Top 10 Electronic/Instrumental albums of 2011

It feels a natural progression to write about electronic music after I discuss hip-hop music.  Modern electronic music owes much of it's soul *to* hip-hop music.  Albums that are purely instrumental can now be released *as* hip-hop albums, and though I don't like this classification, it is not hard to see why this is the case -- half of a hip-hop song is the beat, and where good-taste kings like ASAP thrive is there ability to chose these beats.  It should serve as no surprise, then, that the so-called "beats" can often stand on their own.  Hilariously, one of my producing friends offered electronic music as the "last great white hope" in hip-hop -- a medium by which non-Eminem white people can finally contribute without criticism to the music they love. 

Of course, that isn't too say that all electronic music is hip-hop influenced, but I still like to make the connection.  Often when not influenced, it is what is doing the influencing.  What was once an electronic staple often becomes the basis for future hip-hop songs -- look at the house beat on Azealia Banks' 212, or the Rattatat-turned-dubstep beat on Omar LinX's Out For Blood.  Rap has always been about a "DJ" and an "emcee", and whether they recognize it or not, electronic producers are the DJ in the equation.

All of these albums are either electronic, instrumental, simply "beat mixtapes", or something in between.  

10. Silky Johnson - Hater of the Year

Pretty much a beat mixtape, to me.  Don't have a lot to say about this album, besides the fact that I thought my favorite song would be the one sampling Lana Del Rey, when it is easily not.  Silky isn't completely solid throughout the entire thing, but when he is on, I can't get enough.  Could be an up and coming producer - would like to see what else he comes out with.  Really, I just want to hear some rappers try out some of his stuff.

9. Alias - Fever Dream

Ah, very interesting album.  Alias gets a little UK funky, a little housey at times -- most of the time he is just doing his own thing.  Really fun album, A+ would listen again.


8.  Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

How about that title?  I didn't even know what Mogwai was when I first saw this album cover, and I sincerely thought I was about to listen to some hardcore music.  I don't really like hardcore, but with a title like that -- I'm going to give you a chance.  This is not hardcore music.  This is beautiful post-rock.  Each song sounds different than the last -- though they are at their best when they are trying to sound momentous instead of melancholy.

7. Blue Sky Black Death - Noir

 
Noir is the kind of album that you can listen to in it's entirety, decide you like it, and not remember a single track.  It's not that the album itself is forgettable, it's that no single track really stands out on its on.  The whole thing is a beautiful and elegant post-rock piece that just makes great background music.
6.  No Gold - No Gold

Alright, so parts of this album would seem to not qualify for this category, with their organic instrumentals and real vocals -- but most of this album is one long and awesome jam session.  It's chill as fuck, a little dubby, and has great production value.  The entire album makes me want to drink piña coladas at a tiki-bar all night long.  Seriously overlooked album that makes some great mood music.  Watching them play live makes me want to see them even more.

5.  African Head Charge - Voodoo of the Godsent

Another well-produced, high-fidelity, completely original album.  The kind of album that makes me really mad that all this drone-shit is getting placed highly in various blogs' top album lists, and original and engaging material like this isn't even being listened too.  The entire this is a revolutionary take on dub, psychadellic, and just tribal music.  I listened to some of their earlier stuff (of which there is a lot... they've been around 30 years, jesus christ), and this is definitely miles ahead... I don't know.  It's cool and exciting stuff, and really just puts me in a good mood.  Goes well with No Gold's album, even though the groups performing them look to be of entirely different clans.  Unfortunately,  most of their stuff from this album cannot be found on YouTube.

4.  Modeselektor - Monkeytown

Monkeytown is rarely forgettable.  Sometimes that's an almost annoying song with an addicting buzzing beat that just rings in your head, and sometimes it's Radiohead's Thom Yorke's soothing voice over fast and dancable beats.  Great release, tons of singles on it that could be making playlists.

3.  Bibio - Mind Bokeh

Bibio kind of explores some new area for himself with this album -- in the past, he has had much more of a folk influence.  Mind Bokeh, on the other hand, can be funky, it can be futuristic, and at times it can just be pretty.  It's really lovely how diverse in style he gets while executing each one with grace and finesse.  Rarely does he seem out of his element.  An entirely upbeat album that unquestionably deserves its top 3 finish.

2.  Clams Casino - Instrumentals

Funny how one of the biggest names in Hip-Hop this year has been someone who never rapped a verse in his life.  He's the man behind ASAP Rocky's best beats, been used by Lil B, Lushlife, and countless others.  His music is just *big*, it has an incredibly epic feeling to it without ever once seeming obnoxious. 


