Friday 17 December 2010

Top 50 tracks of the year

1. James Blake - CMYK
Arguably the most introspective and talented producer in the UK Bass scene at the moment. A massive 2011 lies ahead. This was a true highlight......."look I found her, red coat"



2. Four Tet - Love Cry
You can easily run out of words for Kieran Hebden's work. This was the best track from the album There is Love In You


3. Tensnake - Coma Cat
Overplayed perhaps, but it doesn't matter when you don't mind hearing it for the thousandth time. A summer classic, impossible to not dance to


4. Dark Sky - Reflex
My favourite track off a strong first ep from the newcomers. This track is finally getting the plays it deserves from big dj's, Modeselektor for example. Only to be listened to with good speakers or headphones to do full justice to a fearsome and yet subtle drop.


5. Caribou - Sun
4 words - The Sound Of Summer


6. Ramadanman - Work Them
Excellent skippy beat and sampling from David Kennedy who has had an amazing 2010.


7. Addison Groove - Footcrab
Some people found it annoying, others loved it. Juke influenced, repetitive vocal samples and genius. It's also amazing trying to watch people dance to this tune (most people look very awkward)


8. T Williams ft. Terri Walker - Heartbeat (Mosca Remix)
A record with a lot of soul and feeling. Terri walker has an amazing voice. Mosca on the buttons to add in the sliding bass.


9. Ramadanman and Midland - Your Words Matter
Shows David kennedy's ability to make amazing music of all genres. Midland is one to watch for 2011. A great house track with a good build up


10. Gil Scott Heron - I'm New Here (Jamie XX Remix)
Anything involving Gil Scott Heron is interesting at least. Jamie's idea to work with him has produced an fantastic album, he is an inventive young producer.

There is no youtube link for this track. Go and buy the release it is well worth it.

11. Pearson Sound - Blanked
A late comer, but it had to be in here purely for the reason that is has the most epic breakdown i've ever heard. It's totally indescribable....David Kennedy once again takes the plaudits.


12. Kyle Hall - Kaychunk
Not normally the speed that the young Detroit producer operates at but it doesn't matter. A lovely swirling synth line.


13. Moody - It's 2 Late For U and Me
Chicago house at it's finest...acid, keys, the works. Very smooth.


14. Mosca - Tilt Shift
Slow and heavy. Mosca is another producer with a big year in front of him.


15. Axel Boman - Purple Drank
Followed the trend of warped vocals this year, but did it better than most.


16. Space Dimension Controller - Transatlantic Landing Bay
Cosmic Space Jazz. I imagine myself flying through space listening to this track, incredible synth lines throughout.


18. Nicolas Jaar - Time For Us
HYPE! young and so, so, so much hype. But this is a good track. Dark and moody.


19. Pariah - The Slump
Brilliant clunky and skipping 2step. The whole Safehouses ep was very impressive.


20. Boogaloo Crew - Vitamins
Amazing stuttered soulful vocal sampling and great bass.

Once again no youtube link, sorry!

21. Endgames - Ecstasy (Jam City Refix)
Stabby, sub bass and some brilliant rave stabs. The unsung release on Night Slugs.


22. Breach - Fatherless
Ben Westbeech's side project. A brilliant bassy tune, always ripped up dance floors with it's buildup and drop into flute loop chaos.


23. Round Table Knights - Calypso
Tropical tech house at it's best. The steel drums create a true carnival vibe when this one gets played out


24. Joy Orbison - The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow
The good stuff one comes to expect of Joy Orbison. Very atmospheric 2step.


25. Ogris Debris - Miezekatze
Very original vocals, impossible not to bop up and down when it's played.


26. Floating Points - People's Potential
Jazzy off kilter track from Sam Sheppard. The Pharmacology student with a penchant for being one of the best underground producers on the Uk scene.


27. Lawrence - Divided (Kassem Mosse Remix)
Deep, shudderingly deep house.


28. Girl Unit - Wut
Very crunk tune, which destroys dance floors everywhere. The most celebrated release from the Night Slugs label who finished off the year with their All Stars Vol.1 Album.


29. The XX - Crystalised (Dark Sky Remix)
The XX had their work remixed by many different people. This is the best of what I think is their best song. Dark Sky took it down the 2step route and came out with one of the most hyped and popular remixes around this year.


30. Quest - Smooth Skin
Smooth, deep and slow dubstep from the Deep Medi Music maestro.


31. Cosmin TRG - Sores of Attraction
Wavering house with soaring synths and bass lines. Shows that the Romanian is capable of creating some real surprises.


