Best Of 2016: Electronic

There's some interesting molecular crosstalk between this list and some of the "alien R&B" I described in my last post. But genre lines are ever meant to be blurred and many is the time that one style of music has been re-energized by incorporating aspects of another. Lots of "classical" composers are also using non-organic sounds on which to hang their music, which probably influences rock-oriented musicians, further fertilizing an already prolific field. Here's the top of 2016's crop of what Mojo Magazine still calls "Electronica."

Nonkeen - Oddments of the Gamble and The Gamble Did you ever wish the intro to Riders On The Storm went on forever? The whole song is fantastic (except maybe that line about a brain "squirming like a toad"), but the opening minute is godhead. Nonkeen put out two albums this year and both of them have plenty of that beautifully simple mystery and majesty. An on-off collaboration by Frederic Gmeiner, Nils Frahm and Sepp Singwald, they channel their passion for cassette recording and chance occurrences into sublime sounds. I prefer Oddments slightly to the Gamble as it's a little groove heavier, with some of the cracked optimism I associate with Stereolab, but you can pick which one to listen to with a coin flip - which is how they chose which one to release first!

Cavern Of Anti-Matter - void beats/invocation trex Speaking of Stereolab, head honcho Tim Gane is back where he belongs with Cavern's mix of test-lab electronics and motorik rhythms, still seeming optimistic but maybe a little darker than back in the 90's. The only track that doesn't work for me is the one with Bradford Cox on vocals, which blend awkwardly with the soundscape and feel like an intrusion on the mood. Terrific album nonetheless and a must for old Stereolab heads - and new ones: if you're unfamiliar, make a plan to change that.

Marielle V Jakobsons - Star Core Jakobsons, a classically-trained multi-instrumentalist with whom I was completely unfamiliar until now, has created an immersive glittering prize of a record with Star Core. Using a base of evolving, richly evocative analog synth sounds, and adding violin, flute, bass, her voice, etc., she builds sound designs that coalesce into finished images and then evanesce. It's a little dark yet never bleak as the excitement intrinsic in creating such perfect music is transferred to the listener.

Ian William Craig - Centres Like Jakobsons, Craig has also spent time in the academy, training in vocals and composition. This is his third gorgeous album combining his treated and distorted voice with artfully distressed tape loops. Justin Vernon may be a fan as Craig mines some of the same seams as heard on 22, A Million, Bon Iver's latest album. Craig's approach is always cinematic, too, with a hidden narrative that keeps you listening from beginning to end.

Suzi Analogue - Zonez V2: The Speakers Push Air & My Tears Dry Like David Bowie, I never gave up on drum'n'bass and have even been known to gift copies of out-of-print gems like So Far by Alex Reece (get yours for 32 cents!). Analogue's stuff has a bit of that nervous energy so I was all over it as soon as I heard her on the same bill with Novelty Daughter earlier this year. She also adds an emotional overlay that seems very of the moment. Her hard beats lead you to dance, but her minimalist melodic cells keep you in touch with what fuels your abandon.

Mndsgn - Body Wash I've loved the music of Ringgo Ancheta since Yawn Zen in 2014, but that wonderful album feels like a series of sketches compared to this. Not to worry, though, his glassy sounds are still weightless, there's just a bit more conviction to the song structures, a sense of a statement of purpose, and that purpose is to seduce you into forgetting yourself and where you are just for a few moments. Do those four walls really confine you? No. Your mind's design can take you anywhere, with the right soundtrack.

65daysofstatic - No Man's Sky: Music For An Infinite Universe I'm not a gamer, unless you count chess and Scrabble, but I'm more than aware that music has become an ever-more integral part of video games. They even perform symphonic suites assembled from best-selling games at Carnegie Hall and other prestigious venues. But having the wide-screen instrumentals of 65daysofstatic soundtrack a game is a genius idea that I wish I had thought of first. I understand that No Man's Sky has received mixed reviews but it's not even necessary to know what the game is about to lose yourself in these tracks. And lose yourself you will, especially in the long pieces on disc two, which are culled from the "procedural audio" that covers the universe of the game no matter where the player decides to go. Their patented blend of live and looped drums, epic guitars and grandiose keyboards is richer than ever, suggesting that this long running Sheffield quartet has finally found their niche in the wider world.

