1. "Mantra 2" by Popol Vuh from The Werner Herzog Soundtracks (2010).
An epic collection of Popol Vuh's astounding soundtracks for Herzog's early films. Influenced by indigenous musics before that sort of thing was really popular and badly done. Really ground breaking stuff.
Also, do yourself a favor and go see Herzog's new film The Cave of Forgotten Dreams while you can still catch it in 3D.
This is the best use of 3D film I've seen so far. It is an amazing documentary.
2. "Odorless Boatman's Belt" by The Elephant Six Orchestra from the Welcome To Our Story 7" (2011).
Finally, the E6 Orchestra is releasing recordings!! This is from their recent tour. It's an awesome collage of all of their styles.
I demand more.
3. "Parade" by Heypenny from A Jillion Kicks (2011).
This Nashville band rocks the party with this Prince by-way-of Phoenix full length. Very fun, intricate stuff, good for getting the vacation kicked off right.
4. "Because Of The Blood" by Sin Fang from Summer Echoes (2011).
Bedroom folk pop that is much more grand than it initially seems. Sweet melodies and loads of layered ear candy.
5. "Sara" by Chad VanGaalen from Diaper Island (2011).
VanGaalen's new LP is a more garage oriented than his last effort. The chords are loud and strange, but work perfectly. A friend said this album sounds like the lines on the highway passing by at night when you're driving fast trying to get away from your home town. It definitely has a sense of urgency to it, with echoes of Beck's One Foot In the Grave. And then there's this track. Simple, lovesick, mystical. It taps in to imagery used by Neutral Milk Hotel on tracks like "Engine" or "Two-Headed Boy". Supernatural love-sickness. Phenomenal.
6. "Reefer Man" by Baron Lee & The Blue Rhythm Band from DrugSongs: High & Low 1917-1941 (2005).
A great collection of exactly what the title describes. It
7. "To The Abbey" by The High Llamas from Talahomi Way (2011).
Best High Llamas album yet! Full of dense, sweet strings and amazing melodies. There are all sorts of influences here, but they all meld together perfectly, without pretension. I'd love to be sitting under a tent on some Mediterranean beach, drinking
lemonade and listening to this album on a sunny day.
8. "Harmandali Zeybek" Santuri Recep & Kucuk Cemal from Brass Pins And Match Heads: International 78s (2011).
This is from a great collection of, as the title implies, old 78s.
Every track on this comp is a lost jewel.
9. "Ramble on Cortona" by Gavin Bryars from Piano Concerto (The Solway Canal) (2011).
The British avant garde composer who brought us the beautiful and epic The Sinking of the Titanic and Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet (1975) finally tries his hand at solo piano compositions on this record. This melancholy piece celebrates the beauty of Cortona, Italy (where Bryars studied) and the longing to return to halcyon days there.
10. "The Ballad Of The Space Babies" by Jim Guthrie from Sword & Sworcery LP - The Ballad of the Space Babies (2011).This is the BEST soundtrack I've ever heard for a video game. It stands on its own while enhancing the gameplay. Hell, it's part of the gameplay. Both the game and the soundtrack reference two of my favorite pop culture high points, The Legend Of Zelda and Twin Peaks.
The game itself manages an original take on classic Zelda themes while completely standing on its own, and hopefully a precursor to a more extensive game. It's challenging, artistic,
sentimental and metaphysical. Jim Guthrie's soundtrack and sound effects echo this perfectly. S: S&S EP is an artistic achievement.
Check it out:
11. "Sky" by Great Rite from Demo (2011).Ethereal witch.haus. Some of the best of the genre.
12. "Emergency Broadcast " by The Rosen Association from their self-titled 2010 LP.
A great Chicago band. Broadcast colliding with Interpol comes to mind. I'm excited to watch this band evolve.
13. "E.S. Des Grauens In Fifths" by Rene Hell from The Terminal Symphony (2011).
Krauty electro jams. Heady and complex.
14. "Inner Pole f" by Billiam Wutler Yea from Y Eso Que Muerte (2010).
Looped samples slowed down, sped up and reversed. Disorienting and exciting. Black Dice-esque, but more dense.
15. "Waco, Wasilla, Waikiki" by Crystal Swells from Goethe Head Soup (2011).
Sickgarage party time. Open the doors, let the debris flow in.
16. "Doesn't Matter What's Right" by Lee Noble from No Becoming (2011).
Wavy, distorted thoughts upon a hazy ocean of vapor. Good for that special time of night/early morning.
17. "Hold But Let Go" by Six Organs of Admittance from Asleep on the Floodplain (2011).
This song is gently intense. On an album of psyche-folk, back porch grooves, it stands out as a moment of sobriety. Great summer afternoon chillin' stuff.
18. "Eye Of A Needle" by Floating Action from Desert Etiquette (2011).Haven't heard the whole album yet, but definitely looking forward to this summer-enhancing band. Washes you out in the tide with perfectly executed retro-production and R&B + Caribbean equation.
19. "All The Sun That Shines" by Peaking Lights from 936 (2011).These guys are getting pretty far out into dubland, something I'm not usually a fan of. PL manage to keep it interesting by constantly evolving the songs and adding thick, smoky layers.
20. "Burn Out " by Widowspeak from Harsh Realm/Burnout 7" (2011).
More lazy afternoon jams. Everything else can wait.
21. "Unbearable Keepsake" by Kevin Greenspon from Corridor (2010).Harsh shredding that melts into sonic honey. Fucking awesome.
TNV reinvent themselves on their latest effort. Well, kind of.
gone is the blown out noise of the past, here is the softer blown out side. It still rocks and Dancer Equired finds them focusing more on the melodies that are usually buried in their songs.
This song sums it up.
23. "Night" by Jannick Schou from Night (2010).Another beautiful piece by master of subtlety, Jannick Schou, my favorite ambient artist of late. I recommend headphones (always), bed and night time for this, it will carry you off.
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