Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Top (read: favorite) Albums of 2011

I'd kind of gotten away from doing these year-end lists, which I've always loved. In a lot of ways, it's a very arbitrary act, owing a lot to my whim at the moment I decide to commit to the order set before me, and subject to change at any moment. But it's also a lot of fun, and an excuse to pay even more attention to the music I enjoy, respect and admire. I'd say the list was determined by those last three factors. That and, again, whim. An objective determination of quality, this is not.

1. Grouper - A I A : Alien Observer / A I A : Dream Loss

2. The Field - Looping State Of Mind

3. P.G. Six - Starry Mind

4. Ford & Lopatin - Channel Pressure

5. Morphosis - What Have We Learned

6. John Maus - We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves

7. The Native Cats - Process Praise

8. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

9. Bibio - Mind Bokeh (except for the horrid "Take Off Your Shirt," it should be noted)

10. Alberich - Psychology Of Love

11. Metal Mountains - Golden Trees

12. Belong - Common Era

13. Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer

14. Jonas Reinhardt - Music For The Tactile Dome

15. Balaclavas - Snake People

16. Silk Flowers - Ltd. Form

17. Roll The Dice - In Dust

18. U.S. Girls - U.S. Girls on KRAAK

19. The Sea And Cake - The Moonlight Butterfly

20. Zola Jesus - Conatus


Other albums of note (in no particular order): Zombi - Escape Velocity, Steve Moore - Primitive Neural Pathways, Total Control - Henge Beat, Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972, Panda Bear - Tomboy, Natural Snow Buildings - Waves Of The Random Sea, Maria Minerva - Tallinn At Dawn, M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, Kyle Bobby Dunn - Ways Of Meaning, Dream Diary - You Are The Beat, Charalambides - Exile, Household - Items, Shoppers - Silver Year



Samples of the Top 20:

1. Grouper - A I A : Alien Observer / A I A : Dream Loss




2. The Field - Looping State Of Mind




3. P.G. Six - Starry Mind




4. Ford & Lopatin - Channel Pressure




5. Morphosis - What Have We Learned




6. John Maus - We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves




7. The Native Cats - Process Praise



and, for a better sense of how they sound on the album:

The Native Cats - Dani Dani by Noise, Etc.



8. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo




9. Bibio - Mind Bokeh (except for the horrid "Take Off Your Shirt," it should be noted)




10. Alberich - Psychology Of Love




11. Metal Mountains - Golden Trees




12. Belong - Common Era




13. Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer




14. Jonas Reinhardt - Music For The Tactile Dome




15. Balaclavas - Snake People




16. Silk Flowers - Ltd. Form

Silk Flowers - LTD FORM - Chance (post present medium) by pdis_inpartmaint


17. Roll The Dice - In Dust




18. U.S. Girls - U.S. Girls on KRAAK




19. The Sea And Cake - The Moonlight Butterfly




20. Zola Jesus - Conatus


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