Marc Latilla's Discoteque-Connector: Best of 2011

These are my favourites of 2011. It’s not an authorative comment on the year in music – it’s just what I liked as I trawled 100s of sites and previewed 100s of tracks looking for cool new stuff to play in various DJ sets and material for upcoming compilations. Hopefully you’ll discover something easily missed.

There is a section on the albums I tried that I didn’t like (or don’t like yet). It’s there to mute the ‘What happened to the Decemberists and Radiohead?’ comments.

Lastly there is a long list of songs. I rarely listen to full albums anymore. Most of my listening takes place in the car with the iPod on shuffle through the RECENTLY ADDED playlist.

I have not looked at any of the popular year end lists while compiling this. Now to see what I’ve missed out or treated unfairly…

Albums of 2011

Mogwai – Hardcore will never die but you will

Not since ‘Happy songs for Happy People’ with the smashing ‘Hunted by a freak’ have I been this drawn into a Mogwai album…and only 1 track over 20 minutes.

Eyes Like Mirrors – Crusades

SA’s own ‘Explosions in the sky’. Must see them live to fully appreciate

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/145394/

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness blues

More upper register folky Americana.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/147658/

Washed Out – Within & without

I found out recently that this falls into the ‘chillwave’ genre. Really…I suppose it is chilled and kinda ‘new wave-ish’

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/151793/

Low – C’mon

A return to form for one of my all-time favourite Mormon bands. Jokes aside – they play it slow and sad.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/147659/

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/11749220/C%27mon/

M83 – Hurry up, were dreaming

Featuring the synth heavy indie/dance floor filler ‘Midnight city’. There are some surprisingly dark moody soundtrack-like tracks on the album like ‘Where the boats go’ and ‘Another wave from you’ that remind me of Thomas Newman’s soundtrack work (Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty, Nemo)

Vampire9000

Pretoria experimental and expansive lo-fi indie electronica pointing vaguely in the Postal Service direction. Download the 3 track EP below

http://vampire9000.bandcamp.com/

The Weeknd – House of balloons

Not big on new soul/R&B but there is something very organic, indie and understated about this album. Album is self-released via Bandcamp.com

Go Team – Rolling Blackouts

Sample heavy funk, noise-pop with some shouty 60s girl group wall of sound sensibilities. Their best yet. Features members of Deerhoof and Best Coast as guests.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/146218/

Austra – Feel it break

In a similar vein to Chelsea Wolfe and Zola Jesus but more electronic. The term ‘electro-goth’ sums it up neatly.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/151776/

The Black Keys – El Camino

Firm indie favourites can do no wrong. Blues riff heavy with white boy soul.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/13269603/El+Camino/

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/251924/

Chelsea Wolfe – Apokalypsis

Goth like apocalyptic lo-fi folk with mild electronics. Dark and pretty

Warpaint – Fool (Deluxe)

Originally out in 2010, this new edition includes an early EP. It’s taken some time but this album is grower. Look to tracks ‘Undertow’ and ’Billie Holiday’ for proof. Toured with the XX

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/12767728/The+Fool+%28Deluxe%29/

Dum Dum Girls – Only in dreams

Go-Go’s with JAMC as the house band.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/12763047/Only+In+Dreams/

Honourable album mentions

Black Hotels – Honey badger

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/11679120/Honey+Badger/

Shadowclub – Guns and money

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/12038784/Guns+And+Money/

Atlas Sounds - Parallax

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/253865/

Joy Formidable – Big roar

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/12008031/The+Big+Roar/

Javelin – Canyon Candy (Country & Western/Morricone inspired glitch/sample/easy listening)

Off my Christmas list…:

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

More of the same for me really, but everyone else seems to love it!

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/12038760/Bon+Iver/

Decemberists – King is dead

‘This is why we fight’ is an ok track. Never been a major fan but do try with every album.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/10715652/The+King+Is+Dead/

British Sea Power – Valhalla dancehall

I try every album but they never stick.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/10611250/Valhalla+Dancehall/

Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials

More produced and commercial than quirky debut LUNGS.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/12998351/Ceremonials+%28Deluxe+Edition%29/

James Blake

Big internet hype but just didn’t turn my knobs.

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/12786968/James+Blake/

PJ Harvey – Let England shake

2011 Mercury prize winner. A critics album if ever there was one

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/10809553/Let+England+Shake/

Horrors – Skying

Been moving further away with each album since their brilliant debut STRANGE HOUSE

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/mp3/album/12212739/Skying/

Radiohead – King of limbs

Indie favourites but I just don’t get the last few albums or this one

http://www.lookandlisten.co.za/view/146626/

2011’s Load of rubbish:

Death in Vegas – Trans-love energies

Deefhoof – Deerhoof vs. Evil

Does it offend you yeah?

Still haven’t heard the new:

Tom Waits

Johnny Foreigner

Kate Bush

Songs of 2011

TOP 20 songs of 2011:

Dum Dum Girls – Coming down

Makeovers - Surfbored

Washed Out – Eyes be closed

EMA – The grey ship

Miracle Fortress – Raw spectacle

Spoek Mathambo – Follow my teeth Feat. The Frown

Germany Germany – Take me home

Those Darlins – Screws get loose

Kodaks – I’m bound to pack it up (White Stripes cover)

Go Team! – Rolling blackouts

Leisure – Green light

M83 – Midnight city

Sharon Van Etten - Serpents

Cults – Abducted

Us Kids Know – Parachute pants

Girls Names – Séance on a wet afternoon

Zola Jesus - Vessel

Mezzanine Owls – Tethered to the fountain

Low – Nothing but heart

Mogwai – White noise

The rest of the songs:

Indie

Anthem Facility – Trace

Uh Huh Her - Disdain

Antlers – Every night my teeth are falling out

Black Lips – Modern art

!!! – Jamie, my intentions are bass (MF/MB Remix)

Dirty Beaches – Stye eye

TV on the Radio – Caffienated conciousness

Generationals – Ten-twenty-ten

Peaking Lights – Amazing & wondeful

Gross Magic – Sweetest touch

Tennis – Is it true? (Brenda Lee cover)

Guards – Taxi cab (Vampire weekend cover) also liked their single ‘Do it again’

Lana Del Ray – Blue jeans & Video games

Rural Alberta Advantage – North star

CSS – City Grrl (Teeth Remix)

Sons & Daughters – Rose red

New Cassettes – Silent Guns

New Division - Starfield

Erland & the Carnival – I’m not really here

The Eversons – Hyacinth girl

Moving Units – Until she says

Bleep

Digitalism – 2 Hearts (Rory Phillips Mix)

Esben & the Witch – Chorea (Christian AIDS Remix)

Yacht – I walked alone (Get a room! Remix)

Grace Jones – Williams blood (Aeroplane remix)

We are enfant terrible – Filthy love (Shoes remix)

Miike Snow – Devil’s work

Zomby – Mozaik

Noah & the Whale – Life is life (Yuksek Remix)

Penelopes – Now now now (C90s mix)

Look out for MIXCLOUD links here to a few DJ mixes of some the tracks listed over the next few days. Follow the blog or join the RSS feed for updates.