BEST REISSUE ALBUMS OF 2015

Fingers Inc. - Another Side 

House music was never this stylish. A house album which made out legendary “The Wire’s “100 Records That Set The World On Fire(while no one is listening)...You don’t know what I’m talking about ? Check out one of the their big hit “Mystery of Love”. 

Various Artists - Rastafari: The Dreads Enter Babylon, 1955-83

Reggae music is actually a spiritual music.At least it was until the late 80’s. This compilation has a very good track list. It’s a good introduction for “Nyahbinghi” style too. Count Ossie, Ras Michael, Ashanti Roy, Cedric Im Brooks are the master musicians of the spiritual & jazzy side of reggae. It’s very easy to hear the influence of American Free Jazz in many of the bands music in this compilation...

Amanaz - Africa

This album is from Zambia and recorded in 1975. Very great introduction to Afro-Funk/Afro-Rock, Amanaz is an amazing rock band. Think about Blue Cheer or Jimi Hendrix in a African band...Don’t miss it out...

Francis The Great - Ravissante Baby

Another very interesting Afro-Funk album, recorded in Paris 1977 by Cameroonians. Strange lyrics, unbeatable grooves makes this album a party classic.

Sun Ra and His Arkestra - To Those of Earth... and Other Worlds 

THis is a double album anthology. If you are not very familiar with this Space Jazz monsters, you should listen this...

Nuno Canavarro - Plux Quba

Very experimental, avant-garde electronic album from 80’s...Nuno Canavarro is from Portugal, he played in New Wave band in the early 80’s. And this is his first but also last album. Electro-acoustic master piece. Modern sounds that we still don’t hear very often.

Lizzy Mercier Descloux- Press Color

If you think Electro French Pop Punk sounds interesting, you’ll love Lizzy Mercier. Also considered as a Now Wave classic, Press Color is a must.

KMD - Black Bastards

Recorded back in the 90’s, it was never released because of its cover art, this album has an amazing sound and great example of fine hip-hop album from 90's..

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

John Coltrane’s masterpiece is here. This is probably  his most accessible Free Jazz album. A dream line-up with McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison. From the very beginning, Elvin Jones’s famous gong until the last minute. A true classic.

Arthur Russell - Corn

These songs are mostly Arthur Russel’s home recordings from 1982-83, he played almost all the instruments but also sings, this album features three other musicians.

Swans- White Light from the Mouth of Infinity 

This Swans’ album is from 90’s. It’s their melodic time. Heavy rock, heavy lyrics.

"Love will save you from the evil and the greed of ignorant men
And love will save you from the guilt you feel when you betray your only friend
Love will save you from yourself when you lose control
And love will save you from all the lies your lover ever told you
But it won't save me"

BEST ALBUMS OF 2014 (TOP 10)

I know it looks easy to make a best of album list but believe me it's not very easy. The problem is the albums I forgot. By the time I thought I sorted my favorite top 10 album, I realized I have 15 albums. Well, that's a problem. That's a first world problem that I have to deal with...

10 - Flying Lotus - You're Dead

10- St. Vincent - St. Vincent

 9-  Thurston  Moore - Best Days (tie)
       Sun Kill Moon- Benji (tie)

8 - Actress - Ghettoville

Ghettoville is electronic musician Darren Cunningham aka Actress's fourth album. This is definitely not a dance album,almost 70 minutes, there are only two songs that may make you wanna dance.Ghettoville has the darkness of ghettos,it's a cold album. You can feel the unfinished rain,it's like walking hours in the cold rain with wet clothes...It also reminds me the industrial music pioneers Einsturzende Neubauten and Throbbing Gristle. This album is a very good start for dark electronic music...

7- Neneh Cherry - Blank Project

A big beautiful surprise of the year came from Neneh Cherry. This is her first solo album after 18 years. Her last album was made in 1996 and called Man and it had a big called Woman... This album has very personal lyrics, and a very eclectic sound produced by electronic musician Four Tet...Watch the one of the best song's video from this album...Out of Black featuring Robyn...

6-  War On Drugs - Lost in Dreams

Third album by War on Drugs, Lost in Dreams brought them big success...It's the perfect American Rock music if there was such a thing...

5- Andy Stott - Faith in Strangers (tie)
    Swans - To be Kind (tie)

Andy Stott is to me one of the most important,exciting electronic musician of the last 5 years and Swans is for sure one of the best live act of the last 10 years... Two very strong albums in totally different sounds...

