Top 50 of 2007

That's right - it's not a typo. I'm taking a few moments to revisit the Best of 2007 before we wrap up this year. As many of you know, it is nearly impossible to listen and cover all the great music out there. There simply can't be a definitive list for the "best of the best". And once such lists are released, many discover great albums that somehow have slipped passed their radar. It is the case for me as well... Every year... I still stumble upon amazing albums from previous years that sound fresh to me. So I'd like to take this opportunity and bring back the gems that have since moved to the top of my rotations. How many of these have you heard? How many of these have you totally missed? Hold on to your undies, boys and girls, cause it's a doozy!

Headphone Commute's Top 50 of 2007
(listed in alphabetical order)
Aaron Spectre - Lost Tracks (Ad Noiseam)
Amon Tobin - Foley Room (Ninja Tune)
Apparat - Walls (Shitkatapult)
Architect - Lower Lip Interface (Hymen)
Balmorhea - Balmorhea (self)
Ben Frost - Theory Of Machines (Bedroom Community)
Boxcutter - Glyphic (Planet Mu)
Burial - Untrue (Hyperdub)
DJ Hidden - The Later After (Ad Noiseam)
DJ Kentaro - Enter (Ninja Tune)
DeepChord presents Echospace - The Coldest Season (Modern Love)
Elegi - Sistereis (Miasmah)
Eluvium - Copia (Temporary Residence)
Evan Bartholomew - Caverns of Time (Somnia)
Fennesz * Sakamoto - Cendre (Touch / Commons)
Goldmund - Two Point Discrimination (Western Vinyl)
Grails - Burning Off Impurities (Temporary Residence Limited)
Hauschka - Room To Expand (130701)
Hecq - 0000 (Hymen)
Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music I (MIDI Creative / Noble)
Keef Baker - Redeye (Hymen)
Kettel - Whisper Me Wishes (Djak-Up-Bitch)
KiloWatts - Ground State (Native State)
Krill.Minima - Nautica (Native State)
Lights Out Asia - Tanks And Recognizers (n5MD)
Lusine ICL - Language Barrier (Hymen)
Manual - Lost Days, Open Skies And Streaming Tides (Darla)
Modeselektor - Happy Birthday! (BPitch Control)
Morning Recordings - The Welcome Kinetic (Loose Thread)
Mr. 76ix - 3 (Minority Of 1) (Skam)
Murcof - Cosmos (Leaf)
Near The Parenthesis - Of Soft Construction (n5MD)
Ólafur Arnalds - Eulogy For Evolution (Erased Tapes)
Onra - Chinoiseries (Label Rouge Prod / Favorite)
Pan Sonic - Katodivaihe / Cathodephase (Blast First Petite)
Porn Sword Tobacco - New Exclusive Olympic Heights (City Centre Offices)
Port-Royal - Afraid To Dance (Resonant)
Rafael Anton Irisarri - Daydreaming (Miasmah)
Sankt Otten - Wir Koennen Ja Freunde Bleiben (Hidden Shoal)
Stars Of The Lid - And Their Refinement Of The Decline (Kranky)
Stateless - Stateless (Studio !K7)
Swod - Sekunden (City Centre Offices)
The Cinematic Orchestra - Ma Fleur (Ninja Tune / Domino)
The Field - From Here We Go Sublime (Kompakt)
The Flashbulb - That Missing Week (Alphabasic)
The World on Higher Downs - Land Patterns (Plop)
Valgeir Sigurðsson - Ekvílíbrium (Bedroom Community)
Venetian Snares - My Downfall (Planet Mu)
Vladislav Delay - Whistleblower (Huume)
World's End Girlfriend - Hurtbreak Wonderland (Human Highway)

Wurlitztraction - The Star Lit Numbers On Her Fingers (Enough)

