Best of the Year Project: 2009

Every December for the past 5 years I've made a "Best of 2009" mix cd. I create a list of my top 15 albums of the year, my top tracks of the year, and lastly a list of my top 15 movies of the year. It's something I very much enjoy doing. The act of editing is something more of us should practice in ALL aspects of our lives and this exercise has proven to be the perfect way to end the years so far.
I usually make an edition of somewhere between 10 and 15 and hand them out to friends and family. Each year I create a new cd-holder construction and book style.

If you are interested to know what any of my past years' lists have been (2004-2009), just ask! I'd be happy to share.

Best of 2009 Albums (updated)
1. Washed Out - Life of Leisure
2. Atlas Sound - Logos
3. Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue
4. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - s/t
5. Moderat - Moderat
6. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
7. Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement
8. The Radio Dept. - David Ep
9. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (don't even ask how I forgot about this one)
10. The Dead Sea - s/t
11. Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependance
12. Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care
13. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar
14. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
15. The Drums - The Drums ep
16. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport

8-Trck Engineer Ep.04, The Human Inspired

OK so here’s my two part answer to the question "What does it mean to be human?" discussed in the previous post.

A. What we are is the brain. The simplest, yet most complex, answer is that to be human is to have what we all have in common, our brain. Everything we think we are, see we are, feel we are or hear we are, is all coming from one place. Don’t mistake that for an idea that our senses make us human; it’s what’s piecing it all together. We could have purple skin, guys could have vaginas, girls could have penises, and our eyes could be attached to tube-like membranes sticking out from our necks… But we would still call ourselves humans so long as that’s the way we always were. Only humans can experience abstract external stimuli as (emotional, creative, physical) inspiration.

B. 8-Trck Engineer ep. 04, The Human Inspired

There are countless ways to answer this question using this format, but I wanted to keep this at a level of “I’d-like-to-play-you-some-music-you-haven’t-heard-yet. So don’t ask in some Spiccoli voice “Hey bud, where’s Beethoven? Where’s Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd?” Yada yada yada. I’ve answered this question this way in the hopes that any person can come along and listen, enjoy, then think about making their own mix. “What is it to be human?” is practically a rhetorical question. It has no answer other than what you feel is the answer.

This is a collection of 8 songs- put together spontaneously and without too much thought other than I know each one of these songs reminds me of what I am in this existence. It’s 8-Trck Engineer episode 04.

Pedal, Sump, Pedal, 2008, Staubgold Records. This piano duo from Sydney just released this album of improvised piano awesomeness. Some of the tracks are brilliantly unnerving, and some are just brilliantly moving like Sump. Staubgold says this: “What are they thinking? These guys are doing a record of acoustic piano music in this day and age! And let me tell you something, my prejudice was totally crushed within the first minute of listening to this CD. Just when I was thinking two grand pianos, four hands have nothing to say in this 21st century...”

The Radio Dept., What Will Give?, Pet Grief, 2006, Labrador. I have a feeling The Radio Dept is going to move me just as much when I’m 85-years-old. This is timeless timeless timeless music for us emotional pop lovers. They’re just friends school friends from Sweden that create wonderful music only Humans can create.

Tycho, Past Is Prologue, Past Is Prologue, 2006, Merck. Tycho, aka graphic designer ISO50, aka Scott Hansen, is from San Francisco! What!what! This guy is amazing. His beats are bliss and his design is dope. This song just KILLS me. I don’t know why, but it does. He needs to play more sets here in SF, that’s all I need to say. Bring back Beats and Boardgames!

M83, Teen Angst, Before The Dawn Heals Us, 2005, EMI France. I could have chosen any M83 song and it would have fit well in this mix. M83 has an extremely unique sound that has this quality about it that really makes you feel human. I feel like M83 is emotion in music form. It’s raw, LOUD, chaotic and intense but beautiful, balanced, and calming. One of my all-time favorite bands.

