Rolling "favorite music of 2012 so far" thread (albums and/or tracks edition)

Ooh, I missed the new Nneka album being out! Looks like Amazon has it for $4.99 too. Good day for me.

it's great!

you forgot grimes

her 8.5 score from pitchfork really speaks to me

feel u on that

that karen dalton is really great

Ali Ag Amoumine - Takamba

― Moka, Sunday, February 12, 2012 12:18 PM (1 month ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

hell yeah, this is fantastic. especially like the last track on the LP ("mali") and the sweet, acoustic A side of the single ("amidinine")

african music has become my favorite kind lately, though i'm not sure exactly how this happened. another recent favorite:

music from saharan cell phones - various artists

also on sahel sounds, also from late 2011, technically

perseus- running back to you(track)

walsh- back 2 the high life

perseus is fantastic. that song is interesting but i like the jeremy glenn remix a bit better. very similar moves in both

this has been my catnip so far this year...

blondes - s/t
john talabot - ƒin
nina kraviz - s/t
donato dozzy & neel - voices from the lake
todd terje - it's the arps
ital - hive mind
symmetry - themes for an imaginary film
sfv acid - grown

(technically last year)
floating points - shadows
radio people - hazel

The Herringbones - Once More Tied To The Mast
Seckstronicks - Circkit Slave
Eat Your Greens - Veg Out! With...
Smack Mandate - Everybody's Bangin' Her But Me
Ugly Sister - Bogeydance

hmmm

so... none of those are real albums, right?

everything's real, mordy

"donato dozzy & neel - voices from the lake" this seems innaresting

voices from the lake is stunning

blondes - s/t
john talabot - ƒin
donato dozzy & neel - voices from the lake
todd terje - it's the arps

4 excellent choices from psychgawsple there

didn't feel symmetry but i have limited (ie: almost no) tolerance for italians do it better in general

album that i'm gonna mention here because it doesn't fit into a rolling thread and it's not ~amazing~ enough to start a thread of its own for, but it's still really worth a listen - they keychain collection by gang colours. really organic-sounding, pastoral electronic sketches that really hit the spot when it comes to spring hangover time with the sun streaming through the window and your brain in repose

Album faves at the vernal equinox:

Grimes - Visions
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory
Chairlift - Something
Hanne Hukkelberg - Featherbrain
Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters - Underrated Silence (this year's Tycho - Dive)
Silver Swans - Forever

The Orbital + Zola Jesus - "New France" single is nice, too.

listening to that gang colours right now and it's really nice, although i'm a little surprised that you're into it, lex? it's definitely up my alley though.

i find it very soothing in its slightness

Couple of tracks from recent months:

Cosmic Metal Mother - Italian Cowboy
Cruise Family - We're in Heaven (Dream Mix)
Flights of Fancy - Tempo of the Night
Keith Fullerton Whitman - Issue Generator (For Eliane Radigue)
Burial - Ashtray Wrap
School of Seven Bells - Love From a Stone
Mano Le Tough - Mountains

I'm certain I've heard that Gang Colours album but I can't remember the slightest thing about it :(

Cruise Family - We're in Heaven (Dream Mix)
Flights of Fancy - Tempo of the Night
Mano Le Tough - Mountains

cosign! i need to get my hands on the flights of fancy and mano le tough eps but i love what i've heard from them

didn't feel symmetry but i have limited (ie: almost no) tolerance for italians do it better in general

this is probably the least typical release they've put out tho, seems to be more of an homage to howarth or moroder scores than anything vaguely 'italo'. it's not particularly novel either tho, lots and lots of ppl are emulating '80s sdtks these days

LHF – Keepers of the Light [Keysound]
Yöt – Bitch Bender [Raha & Tunteet]
Shady Blaze – The Grind, Hustle & Talent [Green Ova]
Non Person – Things With Consequences, Part 1 [1-0-8]
Henny Moan – The Coming Thaw [CDR]
Agali Ag Amoumine – Takamba [Sahelsounds]
10-20 – Magnet Marsh [Broken60]
Dean Blunt – The Narcissist II [CDr]
DVA – Pretty Ugly [Hyperdub]
Sun Araw & M. Geddes Gengras meet The Congos – Icon Give Tank [RVNG]
Dro Carey – Tussin Underwater [Brain---So---Soft]
Starlito – For My Foes [Grind Hard]
Future – Astronaut Status [Self Released]
Lil Ugly Mane – Criminal Hypnosis: Unreleased Shit [Self Released]
Gucci Mane – Trap Back [Brick Squad]
Spaceghostpurrp - RVIDER KLVN GXX XX BXXXK Vol.1 [Self Relesed]

yeah, that's why i couldn't get into it, felt so predictable, just sort of drifted by without leaving an impression

xpost

yea i mean i definitely dig that style through the johnny jewel lens but i'm not sure it's going to win anyone over who isn't enamored with that idea in the first place

My heavily influenced ILM picks. A bit redundant posting this (since I've found so much on threads like this one), but thought I'd share anyway...

ALBUMS/EPs

Blondes, Blondes
John Talabot, fin
Grimes, Visions
Julia Holter, Ekstasis
Ital, Hive Mind
Todd Terje, It's The Arps
Gucci Mane, Trap Back
Cruise Family, We're in Heaven
Kalenna, Chamber of Diaries
DJ Sliink, Vibrate
Lil B 'The BasedGod', Gods Father
Peaking Lights, 936 Remixed

TRACKS

Usher, Climax
DJ Q, Brandy & Coke
JoJo, Sexy To Me
Metronomy, Corinne (Benoit & Sergio Cover)
Dawn Richard, Black Lipstick
Funkystepz, Circles
Konshens, Gyal A Bubble
Miguel, Adorn
Pachanga Boys, Time
Teyana Taylor, Make Your Move feat. Wale
Nicki Minaj, Stupid Hoe
I Octane, Money Me Want
Big K.R.I.T., We Buy Gold feat. 8Ball & MJG

TRACKS

melanie fiona - 4am
usher - climax
miguel - adorn
todd terje - inspector norse
john talabot - when the past was present
miguel migs ft. meshell ndegocello - close you eyes (deetron remix)
benoit & sergio - corinne
lil b - poppin' v
kendrick lamar ft. gunplay - cartoons & cereal
gunplay - low life
rick ross ft. drake & french montana - stay schemin
rich kidz ft. waka flocka - my life
riff raff & lil debbie - brain freeze
j. stalin - who are you
future - swap it out
alley boy - cops on the block
chief keef - 3hunna
kirko bangz - drank in my cup
tyga - rack city
young thug ft. shawty lo & skooly - curtains

i would just like to point out to all the people in the EOY thread who were whining about there being fewer tracks for individual albums/tracks and that the people in the rolling threads were keeping the good shit from you that i have started, and i have seen started, a lot more individual-artist threads this year, and 90% of them have completely died. which is fine, it's expected and that's why we HAVE rolling threads, but i hope to see no more whining this year

You should have been a primary school teacher.

i only like kids if i can give them back to their parents when i get bored of them

Cannibal Corpse - Torture
Carter Tutti Void - Transverse
VCMG - SSSS
John Talabot - Fin
Blondes - Blondes
UFOmammut - ORO I
Session Victims - The Haunted House Of House
Killing Joke - MMXII
White Hills - Frying On This Rock
Alexander Tucker - Third Mouth
High On Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis
Motorpsycho & Staale Storloekken - The Death Defying Unicorn
Mark Lanegan - Blues Funeral
Swans - We Rose From Your Bed With The Sun In Our Head
Black Rain - Now I'm Just A Number (reissue)
John Foxx and the Maths - The Shape Of Things
SunnO))) - 00Void (reissue)
Burial - Kindred (EP)

Nice choices tpp, but I don't think that Rack City and Who Are You are 2012 releases...

John Foxx and the Maths - The Shape Of Things
Carter Tutti Void - Transverse

what are these like? i am def intrigued

Foxxy is a lot more bleak and grimy sounding than last year's album but it's got plenty of good songs on it and it's always a pleasure to hear Ben Edwards playing synthesizer.

Transverse is the real revelation though. There's a stream of it on our site if you want to listen to it. Although it might be in other places by now. The album is the straight recording of their forty minute, four song set at Mute's Short Circuit festival in London about a year ago. It's just an absolute pleasure from start to finish. It sounds like a really good TG live album, mixed with some great industrial techno and duelling guitars. Nik Void sounding like Daniel Ash/Paul Leary with a hangover and Cosey, well, like Cosey. Really puts a thunder in your chest.

Although I'm a total TG/FF/C&C Music Factory partisan.

Streamed Transverse on a whim late last night... er, WOW. Instant love for this!

Yeah this stuff sounds amazing.

1st quarter wrapup.. no one cares because i listen to too much rock but yeah... I think these are all 2012 anyway
01 Big Freedia "Booty-Whop"
02 Cloud Nothings "Cut You"
03 Mr Dream "Believing and Shitting"
04 Nicki Minaj "Stupid Hoe"
05 Grass is Green "Somebody's Something"
06 French Montana "Shot Caller"
07 A Place To Bury Strangers "So Far Away"
08 Japandroids "The House That Heaven Built" (as of yesterday)
09 Ceremony "World Blue"
10 Speedy Ortiz "Taylor Swift"

"Shot Caller" is probably 2011.. I dont remember.

Carter Tutti Void - Transverse
some of this is on spotify. sounds fuckin great so far

just heard the end of one song and there is applause suggesting this is a live album which is kinda blowin my mind just a bit

"Shot Caller" is probably 2011.. I dont remember.

― billstevejim, Tuesday, March 27, 2012 1:13 PM (54 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah, it is

Nice choices tpp, but I don't think that Rack City [is a] 2012 release...

― MikoMcha, Friday, March 23, 2012 4:56 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

chart peak was in 2012

There's a new Big Freedia track out and I haven't heard it?!

My own, pathetic first quarter round up would go a little something like this:

ALBUMS
John K. Samson, Provincial
The Wedding Present, Valentina
The Joel Plaskett Emergency, Scrappy Happiness

(yeah, not a great year for me and albums so far)

TRACKS (not including songs from any of the aforementioned albums for the time being)
Cassie - "King of Hearts"
Charli XCX – “Valentine”
Leonard Cohen – “Show Me The Place”
Heartless Bastards - "Marathon"
Ladyhawke – “Black, White & Blue”
Nicki Minaj – “Stupid Hoe”
Miryo – “Dirty”
Plan B - "Ill Manors"
Saint Etienne – “Tonight”
Timbaland ft. Dev - "Break Ya Back"
Bobby Womack - "Please Forgive My Heart"

guess no one else likes the new Cardinal lp, Hymns...

Here's my rolling Spotify "new albums I have enjoyed in 2012" playlist:

http://open.spotify.com/user/miketd/playlist/0YUc5Yfd5pdxMPqQ4Fqqu4

xp I think I'm really enjoying Charli XCX.. Replace "Shot Caller" with one of her songs.

No idea there was a new Plaskett - must investigate.
Cardinal Hymns is kinda meh - hate to say it but I tried and tried.

mike, that world routes album is sick. thanks for the playlist!

call to hearts (intro)
black lipstick
bombs
automatic
change
heaven
faith
scripture
smfu (remix)
the battle (outro)

whats the name of the album?

rusty otm

weird album name

it's ok jvc; someone answered my question in the Dawn Richard thread

ie Dawn Richard - Armor On

albums & tracks so far http://alexmacpherson.tumblr.com/post/20411776428/q1-2012-report

youtube playlist http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1F21306AE3F94E0B

ALBUMS:
Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
Blondes - s/t
Todd Terje - It's the Arps
Alcest - Les voyages de l'âme
Chairlift - Something

I'll second the Escort mention as well.

― skip, Sunday, February 12, 2012 1:46 PM (1 month ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I'll add Django Django, Tennis, the Men, Talabot, and Hospitality to this list.

yay lex, u don't like grimes

lex, is Voices from the Deep meant to be Voices from the Lake or is it something different?

they could have had it all if only they rolled

google also suggests lex may have been digging some whale sounds

hahahahaha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK4fxOuQMMY

liars - "no. 1 against the rush"

dang, i meant not to embed that

srys

xpost. I do like about 2/3 of the Cardinal album a lot, and I think it's throwing some reviewers for a loop because it's closer to Moles with some horns pasted on. But, the latter half kind of drags up until Radio Birdman.

Also very fond of:

White Rabbits - Milk Famous (basically Spoon)
Now, Now - Thread (basically Tegan & Sara meet Swirlies)
Paul Weller - Sonik Kicks (basically David Bowie)
Hospitality - Hospitality

I seem to be all indie rock this year.

Now, Now - Thread (basically Tegan & Sara meet Swirlies)

really enjoying this record

lex, is Voices from the Deep meant to be Voices from the Lake or is it something different?

yes :( i have corrected it.

