Have you ever had your dance music end up in the same key as some random background noises like a lawn mower or an electric heater? If this happened at night, in a dumpy part of town, you may already know what it sounds like to listen to Burial. His work has a very eerie and unexplained quality to it, even though most of it sounds quite beautiful. It sounds like what you are hearing is being produced by some unknown instrument hiding inside a broken air conditioner rather than a synthesizer or any computer. Also, All the elements in his music, especially the percussion, are quite stripped down, and the simplicity of it all makes it easy to notice when things warp and change fluidly throughout his songs.
After his 2007 album Untrue, burial has basically stopped producing albums, but is instead producing very forward thinking tracks that are as long as EP`s. 2012`s fantastic Kindred EP only packed three songs, but ran for a total of about 32 minutes. In this longer format, the tracks have more freedom to meander and explore various pitch shifted vocals and ambient bass noises in a relaxed and very natural way. Also, since you're not being forced to listen to ten or twelve of these epic tracks together in an album, each one has the opportunity to grip your full attention.
Truant / Rough Sleeper is another step in this exploratory direction, and it is a strong step indeed. In the Kindred EP the drum samples stayed quite monotonous throughout the different tracks, but in "Truant" they are constantly evolving and changing. You also hear this Djembe drift in and out of the mix as it being manipulated with all these different filters. Some other interesting noises you hear in this track are jingling keys, coins dropping, matches burning, and wind chimes, and they all fit together nicely. The song builds quite slowly, but when it really ramps up around the six minute mark, the effect of the lead synth against the backwards hi-hat, and all these other strange noises is quite beautiful and meditative.
One thing I didn't like very much was the bass sound that comes in around the nine minute mark. It doesn't stay for very long, but this brief minor turn seems kind of out of place in this otherwise beautifully subtle nocturne. Because of this substantial emotional change, I would almost rather that the last four minutes were a different song. I also find that the many times the music stops completely in this song tend to break up the flow too much for a serious groove to ever develop.
"Rough Sleeper" was definitely my favorite of these two tracks. I feel that the emotion was more consistent all the way through and it has a more fluid progression as well. The saxophone sample in this song is rusty and haunting, and it fits right in with the many other vocal samples that phase in and out of the music like ghosts. Later on when the marimba is introduced, the effect is just ethereal. It fits into the static pops like a glove, and the whole song just sounds like the music is coming from the earth around you rather than your headphones or speakers. In closing, if an amber lit back alleyway could sing to you, it would sound like Burial.
Here are my top 25 singles of 2012. I have only written descriptions of why I like the top five songs, because I don't have the energy to write about all of them. These are all fantastic songs however, and they are all worth a listen. I hope you enjoy the list, and I apologize about the load time for all of these embedded videos. 25. Fun. - Some Nights.
24. Japandroids - Evil's Sway.
23. Major Lazer ft Amber of the Dirty Projectors - Get Free.
22. Death Grips - Hacker.
21. Flying Lotus - Getting There.
20. Animal Collective - Monkey Riches.
Unfortunately, I could not find the album version.
This live version is fantastic though, so enjoy this instead.
19. Daniel Rossen - Return to Form.
18. A Tribe Called Red - Electric PowWow Drum
17. Zammuto - Groan Man, Don't Cry.
16. Pile - Baby Boy.
15. Beach House - Other People.
14. XXYYXX - About You.
13 Fiona Apple - Every Single Night.
12. TNGHT - Higher Ground.
11. Frank Ocean - Pyramids.
10. Dirty Projectors - Unto Caesar.
9. Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless
8. Perfume Genius - No Tear.
7. John Talabot - Last Land.
6. Grizzly Bear - Sleeping Ute.
5. Kendrick Lamar - Bitch, Dant Kill My Vibe.
This is the song that convinced me to listen to Kendrick Lamar in the first place, and despite my dislike of the word "bitch," I think the flow and the atmosphere of this song is ethereal. Also, the "bitch" he is talking to is the music industry and not a woman, which makes a difference for me. It details the inharmonious relationship Kendrick has with the industry, the new people around him, having become famous, and his challenge to the typical image of rappers. Rather than wearing expensive watches and clothes to convey his image, Kendrick opts to convey real life situations and emotions, which is something I really respect him for. Musically, the song has a very chilled out backing beat, and the vocal harmony that accompanies the strange effects on Kendrick's voice makes the whole production sound very spacey. Throughout Good Kid M.A.A.D. City I really appreciated Kendrick's self reflection and integrity, and I really feel like this song is somewhat of a mission statement for his project. Its great to see such a popular rapper stick to his convictions in such an enjoyable way. 4. Burial - Kindred
This song is a journey, and I find it oddly comforting. The only thing that stays very consistent throughout this twelve minute long, linear, electronic, epic is the drum sample, which repeats endlessly. But it is something tangible you can hold onto while the actual music of this song is warped and hidden beneath layers of distortion, that pop and crackle like a distant storm. It is also amazing how the vocal sample can communicate as much longing and sadness as it does, without really mentioning any intelligible words at all. All you get is the tattered remains of a person singing "Baby you ah ah." It complements the atmosphere of desolation and ruin that the song builds on for its entire length, especially the moment about four minutes in where only the vocal sample is heard. It is truly inspired, and even though it has the remnants of a dance track with in it, it sounds like a dance song after a catastrophic disaster. Hope still remains in this waste land though, and as the song nears completion I really feel like a survivor, conscious of the beauty and preciousness of life. 3 Killer Mike - Southern Fried.
