Five Albums of 2011

Yes, it's that time again, when I, along with countless other internet-dwellers, try to prove my cultural relevance by coming up with a list of über-hip albums of the year. This year my music purchasing has increased slightly after the aural recession of 2010, but not enough to justify a top ten, so a top five will have to suffice. Comments welcome! Here goes...

5. Rob St. John - "Weald"

This album had been on my list of long-awaited releases for some time, and it didn't disappoint. The vinyl is a thing of beauty in itself (yes, it's vinyl-only, digital kids) and, by turns, slow-burning and magisterial, it's a lovely record, full of charm and subtlety.

More info

4. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - "Diamond Mine"

Perhaps not the strongest King Creosote album, but coupled with flowing soundscapes and homely production by Jon Hopkins, "Diamond Mine" is a real gem, and worthy of Mercury nomination (for whatever it's worth).

More info

3. Johan Agebjörn - "Casablanca Nights"

I doubt anyone will be surprised that this makes my list. In lieu of a new Sally Shapiro record you might think that a Johan Agebjörn solo release might be a good stop-gap. But, with an impressive list of collaborators, including Wolfram and Legowelt (not to mention Sally, of course), Mr Agebjörn has pulled off an impressive feat by creating a really cohesive album, full of top tunes.

More info

2. Admiral Fallow - "Boots Met My Face"

Maybe I'm just homesick, stuck as I am on the wrong side of the border, but there's something pleasing about hearing a good, honest Scottish accent on a record like this. Sure, it's indie-folk, which will no doubt be anathema to many, but it's an incredibly strong indie-folk album, with rich instrumentation, great lyrics and full to the brim with pop hooks.

More info

1. Wolfram - "Wolfram"

Album of the year, in my book, automatically goes to any album with a guest appearance from Haddaway (yes!) But seriously, this is a cracking Italo-influenced album, full of collaborations and special appearances. This has been there or thereabouts on my listening schedule ever since I got my clammy hands on it earlier in the year. The production is spot on, with sweeping pads and sparky synth lines, throbbing basslines and melodies which just fit perfectly. The use of vocoder also gets extra points from me every time.

More info

Appreciative nods...

A few others just didn't quite make the cut, although I enjoyed them immensely.

M83 - "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming"
Ladytron - "Gravity The Seducer"
Ali Renault - "Ali Renault"
The Moth and the Mirror - "Honestly, This World"
Junior Boys - "It's All True"

and, just for kicks, how about a Compilation of the Year? The sublime...

Jonnie Common presents... “Deskjob”

Latest "Heartache Disco"

Hello chaps. Just a quickie. In case you missed my recent show on Culture Lab Radio, you can hear it again on Mixcloud at http://www.mixcloud.com/alektronic/alektronic-presents-heartache-disco-17062011/

In fact you can hear the show before that too, if you go to http://www.mixcloud.com/alektronic

And I'll be uploading all my shows there as they happen (when I manage to record them properly, that is...)

Cheers!

Alektronic Presents : Heartache Disco : 03/05/11

Hey y'all,

Just a heads-up, if you, for some unfathomable reason, managed to miss my most recent show on Culture Lab Radio, you can listen again here:

http://www.mixcloud.com/alektronic/alektronic-presents-heartache-disco-03052011/

Enjoy!

N

Alektronic Presents : Heartache Disco

Start:	Jan 20, '11 6:30p
End:	Jan 20, '11 8:00p
Location:	http://culturelabradio.ncl.ac.uk/

Yes, I'm back on the airwaves with my all new 2011 beard! (Not sure this will mean much to my radio audience but, what the hey!) And of course, I have lots of Italo gems to brighten up the most dreary of months.

Also, look out for my next show, exactly two weeks later, on the 3rd of February - it's a special one-off show where I'm playing "Bad Classic Early 90s Euro Hits"! What could be better?!?

Tune in at http://culturelabradio.ncl.ac.uk/

Nx

Alektronic presents Heartache Disco

Start:	Nov 18, '10 6:30p
End:	Nov 18, '10 8:00p
Location:	The Internet

I will be playing some hottt Italo and electro-disco traxxx and talking nonsense for your dancing/weeping pleasure/pain this Thursday at 6.30pm on http://culturelabradio.ncl.ac.uk/

Tune in or I will officially pronounce you to be dead. x

Elektro Fiziks

With only a slightly embarrassing delay, here we have my special Homegame mix, entitled "Elektro Fiziks" (for reasons that should be fairly obvious) pristine and ready for you to download:

http://bit.ly/dBkM2U

For the uninitiated, every year at the Homegame Festival some kind soul organises a compilation CD lucky dip, giving everyone a chance to inflict their musical proclivities upon fellow bearded musos. Last year it proved to be a major hit and so it was something very much looked forward to again this year.

