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-- The official TA 'Best of 2013' Thread

The official TA 'Best of 2013' Thread

Pretty late this year but still in time. We've already had a thread for top tracks so it's time for the annual album roundup! I spend the last few days re-listening to a lot of the albums that came out this year since I didn't really do a lot of full-album for most of the year. I feel like the EP front generally was much stronger than the album one this year but I still came up with a list of records that I liked quite a bit. Can't be bothered to rank my favorites this time so I'll just give you the list with a little description for each record.

Graze - Edges
Great, under the radar album (probably since it came out so late in the year) on the criminally underrated New Kanada label. Unique, atmospheric and jacking techno/house tracks with breakbeat patterns and at times quite progressive house influenced vibes. I think a lot of TA's will really like this. I also recommend the Graze EP that came out earlier this year.

Marcel Fengler - Fokus
Probably my favorite techno album this year. I found a lot of techno albums this year to be dissapointing or not very coherent but I think this one does pretty well as an overall album effort. Not a lot of straight dancefloor cuts on here, a lot of tracks with heavy 90's techno/trance influences though. Also quite light in mood compared to most other techno records this year.

Jon Hopkins - Immunity
Probably the only album this year that really blew me away on the first listen. Massive cinematic techno/IDM journey. I'm not necessarily a big fan of the at times pretty glitchy drums but the stunning cinematic atmospherics make more than up for it,

Moderat - II
I already made a thread for this when it came out and I still like it a lot. Electronic/pop crossover done right for once, the album is filled with great pop hooks but still an overall credible, understated, quality production. Big, but not too big.

Minilogue - Blomma
For a long time I thought of Minilogue of just another mnml techno act but in the last two years they really brought their sound to a new level. I think this is probably their best record yet, incredibly long, extended, hypnotic ambient techno jams with a very unique sound.

Function - Incubation
When this came out I only really liked Voiceproint (Reprise) but with the time the rest of the album has grown on me. Overall a bit darker than the Fengler album with a few more dancefloor structured tracks but still a worthwhile sci-fi ambient techno journey.

Kim Brown - Somewhere Else It's Going To Be Good
Probably my favorite straight house album this year. Silky smooth, string laden, long, emotional, atmospheric deep house tracks, Very classic sounds but at the same it sounds pretty fresh compared to a lot of the retro-mania house this year,

Mine would be something along these lines:

Graze - Edges
Oneohtrix Point Never - R Plus Seven
Donato Dozzy Plays Bee Mask
Tim Hecker - Virgins
Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety
Huerco S - Colonial Patterns
DJ Rashad - Double Cup
Logos - Cold Mission
Slackk - Major Triads

There'd be more in terms of records/shit I bought this year, but I'm at my parents and don't have my collection here for reference. :<

I'm sure that new L.I.E.S comp would make the list as well but I haven't heard it yet.

Akshan - The Rise Of Atlantis
John Beltran - Amazing Things
Special Request - Soul Music
Sven Weisemann - Inner Motions

I really can't be bothered to catch up on the whole year this time round. It's always a hubristic folly, so I'll just do a quick recap of what I've already heard. I really liked DjRUM's album when I finally listened to it. The Ulrich Schnauss album was excellent, he took a real leap forward there and I personally think it totally blows that Jon Hopkins thing out of the water. Apparat's record from this year was much better than the Moderat one for me - I even liked the vocals this time. Miktek's album was the obligatory excellent Ultimae album of the year. Sundial Aeon delivered the goods as usual. And that free Textural Being album I recommended was also pretty nice.

But honestly the album I've consistently played start to finish this year has been Space Dimension Controller - Welcome To Mikrosector 50. Instant classic for me.

top 5 tracks

1. Jeremey Orlander - Let Me Feel
2. RoySkopp - Running To The Sea (Pachanga Boys Rmx)
3. Eelke Kleijn - Ein Tag Am Strand
4. Sky Ferreira - Everything is Embarrassing (MK rmx)
5. Hot Since 82 - Planes & Trains


Top 5 Albums

1. Sasha - Involer3
2. Loco Dice - Defected in the House
3. Henry Saiz - Reality is for Those who are not Strong Enough to Confront their Dreams
4. Menno de Jong - Fuel BeachClub
5. Hot Since 82 - Little Black Book

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J But honestly the album I've consistently played start to finish this year has been Space Dimension Controller - Welcome To Mikrosector 50. Instant classic for me.

AHHHH, I forgot SDC's album. That one too. I actually didn't like the voice over stuff much at first, but it's really grown on me.

The album I've listened to the most this year is Sven Weissmann - Inner Motions, great music to drive to and while I was working on projects, perfect. Masterfully produced and mastered, incredible stereo imaging.

Also listened to Tim Hecker - Virgins quite a bit while working on projects too.

Axel Boman and DJ Koze's albums were also great.

I must admit, I dont go seeking full albums unless I hear a song from that album that really catches my fancy. I am all about listening to sets. For now ill post 2 songs that have caught my fancy.

One of my favorite Remixes of the year

Clark - Growl's Garden (Nathan Fake Remix)
Of course I would post an edit by Fake. This song is just as good as the original. This is an excellent example of why I consider Nathan one of the better remixers out there. The song maintains its original sound all the while changing it up to sound almost totally different. It might not be for everyone but I appreciate this song.


