Peter Kersten and his label Dial is my go to music when I just need to not fiddle with a playlist for an hour, nod my head with a smile, or just lay back and enjoy simple beautiful 4/4 deep techno. “The Essence ” is packed to the brim of exactly what I want to hear if every else was gone or if I made music.
Peter strips down songs to their essentials, he doesn’t rely on popular band instruments or lyrics. He just goes straight to what is deep and comfy like a rich man’s large living room couch. The Essence lets you have the option of focusing and listening to his songs and never needing your attention.
Studio has become that band in my life that i’ll always check out no matter what, you can say it’s become my essential NPR listen for the Subaru Outback driving lady that’s heading to work at the recycle center. Listen to Rubies: Room Without A Key (Studio version).
Not once this year have I skipped over a Flying Lotus song off Los Angeles when my iTunes is on shuffle, thats kinda huge if you think about it. Listen to Flying Lotus – Roberta Flack (feat Dolly).
Bradford Cox of Atlas Sound brings me to my knees, If I listen to the track “Recent Bedroom” anymore right now i’ll end up putting it #1 for the year but I have made up my mind. Listen to Atlas Sound – Recent Bedroom.
Whatever Benoit Pioulard does is magic in my eyes. If it’s printing limited colored 7 inch vinyl randomly thru the year to selling his polaroids. When I heard “Temper” this year it became that record that I wanted to give to everyone I knew, I wanted to scream about Temper from the top of a mountain but all I had was Scott’s ISO50 blog which will always do. Listen to Benoit Pioulard – Brown Bess.
Do you know anything about analog synth heaven? well, pack your bags tonight, empty your bank account and steal a convertible preferably maroon or that 80’s silver because you my friend need night driving music. You will be driving on the coasts and living the secret life now as Hatchback. Listen to Hatchback – Everything is Neu.
The disco group that went all out and did it right. Full band, dancers, horns, and not in your face just the perfect party starting music from start to finish. Listen to Hercules And Love Affair – Blind.
The Balearic sound really showed its true colors this year, we had the very talented Eskimo label put out a nonstop slue of treasure and this continuous mix became a vinyl collectors best friend packed with a various amount of new Balearic tracks. Listen to Maelstrom – Petrichor.
Even though the Carl Craig’s, the Kevin Saunderson’s and the Derrick May’s are flying around the world and enjoying the fruits of their labor by playing shows, there are still heads left that rock out proper Detroit Techno day after day and I have to support it because I adore it.
[audio:omarsday.mp3]
The kids look like their 17 and their making slow disco edits of Bruce Springsteen, Feist, John Lennon and Paul Simon, how promising is that!
[audio:cousin.mp3]
Terrific list! Happy to see Sten and Omar S here. Omar’s “Psychotic Photosynthesis” would be among my favorite tracks no matter what the year – a classy & timeless reminder that Detroit techno can be big & emotional music, (e.g. 69’s “My Machines”).
Looking forward to checking out the stuff I don’t know, esp. Hatcback and Studio. Thanks for the introductions.
!!!
Thank you!!!
It`s a wonderful present)))))))))))
I’m definitely bookmarking this post. I’ll come back in a couple of weeks when my eMusic que has reset and stock up on some of this great music!
Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this list Jakub.
Never heard of Sten, Jakub. Great recommendation, it impresses me.
I’m gonna check out the rest of the list soon.
Thanks!
Thanks for the reference. Not one of my greatest moments, but I would do it all over again!
Stay classy.
Dude Sten’s Daylight is amazing! Cheers for posting such good stuff!
I’m glad people aren’t trashing Sten, its not downtempo or indie rock but a perfect sound IMO
im a spanish speaker sorry the english…
So, for me that list is so very poor, I founded amazing songs in the Iso50 blog, and this list not is the correct reference for the audio on the iso50 blog, anyway, what is the issue for made this list?
Again sorry the english i just trying.
Cheers!.
goLukas –
yeah the music isn’t for everyone but I think it does a good job of representing what i’ve posted in the past year.
I’m sure you probably like the downtempo kind of stuff i’m guessing?
Jakub//
exactly, Im on the downtempo side and things like that ha, well now I know what was represented in that list. And let me say that I got stuffs very incredibles from many of your music posts. mmm just that list jump a beat in my preferences about the music on the blog, but I know because.
Have a great christmas hollidays.
// sorry my english.
Portishead – 3
RandyPan –
It was in the honorable mentions, definitely a wonderful record
i dunno, i’m still not sold on that sten record. i love the bulk of his output as lawrence and sten, but this lp just isn’t doing it for me. methinks its on account of how many tracks are recycled from previous EPs…and the inclusion of ‘take me to the fridge.’ god i hate that song….
Thanks for sharing! Alot to investigate for me there, think i’ve only heard of one or two of those.
To repay you i’ve made a list of recent tracks for you that’s kept me somewhat sane through these first months of dark swedish winter:
(sorry i hope you don’t mind youtube, my fancy flashmusicplayer is in the shop :S)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YN2lsrWN34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGbbgT9E50k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSdeDJUxF-0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPciRpw3oCg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PplsMdeCg64
Merry X-mas!
those songs are absolutely terrible.
the title should be
‘top 10 songs to play while smashing your head against a cement wall’
Haha, I won’t get as down on you as the others. But its pretty messed up when your top 10 is filled with stuff that doesn’t appear on ANYONE else’s top 10’s ANYWHERE. Some good tunes though.
Is the goal to find good music? Or to be the hippest?
Man I WISH we were 17! Thanks!!!