20 Favourite Albums of 2010: Part II

It's the last day of 2010 and it's been one eventful year. I hope the musical offerings in Singapore get better and better, like it is now, and cheaper too! Go easy on my pocket, you know.

All the best to whoever's reading this and have a rockin' and awesome 2011.



The Morning Benders "Big Echo"


Toro Y Moi "Causers of This"


The National "High Violet"


Sufjan Stevens "The Age of Adz"


Spoon "Transference"


Pantha du Prince "Black Noise"


Delphic "Acolyte"


Delorean "Subiza"


Deerhunter "Halcyon Digest"


Broken Social Scene "Forgiveness Rock Record"


Drop a comment about what YOUR favourite albums are!

100 Favourite Tracks of 2010: Part X

"It's not their fault," she said, "if others love them for the wrong reasons."

"No, it's not their fault. And what are 'the wrong possible reasons'? I think you can love people for the wrongest possible reasons, I don't think that's got anything to do with it."

"But if you don't like people whose lives are exceptional, why do you want to hear about them?"

"Because those are the sort of stories I like best."

"Untrue ones?"

"No, interminable ones, if you like. Bottomless pits."

- Marguerite Duras' The Sailor from Gibraltar


Delorean - Grow
Somehow I felt a little of Friendly Fires' in the song. Nonetheless, they channel all their Basque-ness into this free spirited number that is as much a celebration as it is a journey of discovery. One might also be inclined to reply their question of "will you ever understand this decision i've made?" With Delorean, you can be assured of being in good hands, and just keep dancing under all that glitter and remind yourself you're on the beaches of Ibiza.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Menomena - INTIL
What a stunner. Immediately diving into a tender piano ballad, conveying vulnerability before smoothly graduating to sort of a soft post-rockish mood. The lines in the song "I never thought I'd lie" is abbreviated as the song title. Interesting huh.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Delphic - Remain
They revel in electronic spheres and this Mancunian trio slowly creep up on you with a soft balladic piece that works its way into your system with those keyboards, lulling vocals and pop magik.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Twin Sister - Lady Daydream (mp3)
By now, one should be acquainted with Twin Sister (having featured another of their song earlier). The dreamy atmosphere and ethereal vocals are to be expected. With seeming lassitude, the lyrics convey a certain sort of romanticism amidst the lushness, as Andrea sighs whimisically "if you can't find the sea, i'll take you there". I absolutely adore them.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean
Clocking in just under 9 minutes, just like many other lengthy songs in the album (i think it's bordering on insane), James Murphy slowly but not painstakingly (this man revels in his craft) builds layers upon layers in this song. An extended and almost repetitive intro that could have been a song unto it's own, I say almost because it has slight twists of lyrics that make it different in each verse. His easy speak-sing along with that regular tock totally doesn't prepare one for the ear-bliteration that occurs at 3:09. Here you see the legacy, of marrying new wave, 80s synths, electro-funk and what not artistically, that James has built.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

The New Pornographers - Crash Years
Catchy indie rock is definitely my cup of tea. A wonderful showcase of Neko Case's voice accompanied by fun whistling, uber poppiness and chugging chords.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - The Mighty Sparrow
Oh those intense riffs and whispery vocals. Blistering with tight hooks that similar punk rock bands might envy, these guys sure know how to dish out their rock - taut and ripping.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Glass Vaults - They Will Grow
Expansive ambient piece with haunting plaintive sounds and that extremely sporadic guitar strumming cutting that equanimity, sending ripples through the soundscape.
[bandcamp] [last.fm]

Robyn - Hang With Me
She does this synthpop thing with such finesse. Really catchy song, especially the beats and lyrics.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Drink drank drunk
They engage in a little fun, with reverby repetitive words, before waddling deep in the throes of miasmatic haze. Delicate utterances abound, I feel firmly ensconced within the wonders of shoegaze as I struggle with wisps of fond memories. Treat yourselves nicely and head over here for a free grab of the entire album, courtesy of the band themselves.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

well, this marks the end of the list of my favourite tracks for this year. it was tough omitting some because i didn't want some bands to be significantly more represented. so capping it at 2 was what i felt was best. i'd really like to hear some of yours in the comments or emails. watch out for my favourite albums coming your way soon! meanwhile, enjoy what's rest of the year and the list as well.

