Best of 2011: Tracks #2.

December 13, 2011, 2 comments

Thus NFOP guru Henning has already mentioned, he is indeed quite right: we know we would never have been able to agree on a common list of 2011, which is why we stay faithful to the tradition from last year and give you not only two, but four all bright n’ shiny Best Of-lists for your fine ears to enjoy. And as some of you might or might not have predicted: I’m going straight in the direction of the atmospheric, post-electronic sounds, of course with some frequent Nordic presence (however less than last year).

Before briefing a few of my top selections this year, let’s just have one thing clear. I’ve decided, of reasons quite obvious (to me anyway) to try and not include tracks from albums that have already made my other list, this mainly because I wanted to include as many different names, ‘mainstream’ and unknown alike, which again results in what I would say, a more diverse, interesting line-up. With a few exceptions anyway.

Naturally, both Holy Other and Stay+ are to be found on the top 10 selections. With an obvious exception of Clams Casino, Holy Other is definitely one of the most notable producers I’ve set my ears upon throughout this year, and his touch on How To Dress Well‘s “Suicide Dream 2″ is another perfect example to how his minimal, ocean-deep beats can make unexpected and beautiful turns. While you could argue that Holy Other and Stay+ have a few things in common, the heavy, dark-scented track “Fever” is quite truly one of my favourite productions this year, even though it was hard to pick a favourite from Moses Gold and his mysterious “Positive” collective, having put up literally nothing but perfection since their sudden emerge earlier this year.

As both Neon Indian’s “Polish Girl” and The Antlers’ “Rolled Together” are fairly unnecessary picks to explain (the tracks obviously speak for themselves) — another more interesting name has hit my top selection this year, the UK based producer S.Mahabra, whom possesses quite a few mindblowing releases back in 2008, but which somehow never truly saw the light of day in the blog masses. His take on Shlohmo‘s gorgeous “Ghosts Pt. 2″, very recently featured on the re-issue of the two-year old Shlo-Fi EP is another example of this beatmaking, but cleaner in sound than his previous, dirtier instrumental hip-hop which had Soundcloud explode for a little while.

Since we’re already in the fields of glitch-hop and instrumental hip-hop, Star Slinger‘s nearly perfect remix of the Gold Panda track “Marriage” is another fine gem that has been brought to our ears this past year, and quite possibly one of his best remixes up to this date (which is my personal opinion anyway) and our friend has definitely found the formula to success, now bathing in the glory of Diplo remixes and Lil B collabs.

From glitch to 80-s synth pop, Jensen Sportag‘s so-called remix of Shine 2009‘s “So Free” is literally my most played one this year, being so much more an original Sportag creation than a remix if you ask me, all though they’ve kept much of the warm and naked atmosphere from the original. Quite honestly the track is as close to flawless, and the same goes for a good, remaining bunch original work and remixes the boys have pulled off from their homes in Nashville these past years, much of it overlooked for a strange reason.

This and that, I have to realize that we’ve finally reached the end of year’s pretentious tracklisting, a track (and album) which I myself find ridiculously overlooked over at fellow sites and blogs this year. Only spinning for 2.5 minutes and hidden behind a band name which may or may not make you laugh, New York’s Hooray For Earth‘s “Realize It’s Not The Sun” is a little masterpiece of its own with a raw, stunning beauty and vast songwriting, which stops so unexpectedly but so right at the same time, like the very very last glimpse of light before the sun sets and casts a final shadow over the open landscape.

Check out the whole list below:

30. Keep Shelly in Athens – Lazy Noon

29. Wintercoats – Working On A Dream

28. The Soft – Venus Breath

27. Bibio – Wake Up!

26. Radiohead – Codex

25. In Lieu – Stala Knight

24. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Ffunny Ffrends

23. Torkelsen – Simple

22. UNISON – Brothers & Sisters

21. Glass Vaults – It Looks Like Winter Water

20. Chrome Sparks – Doubt, No

19. Zoo Kid (King Krule) – Out Getting Ribs

18. Ane Brun – Undertow

17. しsd (aka Shisd) – Without You, Walking

16. Sleep Party People – The Dwarf And The Horse (Trentemøller Remix)

15. m83 – Steve McQueen

14. Kuhrye-oo – Old Son

13. Purity Ring – Belispeak

12. Moddi – Thimbleweed

<a href="http://moddi.bandcamp.com/album/thimbleweed" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://moddi.bandcamp.com']);">Thimbleweed by Moddi</a>

11. Clams Casino – Gorilla

10. James Blake – Lindesfarne