Best of 2009

It's that time of year again, I'm in work and feeling self indulgent. Perhaps slightly predictable but reflects a vintage year for a handful of standout artists.

Artists of the Year:
Nick Curly – Mannheim’s finest has released a succession of critically acclaimed EPs and remixes all whilst running two of Germany’s best loved labels, Cecille and 8-Bit. His workload has been second to none thanks to a heavy touring schedule including several well received performances in Ibiza.
Zomby – Put out the year’s best EP, finally started showing up for shows and released an epic amount of remixes and solo projects. From 8-bar Eski mixes exclusively for Duck & Blackdown to cat walk shows he did it all.
L-Vis 1990 – The enfant terriblé of UK bass L-Vis 1990 ran one of London’s biggest and best bass nights (Night Slugs) and released a slew of tracks on labels inc. Mad Decent. He also contributed to the acclaimed Curb Crawlers blog and released a string of superb remixes.

Labels of the Year:
Cecille – A stunning array of releases maintained Cecille’s position as the ultimate label of minimal tech/tribal house. Though critics decry it’s somewhat dilettantish obsession with tribal sounds it’s hard to argue against their impact on the dance floors.
Dirty Bird – 2009 truly was the year the San Francisco label came of age. Owner Claude Von Stoke released his second full length ‘Beat that Bird’ as well as a string of superb singles including ‘Greazy Beat’, a collaboration with Bootsy Collins, whilst a string of young upstarts including Zombie Disco Squad, Donk Boys and Style of Eye bought a touch of the bizarre to dance floors across the world.
Wireblock – 2009 was Wireblock’s last year but releases by Ghosts on Tape, Emvee and stalwart Rustie, alongside a host of reissues (including Hud Mo’s fanatastic ‘Ooops’) guaranteed it went out with a bang. Owner Jackmaster promises that the run will continue with his new joint-venture Numbers (= D2S, Wireblock and Stuff)

Clubs of the Year:
Fabric (London) – 2009 saw the Farringdon super club celebrate 10 years with some 36 hours of continuous clubbing. Despite this monumental run Fabric remains cutting edge inviting promoters and acts from across the board to grace arguably the finest sound system in Britain.
Dalston Superstore (London) – Vogue called it the ‘coolest club in Britain’, they weren’t wrong. Integrating a friendly neighbourhood vibe, with an outrageous clientele and cutting edge dj’s 2009 saw Dalston Superstore establish itself as THE club for London club kids.
Circus (Liverpool) – The joint venture between long-time promoter Richard McGinnes and former Cream resident Yousef continued to go from strength to strength, attracting bigger guests than ever before. December saw the club reach it’s pinnacle as Sven Vath’s Cocoon night arrived with guests including Steve Lawler, Joris Voorn and Loco Dice.

Tracks of the Year:
Juan Maclean – Happy House (Chateau Flight Remix) – I’ve not stopped playing this for the past month or so. Grown up, warm house music coupled with mild vocals and wonderfully uplifting drops. A superb record.
SIS – Wu Wim Du Wa – After storming 2008 with Trompeta and Nesrib SIS returns with a far more restrained affair: 9 minutes of moving tribal house blending amassed choral tones with skitteral drum patterns and all manner of loops. Music for your head as much as your feet.
Ghosts on Tape – Predator Mode (Roska Remix) – I first heard this on the fantastic Wireblock Mix for Resident Advisor. Whilst a lot of Funky tracks come across as paper thin Roska’s effort is remarkably deep, with intricate treble stabs and vocal snippets. As ever the percussion work is superb.

Albums of the Year:
Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II – I’ve not taken this album off. Lyrically one of the most accomplished hip-hop records in years. In 100 years this will be recognized as literary fodder.
Zomby – One Foot Ahead of the Other – A contorted mess of an EP which sucks the listener into Zomby’s weed warped mind. Needles of colour are projected as the ear drums whilst the kick throbs lucidly. Compelling.
Super Furry Animals – Dark Days/Light Years – The Furries could have released a recording of Gruff Rhys eating a stick of celery and I’d have liked it. Wonderfully crafted pop tracks in the truest/purest sense.

Late contender for tune of the year?

Picked up Part II of the Juan MacLean's 'Happy House' Remix series featuring the brilliant Chateu Flight whose contribution fuses a clear, crisp beat with wonderful vocals and some great percussion work. Check it here, well recommended.

This year's biggest comeback (after Raekwon)

Really didn't see this one coming....yes R. Kelly, arguably the biggest name in R'n'B is back with a new track. Like a lot of his output of late it's totally original and could only come from a man who wrote, starred in and yes sung his own 'hipopera'.