Orbital in there next to Field Music straight from the off.

Yuna - live your life

Track produced by pharrell williams and it might just be one of my favorite of his in years. Everything rolls so smoothly, wishing it becomes a hit but its probably too subtle to get noticed in the charts, still its one of those songs that you know youre going to like since the first time you hear them.

Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland
Gareth Dickson
Mikhail
Teho Teardo
Pupkulies & Rebecca

(all album-mum-mum-mums)

Been a bit out the loop lately with things, but I quite enjoyed a mini-album by Phantogram called "Nightlife" the other night which was pretty good if you like the Chairlift record.

Latest additions:

ALBUM(S)
Big Freedia - God Save The Queen Diva

TRACKS
Miguel - "Arch 'n' Point"
Tomboyfriend - "Alexander McQueen"

Yuna - live your life

Track produced by pharrell williams and it might just be one of my favorite of his in years. Everything rolls so smoothly, wishing it becomes a hit but its probably too subtle to get noticed in the charts, still its one of those songs that you know youre going to like since the first time you hear them.

whoa, i'm into this. so bleary.

I made a http://reverenddollars.tumblr.com/post/20556599643/q1-jamz

Kinda did an odd arrangement of a dozen groupings of three at least semi-related songs I like.

Well did a top 10 for January so might as well do one for each passing month:

February 2012

Bondax - All Inside
Danny Brown - Grown Up
Lapalux - Moments
Kidnap Kid - Vehl
Notorious B.I.G. - Going to Cali (Viceroy 'Jet Life' remix)
NZCA/LINES - Okinawa Channels
Santigold - Disparate Youth
Tennis - Petition
Usher - Climax
Yuna - Live Your Life

March 2012

Bobby Womack - Please Forgive My Heart
Chromatics - Back from the Grave
Gacha - Remember
Liars - No.1 Against the Rush
Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again
Miguel - Adorn
Mister Lies - Cleam
Nina Kraviz - Ghetto Kraviz
Sufjan Stevens - Futile Devices (Shigeto remix)
TV Girl - I Wonder Who She's Kissing Now

Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK
Rizzla - DICK

Since discovering Moondog, all I can listen to is Moondog.

some stuff i've really dug since i last posted an update:

V/A (but esp Neko Case) - Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond
Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang - An Letah
Lyriel - Leverage
Colleen Green - Milo Goes To Compton
Mirel Wagner - Self-Titled
Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror
Now, Now - Threads
Bola - Volume 7

I forgot last time I posted to mention:

Hatcham Social - About Girls

Which seems very likely to be a top-10 album for the year. Never would have heard of them if not for ilm.

yes that is a very good album. i don't think it has some of the highs of their earlier records but it is definitely stronger overall than their previous stuff. if you like it you'll almost certainly like their earlier album

Track of the year for me so far - The Thing And Neneh Cherry 'Dream Baby Dream'

seeing that made me do a kind of triple take (THAT The Thing and THAT Neneh Cherry and THAT Dream Baby Dream???), but then it couldn't possibly work any better.

Dustin Wong's my album of the year so far.

the thing + neneh is one of those things that seems crazy when you see it but then kinda makes perfect sense given neneh's background

i find it really confusing that this thread is albums & tracks mixed into one, i'm going to start a tracks/singles one soon

actually maybe i'll just do that now

Tracks

Usher-Climax
Big K.R.I.T-Boobie Miles
Chromatics-Back From The Grave
Cinnamon Girl-Friends
Santigold-Disparate Youth
Scoolboy Q-2 Raw
Lana Del Rey-Radio
Alexandra Burke-Let It Go
Spiritualized-Hey Jane
Sylver Tongue-Hook You Up
Hot Chip-Flutes
Saint Etienne-Tonight
Dexys-Nowhere Is Home
Nelly Furtado-Big Hoops (Bigger The Better)
Dawn Richard-Scripture
Amadou & Mariam Feat. Santigold-Dougou Badia
Nicki Minaj-Come on a Cone

Albums

Spiritualized-Sweet Light Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Dawn Ricahard-In Armor
Tindersticks-The Something Rain
Grimes-Visions
Melanie Fiona-The MF Life
Lana Del Rey-Born To Die
The Chap-We Are Nobody
School Of Seven Bells-Ghostory
The 2 Bears-Be Strong
Schoolboy Q-Habits & Contradictions
Nite Jewel-One Second Of Love
Chairlift-Something

Obviously I had to look up what the Spiritualized album was called (and still messed it up here) as I've been calling it Huh? all year.

Just saw this singer make her debut live performance. Very, very impressed.

http://youtu.be/zciFwVnPtsw

So far, no order:

E-40 feat. Juicy J & 2 Chainz - They Point
Kendrick Lamar feat. Gunplay - Cartoons & Cereal
Wiley, Flow Dan, Riko & Manga - F'Off
The 2 Bears - Work (Toddla T Remix feat. Trim, Scrufizzer & Trigganom)
Funkystepz x Rihanna - Birthday Cake (Miami Bass Edit)
Azealia Banks - NeedSumLuv
Nicki Minaj - Stupid Hoe
Nicki Minaj feat. Beenie Man - Gun Shot
Cassie - King of Hearts
Footsie feat. Brakeman - On That One
Swindle feat. Footsie & Nadia Suliman - Ignition
Swindle - Pineapple
Preditah - Overdose
Trim - Notice Now (Elsewhere Remix Dub)
Purity Ring - Obadear
Sylver Tongue - Hook You Up
Objekt - Cactus
Pearson Sound - Untitled
Rockwell - Tripwire
Jubei feat. Flow Dan - Say Nothin

This may be premature, but I am liking Elio Villafranca and Arturo Stable's Dos y Mas (jazz, definitely not salsa or trad. Afro-Cuban dance music, though there are certainly connections to the latter).

Also, Tokyo Jihen's Beaucoup de Bruit pour Rien has grown on me a lot, especially in that live version I just linked to, god willing.

albums:
michael pisaro - fields have ears (6)
skogen - ist gefallen in den schnee
squarepusher - ufabulum
ouija boys - fuscia ep
en - already gone

there should be a thread about michael pisaro

ranked favorite albums of 2012, vaguely and hastily... all my fav tracks would come from these as well, i'm sure... couple reissues at the bottom:

Windy and Carl - We Will Always Be
Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
Spiritualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light
John Talabot - ƒin
Eyvind Kang - The Narrow Garden
Om - Advaitic Songs
Julia Holter - Ekstasis
Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II
Mohn - Mohn
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory
Mirrorring - Foreign Body
Ufomammut - Oro: Opus Primum
A Place to Bury Strangers - Worship
Alcest - Les voyages de l'âme
Ambarchi/O'Rourke/Haino - Imikuzushi
The Men - Open Your Heart
Dirty Three - Toward the Low Sun
James Blackshaw - Love Is the Plan, the Plan Is Death
Worm Ouroboros - Come the Thaw
Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction
Fela Kuti - Live in Detroit 1986
v/a - The Minimal Wave Tapes Volume Two

agree with Doran that Neneh Cherry & the Thing "Dream Baby Dream" is pretty much #1 track of the year so far, though-- so so good

standout tracks, what the hell...

Windy and Carl - "Fainting in the Presence of the Lord" (!!!!!) FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCKKKK
Killer Mike - "Reagan"
Spiritualized - "Headin' for the Top Now"
John Talabot - "So Will Be Now..."
Eyvind Kang - "Pure Nothing"
Mohn - Mohn "Ebertplatz 2020"
School of Seven Bells - "Lafaye"

i need to get up on more music released this year. lots of interesting stuff.

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Aufheben
Brother Sun Sister Moon - s/t
Grouper - Violet Replacement
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory
Windy & Carl - We Will Always Be

Dreams Say, View, Create, Shadow Leads - Dustin Wong

wow this is fucking gorgeous!!!

thanks!

1. Dawn Richard - Armor On
2. Ab-Soul - Control System
3. Miguel - Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1-3
4. Le1f - Dark York
5. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
6. Lone - Galaxy Garden
7. Nina Kraviz - s/t
8. Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
9. Nicki Minaj - Roman Reloaded
10. Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions

Good list. Talk to me about that Georgia Anne album.

killer mike is so, so good

rev, i was kinda with you when i heard ab-soul on spotify and i was thinking "so why is this guy playing third fiddle in black hippy?"

I wouldn't even say 3rd-fiddle! Seems like Kendrick (obv), Q, and Jay Rock are all more popular than him. But I think his album is on par (at least) with Section.80. The song where he's talking to his dead girlfriend makes me so ;_;

xp: Madlib-produced and a lot more focused than her usual. Sounds like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXNiy4in46s

ha i always forget jay rock is in black hippy, i guess because he came out way before

A couple of the best songs from the Muldrow aren't on youtube :/

Haven't had much chance to digest the album yet but I just found out about Alori Joh dying a couple of days ago. Really sad

gonna repost my Spotify playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/djperry1973/playlist/7Hi5uKSCgKZM5doRaEIDOz

it contains (in unranked order):

Schoolboy Q - Habits and Contradictions
Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror
Machinedrum - SXLND EP
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory
Trust - TRST
VCMG - SSSS
Dawn Richard - Armor On
Orbital - Wonky
Death Grips - The Money Store
Santigold - Master Of My Make-Believe
Ab-Soul - Control System
Rye Rye - Go! Pop! Bang!

Current faves:

Motion Sickness of Time Travel - s/t
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
Dawn Richard - Armor On
Zita Swoon Group - Wait For Me
Poliça - Give You the Ghost
Megafortress - s/t
Sun Araw, M Geddes Grengras and the Congos - FRKWYS 9
Nite Jewel - One Second of Love

Thanks rev, will check that for sure. I've liked her older stuff.

actress, r.i.p.
maga bo, quilombo do futuro
slugabed, time team (about half of it anyway)

also I am totally infatuated with this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu3oEc6CSpc&feature=related

man that Le1f album is so dope.

and I am loving that Georgia Anne Muldrow song

Claro Intelecto LP
Killer Mike LP
DJ Sprinkles & Mark Fell EP
Dream 2 Science Repress on Rush Hour
I:Cube Transpiration EP
Soul 223 EP on Delsin
Enjoying the Vakula Vedomir LP and anticipating his forthcoming Firecracker LP too

yay merchandise

Health - Max Payne 3 soundtrack

Health - Tears is awesome, especially because of how it comes in during the airport sequence.

Still a bunch of things I need to hear but...

Motion Sickness of Time Travel - s/t
Laurel Halo - Quarantine
Sun Araw, M Geddes Gengras and the Congos - FRKWYS 9
Julia Holter - Ekstasis
White Hills - Frying On This Rock
Brackles - Rinse Presents...
Actress - RIP
Shackleton - Music For The Quiet Hour
V/A - Shangaan Shake
Batida - s/t
Led Er Est - The Diver
White Car - Everyday Grace
Richard Youngs - Core To The Brave
Mirroring - Foreign Body
Belbury Poly - The Belbury Tales

now, now - threads LP and the rex or regina EP are by some distance my favourite things this year so far, at least until sulk drop their LP

Dream Continuum - Reworks EP

If reissues count, then Royal Headache.

Oh man that White Hills album cooks

Also enjoying the new Albini-recorded Screaming Females. If you like the sound of rock guitar, you'll probably like this.

2012 has been a disappointing year for me as far as anything goes, music included, but fuck my hat if I'm not a bit addicted to DJ Rashad's 'Teklife Vol.1: Welcome to the Chi' - simply the best introduction anyone can have to the burgeoning footwork scene.

Plenty of people have been getting excited on the dedicated chicago juke thread, but I think it needs wider attention. Whiney's review here not only nails it but also you can stream the whole thing here: http://www.spin.com/spin.com/reviews/dj-rashad-teklife-vol-1-welcome-chi-lit-city

It's crack for the ears... Smo-smo-smo-smosmossmosmosmosmosmo....

I went to all the trouble of making this collage for facebook, so I figured I'd post it here too. These are the 12 albums I probably maybe like the best from the first half of 2012:

http://i.imgur.com/Wj91u.jpg

Niki & The Dove - Instinct
Frankie Rose - Interstellar
Hot Chip - In Our Heads
Chairlift - Something
Chromatics - Kill for Love
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
Oddisee - People Hear What They See
Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth
Mrs. Magician - Strange Heaven
Twin Shadow - Confess
BEAK> - >>
Beat Connection - The Palace Garden

Do we have a "halfway through 2012" thread? Here's my hastily-scribbled top 12 from the first 1/2 of '12:

Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
Nite Jewel - One Second of Love
Tenniscoats - Papa's Ear
John Talabot - Fin
Grimes - Visions
Dawn Richard - Armor On
Julia Holter - Ekstasis
Zita Swoon Group - Wait For Me
Marissa Nadler - The Sister
Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras and the Congos - FRKWYS 9
Peaking Lights - Lucifer
Lee Ranaldo - Between the Times and the Tides

Lots of other things I like well enough and/or haven't made my mind up about yet: Neneh Cherry/Thing, Chromatics, Polica, SVIIB, Motion Sickness of Time Travel, Richard Youngs, Frankie Rose, THEESatisfaction, Sand Circles, Laurel Halo, Lone, Eyvind Kang, Dirty Three, Terje...

