the most auspicious debuts of 2006, this Tennesseean singer-songwriter blends the atmosphere of alt-country with the raw emotion and voice of a
Bjork or
Emiliana Torrini, along with occasionally impeccably produced electronic noodlings. The result is one of the most captivating sounds this year, and what country radio would play in a perfect world.
Drink Up
22.
Encre, Encre a Kora [Intr_version]
Not much is talked about modern classical music. Some people may argue there’s no way classical music can be modern, as it is one of the oldest forms of music to still remain relevant today. Yann Tambour AKA Encre to me is defining modern classical music. Encre is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist from France who, in addition to playing these instruments, samples them for unique effect. The result on this beautiful EP is a caffeinated version of
Murcof, where the strings are dizzying, the effects mystifying, and the overall result magnificient and more powerful than anything I’ve heard from Murcof or any other traditional classical music out there at the moment. Encre is teaching one of the oldest styles of music new tricks.
Dogma, Africana, And Math Folk One
21.
Talkdemonic, Beat Romantic [Arena Rock]
Second album from Portland based, indielectronic, post-rock duo. The list of instruments played on this album is astounding. You’ll hear everything from banjo to accordion to guitar to Rhodes. There’s probably some cowbell in there somewhere too. The way this duo manages to display all of their instrumental talent while balancing it with a penchant for electronics is quite astounding, and despite the instrumental and song schizophrenia (most songs are in the one to two minute range), this album sounds like such a cohesive unit, and is double really really good. Quite the accomplishment.
White Gymnasium
20.
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble [Planet Mu]
A collaboration between breakcore artist
Bong-Ra and one of his multi-instrumentalist friends, this is indeed Dark Jazz. Imagine I'm Not a Gun if they were really depressed. The musicianship is very strong here, and even when the electronics occasionally take over, they steer the music to a place it already should be going instead of detracting from the great instrumental work. This project lacks any of the farce that may characterize Bong-Ra’s other work, and is yet another example of breakcore artists pushing new boundaries into more serious endeavors. A real rival to the work of I'm Not a Gun.
Lobby
19.
I’m Not A Gun, We Think As Instruments [City Centre Offices]
Third album from the collaboration of techno producer John Tejada and Japanese multi-instrumentalist Takeshi Nishimoto. If you’ve heard either of the previous two albums, this record will count as more of the same, but in the case of this duo, that’s an incredibly great thing. These two manage to create the perfect, jazz-influenced instrumental rock I wish more post-rockers could manage. An abundance of guitars and like instruments inhabit a world of live drums and minimal electronic effects to create the soundtrack for serene nature.
Long Afternoon
18.
free festival [Benbecula]
Free Festival is a collaboration between guitarist
Brian Ellis and laptop artist
Milieu. Both have been floating around the netlabel circuit for a while, and they decided to team up to create their own take on the increasingly popular organic electronic sound. Free Festival’s blend of acoustic guitar and experimental techno beats fits them somewhere in between Bibio and Boards of Canada, but luckingly, they don’t sound like copycats (like a
Tycho, for example), but contemporaries. This album is an assured debut that deserves to be referenced along side those artists for RIYL’s, and a promising start from which both can launch solo careers (I believe both have solo debuts coming next year).
Sidewalk Smiles
17.
Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory, Tree Colored See [Mush]
Psychadelic folk rock from hip-hop beatsmith DJ Nobody and folk rockers Mystic Chords of Memory that is the perfect summer soundtrack. The way these two projects coalesce on this record seems so natural. Nothing seems out of place, and every song is ethereal and brilliant. I was hesitant to even consider this electronic because the sounds all seem so organic and, well, folkish. I certainly wouldn’t throw the word hip-hop around to describe it. One could pick this record up, and it would be difficult to guess a hip-hop DJ was the one behind the scenes. This is not an attempt to square push hip-hop beats onto a folk singing duo. This is a folk rock record, a great one I might add, made by a hip-hop producer. Couldn’t say something like that ten years ago.
Broaden A New Sound
16.
