Before the start of 2011, I was immersed in a world of rare post-punk gems and gritty rock – a side of me that always exists. Sometimes, we can feel stuck when our ears gravitate to a certain sound and scene. After
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When I first engaged with
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For the better half of the year, I had a difficult time listening to
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The biggest surprise of 2011 goes to Washed Out. My friends gave me shit about loving this record after I had been ripping into the chillwave movement and Ernest Greene. Only after ignoring the tag lines, hype, and press bullshit, did I see the record for what it really was – a catchy album that brings you close to its heart while still keeping you at a distance, wrapping itself with sensual synths and lush production for protection. Ernest Greene has a lot to project on us, and it’s all layered within the music whether it’s obvious or not.
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PJ Harvey awoke war veterans gone astray, mangled souls, and lost spirits with
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If Radiohead were younger and formed in the late 00’s, they would have made
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Big and stylized guitar rock is what The Kills do best.
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On
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I have never danced and cried to one record as I did with
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Whether it’s with Deerhunter or Atlas Sound, there will always be a spot for Bradford Cox on my list. The prolific Cox continues to build upon his body of work and has become more comfortable with being an indie star. On
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Axel Wilner’s latest outing is relentless and makes other electronic bedroom producers look like hacks. It’s easy to get lost in
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Ryan Lott blends beauty and obscurity unlike any modern day composer I have heard. Even with these core elements, I didn’t trust the album to take the lead and hold my hand right away. Once I did, I was spiraled into a fantasy world full of madness and grace. This is a soundtrack to a fantasy film not yet penned out by Hollywood. Danny Elfman, I would pray for your career if I were you!
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For the first time in five years, I didn’t have to bitch about how punk and rock were missing from music. Music fans are getting sick of feeling detached and Iceage are at the forefront of this new revolution that is starting to take charge.
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Who would have thought that Cut Copy would have been one of the bands from the dance rock revival, making influential records and still winning? On
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White, over privileged hipsters finally got their Marvin Gaye. Just like real rock had been missing, sexiness had been missing in the music itself – and Justin Timberlake doesn’t count. Along with bringing a new kind of sexy back, James Blake is the lead advocate in genuine dub-step. Through the course of the album, it shows that this guy is the real deal and not just buzz-worthy.
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Although the main inspiration and overall appeal is 1960’s girl group music, there are many different genre checks and background ambiance on this debut – so it’s hard to pigeonhole the duo. Faris Badwin and Rachel Zeffira’s chemistry sets the record ablaze and brings you into a retro fantasy universe where Austin Powers is battling Dr. Evil while Slowdive plays as a band in the backdrop.
