Here’s the last part, from now on new music!!

05 A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble – Self Titled (Leaf) : Together with the Bela Agostone lead Hun Hangar Ensemble, AHAAH has delivered a standardbearer neo-balkan-folk EP. Hope this collaboration results in more albums in the future.Past review on undomondo
04 High on Fire – Death Is This Communion (Relapse) : Oakland, CA’s power stoner trio High on Fire’s 10 ton riffage, is hands down the best & heaviest album for me. Metacritic.
03 Upsilon Acrux – Galapagos Momentum (Cuneiform) : One of the most extreme albums this year, Acrux’ heavy prog-math rock is not everyone’s cup of tea. Past review on undomondo
02 Marnie Stern – In Advance of the Broken Arm (Kill Rock Stars) : I can’t believe how good this album turned out to be albeit being criticized for many critics as being gibberish, I’m highly impressed by her obsessive songwriting and shredding. Past review on undomondo

There’s nothing like being owned
Kept by beens in a jelly mould
Brought out on special occasions
Served with black entertainment
Measured by the size of the rash minus income
Make it stop, we could all get together
And fucking burn the lot
Kept by bees in a glass case
Next to Atlantis, rendered badly by my oil paints
Trapped by ESP in the darkness
All those guys, they just want a part in your story

01 Future of the Left – Curses (Too Pure) : After careful consideration, I guess Mclusky survivors delivered the most complete album this year, arguably 2007’s Entertainment!. Let’s see if it will stand the test of time. Past review on undomondo Pitchfork review. Future of the Left interview.

And so another list ends with the lyrics to Kept by Bees in case you wanna sing along. If anyone gets what they’re talking about, msg me please. :)

15 Battles – Mirrored (Warp Records) : Everybody’s been talking about “Mirrored” this year, and they kind of deserve it for getting their oddtimed dissonant music to find strange acclaim from mainstream circles as well as mathheads.
14 Deejay OM – Reheated Naan and Curry (Galapagos4) : A fine hybrid of Indian samples mixed with beats. Somehow liked it much more than Madlib’s take. Past review on undomondo.

Ólöf Arnalds – Klara

13 Ólöf Arnalds – Við og við (12tónar) : Icelandic singer Ólöf Arnalds‘ acoustic folk deserves a government grant as we get more and more interested in Iceland after listening to her debut.
12 White Magic – Dark Stars (Drag City) : Frankly I’m an utter sucker for their haunting minimalist folk, hopefully more to come in 2008.Past review on undomondo
11 Alamaailman Vasarat – Maahan (Backstage Alliance) : Finnish weirdo prog-rockers Alamaailman Vasarat didn’t fail to satisfy us with their 3rd album a highly versatile & wacky world music stuff. Circus music at its best.Past review on undomondo, The Armchair Critic review

Luke Temple – Medicine

10 Luke Temple – Snowbeast (Millpond) : Brooklyn, NY based singer & songwriter Luke Temple’s album is one of the best albums of the year, with hints of 70s psychedelia and melancholy, top quality singer songwriter pop. Past review on undomondo
09 Nostalgia 77 – Everything Under the Sun (Tru-Thoughts) : UK’s finest nujazz troupe a with an impressive effort, and they didn’t stop here and went for a second gold album as an octet. Past review on undomondo
08 Shellac – Excellent Italian Greyhound (Touch & Go) : Most critics didn’t like this album compared to other Shellac releases, but nevertheless it’s better than most of the stuff this year. Past review on undomondo. Pitchfork review

Men-an-Tol – Orange Juice and Vodka

07 Men-an-Tol – Men-an-Tol (Static Caravan) : I’ve declared my love for bearded UK folkers Men-an-Tol a few times this year, can’t wait for their debut album in 2008. Past review on undomondo
06 Fedayi Pacha – The 99 Names of Dub (Hammerbass) : Unnoticed by short sighted critics with the Burial syndrome, French dubster Fedayi Pacha’s “The 99 Names of Dub” is the most diverse dub album this year as well as the most cranked for me. Past review on undomondo

Battles – Race:in
Deejay OM – Silk dealers of New Delhi
Ólöf Arnalds – Englar og Dárar
White Magic – Poor Harold
Alamaailman Vasarat – Katkorapu
Luke Temple – Saturday People
Nostalgia 77 – Stop to make a change
Shellac – Steady as she goes
Men-an-Tol – Orange Juice & Vodka
Fedayi Pacha – Kufiq Type

Image by Kristian Olson

What’s up boys and girls, this year I’m a little bit faster in compiling the best of list (although still one of the last to do so according to Largehearted Boy’s best of lists compilation.)