Like a buzzing concoction of plaster molded jigsaw, the sound of this abstract and experimental album descends on a creaky base board of musique concrète and gets nailed with percussive staples. The man behind this sound effect rich "soundtrack for late nights/early mornings" is Chris Reid, who goes by the name of Wurlitztraction. Reid compiled his collection of field recordings and unused studio manipulations from the soundtrack pieces he was producing for short films and animations, and wrapped this into an composition, The Star Lit Numbers On Her Fingers. It soon began taking a shape of its own, complemented with rich sound design, glitching electro-acoustic beats and a gentle push towards a darker sonic side of rhythmic noise and experimental electronica. It seems that the patterns never repeat, the melodies never blossom, and the haphazard ticks reappear here and there in a schizophrenic mania of a constantly twitching mass of a dying brain. And Reid doesn't stop there. Here comes in a bass guitar, acoustic drums, and industrial hits with an occasional vibraphone, trip-hop beat and a jittery feedback. Overall it's pretty difficult to pinpoint the style behind Reid's music [and that's a good thing], which is why I hold on to describing tiny mementos throughout the album. The Star Lit Numbers On Her Fingers is Reid's second release on Portuguese net-label, Enough Records, and is available for download for free from the site and scene dot org (catalog number enrmp138). Reid has also previously released an album titled, Lucidity Cue, on the same label.

myspace.com/wurlitztraction | enoughrecords.scene.org

Fennesz * Sakamoto - Cendre (Touch)

Here's a 2007 release that I've been meaning to cover in detail for a while. Touch Music was launched in 1982, initially releasing cassette magazines. Twenty five years later, Touch is at its peak, perfecting their output with carefully selected works by Christian Fennesz, Ryuuichi Sakamoto, Oren Ambarchi, Biosphere, Ryoji Ikeda, Philip Jeck, Chris Watson and Mika Vainio, amongst others. Since the 90s, Fennesz and Sakamoto have performed live, with Sala Santa Cecilia being their first collaborative EP (Touch, 2005), recorded live at Auditorium della Parco Musica for the Romaeuropa Festival. Two years later, the duo got together to compose their first full length LP, Cendre. In between these two releases, Fennesz recorded an album with Keith Rowe, Toshimaru Nakamura and Oren Ambarchi, under a collective moniker 4g, titled Cloud (Erstwhile, 2005). Meanwhile, prolific Sakamoto (recording since 1978) released a remix album, Bricolages (Warner Music Japan, 2006) with a collection of reworked tracks by an amazing roster of artists like Alva Noto, Taylor Deupree, Snd, Richard Devine, Slicker and even Craig Armstrong. Needless to say that I was pretty excited to hear what the couple come up with, with such an amazing web of connections and an array of experiences. And Cendre doesn't disappoint. Sakamoto is back at the piano, this time bathed in a warm lush of ambient bliss, as flooded by Fennesz. The reverberations of drone-like pads almost swallow the notes whole, occasionally letting them cut through the descending fog, and shoot up like a sparkling reflection of a dying star. Editors at Boomkat have said it best : "The fact that you're [...] reading this review assumes you're of a certain musical disposition, and if you are in any way interested in the more beautiful things in life, the sensitive yet experimental end of modern music - pay close attention as this album is just about as good as it gets." A modern classical marvel. The latest from Fennesz is Transition EP (Touch, 2008), while Sakamoto released a collaboration with Christopher Willits, titled Ocean Fire (12k, 2008).



myspace.com/fennesz | fennesz.com
sitesakamoto.com | touchmusic.org.uk

Krafty Kuts - FabricLive. 34 (Fabric)

The FabricLive series has celebrated some really amazing output since its launch seven years ago. The monthly (!) compilation releases started in November 2001, by the London based nightclub Fabric. Alternating monthly between Fabric and FabricLive series, the club's offshoot label has covered a diversity of genres, from tech house to drum'n'bass, from dubstep to hip hop, from electro to disco. The mixed compilations feature an excellent roster of DJs and artists spearheading stylistic underground and commercial movements. Some of my most recent favorite FabricLive mixes feature Noisia, Caspa & Rusko, Spank Rock, High Contrast and DJ Craze. This 34th release (June 2007), is put together by Martin Randal, who goes by the name of Krafty Kuts. Randal is a Brighton (England) based electronic breakbeat producer and a DJ. In the last three years, he has has won the "Best DJ" title from the Breakspoll Awards. And this compilation does not under-perform. Krafty Kuts pulls out his crate favorites, like old-skool rap from Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and funky electro from Milke. The production is top notch, the mixing is of course superb, and the sounds are super fresh. I especially love Krafty's layering of acappellas over other instrumentals to create new sounds and essentially remixes. Artists appearing on the mix include Tim Deluxe, DJ Icey, Plump DJ's, Madox, Aquasky, Freestylers, and Primal Scream among the many. I was last this excited about the FabricLive album when I reviewed The Herbaliser's contribution towards 26th volume. Perfect for a weekend drive. Recommended if you want to catch up on the latest breakbeat sound. And I'm sure I'll be raving about other FabricLive releases pretty soon.