1.  SBTRKT - SBTRKT

Beautiful music, with perfect instrumentals and classy vocals.  Many of the SBTRKT songs have a classy UK R&B thing going on, and they never once fall flat.  The album goes from club-ready tracks (song of the year, imo), to delicate and soulful songs.  One of the best albums released this year of any genre --  I am really excited to see more from him.  Really, I just want him to come to Texas with those funky masks of his.

I will be doing one more additional Top 10 Lists of the year for various genre's - keep checking to see what's up.

Top 10 Hip-Hop/R&B albums of 2011

Man, it's taken me a lot of hip-hop to get me to this point.  I remember the days (what, like 2 years ago?) when I my hip-hop library consisted of Kid Cudi and Kanye.  Most of my appeal to hip-hop in those days was based on a prolonged exposure to the few artists that I did listen to.  The only reason I liked Cudi and Yeezy were because I had listened to them enough around friends that I was able to understand what they are about.  Any other hip-hop seemed pretentious, or caricaturistic, or simply inaccessible to myself.

But over the last few years I slowly added more artists to my collection of "hip-hop that I enjoy".  At first, barely a single artist a month could make that cut -- any more was too much for me to stomach.  But as I added more artists, I was capable of enjoying even more.  Different styles of production, different kinds of flows, different lyrical material and strategies - things that just didn't catch my attention before were now much more apparent that my view of hip-hop as a whole had grown.  Eventually, the flood gates opened and my playlists and library are filled with hip-hop that I absolutely love.

The thing is, I didn't really get hip-hop at first.  I didn't have the context to feel excited about it.  Now I hear a mixtape, and in a single song I will get excited about who produced the beat, where a certain sample came from, or how a certain line may be a reference to a line that another rapper did over the same track.  All of this before I even consider the musical aspect of the song: the melody, the beat, just the way it makes you move.  Anyways, I've talked enough about how awesome hip-hop is, without further ado - here are my top 10 Hip-Hop/R&B releases of 2011. (Note - I'm combining Hip-Hop and R&B because often (especially nowadays) they can be quite indistinguishable.  Artists like Drake often have songs that are almost completely R&B, and if I allow him into the mix, I might as well mix the two).

10. Zion I & The Grouch - Heroes In The Healing of the Nation

These guys' best asset is their producer, AmpLive.  They've got great flows and all, but AmpLive makes the album interesting throughout, never allowing a song to sound redundant.  The rapping itself lends itself to great times in limited exposure, but it isn't the kind of stuff you want to leave on repeat.

9. ASAP Rocky - LiveLoveA$AP

Again, the production is really what makes this album killer.  And don't get me wrong, the production on this is absolutely wonderful.  Clams Casino is largely responsible for this, but other relative unknowns even from Rocky's clan are also able to make killer beats.  Put Rocky's slow swagged out voice on top, and you have yourself a recipe for some dope music.

8.  Open Mike Eagle - Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes

God, I really just feel like Open Mike Eagle channels Del on The Processional.  Truth is, I can't always feel this kind of rap, it just doesn't always work for me.  But when it works, its awesome -- OME's ability to make a slow hip-hop song like The Processional a perfect party song is great, and I wish more people gave this kind of hip-hop credit even if it is outside of the norm.

7.  Big K.R.I.T. - ReturnOf4Eva

Big Krit, the dirty south's current best hope.  Krit's strength lies in his ability to make bumping bangers like Country Shit while able to make the chiller tracks that reveal something about the character of Krit himself.  Best parts of this album are Krit's surprising depth in his more honest tracks, and his references to previous southern classics ("You gotta get up get out and get something" is a line from Outkast's first album), while the weak parts are simply the filler of songs.  At 21 songs, I don't expect anyone to be completely solid, but I really just wish he made it shorter.

6.  CunninLynguists - Oneirology

The boys of CunninLynguists sure know how to turn a phrase.  They've got great lyrics that always impress me, and will probably impress you.  The entire album feels like it has heavy bass flowing through it in a near monotone fashion, which for some songs causes an incredibly big feeling.  It also allows for great moments towards the end of a song such as Anna Wise crooning "Don't give me that bullshit" at the end of Darkness.  However, the bass-heavy production leaves much of the album feeling stagnant, and I really wish there was more diversity in the production.

5.  Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire - Lost in Translation

 
Alright, so I'm just going to warn you now:  there is a solid minute of this album that is nothing but the sound recording of eXquire getting head from what I can only assume to be the classiest of ladies.  There is no beat.  There is some rapping.  The girl raps a little before uhh... yeah.  Okay - ignoring that, eXquire is damned talented, and you can see it in songs like No Time, a five and a half-minute hook-less epic where eXquire raps about his legitimacy while changing his flow every minute.  It's really excellent and grows on you every time you listen to it.  There is a bit of filler, and the album doesn't feel completely solid -- but when eXquire is on, he is on, and he is like nobody else rapping right now.