The Saturday Mix #37 - i'm obsessed with the mess that's america

Marina & the Diamonds - Hollywood
Fresh song and tongue in cheek on what Hollywood is in the eyes Marina Lambrini Diamandis. Sweeet stuff.

Marina & the Diamonds - Hollywood (Monarchy 'Gliese' Remix)

Miike Snow - Silvia (Hook N Sling & Goodwill Remix)
Silvia was always there for the picking. Glad to see more remixes on this fantastic dance ballad. Extended remix which is hell sleek. It plays up the tempo at right moments, inducing involuntary body movement; and down tempo at nice smooth chunks where you just wanna soak that beat in.

The xx - Basic Space (diskJokke Remix)
An injection of scratchy and out of this world beats make this one fine remix.

Delphic - Halcyon
More Delphic with rock infused electro this time round. I like this touch that veers off the track beaten out by their electronic music.

Delphic - Halcyon (L-Vis 1990 Remix)
This is threatening to make a riot out of my mind.

Massive Attack - Paradise Circus (Breakage's Tight Rope Remix)
I swear that Hope Sandoval's vocals can wipe armies in an instant. Captivating, murmur at times, sensual at others, but whatever it is, it's like a massive magnet.

The Saturday Mix #34

The Temper Trap - Fader
Third single of their album "Conditions", and riding on the success of Sweet Disposition and Science of Fear, I think they decided to release this. Personally, it's not bad, good rock stuff with pretty solid riffs, but nothing spectacular - the previous two were definitely better.

The Temper Trap - Fader (Adam Freeland Remix)
Nice electro twist to this song, but at certain points, it becomes a bit of an overkill.

Phoenix - Fences (Delphic Remix)
Danceable remix by Mancunians Delphic, but a tad too long don't you think? But I doubt that when you're high on booze (and maybe drugs), you'd really be nitpicking about the length of the song.

The Raveonettes - Last Dance (Kap10kurt Dream Mix)
Nice and groovvvvy. This remix is tight, and adds more bounce to an already bouncey track. There's a Sound of Arrows feel don't you think so? Collab please!

Delphic - Doubt (MXWL Remix)
Pretty decent dubstep remix, but not the rock-your-socks-and-clothes-off-and-I-need-to-get-moving-right-now kind.

Wolf Gang - The King and All His Men (Joe Goddard Remix)

Miike Snow - Silvia (Sinden Remix)
Wow, finally Silvia gets it's turn at a remix. From total electro-ballad to dance-floor dope.

The Saturday Mix #33 - on buses that move through the night

Delphic - Doubt (Riton Re-Rub)
Triple R treatment. Now this is one sick remix. It makes you move, like really move. Right off the bat, the ahh ahh eee eee ehh ehh's set the whole mood before plunging in some slow groove and suddenly it explodes around the minute mark. This is such an awesome remix of one of my favourite songs at the moment.

Au Revoir Simone - Sad Song (Pacific Remix)

MEN - Simultaneously
MEN is a Brooklyn-based band and art/performance collective that focuses on the energy of live performance and radical potential of dance music. Very interesting stuff they have.

MEN - Simultaneously (Lauren Flax Remix)
Long remix, but good.

Matthew Dear - Don & Sherri (Hot Chip Remix)

The xx - VCR (Matthew Dear Remix)
I love this! And I can't wait for The xx and Florence + the Machine to come, in about 2 weeks time. MUCH LOVE!