Ital Tek - Hollowed Alan Myson, who has also released music under the name Planet Mu, always seemed to have more promise than the tight reins of dubstep allowed him to express. Hollowed finds him coming into his own, crafting prismatically structured pieces that have echoes of Eno, Popol Vuh, and John Carpenter, while sounding very individual. He could be next on the list for video game developers - either way, I'll be very intrigued to see where Ital Tek goes next.

M. Geddes Gengras - Two Variations and Interior Architecture I first became aware of this prolific L.A.-based synth magus from his remarkable entry in the collaborative FRKWYS series in 2012. That record found him working with dub specialist Sun Araw and legendary reggae harmony group The Congos. His ability to build immersive sound sculptures from a limited palette of materials was clear there and continues to be true on Two Variations. Both half hour pieces feel spontaneously generated, with a sense of discovery and play that is contagious, especially on 03.06.15, the first variation. The second work, 04.10.15, drags a little in the first 10 minutes but repays your attention in the latter half when it gets busy and a little angular. You can dip in and out of the variations but you may find yourself listening closely to follow the evolving threads. Interior Architecture is more ambient, four abstract pieces that often (ironically?) refer to sounds of the natural world. Gengras invites Seth Kesselman to contribute some new textures with his clarinet in the third piece, which is a nice touch. Maybe more collaboration is a good thing for Gengras, but he's always up to something interesting - and 03.06.15 proves his strength as a loner. 

Nicolas Godin - Contrepoint It was Mike D. who turned me onto the French retro-synth duo Air back in 1989, handing me a promo copy of Moon Safari across the table at lunch one day. He knew me well, as I quickly became obsessed with their lush, melodic, fun songs. I spread the gospel far and wide and watched delightedly as songs like Sexy Boy and Un Femme d'Argent installed themselves in the culture. But the ultimate reward never came as nothing else they did was nearly as compelling. Now we have 50% of Air (O₁?) with this solo album that is simultaneously wacky and accomplished, moving through a variety of sounds and styles in just over 30 minutes. As the title indicates, the ultimate inspiration for everything that follows is the music of J.S. Bach, the master of counterpoint. There's even a song called Bach Off in case you didn't catch Godin's drift. But instead of Baroque sounds, we get hints of Medieval prog, cool jazz, easy listening, Lou Reed's Street Hassle, and French pop to keep you guessing -  and entertained - throughout. I know nothing about the dynamic between Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, his partner in Air, but if he wants to continue in this vein, I'll be right there with him. 

Nicolas Jaar - Sirens It's taken a while for young Mr. Jaar to win me over again after the seismic jolt of Space Is Only Noise, his brilliant debut from 2011. There were a couple of tracks from last year's Nymphs EP's that piqued my interest, which was more than I can say of Darkside, the cul-de-sac side project he pursued with tiresome guitarist Dave Harrington. But Sirens finds some of the wit and unbearable lightness of Space returning, with beautiful textures and bouncy rhythms, alongside a newfound compositional maturity and even a little aggression on Three Sides of Nazareth. Jaar has always had a narrative drive to his best work and that seems to be getting stronger. I would not be surprised to see his name on some kind of visual project, such as movie or TV show, in the very near future. 

Novelty Daughter's Semigoddess was #4 in my Top 20, which means it was the best electronic album of the year - make sure you backtrack if you're not already a fan. All the selections above can be sampled in this playlist and you may find yet more joy in the Of Note In 2016 (Electronic) list. 

Coming next: the best of the rest of the year's classical and composed recordings. 

You may also enjoy:

Best Of 2016: The Top 20

Best Of 2016: Hip Hop & R&B

Best Of 15: The Rest

I had planned to put paid to 2015 several weeks ago, before the loss of David Bowie tilted everything off axis. Even though it will only put me further behind, I'm going to plow ahead with one last post about last year. The music deserves it.