myspace.com/djkraftykuts | superchargedmusic.com
myspace.com/fabricfamily | fabriclondon.com

IJO - (Untitled) LP (self)

Queuing up the self released (Untitled) LP by IJO on my iPod, I find that my collection is already sprinkled with tracks from this Lithuanian artist [currently residing in London]. A few of Audrius Vaitiekunas' tracks appear under my favorite Sutemos compilations: Draumar Um Kalt Sumar (Sutemos, 2006) and Intelligent Toys 4 (Sutemos, 2007). And I find that I have already rated those melodic IDM pieces high within an amazing collection of artists. But now I turn to check out IJO's more experimental work, that originally appeared on Plain Productions as a digital Untitled EP in 2006 (still available from this netlabel as a free download), later to be re-released by Vaitiekunas himself, with four more tracks from Quastic! Tracks (Envizagae, 2007), as a pressed 12" LP (this is a limited edition, and I've got mine right here!). IJO rips through the breaks, twisting up triggered percussion and acid bleeps into a whirlpool of distortion, that deserves to be analyzed under a microscope. The deep well of the brilliant Amen Break cutups still hasn't run dry (neither for me, nor for IJO), and when its mayhem detonates into jazzy and melodic interlude, my evil grin melts into a smile. The unheard (Unknown) track on this unsigned (Untitled) is simply unbelievable. It is the unmeasurable uncredible undarkness... er, sorry, got glitched in a groove there... I was trying to say that the (Unknown) track is the absolute highlight of the album for me. It is everything I ever wanted drill'n'bass to be. Evil grinds in the vain of DJ Hidden, lightning rhythmic patterns in the higher frequency, all phased and mashed up into the finest breakcore, as institutionalized by Venetian Snares, Squarepusher and Jega. Highly recommended.



myspace.com/theijo | plainaudio.com/ijo
myspace.com/plainaudio | plainaudio.com

Modeselektor - Happy Birthday! (Bpitch Control)

Mixing up everything from IDM to dub, electro and hip-hop, Modeselektor puts out a truly fun album that keeps me bopping up and down. There is evident humor in some of the tracks and that's exactly that attitude that forces me to spin Happy Birthday! on for a fun ride. Not to mention an excellent array of featured artists. We've got French hip-hop from Paris, TTC; some Dominican style fun vocals from Paul St. Hilaire; throw-your-hands-up party rap from Puppetmastaz; and an absolutely excellent track featuring Thom Yorke, titled The White Flash. [Side note: the 2008 12" Happy Birthday! Remixed #1, features The White Flash remixed by Trentemøller - it's worth picking up just for the B side]. Modeselektor returned the favor and remixed Thom Yorke's Skip Divided from The Eraser (XL, 2008). Modeselektor is a Berlin based duo of Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary. When Bronsert and Szary initially met in 1992, they were producing music under alias Fundamental Knowledge. In 1995 they renamed themselves to Modeselektor, after a function on Roland RE-201's effects module. Another interesting side project is called Moderat - a collaboration between Modeselektor and Apparat which only saw a single 12" on BPitch Control back in 2003 and now returned with a track on Happy Birthday! titled Let Your Love Grow. This is Modeselektor's sophomore release, named in anticipation of the unplanned accidentally synchronized births of the duo's children. Modeselektor is not afraid to whip any stylistic trend back into its cage. From four-to-the-floor acid infused electro beats, to heavy grime, this is already a favorite party album. In the middle of the album, after a heavy beat from The Black Block, my ear pricks up to a familiar melody. The track's name is The First Rebirth, and I immediately recognize the classic trance anthem from 1993 under the same name, written by Jones & Stephenson for Bonzai Records (and I still have my copy - actually just dug up Commander Tom's '94 Remix on Prolekult). The album finishes up with an excellent up-beat glitchy hard breaks featuring Maxïmo Park. Pick up this album and treat yourself to one of my 2007 favorites! Recommended if you enjoy Boxcutter, Pole, Plaid, Funkstörung and Mouse on Mars. Be sure to grab Modeselektor's 2005 debut, Hello Mom! p.s. Excellent popping music!

myspace.com/mdslktr | modeselektor.de
myspace.com/bpitchcontrol | bpitchcontrol.com