32. Caribou - Leave House (Motor City Drum Ensemble)
There are almost too many Caribou remixes, this one has a great bass line, heavy kick drum and tinny snare added to it to give it the MCDE vibe.


33. Mount Kimbie - Carbonated
The best track off the album Carbonated, which was great. Truly a celebration of the raw talent in Uk Bass music.


34. Mano Le Tough - Baby, Let's love (Iron Curtis Remix)
Clap trap drums and infectious bass throughout, a real house track.

No youtube link for the remix so here is the original track....


35. Mosca - Gold Bricks, I See You
The best track off Fabric's Elevator Music Vol.1 Compilation. Superb stabs of bass and vocals well arranged so that the drop is huge. My second favourite breakdown of the year.


36. Untold - Stereo Freeze
Futuristic dark material from Jack Dunning, the man behind one of the best labels.


37. Sbtrkt ft. Sampha - Look At Stars
Sbtrkt's EP with Young Turks is very strong, Sampha's brilliant voice adds so much to this track.


38. Julio Bashmore - The Moth
Lovely wavering house from the Bristolian bad man that is Julio Bashmore. A fine track which featured on Elevator Music Vol.1.


39. Mosca - Square One (Julio Bashmore Remix)
Trademark heavy sub bass and kick drum from Mr Bashmore, he has a fine release on the way in January.


40. Martyn - Left Hander
The new relesase from Dutch master Martyn. Influences from Detroit Techno in this clappy 2 step tune.


41. Doc Daneeka - Hold On
Amazing Mowtown soul samples layered over some uk funky style drums.


42. The 2 Bears - Follow The Bear
A big synth loop, dark vocals. A side project from Hot Chip's guitarist Joe Goddard


43. Lee Foss - You Got Me
Fantastic booty shaking disco house. Hot Creations had a very good year and will continue to make great party music into 2011


44. Mike Monday and Will Saul - Sequence 1
Weighty bass and synth arrangements. Slick buildups and drops all over the place. Testament to the great music released on AUS Music


45. Jackal Youth - Let Me Be
A painfully catchy and infectious track


46. Flying Lotus - Do The Astral Plane
More excellent and highly original material from the man they call Fly Lo. Cosmogramma is a great album


47. Kink - Rachel
The Bulgarian master of all things four to the floor hits again with an infectious slab of disco style synths.


48. Jamie Woon - Night Air
What a talent! Really one to look out for, a brilliantly produced song made even better by Woon's crooning vocals. No wonder Burial wanted to work him, the boy got soul.


49. Maxmillion Dunbar - Girls Dream
Low tempo, souful track with a skippy hip hop beat. His new album is out on Ramp records, worth a listen


50. Solar Bears - Twin Stars (Lone Remix)
A bright talent! Nottingham's finest bring us a fantastic mish mash of styles.



So I hope you enjoy all the tracks! There of course a few that should be fighting for a place in there. No stuff from Roska?? Or Midland's remix of Sun? Can't all make it though....

Please let me know your favourite tracks of the year, let's get some fucking debate going here people...

Jossa x

Wednesday 8 December 2010

Round Table Knights - Album Preview

It's worth mentioning that Round Table Knights have an album coming out on Jesse Rose's label Made to Play. Here is a soundcloud preview that Jackmode just sent to me


It's nice to see some collaboration with Ogris Debris, who was responsible for one of the best tech house tunes of 2010

Download:

Looking forward to it muchly

Jossa x

Ariel - Midland Remix

A free Midland remix is always worth talking about, and thanks to Fact Magazine here we have one. Although I feel it's not his strongest to date, this mix of Ariel by Stateless still breathes out the warm and ambient sound that the young Leeds based producer has become notorious for creating. As i've said before definitely one to keep an eye on. What with the remixes of Caribou and Boards of Canda, the collaboration with Ramadanman and the excellent Change the Game EP, it looks like he's going to have a big 2011...

Download:
Stateless - Ariel (Midland's Inflight Remix) (Link removed by powers that be)

Jossa x

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Things Become Klearer


Krystal Klear is not a producer I had heard of at all until last wednesday. I was up at a ridiculous hour locked into Gilles Peterson's weekly show when he dropped a remix of one of his tracks. The remix happened to be by Hudson Mohawke a producer usually associated with the off kilter hip hop beats that California left field juggernaut Warp Records put out. I liked it a lot and looked into Krystal Klear to learn that he is releasing the orignal and the remix on a 12" for All City Records.

The original is sure to make you throw down a few shapes with it's boogie claps and synths patterns. The Hud Mo remix is not something you would expect, but it's brilliant.

Download:


Jossa x