I am also involved in a number of other activities, some in the pipeline, some already known. I began writing for Netlabelism and am really enjoying it – working with a bunch of volunteers who are passionate about the netlabel scene is wonderful. I will continue to write and contribute there. I will also continue to work promotion with Feedback Loop Netlabel and curate their podcasts. I have started up my own magazine, of which the first issue will be available in March and I am really looking forward to that.

Obviously I would not exist if you people did not visit this site. Over the years I have been warmed by viewing the traffic that visits this blog, albeit modest in size, but I’ve no doubt dedicated. I will leave the blog up, purely because there is a lot of stuff on it and the various links on the front page point towards some wonderful artists, labels and other blogs. Thank you to the readers, the musicians, the labels, and the friendships with people all over the world this endeavour has awarded me with. Never stop seeking out new music.

You can find my writing and collaborative work on the following websites:

Noisetopia

Netlabelism

Feedback Loop Label

Uncertain Form

Much love,

Alex.

Label: Free Form Records

Download: Bandcamp (Name Your Price)

Some sweet subtle beats on this short EP, apparently there is a full length on the way so look out. These sounds from Kwala on Free Form Records are a nice little bunch of future hip hop sounds with swirling synths and punchy percussion. Sure to get you dizzy late at night. Euphoric and tantalising. I am all about the fluid sounds of late and this EP is a prime example of the drenched in water sound that has been getting a workout of late times.

Label: Futuresequence

Release Page

Futuresequence led the way in 2011 releasing two large experimental compilations from artists all over the world. In 2012 the predominantly online music magazine has leaped ahead into a fully fledged label. The label’s first release will come from ambient/drone/noise artist Radere who has had many notable releases on various imprints such as Rural Colours and Full Spectrum Records. You can check out a preview track from the digital release up on soundcloud!

Well what a year it has been. I have discovered a lot of music this year of varying genre and style and it has been a delight indulging in new sounds as well as old ones. For the end of year list I will be presenting my top ten full length releases for the year. I will also present my top 5 EP releases of the year alongside. Following will be my top 5 netlabel releases.

Top Ten Full Length Releases

10.  Bon Iver – Bon Iver

A drastically new sound for the secluded-in-a-cabin-for-months-through-the-winter artist. The self-titled record reached the absurd of lyricism, painting unique imagery through colourful wording and meter. Really just a solid record from start to finish.

9. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care

One of the few post-rock albums of 2011 I genuinely enjoyed. It isn’t anything super innovative by the veteran post-rock band but the album was cohesive and thoroughly enjoyable. The quintessential twinkling guitars, thunderous percussion and undercurrent of bass is impeccable throughout. Closing track ‘Let me back in’ is an absolute stunning track.

8. Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972

The soundtrack to the destruction of sound. An eloquant exploration into sound deconstruction and reconstruction. At times a work of innumerable beauty and at others a harsh and abrasive affair. Hecker produced one of the highlights of the year in the ambient field.

7.  Nils Frahm – Felt

Frahm’s album Felt was something I could put on while sitting in the dark pondering questions with no answers. Quiet and subtle piano pieces where you could hear all the inner mechanics of the instrument at work as well as the musician. Extremely intimate and graceful.

6. Giles Corey – Giles Corey

I do not know how to write a little paragraph for this album. It deserves so much more. A concept album based around a real or not real (depending on how skeptical you are) individual who ran a cult in the woods trying to connect with the afterlife. Themes of suicide, apparitions, sorcery and darkness permeate the record. It is one of the most haunting records I have ever listened to and coupled with the short novel that came with it I must say I lost some sleep for a while after reading it.

5. Matana Roberts - COIN COIN Chapter One: Gens de couleur libres

I had not heard such a visceral and intense album as this in a long time. The record was recorded live with a host of musicians in Canada and what resulted was a record of epic proportions. Roberts, on tenor saxophone and spoken word (or should I say screaming bloody murder word)  was nothing short of striking. Singing the stories of oppressed and murdered people of the black community throughout history. A masterful jazz record.

4. Shlohmo – Bad Vibes

I have been a fan of this young producer for a long time now, his beats are soaked in oozing thick goo. Lush and slow productions of instrumental hip hop. There was a lot of great stuff coming out this year of similar ilk, but this record had a different take on the sound. It was more personal. The album featured a lot of hummed vocal samples from the artist, but also a lot of progression which could be found on tracks like ‘Trapped in a burning house’ which featured some very unique and ominous sounds.

3. The Dear Hunter – The Color Spectrum, Complete Collection

Technically this was a collection of nine EP’s but I am going to include it here for the sheer ambition it took to create nine EP’s representing each colour of the spectrum. Undoubtedly you know I am a huge fan of Casey Crescenzos work and this release was everything I could have expected and more. With incredible EP’s such as Blue (majestic, soaring beauty), Indigo (Ethereal electronics), Yellow (Sunny pop) there was something for everyone in this collection.

