Best Of 2018
Records
David Byrne - American Utopia [Nonesuch Records INC.]
It seems to have become an end of year tradition to bemoan the previous twelve months. Some called 2017 ‘the worst year ever’ and poor old 2018 bore the weight of the ill-will of its predecessor. But thankfully, as ever, David Byrne swam against the tide of these negative sentiments with the release of American Utopia in March.
The album is about being optimistic, thoughtful and mature in reaction to all the otherwise depressing news that might be going on in the world. At the beginning of the year, Byrne was even hosting lectures entitled ‘Reasons to be Cheerful’.
Over the past 41 years of his musical career and his many projects, the Talking Heads front man has always maintained an ability to musically make social comment without ever sacrificing his quirky, upbeat or whimsical side.
Indeed, the album was accompanied by an eponymous world tour which seemed to be the last piece of the puzzle. Ultimately, on stage, American Utopia was complete as a spectacle that was, above all, joyful.
Curtis Harding – Where We Are [Anti Records]
Curtis Harding has wowed consistently since we were introduced to him back in 2017. Whether it’s his effortlessly preened afro, or smoking cigarettes on album covers, there’s something undeniably old school about this thirty-something funk & soul musician from Atlanta. His music is no different. With vocals that resonate somewhere between a tint of Curtis Mayfield and a tinge of Isaac Hayes, it’s fair to say he had us at hello. His latest release, ‘Where We Are’ is a stirring, string infused future-funk masterpiece. A deep and guttural intensity erupts out of the ripping vocals and cinematic instrumental compositions as Harding cries out “cus it don’t matter where we are”. This is a wonderful single by a talented musician keeping the funk & soul tradition on the tracks. Face Your Fear, his latest studio album is definitely worth a crack too.
Phenomenal Handclap Band - Judge Not (Ray Mang Special Mix) [Toy Tonics]
Another brilliant record to add to Ray Mang’s arsenal, the Special Mix of ‘Jude Not’ by New York psychedelic soul band, Phenomenal Handclap Band, is a timeless disco classic. There is so much to love about this particularly potent rework, with Mang lacing the band’s breezy, gospel-influenced vocals and killer pianos solos over a lolloping West Coast disco groove.
Nils Frahm - All Melody [Erased Tapes]
Released at the beginning of the year and a definite highlight from 2018 is Nils Frahm’s seventh studio album, All Melody, released on Erased Tapes. For two years the German musician, composer and record producer had been building a new studio at Funkhaus Berlin, the former GDR broadcast centre turned into a multipurpose cultural space, to make the album which is arguably his best work to date. It’s hard to pigeon hole All Melody, it’s not a classical album, it’s not a techno album nor an ambient album but in moments resembles all three.
Jungle By Night - Livingstone [New Dawn]
Much has been made of South London’s jazz resurgence in recent years; but Jungle By Night have clearly shown that the movement is firmly being carried across the continent in their native Amsterdam. The nine-piece tour-de-force fusing Afrobeat, Krautrock and Jazz have garnered high praise from Gilles Peterson and Tony Allen, supported The Roots, and now released their fifth album Livingstone after nine years together. Standouts come in the fluid ‘Hangmat’, bouncy ‘Pompette’ and enigmatic ‘Stormvogel’ - this a quite brilliant long play packed full of fire throughout. Major props also to Rush Hour’s finest Antal Heitlager for only the third release on RH’s sister label, New Dawn – effortlessly fusing the boundaries once again.
Kalidasa - The Mirage [Kinfolk]
Working with labels Tusk Wax, Magic Feet and World Unknown in the past Tim Rivers aka Kalidasa is part of that niche in electronic music who are dedicated to concocting some of the trippiest brew this side of the M11. His latest release ‘The Mirage’ on Kinfolk continues in the same mystic, Balearic, acid vein and there’s an incredible remix by Soft Rocks in there too - it’s a real special EP.
Buy: Digital
Skinshape - Filoxiny [Lewis Recordings]
Since ex-Palace bassist William Dorey was a student he has quietly been concocting rich, psychedelic rock records. What started off as Dorey experimenting, recording drum break samples having been inspired by the feel of ‘60s production, has shaped into the musical project we know now as Skinshape. Filoxiny is the fourth Skinshape LP and in our interview with Dorey a few weeks after its release in November he said, “Filoxiny is more about cinematic sounds and textures. I’ve always loved film music, and this is sort of like my attempt at a soundtrack.” Dorey has carved out a distinctive sound that is consistently rewarding for the ears.
Phil France - Circle [Gondwana]
Originally from West Yorkshire, but now a resident in Manchester, composer, bassist and producer Phil France is probably best known as a key collaborator alongside Jason Swinscoe in The Cinematic Orchestra, where he co-wrote, arranged and produced on classic albums including Everyday, Man With The Movie Camera, Ma Fleur and also the triple award winning soundtrack for The Crimson Wing nature documentary. In 2013 France released his debut solo album, The Swimmer, an emotive, epic record influenced by the great second wave of film composers including John Carpenter and Vangelis, as well as minimalist composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass.
