It would be something close to the impossible to proclaim one single longplayer my favourite of this year so the following is just ten albums that have made my ears and my feet happy in no particular order with some honourable mentions.
It should be noted there are probably countless albums not included on this list which are deserving, they are missing most likely because I have not heard them.
Von Sudenfed – Tromatic Reflexxions //Domino
Neither Mark E Smith nor Mouse on Mars had previously made much of an impression n me. Smith’s sneering presence in interviews I had read had put me off ever wanting to check any of The Fall’s back catalogue, whilst my only experience of Mouse on Mars was a request to play them whilst DJing in a bar in New York a few years ago.
So I didn’t really know what to expect when a promo of their new single as Von Sudenfed, Fledermaus Can’t Get It, dropped through the postbox. It made such an impression that a purchase of the longplayer was a must. Tromatic Reflexxions displayed an album worth of glitched up pop music that laces some freaky deaky lyricism from Smith over a variety of genres from grime techno.
Some tracks such as Serious Brainskin come close to bursting eardrums whilst there are tracks such as The Rhinohead which are almost Top 40 indie fodder (well apart from Mark E Smith’s indechiperable mutterings)
Von Sudenfed – The Young, The Faceless And The Codes
Buy Tromatic Reflexxions here here or indeed here
The Field – From Here We Go Sublime //Kompakt
A by/product of writing an mp3 blog has been getting slightly tired of being sent countless mixes full to the brim with the latest crEd Banger/Dubsided/Kitsune release/remix/edit and delving into other genres of music to find some solace.
Techno is definitely something I’ve been listening to alot more in 2007 and Kompakt was one label that brought my ears lots of joy (Supermayer album aside) and this album from Swedish producer Alex Willner aka The Field is a real highlight. Bringing the woozy melodic thump with every track, it’s a great album to accompany you on a stroll about town.
The Field – The Little Heart Beats So Fast
Purchase this excellent album from Boomkat or Rough Trade
Fiery Furnaces – Widow City // Thrill Jockey
Shallow bastard that I am, It was photographs of Eleanor Fiery Furnace’s fringe and scowl in a FACT Magazine interview that compelled me to check out Widow City, having not heard any of their previous work. Well hooray for being shallow because this Fiery Furnaces joint is several sorts of splendidness.
Working through elements of Scuzzy Garage, Synth Pop and several other genres defying description (opening song The Philadelphia Grand Jury has at least four changeups) all the tracks contain joyous nonsensical lyrics that appear at times too full of syllables for the music.
It’s not the most accessible of albums, several repeat listens were needed to fully appreciate it and the best tracks do appear to sit on the first half of the album but it’s defintely worth investing in.
Fiery Furnaces – Automatic Husband
Get Widow City hurr or hurr
Teenage Bad Girl – Cocotte // Citizen Rec
Along with the Boys Noize album, Cocotte was the only longplayer from the gosh whatever genre has been made up this week let’s call it electro rave for the moment area of House Music that impressed. Digitalism’s album sounded unfinished whilst Justice were unfortunate that Cross, not a bad album at all suffered from all the hype that precluded it.
Of course you could say it bites the whole distorted guitar samples/synth sound that got everyone interested in Justeeece, but Xavier and Gaspard are busy pilfering Disco string samples these days – Cocotte is full of tracks that work at the right moment on dancfloors.
Teenage Bad Girl – Hands Of A Stranger
Get Cocotte at Boomkat or Rough Trade
Two Lone Swordsmen – Wrong Meeting // Rotters Golf Club
The first part of Wevvers and Keith’s stroll through his love for good old rock and roll, there have been several less than complimentary reviews of this album. In fact, the biggest gripe seems to be the shock of a wholesale dumping of the trademark machine funk sound for proper songs and the like.
If it’s possible for you to put such thoughts to one side, then you will find a very enjoyable album. Part 2 is also worth a mention as it contains elements of the electronic sound of the previous albums, though it did not grab me as much.