Nostalgia 77 - Everything Under The Sun (Tru Thoughts / Ubiquity)

Listening to Birghton (UK) based Benedic Lamdin's solo project under Nostalgia 77 alias I am reminded once again of his light, playful, and jazzy compositions. The last album I recall hearing was Songs For my Funeral, which I remember being more downtempo with a sprinkle of breaks bordering future jazz. One of those great tracks to compliment a chillout compilation (as a matter of fact, there was a double disk comp, Chilled Beats Sessions, where Nostalgia 77 appeared alongside Skalpel, The Cinematic Orchestra, Bonobo, Blockhead, Daedelus, Plaid, Boards of Canada, Prefuse 73 and many, many others [Sessions, 2005] ). Then there is, of course, The Nostalgia 77 Octet with a great Weapons Of Jazz Destruction release on Tru Thoughts last year. The latter deserves a separate review, but I'll briefly mention that the octet is formed from the Royal Academy of Jazz graduates and NYJO Alumni. For his sixth full length album (including the afore mentioned live project), Lamdin gathers his group of talented jazz musicians to walk up and down the modal scale with ease. Lizzy Parks returns with her lovely voice adding a perfect element to an already wonderful selection of songs. "I wanted to continue developing the ideas I've explored in the other records, to take the emotional moods that are there and to vocalize them. I wanted to write lyrics that reflected them," says Lamden. I personally applaud and enjoy following the artists that continue to not only reinvent themselves, but perfect their musical composition. It seems that many musicians, after consecutive successful releases want something more and end up turning to the roots of live, improvisational, or organic sound - I'm thinking here of The Herbaliser, The Landau Orchestra, and even Amon Tobin. The 2008 double-disk compilation of Nostalgia 77's One Offs, Remixes & B-Sides is a must for any serious catalog collector.

myspace.com/nostalgia77 | nostalgia77.com
myspace.com/truthoughtsrecords | tru-thoughts.co.uk

Manic - 1986 (Summer Rain Recordings)

Summer Rain Recordings is a digital net label that has already released over 30 EPs from independent artists, covering everything from IDM, glitch, and breaks to trip-hop, downtempo, ambient, and jazz. The label itself has another honorable mission: every signed artist donates a portion of his royalties to NextAid (nextaid.org) or a charity of their choice, to be matched by a donation from the label's profits. So with every purchase, you and the music you support, make a difference in the world. Manic's debut is the fifth Summer Rain release. The four track 1986 EP is a light, breezy, and upbeat stroll. The very first track, Spring, had me bopping my head with the hip-hop beat, as I walked along the street with blooming flowers, and I smiled at the synchronicity of track's title. The jazzy percussion and the hard-cut-off, lo-fi, and looped MPC sound remind me of the early, crate-digging, sample-based works by Amon Tobin, DJ Shadow and DJ Krush. And those are all the great things. When Manic takes it down a notch, and the beats recede into a lounge-like smokey downtempo with melodic piano chords, I can not help by think of Dictaphone. It is also worthy of mention that this San Francisco based artist works for Beatz, "a non-profit organization that teaches inner city and disadvantaged youth how to dj and make music using turntables and samplers". Really enjoyed the entire EP. Jump to the label's site, and grab yours from the many supporting outlets.

myspace.com/samplebasedmusic | myspace.com/beatznpo
myspace.com/summerrainrecordings | summerrainrecordings.net

Klimek - Dedications (Anticipate)

Sebastian Meissner migrates his Klimek project from Kompakt on to Anticipate Recordings. For this eight-piece ambient album, German based Meissner indeed creates tracks dedicated to his many artistic influences. This guitar driven, effect saturated, and soundscape rich composition, positions Klimek perfectly along the leading experimental and modern classical composers like Ben Frost, Marsen Jules, and Deaf Center. Meissner's previous notable ambient recordings include Selected Random Works under his Random Industries alias; The Very Best Of under Bizz Circuits; and Walking In Jerusalem under Random_Inc alias for Mille Plateaux label. Meissner has also previously released Into The Void album on Sub Rosa under his real name. He is responsible for numerous installations in Germany, Poland, Norway, and an upcoming collaboration with Zaellia Bishop in Italy. Add to the CV a couple of latest soundtrack works, and you have yourself a fully immersed, musically rounded artist. The delicately crafted textures on Dedications, suggest hours upon hours of painstaking labor, pulling the strings through reverberation chambers, until they slap back into the standing waves of ghost filled echoes. Somewhere, in the back, an old piano is playing. Like Disintegration Loops of William Basinski, the sampled sources are cut and fed back into the machine, while retaining all of their organic characteristics. Whether taken out of context, or together as a conceptual piece, the tracks on Dedications speak all on their own. Haunting, lush, and timeless - Dedications is not an album to pass by or brush off lightly. Other artists to check out from Ezekiel Honig's Anticipate label include Sawako, Morgan Packard, and the very latest Nicola Ratti. And don't forget to pick up Klimek's last 2006 release on Kompakt, Music To Fall Asleep. Favorite track: For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan.