2. Jacaszek – Glimmer

Released in early December this record  is just one of those albums where I have to stop what I am doing and just listen. A unique sound was procured from Polish musician Jacaszek who had session musicians record bass and soprano clarinet as well as harpischord, and then process them through various forms of electronics. What resulted was a fantastic mix between sound exploration and baroque classical music. A swelling and utterly brilliant work of art.

James Blake – James Blake

Released well back at the start of the year James Blake’s first full length record departed heavily from his previous single’s and EP’s. This divided fans right down the middle. As a person who enjoys both his approaches to music I found myself returning again and again to this album. It is so complete, so meticulous and courageous. The minimal lyricism, repetition of phrases, manipulation of vocals, outstanding production and balance between electronic music and singer songwriter music struck a chord with me. A sonically unique album and one that lasted all the way through the year. It had to take my number one spot.

Top Five EP Releases

5. City Center – Spring St.

A warm and fuzzy short EP. 4 tracks spread over a lovely clear vinyl with half a screen print of blue and white depicting people at the beach. The EP runs through muddled tape loops, acoustic folk instrumentation and hazy vocals. It is the imperfect soundtrack to a lazy summer.

4. Tokimonsta – Creature Dreams

More beats from the Brainfeeder artist (who put on a slamming show at Cuckoo Bar this year). A solid release with some great vocal appearances which produced some of my favourite tracks this year.

3. Colorlist – The Fastest Way To Become The Ocean

The first installment of Serein Label’s Seasons EP’s. I absolutely adore this EP. Incredible jazz work by the percussion and saxophonist duo.

2. Burial/Massive Attack – Paradise Circus

No words, just get it.

1. KRTS – Hold On

My number one EP spot goes to KRTS of the Project Mooncircle label. A classy left field beat album with some of the tastiest most chill basslines I have heard all year. I will be following this individuals releases from now on with a keen eye.

Top Five Netlabel Releases

5. Lyndsie Alguire – Suspended in Light

Camomile Netlabel had a tremendous year and for that they are going to land two releases in my top five netlabel releases of the year. The first goes to Lyndsie Alguire for her stunning debut record. A creative mix between field recordings, ambience, sound design and piano work. Not to be missed.

4. Niel Wiernik – Broken Strings, Plastic Tubes and Bedside Serenades

One of the longest releases this year but also one of the most captivating. A wonderful stretch of ambience that would not let go of me. One of the releases that I continued to return to late at night when it was dark.

3. Buck UK – Buck UK

Soaking wet sounds of minimal beats leaning towards some house sounds. This release was the first I found from Cut Music and it certainly was not the last I checked out. Both tracks on here (the single and the remix) are pieces of tranquil beauty.

2. Blearmoon – Town of Two Houses

The second release by Camomile label to make it into my top few. This short EP melded field recordings, subtle ambience and classical piano into a beautiful mix. Cinematic in nature and stirring, a high quality release.

1. Julian Winter – Slow Movement

Departing from the ambience and more classical leaning works was this fantastic short release by Julian Winter.  I instantly feel in love with its subtle charm and diverse array of sounds. You can find anything from beats, quiet whispering vocals and guitars, pulsating synths and clever use of field recordings. All solidly packaged in a neat 30 minutes.

Well, there you have it. Surely there are things I have missed from my lists, but it honestly was a tremendous year for music. Until next time…

Label: Virgin Babylon Records

Purchase: CD from Virgin Babylon (2000Yen)

For a while now I have noticed a lot of interaction between the netlabel Bunkai-Kei (run by Go-qualia) and Virgin Babylon Records run by World’s End Girlfriend. This is pretty much destined to happen, with the brilliant japanese electronica of Go-qualia and the frenetic and beautiful sounds of World’s End Girlfriend the match is perfect.

Here is a promotional youtube clip featuring excerpts of tracks from the 15 track, 79 minute epic concept album Puella Magi being released by Go-Qualia on Virgin Babylon Records.

Judging by the clip, there is going to be a ridiculous clusterfuck of amazing sounds going on. I cannot wait.

Label: Ghostly International

Purchase: Via Ghostly Drip.fm Service

A wonderful new detour by percussionist/instrumental hip hop artist Shigeto – New Light is a collection of b-sides taken from the [ast three years. The short EP is full of  minimal ambient and abstract sounds with the occasional deep bass rumble. A lovely release all round, including Shigeto’s own drumming chops splashed in the last two tracks.

To grab this one sign up to Ghostly’s Drip.FM service, $15 a month gets you every Ghostly release for the month (needless to say earlier than street date), exclusive mixes and select back catalog releases. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

Label: Heart and Soul

Purchase: Limited to 50 cd-r copies accompanied by a hand made poetry book (with subsequent editions when sold out)

I am striving to become anti-matter

Leonardo Rosado has taken the brave leap into a world of experimentation for many years now, successfully moulding the real world around him with his musical world of ideas – whether it be the deconstruction of modern architechture, the crossroads between sound and poetry or the depths of abstract photography. This experimentation has borne a host of projects and collaborations of recent times and continually grows the palette of musical integration with emotional expression that Rosado desires to explore.