Biggest disappointment so far: Trembling Bells and Bonnie "Prince" Billy :(

Peaking Lights - Lucifer

This one's still in the air for me...def need to spend more quality time with it.

I didn't fall in love with it immediately like I did with 936 but it's growing on me.

Here's my "most enjoyed" for the first half of 2012:

Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
Beach House - Bloom
Laurel Halo - Quarantine
Loudon Wainwright III - Older Than My Old Man Now
Django Django - Django Django
Tindersticks - The Something Rain
Saint Etienne - Words And Music By Saint Etienne
Spiro - Kaleidophonica
Cafe Iman Istanbul - Fasl-i Rembetiko
Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
Todd Terje - It's The Arps
Batida - Batida
Dirty Three - Toward The Low Sun
Matt Elliott - The Broken Man
Natalie Duncan - Devil In Me
Carter Tutti Void - Transverse
Patti Smith - Banga
Get The Blessing - OC DC
Bella Hardy - The Dark Peak and The White
NZCA/LINES - NZCA/LINES
Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion
Neneh Cherry & The Thing - The Cherry Thing
Rumer - Boys Don't Cry
VDU - Past Future Sequence
Punch Brothers - Who's Feeling Young Now?
Auntie Flo - Future Rhythm Machine
Bobby Womack - The Bravest Man In The Universe
Usher - Looking 4 Myself
Talabarte - Talabarte
Cornshed Sisters - Tell Tales
THEESatisfaction - awE naturalE
Orbital - Wonky
Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters - Underrated Silence
Robert Glasper - Black Radio

thaT Batida record is amazing

My three favourite albums of the year came out in the last month.

iamamwhoami-Kin
Hot Chip-In Our Heads
Dexys-One Day I'm Going to Soar

1. Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship
2. Hospitality - S/T
3. Sonny and the Sunsets - Longtime Companion
4. Field Music - Plumb
5. Eric Chenaux - Guitar and Voice
6. Death Grips - The Money Store
7. Actress - R.I.P
8. Cupp Cave - Retina Waves
9. BEAK> - >>
10. Christian Cosmos - Enthronement By God As The First-Born of the Dead

Miguel - Art Dealer Chic EPs
Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music (Williams Street)
Leonard Cohen - Old Ways
Kellie Pickler - 100 Proof
Imperial Teen - Feel the Sound
Saint Etienne - Words and Music
R. Kelly - Write Me Back
Usher - Looking 4 Myself (RCA)
Rufus Wainwright - Out of the Game (Decca/Polydor)
Todd Snider - Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables (Aimless0
Beach House - Bloom (Sub Pop)
Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel (Epic)
Lambchop - Mr. M (Merge)
Hot Chip - In Our Heads (Astralwerks)
Sinead O’Connor - How About I Be Me (And You Be You) (One Little Indian)
Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory (Carpark)

JF: You've heard the Twin Shadow album? So psyched for that.

Yeah, I cheated by putting that in there since it doesn't come out until next week (or maybe the week after), but it's really pretty good.

So there are a few places putting up their best of the first six months of 2012 lists or similar:

Quietus Albums Of The Year So Far 2012
http://thequietus.com/articles/09217-quietus-albums-of-the-year-so-far-2012

The 40 Best Albums of 2012... So Far
http://www.spin.com/gallery/40-best-albums-2012-so-far

Pitchfork - 20 overlooked albums
http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8880-overlooked-records-2012/

Any other noteable ones out there?

Complex did this weird list which is mainly rap with occasional incursions from Beach House and Grimes

http://www.complex.com/music/2012/07/the-50-best-songs-of-2012-so-far

Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis (Sound Opinions):

http://www.soundopinions.org/shownotes/2012/062212/shownotes.html

I've bought (and therefore heard in full) exactly ten 'new in 2012' releases thus far. Of which the favourite five are perhaps:

Bertrand Burgalat - Toutes directions
Orbital - Wonky
Todd Terje - It's the Arps EP
Gemma Ray - Island Fire
Belbury Poly - The Belbury Tales

Favourite reissues and the like so far:

V/A - Andy Votel presents Music Minus Music
Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson - The Way Out Record For Children
My Bloody Valentine - EPs and Rarities
Ilaiyaraaja - Fire Star
Todd Rundgren & Utopia - Disco Jets
The Seasons: Drama Workshop w/Radiophonic Music by David Cain
V/A - Disco Discharge: Disco Exotica
F C Judd - Electronics Without Tears

Are those MBV reissues available on vinyl as well?

Loved that tQ list

pitchfork and quietus lists are interesting, sound opinions dudes reminding me why i don't listen to sound opinions

nice to see that spin's got bath salts covered

This is a very educational thread, thanks. Currently digging
Neneh Cherry & The Thing's The Cherry Thing (cool sunbursts in the robust, not too many light years from Rip Rig & Panic or Raw Like Sushi, no Radiohead or Nirvana covers in this rock/hip-hop-compatible bass culture jazz)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Americana
Fiona Apple, The Idler's Wheel
The dB's Falling Off The Sky (pretty tough for jangle, not trying to sound younger or older than they are. pretty limber for fiftysomethings)
The Hobart Brothers and Lil Sis Hobart Texastentialists with power pop stashed here and there, comes in handy: Freedy Johnston, Jon Dee Graham, Susan Cowsill.
Not looking fwd to new Dirty Projectors, having seen a couple of recent performances online, but maybe those were off-nights. They'll be performing the whole album live July 9, 10 p.m. EST http://youtube.com/thebowerypresents

Gnod - Chaudelande Vol. II
Het Droste Effect - Lingerland
Voder Deth Squad - II
Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras & The Congos
The Men - Open Your Heart
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory

Are those MBV reissues available on vinyl as well?
Not as yet. Vague promises of vinyl editions from K Shields in recent interviews. Don't hold yr breath yadda yadda.

This was my January to June soundtrack:

Admiral Fallow – The Paper Trench
Air – Seven Stars
Alabama Shakes – Hold On
Bahamas - Caught Me Thinkin
Batida – Tirei O Chapéu
Beach House – Other People
Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves Of Destiny – Sweet Tooth Bird
Bobby Womack – Please Forgive My Heart
Bright Light Bright Light - Waiting For The Feeling
Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
Castro – African Girls (feat. Baby Jet (Asamoah Gyan))
Chairlift – Amanaemonesia
Cornershop - What Did The Hippie Have In His Bag?
Damien Jurado – Nothing Is The News
Daniel Rossen – Silent Song
D'Banj – Oliver Twist
De La Soul's First Plug 1 & 2 present First Serve – Must B The Music
Dirty Projectors – Gun Has No Trigger
Django Django – Firewater
Dog Is Dead – Two Devils
Donnie & Joe Emerson – Baby
Esperanza Spalding – Vague Suspicions
Estelle - Cold Crush
Father John Misty - I'm Writing A Novel
Get The Blessing – Americano Meccano
Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know
Hot Chip – Night and Day
Jack White – Love Interruption
Jai Paul – Jasmine (demo)
Jake Bugg – Lightning Bolt
Jessie Ware – 110%
Jherek Bischoff – Eyes
Jupiter – One O Six
King Charles – Lady Percy
Leonard Cohen – Darkness
Little Boots – Headphones
Lone – Lying In The Reeds
Loreen – Euphoria
M. Ward - Primitive Girl
Marius – Yester
Miike Snow – Paddling Out
Natalie Duncan – Sky Is Falling
New Build – Behind the Shutter
Nicki Minaj – Starships
Nneka – Shining Star - Joe Goddard Remix Radio Edit
NZCA/Lines – Okinawa Channels
Patti Smith – April Fool
Paul Buchanan – Mid Air
Peaking Lights – All The Sun That Shines
Punch Brothers – New York City
Roberto Fonseca – 80´s
Robin Thicke – Never Give Up
Ronika - Automatic
Rudimental – Feel The Love - Feat. John Newman
Rumer – P.F. Sloan
Saint Etienne – Tonight
Sandro Perri – Changes
Sarah Williams White – If I Smile At You
Scissor Sisters – Let's Have A Kiki
Seu Jorge – Quem Não Quer Sou Eu
Shook feat. Ronika – Distorted Love
Stereo Venus - John Sebastian's Girl
Swimming – All Things Made New (Stand)
SWV – Do Ya Feat. Brianna Perry
Teengirl Fantasy – Cheaters (John Talabot's Classic Vocal Refix)
The 2 Bears – Bear Hug
The Drums – Days
THEESatisfaction – Deeper
Thepetebox – V.O.D.K.A
Tindersticks – Come Inside
Todd Terje – Inspector Norse
Usher – Climax
When Saints Go Machine – Add Ends
X-Press 2 – Dark Matar
Yeti Lane – Analog Wheel

man i've been slacking on new music this year so much stuff i've yet to hear :-(

I've been discovering more EOY candidates even since my last post:

Barbara Morgenstern - Sweet Silence
Fennesz - AUN
Las Malas Amistades - Maleza

tiny mix tapes - http://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/favorite-30-albums-of-2012-so-far-staff-feature

idk these are all the same already

otoh i didnt know there was a new chris corsano record, i could do with that

xp Actually, I kind of feel that there isn't much consensus so far tbh. Like only about half of the TMT list appears on any of the Quietus/P4K/Spin lists, still lots of albums being mentioned that I've never heard of.

i need to do some settling, i've listened to the same few records over and over again this year mostly. but here are some that have stood out along with them:

cloud nothings - attack on memory
black breath - sentenced to life
christian mistress - possession
steve lehman trio - dialect flourescent
gareth dickson - quite a way away
sidi touré - koïma
darius ciuta - mina
ebo taylor - appia kwa bridge

i've listened to pallbearer, high on fire, witch mountain, ufomammut, and the dirty three a lot too, probably going to have to get selective at the end of the year about what metal i prefer most.

my top grouping so far this year would be:

Alcest
Allo Darlin
Beach House
Blondes
Chairlift
Cloud Nothings
Deepspacepilots
Django Django
Hospitality
The Men
Tennis
Todd Terje EP

from the Deepspacepilots album, I really loved "Black Emmanuelle" but not much else. Maybe I'll have to give it more time

added Beak> to my best of 2012 playlist

cloud nothings and the men are on the top of my "bands i should in theory love but kinda bore me" list

i've already played the cloud nothings about 50 times this year!

Piccadilly Records Top 50 if we're still counting: http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/shop/feature.php?feature=702

DJ RASHAD - TEKLIFE VOl.1

THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!

Field Music
Liars
Talabot
Hawley
Grimes
Japandroids
Orbital
Chromatics

Mike T-D, you're usually v clued in to my tastes - am I missing anything?

So far, of the few things I've heard, my favorites are Action Bronson's "Blue Chips" and Royal Headache's s/t. Next three would be Grimes, Screaming Females, and Death Grips.

I have a feeling the new Gojira album will be added to my list soon.

xpost to Nick: Beach House and Dirty Three would be my safest tips, based on what I know of your tastes. Next would come Django Django, Todd Terje, Tindersticks. In the "hopefully he gets it" pile: Laurel Halo (plenty of people hate this, though), Matt Elliott (nobody is talking about this record, which is sad), Carter Tutti Void. I think you'd also like Get The Blessing, NZCA/LINES, Ulrich Schnauss/Mark Peters, Batida, Neneh Cherry & the Thing, Auntie Flo.

i've had a few weeks off new music and i really really need to be recommended some stuff that'll make me excited about music again

I'm not sure what to make of the Rudi Zygadlo album. It's incredible on a technical level, but despite that it manages to kind of drift by after a few songs..

I'm enjoying

Aleph - From Chaos to Cosmos
Black Dice - Mr Impossible
The Black Lips - Arabia Mountain
Dave Nada - Blow Your Head Two: Dave Nada presents Moombahton
Dream Continuum - Reworks EP
Flaming Lips - ...& Head Fwends
Ital - Hive Mind
King Creosote - I Learned From the Gaels
Neuport - CHORIZO ep
Peaking Lights - Lucifer
Philip Storey - Outside This House
Prinzhorn Dance School - Happy In Bits
Traxman - The Mind Of Traxman
UFOmammut - Oro: Opus Primum

Not really listened to all that much techno this year, but have really been enjoying Claro Intelecto - Reform Club these last few weeks.