Au Revoir Simone - Another Likely Story (Neon Indian Remix)
Neon Indian's psychedelia is very present here.

you're sitting on the dock playing for an audience of one

Cold War Kids - Audience
Nice song! I like the whole slow rock thing.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Runaway
Run, run, run away
Lost, lost, lost my mind

This song is goooood. Love the keyboard backing the vocals, nice touch.

Delphic - Remain
This is a good change from their electro-dance stuff. Let me go so far as to call it an electronic ballad - the synths don't go overboard, it's subtly there in the background while James Cook's vocals take centre stage after an extended soft melodic intro. I really like it. Listen to this song if you have only have time for one song.

Hot Chip - Take It In
I feel you Hot Chip. This song while not like their hits Ready For The Floor or One Pure Thought, it shines in it's own understated way.

The Saturday Mix #31

We're well into the 9th day of the new year, and boy does the hype machine not stop. First up is obviously Vampire Weekend's new album "Contra".

Vampire Weekend - Cousins
Fun. Unadulterated fun. Uproarious unadulterated fun. I'm still stuck on the fact that I can't find any remixes (or good ones amongst the handful out there for that matter). So, we'll settle for a remix of a track from their fantastic debut album. But will they reuse those tricks that made "Vampire Weekend" such an awesome album? Looks like we'll know in 2 days time (but I heard it's available on iTunes. lazy to check though).

Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance (Miike Snow Remix)
Elements so familiar to all Miike Snow listeners are present in this remix, which might explain why the short synth intro sounded so familiar. I like this remix, well, not surprising. Anything with a good deep bass beat is generally good to me, the rest is how the remixer makes of it.

Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance (Chromeo Remix)
A Chromeo remix.

Delphic - Doubt (Joey Silver Remix)
Also hitting the racks on 11 Jan is Delphic's much hyped "Acolyte". Hype works two ways, they could "make it or break it". When hype builds, expectations increase. What if someone (esp those major reviewers) pan it, then does it all go to waste as the hype becomes backlash? But I've got much confidence in their debut album. With singles such as This Momentary, Counterpoint and Doubt already circulating for quite a while, "Acolyte" will certainly do well in my opinion. And I guess the hype stems from the fact that these tracks have been around for a while, and people totally dig it. Oh well. That's hype for you.

This is what Richard Boardman said: "The word backlash has more realness than the word hype for us. There’s a danger and there’s nothing we can do about it. We are just who we are. We’ve already written these songs and we’re still learning how to play some of them live so, to be hyped and then to be backlashed is just one of those crazy things that can happen, but hopefully we can just live up to it and be better." Also, Delphic came in third in BBC's Sound of 2010 list. In the very same list, Ellie Goulding came out tops. Hype indeed.

Yeasayer - O.N.E

Yeasayer - O.N.E (MMMathias Remix)
Well, I kinda like the song as a song. But as a remix of O.N.E, I'm lost. I can't hear the original at all!

Vitalic - Poison Lips (Captain Flash Remix)

The Saturday Mix #29

Monarchy - Gold in the Fire (Diamond Cut Remix)
Remember Monarchy from yesterday? Diamond Cut's here with a remix of Gold In The Fire. The remix has more depth, but less buzz. I think I like the original better; the deeper beats sort of take away the allure that his voice gives to the song.

Penguin Prison - A Funny Thing
Penguin Prison as a name, certainly makes you think twice about whether you want to take a listen or not - I mean Penguin Prison? BUT, nowadays there's all sorts of quirky, kooky, random names that you can't let the band name affect you. And it helps that there's been some hype surrounding this one man show. As with his previous single Animal Animal, his brand of electro-pop certainly gets you moving.

another day has come and gone/i feel the same/i can't be wrong

Penguin Prison - A Funny Thing (Monarchy Remix)
And now, we have a Monarchy remix on the above song. Pretty interesting outcome, hear that distinct but not overtly overwhelming beat in the background? (some remixes turn on the beat so deep and intense such that it totally drowns out the original) Kinda nice - sounds like the electronic.