myspace.com/random666industries | random-industries.com
myspace.com/anticipaterecordings | anticipaterecordings.com

Valgeir Sigurðsson - Ekvílíbrium (Bedroom Community)

The founder of the Icelanding collective, Bedroom Community, finally releases his solo debut on his own label. Although this is a first full length album for Valgeir Sigurðsson, he is no stranger to the studio. His musical career spans over a decade, and includes a lot of production work for Björk (Selmasongs, Vespertne, Medúlla and Drawing Restraint 9). He has also worked with múm on Finally We Are No One and CocoRosie on The Adventures Of Ghosthorse And Stillborn. On Bedroom Community releases, Valgeir contributed towards Ben Frost's Theory of Machines and Nico Muhly's Speaks Volumes. Nico in turn reciprocated, and played piano for six (out of ten) tracks on Ekvílíbrium. Which finally brings us to the album. Ekvílíbrium captures some of the most essential elements of today's electronica [if such genre dares to exist]. From tightly produced, programmed, cut up, and re-arranged sounds to organic drums, guitars, full blown strings and brass section, Valgeir toys with sounds and melodies that speak out in their own unique music tongue. The vocals from Will Oldham (aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy) and Faun Fables' Dawn McCarthy, are neatly folded and cradled by the top-notch mastered instrumentation. Some pieces contain that toytronic sound with music-box-like-quality, that is so reminiscent by the aforementioned múm. What I'm trying to say is this: if "Icelandic" was a sub-genre of electronic music all on its own, then Sigurðsson should be mentioned in the headline for its definition. For now, I can only attempt to throw around labels like leftfield, downtempo, and modern classical, to capture this unique sound. Whip out your best headphones [and not necessarily the most expensive] - Ekvílíbrium is a sure treat for audiophiles. Recommended for the above mentioned names, plus Sylvain Chauveau, Deaf Center, Helios, Marsen Jules and Jóhann Jóhannsson. Favorite track: Winter Sleep.

myspace.com/valgeirs | bedroomcommunity.net

Stars Of The Lid - And Their Refinement Of The Decline (Kranky)

It seems that I've been lately in a "chill out" mode, talking up Somnia, Hidden Shoal, and Darla labels, so it only makes sense that I turn my attention to Kranky once again. Two disks full of ambient bliss come from this Chicago label, giving us yet another quality release from Austin based guitarists Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride, also known as the Stars Of The Lid. The latest SOTL release, And Their Refinement Of The Decline, is much more than a collection of drone-based ambient textures. It is indisputably modern classical in nature, where acoustic sounds stand out in front of the curtain of beatless soundscapes. The waves of pads and strings gently swell in dynamics towards the perfectly groomed and endless playa del sonido. These cycles of calmness retreat and repeat, as does everything else in the universe. Some critics may snicker at the genre, reminding them of massage parlors and yoga studios. But that may be because their mind is over polluted with thoughts - the daily noise that always promises a better tomorrow. But only if they pause and really listen, they would locate the present moment and the peace that lies within, with Stars Of The Lid providing the ideal accompaniment. In the world of contemporary ambient composition few excel in continuous evolution of sound. Stars Of The Lid is at the frontier, along with Hammock, The World on Higher Downs, Fennesz, Bitcrush and William Basinski. Their latest album reasserts once again, that Wiltzie and McBride are indeed the stars of our own personal cinema, located somewhere between the eye and the eyelid.

myspace.com/starsofthelid | brainwashed.com/sotl
myspace.com/krankyltd | kranky.net

Stateless - Stateless (Studio !K7)