When you listen to as much music as I do, it's never all going to be covered by the other entries in the Best Of 15 series (see below for the list). Hence, The Rest. Music included in this entry falls into three main categories: records that were released too late to be considered for the Top 20, great stuff I didn't have a chance to write about, and items from my mid-year report that did not stay at the top of my list or fall into specific genres like reggae or hip hop.

I'll now do my best to right those wrongs. Even so, I'll be leaving out a lot - like the Lloyd Price funk I discovered after reading his memoir, or that amazing Derek & The Dominoes bootleg that tended towards space rock, or the vintage Glass Harp album I scored in Austin...you get the idea. If you follow me on Twitter or on Facebook, you will get clued into this anecdotal listening as it happens. 

Now that it's 2016, I have archived 2015's Of Note playlist here and started this year's here. Follow the latter to keep up with my current listening. Time for one last look in the rear view mirror...

Too Late 

They coulda been contenders.

The rebuilding of Baroness after their horrific bus accident in 2013 has been an inspiration to all of us whose lives have been bifurcated by a before and after.  Purple, their fifth album, might have hit my Top 20 had it been released two weeks earlier - it's that good. With their new rhythm section, featuring the titanic Sebastian Thomson (also of Trans Am) on drums, now fully integrated, the band can soar, stutter and stop on a dime. The technical proficiency is there to serve the songs, however, not act as a crutch, and these are some of the most emotionally connected songs they've yet written. 

Part of the idea of metal, after all, is to express psychic agony with the sounds and descriptions of physical pain. That makes it an all too perfect medium for main songwriter John Baizley to explore some of the experience of being grievously injured. But even without knowing about all that, the songs are relatable,  their power a direct injection to the veins. If you like music of a certain weight that isn't simply aiming for extremes, Baroness is at the top of the heap and Purple finds them at the top of their game. 

See also: Shadows by Valkyrie, the side project of Baroness guitar man Peter Adams. It is, as they say, epic, even if the vocals don't always transcend the genre. 

Ryuichi Sakamoto knows a thing or two about epic, having scored Little Buddha, The Last Emperor, and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, among others. He also keeps busy with a variety of chamber, orchestral and electronic music, all of which come into play for The Revenant, Alejandro Iñárritu's Oscar-nom gobbling masterpiece. Sakamoto and his collaborators Alvo Noto and Bryce Dessner find the perfect tonal palette, an earthy but elevated combination of strings, percussion and electronics. It follows the line of the movie but also has a strength on its own. Even if you'd rather not see Leo DiCaprio in extremis ursinus this soundtrack is worth a listen.

I Want To Tell You

Time may be a flat circle but that doesn't mean I have enough of it.

Leave it to Mojo magazine to point me to the wonderful Stairway, a "new age" project featuring ex-Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty. As unlikely as the story behind the group is, it's even more so how good all their music is. Somehow they avoid many of the genre's worst tropes (and most of the 80's as well) to create beguiling miniatures. Most of the pieces are circular in form but manage to keep moving forward. The most successful tracks on new compilation Pearls Of The Deep incorporate "world music" rhythms, a flashback to some of the new textures McCarty and The Yardbirds brought to 60's rock. Grab a dose of their big calm for these tumultuous times. 

Another reissue that sounds better than ever is Simple Minds' Sparkle In The Rain, released in a feature-packed box set including live takes, remixes and videos. But the real glints in the darkness flash off the newly remastered original album. I guess Steve Lillywhite finally realized the error of his over-compressed ways because what he has achieved here in opening up the sound is phenomenal. Now Jim Kerr and co's last masterpiece finally sounds as detailed and massive as it always should have. Spoiler alert: guitarist Charlie Burchill is on this record after all.

Back in 2012 I raved about a strange group made up of offshoots from Unknown Mortal Orchestra who called themselves Opossom. Now they're back as Silicon and Personal Computer finds them more outré - and more sensual - than ever. Who cares if you know what the joke ultimately is - hop on for a wild and witty ride.

Speaking of jokes, Chastity Belt started out as one, something for a group of girls to do when the party needed livening up. Then they discovered they can write real songs; Time To Go Home is the charming, heartfelt result. 