Delphic - This Momentary (ALGERONICS Remix)
This is a not bad remix, but I had to settle for this cos I couldn't find the one I wanted. Still, quite a decent mix by ALGERONICS. Very trance-ish.

Thieves Like Us - Drugs In My Body (Designer Drugs Remix)
I bet it's no coincidence they decided to remix this song. I mean Drugs in the song title, and Drugs in their name? HAHA! The original was way trippy if you've heard it (or if you haven't, click the Thieves Like Us label at the end of this post and you can prolly find it in one of the posts), and this remix is uber sleek. It's like taking ecstacy on the first song, and the remix is taking ecstacy plus weed. It's not overwhelming, it's bass-y, in one word - DOPE (pun intended, totally).

Mayer Hawthorne - Green Eyed Love
The video is really really funny, and his voice is cute/pitchy/wtf? I mean how can he keep it that way for the entire song?! Unless he sounds like that normally which I doubt so.

Mayer Hawthorne - Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix)


Note: Vote for best album of 2009 here.

chance and sow, nothing changing

Delphic - Doubt
Remember Delphic? Yes, and they are back. More epic, more intense, more futuristic. As the lyrics come spilling out, an intense gaze burns into your soul, as if etching the lyrics into you. Bullets, bubbles, crystalline shapes and whatnot, slithering over taut beautiful bodies, the various "metallic lifeforms" vibrating to the wicked beat. One is almost reminded of Michael Jackson's metallic glove as the bullet like objects cover one woman's hand. This is definitely gonna be an uber dance floor anthem, taking us humans by storm. The monotone and expressionless faces adds to the allure, and everything culminates in the explosion of these things flying off the bodies.

Missing the life gone by that I have lost/I'm missing the better times that I had lost

The Antlers - Kettering
A brilliant song about a guy who's hired to look after this patient in a hospital, it is littered with vivid descriptions - which evokes desolation right to the very bone. The video is just a collation of photos. But that's where I'm wrong. It is not JUST a collation of photos, but a very elegant and masterful one. A lot of thought must have been put into choosing the photos (the person who uploaded the video is not the person who took the photos). That said, most of the credit must be given to the photographer for the beautiful photos. The song and video doesn't just tug at your heart strings, it resonates deep within your soul, making you wonder how and what could have sparked such loneliness, devoid of hope as the songs tails off with "and i didn't believe them when they told me that there was no saving you."

Sia - You've Changed
Here's some dance from Sia. Not the usual goods from her, but fresh and dancey. It's free too! Click here.

Grizzly Bear - Cheerleader
Damn it, I always have this problem, the last few songs don't get any write up at all cos i always get lazy. It's definitely not because the song isn't good or what, i'm just LAZY. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

they'll laugh as they watch us fall

I cannot take it anymore, gotta start talking about music and more music, withdrawal syndrome was already setting in.

The Raveonettes - Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)
It's a pretty funky pop song laced with dark humour.

Muse - Unnatural Selection
The crests and troughs of this song, is typical Muse. Spells epic when heard live. Don't look back.

Delphic - This Momentary
Got this in my inbox, suggesting a listen on their stuff. Well done, it's totally awesome, pretty lo-fi combined with the pretty ethereal voice of James, not forgetting the wicked synths. It totally hooks you in. More on them: This 4 piece hailing from Manchester is definitely one to look out for, even featuring in Kitsuné Maison Compilation 8. They are Dan Hadley (drums), James Cook (vocals), Matt Cocksedge (guitar) and Richard Boardman (synths). Their debut album - Acolyte - is slated for released on 11th January 2010. By the way, kitschy video.

Delphic - Counterpoint
Late at night/I'll run through the streets and empty corridors/I'll find my counterpoint/inside a red room locked behind a door/Behind a door.

With such fantastic promo videos and superb singles, it's no wonder they are drumming up so much interest and certainly look promising to me.

When Saints Go Machine - Fail Forever