Charts of 2011

As usual top charts of 2011 all came in different formats, with some taking more liberties than others in cramming as many records, news events ad whatever else they could in. Also most people have chosen not to rank their releases (thanks Jimmy Monsta Funk who started the trend last year and now everyone’s tried it on) I’ve preserved them here as they were emailed to me.

Thanks to everyone for a brilliant year and watch 2012 for some massiveness, starting with our first two plates of the year from Daojia and NKC respectively, due out March and April (so probably August September).

You may notice the absence of Kamikaze from this list, but as always he’s on another level – if you haven’t done so yet check his own special page for 700 minutes of music he recorded for his 2011 Top 100.

 

Keith P

For the first time ever I found myself buying masses of LPs on wax, as opposed to singles as in previous years. Whether the full length format has evolved or my ears have turned to home listening I’ve no idea, but an amazing year for LPs no doubt.

Singles / EPs
1. Head High – It’s A Love Thing [Power House]
2. Tyree – Nuthin Wrong [Mojuba]
3. Appointment – Too Raw 4 You [Appointment]
4. Anthony ‘Shake’ Shakir – Piper EP [Frictional Recordings]
5. Kassem Mosse – Workshop 12 [Workshop]
6. Paperclip People – 4 My Peepz (Dubfire / Locodice remixes) [Planet E]
7. Mike Dehnert – MD2.4 [MD2]
8. Old Apparatus – Old Apparatus [Deep Medi Musik]
9. Paul Bennett – Modernista Two [Modernista]
10. Sbtrkt / Objekt – Sbjkt 1 [White]

Full Lengths
1. Container – LP [Spectrum Spools]
2. Thundercat – The Golden Age of Apocalypse [Brainfeeder]
3. The Dirtbombs – Party Store [In The Red Records]
4. Blue Daisy – The Sunday Project [Black Acre]
5. Ekoplekz – Intrusive Incdentalz Vol 1 [Punch Drunk]
6. o1o (Aybee) – Futurespective [Further]
7. Andy Stott – Passed Me By [Modern Love]
8. Peaking Lights – 936 [Not Not Fun]
9. Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica [Software]
10. Scan 7 – Techno Brings People Together CD [Cratesavers International]

Honourable mentions: Carl Craig, Psycatron, Paul Woolford and Francois K destroying Ewer Street Car Park for one of the best parties ever; Legend Of Zelda Turns 25 and celebrates in style; Underground Resistance smashing it with ever-important reissues as heads rediscover Detroit; Rollo Jackson releases ‘Tape Crackers’ on DVD; Apart Summer Art Show in London; Tempo Clash launches with the best residents lineup ever;

Worst occurrence of 2011: Import records become a standard 10 pound spend – even if they’re one sided and sleeveless

 

Jimmy Monsta Funk

In no particular order:

1. Lejak – Blue Bandit (Council House)
1. Bruno Gauthier – Existing Reality EP (CTF)
1. Trentmoller – Shades Of Marble (kINK remix) (In My Room)
1. Reggie Dokes – High Tek Soul EP (Kuumba)
1. Omar S – Here’s Your Trance Now Dance! (Shadow Ray remix) (FXHE)
1. Rag – Rage (MOS)
1. Piet Van Dongen – Vulcanic Ass (Audiomatique)
1. Floorplan – Sanctified EP (M Plant)
1. Tralopscinor – Always Did, Always Will (Dekmantel)
1. Ricardo Miranda – 102point7 (Stilove4music)

Honourable mentions:
Compilation CD: Various Artists – Scan 7 Presents Techno Brings People Together (a cracking compilation of Techno music from all over the globe and curated by Motor City legend Scan 7).

Event: 20 years of Planet E with Carl Craig at Ewer Street Car Park in London (it was fantastic hearing C2 dip into his heavyweight back catalogue on a loud sound system).

Film: The Artist (this film features almost no dialogue and is a homage to the transition from silent films to talkies between 1927 – 1932, if you are a film geek like me, you’ll love it)

Documentary: All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace (another show-stopping doco by Adam Curtis, this time dealing with the rise of Randian thinking, providing more grist for the dystopian mill).

Book: Kill Your Friends by John Niven (Although this book was released before 2011, I only managed to get to grips with it this year. Think American Psycho meets the British Music industry; very dark, very funny and not for the easily offended).

Documentary: The Beat Is The Law – Fanfare For The Common People (most people will jump on this film about the Sheffield music scene for Jarvis Cocker and Richard Hawley, however the coverage of Fon studios, Warp Records and in particular the genius that is Rob Gordon makes this is must see for EDM fans too!)

 

Raynulds

Taking it a step further Raynulds also delivered a Best Of in the form of his Sub.fm show, check underneath to stream from his mixcloud.

