Journal

1) Rivulets - We're Fucked
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/68053856.jpg
2) *AR - Wolf Notes
3) Dakota Suite & Quentin Sirjacq - The Side Of Her Inexhaustible Heart
4) King's Daughters & Sons - If Then Not When
5) Nils Frahm - Felt
6) Jenny Hval - Viscera
7) Birds of Passage and Leonardo Rosado - Dear and Unfamiliar
8) Sleepingdog - With Our Heads in the Clouds and Our Hearts in the Fields
9) A Winged Victory For The Sullen - A Winged Victory For The Sullen
10) Christina Vantzou - No. 1
11) Julianna Barwick - Magic Place
12) Splashgirl - Pressure
13) Ryan Teague - Causeway
14) Other Lives - Tamer Animals
15) 1982 - Pintura
16) Gareth Davis, Jan Kleefstra, Romke Kleefstra - Tongerswel
17) Alog - Unemployed
18) Benoît Honoré Pioulard - Plays Thelma
19) Amatorski - TBC
20) Field Rotation - Acoustic Tales
21) King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
22) Ignatz - I hate this City
…

Many of my favorite artists released albums this year, and as expected, they were all very good; some lived up to expectations better than others. Nevertheless, I gave the top spot to a musician that came out of nowhere for me, it was the best surprise of 2011 and a great record...

http://s.dsimg.com/image/R-150-2958918-1309183002.png
1. Charles-Eric Charrier, "Silver"
with special mention of "Oldman," also released this year.

http://s.dsimg.com/image/R-150-2869629-1304868543.jpeg
2. Dornenreich, "Flammentriebe"
A real evolution.


http://s.dsimg.com/image/R-150-3268577-1323171750.jpeg
3. Tenhi, "Saivo"
Did not disappoint. It was a long wait.

http://s.dsimg.com/image/R-150-3095630-1315507423.jpeg
4. Barn Owl, "Lost in the Glare"


http://www.tinymixtapes.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/150_Width/ar.jpg
5. *AR, "Wolf Notes"
Released on January 1, 2011. It set the bar very high. A sublime collaboration between two respected artists.
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Favorite Albums:

1. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972 & Dropped Pianos

http://i40.tinypic.com/ncjdrc.jpg
listen

21st Century Requiems
Usually I am wary of electronic musicians incorporating live instruments into their music in order to achieve a more organic sound (see, for instance, Apparat or The Field), but the pipe organ at the center of “Ravedeath, 1972” actually increases the power and intensity of Hecker’s music. The key here is that the live instruments do not get in the way of the processed effects. Instead, all the sounds form a unique sonic maelstrom that needs no interpretation or predefined meaning to have an emotional impact on the listener.
The sketches on “Dropped Pianos”, released later this year, are a bit of a different affair, featuring relatively sparse piano tracks that served as blueprints for the more opulent “Ravedeath, 1972” and are an impressive display of Hecker’s wide musical range.


2. Kuedo - Severant

…

This is my list of favourite sounds of last year. It took me BLOODY AGES to complete. I've linked one or more youtube videos to all the albums, except celer, because Will is too cool for school and doesn't have a link. ;)

If I somehow turn you onto a new artist, then thank you, you've made my day. If you find an artist you like listen to more of their music, it's a lot more varied than I can display with one link.

Let me know, comment, criticise, but most of all listen and enjoy!!

*AR - Wolf Notes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcXnAD-Ab10

2562 - Fever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP87BZqVZqU

Akira Kosemura - How My Heart Sings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbTmue-q7A8

Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto - Summvs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLdZ0jACoD4

Anomalous - Ohmnivalent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK9TlhRnto0

A Winged Victory For The Sullen - A Winged Victory For The Sullen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNkWfiFWKuE

…

So..A new year, with fresh meat..Here we go again!! Something a little different from my normal pre-best-of 'shortlist', is that I plan on implementing a star-based scoring system to aid with the final list-making process, as such, anything supplemented with stars will be recommended initially, using this basic ranking system..However, if you're anything like me, you'll listen to them all anyways..

@c - Homem Phantasma *****
:sinclair: - 0306 ***
36 - Cocoon/Saphron *****
40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room ***
417.3 - _(-_-)_ *****
82-75 - ëåñ â êîðàáëå *****
*AR - Wolf Notes ***
A Lily - Thunder Ate The Iron Tree *****
A Wake A Week - Through Line *****
Abraham - An Eye On The Universe *
Across Tundras - Sage ***
adamned.age - Fragile **
Aderlating - Spear of Gold and Seraphim Bone *****
Æthenor - En Form For Blå *****
Ahnst Anders - Home ***
Ainara Legardon - We Once Wished ****
Akh-naut - Reptilian Soul Conspiracy ***
Alexander Tucker - Dorwytch *****
Alexander Turnquist - Hallway of Mirrors *****
…

*AR - Wolf Notes ***

Balam Acab - See Birds ***

Deaf Center - Owl Splinters *****

Sussan Deyhim - City of Leaves *****

Hummingbird - Our Fearful Symetry Remixes ***

Lüüp - Meadow Rituals ***

Gareth Davis & Machinefabriek - Grower **

Meredith Monk - Songs Of Ascension

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake *****

Dustin O'Halloran - Lumiere *****

Planningtorock - W ****

Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd - Bordeaux ****

Ryan Teague

Kaboom Karavan

Kreng

JUV

Julianna Barwick

Joseph Arthur

Gus Gus

Austra

Björk

Zola Jesus

St. Vincent

A Winged Victory for the Sullen

Simon Scott

Peter Gabriel - New Blood

Hauschka & Hildur Guðnadóttir

Harold Budd - In the Mist

Nest

Jóhann Jóhannsson

Gazelle Twin

John Foxx & Harold Budd

Tim Hecker

Iarla Ó Lionáird

Kate Bush

Grouper