Burial
[Hyperdub]
The dubstep album everyone's been talking about. This couldn't be further away from club or DMZ material. It's muddy; it's cold; it's headphone music. An original take on the emerging genre that works. Burial provides atmosphere over just pure bass, and this record along with what Boxcutter did with his debut album Oneiric will open the floodgates for crossover dubstep efforts. Worth the hype? Maybe not entirely. Worth a listen? Most definitely. Can’t wait to see his sound develop as dubstep continues to push new boundaries.
U Hurt Me
15.
Bonobo, Days To Come [Ninja Tune]
I couldn’t have been more excited for this record after adoring last year’s Live Sessions EP. I thought Simon Green’s live instrument renditions of some of his classic tracks just took them to a new level, and I wanted more, hoping this new album would give me that. Instead, Green’s gone in a different direction. Still jazzy, but a loungier, subtler version. Green’s found a vocal muse for this record in
Bajka, and many of the songs rely on her delivery. Thankfully, it works. Green seems to have a delicate understanding for what makes a vocal track work, which is remarkable considering this is his first foray into vocal territory. Also appearing is label mate Fink, and even though I dislike his solo stuff, this track also work as Green delicately balances the beat over Fink’s reigned-in delivery. This maybe doesn’t deliver on the promise of Live Sessions, but it delivers in a new way if you’re willing to give his new style a chance.
Nightlite
14.
Tom Burbank, Famous First Words
[Planet Mu]
Yet another new artist debuting on Mike Paradinas’s Planet Mu label, this time the territory is a strange mix of IDM, clip-hop, and some of the more urban styles of electronic the label has been drifting toward this year. Burbank’s skills on display are impeccable, and the way he layers his tracks and the album with different influences, going back and forth with mood and style, is remarkable for a debut. If you’re familiar with
edIT’s Crying Over Pros for No Reason, imagine a more diverse and beat heavy version of that, and you’ll have an idea. Burbank almost seems to take edIT’s style on that record up a notch, into more impressive territory, and into more avenues of music. A really impressive debut that yet again shows Mike Paradinas’s nose for new talent.
Stay One
13.
Contriva, Separate Chambers [Morr Music]
In contrast to many of the albums on this list, especially indie-based, this album is, well, simple. There’s nothing particularly new or challenging. This is a simple, mostly instrumental, indie rock and pop record that is just everything it should be. Contriva has a lot of instrumental tracks on this record, but they never bore, and when the vocals do come in, they add a sense of refreshment that just makes this record beam and the user smile. I can’t think of a record that was more delightful this year.
Before
12.
Miwon, Pale Glitter [City Centre Offices]
Another hit for City Centre Offices. Miwon makes some sort of blend between electronic pop and techno that’s refreshing without being cheesy, tapworthy without eventually becoming monotonous. One of the things that struck me about the record is that it seems to recall very much a winter landscape (and was released, accordingly, in January), yet somehow eschews the depressing vibes the seasons seems to conjure smiles. Downright lovely music. Only disappointment is oddly enough the title track, which casually repeats a cold techno beat lacking the vibrance of most of the record, and going on for way too long. Other than that, this album is flawless.
Brother Mole
11.
Benoit Pioulard, Precis [Kranky]
Benoit, AKA Thomas Meluch, is a twenty-something from Michigan. Why the French pseudonym? He says it came to him in a dream. Whatever the name behind this music, it’s an accomplishment. Benoit on his debut balances a folk delivery and lyrics with electronic ambient chaos, creating a mystifying sound that could have been unearthed from an archive from 25 years ago. It sounds like you may have heard it before, but you haven’t. Benoit’s songs are reserved, yet chaotic, contemplative and emotional. A folk album in a year filled with folk albums that manages to sound unique and just stand out.
Together & Down
10.
