this will be a hard and difficult exercise but i have a pretty good idea of a few of them . Its difficult because i normally listen to so many different styles of music , and to pick 10 , well its hard .
The order of the records is not importante , all this records have the same importance and impact throught out this year.
Remote
" Dark Enough " - Kill the Dj
Techno / Minimal / Electro / Electronic
Buy
From the beginning of the year that i new that this record had it all , thought i'm absolutely not a fan of techno , this is a really great crossover of techno and electro. Its dark , muscled and always on heavy rotation on my gym play lists.
I'm also a big fan of French Electro , i've start loving the whole thing listening to the Black Strobe , and this records as loads of it , that dark matter that i like so much on electro.
Mp3 | Remote - Veron
Our Sleepless Forest
" Our Sleepless Forest " - Resonant
Experimental / Post-Rock / Drone / Ambient
Buy
What a majestic record from this South London trio, it simply has to be heard.
I know is always unfair to compare records and artist , but the reason that made me like this record immediately , was is resemblance to Ben Frost "Theory of Machines" , it was like finally something as powerful had came out.
Its almost breathtaking , you could almost get lost in its complexity , "Clarion" its just beautiful , Drones and Experimental Post-Rock . "The Tinderbox" , apparently and easy and appealing tracks that at some point stops , you think the track as came to the end , and them starts this ravishing drone with sounds of landscapes filled with water sounds and exotic creatures. Its a must have.
Mp3 | Our Sleepless Forest - The Clarion
Sadly this was the last release of a great record label Resonant
Deerhunter
" Microcastle " - Kranky
Alternative / Indie
Buy
Mr. Cox had a very busy year , 3 records under is belt , " Microcastle " is definitely my favorite , in is other project Atlas Sound , Mr. Cox brought us another well crafted and excellent record " Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel "
" Nothing Ever Happened " , " Agoraphobia " and " Never Stops " are masterpieces in a all together a brilliant record.
Mp3 | Deerhunter - Agoraphobia
Fennesz
" Black Sea " - Touch
Ambient / Modern Classical / Drone
Buy
2008 saw the consolidation of Christian Fennesz on my top 10 favorite artist.
First because this year finally i had my ears on his collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto , its tremendous " Cender " , probably my favorite record at this moment.
Second because " Black Sea " new album out now on Touch Records, its just miraculous beautiful . normally i can do a lot of things at the same time , but with this , no . while i'm listening to is drones and acoustics all looped out is a calm and relaxing ambient , i think i'm nearly in a state of trance looking to a painting i have above my couch , i just steer at it numbly , even if the whole world was collapsing around me , i wouldn't fell a thing.
" Grey Scale " and " Perfume For Winter " are some of the most beautiful and profoundly tracks i've heard from Fennesz.
Mp3 | Fennesz - Grey Scale
Arnaud Rebotini
" Music Components " - Citizen
Electro / Techno
Buy
There was a lot of nasty talk about the Black Strobe split up , the reviews about the 2007 " Burn you own Church " were quite poor . To be honest , i don't listen to that kinda of stuff , i liked the record a lot , and the reasons that lead Ivan Smagghe to leap out because he wanted to focus more on his Dj Career are very valid.
The thing is , the Black Strobe are something very special their sound is unique and very appealing to me. Ever since i heard " Me and Madonna " for the first time , my world change a lot and my music tastes had to evolve into things that i didn't like a lot
Arnaud Rebotini , new solo record " Music Components " is very good , i can't say its awesome because the surprise element is not there anymore , but it doesn't invalidate being a very good record , and when comes to electro , Rebotini knows it all.
Mp3 | Rebotini -1314
Fuck Buttons
" Street Horrrsing " - ATP
Noise / Drone / Experimental
Buy
There was a lot of talk about Fuck Buttons , i saw them live and give them a 10/10
As for the record , leaps out on all the boundaries and extensions of what is permitted and allowed in music these days . Fuck Buttons broke all these limits and produced a unique piece of wonderful and tribal noise record .
Mp3 | Fuck Buttons - Sweet Love For Planet
Munk
" Cloudbuster " - Gomma
Krautdisco / Future Disco / Electro Funk
Buy
Gomma is one of my favorite record labels , and also one of the most underestimated in Europe , they are also known as the DFA of Europe , because of there inflamed disco beats .
Release after release , they always bring something fresh , this time was Munk's " Cloudbuster " with some fabulous spaced disco/funk .
The super " Psychomagic " and the smashing " live fast! die old! " feat. Asia Argento made Munk catapult and shows us some of their Gomma glamour.
Mp3 | Munk - Psychomagic
Duchess Says
" Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs " - Alien8
Punk-Rock / Alternative
Buy
They are Canadians and they make shit loads of noise , one the best Punk/Rock records of these year.
Rough bass lines , screaming guitars and heavy pounding drumming , add this to the screams of their sexy vocalist Annie-C and you get an explosive mix that will raise all you hidden hairs to hysteria.
Mp3 | Duchess Says - La friche
Aidan Baker & Tim Hecker
" Fantasma Parastasie " - Alien8
Drone / Ambient / Experimental
Buy
2008 i believed to be the year of the drone , it's something very recent to my ears.
Tim Hecker and Aidan Baker are recent addiction to my Audiopleasures world.
" Fantasma Parastasie " joins Nadja’s Aidan Baker and fellow Canadian Tim Hecker in their first collaboration on Alien8.
Both Canadian artist are exponents in the art of abstract and experimental music , while Tim Hecker explores the more ambient part of the compositions , Aidan Baker takes is darker backgrounds with distortion and noise.
If you like this combinations and enjoy experimental music , this a must have record.
Mp3 | Aidan Baker & Tim Hecker - hymn to the idea of night
Kap Bambino
" zero life night vision " - Alt+Delee
Electro / Punk / 8-Bit / Nu-Rave
Buy
Either you love or you hate it , there is no halve term on this record .
Its intoxicating and energetic to the bone , the beats are unreal hard , nu-rave mixed with 8-bit , electro and very punky attitude.
I give them my vote because of their courage and the freshness of the record , if you listen to it , put on your party gears and rock on.
Mp3 | Kap Bambino - Night Vision Ocean
Other records that deserve to be mentioned.
Flying Lotus - " Los Angeles " - Warp
Ezekiel Honig - " Surfaces of a Broken Marching Band " - Anticipate
Kangding Ray - " Automne Fold " - Raster-Noton
Cloudland Canyon - " Lie in Light " - Kranky
M83 - " Saturdays=Youth " - Mute
Padded Cell - " Night Must Fall " - Dc Recordings
MIT - " Coda " - Haute Areal
Tindersticks - " The Hungry Saw " - Beggars
These New Puritans - " Beat Pyramid " - Domino
Atlas Sound - " Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel " - Kranky
this could go on and on and on , appologise for those i forgot . Funny thing , normaly the best albums are those you will only discover next year.
