So....
Record label wise Butterz, NMBRS and Night Slugs have been the highlight of a very interesting year of genre blending music. Head over to their websites to find out what I'm banging on about.
Anyways my top 10+1 of 2010 was quite a simple task(not!), open up my Traktor and look at the songs with the highest play count, answer to this about 30 songs all released this year!......
In no particular order I give you my top 10 of 2010:-
Calypso-Round Table Knights
I first heard Annie Mac play this on her Radio 1 show, that carribean steel drum just hit me straight away!
The simplicity of this song is what keeps me interested! with it's layers of percussion coming in like minimal tech, a reverb ridden build up and those woah woah woah's half way through!
Air Miles-Swindle
This was hammered by the Butterz guys at the start of the year and it was my most anticipated release of the year!
It's actually classed as a 'grime' song, with a very different outlook on generic grime.
The intro with it's tribal percussion, and soft synths make way for the disgusting bass drop around 40 seconds in!
If U want me-Deadboy
Post dubstep, future garage, whatever you wan't to call it, this is a quality piece of music!
I love the vocal chops and the ever rising sliding synth line! Perfect droning hypnotic music for 2010.
Oo Aa Ee VIP-TRC
I was surprised when the Butterz guys decided to release this tune.
My first impression of this tune is that it's 'Bassline' music. BUT after hearing it in several of their mixes, live, on radio etc I now get their perception of the tune.
A simple but quality drum loop, some nice purple synth and that amazing bass drop make for a song that never gets boring!
Fatherless-Breach
This song takes on diffent genres and sounds to create something original.
This is another branch away from tree of normality, taking on generic house/dubstep/funky and mashing it into something crazy!
That pipe/flute sound reminds me of some crazy Indian snake charmer!
Kingdom-Mind Reader(L-Vis 1990 remix)
L-vis worked wonders with this song, amazing percussion sounds, vocal chops galore and that dirty bassline!
The build up half way through is absolute perfect, I love this song!
Night Hunter-Fis-T
This is another one of those songs that have been hammered on Rinse FM and I've had to wait months to get a hold of the track!
Finally Oneman set up his own label(502 Recordings) and released this song.
A throbbing bassline, a UK Funky beat and some weird scary vocal samples make for a overall sick tune!
Butterz-Quality Street
I'm gonna cheat here cause picking the best from the second release from the Butterz gang is toooo hard!
This E.P represents several new angles of instrumental grime, expect more like this in 2011!
Mad Sax-Guido
Bristol badman Guido takes sexual "The Bill" style sax, some purple synth and a nice chilled beat.
This is yet another angle of the genre blending we've come into this year!
AND Guido is one of the first guys to bring live instrumentation into a Dubstep DJ set.
The XX-Crystalizsed(Dark Sky remix)
The XX released their really distant album which leaves a massive space for us guys to remix the hell out of em!
This indie/dubstep/2-step crossover is beatuiful, Dark Sky brings vocal chops, house keys and a bouncy beat to give this song a new direction!
Myth-Roska & Untold
I had to include this but choosing 10 songs became quite a chore!
This colab between two of the funky/future house/bass music worlds finest is truly immense.
I love that nearly-a-French-accordion synth line, the percussive drop and that signature bass sound from Untold!
I couldn't decide on my favourite release from the Night Slugs gang, wether it be Mosca, Lil Silva, Jam City, Bok Bok etc... their all making amazing stuff so go out and buy their compilation CD, All Stars Vol 1 HERE
Although I don't completely agree with everything Martin is writing about, head over HERE for a more in depth look on this year.
Benjamin Adam Harris
LIVE SAX in guidos set is so sick! initially, i thought he was playing the original sample but on closer inspection saw the guy with the sax playing.
ReplyDeleteNeed to get some glasses....