Thanks Mike. Of those I've got (and quite like) Django Django, and I bought the Neneh Cherry & The Thing at the weekend. I've never got the fuss about Beach House, and don't know most of the others.

2nd quarter wrapup.....

01 Beak> "Spinning Top"
02 Frank Ocean "Super Rich Kids"
03 Broken Water "Coming Down"
04 Nicki Minaj "Come On A Cone"
05 Japandroids "The Nights of Wine and Roses"
06 Drake "The Motto"
07 Eric Copeland "Car Alarm"
08 Kitty Pryde "Okay Cupid"
09 Waka Flocka Flame "Foreign Shit"
10 Guided By Voices "Roll of the Dice, Kick In The Head"

albums
Beak>
Blanche Blanche Blanche
Merchandise
King Tuff
Broken Water
Japandroids
Black Dice
Speedy Ortiz
Frank Ocean

Track:

Sa Dingding - Lai Zhe Mo Jie

More from the same album on the way, possibly followed by the whole album, but I'm confused by my response to it.

Yes, it is sometimes bombastic New Age world music from China with politically dubious appropriations of Tibetan and ethnic minority themes (she's half-Mongolian herself, however), but. . .

Album:

Sa Dingding - The Coming Ones

(As predicted.) I like about half the songs a lot, and you just have to kind of ride the storm of the excessively mellow ones in-between. So much about the production is wrong here, but to me that just says that it must be her musicality that's coming through underneath. And then there are her vocals, all over the place in a good way, over top.

top 10
1. baroness
2. dj rashad
3. beak>
4. action bronson
5. swans
6. killer mike
7. white suns
8. pallbearer
9. torche
10. future

go hard or go home imo

home seems preferable tbh. cozy.

just jankin' you whines i ain't heard any of that shit

that does look like a cool list

haha pallbearer is like a big pillow

man, I wish I hadn't pictures of Action Bronson when googling for Blue Chips because I don't know if I'll be able to get over the "Violent J's legit side project" vibes

haha okay the music is actually putting that to rest, phew

also it is REALLY PISSING ME OFF that I like "The Motto"

portishead sideproject fan to messageboard: "go hard or go home"

Favourite trax right now:

F(x) - Electric shock
Jeri-Jeri with Mbene Diatta Seck - Mbeuguel Dafa Nekh
Alex Anwandter - Cómo Puedes Vivir Contigo Mismo?
Annelies Monseré - All Things Are Quite Silent
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Best Love
Heatsick - No Fixed Address
AlunaGeorge - You Know You Like It
Ikonika - I Make Lists

Best Coast, The Only Place--title song seems obligatory, sincere, self/peer-mocking, past that it's mostly a blue Pacific twilight breakup album, interrogating self and the ex, developing a tough Bronx accent sometimes, or maybe it's an Italian thing.
Patti Smith, Banga--ditch the first three tracks, maybe the last, "After The Gold Rush", which starts out as the perfect follow-up to themes and imagery in several originals, but then she shifts from"in the Nineteen Seven-ties" to "The Twenty-first Cen-tur-ee," repeated way too many times by a kiddie choir (!), and way too reductive when she ends it there, no burned-out basement, no thinking about what a friend had said. But most of the album still seems pretty damn strong so far--you can hear it and all her others on her MySpace---eeewww! But it's true, lot of other artists have tons of their albums on there, now that nobody goes.

portishead sideproject fan to messageboard: "go hard or go home"

― wack nerd zinging in the dead of night (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, July 20, 2012 12:12 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

have u heard portishead in the last five years?

no thank god

You might should give <i>Third</i> a whirl. I'm not that big a fan of 90s Portishead, but <i>Third</i> is one of my favorite albums of the last several years. And that BEAK> album is the fucking business.

damn you bbcode!

yeah, dude, i was NEVER a big fan of 90s Portishead and Third blew my brain open. It's their best album by a country mile

I'm a have to third this opinion--the last Portishead record is their best record (and the new Beak> album is pretty good, too, as was that Anika disc)...

third is easily the worst portishead album (it's ok though)

^ all the evidence you need to determine it's amazing.

I can imagine liking the third Portishead album but not the first (and the first album but not the third) but it would seem odd to me to feel very differently about the second and third.

Portishead's good 90s tracks come from the second album, definitely.

it would seem odd to me to feel very differently about the second and third.

why would it seem odd? they're very different albums with very different aesthetics over a decade apart.

the second is my favourite portishead album, i love the first two, i admire the third but i never got beyond admire into love - it kind of stayed at this level of forbidding that meant i never really wanted to listen to it

I thought I hated Portishead until Third (although "Over" is grate)

Beak> is my Geoff Barrow-related record to date. I'm kind of tired of people as describing "kraut" as something dated or used-up, to my ears it's a living, breathing genre that has unfortunately been tied to a time and place

Also it should be noted that Geoff Barrow is a member of Beak> but he is not the primary creative force i.e songwriter

I can imagine liking the third Portishead album but not the first (and the first album but not the third) but it would seem odd to me to feel very differently about the second and third.--G.E. Moore.

Odd, really? Beth changed up her melody style 100% on Third. Also Silver Apples fixation [plus] silence and emptiness [minus] spy soundtrack groovieness [plus] English girl losing her mind [minus] MPC [plus] EMS

Third is by far my favourite Portishead album, it's perfect. I think they got better with each album, can't wait for the next one.

I wish I knew how incredible Portishead would be in the '00s before they scheduled that ATP they curated

Yep whiney I like third, I like beak too, I bought third on vinyl but the first shipment was warped but the store let me return it

I just thought go hard or go home was funny, but you were just schticking anyway I know

I dunno, i know its schticky, but i kind of do feel like its 2012 and life is hectic (cash rules) and there's no time to be making or listening to soft shit.

Beak> isn't like Cattle Decap or nuthin but it's moody and gloomy and nauseous and abrasive and weird

I agree with that

I like your list. That pallbearer is way better than baroness though.....what is white suns?

Future is interesting to read about, didn't really strike me that much though

White Suns is a noize band who kind of mixes AmRep noise-metal with void-gazing feedback drones in fits and starts

go hard or go home imo

lol you can't have it both ways, either you go hard or you put baroness in your #1 spot

it would seem odd to me to feel very differently about the second and third.

why would it seem odd? they're very different albums with very different aesthetics over a decade apart.

― bitch I'm on the 242 (lex pretend), Saturday, July 21, 2012 9:41 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I was thinking more that I would expect people who love Third for its forbidding darkness to find that Portishead already anticipated a lot of that vibe, albeit not nearly as dramatically - esp. on "Cowboys", "Half Day Closing", "Elysium", etc. It seems odd to me that people could hate or dismiss it and then go on to love the next one.

It's my favourite as well.

the third isn't so stylebound.

My prob with 90s Portishead is I can't stand Beth when she tries to sing "jazzy". Thankfully, by Third she had cut that out.

I dunno, i know its schticky, but i kind of do feel like its 2012 and life is hectic (cash rules) and there's no time to be making or listening to soft shit.

― camp lo magellan (Whiney G. Weingarten), Saturday, July 21, 2012 9:52 AM (2 hours ago)

aero otm. i love that baroness album, but it's about as hard as a toasted marshmallow. it's like a comforter made out of chest hair. camping trips...

and portishead hasn't made a bad album

contendo OTM, all three Portishead albums are fantastic

I also agree with Tim in that I don't get how anyone couldn't see the roots of Third in Portishead

Agree that all three Portishead albums are great. I'd also add the Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man is rather brilliant too.

I know I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm loving Robag Wruhme's Thora Vukk lately

Okay, then--

Sa Dingding - The Coming Ones

Album of the year so far. Hairy warts and all.

just listened to a single off that sa dingding album. not sure i get it, entirely, but it's not like most things. doesn't really take off until 1:03...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQSM1qwNI3U

at first blush,Frank Ooean's channel ORANGE seems mostly undone by flaccid vocals, 'til the second half of long-ass "Pyramids" and tracks 14-17, which as an EP would make a pretty good Prince homage. Fave so far is "Bad Religion," "Any religion that gets you on your knees is a bad religion/Unrequited love is a one-man cult/Lookin' inside a styroofoam cup," or something close to that. Anyway, too true!

The Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan--maybe I was softened up for this by their Pitchfork Festival set, live on YouTube--the best PF set I saw on there and I saw most of 'em. But even though it was my fave, took me a while to get into that performance, just like all the others (vocal mix was a little off for that whole Webcast, seemed like). The album got me by the elbow right away, marching me up a swaying, strangely flexible path, but a groove, nonetheless--all sorts of zigzags, complicated as it has to be, but with plenty of immediate gratification, sloshing purple post-soul-chamber-rock, with daisy chains and field trips and school play backdrops--anyway, hope Frank Ocean checks it out, speaking of "keepin' it surreal," eh Frank. Novelty at worst, and while I once thought they might accrue Talking Heads cred without Talking Heads hits, now I'm not so sure they won't end up with both.

Also might be influenced by listening to it on wav files, but they're no better than CD (are they?)

no, and they could be worse

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3556865/Why-Sa-Dingding-has-China-in-her-hand.html

Sorry, somehow read that date as 2012 at first, not that it matters so much.

Hospitality - Hospitality

Ohmigod - this rules.

I've still only heard a couple of these Hospitality songs. It's a little interesting how it's got a jangly indie sound but it keeps doing these things (harmonically? someone with music theory please explain what I'm hearing in terms I won't understand) that are atypical of what I think of as indie rock (for what my narrow idea is worth). Like it might be more prog. sorts of turns in the music. I'm not crazy about the vocals, but maybe I could live with them. Also reminds me a bit of Company of Thieves in overall approach. (o. nate, have you heard them? I think you'd probably like them, though I don't know your taste that well. I'm still not completely sold on them--mostly based on vocal issues as usual, but most of the time they sound pretty good.)

I haven't heard Company of Thieves before, but I'm listening to them now on Spotify. I think I might like them, but I've got to listen some more. I think I know what you mean about Hospitality. Their songs are for the most part catchy jangle-pop in the vein of e.g., The Sundays or Thao and The Get Down Stay Down, but there are a couple of quasi-proggy left turns as well. My first guess was to attribute them to the presence of Nathan Michel on drums - if you've ever listened to his solo stuff it's full of that kind of proggy music-nerd playfulness - but I'm not really sure he's responsible for them. I like the Hospitality singer's voice, faux-English accent and all.

I don't know of Nathan Michel. Based on the live Company of Thieves I've heard, I think they might actually be better live, but I'm still getting familiar. This session has a lot of good material, if you can get past the annoying host (and there is lots of chatter otherwise):

http://audiotree.tv/session/company-of-thieves/

Or this actually live (meaning non-studio live) clip which I think is pretty good. I think their album from last year is uneven. Maybe there isn't enough differentiation between songs? I'm not sure. And I still need to listen to the first one more before commenting.

Whoa. Didn't even know about this show in general, and there they are:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7tlwbL0t3A&playnext=1&list=PLACEDA0E1CE8E955B&feature=results_main

I have never heard the Crutchfield sisters who are involved in 2 of Jon Caramanica of the NY Times fave indie-rock albums of the year (I have also not noticed anyone repping for them here, but maybe I mised the thread)

They’re 23 now, these twins, and even though the Ackleys are just a memory, the Crutchfields have continued, forming one band after the next, building a series of cult followings and arriving at the present moment with gale force. Separately they’ve made two of the year’s best and most affecting indie rock albums: “American Weekend” (Don Giovanni), by Waxahatchee, Katie’s solo project, which was released in January, and the self-titled debut album (on Salinas) by Allison’s band Swearin’, which was released in June.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/02/arts/music/allison-and-katie-crutchfield-twins-go-separate-ways.html?_r=1&ref=arts

I;ll have to check those out, Don Giovanni's releases are often to my taste (especially Screaming Females), and so far most of my faves this year are females: Fiona Apple, Bonnie Raitt, Patti Smith (despite sev xpost noted duds), and now I'm initially infatuated w Cat Power's Sun. Much more vigorous than expected, a post-break-up album as one-woman synth-pop combo (thought she had Jim White back on the drums, but it's her, damn). Most tracks seem similiar, but with good detail in arrangements sustaining alertness, and the last three tracks go in diff directions, zig-zag-zack, I guess Yaz might be a precedent, but she's never gonna be a big rich belter, just veering and glancing, no longer the waif though. Streaming here for a little while longer:
http://www.npr.org/2012/08/26/159919016/first-listen-cat-power-sun?ps=mh_fl

Female voices and what they sing also add a lot to xpost Dirty P.'s Swing Lo Magellan.

