FundamentallySound Blog

These are the 9 albums released this year that I've been listening to a lot. There were so many albums I learned about but that were released long ago, new only to me, I guess that doesn't count. I would have done 10, but I have to leave in a few minutes and don't have time to find the 10th. Besides, there's nothing magical about the number 10. Nine works just as well.

Swayzak - Loops From the Bergerie
I only learned about this CD a couple of weeks ago when I saw their debut live show in America at Rickshaw Stop. I just can't say no to minimal dub with glitchy vocals.

Alvin Curran / Domenico Sciajno - Our Ur
I learned a lot about an intuitive sense of beauty in music from studying with Alvin, and I'm so happy to see him bringing his sense of humor and sense of beauty to more electronic music. The liner notes to this release have to be seen to be believed. I learned how to use the word beautiful in an un-self-conscious manner from him, for which I am deeply indebted.

Sagan - Unseen Forces
It's a DVD featuring the fancy digital video footwork of Ryan Junell along with pals Blevin Blectum, Jon Leidecker, and Jay Lesser.

Flossin - Lead Singer
A trio of joyous noisemakers, this album is great fun at high volumes.

Anne Laplantine and Momus - Summerisle
I just find this to be an amazing album all around, an incredible release that embraces noise, folk, and hardcore computer wizardry. I think it could be considered groundbreaking at some point in the future, if there's any justice.

Rock's Role (After Ryoanji)
Recording of gallery show in New York of composers Bernhard Gal, Maggi Payne, Masahiko Sunami, and many others. I love to just have it on while I'm working around the house.

Blevin Blectum - Magic Maple
Picking up where her last CD left off and quickly taking us to new magical places, she has developed such a unique and entrancing sound.

Soft Pink Truth - Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want The Soft Pink Truth?
Minimal dub/techno/glitch covers of some wonderfully obscure gems done in a pure Soft Pink style. He could do Soft Pink covers of reading the phonebook and I'd probably enjoy it.

Joanna Newsom - The Milk Eyed Mender
Beautiful and soothing harpist with a very eccentric vocal style. This strikes me as the most "American" sounding CD of any that I've listed, it's kind of a collection of cowboy/cowgirl songs for a new century.