Tristeza, Balabaristas, A Colores, 2005, Better Looking. Another all time favs. The Album Leaf and Tristeza both hold special places in my heart. You can hear every stroke and touch of their fingers playing. Tristeza’s guitar and bass are almost unmatched by anyone in this genre. They tried playing with a stand in guitar player last tour and he couldn’t hang. It would hard to hear their live set being messed up, but at the same time it reinforced the complexity and strenuous rhythms they use.

Epic45, England Fallen Over, England Fallen Over EP, 2005, Make Mine Music. A highly inspirational band for me. If you like this song, just seriously by everything Epic45 has done. It’s really all that good. Hopefully your listening to this mix with headphones or good speakers cause this track uses GREAT channel techniques. I LOVE this band.

Radiohead, Weird Fishes/Apreggi, In Rainbows, 2007, self released. Another all-time fav for me. Shouldn’t have to say much about this song or band other than Brilliant.

DJ Shadow, Blood On The Motorway, The Private Press, 2002, MCA. I know I know. This song is a little old. But I BET you forgot about it. I BET you forgot how amazing it is. Well Junia (my girlfriend, Tonteria) DIDN’T! Honestly I forgot this song within the depths of my hard drive, but she called it out. If only Shadow could go back to this! He gave us a little taste with the live set release he did with Cut Chemist.

8-Trck Engineer Ep.03, my swedish sigh

In celebration for the new track by The Radio Dept, this 8-Trck Engineer is strictly Swedish. Over the last 2 weeks I got a hold of the new Action Biker and an older album by The Bridal Shop. I realized that I keep running into these Swedish albums and then a few days ago I get the new Radio Dept track and then I just couldn't stop myself. I had to share my Swedish friends with all of you. My Swedish sigh begins as a burst of electric air but as I exhale it calms to barely a few night-time piano strokes. Enjoy.

trck-1. The Knife, Forrest Families... the album Silent Shout was on EVERYONE's top lists for 2006. I was no exception. This album is one of the freshest electronic album in a while. it felt super dark but sometimes made you feel slightly uncomfortable, but had amazing hooks and use of vocals that picked you right up from it's intense imagination. It didn't try to make anyone happy and seemed to exist within the genre without the support of the genre itself.
trck-2. The Legends, Play it For Today... this is from The Legend's last release in 2006 Facts and Figures. Where previously they had this great british pop shoegaze sound, the now have a euro pop shoegaze electronic sound. That seems like a pretty good evolution right? Well, they made the jump extremely well and I'm looking forward to see what else they come up with.
trck-3. The Bridal Shop, From Seas... from 2007's From Seas, this song is a great hint at the 7 track album that really hasn't received much attention, or at least as much as it should have by people who love this genre. You like old New Order? You like the airy vocals and modest-pop? you like the Bridal Shop.
trck-4. The Radio Dept, Feddie and the Tojan Horse... What can I say? this band is track for track pure enjoyment. They seriously make me feel special when I'm listening to them. Does that sound stupid? fuck it. I'm excited about this song because it's off their new album scheduled for September. CAN'T WAIT.
trck-5. Action Biker, Love for Sure... This is Sarah Nyberg Pergament's little solo music. This is off 2008's Hesperian Puisto, Action Biker's first official album release. This album better catch on here in the States. If it doesn't I'll be really surprised. Maybe I should write to Pitchfork and tip em off... nah. they suck.
trck-6. Jens Lekman, I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You... One of my favorite songs of 2007! This album, Night Falls Over Kortedala was on rotation for MONTHS here at home and at work. This album was impossible not to like.
trck-7. Jose Gonzalez, Cycling Trivialities... Another top 2007. This is off Jose's second full length, In Our Nature. You need to own both albums if you already don't. Seriously
trck-8. El Perro Del Mar, From the Valley to the Stars... This song is off of Sarah Assbring's 2008's From the Valley to the Stars. This also is a great hint as to the rest of the album. I love the feel of this album as it is completely connected to the name. I would love to be laying at the bottom of a beautiful valley looking up watching the stars. El Perro Del Mar is hard to catagorize because conceptual-folk-pop doesn't do her justice. I'll just say I'm a fan and keep it at that.