Pretty late in the game with this one, but I still wanted to do a year-end list as a way of parsing the innumerable releases, scattered between my hard drives, CD stacks, and vinyl crates. The focus of this list is electronic-based music, as is the focus of Clocks & Daggers as a web log, with a few exceptions. In terms of highlights for 2009, seeing Animal Collective live was pretty much it, for me. Also, I started writing for Dusted Magazine in December -- they're an ad-free site for music criticism, based out of Brooklyn -- and I'm excited to be a contributor. Watch for my reviews! 2009 was a good year in music; let's see what I liked best...
1)
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca (Domino)I ignored this album for the longest time, like I did with The xx, for no real reason other than an aversion to all the hype. Then I heard that Dave Longstreth from Ambulence Ltd. was a founding member of Dirty Projectors, and had it recommended to me by a friend with great taste -- this piqued my interest. One of the best records of '09 was hyped for good reason and deserves all of the blog love, "Best New Music," et cetra. Bitte Orca has everything: inventive vocal lines, memorable hooks, strong melodies, complex arrangements and reference points ranging from late 90s r&b (Timbaland) to Nico to Zeppelin. Somehow, this record is soulful and cerebral, from moment to moment, demonstrative of the great care and detail given to each of the rich compositions. What's most interesting is that it never seems heavy-handed--yes, it does require a proportionate amount of attention to its idiosyncrasies, but the payoff is always matched by instrumental or vocal bliss. Longstreth's singing takes some adjusting on the first lap around the pool, but the dual female vocal performances of Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian are not only complimentary, but noteworthy in themselves. Then there's the strings, staccato keyboard and guitar punctuation, acrobatic drumming...everything is executed so well--it's like the perfect album, or a music nerd's paramour. Go grab this album now. I could write some more about it, and still not feel like a blow hard--it's that good, kids.
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Tim Hecker - An Imaginary Country (Kranky)I became a devote fan of Tim Hecker after discovering his music last year--with the recommendation from a friend whose musical taste I entirely trust--and have been actively buying up his entire discography since. It's hard for me to think of any "new" artist in the last 5 years who has made such an impression on me, so it goes without saying that this is biased. Still, An Imaginary Country is an extraordinarily accomplished piece of music with redeeming traits ad infinitum, unique and paradoxical in its demand/ease. In this music there is: violence, resolve, restraint, focus, caprice, widescreen gaze, black and white, color, death, life, loss and ultimately rebirth. I guess some Hecker nerds were upset with this record, deciding that it failed to live up to expectations (the bar was set pretty high, though, with his 2006 opus Harmony In Ultraviolet), but they can fuck a duck. The Montreal ambient demigod has arguably mastered a craft that he created himself, peerless, (other than the tireless comparisons to Fennesz) and has a signature sound that is quite unmistakable. An Imagainary Country was the best ambient release of 2009.
Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue (Warp)I already blogged about Bibio earlier this summer, and pretty much knew that this record would live up to the expectations I had. Ambivalence Avenue exceeded them, in fact, and was one of the first CDs I bought that got consistent burn this summer. The first thing I noticed was his range, and how brave he was to work under different and unique musical guises, from track-to-track, here. This record is a paradigmatic jump from pre-Warp Bibio, leaving behind many of the degraded tape-loop experiments but retaining that sense of wide-eyed melancholy and obsessive detail. When I play this CD in my car for friends, they will assume it is a mix by a dozen different recording artists--outlining his stylistic sprawl, akin to RJD2's accomplished 2005 Since We Last Spoke LP. Finally, being that he was discovered by Boards Of Canada, it is fitting that the last track is essentially an homage to those Scottish IDM recluses. My only gripe is with some of the lyrics, but I fully co-sign anything Bibio puts out these days.
