LPs
1. The Bug – Pressure (Rephlex)
Head and shoulders above everything else in 2003. This is what got me excited. (courtesy Marcus @ Rephlex)2. V/a – Winston Riley Productions: Dancehall Techniques 1986-1991 (Maximum Pressure).
Excellent collection of early digi stuff. I need to get the other sets on this label badly!3. Four Tet – Rounds (Domino)
On a lot of people’s lists, this one. Chuffed to get this for my birthday. (courtesy of Giles)4. DJ Scud – Ambush! (Rephlex)
A great compilation of earlier stuff and therefore your way in as a novice. See also my DJ Scud Top Ten. (courtesy Marcus @ Rephlex)5. Wasteland – Amen Fire (Transparent)
I always seem to end up playing this back to back with the Four Tet LP – Scud and I-Sound work together on some atmospheric abstract tracks – great to seem the refusing to be constrained by the breakcore genre – this is really good listening music and has transformed some of my commutes this year. Another winner from Transparent. One to watch. (courtesy Jason Aphasic)6. Nocturnal Emissions – Collateral Salvage (Soleilmoon)
Wicked downbeat business which manages to successfully mix up breakbeats, indie jangly guitars, tablas, mbiras, you name it, without sounding like yer usual “worthy” world music. Exactly the sort of thing which should be on at the Big Chill festivals, in fact. I keep going back to this one. Lovely. (courtesy Nigel Noccie)7. Augustus Pablo – In Fine Style (Pressure Sounds)
Lovely reissue of impossibly rare 45s with ’nuff version excursion and 12″ mixes (courtesy Lisa)8. V/a – Godspunk (Pumf)
A great DIY release on an unerringly eccentric label. Loving the tracks from LDB – deadpan english whiteboy hip hop which isn’t trying to emulate anything else – i.e. it’s honest and not pretentious which is the whole point. Best title: “Ode To Some People That No Fucker Has Ever Heard Of”. Howl In The Typewriter come up trumps with some punky electronic harmonic supersonic biz. Also some droney stuff and UNIT in abrasive form (regrettably not the best from them as they readily admit). Great full colour packaging – support! (courtesy of Andy @ UNIT)
I don’t have the Rhythm & Sound/Burial Mix “With The Artists” album but the singles I have off it are excellent, so that goes in by default, despite being very much associated with 2002 in my mind.
So that’s not even 10. Mind you, I think the last time I actually bought 10 new albums a year was probably when I was a teenager. These days I’m lucky if I get the chance to listen to one album all the way through in one go. Those top ten lists that Matt does so well really freak me out because of the sheer volume of music they imply – I mean: 10 hours of music!
2003 reading to follow…