I first came across Stateless after hearing Chris James contribute vocals to DJ Shadow's last album, The Outsider. I picked up the self titled debut on Studio !K7, and got treated to exactly what I was looking for - indie tracks mixed with trip-hop beats and a hint of that Radiohead sound. Stateless is a Leeds based band comprising of afore mentioned Chris James on vocals, guitars and keyboards; Justin Percival on the bass; David Levin on the drums; Rod Buchanan-Dunlop on live-FX and keyboards, and Gerard Roberts (Kidkanevil) on the turntables adding that staple Portishead feel. By the time you reach the third track, Bloodstream, which also appeared as a promo single (with two remixes by Henrik Schwarz), you realize that Stateless got somethin' there. Still a bit in the shadow of Josh Davis [pun intended?], Stateless is starting to pick up steam across the UK electronic/indie scene. Listening to an album a couple of times, you realize that Stateless' lyrics are full of soul. This is the kind of album you've been craving for without knowing. Play Bloodstream to your [non-electronic-inclined] friends in a car, and they'll be asking you questions about the artist, to which, in a matter-of-fact voice you can reply, "Oh, that? That's Stateless. Haven't you heard?" Recommended if you also follow leftfield sound from Hird, Plej, Little Dragon, Unkle and Nostalgia 77.

myspace.com/statelessonline | statelessonline.co.uk
myspace.com/k7records | k7.com

Sankt Otten - Wunden Gibt Es Immer Wieder (Hidden Shoal)

Hidden Shoal continues to impress. My first introduction to the label was with Wes Willenbring's debut, Somewhere Someone Else. With its 29th release, it is clear that this Australian label is in no doubt with us to output quality experimental ambient, post-rock, and shoegazing pop material from across the globe. Sankt Otten is Stephan Otten and Oliver Klemm, hailing from Osnabrueck, Germany, with two previous full length releases: Eine Kleine Traurigkeit on Eleganz Records, and Wir Koennen Ja Freunde Bleiben on Hidden Shoal. Don't try to translate the titles, just take in the music as is. Trust me. Wunden Gibt Es Immer Wieder, is the duo's third LP, in which they shed the Bristol's trip-hop influence, and move towards a cinematic territory. The instrumental ambiance of the album is lavishing, gorgeous, and inexplicably German [well, what's that supposed to mean?]. I guess some of those lightly distorted, sawtooth synth and guitar sounds gliding over thick and layered pads is what makes it "that German sound" for me - think Ulrich Schnauss, Klaus Schulze, and sometimes Pole. Read my Two and a Half Questions with Sankt Otten to see what they think about that. The percussion accompaniment is light and upbeat, diluting melancholic heaviness with an airy feeling. And the melodies... Ah, the melodies. The track, Der Groove Des Guten Gewissens, with its dramatic strings and high octave piano notes is a true cinematic experience - turn that up and walk around the city in the rain, and let me know if your eyes don't swell up with tears. Both Hidden Shoal releases are available and distributed through Tonevendor. Similar artists cloud includes Talk Talk, Ennio Morricone, Portishead, John Barry and Bohren & der Glub of Core.

myspace.com/sanktotten | sanktotten.de
myspace.com/hiddenshoal | music.hiddenshoal.com

Gescom - A1-D1 (Skam)

Gestalt Communications returns after four years of silence, with two 12"s on Skam. The same release is repackaged into a mini white album with a clear sticker announcing in Braille its abbreviated name. The rest is just bar code and catalog number. The six tracks contain chopped up, effed up, transposed and twisted samples from classics like the 1978 disco, Space Dust, by Galactic Force Band; the 1994 acid track Downfall by Armando; 1993 ambient piece by David Byrne and Brian Eno, Come With Us; and a Chicago house track, No Way Back, from 1986 by Adonis. As always, the true identity behind the Gescom collective remain unknown, and we can only guess at the names of the usual suspects. Of course, Skam does not shed any light on the obscured artists either. What we can extract from this release is that it's as dirty, mental, and sick acid flashback as we could possibly anticipate. Whether Sean Booth or Rob Brown were involved, we can only presume, but will never know. What we can be sure of, is that A1-D1 sounds nothing like the 2008 album by Autechre, Quaristice. Perhaps Russel Haswell or Rob Hall had another hand at this. But since Gescom (aka, friends of Autechre) is a project of almost twenty different people, the digging and guessing is a moot point. Ignore the mystery and enjoy the release if you like abstract IDM by the above mentioned names plus AFX, The Tuss, Lego Feet, Jega, Clark, and Mr. 76ix. And I really dig A1.