Andy Stott - Violence

Swans - A Little God In My Hands

4 - Dean Blunt - Black Metal

Dean Blunt is a weird musician and it looks like he is done with his band Hype Williams...His music is hard to describe.These are the perfect "unfinished psychedelic pop songs" if you only know what I mean...
Here one of my favorite video of the last year...

3- Aphex Twin - Syro

It's hard to write something about Richard James (aka Aphex Twin). His first album after 13 years(2001 Drukqs)... Just buy or download it.

2- Chet Faker - Built on Glass

An amazing debut from Australian musician Nicolas James Murphy (aka Chet Faker)... Fans of trip-hop, electronica did enjoy this album last year very well. If you haven't heard him, watch this live performance below...



1- Christian Löffler -Young Alaska(tie)   
    Panda Bear - Mr Noah (tie)

I have listened this two albums so many times since they've been released. In my opinion Christian Loffler's second album Young Alaska will be one of my favorite album for all times. It's a beautiful ambient album with almost unbelievable acoustic&earthy sound... And the wonderful thing about him, this is his only second album...

Even though it's just an EP, I had to choose Animal Collective's Panda Bear's(Noah Lennox) Mr. Noah the best release/album of the year. Only bad thing about Mr. Noah is, it has only 4 songs and only 17 short minutes...Modern rock music starts here...

BEST ALBUMS OF 2014 (PART II)

19- Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Pinata

One of the best hip hop album of 2014, a great collaboration between Madlib and  rapper Freddie Gibbs...

18- Damon Albarn- Everyday Robots

No doubt that Damon Albarn(leader of  Blur) is an interesting/important and a hard working musician. He has made 12 albums since Blur's last album 2013 but Everyday Robots is his first actual solo album. Great album with mix of reggae, soul& gospel , it's something Damon Albarn used always in his music in the past.

17 - Iceage-Plowing Into The Field of Love

This is the third album by Danish post-punk band Iceage and it's their best in my opinion.

16- Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks - Enter the Slasher House

Avey Tare is the first Animal Collective member who made a solo album in 2014.

15-Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2 

14- Caribou - Our Love

13-Moiré - Shelter

 This wonderful debut release of Moire comes form Actress' Werkdiscs...


 


12- Mac DeMarco- Salad Days

Second Canadian who made my list, Mac DeMarco's second album made him an indie rock star... Mac DeMarco really deserves the success because he is one of the best songwriter of his generation.

11-  Ariel Pink- Pom Pom (tie)

This is Ariel Pink's first solo album, and there are few songs written by Kim Fowley(legendary producer from 70's for  The Runaways)  for Ariel... And one of this songs was recorded by Azealia Banks...

11- Scott Walker + Sunn O))) - Soused (tie)

This is one of those albums I was dying to hear, because I think it is one of the best possible collaboration for two musicians/band... They both do creepy rock, please watch the music video...

BEST ALBUMS OF 2014 (PART 1)

I don't know about  you but I believe 2014 was an excellent year for music. Unfortunately I didn't see many live shows this year and missing Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds show at Orpheum was the biggest musical downer of the year...The highlights were that I saw Swans live again(third time in 5 years) for supporting their last album "To Be Kind" , and also the concert of Martin Rev of Suicide was  an unexpected  surprise of the year.
Here is the part 1 for the best albums of 2014.

32- Ben Frost- A U R O R A

After working with important musicians/bands like Colin Stetson and Swans, Ben Frost made this beautiful dark noise/ambient album. A must have for the curious and open minded music fans.

31- Black Milk - If There is Hell Below

 30- Peaking Lights - Cosmic Logic

Peaking Lights is a duo by life partners Aaron Coyes and Indra Dunis... I still think their debut was their best but this latest release is still very good. Much more catchy and upbeat...

29- Thee Oh Sees - The Drop

Who doesn't like psychedelic garage rock? And who does it better than Thee Oh Sees since 10 years?

28- Black Rain - Dark Pool

27- Bing & Ruth - Tomorrow Was The Golden Age

 

26-  Beck- Morning Phase

25- Leonard Cohen - Popular Problems

22- The Fresh &The Onlys - House of Sprits

21 - Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood - Juice

This is the fourth collaboration between the funky jazz trio and legend jazz guitarist John Scofield. It has numerous of covers, I love the Bob Dylan and Cream covers...

20- Frank & Tony - You Go Girl

After having many works together , this is actually first album of  Francis Harris and Anthony Collins. One of the best deep house album of the year... Highly recommended. My favorite song is
 "Bring the Sun" (feat. Gry Bagøien).