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OK so end of school is here and the best part is…COACHELLA IN 12 DAYS! OK. So, like promised ages ago, mixtape is on the way…for real this time. Expect it within a week. It is pretty awesome. So this post is a quick recap of all the shows I went to in March. It was such a ridiculous time for concerts and I discovered some pretty great new bands. Jump ahead for recaps for Neon Indian, Braids, Silly Kissers, Air, Beach House, Bachelorette, Joanna Newsom, Flying Lotus and more!
Outside of Four Tet, another album that has been on constant repeat for me is Beach House’s Teen Dream. Yes, I know, a bit behind the times as the album leaked a few months ago and the hype on this band is bigger than what I remember for Wavves and Vampire Weekend. I decided to wait a bit before listening to the album and I regret not buying into the aged hype which is totally deserved. This album is like Washed Out but dreamier, slower and more magnetic. It’s the Fleet Foxes of dream pop mixed with lo-fi goodness that is listenable whenever and where-ever. A++++
On the other end, I recently listened to Geoff Barrow’s (from Portishead) solo album/project called Beak>. After having had it for nearly half a year it all of a sudden popped up on the playlist right after Beach House! Just like Portishead, the great weaving instrumentals and bone rattling bass puts you in a darker mood, an absolute conversation stopper. You just gotta stop and listen. The Portishead influences are definitely there but I feel like this album is much more psychedelic and noisier than the former. It’s a bit more abstract but the entire album flows so well. Plus, it is a killer album to listen to stoned. Quite fantastic and Portishead lovers should cop this! A
So, I share two of my favorite songs off these albums! Also a mixtape should be out by the end of this week! It is truly great and one of my favorites so far…that’s for sure! So stay tuned for that!
P.S. Happy Chinese New Year!
MP3: Beach House – Silver Soul
MP3: BEAK> – Blagdon Lake
***Finally I am posting these decade end lists. Gaaah I love and hate lists. They enlighten me towards new music yet at the same time they’re ridiculously subjective. From one point to the next an album can be the best and not depending on the season, the weather, my emotions, whether I’m under the influence, yada yada yada. Because of all this, the numbers on my list aren’t a ranking system of worst to best—because I think they’re all equally fantastic—they’re simply a form of organization. But, a few times on the lists I will put a clear marker on the artist/album that I feel truly outranks the rest. It’s only here where I exercise a bit of hypocrisy.
I know I’ve left hundreds and hundreds of artists out. Making a “Top 10” list per sub-genre for the decade is trifling, I know. It really should be “Top 100” per sub genre. Every day I keep remembering ones I should add but I have too much music and too little time. I did my best with what I had and what I remember and the time I had! You’ll notice that a lot of the artists are from the last 5 years and that’s because my mecca of music is back home. Home home. Like where I was born jaja. So…sorry for the lack of early 2000 albums. =)
I also dislike one shot lists! You simply can’t compare down-tempo artists to dubstep artists, etc. So, I tried to organize artists into the genres I felt fit them best as opposed to putting them all in the same pool. But obviously some artists mix into the other genres or were put there even though they have a very specific genre of their own (avant-garde, balearic, etc etc). Gaaah and genre is so subjective as well. Bear with me and keep all this in mind! A lot of these artists are featured in my NYE and NYD mixtapes or have been blogged about! So check the mixtapes out or do a quick search on ATM if you feel like more sampling.
Other than that, happy reading and stay tuned for Part II and Part III!
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Ambient, Chillout, Lounge, Down-tempo, Lo-Fi
10. Flica – Nocturnal (2008)
09. Mùm – Yesterday Was Dramatic Today (2000)
08. Emancipator – Soon It Will Be Cold Enough (2006)
- MP3: Emancipator – Anthem
07. Seba – Return to Forever (2008)
06. Röyksopp – Melody A.M. (2001)
05. Ocuban – Behave Decently (2009)
04. M83 – Before the Dawn Heals Us (2005)
03. Telefon Tel Aviv – Immolate Yourself (2009) ♥
02. Air – Walkie Talkie (2004) ♥♥
01. Télépopmusik – Angel Milk (2005) ♥♥♥
Mentionables of 2009:
Eluvium – Life Through Bombardment
Hauschka – Snowflakes and Car Wrecks
Napoli is Not Nepal – Napoli is Not Nepal
Nosaj Thing – Drift
Nordlight – A Deep Dive
Printempo – Printempo
Tosca – No Hassle
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