Two Lone Swordsmen – Get Out Of My Kingdom
Buy Wrong Meeting part one at the Rotters Golf Club website
Shocking Pinks – Shocking Pinks //DFA
DFA Recs has put out so much quality in 2007, from the LCD album and subsequent proper release of 33:45 (how fucken immense is that first movement? more on that later!) to the new off shoot label Death From Abroad not to mention the countless impressive 12 inches by the likes of Hercules & Love Affair, Prinzhorn Dance School (Optimo refix of Space Invader peoples!) and Still Going.
This compilation of tracks from previous Shocking Pinks albums Mathematical Warfare and Infinity Land is my favourite DFA release though. A selection of short woozy, lo fi rock tracks that are wholly personal – given that they were written in the midst of a gak habit and countless relationships with women. Only slighlty less fraught a listen to than Ladies & Gentlemen….. by Spiritualized
Shocking Pinks – Second Hand Girl
purchase Shocking Pinks from Boomkat or Pure Groove
Gui Boratto – Chromophobia // Kompakt
One of my great regrets from this year was not making it to the Kompakt vs Allez Allez showcase of Gui Boratto at Plastic People as Chromophobia was on constant repeat earlier this year after purchase.
Bought on a whim after taking a shine to the coverart, Chromophobia is laced with shimmering wonky minimal touches throughout apart from certified heater Beautiful Life which sounds amazing in clubs (a fact cemented by my whooping and hollering at Modular Weekly when one of Allez Allez dropped it)
Gui Boratto – Chromophobia
Go to Boomkat or Phonica to purchase Chromophobia
Pepe Deluxe – Spare Time Machine //Catskills
Spare Time Machine is an album without comparison in 2007. Delving fully into their love for 60s psychedelia and 70s prog rock, James Spectrum and JA-Jazz of Pepe Deluxe have crafted an album which is several degrees of crazy and a delight from start to end and contains no samples at all.
It’s amazing that the same Pepe Deluxe who came to prominience thanks to a Levis advert and started putting out tracks at the arse end of Big Beat can sum up music as off kilter and genius as this. In a perfect world, this would be at the top of every end of year list. It’s worth purchasing for the amazing cover art work too
Pepe Deluxe – Forgotten Knights
Purchase Spare Time Machine from the Catskills shop
Simian Mobile Disco – Attack Decay Sustain Release //Wichita
This year has seen the SMD assault on the senses step up a gear somewhat. Not content with releasing Attack Decay Sustain Release, they’ve rocked festivals and clubs with their live shows & dj sets, added their refix treatment to a number of artists and production nous to some critically acclaimed albums.
It took a while for this album to lodge it’s way into the nether regions of my brain but the Slutty Fringe opinion is now that Attack Decay Sustain Release is a splendid house party workout through different aspects of electronic music giving clear nods to James and Jas’ influences. Definitely augers well for a new SMD lp if they get the time in 2008
Simian Mobile Disco – Sleep Deprivation
Get the goodness at Boomkat or Phonica
LCD Soundsytem – 45/33 //DFA
Recently I was asked to nominate an album of the year for 3BarFire and I chose this for the following reason.
“Put all the nonsense about selling out to Nike aside. The opening track is the closest musical equivalent to a night of slowfucking on cocaine and dom perignon with french saucepot Noemi Lenoir. For this reason alone, 45.33 is my release of the year (even though everyone leached it off fluokids last year).”
Nuff said really.
Honourable mentions
Definite shoutouts go to Husky Rescue for Ghost Is Not Real, the Kathy Diamond lp Miss Diamond To You, Oi Oi Oi by Boys Noize, MIA‘s Kala (for Bamboo Banger and Paper Planes) the Holy Fuck lp, the new Midnight Juggernauts joint, the Radioheed industry slayer and the Burial lp for services to London Nightbuses!
Slutty Fringe 