4)
J Dilla - Jay Stays Paid (Nature Sounds)
DO NOT JUDGE THIS RECORD BY ITS COVER. If this was some minimal, charcoal gray matte, printed on recycled cardboard, Helvetica type faced sleeve you would probably give it more than a once-over. Yeah, I saw you! But honestly, this is probably the best instrumental hip-hop ever made. Yes. There are only a few "traditional" rap songs on it, with guest MCs, but the spotlight is all Dilla. Notice the black MPC 3000 drum machine tucked under his arm? Well he did stuff with it 10 YEARS AGO that nerdy white kids like me, and producers alike, are still trying to figure out. NYC Hip-Hop stalwart Pete Rock curates this "mix," serving as the host alongside DJ Premiere and Dilla's own mother. (Busta Rhymes or Q-Tip's participation in this project would have been fitting, and I could certainly do without MOP stinking the place up, but I digress.) It is a sweet tribute, and another solid posthumous Dilla release. BUY THIS CD NOW. DILLA FOR EVER. JAY STAYS PAID, MOTH'FUCK'AS.
5)
Fever Ray - Fever Ray (Mute)
Colder than a polar bear's toe nail, this is a no-brainer for Knife fans, and may be the next best thing to a full-length from Sweden's creepy bro/sis duo. Fever Ray is, and was, a total winter record; released last March its canted icy lens was transfixed onto the seasonally gray scenery. Despite The Knife's penchant for steel pan and other "summery" implements, Karin Dreijer Andersson keeps it monochromatic and deadpan this time around. The textures impress: nuanced percussion (blocks, blips, marimbas, flourished cymbals, hand claps and aggressive-attack synth plucks), pitched-down androgynous vocal tones, and expansive 80s keyboard lines all meld nicely. Listening to a record like this front-to-back is a weighty experience but, like most of the best LPs in your collection, is unjust heard at piecemeal. By the time you come out at the other end you're more the dizzy, calm, scared and exhilarated--though equally rewarded. Check my older post on Karin's creepy accompanying music vids. Viva Sweden!
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J Dilla - Jay Stays Paid (Nature Sounds)5)
Fever Ray - Fever Ray (Mute)Colder than a polar bear's toe nail, this is a no-brainer for Knife fans, and may be the next best thing to a full-length from Sweden's creepy bro/sis duo. Fever Ray is, and was, a total winter record; released last March its canted icy lens was transfixed onto the seasonally gray scenery. Despite The Knife's penchant for steel pan and other "summery" implements, Karin Dreijer Andersson keeps it monochromatic and deadpan this time around. The textures impress: nuanced percussion (blocks, blips, marimbas, flourished cymbals, hand claps and aggressive-attack synth plucks), pitched-down androgynous vocal tones, and expansive 80s keyboard lines all meld nicely. Listening to a record like this front-to-back is a weighty experience but, like most of the best LPs in your collection, is unjust heard at piecemeal. By the time you come out at the other end you're more the dizzy, calm, scared and exhilarated--though equally rewarded. Check my older post on Karin's creepy accompanying music vids. Viva Sweden!
6)
Mos Def - The Ecstatic (Downtown)Mos' debut Black On Both Sides is a canonical NYC rap classic, as far as I'm concerned. When it came out in 1999, "conscious rap" was hard to grasp: I remember seeing Mos and Talib Kweli on BET hanging out in a bookstore in Harlem, talking about their favorite books, (most of which were about Black consciousness and social awareness) and I didn't understand where intellectualism could fit into the rap world, beyond KRS-ONE or Chuck D? But now "backpack rap" and Malcolm X-inflected rhymes seem passé-- a minor footnote in the hip-hop evolution. Here, Mos somehow manages to fly the same pre-millennial trajectory and never comes off stale, hackneyed, or worse-- preachy. In fact, instead of coming down to earth, he ascends into the stratosphere, riding the jet stream of Madlib and Oh No's blunted soundtracks, pushing himself hard. Slick Rick and Talib put in solid verses, and the beats are "forget about it": Preservation, the aforementioned stoned Stones Throw maestros, Mr. Flash and of course Dilla (see: "History") all contribute to Mos' triumphant return to legitimacy and artistic achievement.
