I’ve just posted my mega-2008 post over at the Utility Fog weblog, and I’d recommend that as the place to read this. I don’t want to clutter Cyclic Defrost with the enormity of that beast, so I’m crossposting the condensed bit of it here, including my, er, “top 21″ of the year. See:
Utility Fog’s “2008″ post, incorporating the year-end ridiculously-comprehensive listening list and other lists!
If there’s one thing I can take away from 2008′s music for me, it’s beauty and mystery. Many of the artists I’ve discovered and many of the releases I’ve treasured have featured utterly odd song structures, and harsh noise crossed with delicate loveliness. But there’s also been plenty of rhythm – with the best of dubstep grabbing me for days on end, and some exciting breakcore and idm appearing later in the year – and melody, from the likes of Department of Eagles and Andrew Bird, not to mention the wonderful Why?. All in all, 2008 seems to have had a lot going for it.
I tried to put together a short list for this year – FBi wanted 5 and I gave them 6 after much deliberation. However, even that list was quickly put together before I did the complete one below, and as I scoured my hard drive and playlists, I kept on discovering more and more! A top 10 is impossible, but here’s something like my:
Top 21 releases of 2008
3ofmillions – immediate [space dairy records]
Autistic Daughters – Uneasy Flowers [Kranky]
James Blackshaw – Litany of Echoes [Tompkins Square]
bleeding heart narrative – all that was missing we never had in the world [tartaruga]
The Bug – London Zoo [Ninja Tune]
Burning Star Core – Challenger [Hospital Productions]
Cardopusher – Unity Means Power [Murder Channel]
Department of Eagles – In Ear Park [4ad]
Fennesz – Black Sea [Touch]
Mirrored Silver Sea – Continual Ascension [sound&fury]
Nico Muhly – Mothertongue [Bedroom Community]
Scuba – A Mutual Antipathy [Hotflush]
Shearwater – Rook [Matador]
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band – 13 blues for thirteen moons [Constellation]
Spartak – Tales From The Colony Room [hellosQuare]
Sunken Foal – Fallen Arches [Planet µ]
Vert – New Thing At Novara [Sonig]
Why? – Alopecia [Anticon]
Youthmovies – Polyp EP [BLAST First (petite)]
Various Artists – Living Bridge [Rare Book Room]
Various Artists – Recovery [Fractured Recordings]
Post continues here, with sublists and potted reviewlets of everything…
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