Yes. This is to shine a little light on some of the tracks that made my 2009 such a delightful 365 days. I would like to admit to all pedants that in all likelihood, these tracks were not released this year, but their effect and presence in discoteques, bedrooms, afters and walkmans this year has been undeniable. You can download my assemblage of these tracks following the link at the bottom of the post.
Delorean: 'Big Dipper'
This is an honest-to-goodness collage of the finer points of electronic music and a great deal of musical can-do, polished by a pop production that makes this record fit into almost any circumstance. I like to imagine the boys surfing around the bay of Biscay with small hats on like a latter-day version of the Banana Bunch when this comes on the player.
Crystal Fighters: 'Xtatic Truth' (Renaissance Man Remix)
Strangely the Basques get another look in here. The infectious loop of the much-whooped txalaparta is spun around hypnotically for an eternity by the Renaissance Man duo before the Spanlish vocal comes in, which at once makes one feel at one with everyone whilst urging us to get by as individuals. It's quite Thatcherite but has nevertheless struck a chord with me.
Radioclit: 'Divine Gosa' (Switch Remix)
This record is good for for reasons than even I care to think about. It is at once frantic and charged but retains an organic house backdrop. The rearrangements of Switch cannot be overlooked, proving that if you have a boss name like he does, it is impossible to tire of hearing it before drops.
Idiotproof: 'Gorilla'
Continuing the theme of this fidget mission that seems to be the hot sound of the time, for the minute anyway, a 12” dancefloor fertilizer-based explosive on the hard-not-to-dig Made To Play label. I could have picked any tune from that stable for inclusion in the Top Ten but this one slides in as it is particularly effervescent.
L-Vis 1990: 'Mr Wobble'
This man has control of everything and this EP was a joy to discover. Rarely does a record separate itself so easily from all the other latest releases in the record shop, but I was gobsmacked by this collection of barnstorming experiments in bass and time.
Top Billin: 'In The Ass'
Not many people will remember the Outhere Brothers' first single from which this x-rated Baltimore crossover joint got its hook. Top Billin, however, may yet achieve a level of success of the lasting kind, as he put out gems like this on his way to remix for bigger and brighter acts than any Finn has before.
Jean Nipon: 'Lost In Music'
This thing is complete anarchy. A twat to mix with, as it takes ideas of 16 bars and takes the piss out of them incessantly, the incomprehensible vocal stabs and Chicago-hell sour bass drop makes it worth it every time.
Jayou: 'Zub'
This is an illustration of the ridiculous potential of dubstep. Starting as a sped up version of nineties French house, it releases into a sick bass onslaught that wouldn't be out of place at a Norweigan church-burning black metal orgy.
Unknown: 'Cunt Trax 1' (Instrumental)
I have to admire this record on the principle of two aspects. Every track involves some cockney gangster film rip wittering on at someone about being a cunt, which is either self-referentially brilliant or predictably daft. Either way, I prefer without. This is both minimally ambient and an industrial-strength dub-step bomb that can only be fully appreciated by a crowd of drunk and high Sònar backpackers. Or the Scots.
Limonious 'Swedish Pommak'
A complete screwball to round off the pack. When you thought you knew where everything was headed, the Scandanavians, who have been laying in the cut for a minute scheming on something dastardly, come out with a sweet serving of cult beats, at a tempo no-one was thinking about, rocking rhythms that only five people are capable of inventing and about 40 more are interested in, for now. But there's some milage in this mayhem.