Since I liked every song on Killer Mike's R.A.P. Music, it was hard for me to pick out one that really encapsulated what I liked about the whole album. I think "Southern Fried" does this nicely. The lyrics are mostly about being from the south, which is a huge part of Killer Mike's personae, but he also touches on his relationship with his wife, the police, and the music industry, and he says them which a bombastic quickness that would make almost anyone run out of breath before the reached the end of one line. The double time percussion also adds hugely to this energetic and fiery atmosphere. Mike's personality rules this song all the way through, and the gospel organs that make up the chorus perfectly reinforce his southern image. Its a completely airtight rap track, with some amazing production from EL-P, and I find it hard not to like. 2. Animal Collective - Honeycomb.
This single from Animal Collective was a nice surprise for me. After the reverb flooded haze of Merriweather Post Pavilion, a return to a more energetic musical style was a welcome move for the band. This single really reminds me of the days of Strawberry Jam, which continues to be my favourite AC album. I love the weird radio sample at the beginning, which leads immediately into some very noisy synth work and weirdly distorted percussion. They play with these filters on it for the whole song, and it sounds like its being stretched out and pushed back together very quickly. The vocal work is also cheery and infectious, even if its nearly impossible to understand what they are saying for any part but the chorus. The structure of the song is very well thought out too, putting a shorter chorus at the beginning, gives you a taste of all the merriment without wearing you out before the chorus really comes in full force later on. I sorely wish that all of Centipede Hz would have sounded as good as this song does.
1. Purity Ring - Ungirthed.
Caution. This video is not safe for work.
Firstly, I love how gargantuan this song is. It starts out with a tender synth line, which leaves you quite vulnerable for the pitch shifted vocal samples, bass, and percussion that come in quite quickly after. "Ungirthed" also has quite a nice flow to it, despite the hard hitting bass, and stuttering hip-hop style percussion. It slides through its different parts with ease, and the drop back into the verse line after the first course is so forceful, it knocks me down every time. The whole song is also permeated by this intense emotional energy, as if it is just fighting to break loose from some kind of apprehension, and scream about death and sadness till it loses its voice. The vulnerability of Megan James' sweet voice, is really at odds with the power of the backing instrumentation which creates a feeling of uneasiness for me as well which is just the icing on the cake.
Its that time of the year. A multitude of great music has been released in 2012. Some strong releases from new artists, as well as great albums from some well known players. There has been so much released that I did not have a chance to review all of it, or even listen to it as much as I would have liked. In the upcoming year, I will be adopting a more regular reviewing schedule, in order to better stay on top of what is currently blowing peoples ear drums and minds, but now is the time to look into the past and remember my ten favourite albums of 2012.
10. Death Grips - The Money Store
Death Grips has been extremely active in 2012. They released two full length albums, and as displayed by their choice of very not safe for work cover art for The Money Store and No Love Deep Web, they are still as potent and offensive as ever. Death Grips is a level of offensive that most shock bands cant reach. Rather than just having abrasive lyrics, or a scary persona, everything about the way that their music is produced, distributed, and presented screams counter culture in your face. The Money Store is also paced very well, as they seem to have become more focused on crafting a specific tone since the insanity of Exmilitary. The percussion is distorted beyond all sanity, and it backs MC Ride as he screams and yells about every offbeat topic under the sun. It is aggressive in the extreme, and it brings a smile to my face whenever I hear someone call any other rapper hardcore and I get to remind them that Death Grips exists.
9. Grizzly Bear - Shields
Shields is the third edition to Grizzly Bear's critically acclaimed discography. Even though it did not win any Grammys, which lead singer Ed Droste to seek come consolation from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, it is still highly worthy of praise. Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen's voices soar brilliantly over the music as effortlessly as usual and the guitar work is complex and astounding. It all sounds very majestic and baroque, which is a bit of a departure from Grizzly Bear's serene, quite, and sometimes frustratingly opaque music, but they haven't left too much behind. It still has all the beauty and minute attention to detail of a Grizzly Bear release despite being more direct and faster paced than their earlier work.