7)
St. Vincent - Actor (4AD)I read somewhere that Annie Clark (goes by St. Vincent when holding an axe) composed all of these songs in her NY apartment on a laptop, since she could not play instruments without disturbing neighbors, writing the arrangements with "Garage Band" software. Besides being a respectful tenant, she proves to be a solid millennial composer: Clark sings and plays guitar, bass and keys on Actor, while woodwind, violin, french horn, sarongi, percussion and rhythm section is handled by a litany of talented session players, including Hideaki Aomori (Sufjan Stevens) and Alex Sopp (Bjork, Phillip Glass). I have a few small issues with Actor's sequencing: side two's unevenness could have used another pass of the iron, and I would omit one track to trim the fat. Apparently Clark was inspired by watching her favorite films while penning these tracks, and they often unravel like the creative process of an actor getting into, or shedding out of, their respective characters. Her art rock, like the rousing More Songs About Buildings And Food-inspired "Marrow," is really fun and a nice change from the more "heavy" shit in my rotation. Watch her play "Marrow" on Austin City Limits.
Prefuse 73 - Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian (Warp)This record follows a few of the beat trends of late: CD-R "beat tape" shorts or tossed-off interludes, that may or may not have been conceived as such, and psychedelia punctuated by THC-laced drum-programming. The drugged-out vibe recalls Donuts, the Beatkonducta Series, Koushik's Tell Me What You See, Samiyam's Rap Beats Vol. 1, et alia. Ampexian received mixed reviews initially, but as a fan from the get-go, I got behind it with little hesitation. There are some very interesting ideas here, (and some bad ones) but in the end it's a decent long player from Warp's glitch-hop pioneer. As it goes, Scott Herren recorded the tracks for Ampexian on Ampex tape, lending the beats an analogue depth where the reverb and tape echo thrive. But if you were hoping for another One Word Extinguisher--this isn't it--he has moved on. Give the album a chance though, and the sweltering weed-stank of Prefuse's MPC pads will no doubt enter your blood/brain barrier.
9)
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (Domino)Yes, I do feel guilty for being 27, 000th person blogging about Animal Collective, or to have mentioned them in a "year end" list, such as the one you're reading. But the fact that I can still listen to this record a year later, and appreciate its place in modern music, helps me sleep at night. I received a promo copy of this CD in the mail from Domino last year when I was the Music Editor of my old University's newspaper. I reviewed it and spouted off a few platitudes, but most of what I said, 370 odd days later, I still stand by. Merriweather is undeniably good and embodies the spirit, of say, The Beatles, for our "iPod generation," if you will. To that end, I bought the remastered White Album recently, and while playing it in front of my parents, they asked me, "So, what bands are like the Beatles, today?"; implying that there's nothing in Western music, now or since 1970, that is on the level of the fab four. True, and I can't point to any anachronistic psychedelic pop that proves them wrong, but I can nudge them in the direction of the Animal Collective oeuvre, if only to show them that yes, there has been some progress, but they ain't changing anything like Revolver did. And samplers, guitars, drugs, mp3s, blogs, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, pop art, BBC et alia, plus a 30 year gap, make this an apple/orange situation.
10)
Lukid - Foma (Werk Discs)
England's Luke Blair, aka Lukid, is one of the dozens of rising UK producers working in the post-Dilla, "wonky" left-field hip-hop cadre. His second release, Foma, is a very cohesive record from front to back, and goes down best in the early AM, after a long night of getting shitty with friends. Lukid is a perfectionist and you can tell by how well he manipulates the sounds in his palette, keeping it all neatly organized; the drums lock step in subordination to the push and pull of woozy rhythms, lulling your booze-soaked head to the pillow, only to jolt you back to wakefulness with blips and anxious synth sweeps. The percussion and samples are top shelf and he even touches on Dubstep, with nods to Dabrye, Dilla, and the Low End Theory scene in LA as well. Foma is hypnotic and was my favorite post-bar coming-down record last year. Recommended on headphones. Dig it.