I'm not going to give too much away but check it out here

some of the lines are gold:
Never felt nothing like this,
she’s more than a mistress,
bout to handle my business and put that girl in my kitchen

Zinc - Essential Mix

It's been a quiet few months for the Essential Mix following some massive mixes in the first few months of 2009 (Jesse Rose, Joris Voorn etc) and of course Garnier/Lawler in successive weeks in May. However this week saw a real return to form with Zinc stepping up to showcase his 'crack house' sound. Anyone who's seen him over the past few months will know that Zinc has (thankfully) given up DnB altogether and has focused more on a bass driven 4x4 sound embracing the jacking 'fidget' sound of the Count & Sinden and the harder edge of funky i.e. Hard House Banton, N.B. Funky. Check it here

Real standout is the Ms. Dynamite vocalled 'Wile Out'. Basically it's her MC-ing over Blunt Edge but it really works in the dance and has been getting cained on Rinse amongst others. Listen here

Free Hatcha Mixtape

Coursety of Blackdown (big up) is a free Hatcha mixtape from late 2001/early 2002. It features the clipped minimal sound which defined early dubstep and features multiple dubs from the likes of Skream, Benga, and Benni Ill (of Horsepower Productions). Enjoy it here

Tracklist (according to Skream)

Skream and Benga - The Judgment
Benga - Star Wars
Skream - ?
Skream - Dubsteppa
Macarbre Unit - Its All About
Benga - Skank
Benga - Skank VIP
Jameson - Switch
Skream N Benga - WAR BOOTLEG
Dubchild - Roll That,Light It,Smoke It
Benga - The Virus
Skream - The Bug
Menta - Jacknife
Jammin - Tonka - Menta Remix
Benga - Full Cycle
??
Benni Ill Vs Hatcha - Highland Spring
Skream - Futures Dark
Skream - CapeFear

Oxia - Whole Life

Number 1 on last month's Resident Advisor is a slab of tribal heavy house from France. Really enjoying this one, heavy rotation from Anja Schneider, Sven Vath, Luciano etc

Check it here

A while out the game

Sorry about the lack of updates, only a handful of people read this stuff anyway....

Of late two things have stuck out to me: One, dubstep is pretty much done. Two, Ricardo Villalobos is possibly the most exceptional artist of the decade.

First things first, dubstep. In 2005/6 it was without question the most exciting thing in the world of electronic music. Guys like Skream, Loefah and Shackleton's application of a minimalist aesthetic (especially the latter) to the 2 x 4 template of UKG and Grime created a sonic landscape of distinctly British sound. The clubs were drenched in sweat and the bass was deafening at times but the energy and intensity of the music was something else. But now? The most exciting producers still associated with dubstep (Bok Bok, Dead Boy, Jam City, Oneman etc) are moving into new territories way down at 130-136 bpm, whilst the void up at 140 seems almost solely occupied by sub-wobble donk for students and cheap soundsystems. Plastic horns coupled with the 'womp' of Caspa, Rusko, 16 Bit etc has essentially created the lowest common denominator of the 'ardcor Continuum. It's sad but it's becoming unlistenable. Basically dubstep seems to have become everything which is wrong about drum and bass, and drum and bass fans in particular (no offence to any on here, but post-97 it's all a bit.....rubbish)

Two (far more uplifting)

fabric celebrated it's 10th brithday bash of late with quite honestly the mother of all shindigs. For a full 32 hours the club was going all guns blazing (and for a fair few more on Monday morning in chill out mode). I was only there for Sunday afternoon/evening but it was undoubtedly one of the most uplifting experiences of my life. The crowd was superb: up for it, unpretencious and teeming with pretty girls with smeared mascara...nice. The real draw though was the music: Ivan Smagghe, Steve 'The General Bug', Rub-n-Tug, Daniel Bell, Daniel Wang, Nacho etc were all straight fire but one man above all made it the great event it was: Ricardo Villalobos.

Villalobos is without a question the most innovative man in dance music over the past few years. His dancefloor productions (MDMA, Lugohitz etc) are impeccable but anyone can make a dancefloor banger these days. What really sets him apart are the dynamic shifts and subtleties within his music, whether remixing Shackleton or blurring the lines between Berlin MnMl and Chilian Folk he is always in total control. In all honesty I was a little worse for wear during his set but the mixing and track selection was impeccable. I've been to fabric mulitple times but no-one has worked the dancefloor like that. Majestic, the subpar dubstep boys could learn a lot.

Upcoming in the next few? Dead Prez/K-Lash at Koko next Friday followied by the Trouble and Bass Crew at Fabric with Herve and Zombie Disco Squad. Missed Nat Self at T-Bar this weekend (did see Anja Schneider though, wicked set how anyone can make 'Diva' sound fresh again has got to have something going for them) so really up for ZDS.

Also tracked this down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I05QvTXMys it's by Luciano and is without question one of the biggest dancefloor bootlegs I've heard in ages. It really stands out from the Michael Jackson refixs coming out left, right and centre.

Derrick May Live in Paris

New mix from one of the Godfathers of Techno, Detroits very own Derrick May. Recorded on Sept 19th at 'Techno Parade' this mix showcases The Innovator's superb mixing style and features some classic tracks as well as some fresh dubplates. Well worth checking out here.

New Kode 9 Interview

Steve Goodman a.k.a Kode 9 a.k.a arguably the most important man in British urban dance music offers his thoughts on the new Hyperdub compilation. Engaging stuff, well worth checking out here

Hyperdub Anniversary Compilation

One of the most anticipated releases of the past few months, grab it here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/285673547/Various_Artists_-_Five_Years_Of_Hyperdub_HDBCD005_CD1_2009.zip

http://rapidshare.com/files/285688142/Various_Artists_-_Five_Years_Of_Hyperdub_HDBCD005_CD2_2009.zip