Well, now that stimp's let loose with his 'best of' list, I
might as well do the same. This was actually snipped from
a column I write for an alternative weekly in town which
tries to encompass pretty much all non-rock music, not just
specializing in Acid Jazz. I've tried to stick to albums,
leaving out compilations and 12", which was hard, because
this year was chock full of fantastic compilations and 12",
but for the sake of brevity...
My year’s top ten list is actually a top eleven list with
twelve titles. Despite the extras, there are still some
noticeable exceptions, particularly if you’re a drum ‘n’
bass or trance fan, or like to collect compilations. Even
with twelve titles, I know i'm missing some important
releases. Maybe next time, I'll have enough room for a top
15 or so. Frankly, this was a pretty bad year for dnb set,
with very little spark or innovation in the genre save for
the recent Roni Size album, and the excellent (but didn’t
make the cut) Journey Inwards from LTJ Bukem. Otherwise,
this year saw the release of many innovative,
genre-bending, and just plain good albums. And these were
the cream of the crop:
1. St Germain - Tourist (Blue Note)
Ludovic Navarre creates some drum tracks and bass lines,
and then invites accomplished jazz musicians to play upon
these foundations. At once retro and forward looking, the
results were part jazz, part house, all soul. This album
will no doubt top out many a critic’s list, but more
importantly will be rocked at house parties for years to
come - a true sign of a classic.
2. (Tie)Blackalicious - Nia (Quannum)
Dilated Peoples - The Platform (ABB)
Despite a whole bunch of jiggy garbage and thugged-out BS,
this was a great year for hip hop which saw the return of
the Wu-Tang (and a great album from Ghostface Killah), and
a slew of amazing ‘underground’ releases from the likes of
Bahamadia, Common, J5, and Reflection Eternal. But these
two were the best. Blackalicious’ introspective salvo
against the status quo made for ‘east coast’ headphone
music nonpareil. Meanwhile, Dilated’s triple optic vision
kicked it a bit harder with some serious head nodders and
was down to wreck a body and, say, turn a party out.
3. Groove Armada - Vertigo (Jive Electro)
Made famous by an up tempo Fat Boy Slim remix, this duo’s
true strength lies in creating deceptively simple downtempo
songs. Vertigo’s tracks are catchier than a common cold in
a preschool class, bringing together elements of trip hop,
house, jazz, and big beat.
4. MJ Cole - Sincere (Talkin’ Loud)
Heralded as the new sound of UK garage, Matthew J Coleman
introduced a new genre to the world of dance: 2-step.
Think of it as house music having discovered jungle breaks.
With lush strings and beautiful melodies, this album lays
the foundation for many artists to follow.
5. Ian Pooley - Since Then (V2)
Bright and upbeat, with Brazilian rhythms to complement the
4/4, this is simply deep house done right.
6. A:xus - Soundtrack for Life (Guidance)
Canadian producer kicks ass and creates a fantastic album
with a little bit for everyone, from house to hip hop,
drum’n’bass to downtempo.
7. The Thievery Corporation - The Mirror Conspiracy (ESL)
8. Tosca - Suzuki (G-Stone)
Two nearly perfect downtempo albums, filled with chill
beats and moody atmospheres. While The Thievery
Corporation hint at faraway lands with middle eastern
sounds and Latin rhythms, Tosca (a Richard Dorfmeister side
project) stay closer to home with bluesy guitars over
slowed hip hop
and dub tracks.
9.Kid Koala - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (Ninjatune)
While not exactly danceable, and certainly not an easy
listen, Eric San’s cut, paste, and scratch work pushed the
boundaries of turntablism. 'Carpal Tunnel Syndrome'
introduced self-depricating humour and narrative into a
burgeoning genre.
10. Suba - Sao Paolo Confessions
This is both Suba’s debut and swan song. An eastern bloc
ex-pat making his home in Brazil, he recently died in a car
crash. A wonderful legacy, ‘Sao Paolo Confessions’
incorporates what else but lush Latin rhythms and earthy
Portuguese singing with our traditional machine-music.
11. Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott (Epic)
R&B, as a musical creative outlet is mostly dead. Along
with Erykah Badu, Jill Scott is one of the few bright
lights in new soul music. Having created quite a buzz
simply by penning a Roots chorus, her highly-anticipated
debut album, which incorporated spoken word and hip hop
elements, did not disappoint.
(many thanks to the listees who helped point me towards
many releases in my top 11...)
=====
Marco Pringle, host of
the Fat Beat Diet - Way late, Tues nights/wed morning
CJSW 90.9FM (Calgary) - in real audio at:
http://www.cjsw.com
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