Sometimes when a band as seismic as Radiohead goes quiet, other artists fill in the space left behind. It's probably reductive to categorize Aero Flynn, Floating Points, and C. Duncan as such but they all touch on aspects of that sound. Check out Aero Flynn, Elaenia, and the Mercury-prize nominated Architect and see if you agree.

Radiohead fans often find entree into the world of contemporary classical music via the fantastic soundscapes of Olivier Messiaen. They would also be wise to check out his contemporary Henri Dutilleux and a recent album by Ludovic Morlot and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra would be an excellent introduction.

Elaenia led me to Marhaba, a four-track album by Maalem Mahmoud Guinia, a Moroccan singer and virtuoso player of the guembri, an Arabic lute. Floating Points contributes electronics to the first track and producer James Holden adds some subtle treatments to the other three songs. East meets west in hypnotic fashion and it all sounds perfectly natural.

Also delivering a fine line in hypnosis is Nico Jaar. I'm not quite sure why he didn't just put out an album called Nymphs - but if you put all the parts together, it makes quite a nice playlist.

Back in January, there was an hilarious (or depressing, take your pick) article in The New York Times about "rock music" being back. Strangely enough, they didn't mention great albums by White Reaper, Wand, Novella, Young Rapids, The Coolies, Wilder Maker and Car Seat Headrest. They all come at guitars, bass and drums from different directions, they should all be heard, and they're all on the playlist below. 

At the risk of sounding like an awards ceremony thank you speech going overtime, I would also like to thank Frisk Frugt and Heather Woods Broderick for beautifully assembled, extremely distinctive albums, Yo La Tengo for covering The Cure, Hamilton Leithauser for hand-delivering the stunning Dear God, and Numero Group for reissuing Eyes Of Love, a funky soul celebration recorded by convicts in a correctional facility in 1979. 

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the after party.

Missed It By That Much 

Refugees from the mid-year Top 20

My year would not have been complete without two excellent albums by the ambient guitar sorceress who goes by the name Noveller. Start with Fantastic Planet.

New music by Patrick Watson is always worthy of celebrating. Love Songs For Robots was certainly up to his standards of beauty, even if the songs didn't always stick around.

Ryley Walker is an extraordinary musician and an impassioned writer and singer. Primrose Green was a huge leap forward for him and if he shakes free of his influences it will be something to hear.

Am I the only one who finds Tame Impala, well, tame? Maybe so, but I'll go on about Pond, the wacky psych band that features musicians who play in Kevin Parker's project, until my face turns blue. Man It Feels Like Space Again was even more out there than their last - which means more FUN.

The multicultural twins who make up Ibeyi seem to have emerged fully formed with their blend of uber-hip beats and sultry singing. I'd like to hear them feeling a little less comfortable but their debut is a real pleasure.

Finally, Bob Dylan. Doesn't he always have the last word? But as much as I loved Shadows In The Night, his take on songs made famous by Sinatra, I want to hear more of the bloody-minded storytelling that made Tempest so special.


You might also enjoy:
Best Of 15: The Top 20
Best Of 15: Out Of The Past
Best Of 15: Reggae
Best Of 15: Hip Hop

Best Of 15: Classical & Composed
Best of 15: Singles & EP's

Best of the Rest of 12: Indie & Electro

In addition to the 20 albums counted down at the end of the year, there were a number of other pleasure-providing musical products from 2012 that deserve note. All this week, I'll be celebrating the Best of the Rest of 12, starting with Indie & Electro, featuring artists coming from the world of small labels and Bandcamp pages.


Package Deal
The Prism from Nicolas Jaar's Clown & Sunset label is a sleek little silver box filled with a sampling of terrific music, much of which features the man himself. It lends a sense of occasion to the listening experience, even when I'm using it at work, and that's certainly something we can use more of these days.


Gotcha Covered
The all-covers album is a stumbling block much of the time. Classic tracks are either bashed out or over-thought, carbon-copied or needlessly deconstructed. Two albums, both released in extremely small numbers, avoided many of the common issues.