2007 was very very lucrative for new music and even a top 50 list isn’t enough to cover the noteworthy albums. I’ll publish the top 50 list now and gradually go through them in the coming days with an mp3 for every album, till the end of this year.

As always my subjective rating algorithm is mostly based on inventiveness with respect to other artists & bands + personal taste. I’ve listened to a lot of experimental & improv stuff as well, but as I look back they are mostly not distinctive or well-formed enough to end in a top 50 list, but that doesn’t make them any less good! Anyways please bear with us through the uploading process !

50 Taxi Taxi – Maps and Legends
49 Odd Nosdam – Level level wires
48 Arve Henriksen – Strjon
47 The Focus Group – We’re all pans people
46 Elegi – Sistereis
45 Roam the Hello Clouds – Near Misses
44 Eric Malmberg – Verklighet och beat
43 Vikter Duplaix – Bold and Beautiful
42 Les Savy Fav – Let’s stay Friends
41 Pjusk – Sart
40 Marbert Rocel – Speed Emotions
39 Adjagas – Adjagas
38 Wahoo – Take It Personal
37 The Berg Sans Nipple – Along the Quai
36 Tied and Tickled Trio – Aelita
35 Waldeck – Ballroom Stories
34 Radio Luxembourg – Diwrnod Efo’r Anifeiliaid
33 Old Time Relijun – Catharsis in Crisis
32 Golden Arm Trio – The Tick-Tock Club
31 Feist – The Reminder
30 Fanga – Natural Juice
29 Kidkanevil – Problems and Solutions
28 Marc Ribot – Asmodeus Book of Angels 7
27 Metropolitan Jazz Affair – Bird of Spring
26 Punkt – Crime Scenes
25 Ahleuchatistas – Even in the Midst…
24 Thilges – La Double Absence
23 Kerkko Koskinen – Agatha
22 DuOud & Abdulatif Yagoub – Sakat
21 Grails – Burning off Impurities
20 Artanker Convoy – Cozy Endings
19 Death Ambient – Drunken Forest
18 Serafina Steer – Cheap Demo Bad Science
17 Rahsaan Patterson – Wines and Spirits
16 Lukid – Onandon
15 Battles – Mirrored
14 Deejay OM – Reheated Naan and Curry
13 Ólöf Arnalds – Við og við
12 White Magic – Dark Stars
11 Alamaailman Vasarat – Maahan
10 Luke Temple – Snowbeast
09 Nostalgia 77 – Everything Under the Sun
08 Shellac – Excellent Italian Greyhound
07 Men-an-Tol – Men-an-Tol
06 Fedayi Pacha – The 99 Names of Dub
05 A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble – Self Titled
04 High on Fire – Death Is This Communion
03 Upsilon Acrux – Galapagos Momentum
02 Marnie Stern – In Advance of the Broken Arm
01 Future of the Left – Curses

Let’s hope all on these list last as long as this Yusef Lateef piece from 1961 or the Young Marble Giants one from 1980.

* Analyze photos of electronic musicians thread on ILX

* Best of 2007 lists from various European artists/selectors/djs on Alanfinkielkrautrock like Cosmo Vitelli, Piers Martin from Vice UK, Dirk from Eskimo Recordings, Pilooski, Tania from Putafranges, and Pedro from Ed Banger, also some interesting mixes.

* Best of 2007 list from Dave Allen of Gang of Four. incl. Burial, Okkervil River, Modeselektor etc. So Hip !

* 78 page Best of 2007 list thread on Sound Opinions forum

* Quality Dark ambient, drone mix on Ychorus incl. artists like Machinefabriek, Ben Frost, Stars of the Lid, Tim Hecker etc.

* Ikue Mori with Robert Quine and Marc Ribot – Painted Desert & John Zorn – Filmworks X: In The Mirror of Maya Deren on Queerbeet.

* Nervous Cop, Dead Raven Choir, Hala Strana, Oval, Ekkehard Ehlers on Cagedream.

* Instal ‘06 experimental festival was done in Glasgow this year, the site features videos from experimental guitarist Keiji Haino, Jazkamer (formerly Jazzkammer), Sachiko etc. via Modern Rok Hamlesi. You should be a fan of them if you know Turkish!.

* The seminal Milk Factory magazine is for the time being turned into a blog called the Lives and Dramas of a Long-Distance Milkman. He also has a best of 2006 post which puts the div back in diversity! (ok lame one), a blog you should check routinely. That’s why it’s on the sidebar from now on.

* Favourite albums of 2006 from UK’s Warp Records.

* Pitchfork’s top videos of 2006 list with links, so you can watch the videos!.