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Lukid - Foma (Werk Discs)England's Luke Blair, aka Lukid, is one of the dozens of rising UK producers working in the post-Dilla, "wonky" left-field hip-hop cadre. His second release, Foma, is a very cohesive record from front to back, and goes down best in the early AM, after a long night of getting shitty with friends. Lukid is a perfectionist and you can tell by how well he manipulates the sounds in his palette, keeping it all neatly organized; the drums lock step in subordination to the push and pull of woozy rhythms, lulling your booze-soaked head to the pillow, only to jolt you back to wakefulness with blips and anxious synth sweeps. The percussion and samples are top shelf and he even touches on Dubstep, with nods to Dabrye, Dilla, and the Low End Theory scene in LA as well. Foma is hypnotic and was my favorite post-bar coming-down record last year. Recommended on headphones. Dig it.
Grizzly Bear - Vecatimest (Warp)I was really excited about this record last year, mainly because I am a huge fan of Daniel Rossen and his Department Of Eagles band. I also had Grizzly's Friends EP in high rotation upon its 2008 release, wearing out its grooves and my roommates' patience in the process. Then there was the band's late night television appearances on Dave Letterman and Conan; both jaw droppers, both signaling to the big labels that Brooklyn is a potential cashcow (if they hadn't cottoned to the fact that it has been for sometime) and that these guys could write impressive songs. Jay-Z and Beyonce showing up at their Williamsburg show this summer? Believe it. Pop culture aside, their four-part harmonies, delicate arrangements and doo-wop conceit gave listeners a mannered, well-executed (and well recorded) record to bite into. Re-listens reveal more nuances you may have missed the first time around--tacitly demonstrating the record's staying power. It can drag a little at the mid-way point, but Veckatimest deserves all of the hype.
12)
Brock Van Wey - White Clouds Drift On And On (Echospace)
Dutch ambient producer Brock Van Wey came out of nowhere, at least on my radar (I don't think White Clouds... was highly promoted or publicized other than in Boomkat circles), with this double album of well-crafted ruminative workouts. Most of these tracks stretch out nicely at 1o minute-plus run times where, toward the 14 minute mark, you forget about the space/time continuum, lost in analogue washes of endless synth loops. Unlike Tim Hecker, or Fennesz, Brock prefers enveloping consonance over jarring distortion and digital sandpaper, using very little processed guitar, and mainly dilating keyboard chords and sweeping strings. Perfect music for starring out of an airplane window, I imagine. White Clouds solidifies Brock's place in the Boomkat set as a promising ambient composer.
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Brock Van Wey - White Clouds Drift On And On (Echospace)Dutch ambient producer Brock Van Wey came out of nowhere, at least on my radar (I don't think White Clouds... was highly promoted or publicized other than in Boomkat circles), with this double album of well-crafted ruminative workouts. Most of these tracks stretch out nicely at 1o minute-plus run times where, toward the 14 minute mark, you forget about the space/time continuum, lost in analogue washes of endless synth loops. Unlike Tim Hecker, or Fennesz, Brock prefers enveloping consonance over jarring distortion and digital sandpaper, using very little processed guitar, and mainly dilating keyboard chords and sweeping strings. Perfect music for starring out of an airplane window, I imagine. White Clouds solidifies Brock's place in the Boomkat set as a promising ambient composer.
13)
Tortoise - Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey)I had high hopes for this record, but ultimately, it fell short. I thought Beacons would be bigger than the footnote from 2009 that it was, and feel that it got overlooked by many critics. What we have here, instead of an brain-melter, is a very well-made record with a few highlights, tons of great ideas, and nothing immediately mind-blowing in that, "I need to hear this song played back again 15 times" way. I remember Tortoise from skateboarding videos I had in my teenage years, as this composed, mature band with jazzy tendencies. And they still are as I remember them, and as I re-discovered them in my 20s, existing today. The whole thing sounds bland, but I can assure you Tortoise are incredible in their own right, defying genre allegiance, with the visionary John McEntire at the helm. But I guess bands don't have to always "blow your mind" to be worthy of space on your bookshelf.