Cortney Tidwell, Don’t Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up [Ever]
Building upon the beauty of her debut EP earlier in the year, Cortney Tidwell delivers an entirely new collection of songs for her gorgeous debut album. This album sees Cortney’s angelic voice ranging over altcountry to pop to blues to more electronic offerings. Her impeccably produced tracks never outshine her gorgeous voice, at times recalling Bjork on some of the best moments of Homogenic. Cortney herself plays acoustic guitar on most of the tracks, and that base is accompanied by a myriad of instruments, from the standard bass and drums to the highly irregular vibraphone and prepared piano. All work together to form some of the best singer/songwriter material all year. So put down Ys and try Cortney Tidwell. You might be glad you did.
Eyes Are At The Billions
9.
The Fiery Furnaces, Bitter Tea [Rough Trade]
Really wacky operatic indie rock from the Friedbergers. I think it's a really strong record coming off the disappointing Rehearsing My Choir. I get the feeling that the way they manipulate their songs is going to influence countless indie artists in the future, and even with all the destructive chaos, lengthy narratives, and backwards vocals, there are still so many beautiful pop moments here. It’s amazing with their speed of output (one album a year, plus solo efforts) that they manage to pack so much into this one record. With this record, the Furnaces show that while they will always be weird, they will also most likely be making good music, something I wasn’t inclined to say last year.
Waiting To Know You
8.
Dr. Who Dat?, Beat Journey [Lex]
Where did this guy come from? Hip-hop producer Jneiro Jarel brings this gorgeous collection of instrumental hip-hop out on the Lex label, who some of you may remember for putting out
Dangermouse’s early records as well as
Boom Bip. This album is, simply put, some of the best instrumental hip-hop I’ve heard in quite some time. I think what makes this record so special is Doctor’s immediate understanding that what makes great instrumental hip-hop music is not making a beat that would be great for an MC to rap over, but to make a beat that doesn’t need an MC to rap over it. With all sorts of sounds and styles, this is a record I might dare say be called essential for the genre in a few years if it gets out enough, and spark a great career for this young producer.
Deep Blaque
7.
Clark, Body Riddle [Warp]
IDM newblood Chris Clark drops his first name for his third album and manages to create a record that balances the playfulness of his early work and seriousness of 2003’s excellent Empty the Bones of You. Speaking of that record, it was incredible how Clark had managed to create this mix of orchestral walls-of-sound, skittering, harsh, clip-hop cuts, and delicate, muddy piano, which was entirely missing from his debut. It was as if Clark found his sound and forgot all about the playful, analogue melodies sometimes present on 2001’s Clarence Park, especially present on album highlights “Lord of the Dance” and “Diesel Raven”. With this Clark proves he hasn’t forgotten, somehow clashing that playful mentality of his early music into the mold created on Empty the Bones of You. How it manages to work I don’t know, but with this record, Clark manages to say this is me, all of me, and it’s worthy of the comparisons to
Aphex Twin and
Autechre. And it is. This record solidifies Clark as one of the new talents of an increasingly sparse IDM/Experimental scene.
Ted
6.
Grizzly Bear, Yellow House [Warp]
Warp signed a decent indie act? I know; it’s shocking. Warp Records’ “diversification” into the indie rock sphere, beginning a couple years, has befuddled much of the label’s fan base and turned many of its die hard fans completely away from the label, accusing it of buying into the latest trend. Most of the backlash occurs from the signing of
Maximo Park, seemingly an obvious effort to cash in the success other independent labels have had recently with bands like Franz Ferdinand, and even more recently, the Artic Monkeys. Early this year, fans were greeted with the signing of Grizzly Bear. Immediately, fans jumped to conclusions as they tracked down 2004’s Horn of Plenty and heard its lo-fi, DIY post-rock sound. Oh no, another indie band! Warp’s dead! Not the case. Warp’s most recent dip into indie music finally yields positive results, with Yellow House becoming one of the most delightful surprises of the year. A sprawling mix of intricately-produced, chaotic folk, this record is a far cry from the debut, and entirely more satisfying. Grizzly Bear manage to bring a different point of view (and sound) to each track, developed from the wide range of instruments, musical styles, and different singers (each band member taking a hack, I believe) at their disposal. What this record shows is that Warp is developing a keen ear even away from electronic music, and not buying into the indie revolution with blind faith, but with an ever growing refined taste.