Holly Miranda collected many of her various covers, called it Party Trick, and gave it away to some of the fans (like me) who joined her PledgeMusic campaign. Anyone who's heard her smoking rendition of the Etta James standard, I'd Rather Go Blind, knows that she has a way with interpretation. She also has eclectic taste, tackling material by everyone from David Byrne and The XX to Prince and Bon Iver. Highlights of the collection include a searing take on God Damn The Sun by Swans and a version of Forever Young by Alphaville that manages to impose a grandeur and sincerity on the trite song almost despite itself. My appetite is successfully whetted for her self-produced second album, due out soon.

Field Music Play..... gathers covers by the Brewis brothers from the last few years, including a magnificent Suzanne and a charmingly complex approach to Ringo's Don't Pass Me By. The care they lavish on Syd Barrett's Terrapin leads to a result more fully realized than his own recording. It's a short album, almost an EP, and two Pet Shop Boys songs are two too many, but it shows the range of Field Music's talents. They also released the fine album Plumb in 2012, which was nominated for a Mercury Prize. However, to these ears it was a holding action after 2010's incredible double album, Measure.

Back To The Bedsit
Ghost Carriage Phantoms is the joint project of songwriter Michael James Hall and producer Mark Estall (also the proprietor of the cleverly named Marketstall Records), and their debut record, The Boy Lives, is an absorbing trip through a witty and introverted lo-fi universe. Both Woody Allen and The Psychedelic Furs are name-checked - doesn't that just say it all?

Not Grimes
While I don't want to be snarky, the amount of attention paid to Grimes seems disproportionate to the quality of her music, which often runs out of ideas halfway through. Two more promising artists in a similar vein are Twigs and Py. The electronic instrumentals backing Twigs's soprano on her EP feel almost three-dimensional and lend necessary depth to her airy singing. Her melodies are consistently intriguing as she dissects her interpersonal relationships with a clipped precision. I'm eagerly awaiting more from her and Py, who is memorably in the mix of Two Years, a moody track from Breton's Other People's Problems. Get in on the ground floor with her Tripping on Wisdom mixtape.

Marsupial Madness
Fans of Black Moth Super Rainbow and Tame Impala might want to do a little digging and give a listen to Opossom. With better songs than the former and a less slavish sound than the latter, they bring some serious fun to the psych-pop realm on their album, Electric Hawaii. They literally move to the beat of a different drummer - Kody Nielson, who also writes, sings and produces - slices up time in some pretty interesting ways on the drum tracks. He also holds the drum chair in his brother's Unknown Mortal Orchestra, whose second album is out February 5th.

The Prism

So once again I found myself behind the eight ball where Nicolas Jaar is concerned - or more precisely, behind the little silver cube. You see, if I had heard Jaar's sweeping, witty and gorgeous debut album Space Is Only Noise in 2011 it would have almost definitely horned it's way on to my Top 10 list for that year. So I resolved to keep a close eye on the young man's musical activites, which he conducts while a student at Brown University. Well, I may have to set up a Google news alert or something because I became aware of Jaar's ultra-cool little cube called the Prism over four months after it was released in March. Of course, now that I'm looking I've found plenty of chatter about Jaar's unusual method of releasing Don't Break My Love, a sampler of the artists affiliated with Jaar's Clown & Sunset enterprise (it seems reductive to call it a label). All is well now, though as I have my very own copy of this intriguing little item.

In a way it's a very simple idea, sort of a cross between selling music on a USB stick and the Buddha Machine. The pictures tell the story: it's a little aluminum cube controlled by four buttons. You can't add music to it, or rip the files from it, even though you charge it through the USB port on a computer. However, the Prism does encourage sharing of a more elemental sort by incuding two headphone jacks. Romance, it seems, is not dead after all. And the fact remains that the Prism is filled with over an hour of cutting edge electronic music by Jaar and his compatriots - music that you can't get anywhere else. Exclusive, elegant and fun: well worth the $40.

The packaging is beautifully considered.

 

The thing itself.

 

The Prism in use at my desk.

 

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