I'm posting this because I believe some members would like their love for avant-garde, hip hop, metal, electronica, folk/Americana, jazz, etc., to have a larger showcase in the year-end lists. My idea is that you can post a Top (Whatever) List, keeping it to the genre at hand. You would make a new thread, here in this forum, and enlist others' lists. Someone (even including me) could compile them. Of course, you have to have enough lists to make it worthwhile, but if you think it's a good idea, get started now.

These lists won't get published on Metacritic proper, but we can leave them in here or move them to each forum, if necessary and possible (at least the results).

that's an interesting topic. I'll probably make a top 10 electronica around mid-january.

I will make a folk top ten list in the next week or so (hopefully)...

I'll have a folk AND electronica list. I WIN. Ahahahahahaha!!!!!

Hey, it's still early, but the earlier you post those suckas, the more we can make this a reality.

I'll make a hip hop and an electronica list, I may even put in a third genre, but I'm not sure.

I'm actually listening for the first time to an electronic album that has a good chance of making my list. I should have my folk list done in the next couple days and my electronica one done by the weekend.

i'll do noise-rock/avant-garde list ! maybe through it a metal list as well .. WOO

Good job! I'm sorry I didn't post this a few days ago when I thought of it, but you how life intervenes.

Great idea mark. I’ll probably do some like for Indie-Rock or others, you know, to show off my “bland” tastes.

can someone make a top 10 ambient record list?

hmmmboolah hmmmboolah hmmmbooloo hmmboolah

quote:

Originally posted by Santa is Tweedy:
can someone make a top 10 ambient record list?

I listen to as much ambient as anyone on this board, so I'll give it a shot. Thing is, I probably didn't listen to more than 10 new ambient albums this year (I just couldn't stop listening to Fennesz long enought to pick up a lot of new stuff). Let me go back and think about it for a while.

Electronica List

1 - Justice - Cross
I was skeptical of this record at first, but it deserves the acclaim it's received. The only misstep--and the only thing keeping it from my regular-list top-10--is the atrocious song "The Party." I'm a huge fan of some of the staticy noise bursts utilized in several of the songs.

2 - Stendeck – Faces
This album really blew me away the first time I heard it. It's fallen a bit on my list since then, but it's still a magical album of cold, ethereal, electronic wizardry.

3 - M83 – Digital Shades Vol. 1
Given the prominence of M83, I'm surprised this one hasn't received more attention. It's an ambient album, but not a particularly minimalist one, which is fortunate. I never grow bored listening to it as I do with most ambient stuff. It's beauty distilled.

4 - Familjen – Det Snurrar I Min Skalle
Killer Swedish dance music. It suffers a bit from inconstency but has some fantastic high points. Most of the songs have vocals.

5 - Black Moth Super Rainbow – Dandelion Gum
Early on I thought this was one of the best albums of the year, and while it's since lost some of its luster, I think it's still a lot of fun. More than anything I just like the sound of this album. The electronically distorted vocals and synths they use throughout the record are fantastic and carry the songs even when the songwriting is less than spectacular.

6 - Future Conditional - We Don't Just Disappear

Like the Notwist, but without organic instruments, Future Conditional create electronic pop music that enthralls even as it creates a laid-back yet solemn, mood. I haven't listened to this one in a while, and it probably should be higher, perhaps a lot higher, on my list.

7 - Port-Royal - Afraid to Dance
Another album that could loosely be described as ambient. There are several songs with beats, however, and even one or two with some faint vocals. They strike a great balance between ambient and dance on this record.

8 - Popnoname - The White Album
Another great dance album, though not one that you'd call a party album. Most of the songs feature vocals, and the best songs are dominated by simple but undeniably catchy repetitive rhythmic melodies.

9 - Gui Boratto - Chromophobia
Another album that piqued my interest immediately, Chromophobia displays an abstract aspect yet maintains its immediacy through its catchy beats and synths, never veering into the avant-garde netherlands inhabited by the likes of Fennesz and Keith Fullerton Whitman.

10 - Pantha du Prince - This Bliss
At well over 70 minutes, it's overly long, but its elastic beats and dark atmospherics have great appeal.


I'm tempted to separate entirely my electronic and regular lists as they inhabit such separate spheres. I feel like I underrate electronic stuff on my year-end list, but I have trouble justifying separating non-electronic albums that I see as being so identical in quality. Anyways, I'm glad we have these genre lists so I can give my favorite electronic albums their due.