* Did I mention this before? Boomkat’s top 100 list, topped by Burial and White Mice at #2, that’s why we love Boomkat!

* A very detailed electronic/breakcore/IDM toplist on last.fm

* Top 20 overlook albums of 2006 list on Loconotion. incl. Nomo (which we haven’t overlooked), Chicago Underground Duo, Jóhann Jóhannsson and Clogs.

* A genre-specific 2006 list on Fast ‘n’ Bulbous, which has a category named Wimp Pop (topped by Hot Chip!), one of the most diverse lists.

* Top 20 Overlooked Albums of 2006 on Loconotion.

* First Annual Jazz Poll by Jazz Critics on Village Voice. Ornette Coleman wins by a huge margin.

1. J Dilla – Donuts
R.I.P
2. Joanna Newsom – Ys
I simply didn’t care about this young lady thanks to the (y’know what) hype. After I gave a listen though, I can tell you that it’s the most romantic, poetic, lyrical album done by the freakiest of girls ever. Then you may ask what is it doing in your list, because if there’s something I loathe in art it’s romanticism and lyricism . However something grasps me with this album and although I’m not really gonna listen to this in a few months, I can sense that it’s a special album (for romantic people).
3. Kanka – Alert [past review]
4. Koby Israelite – Orobas Book Of Angels Vol.4
5. Kudu – Death Of The Party [past review]
NY electro-funk-pop stylee
6. Micah – Everything [soul seduction]
a little gem on Herbert’s Accidental label. Produced by the legendary Arto Lindsay. What’s more Accidental is having a sale and giving you 3 CDs for 10 bux. Bargain.
7. Nouvelle Vague – Bande A Part
Such a high standard in covering songs, when everybody thinks they’re doing something great by changing some shit here and there and releasing it as the next big thing, listen to their cover of Buzzcocks’ ‘Ever Fallen in Love’
8. Otur – Pepperbox Hill [past review]
9. Peaches – Impeach my Bush [past review]
10. Porest – Tourrorists [past review]
This is the bizarrest album of the year, this song is not giving the album a justice because there’s no second song that’s even remotely similar to another. Middle East & USA counter-culture audio terrorism plunderphonics etc.
11. Tim Hecker – Harmony In Violet
Tim Hecker’s drone works specially well if you’re writing essays & thesis.
12. The Watery Graves of Portland – Caracas [Pop Matters]
13. Tora Tora Big Band – Tora Tora [past review]
14. Tunng – Comments of the inner chorus [past review]
15. Under Byen – Af Somme Stof Stof [junkmedia]
The first time I heard about Under Byen was a PR mail, and I now think it’s one of the best of 2006. If you’re into strange electronica with female vocals, you shouldn’t miss it.
16. Vetiver – To Find Me Gone
17. White Mice – White Mice
I’m not really a reggae guy more into the dubside of things or ska, but this album is on Basic Channel’s Basic Replay label (respect) and it’s got talent!. The song I’ve featured is totally infectious btw.

Kanka – Step Forward
Micah – Operator
Porest – Hoyda
The Watery Graves of Portland – Three White Men Rowing
Tim Hecker – Chimeras
Tora Tora Big Band – Tora Tora Cult
Tunng – Sweet William
White Mice – Tallawah

A Taste Of Ra – A Taste Of Ra [tinymixtapes]

Asobi Seksu – Citrus [pitchfork]

Avishai Cohen – Continuo [past review]

Black Ox Orkestar – Nisht Azoy [past review]

Broadcast -The Future Crayon

Burial – Burial [past review]

Clark – Body Riddle [pitchfork]

Diesler – Diggin’ it Something Rotten [tiny mix tapes]

Ekkehard Ehlers – A life without fear [past review]

Esbjoern Svensson Trio – Tuesday Wonderland [past review]

El Perro Del Mar – El Perro Del Mar [pitchfork]

Fred Frith / Stevie Wishart / Carla Kihlstedt – The Compass Log and Lead

In the Country – Losing Stones, Collecting Bones [NY Times]

Here are some notable mentions in random brain order mode to be continued and concluded hopefully tomorrow.

1. Aceyalone And RJD2 – Magnificent City [Prefix Mag]
Not everything is great on this one but the first part’s not to be missed.
2. Andrea Belfi – Footprints [past review]
3. Belbury Poly – Belbury Poly [past review]
4. Call me poupee – Western Shanghai [past review]
5. First Nation – First Nation [past review]
Female Trance, may be the best tune of this year.
6. Hasan Yarimdunia – Dardanelles Turquie Gelibolu
7. I’m not a gun – We think as Instruments [past review]
8. Leels – Pleased [past review]
So underrated, I think the last time I checked they’ve got a few thousand or so listens at last.fm. It’s a shame, it’s such a beautiful album.
9. Paavoharju – Uskallan EP
First on Miasmah, now on Fonal, Paavoharju makes really special music.
10. Root 70 – Heaps Dub [past review]
11. The Cracow Klezmer Band – Zuriel [past review]
12. Zakarya – 413 A
Another Tzadik album, this time from Paris based Zakarya. Also a strong contender for the top 10, I don’t know how I haven’t mentioned them before.