Mute Words is the first release from Heart and Soul Publisher – a new imprint in which poetry and music co-exist in physical form and manifest in limited home-made runs for the die hard collector. Striking is the diversity presented in the 44 minute running time with a number of guest vocalists all bringing their unique sound to Rosado’s oft times despairingly bleak sound design.

Barbara de Dominicis appears first on the second track How Inbetween Came to Be with an air of innocence buried beneath the enveloping textures moulded by Rosado. Floating endlessly in a thick veil, angelic and delicate is her voice. Immediately following is the beautifully constructed At the Intersection where Rosado plays a sombre piano buried beneath a wistful drone and manipulated sound – It certainly leaves me at an intersection of emotions where one second grace and beauty shine through and the next a sudden piano note or found sound will throw me back intot he ominous and dark camp.

Michelle Seaman, who you may remember as one half of The Dwindlers graces The Study of Doubt with her striking voice – a spoken word piece of a poem written by Rosado which in my belief contains one of the most powerful lines I have heard in a long time, ‘I am striving to become anti-matter’. An extreme call for escapism or simply a statement to be caught in nothingness, Rosado calls into question our own existence, our purpose and place.

The third vocal contributor is Alicia Merz, whom has worked extensively with Rosado for some time now. Alicia appears on Out of Pure Kindness and her voice oozes with unforsakeable charm. Desperately reaching to the listener from a dark room. Encapsulated by sounds, expanding drones, piano notes and percussive textures.

Mute Words really calls into question the subject of our existence, it is clear to me through the song titles alone that there is this place where we exist concurrently as we do not exist. The space in between, perhaps a metaphysical world. Sustaining Silence, The Study of Doubt, Quietness Unfolding, Dust in the Air. We are all suspended in something that ceases to exist, paradoxically alive and dead.

I am striving to become anti-matter

Label: Erased Tapes

Buy: LP / CD / Digital

Nils Frahm on Felt is breathing new life into the piano. The recording process of Felt is extremely interesting and alluring – Frahm, playing in his home recording studio felt that he did not want to disturb his neighbours playing late into the night and so he made some alterations to his piano. Lining felt inside the piano to dampen the resonates of his playing contributes to a unique sound that he captures on this recording. Not only that, he also inserted microphones inside and around the piano so that he captured every single sound, perfect or imperfect.

Everything is captured in beautiful detail, Nils breathing as he records, the hammers inside the piano clicking away as he adjusts positions, his seat creaking, the warm static of the sounds decaying. It’s more than an album of piano but a recording of an epoch of time where a man sat down to record sounds onto tape. It is intimate and dark at times and at others it is solemn. ‘Less’ captures each detail of what is happening inside the piano while still being able to translate the absolutely touching notes as they reach one’s ear and then drift away. The album is not entirely of piano though, with Frahm adding bells here and there along with some other instruments – but it is always minimal and focused on producing that imperfect sound, that grace of error and disruption.

Felt is high up as one of my favourite releases this year, not only for its method but also for its execution. It is a record I can come back to time and time again and get lost in – immerse myself and sit right with Frahm as he plays to me. And that is a rare thing to capture in recorded sound.

Artist: Jacaszek

Album: Glimmer

Label: Ghostly Records International

Buy: Pre-order the album on CD / Vinyl / Digital on November the 8th

Striking cover art for Polish artist Michal Jacaszek’s forthcoming release ‘Glimmer’ on the Ghostly imprint. I am really looking forward to this release (especially for a copy on vinyl). I know Ghostly will do an amazing job with this release which further showcases Jacaszek’s talent on melding acoustic and electronic sounds into something entirely beautiful.

On Glimmer Jacaszek works with bass clarinet and a harpsichord to morph and tug at the natural sounds with electronic augmentation to create painstakingly beautiful pieces of music. Can’t wait for this one! Preview the lead track ‘Dare-gale’ here.

Label: Feedback Loop

Buy: Limited to 60 copies – 3″ Cdr with photograph and poem

Falling Inward: fluorescent lights burn bright and slow, forever morphing and expanding across darkness. Like a universe stretching its boundaries, galaxies kiss and depart and what was once visible fades away as the speed of light can no longer keep up with the expansion of space.

Reflective Shadow: Birds warble underneath a blanket, sounds echo that are musically natural but are wavering. A thin wash drips and drips, and then shakes with the musical tinks. Decay. A sense of quiet. Decay.

Transference: Interstellar. Static wisps and electronic interference grows willingly. There is someone trying to make contact with me, trying to give me something. I can’t quite understand, but I am worried for them. I listen carefully as the words do not come. Only static wisps and electronic interference grace my ears.

Lying Drifting: Space is key, sound travels through it and comes back when it meets a surface. Microsounds. Sounds so small they are experienced at another level. Slow, moving in synchronicity, but still with an unease, a glimmer of desire to break away in solidarity. The sounds break from one another, and travel in their separate ways. Forever in space.