As the inevitable “best music of 2010” arrive, so, too, do complaints. Why are the lists the same? Why is an obvious choice overlooked? Why is a less-known choice overlooked?
So, it’s time again for readers to discuss. What was your favorite music of 2010? Mixes, albums, singles? Unless your favorite was recorded entirely to tape, nearly any genre and instrumentation has gone through the filter of digital recording, mixing, and mastering. Almost anything might be said, rightfully, to qualify as digital music. What were the albums that inspired you, sonically, compositionally? What were your favorite performances?
In particular, I hear regular complaints, even from people who develop music software, that electronic music lacks the element of human musical performance. Even without the criterion of virtuosity, what music challenged you? Obvious choices from major labels should not be overlooked, but so, too, should unknown netlabels and Creative Commons recordings.
Let us know, and wherever possible, do include a link to the music. You can also use our Google form below if you’d rather not just discuss, unstructured, in comments.
See also our call for the Best Music of 2010 on our sister site.
We’ll celebrate the New Year with a round-up of a few of your choices and editorial choices to go with it. Also, I hope we can get input from some record shops and curators, so if you’re in that capacity, do get in touch. It’s always a nice way to spend January, revisiting the best music of the previous year.
@karlp: I didnt know this group. Very insteresting. Thanks!
I submitted Porcupine Tree's Anesthetize Bluray (simply the best live bluray ever released IMHO, the closest to a live concert I have ever heard).
I would have suggested Scambot by Mike Keneally (which is my favorite album I heard in 2010), however, I believe it came out in 2009.
Royksopp – Senior
Aeroplane – We can´t fly
Chromeo – Business Casual
Brandt Brauer Frick: “You Make Me Real”
http://www.brandtbrauerfrick.de/
happy holidays, karl.
Snarky Puppy – Tell Your Friends
Label: Ropeadope
Sweet moog jazz/funk goodness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-IlUFgEVW4&fe…
http://www.google.com/m/url?client=safari&ei=…
It had been a long time since I bought a CD ( Roger O'Donnell "The truth in me" in 2006) . Thanks to CDM's heads up, when I listened to a streaming of Brian Eno's Small Craft on a Milk Sea I couldn't resist the urge to buy it. Absolutely recommended.
http://brian-eno.net/
Another gem I discovered thanks to CDM, Laura Escude's Pororoca
http://lauraescude.bandcamp.com/album/pororoca
Pomplamoose
They do covers but oh what covers they are, plus watching these videos is so insightful into creative studio techniques. http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic#p/c/…
Also check out Jack Conte's channel for more of a rock vibe http://www.youtube.com/user/jackcontemusic
Then when your done with that he has tutorials for his video techniques at this link http://www.videosongsblog.com/2010/04/jack-conte-…
I'm pretty sure you will wonder about one or another of the Video techniques and Nataly does all the video editing for the Pomplamoose stuff so have fun.
Flying Lotus' "Cosmogramma" (thanks to CDM)
Another LA beater: Tokimonsta's "Midnight Menu"
…can't wait to check out all the tips that come from this list…
…so I filled in the form, but nothing is showing up here. Don't know where the form goes. To answer the question: Pomplamoose. Go to their YouTube channel, and enjoy!
Don't know if these are overlooked, but in 2010 I listened to:
http://modulations.createdigitalmusic.com/2010/12/the-mod…
Among those, I guess 3six's Hollow was sort of overlooked. I didn't see it in any top ten lists.
http://3six.net/album/hollow
I said Sumsun's "Samo Milagro"
Debut album from this Florida (solo proj/duo?) act. It is synth heavy and lofi but super clear and crisp. Goes from beats to ambient parts without any trouble. My #1 underrated album of 2010. I wish all bedroom albums sounded this good.
I'm an assiduous reader of CDM blogs. I thought for a couple of days if I should advertise own music in this post (and I'm still not sure!). Anyway, since I released it in 2010, I kindly invite you all to listen to my mini-album "Unfulfilled". I hope you enjoy it. You can find it at http://www.jpcarrascal.com/unfulfilled (free download, along with artwork),
Thanks!
JP
EL GUINCHO!!!
Album: Pop Negro
Label: Young Turks
Video:  ;http://vimeo.com/15274619
Album playlist:  ;http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0244A5283DEF145F
Musica Fuerte!
Hybegnu's s/t EP, especially "Draculoid." Grim, sludgy, dumb rock stuff made by (mostly) smart people. And yet it gets smarter with each listen.
(I didn' t put it in the fields above because I was peripherally involved with it, but I do love the music.)
Recommended Eklin's Onwa. Imagine a mixed up combination of Sigur Ros, Brian Eno and My Bloody Valentine with a pinch of dub hidden beneath it. Best listened to with headphones on while the sun sets and the night is starting.
http://www.myspace.com/eklin (yeah, too bad great music like this is hosted on crap like myspace).
See also the crappy video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu63Hj33ZfU
Max Cooper for me. Sea of sound was great.
Can't submit the form from my ipod, so:
'Slack' by Juj.
I'd heard a track of his on a Shlohmo mix, figured I had to check out more of this guys stuff, and it all turned out to be fucking brilliant. Greasy, drugged-out, instrumental hip-hop, for (early) FlyLo/Prefuse 73 fans