1: Peverelist – Dance Til The Police Come – Hessle Audio
2: Scuba – Feel It – Hotflush
3: Graphics – Wiping The Eye – Granholme
4: Levon Vincent – Impressions Of A Rainstorm – Novel Sound
5: Objekt – CLK Recovery – Objekt
6: West Norwood Cassette Library – Get Lifted (Karenn Remix) – WNCL Recordings
7: Guy Andrews – Shades – Hemlock Recordings
8: George Fitzgerald – Hearts – Man Make Music
9: Paul Woolford – Let It Go (Komonazmuk & Appleblim Remix)
10: Swindle – Mood Swings VIP – Butterz

Albums & Compilations:
1: 116 & Rising – Hessle Audio
2: Kuedo – Severant – Planet Mu
3: Martyn – Ghost People – Brainfeeder
4: Back and 4th – Hotflush
5: Ekoplekz – Intrusive Incidentalz – Punch Drunk

Honorable mentions:
Music: Butterz reviving instrumental grime single-handedly; Tri Angle Records; tracky house from Analogue Cops, ItaloJohnson, Relative Records; Eros Records; Floating Points in general.

Nights: Warm @ Plastic People, Late Night Jam, Hessle Audio @ XOYO,
Man Make Music @ The Star

Everything else: Folly for a Flyover, Barrowjams, Occupy Everything & the 99%. 

 

Daojia

Favourite tracks of the year (also in no order – either we’re all indecisive sissies or music is on a massive uptick, I’d like to think it’s the latter)

1. Kahn – Helter Skelter [Punch Drunk Records]
1. DJ Spinn – I Really Feel [Planet Mu]
1. Synkro & Indigo – Guidance [Exit Recordings]
1. Splurt – The Return VIP [Oil Gang]
1. Tokimonsta ft. Gavin Turek – Darkest (Dim) [Brainfeeder]
1. Blackwax – Offkey [Tube10]
1. Submotion Orchestra – All Yours [Exceptional Records]
1. Y2D – Idolatry [Lifestyle Recordings]
1. SX – Woo Riddim [Butterz]
1. BCee – Chameleon [Spearhead Records]- Darkest (Dim) [Brainfeeder]

Honourable (unreleased) mentions: Grifta – As Late As It Seems, Paranoise – Diamonds, DJ Clap – Future Love, Special Ed – Guns of Navarone, Mr. Liddz – Ech(t)o, Submerse – Touch Me (All Night Long), Bon Iver – Wash (Seath Remix), TC – Tap Ho (Taxman Remix), LOL Boys – Moments in Heatbreak…. this list is inexhaustible so I’ll stop here.

Guilty pleasure: Rusko – Everyday (Netsky Remix) – the epitome of corny drumstep euphoria, sounds as monumental as a pasty computer nerd getting his first boner during that seizure episode of Pokemon.

I might just cry, too much good shit emerging from the shadows of every genre this year. Oil Gang been killing it – they’re reinvigorating grime for sure (almost merits two entries if I was to include Darq E Freaker – Cherryade). Tuff Wax doing a bang up job of representing my home city of Aberdeen, Yoin – Tired Of Me [forthcoming Squelch & Clap] would be another big one to watch from that camp in 2012. Numbers’ Jamie xx plate. This is all before considering EP’s as wholesome musical artifacts in their own right, Taz’s Neurotica EP? Snow Ghosts – Lost At Sea EP? Both C.R.S.T EPs?…. can we extend this to top 20… or 30 (50?)

 

Charity Queen

Here’s the Charity Queen selection. No order for me either I’m afraid. I can’t bring myself to say that an album of gentle lo-fi pop is better/worse than album of all-out glitch assault.

1. Julia Holter – Tragedy (Leaving)
1. Alva Noto – Univrs (Raster-Noton)
1. Holy Other – With U (Tri-Angle)
1. KWJAZ – KWJAZ (Not Not Fun)
1. Andy Stott – Passed Me By / We Stay Together (Modern Love)
1. Peaking Lights – 936 (Not Not Fun)
1. Tropic of Cancer – The Sorrow of Two Blooms (Blackest Ever Black)
1. Heatsick – Intersex (Pan)
1. Shlohmo – Bad Vibes (Friends of Friends)
1. Machinedrum – Room(s) (Planet Mu)

On the reissue front, shouts go out to Pan Records for beautifully packaged reissues of Ghedalia Tazartes, Hecker, Trevor Wishart and many others, Mississippi Records for yet another prolific year of quality vintage Americana, and to Chris and Cosey of Throbbing Gristle for single handedly overseeing the reissue of Throbbing Gristle’s back catalogue, personally remastering all the artwork/zines that came with the records as well as the audio itself.