I still haven't heard from the lucky (or unfortunate - however you see it) person who picked this mix out of the hat. But it would be a shame, I think, only to inflict it upon only one person, so here it is for all and sundry to get their grubby hands on.

By now it seems almost hardly necessary to point out, having become something of a trademark, but the usual caveats do apply about appalling mixing skills. Maybe someone will teach me, one day...

Adios!

Luz da Lua, Forest Cafe, 22/3/2010

Ten Albums of 2009

... in which I reveal myself as the pop fanatic I always knew, deep down, I was. No attempt has been made to make this list in any way credible - indeed, how could it? There are plenty of 'significant' releases that I've either deliberately ignored or not gotten round to yet and I make no apology (for none is necessary) This is purely and simply what's been spinning my platters in 2009...


1. Pet Shop Boys - Yes

Their most coherent and complete album for a good few years. Startlingly catchy, perfectly produced and continually lyrically intriguing. Has barely been off the stereo since its release. Not for everyone, yet neither is common sense or intelligence.


2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

A successful change of direction. An easy target for those critical of anyone jumping on the rock-band-with-synths bandwagon, but the quality of the songs surely overcomes any cheap jibes. Would have been number one were it not for the truly cringeworthy Runrig overtones of 'Skeleton'... Karen! What were you thinking?!? A perfect album, otherwise.


3. The xx - xx

The kind of album that makes me weep at the folly of my idly mis-spent youth.

4. Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependance

It's only taken them four years but the two quiet Norwegians have once again managed to softly blow me away. Eirik and Erlend apparently have Northern Europe's largest horde of Reverb.


5. La Roux - La Roux

It's Yazoo but in 2009. 'Nuff said :-D


6. Annie - Don't Stop

Another pop gem from the girl who I would have to call the undisputed queen of underachieving Scandinavian pop princesses. The much delayed album has been reworked so many times and doesn't even include the singles "Anthonio" or "Two Of Hearts", but it still hangs together really well. Except "The Breakfast Song" which is hideous. Annie! What were you thinking?!?


7. Au Revoir Simone - Still Light, Still Night

I imagine heaven to be filled with girls who sound like Au Revoir Simone. Even when they're asking what time the next bus is or telling you to get out of the shower because it's 4am and you've been in there for hours. For example.


8. The Twilight Sad - Forget The Night Ahead

The Twilight Sad somehow manage to walk that fine line of brittle emotion and massive power whilst simultaneously off-handedly throwing in little hooks that send shivers down your spine. An incredible follow-up to Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters from the Best Band In Scotland Right Now(tm).


9. Lau - Arc Light

Much-lauded folk album from the trio of Kris Drever, Martin Green & Aidan O'Rourke. Avoids all notions of moribund, anachronistic Celtic/British folk and instead delivers something truly invigorating and timelessly modern.


10. Sally Shapiro - My Guilty Pleasure

Johan Agebjorn is undoubtedly one of my favourite producers and it's probably no great surprise that this album makes my top ten. It's great, a fine (if not earth-shattering) follow-up to 'Disco Romance' and kept my blood-Italo levels topped up nicely for most of 2009.



Appreciative knods go to Little Boots ("Hands") which should be in this list on the strength of the Phil Oakey guest appearance alone, The Whitest Boy Alive ("Rules"), Idlewild ("Post Electric Blues"), King Creosote ("Flick The Vs") and Junior Boys ("Begone Dull Care") Thanks for making my year that little bit louder.

Woolly

Ah, now... in MY day... [author strokes greying beard, sobbing gently before falling asleep against zimmer frame]

http://xrrf.blogspot.com/2008/05/thats-wonder-of-woolworths.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_7421000/7421035.stm

Crying On The Dancefloor

Credits due to the Venerable Count for pointing me to the latest essential mix from Sally Shapiro mastermind Johan Agebjörn

"Someone I love turned me down,
I didn't feel my head touch the ground,
Someone I love said goodbye,
I never knew someone could make me cry,
Like this"

More info and the download you need is here.

State

"You know it makes no difference.
Whether we talk or not.
And it's much harder going in there sometimes.
And jumping down from the top.
But if you talk to me I will listen to you.
With my eyes, my ears, my heart."