One of my favorite Tracks of the year

Ricardo Tobar - If I Love You
I have already posted this track up not very long ago but this stands as probably the best track of this year that I have heard. The beat is so fresh and I wish the song continued further. There are a few remixes of this track that arent bad but the original takes the cake.

Banco de Gaia - Apollo
Boards Of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest
Deltron 3030 - Event II
Vector Lovers - iPhonica



...yeah, that's all I bought for 2013. As usual, I spend more time (and money!) gathering music from the past than the present.

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Apparat's record from this year was much better than the Moderat one for me - I even liked the vocals this time.

I didn't even know he had a record this year, I'll check it out.

Djrum I enjoyed but it just felt like a record way below his potential to me.

1. Henry Saiz - Reality Is For Those Who Are Not Strong Enough To Confront Their Dreams

Didn't know what to expect from Saiz out of this one. Was playing some game while listening to the album, but the music took me by surprise. In all honesty, the work is kind of cheesy, but beautiful at the same time.

2. Recondite - Hinterland

To my surprise, this was pretty bashed by RA and the community, but for me, personally, it was very nice. Loved the flow, the atmosphere and the individual tracks on the album.

3. COMA - In Techicolor

Ton of great, fun tracks. Probably the album I had the most on repeat this year.

4. Octo Octa - Between Two Selves

Brought the same mood Fort Romeau's "Kingdom" from last year did, yet did not feel as personal. Great tracks, great feeling on all.


5. Raffaele Attanasio - No Thought Control

Simple, straight-forward techno.


6. Moderat - II

Probably the most memorable album for me of 2013. Was listening to "Bad Kingdom" while leaving abroad and thinking about the girl I loved and looking at the stars. Heard "Therapy" while being 11 km above the clouds half asleep, yet as much as I tried loving this album, some of the tracks simply don't do anything for me. The albums in which Apparat is involved, always have some kind of love-woman related theme in my case.


OT: Felt extremely disappointed overall of the techno albums this year.

quote:

Originally posted by Woony I didn't even know he had a record this year, I'll check it out. Djrum I enjoyed but it just felt like a record way below his potential to me.

It got pretty widely covered, and even turned up in the national newspapers here. I guess Resident Advisor didn't review it though.

Seven Lies wasn't quite as out there as the Mountains EP for the most part (although I think Thank You in particular is just as genre-bending and brilliant as anything on that EP), but it's still far, far better than the majority of electronic listening albums that people will mention instead of it.

great year of music. lots of labels, DJs and artists moving the scene forward. some highlights for me:

best DJ set: dixon @ output. momma mia..

best album: sasha - involv3r.

best compilation: john talabot - dj kicks.

best set (that i didn't see live) - bob moses @ burning man.

best live act: john talabot /w pional @ music hall of williamsburg. bonobo with a full band a very close second.

best essential mix: probably ben ufo. so raw.

best label - really loved what diynamic put out all year and their roster is so stacked.

best non-dance-music album: vampire weekend's modern vampires of the city or arctic monkeys - AM.

best concert: foals @ terminal 5.

tracks is really impossible to narrow down. there were 15-20 MASSIVE tracks this that really had huge impacts on the dance floor and got playtime from many DJs.

hope 2014 is even bigger!

Well I can't hear any breakbeats or progressive house in those Grazes releases, but I'll let you off because there's some fantastic rhythm programming in there, and enough vaporous flashes of atmospheric melody to keep things interesting on the headphones.

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Well I can't hear any breakbeats or progressive house in those Grazes releases, but I'll let you off because there's some fantastic rhythm programming in there, and enough vaporous flashes of atmospheric melody to keep things interesting on the headphones.

Obviously they aren't breakbeat in the sense of actual breakbeat genres but they're pretty breakbeat as far as house tracks go. But then again, in house anything that's not completely straight 4/4 stands out. I thought some of these tracks sounded kinda similiar to certain strains of 2000's proghouse, although that may just be me falling victim to the recent electronic music journalist's trend of calling anything outside the classic house/techno melodic spectrum progressive house. (which is a really god damn stupid trend so I apologize )

Call me lame, but this one never failed to get people in gear in the last year.

That Textural Beings album and the DjRum album were my two favorite.

I barely listened to any new music this year

albums & compilations

10. Donato Dozzy - Plays Bee Mask
9. Jessy Lanza - Pull My Hair Back
8. Sasha - Involv3r
7. John Talabot - DJ-Kicks
6. Disclosure - Settle
5. Anjunadeep 05: Mixed by Jody Wisternoff & James Grant
4. Gungor - I Am Mountain
3. Lorde - Pure Heroine
2. The National - Trouble Will Find Us
1. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

quote:

Originally posted by weymouth 5. Anjunadeep 05: Mixed by Jody Wisternoff & James Grant

Funny, I actually saw Jody Wisternoff last night for NYE and I was chatting briefly with him about how his Anjunadeep disc samples the shit out of The Future Sound Of London's Dead Cities album. He said "Shall I drop some now?" and within minutes I could swear he'd played a little excerpt from Smokin' Japanese Babe in the breakdown of a track! Could have been my imagination, but it was a fucking weird breakdown for a track if so...

New Music

I heard Digital Monarchy by Mute Apparatus a couple of days ago and It's awesome. I guess they are a new group but have two albums out already.

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