Here goes…

Deerhunter – Weird Era Cont/Microcastle
Back when Atlas Sound came out at the start of the year, i thought my love affair was over with Bradford Cox. Turns out, it wasn’t His solo-ish side project Atlas Sound turned out to be a much needed breath of fresh air from the Deerhunter sound. I still haven’t listened to it nearly enough to warrent it a place in my favourite albums. I think the fact he wrote most of it about being stuck in hospital beds and in his room turned me a bit off to begin with, but like anything Mr Cox does, it took some time to grow.

Fluorescent Grey Ep from last year was quite easily one of my favourite records. It would sit on rotate for days on end in my car, which was perfect for my 20 minute or so drive to work. Yes- i bought the CD.
Both Microcastle and Weird Era Cont do what so many bands seem to struggle with these days. They hook you in with good melodies. What i like most about Deerhunter is how messy it can get, once they have you hooked in, while still staying focussed. Anyone who has seen interviews with Bradford Cox knows he just loves to, in lack of a better term, ‘Jam’ and so it’s actually the droney, sloppyness of their production that ads the most character. http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/
Never Stops
Slow Swords

Hercules and Love Affair – S/T
Andrew Buttler, who once upon a time dated Derrick Carter, really knows how to write excellent disco. I was so overly hyped for this album. Cassique#2/Roar was such a brilliant record and it wasn’t till this was released that i even found out that Antony Hegarty, of Antony and the Johnsons fame, was the ‘vocal’ on Roaaaar. It’s a real shame Antony isn’t able to perform with them live, but seeing them at the Soho Revue Club in Soho with Benny, really proved how amazing this record is. Nomi (the hotest transexual ever) holding her own in replicating Antony’s parts. I do urge you to give this album a go despite what you may feel about Antony’s vocals. Maybe put it on while you’re cooking a BBQ on a hot Sunday afternoon or something.. Enough about you, this album still blows me away.
Raise me up

Beck – Modern Guilt
I know… obvious choice… but thing is there’s not that many albums that i like that I can put on in just about any scenario and it will work. I’ve liked Beck for as long as i can remember. I was even considering writting up his Mutations album as my BMP Album review thingy but flagged that when i realised it wasn’t that apt to what the BMP really stand for. Dance music!
Danger Mouse has done some good and some not so good over the past 5 or so years, whenever it was he did the Grey Album. I was actually kind of bummed when i found out that Beck had him produce this. There’s definitely parts of this album, like Cold Brains, which resemble Caribou/Manitoba which is not such a bad thing because Beck has a pretty cool voice, which is something i think Caribou sometimes lacks.
Walls

Quiet Village – Silent Movie
I was so late to the party on this one. I’m sure these guys have been discussed in the BMP but i’m all the way over here and it kind of just passed me by till quite recently. Apparently heaps of people aren’t all that in to Radio Slave (thanks Nick for pointing out this is RS). Me on the other hand, i’m totally in to him and this side project of his choice! I found myself running to catch a bus a few weeks ago to the opening of Circus of Horror and somehow it worked so well i found myself chuckling, just as i hopped on the bus, the song kicked in to the ‘oh, Hai, hai, hai’.
Circus of Horror

David Byrne & Brian Eno – Everything that happens will happen today
OHMYGOD! Two old bastards still making fun music. Yea, yea they’re not exactly pushing boundries or bulldozing any walls with this but it’s not always about making music people will have to grow to love. I instantly enjoyed listening to this and it hasn’t worn thin yet. I’ve never really bought or even downloaded Roxy Music but i’ve been quite a fan of David Byrne and The Talking Heads since i was 6 and Burning Down the House was the soundtrack to the Nerds house burning down on Revenge of the Nerds.
Obvious fact – this is the first time they have made an album together in over 25 years.
Life is Long

Ame – Fabric 42
Strictly not an ‘album’, but i have to include this because it was easily my favourite in what turned out to be quite a strong year of Fabric Mixes. Luciano, Metro Area and Robert Hood rounding it off pretty well. What i like the most about this album and the way that Frank and Kristian work is the way they slowly build track upon track, layer, upon layer. From the opening Linkwood ‘Hear the sun’ in to the dark, druggieness of Even Tuell’s Untitled and then to bumping Minilogue & KAB That’s A Nice Way To Give Me Feedback (Wighnomy Brothers Quintenzirkel Remikks) This combo gets me everytime i listen and has been amazing while late night tubing around London.
Favourite record on the mix goes to Berlin Dub, which waits for me patiently on vinyl back at my parents house.
Mixworks – Berlin Dub

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Lie down in the light
Still pretty annoyed that the Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy concert that i went to with Wayde in Berlin was the night after completing a 3 day Amsterdam bender. I smelt so bad. I think the girl sitting next to me could even smell me and slowly edged herself closer to her boyfriend. That would have been my body trying to get rid of every ounce of toxen i’d stuffed it with
Will Oldham is already recording his next album, which is due out some time early next year.
Where is the Puzzle

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis – S/T
The most amazing thing that has come from the BMP is the amount of quality music i’ve been exposed to that i wouldn’t have otherwise. There’s no way i ever would have heard these 2 sisters and brother (Kitty 20, Daisy 16 and Lewis 18) if it wasn’t for everyones favourite short wearing daktari. I was lucky enough to see these kids play along with their parents at the Cabaret club Madame Jojos in Soho a few weeks ago. Seeing them jump from instrument to instrument is something anyone into music would admire. Mum on the double bass and Dad on the guitar were very quiet throughout the show, barely saying a word each and just letting their kids do what they’ve obviously been doing from an early age. There’s so much fun on this record. Have a party, turn this up loud and watch people in the room.

Lee Jones – Electronic Frank
Last year was pretty massive for house/techno producers LP’s. Efdemin, Pantha Du Prince, Apparat. There’s probably quite a few I missed this year while i was traveling and not really keeping up. I have been enjoying this though. Parts of it actually remind me alot of the Dial guys, the way it stabs at dark basslines and wanders around the keys. Fade outs are a bit annoying but that’s just something you come to expect with House LP’s.
Shoe Shine

Gang Gang Dance – Saint Dymphna
Gang Gang Dance lead the New York Boardrum 8/8/8 drumming while the organisers/conductors, the Boredoms this year performed it over in LA. In the beginning this wasn’t exactly the easiest of albums to love due to them taking on almost too many influences (Grime and Italians do it better styled disco to name a few). I even cringed a little at first when Tinchy Stryder starts rhyming on Princes. The more i’ve listened though, the more the good parts have outshone the bad. Like the transition from opening Bebey to First Communion. Afoot and everybodys favourite House Jam sort of round off the second half of the album nicely. Live they should be quite fun, so i’ve got 5 tickets for some close friends and me to go see them next February.
House Jam