skam.co.uk | myspace.com/gescomskam

The Field - From Here We Go Sublime (Kompakt)

Slapping the terms like "trance", "minimal", and "techno", may quickly dismiss this album's true essence. But these labels shine some truth on what the music has to offer. The album undeniably employs 4/4 rhythm, which, I suppose, classifies it as techno; its minuscule musical progression begs for the minimal adjective; and its repetitive and hypnotic structure, no doubt puts people into trance. But that's just on the surface. Beyond the deeper layers, Axel Willner, who goes by the name The Field, employs tiny sampled, hiccuped, locked loops, that create the music all on their own, as if the needle was stuck in skipping groove. Yet, From Here We Go Sublime is not a banging stomp of grinding beats that you may imagine it to be. In fact, it is relaxing and surreal; it is a child of ambient and techno; it is sublime. Landing the album on Kompakt Records couldn't be more appropriate for Willner. The German label has released numerous minimal gems in the past years, from Thomas Fehlmann, Gui Boratto, Klimek and Richard Voigt. And who could deny Kaito's skillfully approach to simplicity in his Hundred Million Light Years. The reviews you may find on The Field are mixed. It may seem that skill is underplayed, when loops go on forever with barely any manipulation, as if an amateur discovered the fun in Ableton's sample locking, layering and filters. But it is that minimal progression, the buildup without the dynamics, the riding trip into narcotic fractal, that works well for Willner, time and time again. My favorite track is A Paw In My Face, because at the end it becomes "unstuck" and my brain unplugs as if the switch flips off in my electric chair.

myspace.com/thefieldsthlm | garmonbozia.se/thefield
myspace.com/kompakt | kompakt-net.de

Life Toward Twilight - I Swear By All The Flowers (Bottle Imp)

Tiny vinyl crackles are quietly put to sleep by a music box lullaby. The simplistic nature of I Swear By All The Flowers urges against dismissing the album too quickly. And so I dig. Bottle Imp is an independent label specializing in genres like glitch, breakcore, ethereal and darkwave. Its four first official releases are from a single artist, plus a recent addition to its roster, BLÆRG. That first, prominent name, is Life Toward Twilight, a Detroit based solo dark ambient and post-industrial project of Daniel Tuttle. Tuttle is the man behind the label as well, which features an archive of previous net releases available as a free download. But the record that I’m listening to is far from any of the above mentioned genres. It’s ambient atmospheres, dirty hisses, and analog noises as if they were recorded from... ah, yes! All of the sounds indeed were recorded from antique sources, like grandfather clocks, music boxes, old factories, steam trains, and yes, even wax cylinder recordings! I am a proud owner of a Victrola myself, which I occasionally wind up to marvel at its analog technology of sound magnification. An entire album made of such bits and pieces, with an old detuned piano, is a truly haunting experience. A meditative echo of the past. Voices of a forgotten era recorded by the magnetic fields of earth. This is an experimental album you’ll play over and over, and then talk to your friends about. Reminded me of The Refractors, Elegi, and Deaf Center.

myspace.com/lifetowardtwilight | ltt.bottle-imp.com

Onra - Chinoiseries (Label Rouge Prod / Favorite)

There is something super addictive in listening to these 32 sketches, each clocking under two minutes long. And the story behind the album is fascinating as well. Onra is a self proclaimed vinyl junkie, who goes on vacation to his grandparents’ birthplace, Saigon. Returning to France with a treasured collection of 30 records (all in poor condition), Onra sets off to layering beats on top of forgotten samples that capture the soul of Viet Nam. Chinoiseries, is a compilation of instrumental hip-hop vignettes, each offering a quick glimpse at the music from this distant land. Although a bit repetitive, too short, and lacking progression, it is the ideas and the approach behind each track that make this a brilliant composition. Still full of crackles and hiss, the raw production will inspire any crate digger to venture further out in search of exotic material. This is an essential addition to any lover of lo-fi beats (please restrain yourself from rapping). And your purchase will also go to a good cause! "All proceeds from the sale of the [CD format of the -ed.] album will be donated to ’La Goutte d’Eau’ association (www.la-goutte-deau.com) to help their humanitarian operations for Vietnamese people." Recommended if you like J Dilla, MF Doom, Madlib, RZA, Flying Lotus, and The Big Payback. Favorite tracks: The Anthem, Relax In Mui Ne, Apocalypse Now, Smoking Buddha... (OK, I’ll stop there. Otherwise I’ll end up posting entire album’s tracklist.)

