End of the year electronic album review. This year I actually manage to rank them, tho’ please listen to the albums, because a single track simply can’t do justice. I try to balance between presenting a top ten album endof year albums and listenable playlist.

01. Moritz Von Oswald Trio – Vertical Ascent. Rarely an electronic album can sustain acoustic percussion and sample balance like this one. Despite an entire album comprises of nothing but thick polyrhythmic layers, the interplay of acoustics drum, electronic echoes and samples are addictive and delightful. +++ 02. Squarepusher - Numbers Lucent. Tom Jenkinson understands jazz and can compose complicated pieces, uncommon skill in electronic circle. And he is back with an EP containing rave, DnB and funk. It is a candy colored psychedelia tricycle running at 200 mph. +++ 03. Wisp - The Shimmering Hour. This little gem may be more of an archive what Rephlex record, aka Richard D. James’s label, the Aphex Twin guy has done in the past few years. Seems like a small sketch book of things he considers well balance between abstract IDM, danceable electronica, experimental ambient and pop bleep. +++ 04. Few Nolder – New Folder . Minimal house done by Linus Strockis, from Viluis, Lithuania. The composition is refreshing. A proof that one doesn’t need to crowd entire frequency spectrum to shake things up. A bleep here, a boom there and off you go, happily bouncing on the floor. +++ 05. Vibrasphere - Selected Downbeats Vol. 2. A wholesome Swedish electronic album. Nothing outrageous or fancy, well balanced and can be left alone in stereo for weeks at a time.

06. Venetian Snares – Horsey Noisers. The latest EP from the bad boy himself, master of electronic layering and complex rhythm. This ep is danceable and fairly sane comparatively. Mother approved, child tested sort of breakcore. A good interlude for his beefier far too fast for your health album ‘Filth‘ +++ 07. Alva Noto – Xerrox Vol.2. Please people. I like this guy. Minimalism and glitch done right. And this latest album probably the most accessible from all his work. (aka, the frequency range is within mammalian biped hearing range, instead of a bat) +++ 08. 5 Years of Hyperdub. My lazy pick of the year. A compilation from hyperdub record. It’s delightful and full of work by known dubstep artists. Nothing earth shattering yet comfortable. +++ 09. Lusine – A Certain Distance. The most accessible album in this list. This album is classic downtempo. If you like “The Field” from 2007, this album is for you. Same texture, a bit louder. +++ 10. Peverelist - Jarvik Mindstate. I don’t know why not many people like this album. I thought this is album is charming. It doesn’t beg, but draw people in, calmly dishing out beat in his own term like a story teller who knows what his audience want to listen. A bit of a teaser actually. A perfect small room ambient DnB. +++ 11. Yppah - They Know What Ghost Know. Second album from an Austinite shoegazer meets house musician. Joe Corrales Jr. drifts deeper into electric guitar and relies less in house/dance beat, making this second album hard to define. Think odd pairing such as folktronica. It is happy spells backward afteral.

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” 11 Best Albums in 2009 and their track ”

01. Moritz Von Oswald Trio – Pattern 3
Vertical Ascent (Honest Jon’s, 2009)
02. Squarepusher - Arterial Fantasy
Numbers Lucent (MSI:Warp, 2009)
03. Wisp - Summoner’s Hollow
The Shimmering Hour (Rephlex, 2009)
04. Few Nolder - Top
New Folder (Planet Mu, 2009)
05. Vibrasphere - Tierra Azul (Omnimotion Feat. Krister Linder Remix)
Selected Downbeats Vol. 2 (Cloud 99 Music, 2009)
06. Venetian Snares – Horsey Vag Island
Horsey Noisers (Planet Mu, 2009)
07. Alva Noto – Xerrox Rin
Xerrox Vol.2 (Raster Music, 2009)
08. L.V. – Turn Away
5 Years of Hyperdub (Hyperdub, 2009)
09. Lusine - Twilight
A Certain Distance (Ghostly Int’l, 2009)
10. Peverelist - Valves
Jarvik Mindstate (Punch Drunk, 2009)
11. Yppah - Southern Sky Tells
They Know What Ghost Know (Ninja Tune, 2009)

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Also great in 2009. Boxcutter - Arecibo Message, Clark – Totems Flare, Mike Slott – Lucky 9Teen, Morphosis Records – Evolved Breaks, Pantha Du Prince – The Splendour, Printempo - Printempo, Shackleton - Three EPs LP,

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see also: Electronica 2008.

” It’s Moka’s Birthday ”

01. Paavoharju - Musta Katu
Yhä Hämärää (Fonal Records, 2005)
02. King Tubby & Soul Syndicate – salty dub
Freedom Sounds in Dub (Blood & Fire Records, 1996)
03. Jimi Hendrix – Long Hot Summer Night
Electric Ladyland (Experience Hendrix, 1968)
04. Gonjasufi - Ancestors
2010 From Warp Records (Warp, 2009)
05. Tim Hardin – Hang On To A Dream
Hang on to a Dream: The Verve Recordings (Ume Imports, 1994)
06. Pantha Du Prince – The Splendour
The Splendour (Rough Trade, 2009)
07. Luscious Jackson – Take a Ride
Fever In Fever Out (1996)
08. Portishead - Scorn
Trip-Hop Reconstruction (Unofficial Release, 1995)
09. Kutiman - Bango Fields
Kutiman (MPM, 2007)

note: Everybody says happy b’day to Moka. About this list, I am not sure if a lot of people will enjoy it. Basically It’s a look back at early approach done by MdM plus what I still try to reconcile when trying to make coherent list. Folks, electronic, rock, lo-fi. It is somewhat a puzzle of unfinished sketch and barely coordinated list. It’s at the edge of what MdM has been doing. The limit of usual rules to produce nice posts. How does a nice list suppose to sound while capturing various exciting styles out there? Well, this is a snapshot of current state of MdM process. Where things has been and are that hasn’t been explored yet. (Last year list was so much easier on the ear) Otherwise, it’s a little dark-ish trip-hop folktronica ambient list. Happy B’day Moka.