4.  Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne

Funny thing is, they probably could have done better.  This album has such great production, probably the best out of any hip-hop album in 2011, and I'm not really that sure that this is the best they could have done.  It is no Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy -- this album is more club friendly.  But that doesn't change the fact that it is excellent in every aspect.

3.  Drake - Take Care

Take Care is much more like So Far Gone, in that it is a lot darker and not nearly as chock full of radio-ready songs. This is a plus.  Drake's best strength lies in his ability to rap about the 'downside of being famous and capable of wooing any woman' while actually leaving the listener feeling for him.  Even if he is rapping about money, fame, and women, he does it with a level of revealing honesty that is intriguing.  Combine that with his addicting flow and his ability to do both R&B style singing and rapping, and you have Drake's best work yet.

2.  Domo Genesis - Under the Influence

I'm really kind of... disappointed?  Yeah.  Disappointed.  I'm kind of disappointed that Under the Influence didn't get more attention and respect.  It's a great mixtape, and although it's subject-matter is nothing new, the production value and style that Domo has are really some of the best of the year. And most importantly, it is just so much better than Domo's debut release.  As far as what we should expect out of Domo, this flys through the roof.  Not only that, but Domo makes everyone else on his album look great too - songs like Guess Who's Back take a normally painfully mediocre Casey Veggies and make me want to hear more.  The fact that this is a personal triumph for Domo makes this high up on the list. 

1.  The Weeknd - House of Balloons

It's hard for me to place albums that came out so early -- it's easy to forget about them.  The Weeknd got me interested in R&B in a way that Frank Ocean, Drake, and others, couldn't even begin to.  Hauntingly dark production that flawlessly matching the tone of The Weeknd's words create an 'mixtape' that is just feels complete.  One of the best releases of the year to be honest, original yet accessible, twisted yet honest.

Honorable Mentions (Non-Full Releases)
There were two other artist's that came out with material this year as singles that I'm absolutely in love with.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
Thuggin'
Deep
Madlib is an awesome producer, though I mainly know him from his collaboration with MF Doom in Madvillain - Madvillainy, which is nearly a modern classic. Freddie Gibbs released a mixtape this year that I wasn't really feeling - but it is redeemed by these two songs, which display Gibbs' to be as real as can be.

Azealia Banks
212
Runnin'
I've told my friends I liken Azealia Banks to Missy Elliot, which I strongly believe.  The thing is though, she has such an incredible voice she can liken herself to almost any artist.  Though most of Runnin' sounds like Missy, she drops a Busta Rhymes level flow in the first verse.  212 has her sounding like Missy, Kreayshawn, and for one moment a spot-on female Major Lazer.  All of this in two songs, compared with an refreshing urban sound and very dancable tracks... I'm really impressed.  I think her album next year is going to be huge.  I could continue to name drop, but the fact is, she is working with some great producers that have both mainstream and underground credibility.

I will be doing two more additional Top 10 Lists of the year for various genre's - keep checking to see what's up.

If you don't feel it you can feel free

So, I was about to write about Mobb Deep, but despite that they are so much more real than any modern rappers that pretend to be hard (Officer Ricky?), I was really holding out for writing about something a little less known.  Luckily, some of my friends were playing some fresh stuff at a party this weekend, and now I have something new I am feeling.

Open Mike Eagle - Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes (2011)

Open Mike Eagle reminds me a lot of Del (of Deltron 3030, Gorillaz, and Del the Funky Homosapien fame) in his brand of intelligent hip-hop.  Some rappers, like Aesop Rock or Immortal Technique, like to show intelligence through conscientious rap - talking about important issues or telling meaningful stories filled with intricate rhymes.  Del and Mike do it without sacrificing their flow, and instead just have abstract rhymes filled with subtle word-play.  In turn, they maintain a spacey sound that is really easy to chill and, at times, party to. 

Standout Track(s):
The Processional (Funeral March)

This is the first track I heard, and definitely the coolest -- a perfect portrayal of how OME does a "party" song.  It isn't some fast upbeat song, yet it is still anthemic. Couldn't find a non-live version, so check this.

Why Pianos Break (ft. P.O.S.)
Ahhh - that beat.  Love that beat. And that flow.  Love that flow.

Also, check this out:
I'm going to start linking completely unrelated tracks at the end of articles that aren't really attached to albums, but remain solidly in my rotation.  Check out Lady Lamb cover Cher.  I know, it sounds lame.  It's awesome.