~~~ FAVE 2011s ~~~

what an amazing year for music. based on the last couple years i feel like 2012 is going to be incredibly special :+)

***

top 25 recs of 

2k!! MMXI 2011

(in no particular order)

united waters – your first ever river

i haven't been moved so much by an artist in this style since i first heard the glow part 2

if you haven't heard this, cop it, get lit, throw on some headphones, and repeat

araabmuzik – electronic dream

timely as hell

when this is on there's no question we're taking the first deep breaths of this new century

asap rocky – liveloveA$AP

i know it's early i know it's contentious but this shit to me sounds like hip-hop hall of fame type shit

most exciting voice in rap realllllly tho

plus ferg comes thru w the goofball verse of the decade 

tim hecker – ravedeath, 1972

wow. woah. so gorgeous. so lush and depressing.

sleep ∞ over – forever

beautiful and powerful music

really detailed too-- grew on me so much over the year

sleeper pop classic

terius nash – 1977

this record also grew on me immensely

on first listen i was like, ok, ya

now i can't stop listening -- the first five or six songs in sequence are absolutely killer

call back the giants – the risisng

absolutely the weirdest most spaced out shit of 20!!

'wrong at any speed' but so beautiful and wild

wolves in the throne room – celestial lineage

heavy as fuck and totally gorgeous

spaceghostpurrp – blackland radio 66.6 (1991)

yesssssssssssssssss

and everthing else this dude did this year huge year

this guy is WEIRD and toooooo trill

most anticipated 2012 dude for sure

holy other – with u

so sad so stark so special

cannot wait for new music from this man

diddy dirty money – last train to paris

wait, what? puffy did what? 

most eclectic pop award

julia holter – tragedy

i don't remember a record that struck me as this straight up cinematic (since fantomas' delerium cordia)

beautiful, insane, aggressive but also hell of tender moments

light asylum – in tension

so thrilled this finally got released!!!

powerful anthems from an unmistakably powerful sprirt

pure X – pleasure

the most melancholic and sweet record of the year

absolutely love this boy's voice so innocent so spiritual

locrian – the clearing

dark spaces, sombre tones, sonic voyages

heart rending explorations of patience and anger

oj da juiceman – culinary art school 2

luger blastoff shit + oj's RIDICULOUS metaphors and ad libs = fuck w this

nguzunguzu – the perfect lullaby

this and their 'timesup' ep make for the best party zone of 2011

shabazz palaces – black up

these dudes are the best live act out right now period so sick

probably the most experimental record on this list
i think one of the most important rap records of all time

oneohtrix point never – replica

stoned and strange but somehow totally familiar

beautiful moments, funny moments, so much to chew on

pete swanson – man with potential

like aliens struggling to explain ibiza

torched darude + yellow swans

fatima al qadiri – genre-specific xperience

bizarro club zones 

eery as fuck high fashion robot hyphy

real estate – days

one of the best sounding records ever

such a deep and pleasant trip

soulja boy – juice

HIGH RIGHT LOW LEFT 

i put this shit on and get my lean w/ a smile on

s beezy = one of our great living weirdos he's always doing deandre and nothing else

burzum – fallen

unrelentingly heavy and angry sounds from another one of our great living weirdos
def would NOT want to hang w this guy, but i think i will listen to everything he ever puts out

prurient – bermuda drain

this + the 'time's arrow' ep = MAN OF THE YEAR

heavy horrifying and lovely sometimes all at once?

there were, of course, 100s of killer recs this year. also peep EXCELLENT AMAZING ETC. records from dj rashad, grouper, balam acab, burial, surachai, clams casino, mr. muthafuckin exquire, elite gymnastics, mitochondrian, machinedrum, colin stetson, pictureplane, etc. also, without a doubt, best of the year contenders!!!

<3 u
<3 new htdw end of winter <3