14)
Mi Ami - Watersports (Quarterstick)
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Mi Ami - Watersports (Quarterstick)I heard Mi Ami's "African Rhythms" 12" this past summer and thought it was cool. Then I heard their remix of Telepathe's "Devil's Trident," and Watersports in the same time period, and was sold. Often, it seems that people describe a band's sound as "like nothing else out there," when in reality it's just as derivative as everyone else. Mi Ami are truly doing some unique things though, punctuated by their many influences: elements of hardcore punk, (two members used to be in DC hardcore outfit Black Eyes) disco, dub, Nigerian highlife, acid house, free jazz/fusion, and Terry Riley (!). Fuck me! Watersports is permeated with a sense of spontaneity and anxiousness-- whether it's an Avey Tare-esque yelp, divergent drum pattern (the drumming on this record is incredible) or free-associative lyric sheet ran through the shredder. There may be some other records out in the world that sound like this, but you or I will probably never hear them, so why not try this?
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Madlib - Beatkonducta Vol. 5-6 (Stones Throw)Madlib is extremely prolific--and with that comes the possibility of some mediocrity, statistically speaking. But in terms of his Beatkonducta project, Vol. 5-6 does not suffer from any mediocre elements, and is one of his best instrumental collections to date. This album serves as an elegy to friend and collaborator, the late great J Dilla (I know, I am obsessed with Dilla and have mentioned him quite a bit on this blog). During the last three years of Dilla's life, before Lupus took over, he and Madlib worked together extensively and in doing so, informed each other's styles. Dilla started to sound like Madlib, Madlib started to sound (slightly) like Dilla, as it were. People considered them birds of a feather: both "in-the-cut" dudes, shy and quite, always in the studio, championing left-of-center productions, and always blunted. Here, Madlib drops a dizzying collection of beat shorts, all with reference points aimed at the late James Yancey and his legacy. There is some lazy chopping as you'd expect, but on the whole this is a solid effort by Madlib, and a sweet gesture from a mourning friend.
Los Honorable Mentiones:
Lone - Ecstacy & Friends
This record seemingly slipped of the face of the earth when it was released last November, unfortunately. I really enjoyed Lone's 2008 Lemurian -- it was my introduction to the UK "wonky" scene and I still play it today. But Ecstacy & Friends, even on my 5th and 6th listen through, fails to be as compelling, or memorable. There are still some great songs here and his production is fully realized, grandiose even.
Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself
I probably only listened to 60% of this album, and while I enjoyed it, I need to give it another chance with more attentiveness. As a side, it's pretty wild that Charlie Cooper (allegedly) killed himself the day after it was released, and while he didn't suffer from self-immolation, it's still fucked up.
William Basinski - 92982
I also gave this a once-over and was not immediately impressed. I know he is one of the modern, post-Eno ambient mainstays, but he's a bit pretentious, I find. I think his records get burn at Yoga classes! A re-visit is in order.
Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer
With the D&D-inspired album name, pause, this album seemed to have disappear down the pipe minutes after its release. It was very ambitious, and Spencer's creative writing foundation always provides for interesting lyrics. Great but not amazing, much like the last Wolf Parade record.
Sin Fang Bous - Clangour
Clangour drew some comparisons, on the surface, to Panda Bear and Animal Collective's more cacophonous outings. It typifies Nordic sensibilities, but is less experimental than some of the Fonal releases from Finland. A solid album and I'm looking forward the next one.
Jim O'Rourke - The Visiter
I need more time with this record as it was a late discovery. I'm thinking it would be in my top 15, easily, had I spent more time with it, since Jim is a very good musician/producer and I have heard nothing but good things.
Here We Go Magic - S/t
I'm going to rehash what every other critic has said: the long, meandering ambient interludes are utterly awful -- leave that to Deerhunter and No Age, who do them properly, as a counterpoint, or calibrated interlude which neither detracts from, nor distends the record as a whole. The mix of this record is very muddy, and not in a purposefully lo-fi way, but in a lazily engineered way. If you forget these complaints for a moment, there are hints of brilliance here-- some very interesting ideas that make Here We Go Magic pretty frustrating in the end.