And don't forget the prev noted Neneh Cherry & The Thing's The Cherry Thing!

good call on the crutchfield albums - i hadn't heard them yet but (at least Waxahatchee) so far pretty

i'm loving the new cat power too.

dow, have u seen this thread? Songs Are Like Tattoos: Female Singer-Songwriter Rolling Thread

Hadn't seen that, thanks! I notice First Aid Kit on there, NPR's posted their set from this summer's Newport Folk.

Watched youtubes of the 2 Crutchfield sisters--Waxahatchee is folkier while Swearin' rocks more.

First Aid Kit also provides backing vocals on Ane Brun's "Do You Remember", one of my favorite songs from 2011. The parent album It All Starts With Onewas finally releaseed in the US in May and is a nice alternative to darker Kate Bush.

maybe like

Channel Orange
Armor On
Control System
Mala In Cuba
Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1-3
Dark York
Nina Kraviz
Devotion
Pluto
Galaxy Garden

and

Adorn
Ima Read
Black Lipstick
Club Rez
Demonstrate
Druggys With Hoes Again
Birthday Cake (Funkystepz Miami Bass Mix)
JD & Coke
Fever
Stimela

albums

human teenager - animal husbandry
hank wood & the hammerheads - go home
grimes - visions
white load - wayne's world iii b/w godfather iv
ty segall & white fence - hair
trust - trst

Whole bunch of stuff I've been liking a lot in no particular order:

White Manna - s/t
Motion Sickness of Time Travel - s/t
Laurel Halo - Quarantine
Sun Araw, M Geddes Gengras and the Congos - FRKWYS 9
Julia Holter - Ekstasis
Belbury Poly - The Belbury Tales
Shackleton - Music For The Quiet Hour
Cooly G - Playin Me
Silent Servant - Negative Fascination
Claro Intelecto - Reform Club
Deepchord - Sommer
V/A - Shangaan Shake
Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang - Eh Yay Sah
Batida - s/t
Paco Sala - Ro-Me-Ro
Gala Drop & Ben Chasny - Broda
Bear In Heaven - I Love You, It's Cool
White Hills - Frying On This Rock
Richard Youngs - Core To The Brave
Mirroring - Foreign Body
Vestals - Forever Falling Toward The Sky
Worm Ouroboros - Come The Thaw
Helm - Impossible Symmetry
Dustin Wong - Dreams Say, View, Create, Shadow Leads
Stealing Sheep - Into The Diamond Sun
Echo Lake - Wild Peace

^^^ Good list. What is "Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang - Eh Yay Sah"?

He's a Sierra Leonian ex-pat who plays an electric version of traditional bubu music with a bunch of NYC people (folks from Gang Gang Dance etc). First track on that album is one of the most deliriously infectious things I've heard all year...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwYqdlMLgqM

jason lescalleet - songs about nothing
michael pisaro - fields have ears (6)
skogen - ist gefallen in den schnee
boris hauf sextet - next delusion
ariel pink - mature themes
laurel halo - quarantine
deerhoof - breakup song
house shoes - let it go
ouija boys - NOT funny
en - already gone

faves so far

I last posted here on the vernal equinox, and with the autumnal equinox coming up, I'll append:

2:54 - 2:54 imagine curve with a plodding rhythm section. or garbage.
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One belated American release of remarkable nordic dark art-pop. think k.bush's 9th wave suite
Beach House - Bloom enough said hereabouts. this decade's fleetwood mac, without the internal tensions.
Blondes - Blondes organic sample house for diletantes. like me.
Gazelle Twin - The Entire City Remixed the debut was a ballardian vision of lisa gerrard v. fever ray. this plays with the memorable tracks in a idm/mnml direction
iamamiwhoami - Kin inevitably shadowed by the knife, but it holds up to repeated plays tremendously well
Monolake - Ghosts the most consistantly good downtempo IDM artist. They created Ableton was created to facilitate this
Niki & the Dove - Instinct does not improve upon the EPs. thats ok
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory crafty production serves a lesser batch of songs
Sun Araw, M. Geddes & the Congos - Icon Give Thanks falsetto harmonies make laptop exotica palatable
Yppah - Eighty One if boards of canada made a trip-hop album

That Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang youtube is awesome! Thanks for the tip.

xps this is pretty great

^^^ love this

this would have been a big hit on outloud. :(

:(

Whole thing is up on Spotify cos it's on Luaka Bop and it's all good, but that's definitely my favourite song on it.

Yeah, I was just about to say I'd found it on Spotify. Giving it a spin.

my faves on the Janka are "Eh Mane Ah" and "Rotin"

Not on UK Spotify but the An Letah EP is - "En Mane Ah" is great.

Seandalai try here:
http://open.spotify.com/album/5iKu8TgFH5VR6Z3pVbaINZ

Oh I see...shouldn't have searched for "bubu"

yeah, that was a booboo

Woollen Kits - 'Out Of Whack' (NZ, noisy indie pop/rock) - from s/t album
Actress - 'Ascending' (gentle but euphoric soft techno, great album) - from 'R.I.P.' LP
Jacky Heron - 'Waste Of Time' (cover of Fabulous Stains from new band ft ex-Help She Can't Swim people) from comp LP 'Why Diet When You Can Riot'
The Pheromoans - 'I'm A You Know What' (Deadpan DIY guitar pop with messthetic & 60s garage genes) - from 'Does This Guy Stack Up?' LP on UTR
Tender Trap - 'Step One' (Amelia Fletcher etc goodness) - from new album 'Ten Songs About Girls'
Todd Terje - 'Inspector Norse' (great bright melodic techno, upbeat, for Daft Punk fans maybe) - from 'It's The Arps' EP
Novella - 'Don't Believe Ayn Rand' (post-Veronica Falls, gauzy melodic guitar pop - from s/t EP
Liechtenstein - 'Meantime' (Scando female indiepop, sparse and good) - from 'Fast Forward' LP
Divorce - 'Horseheads' (Brutal m8s) - off new s/t LP on Nightschool
Traxman - 'Footworkin on Air' (fractured beauty twists into skittery frugfest) - off 'Da Mind Of Traxman' LP
Strawberry Whiplash - 'Looking Out For Summer' (classic girl vocal indiepop, clean guitars) - from 'Hits In The Car' album
Hookworms - 'Form & Function' (driving, spacey krautrock from Leeds) - from split 7" w/Kogumaza on Gringo/Faux Discx
Cats on Fire - '1914 and Beyond' (awesome Finndie pop with folkish inflections) - from 'All Blackshirts To Me' LP
Slowcoaches - 'We're So Heavy' (grungish pop on Tye Die Tapes) - from s/t EP
Joanna Gruesome - 'Sweater' (boy/girl vocals, noisepop) - from 'Family Portrait' split 7" on Art Is Hard
Golden Grrrls - 'I Don't Want You Anyway' (Look Blue Go Purple cover)
Orca Team - 'Night Moves' (50s surf post-punk reverb indiepop) - from 'Restraint' LP on HHBTM

nice list

woollen kits are melbourne types, though i can see where the
confusion might lie

Shit, that's true, whoops. That'll teach me for posting to innernets when off sick.

<3 pheromoans

new Raveonettes is fucking great

^ seconded

i kind of forget about them sometimes...like i never think of them as one of the *best* bands...but yesterday i listened to a bunch of them on spotify and they've done a shitload of albums and they are all great, they are so consistently awesome

'Why Diet When You Can Riot'

how is this btw?

I've still only heard a couple of these Hospitality songs. It's a little interesting how it's got a jangly indie sound but it keeps doing these things (harmonically? someone with music theory please explain what I'm hearing in terms I won't understand) that are atypical of what I think of as indie rock (for what my narrow idea is worth). Like it might be more prog. sorts of turns in the music. I'm not crazy about the vocals, but maybe I could live with them. Also reminds me a bit of Company of Thieves in overall approach. (o. nate, have you heard them? I think you'd probably like them, though I don't know your taste that well. I'm still not completely sold on them--mostly based on vocal issues as usual, but most of the time they sound pretty good.)

I'm also trying to puzzle through why this album has rewarded so many repeated listens. A few possibilities...

- lots of atypical chord progressions. "The Birthday" has a couple i-iv moments but is mostly made up of unexpected turns. "Eighth Avenue" sounds like it's going to be a really twee and crappy I-IV-V borefest but the main progression turns dissonant quickly and the descending chromatics are effective. "Friends of Friends" again is saved by an unexpected but catchy progression.
- dissonant rather than twee transitional notes - quite a few in your face crunchy moments that I like a lot. "Liberal Arts" would be really boring if it weren't for the fact that the singer never gets off the tonic while the guitar progression continues.
- instrumentation - very sensitive use of hard and soft in the backing tracks, lots of different instruments, different guitar tones, acoustic/electric, brass, etc. The percussion is also interesting and varied.
- vocals - she doesn't have the strongest voice but it's very expressive and the dynamics are usually on target. Love the double tracking/yelling in "The Right Profession" to add some edge to one of the more traditional sounding choruses.
- borderline jammy bridges and guitar solos

Nice analysis. The Hospitality album has turned into one of my most listened to of the year so far.

Also, I would mention they have a pretty tight little rhythm section, unusual for this type of indie jangle pop.

Thanks skip. I'd like to give that Hospitality album a few more spins, at least before the oh so important ILM EOY poll comes around. (At this point I would want to distance myself a lot from the Company of Thieves comparison I made. The only big thing they have in common is just that they sometimes do things that are a little sophisticated harmonically/technically.)

If YAMANTAKA//SONIC TITAN - YT//ST [that's how I see it written out officially] can be considered a 2012 release then that is near the top of my list. It was released last year, but reissued this year by a label they just signed to--and I think last year's release might only have been as a download.

(Incidentally, o. nate you might just like that YT//ST. Definitely some nicely done prog things going on there, without it really being straight up prog. rock, although I guess parts of it can pass for prog-metal, which is one way I see them pigeon-holed.)

Still need to listen to Channel Orange. I started it and mostly liked it, but it's not really anything I would normally be in the mood for.

I like Channel Orange more than I thought I would. I'm not usually a big R&B fan tbh, but this creates a mood and atmosphere that puts me more in the mind of something like Stevie Wonder's "Fulfillingness' First Finale" (minus the more upbeat tracks).

I can't believe I haven't even heard Centipede Hz yet

lucky

trying to avoid it myself

Albums

Goat - World Music
Zambri - House of Baasa
Surnatural Orchestra - Pluir
Hafez Modirzadeh - Post-Chromodal Out!
Alio Die - Deconsecrated and Pure
Ramona Falls - Prophet
Harrison Birtwistle - Complete String Quartet (Arditti Quartet)
Niki and the Dove - Instinct
Deerhoof - Breakup Song
Tyme. x Tujiko - GYU
Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan
Mouse on Mars - Parastrophics
Quakers - Quakers
Various Artists - Personal Space: Electronic Soul 1974-1984

Tracks

Ab-Soul Ft. Danny Brown & Jhene Aiko - "Terrorist Threats"
Hundred In the Hands - "Keep it Low"
Georgia Anne Muldrow - "Best Love"

this year has been fucking incredible so far, I'm not ready to post a list just yet but I just wanted to say it's kind of hard to believe just how cool this year has been so far re: new music

Albums

Six Organs of Admittance - Ascent
Thee Oh Sees - Putrifiers ii
Angel Olsen - Half Way Home
JJ Doom - Key To The Cuff
LHF - Keepers Of The Light
Monolake - Ghosts
Perc - A New Brutality (ep)
Austin Cesear - Cruise Forever
Bill Fay - Life is People
Chris Forsyth - Kenzo Deluxe
Dr John - Locked Down
Holy Other - Held
LV - Sebenza

latest faves:

Purity Ring - Shrines
Farrah Abraham - My Teenage Dream Ended
The xx - Coexist
Psy - Gangnam Style
The Presets - Pacifica

One track to add:

Shiina Ringo - Jiyuu e Michizure

(TV show theme song.)

also add:

Elle Varner - Perfectly Imperfect

I listened to a snippet of that Goat album yesterday - sounds like it could be amazing.

Tracks

Shackleton - Music For The Quiet Hour part two
Gary War - Pleading For Annihilation
LV(featuring okmalumkoolkat) - DL
Cult Of Youth - Golden Age
Robert Hood - Better Life
Ruby My Dear- Uken
Shifted - Coax
Thee Oh Sees - Hang a Picture

Thee Oh Sees - Hang a Picture

this is a great, great song and still probably two better than it on the album, er, EP

gunplay - 601 & snort is good!

this is a great, great song and still probably two better than it on the album, er, EP

You are right Floods New Light is probably a better track.
It's still an EP with more great songs than the last TY full length album has! Just making the comparison because they get lumped together. FWIW I loved Goodbye Bread.

Yeah "Floods New Light" was one I was thinking of, so was "Lupine Dominus" but then I'm a sucker for that faux-kraut feel.

