Since december is almost halfway through and with the release of the RA album charts some discussion about the albums of the year is going to be inevitable anyways I think it's a good time to collect some of the TA favorites this year.

Main focus is obviously albums but you can list EPs and labels, too I guess.


Two of my favorite releases this year, Atheus - Compile and John Beltran - Ambient Selections are mostly just compilations of previous tracks, but I like the stuff so much that I don't really care. Demdike Stare - Tryptych is also a interesting compilation featuring previous material.

In terms of new-ish stuff, I think these are my favorites for this year

Cosmin TRG - Simulat
Desolate - Invisible Insurrection
Legowelt - The Teac Life
Skudge - Phantom

Some other, notable stuff for me (mostly Techno/House)
Moomim - The Story About You
Planetary Assault Systems - The Messenger
Martyn - Ghost People
Sandwell District - Feed Foward CD
Conforce - Escapism
Xhin - Sword
Morphosis - What Have We Learned


My recommendation to everyone would be Desolate - The Invisible Insurrection. Sounds a lot like Burial, but it's different in it's own way. Also really high quality, some people might even like it better than Burial himself.

// reworked my list a bit.

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June 2018 mix

Last edited by Woony on Dec-15-2011 at 17:24

My list will not be forthcoming for some time.

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Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J My list will not be forthcoming for some time.

Might aswell postpone the thread then

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June 2018 mix

quote:

Originally posted by Woony Demdike Stare - Tryptych

I keep seeing this pop up everywhere. Is it really that good or are you just regurgitating something?

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quote:

Originally posted by bas I keep seeing this pop up everywhere. Is it really that good or are you just regurgitating something?

It's really good if you have some interest in dark/droney ambient-ish music. I think it pops up everywhere because it really sounds genuinly unique.

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June 2018 mix

Mine will be single orientated because I'm often picky with EPs and only like 1 or 2 tracks enough to consider them special. Shall get on it in the morning.

DJ Jus-Ed – Vision Dance [Mule Electronic]
discogs

quote:

Stylistically, it's all about stripped down deep house for the dance floor.

Ben Sims – Smoke & Mirrors [Drumcode]
discogs

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Stylistically, Smoke & Mirrors shows Sims doing what he does best: crafting powerful techno tracks that range from dubby and atmospheric to warm and jacking.

Robag Wruhme – Wuppdeckmischmampflow [Kompakt]
discogs

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haven't seen such a monster of a tracklist in ages and mixing is pretty flawless too

Resoe – The Black Void Of Space... [Echocord]
discogs

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At last! Somebody put dub into dubstep. And techno into dubstep as well. One of the most unpretentious pieces of music that could bear the dubstep label, since the term dubstep was coined. No haunting samples or hugesound bass for kids on weed. Just proper spacious music here.

Maceo Plex – Life Index [Crosstown Rebels]
discogs

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Fucking Brilliant!

Robert Babicz – Robert Babicz Vol 001 [Babiczstyle]
discogs

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best of babicz

Dominik Eulberg – Diorama [Traum Schallplatten]
discogs

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smooth melodic techno with bells on

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"Dance music has always been about breaking the rules, and some of the most exciting sounds have been made by accident. If it sounds good but is technically wrong, f**k it and run with it!" - Jody Wisternoff

quote:

Originally posted by Woony It's really good if you have some interest in dark/droney ambient-ish music. I think it pops up everywhere because it really sounds genuinly unique.

Agreed. Demdike Stare and Andy Stott (both on Modern Love) might be the single most exciting phenomenon in dance music (though the dance part is actually the least important factor of their sound) in years. It may not be everyone's cup of tea and it may not even end up on top of lists of people who generally fancy them, but it's something genuinely fresh and interesting, no doubt about that.

And Woony, you should've put Tryptych up there with Atheus and John Beltran since it's also some kind of compilation, actually a collection of their 2010 albums with some extra stuff.

As for something close to Burial, Machinedrum - Room(s) is something that Burial would make if he had the skills to incorporate all of this post-dubstep (juke, footwork...) nonsense in his sound characterized by those annoying vocal samples. Simply awesome album.

quote:

Originally posted by sljiva And Woony, you should've put Tryptych up there with Atheus and John Beltran since it's also some kind of compilation, actually a collection of their 2010 albums with some extra stuff.

Oh yeah right, I forgot about that. Another one that's pretty out there is Pinch & Shackleton. I don't think it sounds THAT different from previous Shackleton material but Shackleton is so far removed from most of the stuff going on that it's pretty unique either way.

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June 2018 mix

By the way here's the list from the Teshno blog, has some interesting picks aswell http://www.teshno.com/2011/12/album...-year-2011.html
I think it's funny that he made the Skudge - Phantom #1, totally forgot about that one. For all the waves Skudge made in the last 2 years their debut really got very little press coverage pretty weird if you ask me. I don't think you can call it objectively the best of the year but as a diehard Skudge fan it's up there for me at least.

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June 2018 mix

01. Apparat - The Devil's Walk [Mute]



Great album, was there for me in a time when I really needed it. Each track has its own flavour and as an ensemble, the album flows magnificently.

02. GusGus - Arabian Horses [Kompakt]



Was a difficult choice between this and "The Devil's walk" taken as this is also a masterpiece, melodic, beautiful, deep and dark at times.

03. Lucy - Wordplay for Working Bees [Stroboscopic Artefacts]



There have been a lot of good techno-albums this year, but for me "Wordplay for Working Bees" stood out due to it's great production, mysterious interludes and the way it progresses from one sound-spectrum to another.

04. Sawf - Flaws [Perc Trax]



Another techno album that was suprizingly good, well put together and balanced.

05. The Black Dog - Liber Dogma [Dust Science Recordings]



A bit torn by this album. Although the tracks, individually didn't really do a lot for me, the trip it offers is great and the flow is beautiful. However, whatever "The Black Dog" does will be shadowed by "Music for Real Airports".


Best Mixed:

Robah Whruhme - Wuppdeckmischmanpflow [Kompakt]



Work of art. His "Keep me in my Plane vs. Hunt You Down" mashup is an absolute killer.

OT: Will check out some of the techno stuff you suggested, Woony. Personally I was disappointed by "Stimulant" as it felt as a bunch of half-good tracks thrown around a bit. Absolutely no consistency as an album.

Last edited by Chimney on Dec-14-2011 at 22:20