December | 2008

hey yall: 84 (Kevin) here.

it’s been another amazing year for music – one in which (through the incredible power of the internet) I amassed so much new material I barely had time to listen to it all. as a DJ, my year was dominated by electronic music in all its shapes and forms – from glitchy minimal to banger electro to bass-driven dubstep and everything in between, there was always something new to download from my blogroll (and Beatport / Juno) every day. consequently, I’m not going to try to formulate a ‘top singles’ or ‘top remixes’ list, as I would probably drive myself crazy trying to narrow it down to 10 or 15 each. that being said, there were some great LP’s released in 2008 as well – and since I pull from varied genres to form this list, I’m not going to rank anything, but instead simply offer my picks for full-length best listens of the year. enjoy.

The Bug – London Zoo

London’s Kevin Martin, aka The Bug, has been making cutting edge music for well over a decade under various monikers, dabbling in everything from hip hop to metal. however, its the grime/dancehall/dubstep fusion of The Bug that has drawn the most attention, and for good reason. in a year where London was once again at the forefront of electronic music’s evolution, ‘London Zoo’ led the charge, bringing ragga MC’s from across the city together to spit over some of the freshest beats of the year.

The Bug – Poison Dart (ft. Warrior Queen)

N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds

two producers have dominated the mainstream with inventive sounds and constant reinvention over the last five+ years – Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. and while West’s ’808′s and Heartbreak’ has appeared on many year-end ‘best of’ lists, I’ve gotta go with the third album by William’s N.E.R.D. collective in the battle of the superproducers. Williams + co. always cross many genre boundaries in their work, and ‘Seeing Sounds’ is no different – some hip hop, some electronic flourishes, and always some rocknroll. plus seeing them live (opening for West no less) helped seal this deal – Williams got blown full on in the face by a smoke machine and lost his voice, but went on to finish his set by yelling the lyrics instead of singing. now that’s dedication.

N.E.R.D. – You Know What

Machines Don’t Care – S/T

this one is a no brainer. take a gaggle of world’s foremost electronic producers, have them collaborate on a full-length album, and the result is Machines Don’t Care. the brainchild of Herve, MDC includes Fake Blood, Sinden, Drop The Lime, Detboi, Trevor Lovelys, Affie Yusuf, and Toddla T. that’s basically a who’s who of inventive club music – not to mention these all producers were plenty prolific this year on their own as well! old school rave, jungle, drum ‘n bass, ragga – it was all there with a new bass-centric twist. fail-safe club music without question.

Machines Don’t Care – Jugs

M83 – Saturdays = Youth

beautiful and touching, soaring and emotional, Anthony Gonzales (M83) gave us a classic record with ‘Saturdays = Youth.’ true to it’s title, the LP has an authentic 80′s teen feel through its instrumentation, with the vocals/lyrics to match. one of the only albums this year that core indie fans and techno kids could universally agree on, M83 is a cross-genre smash. when am I going to start hearing these songs in commercials and movies? probably all-too soon..

M83 – Skin of the Night

Hercules and Love Affair – S/T

the disco resurgence of 2008 was propelled initially by the DFA family and ended up making stars out of now critical darlings Hercules and Love Affair. even though I’ve listened to this record so many times at work + home that i need a serious break, I’m positive that this will be one I’ll come back to for years to come (plus it sounds incredible on vinyl). every song is pleasurable and welcoming – just try to not sing along with the chorus of the song below.

Hercules and Love Affair – Raise Me Up

Empire of the Sun – Walking On a Dream

the Australian duo of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore (of PNAU fame) absolutely killed it for me with ‘Walking On a Dream’ – nasal vocals ala the Beach Boys, pure sugary pop hooks and bouncy rhythms made this an untouchable headphones record for walking or transiting. not a pure indie band by any means, Empire of the Sun show their dance roots throughout the record – and the remixes of the title track were universally awesome.

Empire of the Sun – Half Mast

Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours

while I may have a hard time ranking #’s 2 – 10, this is definitely my favorite album of 2008 (and my favorite concert). Cut Copy managed to follow up their classic debut record ‘Bright Like Neon Love’ with this sweeping sophomore LP, a tough task considering the hype surrounding the band – add in the 10 or so epic remixes they produced this year, and the Cutters are undoubtedly the artists of ’08, period.

Cut Copy – Strangers in the Wind

Bison b.c. – Quiet Earth

it took me until the fall of ’08 to get back to one of my first loves, bad ass double kick hoarse screaming heavy breakdown thrash metal. and no one is doing it better at present than East Van’s Bison b.c. – shredder riffs, gang choruses and crazy storylines make ‘Quiet Earth’ an 8-song metal epic, and I can’t wait to see them live in January.

Bison b.c. – Wendingo Pt. 1 (Quest For Fire)

Van She – V

if not for Cut Copy, this easily would have been my favorite album by an Aussie group in 08. primarily known in the past as remixers, Van She stepped in to their own as a band this year by releasing yet another winner on the Modular label. and while hit single ‘Kelly’ got a (in my opinion) downgraded rework for the album, the other tracks came through in all the right ways, mixing glossy synths and vocal harmonies together for an engaging LP experience.

Van She – Talkin’

Glass Candy – B/E/A/T/B/O/X

yes, it came out in Dec 07, but Glass Candy might have actually been the band that impressed me most in 08. based out of Portland, Oregon and part of the phenomenal Italians Do It Better family, GC have that authentic sound of a past/future hybrid that is impossible to fake and easy to love. another band that indie rawkers and electro kids could bond over, ‘B/E/A/T/B/O/X’ sounds great on vinyl and amazing on a club system. can’t wait to see what they do in 09.

Glass Candy – Candy Castle

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HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Sasha Funke – Mango

No Age - Nouns

Sebastien Tellier – Sexuality

Morgan Geist – Double Night Time

Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer

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so there it is – let the debate begin! I wonder what will be the big sounds will be in 2009.. but regardless of what comes to the forefront, I’m sure it will be another exciting year to be a music fan and a club-goer. thanks to all the producers, bands, labels, and promoters who brought the music to the people in 08, and, as always, try to support good music whenever you can by buying a record from a store, an MP3 from somewhere online, or a t-shirt from an artist or label. merry christmas and a happy new year!

Monthly Archives: December 2008

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