Various Artists - Personal Space: Electronic Soul 1974-1984

― Cliftonb, Wednesday, September 19, 2012 8:37 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Tell me about this, please.

ryan hemsworth 'last words' ep

cassegrain & tin man carnal (four tracks)

basic channel acid. ultra warm, repetitive

complete:

sensate focus - 10, 5, 3.33333333333333333 all stunning!
dj sprinkles and mark fell - the complete spiral

tracks:

mosca - accidentally feat robert owens both versions
actress - N.E.W or IWAAD not sure, the club banger? the rest is super boring autechre lite sorry

really want to like the new animal collective but it just won't let me in, its unbearable.

Track:

Zazen Boys - Potato Salad

An entire album of this guys ranting gets to be too much for me, but this is the standout track as far as I can tell. There are some beautiful moments when the rhythms and the timbres lock perfectly and produce something fairly fresh.

1:33 especially.

For those who don't know them, they do a super-tight funky math rock sort of thing.

actress - N.E.W or IWAAD not sure, the club banger? the rest is super boring autechre lite sorry

really want to like the new animal collective but it just won't let me in, its unbearable.

― wolves lacan, Thursday, 20 September 2012 20:50 (1 week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I thought the club banger was The Lord's Graffiti. I absolutely agree with Autechre-lite. R.I.P. is so disappointing compared to Splaszh. The latter sounded so fresh and original while R.I.P. almost lifts ideas wholesale from EP7 and Tri Repetae.

Also agree about Animal Collective album. It's the first time I've thought "you know what, I don't give a shit about you guys any more if you're not going to try".

I think there is a pretty good album lurking somewhere underneath Centipede Hz, but it's pretty difficult to find. I've been imagining some of the tracks redone in a Kid Creole + Coconuts style and they'd be a lot better.

and pretty pretty too

there are some good albums and singles in 2012 but i want/need more.

Sic Alps new one on Drag City is their best yet, imo.

oh, god, no

Hm. I'm kind of surprised. Thought you would like it. What are your objections?

yeah i thought i would to, i loved napa asylum! i will relisten soon and return with better opinions4u but i just found it sounded dreadfully like them trying to be straightforward and focused in a way that really didn't suit them; napa asylum's breeziness was a huge part of what i loved about it & this sounded so strained... neways i listened to it once a week ago and turned it off halfway i was so appaled so i really should give it another spin before slamming it esp since i was so adamant that everyone revisit the last lp after it got such bad reviews in its ilm thread

plus i've been in a good mood the past few days which was also the case when i first heard napa asylum, so i should strike while the iron's hot

I love Napa Asylum, too. I can see how you'd react to the first part of the album the way that you did, but the second side does get a little weirder, for lack of a better term. The songwriting doesn't sound different to me, really, just the sound. Maybe it will grow on you?

weird third quarter unordered but sorta
1. Frank Ocean "Super Rich Kids"
2. Sun Araw & The Congos "Happy Song"
3. Beak> "Egg Dog"
4. Dinosaur Jr "Rude"
5. Pussy Riot "Putin Lights Up The Fires"
6. Animal Collective "Moonjock"
7. Lower "Craver"
8. The-Dream "Dope Chick"
9. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti "Baby"
10. Bailter Space "No Sense"
11. Jeff The Brotherhood "Dark Energy"
honorable embarrassing mention: "we are never ever ever getting back together"
somehow less embarrassing secondary mention: "california boy"
embarrassingly singled-out album track: "unplanned parenthood"

xp hope so. the 7"s they released in between this one & napa asylum are p tite too

a lot of ppl whose taste in music i like stump for sic alps. after seeing a pretty mediocre show of theirs once, i never checked out their albums

yeah i've only heard bad things about their live show, think it is kind of a blank dogs scenario tho, the records are v good

ooof yeah lord if i had based my view of blank dogs off seeing them live...ug....honestly i doubt i've listened to them, so regret seeing them

their sound had a certain amount of magick and mystery to me then i was like uhhh you are just boring dudes in a rock bar

they also seemed like petulant dicks when i saw them? kept complaining about bad sound and stopping songs 30 seconds in like nononono that won't do and a 1 2 3--

sic alps, from what i've heard, the problem is they are addicted to heroin and can't get their shit together? but there is also a lot of studio magic on their albums and analogic equipment and stuff that might be hard to pull off live

blank dogs were pretty bored/petulant when i saw them. they seemed like it annoyed them to be there.

Man, I love this Blonde God song Diggin'. Apparently the singer from Merchandise solo (it's from a comp on Night People) but if Merchandise is this good I am just going to have to check them out. This song rules, make sure you make it about 1 minute in, a great change (and cool chorus) follows. Kind of like a gothy Medicine or something.

Night People is a very cool label run by a swell guy.

Added:

The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth

(shocker)

That song is great (xpost)! Have heard a few Night People records (and dug them), but in particular that Blonde God song really made my day.

Amadou & Mariam - Folila
The Very Best - MTMTMK
jj - high summer
Dar Williams - In The Time of Gods
Cat Power - Sun
No Doubt - Push and Shove
Beth Orton - Sugaring Season

oh shit I keep forgetting about that Merchandise album

How good is the Merchandise album?

It's really great but don't take my word for it; download here

Whoa, whole album is free huh. Guess I will check it out. Thanks.

so add to my list:

Merchandise - Desire

I assumed rap was building momentum after 2011, but I've been kinda unimpressed with 2012 rap so far, although there's a few mixtapes and singles I've been meaning to check out for a while.

So, like Cat Power and Fiona Apple, very confidential-to-allusive-to-cryptic-to-let-it-blurt (and back), always *evocative* singer-songer Martha Wainwright now uses tuneful beat science to parse hot mess. More developed than the Power, less experimental than the Apple, Come Home To Mama has more of a band feel and knows from Prince, Stevie, Ziggy, Dolly, her parents and brother, while always being her own thing. This'll be streaming a little while longer
http://www.npr.org/2012/10/07/162301799/first-listen-martha-wainwright-come-home-to-mama Good on Koss UR40 headphones.

Still liking the Power and the Apple too.

"knows from...Stevie" Nicks, that is (kinda)

As Brad pointed out on the Zazen Boys thread, their new album Stories is now on Spotify and worth checking out at the very least:

http://open.spotify.com/album/1g3QRORSzdLU6E00Iuo2wG

Someone will like this.

Thank you Lindstrom thread for introducing me to Haim - the Lindstrom and Prins Thomas remix of "Forever" is killer and everyone should go listen to it, but the original is sweet too. http://youtu.be/sEwM6ERq0gc

Kane Ikin - Sublunar
Normal Love - Survival Tricks
Dimlite - Abscission
Tujiko Noriko - East Facing Balcony
∆ - Awesome Wave
Barry Adamson - I Will Set You Free
Debo Band - s/t
Murder by Death - Bitter Moon, Bitter Drink
Oh No - Dr. No's Kali Tornado Funk

Tracks:

Freelance Whales - "Aeolus"
Soft Pack - "Bobby Brown"
Bat for Lashes - "All Your Gold"
JJ DOOM - "Retarded Fren"
Efterklang - "Between the Walls"

Reminder to future self in February, 2013 - vote for these, in roughly this order:

iamamiwhoami - Kin (post MV exposure, its still electropop that stands repeated play)
Hammock - Departure Songs (double dose of Nashville's finest sleepgaze elegies, with added vocals)
Zambri - House of Baasa (Danielle Dax's discography in a blender)
Hanne Hukkelberg - Featherbrain (balefully clattering Nordic experimental folk(?))
Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras, The Congos - Icon Give Thanks (™ falsetto harmonies + laptop exotica)
Purity Ring - Shrines (girl wonder/horror of the body + UK bass music)
Blondes - Blondes (organic house for diletantes like me)
Grimes - Visions (electro cotton-candy with vaporous message)
MNDR - Feed Me Diamonds (Electropop with vocal charm. Known from "Bang Bang Bang")
Shackleton Music for the Quiet Hour (Not quite Coil)
Yppah - Eighty One (if Boards of Canada produced a trip hop album)
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One (dark K. Bushy art pop suite, belated US release)
Chairlift - Something (faster, more direct, and more sparkle than the debut)
Niki & the Dove - Instinct (too much EP redux)
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory (crafty production, songs less ideosyncratic, Claudia missed)
The KDMS - Kinky Dramas and Magic Stories (Kathy Diamond returns with a better retro-disco album than Escort's)
Monolake - Ghosts (invented Ableton to facilitate high-gloss idm)
EXITMUSIC - Passage (theatrical dreampop from Boardwalk Empire actress and hubby, Beach House fans willl love it)
Beach House - Bloom (confident, but familiar)
Bat for Lashes - The Haunted Man (this one is still gelling. Stripped and synthetic)
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Trouble (solid electro-dance-pop with wallflower vocals)
Lazerhawk - Visitors (unapologetic Jan Hammer tributes for your Countach's tape deck)
Gazelle Twin - The Entire City Remixed (Ballardian DCD vs the Knife album highlights given idm/mnml treatments)
2:54 - 2:54 (90s gazy crossover ala Curve & Garbage, but plods a bit)

For consideration/need to hear:

Andy Stott - Luxury Problems
Poliça - Give You the Ghost

Singles/tracks (rather incomplete):

Lianne La Havas - "Forget"
iamamiwhoami - "goods"
Ane Brun - "These Days"
Psy - "Gangnam Style"
MØ - "Maiden"
David Lynch feat Kathy O - "Pinky's Dream (Trentemoller Remix)"
Grimes - "Oblivion"
Purity Ring - "Fineshrine"
Chairlift - "I Belong in Your Arms"
Dum Dum Girls - "Coming Down"
Icona Pop - "I Love It"
Shook feat. Ronika - "Distorted Love"
Orbital + Zola Jesus - "New France"
Santigold - "Disparate Youth"

I like that Poliça album a lot, not sure how much attention it's been getting.

some recent faves

andy stott - luxury problems (i know it just barely came out, but hot damn)
seahawks - aquadisco (also just came out, but unlikely to change my mind about this one either)
daphni - jiaolong
jonas munk - pan
tin man - neo neo acid
mungolian jetset - mungodelics
deepchord - sommer
innergaze - mutual dreaming
everything from andres/des andres
four tet - pink

liking but still digesting the new emeralds, smallpeople, and windsurf records as well.

*deZ andres, rather

innergaze - mutual dreaming

Oh crap, this is really good!

still have a lot of listening to do but here is my albums list so far (hopefully not forgetting anything):

Leif, Dark York
Black Bananas, Rad Times Xpress IV
Miguel, Kaleidoscope Dream
Pharaoh Overlord, Lunar Jetman
Bardo Pond, Yntra
Sungod, Cuts from the Ether
Sylvester Anfang II, Perzische Tapitjen
Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras, The Congos, Icon Give Thank
Aqua Nebula Oscillator, Third
Neneh Cherry & the Thing, The Cherry Thing
Astra, The Black Chord
Goat, World Music
Pinkish Black, Self-titled LP

sorry no capsule reviews! I mostly like psychedelia anyways!

