samedi 29 Déc 2007, 11h51m
This is now a regular feature! The last one was "Another Retrospective" (http://www.last.fm/user/Gnac/journal/2006/12/31/302256/).
This one has had more effort put in.
Duntisbourne Abbots Soulmate Devastation Technique
Ah yes, what better way to start a rundown of this year's notable albums than with a disappointment. Apparently this is too dark for me. It's not boring at all, no. Each track is totally unique, fresh and exciting.
I can't even pick out a single standout track here, so let's leave it at that.
Standout tracks: feh.
None Shall Pass
Ace is one of the few Hip-hop artists keeping the genre alive for me, which is some feat considering that it died over a decade ago. I was going to have a segue here about how the video for Coffee ties in well with this, but actually, it doesn't. But it is one of the many fine tracks on offer here! 39 Thieves reminds me of how much fellow Def Jux stablemate Mr. Lif needs to get back on track.
Standout tracks: None Shall Pass, 39 Thieves, No City, Coffee (secret track)
Foley Room
One track title describes the sound of this album: Kitchen Sink. The album title describes it in a more technical term, and even hints at Tobin's fetish for cinematic soundscapes. This would be a painful reminder of his abandonment of the Jazz n' Bass cutup sound he helped to create… if it weren't so damn good.
It actually feels like more of a successor to Supermodified than Out From Out Where. At the End of the Day in particular makes me all nostalgic for the first time I heard Supermodified.
Standout tracks: Esthers, The Killer's Vanilla, Always, At the End of the Day
Thinking Out Loud
My major complaint with her last studio album was the amount of generic chartpop, when I know she can stamp her own identity on things. Sakamichi is a great example of that identity, but aside from a couple of others, there's too much cheese for me here.
Standout tracks: Gimme A Beat, Broken Hearts, Citylights and Me Just Thinking Out Loud, Sakamichi
Yukari Telepath
If there's one band who have continuously bettered their previous work, it's C/O/T/D. YT follows on from where they left us with the Penguin EP (and even features a reworking of a track from it, along with one from the Mouse EP). Their mastery of tuneful rock shines in tracks such as Water Bird and Ribbon no Kishi, and AOA even harks back to very early work.
Unfortunately many of the tracks here fit a little too well with each other; Narasaki's vox effects get slightly tiresome, and some tracks sound more like his side project Sadesper Record (for example, Automation Structures). Despite this, it's probably one of the best albums of this year.
Standout tracks: Water Bird, Automation Structures, AOA, Evil Line, Ribbon no Kishi
0000
A fantastic array of eerie soundscapes which blend into each other, 0000 is a masterwork of ambient glitch. By the nature of ambience, I can't describe what isn't ther- oh who am I kidding.
This is actually a 2 CD release, with disc 2 featuring some remixes and collaborations.
Standout tracks: 0003, 0008, 0016, 0008 (Coniine Calm Remix By Mad EP), Dayout
New Erections
It feels weird to hear a grindcore band do a slow mosh. But not as weird as the phrase post-grindcore. God, don't EVER make me type anything like that again.
Standout tracks: God Wants Us all to Work In Factories, Tower of Mammal
Chicago, Detroit, Redruth
Don't let the Drum n' Bass intro of ComfyCozy mislead you with this release - by the second track we're already into the slick acid styling of the appropriately titled Brain Rave. I actually had trouble selecting my standout tracks for this because they're all so damn fine.
Oh, look out for a naggingly familiar theme in the last track, Swet. You will shit bricks.
Standout tracks: Brain Rave, Radio Savalas, Chicago, Detroit, Redruth
Bambi's Dilemma
It took M-B four years to do what? Make another Cell-Scape? Perhaps it's just me, but there seemed to be more of a difference when comparing their previous releases as with this one. And that drum machine needs to go. I've already argued over this album and been accused of calling them sellouts, so let's just say I don't like it. Only another B-side and Splits compilation would maintain my interest in them now.
Standout tracks: hahaha NO.
Polysics
Karate House
Another band who can seem to do no wrong (save for that one song), their explosive energy seems to come through in everything they do. It seems weird to have a song on here bearing the title of one of their previous albums (Polysics or Die!!!!), but that's hardly a new phenomenon. The only real letdown here is the chipmunk-esque Catch on Everywhere. Whose bright ideas was is to ruin a song like that?
Standout tracks: Watson, New Wave Telephone Consultation Room, Professional Tennis, Shizuka is A Machine Doctor
Preparations
Once again, Scott continues his usual form, but I feel mean in describing his latest album in that way. It seems like I'm bringing him down for continuing to create a sound which is very much his own. Perhaps I'm spoiled by his work, but there were only a couple of tracks here which wowed me. Overall though, it's more consistent than Security Screenings, and a better successor to Surrounded By Silence. Don't get me wrong; I LIKE this.
Standout tracks: Aborted Hugs, Smoking Red, I Knew you Were Gonna Go, Pomade Suite Version One
Solo
The fragile queen of electronic misery returns with a warmer sound this time around. There's a hint of influence from some of the other artists she's worked with, though I'm certain that she's actually recorded a version of Saigo no Chikyu with Riow Arai. Magic and Gift especially seem to explore a more tuneful side than previous work.
Standout tracks: Magic, Let Me See Your Face, In A Chinese Restaurant
Various Artists
NanoSweep.4
NanoSweep.5
Two releases from the Nanosounds and SuperSweep collaboration, featuring heavyweights of Videogame music such as Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso and Nobuyoshi Sano (though Sanodg doesn't make an appearance on either of these). Considering the pedigree of the project's contributors, the compilations contain house and techno which stands on its own, yet is still appropriate for custom videogame soundtracks (I have a few from these two discs on my SD card for Excite Truck).
The sound ranges from the South American tinges of Blaze Out and Jacaranda through Nu-Disco flavours of Expressive Air 06 and Stargaze to, well… Shinji Hosoe just does his own thing in Vaolent Fluctuation and Dyspepsia. Also, Revival V is fucking brutal.
Standout tracks: Eve, RockStars, Vaolent Fluctuation, Stargaze, Dyspepsia
Pink + Green
I guess Mr. Funk REALLY hates this Sporto bloke. Maybe if I piss him off I'll get such an excellent middle finger of a track dedicated to me. As for Husikam Rave Dojo, I suspect Yuzo Koshiro also angered him at some point. Why does it remind me so much of Streets of Rage II?
Standout Tracks: Husikam Rave Dojo, Sporto Fucking Sellout Cocksuckerface
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Things in this section either haven't had a listen or I haven't got them yet.
Sakura Swirl
I haven't bought this yet, but I will when I remember. This sounds terrible, like I don't care about them. I really do!
Eternal Castle
Listing albums which I haven't listened to yet is WRONG.
Private/Public
Is it GOOD?
Era Vulgaris
I have actually sampled some of this; I'm just too damn lazy to find interesting adjectives for it. It's nice.