See also: Earliest MdM posts, Motel de Moka’s Top 5 albums of 2005.

image: Unnatural Snare (Detail shot) by Colin Johnson

-Hear is not the right word. I became a telephone. Edith was the electrical conversation that went through me.
-Well, what was it, what was it?
-Machinery.
-Machinery?
-Ordinary eternal machinery.
-And?
-Ordinary eternal machinery.
-Is that all you are going to say?
-Ordinary eternal machinery like the grinding of the stars.
-That’s better.
-That was a distortion of the truth which, I see, suits you very well. I distorted the truth to make it easier for you. The truth is: ordinary eternal machinery.
-Leonard Cohen. Beautiful Losers, 1966

1. James Pants – Thin Moon (StonesThrow Records, 2009)
2. Ocuban – H. Ratnani (Unsigned?, 2009)
3. Washed Out – Feel it all Around (Transparent, 2009
4. Keaver And Brause – Awake (Dealmaker, 2009)
5. Nite Jewel – What did he Say (Italians do it better, 2008)
6. Florence and the Machine - You Got The Love (Jamie XX Rework feat. the XX) (not on label, 2009)
7. Unknown Artist – Its No Good (Bullion remix) (not on label, 2009)

This is quite a contemporary list for me, an assortment of the songs that are stuck in my head. Lots of late night listening to the James Pants album, regretting (and secretly enjoying) the guilt coming from spending money I’m meant to be saving for overseas. All these tracks seem to have a kind of lovely DIY aesthetic – they all seem marked by particular hands, machines, times, scissors, and places. Brazilian beatmaker Ocuban’s brilliant debut album (which appears to have been self released) fits alongside the strange tape hiss of Nite Jewel. XX’s rework of Florence and the Machine (an immensely fun track to play to a crowd) works well with Bullion’s semi-soaring remix.

P.S. there is a little Outfoxed event going down this Wednesday night @ Killing time, Melbourne, Australia. Ill be playing records from 9-1.
Pic: Author’s

The path was narrow and wound here and there between the trees, but they could not lose their way, because thick vines and creepers shut them in on both sides. They had walked a long time when, suddenly turning a curve of the pathway, they came upon a lake of black water, so big and so deep that they were forced to stop. – Little Wizard Stories of Oz.

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” Aimlessly. Midnight Down South. ”

01. Mama Rosin – Les Cuisines De l Enfer
Black Robert (Gutfeeling Records, 2009)
02. The Playgue – I Gotta Be Goin’
Louisiana Punk Groups From The Sixties #2 (Eva, 1980)
03. The One Way Street – Tears In My Eyes
Louisiana Punk Groups From The Sixties #2 (Eva, 1980)
04. King Automatic – Le Redresseur De Torts
In The Blue Corner (Voodoo Rhythm Records, 2009)
05. March To The Sea – Replicant (demo)
Swamp Comp Vol I (2009)
06. The Storm Explosion – everything thats living
Swamp Comp Vol I (2009)
07. Zen Guerrilla – Healing in the Water
Positronic Raygun (Alternative Tentacle, 1998)

note: A collection of early punk sound. Two done by Voodoo Rhythm Records and another one a compilation unsigned bands by ‘Sludgewamp‘ blog. And a rock compilation album from the 60′s. I think this is something I would listen in a small dive or steamy underground pub. A little short for a proper list, but enough to satisfy midnight rocking.

image: Helen Levitt (American, 1913-2009). New York.

” Lovely, in deep frozen winter way. ”

01. Egberto Gismonti – Ruth
Alma (Ecm, 1996)
02. Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree – Reservoir
The Sleeping Morning (12k, 2007)
03. Erik Satie – Trois Descriptions automatiques: Sur une lanterne
Satie: Works for solo piano & piano 4 hands (2001)
04. Alva Noto – Module 7
Transform (Raster-noton, 2001)
05. Nils Frahm – Tristana (ps. 17 min. long)
Wintermusik (Erased Tapes, 2009)
06. Trentemoller - Always Something Better
The Last Resort (Poker Flat Recordings, 2006)
07. Paul Kalkbrenner – Aaron
Berlin Calling OST (Bpitch Control, 2008)

Note: Originally an over the top minimalism list, apart of glitch hop search but I altered it and add some accoustic. It works nicely, I think this is my loveliest list of the year. Tho’ this list can only work in very cold winter day while feeling alert. Definitely first thing in the morning/crisp daytime/high fidelity headphone list. Nevermind Canada, think frozen arctic tundra instead. But you will be listening with someone you like and in a warm cabin with a nice view. Plus your toes are all warm instead of frozebitten. Uhmmm…. ok. that could be a scene from comedy movie. at anyrate, this is an ultra cutting edge list. Minimalist glitch, white drone, well executed classical pieces, modern, pop electronic. Definitely winter 2009. cheers.

image: Steven Meisel “Organized Robots”