basic_sounds: December 2010

>>>>>>>best of 2010<<<<<<<

pawel / pawel / dial

Similar to the sounds of his label-mates Lawrence and Pantha du Prince, Pawel successfully delivers deep, shimmering, minimal techno that effortlessly glides one through satisfying, sultry melodies.

morgan packard / moment again elsewhere / anticipate

Morgan Packard delicately unites piano melodies with electronic textures to create sophisticated, optimistic, beat-fuelled compositions.

pantha du prince / black noise / rough trade

Black Noise is another prolific submission for minimal techno enthusiasts, and the move to a new label has only furthered his success. Pantha's brooding, melodic house shuffles and shimmering, bell-like tones encapsulates all audiences.

john roberts / glass eights / dial

Beautifully composed debut album delivering highly refined, quality house music.

cobblestone jazz / the modern deep left quartet / wagon repair

Mathew Jonson, Tyger Dhula, Danuel Tate and The Mole deliver disco inspired, infectious party tech-house works. "Mr Polite" has been my get-ready-to-go track for the last few months.

yeasayer / odd blood / secretly canadian

Incorporating more electronic elements than ever before, Yeasayer appeals to a wider audience with their infectious avant-garde indie pop.

thomas fehlmann / gute luft / kompakt

On Guft Luft, Thomas Fehlmann delivers lush melodic arrangements and blissful dub ambience, with delicately driven shuffles.

the sight below / it all falls apart / ghostly international

Seattle based composer, The Sight Below (aka Rafael Anton Irisarri) delivers a deep beautiful ambient drone album incorporating throbbing beats, processed guitar rhythms and filtered abstract textures.

christopher rau / asper clouds / smallville

Christopher Rau has a lush sense and knowledgeable take on house, incorporating an inherent sense of groove with a clear vision for fundamentals.

pier bucci / amigo / maruca

Pier Bucci masterly combines his Latin heritage with deep electronic rhythmic structures, ultimately creating genre-defining techno.

bvdub / the art of dying alone / glacial movements

San Francisco's Brock Van Wey delivers his finest album to date, with his heart-felt introspective ambient soundscapes that masterfully entangles looping guitars, choral layers and deep pulsing rhythms.

pjusk / sval / 12k

Norwegian based duo, Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik and Rune Sagevik deliver their second full-length release, creating lush warm experimental soundscapes with haunting vocals, rich textures and deep dubby rhythms.

chihei hatakeyama / a long journey / home normal

Japanese composer, Chihei Hatakeyama has an astonishing repertoire of releases under his belt and has become one of my most listened to artists on lastfm. His compelling luscious tones and delicate guitar musings are superbly crafted, making every release by him a must have.

francesco tristano/moritz von oswald / auricle bio on / infine

A magnificent two track release from classical pianist, Francesco Tristano and prolific dub techno composer, Moritz Von Oswald. Together they combine their skills for a mind-blowing 50 minute reworking of Tristano's "Bio."

efdemin / chicago / dial

Efdemin delivers deeply evolving experimental house numbers and demonstrates his ability to combine old influential moments in time with new contemporary sounds.

beach house / teen dream / sub pop

Beautiful dream pop shoegazer music with grandeur gestures of melancholy.

the radio dept. / clinging to a scheme / labrador

I have been in love with Radio Dept. since first hearing their Pet Grief release back in 2006. Superb shoegazer pop album that explores a wide range of sounds and song structures. Make sure to catch their North American tour this spring.

hauschka / foreign landscapes / fat cat

Modern classical composer, Hauschka takes Foreign Landscapes to a new level by incorporating a twelve-piece string and wind ensemble from San Francisco called Magik*Magik. Known for his piano compositions, Hauschka uniquely crafts gorgeous minimal orchestral works based around repetition and rhythm.

sumsun / samo milagro / moamoo/art union

Sumsun's excellent infectious debut album comes as a welcomed new discovery. Be prepared to be dazzled with explorative boogie beats and lofi noise that comes somewhere in between Panda Bear and Khonner.

ariel pink's haunted graffiti / before today / 4ad

The lo-fi, cassette sampling Ariel Pink now includes a live band and delivers a marvelous chillwave indie pop album. Just listen to "Round And Round" and you will know why this album is included in the 2010 best of.

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