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.

Consuming the Room

ill.Gates - The ill.Methodology (2011)

This is an electronic album.  At heart.  Every other track seems to have vocals on it, usually rapping - enough to show off ill.Gates' large hip-hop influence.  But even on those tracks, the focus is the superb beats - the rapping usually contributing only sonically.  I mean, the raps are okay - but their best purpose is really just breaking the monotony of a full-electronic album, and they serve their purpose well.  This album has some bangers - and if you want to go hard, this album would love to join you.  If you like dubstep in the old-school sense (I'm not talking build-ups and drops), OR if you like dubstep in the brostep stance (I'm talking build-ups and drops), the ill.Methodology has something great for you.  It is actually a pretty diverse album despite it's seemingly consistent style.  That being said - it is too long.  18 Tracks - and it could definitely do without *a lot* of them.  Mostly the brostep ones.

The best tracks remain the purely electronic tracks.  They are just much closer to perfection in what Gates is trying to make - and while the vocalized tracks can be more interesting, they often just don't have the best vocals on them. 

You can stream parts of each track from here.  Not all of it, but more than iTunes would let you.  None of it is on YouTube or the like.

Standout Track(s) - 
Otoro
Great track as far as the beat goes.  Probably my favorite from the album.

Crystal Math
Purely instrumental - I wish the full track was on here, because I really like how it goes. Anyway... first track, what made me keep listening.

Interesting Info -
The most brosteppy song, Eviction, turns a recorded message from a neighbor ripping ill.Gates apart for his loud music into an extremely hard-hitting track.  I can only imagine him turning it up to 11 to play this song in response to the complaints.

Only a Fool Would Ignore This

I was at a wedding party this weekend with a bunch of Londoners, and had mixed feelings as they showed the Americans some “old-school garage” (which, in their accent, was pronounced “gairidge”). I like UK Garage - I remember listening similar it in early high school. It was bittersweet to hear my sister (who back in those days was telling me to turn down my stoner music) say, "ooh, this stuff is cool - how do  you dance to it?"

Alias - Fever Dream (2011)

A lot of electronic can begin to sound stale rather quickly, however, because many genres have such a uniform and distinctive sound.  I can't stand trance for this reason - house is better, but still a victim... and house's little brother garage once again improves.  It's this staleness, however, that makes more experimental or hip-hop based electronic musicians seem so interesting in comparison.

Enter Alias, a hip-hop/electronic artist on the anticon. label (who house talented acts such as Why? and Odd Nosdam), who released a purely instrumental album at the end of this August.  Fever Dreams hits hard, has remarkable beats, and makes you want to visit a grimy club to be moved by the music with other influenced college kids.  Or maybe it just makes you want to put on head-phones so you can blast this music as you strut though campus.  Either way, this music sounds fresh, and unlike the more predictable "genres" of electronic, you won't be bored of it before you even put it on.

Standout Track(s) -
Tagine  (unfortunately, only the first part of it. Check it, though)

Boom Boom Boom

The only commentary I want to give on both of these tracks is to play them loud - and on as high of a quality as your internet will allow.
 

Interesting Note(s) - 

Though Alias debut'd back in 2001 by rapping, he has been making purely instrumental music for awhile.  He hasn't made an album on anticon. in three years - but his hiatus has obviously done him well.  

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