Purity Ring sounds to me like the girl who lies to you by saying that "nothing is wrong." You want to believe her because she sounds so sweet, but it is glaringly obvious that something is terribly wrong. How this comes across in the music is that Megan James' voice often sounds innocent and childish, while the lyrics are anything but. They are consistently strange and morbid, and the subdued way in which she sings them is at odds with the way that the backing music, sometimes literally, screams and moans at you. The beats are composed of many strange and distorted vocal samples that add a level of emotional desperation to the already bizarre lyrics, and the hip hop styled percussion makes it all feel quite violent and aggressive. Finally, the huge bass sounds also add to the feeling of hysteria, as if someone is being swallowed alive by their own sadness, depression, and anxiety. All the while trying to smile and look pretty.
7. Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid M.A.A.D. City
I think I was the more conflicted about my opinion on this album than any other album I listen to this year. The strong conceptual structure and deeply revealing lyrics make Good Kid M.A.A.D. City an involving listen all the way through, but for every part I really liked, I found parts that I really did not like. I found the choruses for several songs quite annoying, and the topic matter of songs like "BackStreet Freestyle" nearly had me skip them, but upon several listens, its evident that nearly everything I complain about is intentional. Kendrick Also has some very diverse beats that he raps over, which keeps the album active, and his features are all exactly where they need to be. It is an intensely personal redemption story, and the skilful way it is told leaves something that almost everyone can appreciate.
I don't know what genre I would describe Portico Quartet as. Their sprawling adventurous sound seems to draw influences from jazz, electronic music, and sound scapes, and leaves you with something that sounds quite refreshing and unique without being too strange or alienating. Their use of traditional instruments like the saxophone and the double bass to create electronic styled songs, sounds very visceral and emotive. It also gives the music some very rough and cold textures. There is also one moment on the track "Rubidium" where you literally hear something that sounds like a steal drum somehow become an electronic sample, and it felt to me like the capstone of the whole album. Portico Quartet makes a mean sound scape with a heart and soul that you can seriously dig your teeth into.
5. Beach House - Bloom
A definite challenge with making a dream pop album, is keeping it engaging while maintaining the slow whimsical atmosphere. Albums in this genre often walk the line of being lacklustre or too active, especially in the vocals. Beach House has hit this sweet spot with Bloom, and they do this without drowning everything in reverb in order to soften their sound. The vocals have a great tone, and a very confident delivery while maintaining this dreamy atmosphere. In fact, every instrument on this album is played boldly, slowly and methodically, but it all has a silky smooth sound that is very comforting. Beach House's Bloom sounds like a black silk dress. While simplistic, the way it is worn leaves you with a breathtaking sense of elegance and beauty.
4. John Talabot - fin
John Talabot's fin really sneaked up on me. When I was making this list I nearly forgot about it, but I realized that, taken together, these songs account for a large portion of my most played songs of 2012. fin sounds to me like the sound of the jungle waking up during a foggy morning. John Talabot builds a very dense, mysterious, and dark atmosphere throughout the whole album, and although the tone stays quite consistent, only breaking out of the haze into a more joyous celebration on the tracks "Journeys" and "Last Land," each song finds its own unique identity. John Talabot excels at more immediate builds in his music as well, using dynamic percussion to give his songs a real sense of movement and progression. This combined with sleepy synths and strange vocal manipulations, makes fin a very beautiful and unobtrusive listen.
3. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
The concept of this very modern R&B album is television. It is a good very symbolic choice, considering it consistently follows themes of emotional distance, inactivity, drugs, loneliness, and wealth. It is a subdued drama about the hollow lives of the young people in California's orange county. This concept also accounts for the diverse tones and musical ideas you will hear. Channel Orange really grew on me. Initially I felt Frank Ocean's focus on the culture in which he is immersed made the topic matter too monotonous, but each of the songs have such strong vocal delivery from Frank, I could not help but get drawn into the lives of these super rich kids.
If you're planning on listening to Put Your Back in 2 it, you better have a box of tissues close by. This album is short and powerful, which allows it to be slow and sad without ever being boring. Each song is focused, direct, and simple which really gives them all a hard emotional punch. Mike Hadreas' high voice and effortless vibrato also adds a touch of weariness to this funeral procession of songs, without making the songs feel hollow or boring. the instrumentation is sparse, but each chord seems to carry so much emotional weight, its hard to cast this quite downer aside, even if you want to.
1. Killer Mike - Rap Music
This album was an easy choice for my album of the year. Killer Mike's consistently bombastic southern personality fills each song to the brim, while El-P boldly backs him up with aggressive percussion, bubbly synthesizers, sizzling bass, and sanctified gospel organs that mesh quite well with Mike's lyrical style. Also, Mike's ability to speak as charismatically as a preacher on a range of interesting topic material, including his religiosity, Ronald Reagan, the prison system, the TSA, and reading keeps it mentally engaging all the way through. Between the strong verses, hooks, beats, and rhyme schemes, if there is anything this album lacks it is breathing room.