Count me in for Estonian a capella.

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
Electronica List

1 - Justice - Cross
I was skeptical of this record at first, but it deserves the acclaim it's received. The only misstep--and the only thing keeping it from my regular-list top-10--is the atrocious song "The Party." I'm a huge fan of some of the staticy noise bursts utilized in several of the songs.

2 - Stendeck – Faces
This album really blew me away the first time I heard it. It's fallen a bit on my list since then, but it's still a magical album of cold, ethereal, electronic wizardry.

3 - M83 – Digital Shades Vol. 1
Given the prominence of M83, I'm surprised this one hasn't received more attention. It's an ambient album, but not a particularly minimalist one, which is fortunate. I never grow bored listening to it as I do with most ambient stuff. It's beauty distilled.

4 - Familjen – Det Snurrar I Min Skalle
Killer Swedish dance music. It suffers a bit from inconstency but has some fantastic high points. Most of the songs have vocals.

5 - Black Moth Super Rainbow – Dandelion Gum
Early on I thought this was one of the best albums of the year, and while it's since lost some of its luster, I think it's still a lot of fun. More than anything I just like the sound of this album. The electronically distorted vocals and synths they use throughout the record are fantastic and carry the songs even when the songwriting is less than spectacular.

6 - Future Conditional - We Don't Just Disappear

Like the Notwist, but without organic instruments, Future Conditional create electronic pop music that enthralls even as it creates a laid-back yet solemn, mood. I haven't listened to this one in a while, and it probably should be higher, perhaps a lot higher, on my list.

7 - Port-Royal - Afraid to Dance
Another album that could loosely be described as ambient. There are several songs with beats, however, and even one or two with some faint vocals. They strike a great balance between ambient and dance on this record.

8 - Popnoname - The White Album
Another great dance album, though not one that you'd call a party album. Most of the songs feature vocals, and the best songs are dominated by simple but undeniably catchy repetitive rhythmic melodies.

9 - Gui Boratto - Chromophobia
Another album that piqued my interest immediately, Chromophobia displays an abstract aspect yet maintains its immediacy through its catchy beats and synths, never veering into the avant-garde netherlands inhabited by the likes of Fennesz and Keith Fullerton Whitman.

10 - Pantha du Prince - This Bliss
At well over 70 minutes, it's overly long, but its elastic beats and dark atmospherics have great appeal.

I have and like both the Future Conditional and Gui Boratto albums. I've heard tracks from the Stendeck disc but don't own it (yet). I'm going to check the myspaces on the artists I haven't heard of. Cool list.

Might have my surf instrumental list finished next week. Not as many new surf releases this year as I would have wanted. Many of my favorite artists were missing in (recorded) action.

Best of 2007 Ambient:

1. Hannu - Worms In My Piano
2. Stars Of The Lid - And Their Refinement Of The Decline
3. Fennesz/Sakamoto - Cendre
4. Eluvium - Copia
5. M83 - Digital Shades Vol. 3

Best of 2007 folk/Americana list (I might add blurbs on each album later):

1. Breathe Owl Breathe - "Canadian Shield"

2. Peter and the Wolf - "The Ivori Palms"

3. Samamidon - "All Is Well"

4. Bowerbirds - "Hymns for a Dark Horse"

5. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"

6. The Avett Brothers - "Emotionalism"

7. Bill Callahan - "Woke on a Whaleheart"

8. Magnolia Electric Co. - "Sojourner"

9. Great Lake Swimmers - "Oniagra"

10. Begushkin - "Nightly Things"

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome the Red Nosed Reindeer:
Best of 2007 folk/Americana list (I might add blurbs on each album later):

1. Breathe Owl Breathe - "Canadian Shield"

2. Peter and the Wolf - "The Ivori Palms"

3. Samamidon - "All Is Well"

4. Bowerbirds - "Hymns for a Dark Horse"

5. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"

6. The Avett Brothers - "Emotionalism"

7. Bill Callahan - "Woke on a Whaleheart"

8. Magnolia Electric Co. - "Sojourner"

9. Great Lake Swimmers - "Oniagra"

10. Begushkin - "Nightly Things"

No Josh Ritter???

i dunno that i'd count josh ritter's new album as folk/americana myself. though i don't exactly know what i'd call it.

some interesting lists here and some things i haven't heard that I know gotta try and track down before i make my final list..