Mosca - Eva Mendes EP
Blawan - His He She & She EP
DJ Spinn - Teklife Vol.2 What You Need
Young Smoke - Space Zone
Easy Star Allstars - Thrillah
Goat - World Music
King Creosote - To Deal With Things EP / I Learned From The Gaels EP
Konx-Om-Pax - Regional Surrealism
Pete Seeger - Hard Travelling, the Best Of
Tim Heacker & Daniel Lopatin - Instrumental Tourist

i had to submit a ridiculously early ballot this week. albums order ended up as:

1. DAWN RICHARD - Armor On
2. TAYLOR SWIFT - Red
3. ANGEL HAZE - Reservation
4. FARRAH ABRAHAM - My Teenage Dream Ended
5. NICKI MINAJ - Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
6. MIGUEL - Kaleidoscope Dream
7. THE CATARACS - Gordo Taqueria
8. SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS - Ghostory
9. FIONA APPLE - The Idler Wheel...
10. VOICES FROM THE LAKE - Voices From The Lake
11. BLONDES - Blondes
12. ROYAL-T - Rinse Presents: Royal-T
13. CARLY RAE JEPSEN - Kiss
14. COOLY G - Playin' Me
15. MIREL WAGNER - Mirel Wagner
16. JOHN TALABOT - ƒin
17. KALENNA - Chamber Of Diaries
18. NINA SKY - Nicole & Natalie
19. JESSIE WARE - Devotion
20. LINDSTRØM - Smalhans
21. NENEH CHERRY & THE THING - The Cherry Thing
22. LEONARD COHEN - Old Ideas
23. MICHAEL MAYER - Mantasy
24. LE1F - Dark York
25. KENDRICK LAMAR - good kid, m.A.A.d City

(nb: only the first ten counted towards the ballot ;_; ;_; )

tracks, jesus christ, I know it's the more important list but I almost end up caring about my albums list more because it's more manageable and I don't have to wrestle 200 amazing tracks down into a shortlist or compare the apples of dance tracks with the oranges of pop songs or work out which I should miss out on the basis of including those artists in my albums list and aaaaraghjhdjhsskjsljdslkjsl;ksk

Is Armor On the only full release by Dawn Richard, Lex? I'm interested in checking her stuff out.

there's a mixtape from last year too, A Tell Tale Heart (which made the ILX poll). Armor On is meant to be a "prologue" EP (though album-length) to the proper album, which was due out last week - except she got a physical distribution deal at the last minute (hurrah), so it's gonna come out in Jan instead. (but I have the unmastered promo - it's basically done and it's stupendously good)

but the lead single from the album is out, Pretty Wicked Things - it's amazing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFbTv-ztcmw

also replace Kendrick Lamar with the Santigold album at the bottom of that list

got bored the other day and did a quickfire top 30

obviously stuff like taylor and kendrick still needs time to digest

1 Frank Ocean Channel Orange
2 Jessie Ware Devotion
3 Bass Clef Reeling Skullways
4 Miguel Kaleidoscope Dream
5 Silent Servant Negative Fascination
6 Angel Haze Reservation
7 Holy Other Held
8 Grimes Visions
9 Jeremih Late Nights With Jeremih
10 Bat For Lashes The Haunted Man
11 Swans The Seer
12 Jam City Classic Curves
13 The xx Coexist
14 The KDMS Kinky Dramas And Magic Stories
15 Joey Bada$$ 1999
16 Taylor Swift Red
17 Catcall The Warmest Place
18 Julia Holter Ekstasis
19 NHK'Koyxeи Dance Classics Vol. 1
20 Tame Impala Lonerism
21 Kendrick Lamar good kid m.A.A.d city
22 Actress R.I.P.
23 Dawn Richard Armor On
24 Beach House Bloom
25 Chairlift Something
26 Fort Romeau Kingdoms
27 Cate Le Bon CYRK
28 The Walkmen Heaven
29 Chromatics Kill For Love
30 Schoolboy Q Habits & Contradictions

and then singles, no. 1 would be Sky Ferreira "Everything Is Embarrassing", and then I don't know the order yet for the rest, but here's some good ones:

Angel Haze "Werkin Girls"
Icona Pop "I Love It"
AlunaGeorge "Your Drums, Your Love"
Bat For Lashes "Laura"
K.W. Griff "Bring In The Katz"
Javiera Mena "Luz de Piedra de Luna"
Usher "Climax"
Bicep "Vision Of Love"
Solange "Losing You"
Joey Bada$$ "Survival Tactics feat. Capital STEEZ"
Miguel "Adorn"
YN RIch Kids "Hot Cheetos & Takis"

Burial's "Kindred" would fairly comfortably be my favourite EP of the year.

I like that Poliça album a lot, not sure how much attention it's been getting.

Yeah, I've come back to this one a few times - it's good!

thank lex

actually, tracks, why not. this is my longlist. all of these are tracks i have listened to repeatedly this year. excluding tracks off those 25 albums i listed up there. though any ballot i submit will have Call Me Maybe at #1 because duhhhh you can't deny the power of public pop.

DAWN RICHARD - Pretty Wicked Things
CHERYL COLE - Call My Name (Royal-T Back To '99 Remix)
NICKI MINAJ ft. CASSIE - The Boys
IKONIKA - I Make Lists
TRINA ft. GUNPLAY & ICE BERG - Beam
KENDRICK LAMAR ft. GUNPLAY - Cartoon & Cereal
MISHA B - Home Run (Zed Bias Summavibes Vocal Mix)
D'BANJ - Oliver Twist
LEA-ANNA - Clear Di Way
CIARA - Livin' It Up
TY$ - My Cabana
JUSTIN BIEBER ft. BIG SEAN - As Long As You Love Me
SNEAKBO - Zim Zimma
USHER - Climax
COVER DRIVE - Sparks (Wookie Remix)
RITA ORA ft. TINIE TEMPAH - RIP (Seamus Haji Remix)
MARIAH CAREY - Triumphant (Get 'Em) (Vintage Throwback Mix)
HUXLEY - Let It Go
PACHANGA BOYS - Time
MR BEATNICK - Sun Goddess
TODD TERJE - Inspector Norse
JME - 96 Fuckries
2 CHAINZ ft. KANYE WEST - Birthday Song (Funkystepz Miami Bass Mix)
OMAR-S & OB IGNITT - Wayne County Hill Cops
ERIC CHURCH - Springsteen
DJ FRESH ft. RITA ORA - Hot Right Now (Zed Bias Remix)
ZEBRA KATZ ft. NJENA REDDD FOXXX - Ima Read
WYNTER GORDON - Stimela
RUDIMENTAL ft. MNEK & SYRON - Spoons
DELILAH - Love You So
ALICE COHEN - Mauve Mood (Gavin Russom Remix)
MISTA SILVA ft. SKOB, FLAVA & KWAMZ - Boom Boom Tah
CAT POWER - Cherokee (Nicolas Jaar Remix)
ALEX AGORE - I Got Something
SLACKK - Fat City
TOUCH SENSITIVE & ANNA LUNOE - Real Talk
DAVIDO - Dami Duro
HARDWAY BROTHERS - Mania Theme (Toby Tobias Remix)
KONSHENS - Stop Sign
LAITH ft. RAE RAE - I Go Out (François & Chris Lawrence Remix)

18 from 2012 that I really like / love / adore, in some kind of vague order.

Grizzly Bear - digging out Veckatimest at the weekend made me worry that this was a bit 1-dimensional and maybe I was over it. Then I played it again yesterday and it isn't and I'm not.

Swans - only listened to the whole thing through start-to-finish once, but have listened to each disc a couple of more times, and occasional individual tracks. It feels momentous, absolutely monolithic.

Field Music - still adore this. Concise and wonderful.

Liars - this is still growing on me, and has been a real door-opener to this band for me.

Four Tet - don't think this guy is capable of making a record I don't like.

Divine Fits - as good as any recent Spoon record, for my money.

Beak - still getting to know this, but such a thrill to listen to.

Portico Quartet
Minotaur Shock - these two are my go-to "let's put some music on" music, when I just want something on to do stuff to. Both really, really good.

Neneh Cherry and The Thing - still getting to know this, too, but dead exciting.

Daphni - obviously very functional, but great fun.

Japandroids - kind of like the rock version of the Daphni album, in that it's totally designed to move crowds, just in a different way. Em loves it, so I've got to know it really well.

Grimes - was the default listening for the early part of the year.

Orbital - still have reservations about this, but when they manipulate / push buttons this well, even if it's obvious what they're doing, i can't begrudge it.

John Talabot - just really good. I don't love it to bits, but I listen to it alot.

Richard Hawley - Probably not his best, but I've just really enjoyed having this guitar sound wash over me.

St. Vincent and David Byrne - much prefer her contributiosn to his, but, of course, hers wouldn't be the same without his. Love the brass.

Patrick Wolf - a weird beast, re-recordings of songs I already love in original forms, but it's all rendered so beautifully, and I just love this guy by default.

I've not yet heard, and very much want to hear and will almost certainly buy, the following:

Invisible
The Bad Plus
Emeralds
Lindstrom's second
The Tracy Thorn Xmas record

Have just bought that Jaar remix of Cat Power simply on the strength of finding out it exists.

sick mouthy would enjoy a Blondes record imo

http://open.spotify.com/album/1UIXCqt9WyiF06DCAg1meL

I have it! I like it, just not as much as these.

ah okay! prefer it to the talabot personally, but i'll let you off

I thought I did too, initially, hut the Talabot grew on me more.

I think you'd like the Efterklang album, Nick.

Albums I've particularly enjoyed since posting the June roundup:

Sam Lee - Ground Of Its Own
Actress - R.I.P.
Dog Is Dead - All Our Favourite Stories
Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg
Moritz Von Oswald Trio - Fetch
Goat - World Music
alt-J - An Awesome Wave
Ragnhild Furebotten - Never On A Sunday
Efterklang - Piramida
V/A - The Rough Guide To Undiscovered World
Sleaford Mods - Wank
Lau - Race The Loser
Calan - Jonah
Ebo Taylor - Appia Kwa Bridge
Jessie Ware - Devotion
Rachel Newton - The Shadow Side
Cornershop - Urban Turban
We Show Up On Radar - Sadness Defeated
Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society
Anywhere - Anywhere
Brad Mehldau Trio - Ode
Troyka - Moxxy
Beach Boys - That's Why God Made The Radio
Elton John vs Pnau - Good Morning To The Night
V/A - Personal Space: Electronic Soul 1974-1984

While we're all dumping big EOY spoilers, this is an attempt at an albums list:

Julia Holter - Ekstasis
Josephine Foster - Blood Rushing
Marissa Nadler - The Sister
Tenniscoats - Papa's Ear
Grimes - Visions
John Talabot - Fin
Nite Jewel - One Second of Love
Barbara Morgenstern - Sweet Silence
POLICA - Give You The Ghost
Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras and the Congos - FRKWYS 9
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
Dawn Richard - Armor On
Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream
Belbury Poly - The Belbury Tales
Cooly G - Playin' Me
Janka Nabay - En Yay Sah
Kelan Philip Cohran and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - s/t
Zita Swoon Group - Wait For Me
Lee Ranaldo - Between the Times and the Tides
Dirty Three - Toward the Low Sun
Starring - ABCDEFG-HIJKLMNOP-QRSTUV-WXYZ
Group Rhoda - Out of time, Out of touch
Las Malas Amistades - Maleza
OMBRE - Believe You Me

Efterklang is a name I'm aware of but have never really heard or investigated. What do they do?

The Byrne & Vincent album has really grown on me. I agree about Byrne though - I love him unconditionally but his solo persona can sometimes come across a bit, i dunno, obvious, straightforward, lacking humour or subtlety(?) - songs about the cult of TV feel really hackneyed in 2012. Ice Age is my favourite song on there.

Some tracks:

Gudrun Gut - Garten
Barbara Morgenstern - Need To Hang Around
Polica - Dark Star
Nite Jewel - One Second of Love
Mirroring - Silent From Above
Dead Can Dance - Children of the Sun

A very good thing:

Untold - Change In A Dynamic Environment EPs 1-3

Talabot and Blondes = two sides of the same coin. The former's a bit more accessible and poppy and Blondes is more fuzzed-out and trippy. I love the Talabot so much, it's a real grower, while I have to be in the mood for Blondes.

The Efterklang album was built from field recordings, taken in an abandoned Russian-owned mining town in the Arctic circle. It's song-based, orchestrated, full of subtle and mysterious sonic details.

Wishlisted for payday.

eh, i had an earlier album by them and it did nothing for me. maybe i should have given it a better go, but it sounded like an Arcade Firey band with all the edges smoothed off and replaced with orchestras. Fine I guess but not for me.

i don't think i ever heard that georgia anne muldrow album, though i meant to. what's it like?

from what I've heard of her she's very very eclectic, mellow but unhinged in a Badu kind of way.

It's her best since Olesi imo. Standout track is probably Best Love.

Miguel
Kendrick Lamar
Staff Benda Bilili
Amadou & Mariam
Dawn Richard

Michael Mayer - Mantasy
Andy Stott - Luxury Problems
Rangda - Formerly Extinct
Cooly G - Playin' Me
Kid Koala - 12 Bit Blues

most obsessed-upon new-ish trax (excluding tswift, last few months

gunplay - tats on my arm; i got this
usher - what happened 2 u; 2nd round
rick ross f/ omarion - ice cold
2 chainz f/ mike posner - in town
RiFF RaFF - LiL MaMa iM SORRY
jens lenkman - i know what love isnt
juicy j - bandz a make her dance
lana del rey - driving in cars w/ boys; i sing the body electric
jeremih - late nights
frank ocean - pyramids
carly rae jepsen f/ owl city - good time
main attrakionz - green on site
king louie f/ lil durk - want it all

Added to my best of 2012 playlist:

Hammock - Departure Songs
Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city
Bat For Lashes - The Haunted Man

http://open.spotify.com/user/djperry1973/playlist/7Hi5uKSCgKZM5doRaEIDOz

Of what I've heard so far:

Action Bronson & Party Supplies - Blue Chips
Royal Headache - Royal Headache
Hospitality - Hospitality
Grimes - Visions
Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
Bob Dylan - Tempest
Screaming Females - Ugly
Death Grips - The Money Store

dammit I forgot Tame Impala! Lonerism goes in between Sungod and Sylvester Anfang on my list (way up there)

I might post tracks later, but right now my own albums year end spoiler list looks like:

Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
Dawn Richard - Armor On
Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream
Ab-Soul - Control System
Mala - Mala In Cuba

Le1f - Dark York
Nina Kraviz - s/t
Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, Maad City
Lone - Galaxy Garden
Future - Pluto

Young Smoke - Space Zone
Jessie Ware - Devotion
LOL Boys - Enter the Unknown
Silkie & Quest - Dubstep Allstars Vol. 9
Azealia Banks - Fantasea

Nicki Minaj - Roman Reloaded
Wynter Gordon - Human Condition Pt. 1: Doleo
Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
Addison Groove - Transistor Rhythm
Meshell Ndegeocello - Pour Une Ame Souveraine

Cooly G - Playin' Me
Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
DJ Rashad - Teklife Vol 1: Welcome to the Chi
Jam City - Classical Curves

Loving this list:

Some tracks:

Gudrun Gut - Garten
Barbara Morgenstern - Need To Hang Around
Polica - Dark Star
Nite Jewel - One Second of Love
Mirroring - Silent From Above
Dead Can Dance - Children of the Sun

A very good thing:

Untold - Change In A Dynamic Environment EPs 1-3

― Aimeej0rd0nian Ghoulcaper (NickB),

A quick list, (this will all probably change in a few weeks when I hear all those albums I still have on queue this year).