Swayzak feat. Kirsty Hawkshaw, "State of Grace", 2003

Pigs in Space

Just a quick heads-up regarding the latest Pig Radio podcast mix - it's a Swedish special with none other than Johan Agebjorn and Sally Shapiro at the helm. Worth more than a cursory listen, too.

http://pigradio.com/

or direct download at

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/pigradiocast/~3/170155212/Johan_Agebjorn_and_Sally_Shapiro-Sackaros.mp3

Inner City Pressure

"No one cares,
No one sympathises,
You just stay home and play synthesizers"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RC0DdrHbGg

Exquisitely observed Pet Shop Boys parody from "Flight of The Conchords"

The Future is a Cassette

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a fan of the humble cassette. Even though the CD arrived in my house nearly thriteen years ago, somehow it never quite replaced the magic of the hissy, annoyingly double-sided, snag-and-tangle-able, yet economically feasible, comfortingly tactile fusion of plastic and magnetic tape.

[I have to say that the discovery of my mystical ability to consistently fit the last track of a self-compiled mix-tape snugly in before the end of side B, was a major conributor to my rose-tinted view. Just a shame I never did summon up quite enough courage to give any of them to those girls at school...]

 So anyway, now, some clever Chinese bloke has brought the whole thing up-to-date by combining the durability and retro-chic-ness of the lovable old cassette, with the easy of use, snazziness and modernity of the flash-based mp3 player. This really is the best of both worlds - something you can carry in your pocket with headphones for those personal moments on 'the street' AND pop into your giant 80s ghetto blaster cassette deck for some shoulder-borne tuneage while hanging out beside the local basketball court.

Where do I queue?

http://www.chinavasion.com/product_info.php/pName/cassette-mp3-player-stand-alone-or-car-cassette-player?osCsid=07453efd05f591e60b398d2cfde66bc4/

Architecture

"and i am nothing of a builder,
but here i dreamt i was an architect,
and i built this balustrade,
to keep you home, to keep you safe,
from the outside world

but the angles and the corners,
even though my work is unparalleled,
they never seemed to meet,
this structure fell about our feet,
and we were free to go"

No Fun

The High Court ruling this week against online music retailer CD-Wow sets an incredibly dangerous and worrying precedent. In one fell swoop the British music industry has lost any claim they might have had to the moral high ground in the fight against piracy by essentially criminalising companies who attempt to give those who actually want to buy legitimate products a good deal. Imagine if the same logic was applied to bananas. Or cocaine... (erm, you've lost us now, Neil...)

As usual, "No rock And Roll Fun" has the most incisive commentary, which I urge you to read:
http://xrrf.blogspot.com/2007/05/cd-ow-massive-fine-for-trying-to-save.html

It's a blog worth subscribing to as well, for those of you who fear for the future of popular culture...

Cylindrical

It's amazing to think that sound has been around for over 100 years. We now take for granted every-day noises like birds coughing, cars squeaking and Terence Trent D'Arby...

Some of the earliest sound recordings were made using Edison's mechanical cylinder phonograph. Now, thanks to the magic of the Interweb, the University of California, Santa Barbara is making available it's huge archives of early sound recordings.

Spanning the period from the late nineteenth century to the late 1920s (when gramophone records finally killed off the cylinder) the archive contains thousands of recordings, available in streaming format or to download. If you don't know where to start you can also listen to a hand-picked selection via the streamed 'radio' channel.

Personally, I think that this is the sort of thing that the internet was invented for - making available on-demand small yet fascinating pieces of history. Surely it'll only be a matter of time before broadcasters such as the BBC follow suit and make their archives available in this way...?


http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/index.php

Yo La La! French Hip Hop podcast

http://www.yolala.org/
In the list of obscure musical genres, French hip-hop has to be by far the most interesting (sorry, Bolivian grind-core fans). This monthly English-language podcast serves as a gentle introduction, kept nice and smooth by the deeply, deeply sinister and sleazy presenter...

File under : "I have no idea what they're saying, but listening to it helps make me feel superior"

Don't Give Up

"Give me a reason to stay constantly ignored

I don’t think I can

Give me an angle that I haven’t tried before

Not from where I stand

A guarantee for being honestly compared

Could not be found

You want to live when life is sickeningly unfair

Stick around"

I am... The Whitest Boy Alive...

Junior Boys

Start:	Feb 16, '07 7:30p
End:	Feb 16, '07 10:45p
Location:	ABC2, Glasgow

So This Is Goodbye....