Aceyalone And RJD2 – All for U
Andrea Belfi – Footprints
Belbury Poly – Tangled Beams
Call me poupee – Western shanghai
First Nation – Female Trance
Hasan Yarimdunia – Asiye
I’m not a gun – Move
Leels – Pleased
Paavoharju – Uskallan
Root 70 – Heaps Dub – Destination Unknown
The Cracow Klezmer Band – Zuriel
Zakarya – 413 A – Mama J

Anyways without further delay, (because I’ve got some RL projects to work on as well) here’s my top 10 for the year, in some kind of preference order, but I should say that the gap between #1 and #10 is very slight and it’s subject to change on different days.

I’ve reviewed most of these albums before and they’re not new or surprising, but hopefully tomorrow I’ll be making a post about the remaining notable mentions and talk about some new names.

1. Ali Farka Toure – Savane [past review]
This is definitely the best album of the year, already #1 at metacritic. Savane is the grand masterpiece of the true ustad from Mali. If you have some time please please, read this interview with his producer Nick Gold, it gives so much insight about his life, his wisdom, his musicianship and life in Africa. I cannot say how much I connect with this album, even though I can’t understand a word. All of the notes struck are right in place, and I wish everybody will be lucky enough to leave something like this before their time comes.
2. Senor Coconut – Yellow Fever [past review]
3. Rashanim – Shalosh [past review]
Praise Jon Madof, the new Dick Dale, and also S.E. Blumenkranz, the only musician to be featured on 2 albums in this toplist. On this one and Zorn’s Filmworks. Really want to see these guys live.
4. A Hawk and a Hacksaw – The Way the Wind Blows [past review], [Hacking the Balkans], [musicOMH]
5. John Zorn – Filmworks XVIII [past review]
6. Kode 9 and the Spaceape – Memories of the Future [past review], [textura]
If you still haven’t listened to him rap, you will be astonished and terrified at the same time. Hailed as the new Massive Attack by some friends (although I never liked M.A) Kode9’s sinister music is accompanied perfectly by Spaceape. His phrasing, accent and toning is so powerful, it’s as if words come to life when he is around. He should be the spokesman for our generation. “No victory or defeat, Just a burning chalice of deceit.” Minimalist poetry at its best.
7. Nomo – New Tones [past review]
8. Herbert – Scale
9. Beirut – Gulag Orkestar
10. Final Fantasy – He Poos Clouds [past review]

Ali Farka Toure – Soya
Senor Coconut – Rydeen
Rashanim – Cracow Niggun
A Hawk and a Hacksaw – Gadge Sirba
John Zorn – Marking Time
Nomo – One to One
Herbert – Something isn’t right
Beirut – Carousels
Final Fantasy – He poos clouds
Kode 9 and the Spaceape – Kingstown

* Nils Jacobson’s best jazz of 2006 @ All About Jazz. Highly diverse, including ethnic middle eastern stuff and reissue’s as well.

* Avant Music News’ best of 2006 list. Lots of interesting picks that I agree with here, like I-Z, Esbjorn Svensson Trio, The Cracow Klezmer Band, Mark Feldman’s latest, Koby Israelite, and some interesting names to hunt for.

* Slate’s Best Jazz Albums of 2006 list with Ornette Coleman’s latest on top.

* Here’s an interesting list, 155 metal artists from bands like Tiamat, Anthrax, Kreator etc. voting their top 3 albums of 2006. Although the list is sooo bad, it seems these guys never listen to music at home.

* Drowned in Sound’s top 10 list voted by readers. Nothing shocking, Joanna Newsom topping the list, with usual suspects like The Knife, Muse, TV on the Radio, Broken Social Scene, Arctic Monkeys, I think I hate the indie hipster scene more and more every day.

* At last someone mentioned Tim Hecker’s Harmony in Ultraviolet, johann johannsson’s IBM 1401 and Paavoharju. Minimal Robot.

* All about Jazz forum is always a nice place to learn jazz. Here’s some best of lists, which are far more diverse than most of the indie mp3blogs.

* And finally, the always wonderful Benn Loxo du Tacco, now a perm link on our sidebar, introducing us to a wonderful musician Maurice El Medouni.