TOP 10 ALBUMS

Actress - R.I.P.
Ariel Pink - Mature Themes
Ali Ag Amoumine - Takamba
Beach House - Bloom
Big Blood - Old Time Primitives
Django Django
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
Frankie Rose - Interstellar
Tame Impala - Lonerism
Zammuto - Zammuto

TOP CANCIONES

AlunaGeorge - Your Drums
Andy Stott - Numb
Animal Collective - Today's Supernatural
Bondax - Only You Know
Chromatics - Back from the Grave
DIIV - How Long Have You Known?
Face Vega - Valley
Grimes - Genesis
Hundred in the Hands - Keep it Low
Mariee Sioux - Homeophatic
Mister Lies - Cleam
Nicolas Jaar - With Just One Glance
Pachanga Boys Time
Storm Queen - Let’s Make Mistakes (Club)
Tennis - Origins
Thee Oh Sees - Hang a Picture
Traxman - Footworkin on Air
Todd Terje - Inspector Norse
Usher - Climax
Yuna - Live Your Life
Snakadaktal - Carnival (Lobster Monster)
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Panpipes
XXYYXX - About You

WTF? Still can't find an MP3 copy of the Dawn Richard.

Amazon has the EP in the US.

innergaze - mutual dreaming

Oh crap, this is really good!

i know! the last track in particular might be my favorite of the year so far... not sure how minimal wave revivalism could really get any better

Picked up the Efterklang. Singer sounds a bit like one of the Menomena guys.

i should really start calling them canciones too, it's nicer

have become quite attached to teed's 'your love' whenever it comes on the radio. a jam for sure

Minden's EXOTIC CAKES

rev's lists are always crucial listening to me

Yeah, he's a good poster to pay attention to

my albums list, unnumbered:

rangda - formerly extinct
six organs of admittance - ascent
swans - the seer
fushitsusha - hikari to nazukeyo
black bananas - rad times xpress IV
dirty projectors - swing lo magellan
liars - wixiw
oren ambarchi - audience of one
peaking lights - lucifer
belbury poly - the belbury tales
farrah abraham - my teenage dream ended
the soft pack - strapped
actress - r.i.p.
black dice - mr. impossible
thomas koner - novaya zemlya
lee ranaldo - between the times and the tides
moon duo - circles
atom tm - winterreise
barbara morgenstern - sweet silence
donald fagen - sunken condos

the beak album should be on there too.

Okay that list is awesome

that's not even counting the reissues.

i gotta say music kind of sucked my nuts dry this year if you know what i mean ;-)

flo_Opson

this past month alone was insane.

Current top 20:

Purity Ring - Fineshrine
Terror Danjah feat. Riko - Dark Crawler
Dawn Richard - Pretty Wicked Things
Wiley - Humble Pie
Cooly G - What This World Needs Now
Wynter Gordon - Waiting
Lea-Anna feat. Lioness, Ce'Cile & Lady Leshurr- Murder (1st Degree Remix)
Kozzie feat. Merky Ace - Yeah! (Remix)
Rihanna - Birthday Cake (Funkystepz Miami Bass Mix)
Rudimental - Deep In The Valley (Woz Remix)
Cassie - King of Hearts
Chronik - Man in the Boot
JME - Murking
Kendrick Lamar feat. Gunplay - Cartoon & Cereal
Rival feat. Roachee, Ego, Discarda, Big Narstie, D Power, Merky Ace, Killa P & Tre Mission- Headshot Season (Remix)
Jubei feat. Flow Dan - Say Nothin'
The Mike Delinquent Project feat. Lady Leshurr - Step in the Dance
Charli XCX - You're The One
Rockwell feat. Kito & Sam Frank - Childhood Memories
Rustie feat. AlunaGeorge - After Light

Recent contenders that may climb the ranks:
Morgan Zarate - BHC
Roska feat. Ruby Goe - Memories
Rude Kid feat. Skepta - Get Busy (FunkyStepz Remix)
Donkie Punch - Snapbacks N Tattoos
MNDR - Faster Horses
Usher - What Happened To U
JoJo - Demonstrate
Ciara - Sorry
Nicki Minaj & Cassie - The Boys

o. nate, there's a new Hospitality 7" (as if I will ever handle a physical copy of this thing), The Drift/Monkey. The Drift, which I like more, gets into prog territory again, while Monkey sounds a lot like standard post-punk, but well done at least.

o. nate

And anyone else interested. I guess that was a little weird, since a few people have mentioned it on this thread.

sounds a lot like standard post-punk

Except not really, except at times. It almost become the Psychedelic Furs at the end. I almost want to hear some saxophones. Almost is the new stupid.

thx mercer & lex for lists

here's a 40-song (366.34 MB) mp3 playlist of 2012 stuff I've been listening to. not really a "tracks" list, just individual songs from albums i like. it skews indie/experimental, but nothing too embarrassing, i don't think.

https://rapidshare.com/files/818081004/JBR%20Best%20of%202012.zip

The Lee Ranaldo record is the most pleasant surprise. It's like his All Things Must Pass. Who knew he had all these great songs stored up.

listened to these quite a bit

Belbury Poly - The Belbury Tales
Bob Dylan - Tempest
Deant Blunt & Inga Cop - Black is Beautiful
Death Grips - The Money Store
Diplo - Express Yourself EP
DJ Rashad - Teklife Vol.1: Welcome to the Chi <<< #1
Electricity in our Homes - Dear Shareholder
Go-Kart Mozart - On the Hot Dog Streets
Jeremiah Jae - Raw Money Raps
Maria Minerva - Will Happiness Find Me?
Nas - Life is Good <<< who knew??
Neneh Cherry & The Thing - The Cherry Thing
Physical Therapy - Safety Net EP
Tim Burgess - Oh No I Love You <<< *ducks*
Wiley - Evolve Or Be Extinct

tracks and bullshit

Miguel - Adorn
K.W. Griff f/ Porkchop - Bring In The Katz
Zebra Katz f/ Njena Reddd Foxxx - Ima Read
Dawn Richard - Black Lipstick
Miguel - Arch & Point

Psy - Gangnam Style
Jojo - Demonstrate
Girl Unit - Club Rez
Schoolboy Q f/ Ab-Soul - Druggys Wit Hoes Again
Rihanna - Birthday Cake (Funkystepz Miami Bass Mix)

Todd Edwards - This Generation
Missy Elliott f/ Timbaland - Triple Threat
DJ Q - JD & Coke
Rizzla - Dick
Nicki Minaj - Roman Holiday (Schwarz WorldWar6 Vogue Remix)

B. Traits f/ Elizabeth Troy - Fever
Total Freedom - U've Got The Bitch
Angel Haze - Werkin' Girls
Briana Perry - Marilyn Monroe
Wynter Gordon - Stimela

Miss Prada - Voodoo Pussy
Lotic - Lust (Norrit Remix)
Brenmar & DJ Sliink - Bait
Nina Sky - Day Dreaming (Eli Escobar Remix)
Usher - Climax (Funkystepz Loveshy Mix)

alb's:
io - flamenco abstractions
Kago - Ibipaio
The National Jazz Trio Of Scotland's Christmas Album

The Mike Delinquent Project feat. Lady Leshurr - Step in the Dance

mmmm yes. thanks for the tip mercer

The National Jazz Trio Of Scotland's Christmas Album

Have been seriously anticipating the fuck out of this.

The end of Hospitality's "Monkey" genuinely sounds to me like a previously unreleased bonus track recorded for the first Psychedelic Furs album but never used. Not saying that's necessarily good or bad.

Glad to see an early release of 2012 like Habits & Contradictions still getting mentioned because I think it is better than m.a.a.d. city. Someone said the same on the Kendrick Lamar thread and I think they got away with it! It's a fucking dope album.

Lot of ppl dismissing "Hands on the Wheel" but that song is way cool by me

Just added this to my list:

Mahsa Vahdat and Mighty Sam McClain-A Deeper Tone of Longing

An Iranian singer and a Louisiana born deep soul singer alternate verses and languages and music styles, within each song, with the aid of a Norwegian guitarist. It might sound whirled music gimmicky but it works. They previously worked together in 2010. Vahdat still lives in Tehran where she is barred from singing in public (she teaches music and gives private concerts there)

http://open.spotify.com/user/djperry1973/playlist/7Hi5uKSCgKZM5doRaEIDOz

recently added:

Kylie Minogue - The Abbey Road Sessions

Things I like recently:

The Crystal Ark - s/t
Maria Minerva and LA Vampires - Integration
Emeralds - Just to Feel Anything
Anna Meredith - Black Prince Fury
Bee Mask - Vaporware/Scanops

All the Morton Feldman releases and reissues
Catherine Ribeiro boxed set
Laurie Spiegel - The Expanding Universe
Mingus box on Mosaic (new arrival but amazing)
Actress album er... mildly diverting
New Ariel Pink
That is all

kinda bummed how little loud rock music is on my best of 2012 playlist

have you heard hank wood & the hammerheads album? my favourite loud rock album of 2012

http://www.mediafire.com/?y6h7z37b04dds0p

^uploaded by label no ysi

man all I am listening to this year is loud rock music it seems

new stuff* to add to my list

Aluk Todolo, Occult Rock
Fushitsusha, Hikari to Nazukeyo
Beak>, >>
Gunn-Truscinski Duo, Ocean Parkway
Moon Duo, Circles
Melody's Echo Chamber, s/t

*late pass plz, apparently I can't be on time for work and on time for ILX at the same time

Dead Sara's self-titled is def my favorite loud rock album of the year. some other favorites that haven't been mentioned in this thread yet:

Dwight Yoakam - 3 Pears
Meek Mill - Dreams And Nightmares
Ichicuts - Filthy First Year
Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky
Pink - The Truth About Love
ZZ Top - La Futura
The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Eleni Mandell - I Can See The Future
E-40 - The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 1, 2 & 3
Say Anything - Anarchy, My Dear

i mean loud rock pretty broadly. like i've got future of the left, screaming females, oh sees, jeff the brotherhood, fake limbs, and mind spiders on my list but i don't know if i out and out love any of those

my fave stuff that isn't obvious stuff that everyone else loves too:

dustin wong - dreams say, view, create, shadow leads <- maybe my fave album of the year?
serengeti - c.a.r. and kenny dennis EP
the chap - we are nobody
chris cohen - overgrown path
fake limbs - man feelings
lambchop - mr. m

I love the Chris Cohen album.

this is my singles list as of right now:

Scott Walker – Epizootics!
Dirty Projectors – Gun Has No Trigger
Adele – Set Fire To The Rain
Barbara Morgenstern – Sweet Silence
Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra)
Peaking Lights – Beautiful Son
Vum – Laura Palmer
Psychic Ills – Take Me With You
Santigold – Disparate Youth
David Byrne & St. Vincent – Who
The Soft Pack – Saratoga
Mirel Wagner – No Death
POP ETC – Keep It for Your Own
Mark Stewart – Stereotype (feat. Factory Floor and Keith Levene)
NZCA/LINES – Airlock
Rufus Wainwright – Jericho
Sky Ferreira – Everything Is Embarrassing
Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
The Fresh & Onlys – Presence of Mind
Psy – Gangnam Style (강남스타일)
Todd Terje – Inspector Norse
Cate le Bon – Fold The Cloth
Julia Holter – Goddess Eyes I
Farrah Abraham – On My Own
Rhye – The Fall
Masha Qrella – Fishing Buddies
Christina Aguilera – Your Body
Miguel – Adorn
Adult. – Shari Vari
Lana Del Rey – Bel Air