Five years on and France delivered the follow up, the enigmatically titled, Circle, which again represents a very personal journey for the artist. For France the album is an extension of work he began on The Swimmer. A process he has described as: “ blocks of sound containing intricate minimal arpeggiated patterns and electronic textures that develop and shift in subtle, original and melodic ways". The trancelike quality, mood and electronic character of title track ‘Circle’ led France to think of the circular patterns which eventually became a potent concept for the album. “Ideas and fashions repeat themselves in cycles. Events are said to travel ‘full circle’ and this is important to me because it represents my own recent personal and musical journey after 15 years touring as bassist and composer with The Cinematic Orchestra. I consider circles to be a strong symbol of unity, strength and inclusiveness and ultimately I’ve aspired to make something beautiful with those values at its heart”.
BEGIN - 01 [Love International Recordings]
Croatia’s much-loved Love International festival launched their label this year with a brilliant, sun-kissed record from James Holroyd aka, Begin. From daybreak funk and balearic guitar to piano house and neo-soul, the EP encapsulates the range of music that Love International has become renowned for.
Still Corners - Slow Air [Wrecking Light]
The fourth album and perhaps their best yet from Still Corners. New York based duo, Greg Hughes and Tessa Murray, aka Still Corners, released another dreamlike journey destined for the clouds. Ethereal vocals, resounding synths and symphonic strumming make up the album- all typical elements that we’ve come to love about Still Corners.
Michael James - Winds Of Change [Constant Sound]
The year of the minimal? Certainly, sounded like that in a lot of clubs and festivals up and down the UK last year. One of the guys leading the charge is Michael James who released his LP Winds of Change on Constant Black, the offshoot of Constant Sound, in May earlier this year. James made his debut on UK based label Roots For Bloom in 2013, but after three quick fire releases on Constant Black last year he’s on the scene in a big way serving up ‘Winds Of Change’ which is a seven-track double-pack of bass heavy minimal awaiting tech heads up and down the country. Expecting big things from this guy in the year to come, he’s got a really tasty new EP coming out on Hoarder in January as well as another being released on Constant Black in early February.
Buy: Vinyl
Christian Jay - Reform [NorthSouth]
Returning to NorthSouth Records after his previous release with Bilal, minimal-house maestro Christian Jay returned to the flourishing label with more of his bass heavy house on its fourth instalment. ‘Reform’ is a great production, pretty stripped back with a garage kick. With four great releases in 2018 on the likes of Idle Hands, Butter Side Up and NorthSouth, we’re looking forward to more good things from the Berliner in 2019.
Buy: Vinyl
2018 has been another good year for music and it’s worth pointing out some other noteworthy highlights. The Horizon Just Landed by Damien Jurado is a pleasantly understated and intricately crafted indie-folk album released on Secretly Canadian, one of the most exciting independent labels operating out of the US today. Jorja Smith’s Lost & Found is a gorgeous, sun-soaked record that launches us into the golden R&B slipstream of the mid 90’s and early noughties. That it landed - relatively inconspicuously - just in time for the seemingly endless heatwave this summer was most fortunate. No British female vocalist has garnered as much critical praise since Amy Winehouse or Adele. Another talented young London lass certainly going places.
Labels
Berceuse Heroique
It was a typically industrious year for Berceuse Heroique. The London based label continued to put out records from the lightest end of disco edits to the heavier side of industrial, techno and ambient tracks. Crucially, the imprint never settle, the tracks they release are consistently abstract and unexpected, and 2018 has been as good a year as any.
Highlights of the year came in the form of Mori-Ra’s return to the Brasserie Heroique Edits series, a wild, upbeat disco romp to shake off the winter blues, Black Merlin’s chugging, relentless six track EP ‘Void’ and the superb ‘Beneath Two Moons’ from Hodge.
Let’s hope 2019 brings more of the same.
Naïve
Founded in Lisbon only last year, 2018 was quite a year for Naïve with three killer releases. Label head Violet’s split EP alongside Bleid was a rhythmic scuffed delight, whilst debutant Almaty’s skiddy ‘Gennaro’ played to the heavier crowd. But a shoe in for any track of the year list came on the ‘Devotion’ EP, with Eris Drew’s ‘Hold Me (T4T Embrace Mix)’ flying Naïve’s flag to the absolute finest. Octo Octa is fast becoming a stalwart name mixing breakbeat with a love of deep-house and her ‘Beam Me Up (Please Take Me Away Mix)’ was pure delight on the split EP, but, given this was only Drew’s first release then you can only marvel. With Violet’s continued championing of ground-breaking talent of the highest calibre, we can’t wait to see what else is in store.
Gondwana Records
Ten years in and Manchester based independent label, Gondwana Records, is going stronger than ever. To mark the milestone year they took over the Roundhouse in London for an all-day, all-night event showcasing an array of their artists, old and new, including some of their most celebrated artists such as Portico Quartet, Phil France, Mammal Hands and label head Matthew Halsall- a landmark event for the indie label. Releases wise, Gondwana has had another impressive year with debut albums from rising stars Allysha Joy and Caoilfhionn Rose and a stunning debut EP from Sunda Arc as well as strong follow up releases from Phil France, Portico Quartet, Mammal Hands, The Gondwana Orchestra featuring Dwight Trible and also re-released STUFF.‘s killer second album.
Founded by Halsall to shine a light on talent he heard in the local clubs, Gondwana has now grown into a truly international record label with offices in Berlin, London and Manchester and working with artists from America, Australia, Belgium, England and Poland. 2019 is shaping up nicely with new releases by hania rani, Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet, Noya Rao and Sunda Arc already announced.