myspace.com/onra
myspace.com/favoriterecordings | myspace.com/jeromelabelrougeprod

Sidewaytown - Years In the Wall (Skygaze Music)

Feeling like an outsider, "a stranger on sideways", and inspired by Sigur Rós live performances and their unique constructed language, Markus Baltes builds his own world, calling it Sidewaytown. Instead of brooding shoegaze, Baltes adds edgy guitars and creates Germany’s first skygazing post-rock, layered with his vocals. After years of trial and error, in frustration of previously failed attempts, Baltes thrusts himself into a studio with Markus Stock (Ulf Theodor Schwadorf), to rerecord his opus. At first the album seemed a bit blend to me, but the more I listened, the more I picked out the melodies, and the story unfolded. I definitely prefer to be blown away by an album from the start, but there are also some instances where the intricate details can be marveled upon only after repeated and detailed examination. Like a sip of wine that initially overwhelms, yet upon additional tasting opens its bouquet for your buds to dance to. So does the story of Sidewaytown unfolds. In addition to Sigur Rós, Baltes names My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Oceansize, and David Lynch to be among his many influences. Support the artist by buying the album directly from the official website.

myspace.com/sidewaytown | sidewaytown.com

Ólafur Arnalds - Eulogy For Evolution (Erased Tapes Records)

Majestic, graceful, gorgeous and sublime are only the first few words that come to mind when I listen to Ólafur Arnalds’ debut on Erased Tapes Records titled Eulogy For Evolution. Iceland scores once again, with another composer feeling right at home with many instruments - piano, organ, and a melodica. Bring in the strings - cello, viola and violins - and you’ve got an acoustic ensemble for the melancholic sound easily compared among countryman Jóhann Jóhannsson and, of course, Max Richter. Just when you’ve slotted the chamber sound among the modern classical genre, Arnalds throws in some drums and all of a sudden you’re listening to progressive post-rock. The last pieces on the album are exceptionally emotional, starting off with a solo violin performance and building into a progression full of surprises - so I won’t ruin it here. I especially like how the piano recording is separated in the stereo field: the sound of key action preemptively heard in right channel, followed by the hammer striking the string in center, and the soft dull stomp of a pedal somewhere in the left. I rate the album with AAA - Astonishing Acoustic Aural experience. No wonder it showed up at the top of many Best of 2007 lists. Did you happen to miss it? Rapidly elevating to the highest ranks among the contemporary composers, twenty-year-old Ólafur Arnalds is definitely the name to watch in the upcoming years. A must in any collector’s library.

myspace.com/olafurarnalds | olafurarnalds.com
myspace.com/erasedtapes | erasedtapes.com

Ricardo Villalobos - Fabric 36 (Fabric)

The label created by the London’s club Fabric, and known for their mix CDs, featuring sounds from some staple names like Carl Craig, Adam Beyer, and even John Digweed, brings you its 36th installment of minimal tech house by Ricardo Villalobos. Born in Santiago, Chile, Villalobos moved to Germany at the age of three. At the age of 24 (1994) he released his first EP on Playhouse, followed by a debut LP almost 9 years later, titled Alcachofa, on the same label. Since then, Villalobos has been enjoying a stream of consistent quality minimal, micro, and tech house releases. Villalobos’ three other aliases are Bispeed Black, Richard Wolfsdorf, and Termiten; his most notable collaborations include Social Being with Justin McNulty, and Ric Y Martin with Santiago born Martin Schopf (aka Dandy Jack). Fabric 36 is a continuous mix, compiled of mostly Villalobos’ tracks and mixed by himself - it thus can be treated as an album. The rhythms are simple, light and groovy, and I loose myself in the hypnotic sound over and over, as the tracks effortlessly blend into one another, and ride on. This may come off counter-intuitive for some critics of techno, but I often use such minimal sound as a tool: to relax, clear my mind, and on occasion even cure a headache. Recommended if you like Matthew Dear (False), Dominik Eulberg, Marc Houle and Gabriel Ananda.

myspace.com/ricardovillalobos00 | cocoon.net
myspace.com/fabricfamily | fabriclondon.com