On A Neck, On A Spit
5.
Ellen Allien & Apparat, Orchestra of Bubbles [Bpitch Control]
This collaboration really shouldn’t be this good. This is the first album collaboration between these Berlin-based electronic musicians.
Ellen Allien has always had a fairly club-friendly techno and electro background, whereas
Apparat’s roots are stemmed from post-Autechre IDM and vocal-based experimental electronic music. What’s really uncanny is how these two manage to blend these different backgrounds into effective tracks, using each and every element of each other’s background. Every track is, without a doubt, dance music, but it has an experimental edge not normally found in such music, and diversity not normally seen in dancefloor records. They sample not only techno and IDM, but dubstep, and even trance. Both artists sing on the record, and the vocal arrangements are, again, surprisingly effective. In fact, surprisingly effective is a good way to describe the record as a whole.
Leave Me Alone
4.
Boxcutter, Oneiric [Planet Mu]
As soon as I heard Boxcutter’s Breezeblock early in the year, I knew his debut album would be special. With dubstep already an experiencing quite the explosion this year with many of the most popular dubplates finally seeing 12” and CD presses, Boxcutter goes further than what has quickly become the traditional dubstep sound, weaving in not only more traditional jungle sounds, but also extremely non-traditional IDMish noise and jazzy ambience that puts him more in line to become the next Squarepusher rather than the next Goldie. What is genius about this record is how all these sound clash together to make the most beautiful sounds heard in drum’n’bass-based music for quite some time. Boxcutter’s purpose is not to define dubstep, but to redefine and to push its boundaries beyond the traditional DMZ night. This is a record that recalls the genius of Feed Me Weird Things, without attempting to be a carbon copy of it.
Sunshine V.I.P.
3.
Tstewart, Living Exponentially [Merck]
Another alias from Miami’s Travis Stewart (this time abbreviating his real name), the genius behind both Machine Drum and
Syndrone. This album takes Travis’s sound into more future jazz territory, taking bits and pieces of his other aliases and melding them into an album that at times recalls Jaga Jazzist, but a more refined, electronically driven, and in my opinion, better version. This new style is as fresh as Now You Know on first listen, and signals that Travis can tackle just about any type of sound he wants. With the disappointing Machine Drum remix album coming later in the year that failed to match the genius of Half The Battle, this record actually does rival his previous work and shows that Travis may be tiring of his initial sound and looking to channel his creative energy in new directions.
Become Another Eagle Returning To Korea '34
2.
A Cloud Mireya, Singular [Eastern Developments]
I’m just so glad this record finally came out! One of two lovechildren between On!Air!Library!’s Claudia Deheza and Scott Herren (they also welcomed a son into the world this year, where the first track “Our Alejandro” takes its name), this album is a such a beautiful take on airy, ethereal indie rock. Some may remember their initial collaboration on last year’s Prefuse 73 album Surrounded By Silence. Transport Claudia’s unique vocal delivery from those tracks into a spaced-out, indie rock landscape and you have A Cloud Mireya. The magic is in her voice, and Scott’s unique understanding of what is so special about it, and what makes it so different. This collaboration will have you floating in its clouds for hours on end. An absolutely stunning collaboration.
Illusional
1.
Bibio, Hand Cranked [Mush]
No record knocked by socks off quite like Bibio’s Hand Cranked this year. Time and time again Bibio’s guitar arrangements repeated on any stereo, computer, discman, or music device I could find, and with every listen, I only seemed to appreciate his sun-saturated acoustic guitar folk even more. This is an album that builds upon his impressive debut Fi last year, and channels his creativity and technique even better, this time incorporating piano and even vocals into a couple of his songs. The guitar arrangements seem more complex and interesting, and everything here just feels more rewarding than anything else I’ve listened to in quite a long time. This was far and away the record of 2006, and the crowning achievement for Bibio is that even though this was one of the best years for music in my recent memory, his record still towered over any other to become the best album of 2006.
Cherry Go Round
Tstewart
