Greetings readers,It is with great glee that I return to this blog, after nothing less than a whole year of radio silence. Shameful I know, but you should also know that I have been a very busy boy, distracted by what has been an incredibly eventful year; 2010 has seen me complete my Masters degree at the LSE, and re-commence gainful employment with a small-sized boutique consultancy in West London. Oh, and I turned 30. So no longer a wee whipper-snapper.
Trying to summarise a year of events and my thoughts into one blog post would be difficult, and I'm not even exactly sure how I would structure this. So, I'm not. I'm going to talk about music, and some of my favourite albums of 2010, which I think has been a great year for electronic music. However, before I do this, I would like to share a philosophical thought with you. I recently watched a brief video clip on the BBC entitled "Five Minutes With: Alain de Botton". Some of you will know that Alain is a notable public intellectual, philospher, essayist and general all-round interesting guy (not that I've actually read that much of his stuff). Anyway, during this interview Alain states that the reason he (and I suspect many other people) read and write is borne out of anxiety. And well, this really resonated with me. Certainly I share this sentiment. My most prolific period of blogging/writing has been when I have been unhappy/unemployed/depressed or simply had some sort of frustration or energy that has needed an outlet. So I think on reflection, when I am at my happiest, I am often at my busiest and most contented, and therefore less likely to share inner thoughts like I am doing with you now. No doubt the more attuned amongst you will be wondering why exactly I am now being driven to tap these keys incessantly. Well, that is for me to know, and you to find out. Unless of course you have the misfortune of knowing me well enough to answer this question!
OK, so I digress. Well there have been a number of excellent albums that I have listened to this year so in no particular order here goes:
Scuba - 'Triangulation'. I'm literally ending my first full listen of this (yes I know, not cutting-edge anymore) and can honestly say the album is phenomenal. Listening to this, it seems clear to me that dubstep as a genre really has matured and gone global. And with Scuba and his residency at Berghain, it's clear that Teutonic Berlin 4x4 precision has had a clear impact on the Hotflush boss's riddims. Something very exciting seems to be happening in the UK (London, Bristol...) and Berlin in parallel, and I'm pleased and proud that a Brit is running a highly respected night that is pushing sonic boundaries in the world epicentre of techno. Can't get nuff of dem technoid-dub-riddims. Yougetme? Tight.
Mount Kimbie - 'Crooks and Lovers'. Again, another recent acquisition. Although I've only listened to this album about three times, it's already a fave and one I'm sure I'll keep going back to. Also on Hotflush Recordings, these guys have definitely taken dubstep to the next level (post-dubstep is how music journos seem to be describing this new sound). Am loving the influence of African-electroid-funk that seemed to have really been injected into the scene with the sound of Mujava's 'Township Funk' on Warp a couple of years ago. Deep, introspective but with warmth too. Nice shit.
Actress - 'Splazsh'. On reading the review to this album earlier in the year on Bleep, I was immediately drawn to it. Critics in all corners have lauded 'Splazsh' as being one of those albums that is incredibly hard to define or categorise, much to the frustration of musos everywhere I'm sure. To be quite honest, it took me quite a few listens to really get into this album; suffice it to say my persistence was worth it. The way I would describe this album is that it is akin to listening to a carefully constructed lo-fi ambient science-fiction house record best experienced when stoned, alone in the dark. It also has some interesting and amusingly-titled tracks, my fave being 'Bubblebutts and equations'. Weird other-wordly shit that is well worth getting your teeth into if you're looking for something a little more abstract and out-there, but still with that ever-so-important discernible house groove.
Caribou - 'Swim'. Well, this has got to be by far and away the album that I have most listened to in 2010. Interestingly, I didn't think this album was that amazing on the first few listens. But what has struck me is just how well crafted and fun this electronic pop LP really is. I have been aware of Caribou, aka Dan Snaith, for quite a while. Certainly I have enjoyed listening to his previous releases (including as Manitoba), and remember getting quite into the 'folk-tronica' scene that seemed to be emerging back in the early-ish noughties with other such acts like Four Tet and Prefuse 73. Anyway, this album contains some wonderful tunes with gorgeous melodies, catchy vocals and bags of depth. It's an album that you can listen to on the commute to work, chilling at home with your mates smoking a sply, or dancing to in your living room post-club at 6am. Just gets better and better. Highly recommended.
OK well, that's it for now. What I have learned from blogging is that less is often more. So I will try to make my posts less like essays and more like punchy opinion pieces. Or some shit like that. In my next post I plan to cover the second instalment of fave 2010 albums including Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem and other such delights.
If you're still reading, thanks for coming back. I will do my best to write more regular blog posts, pending on work and other commitments. In the meantime , I hope you are having a lovely Christmas, wherever you are, and whatever you're doing.
Currently listening to Scuba's 'Triangulations'.
Peace.
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