ario's digital detritus - my top 10 albums of 2004

I love going through this annual ritual, reflecting on what I listened to the most, what affected me deeply, and in general just kicked my ass. This truly was a banner year for music, so it was tough whittling it down to just 10.

As a little disclaimer, my lists are by no means judged on any other merit other than what moved me this year (sorry Arcade Fire and Franz Ferdinand). I'm sure there are more critically acclaimed albums missing here, but that's not an attribute on my measuring stick. So without further adieu...

01. mono - walking cloud and deep red sky, flag fluttered and the sun shined



No big surprise here... I've been talking about them non-stop since last year. Even though I listed this album as #1... I actually didn't listen to it all that much. Some parts of the record make my head feel like it's going to explode and I like to spread those moments out over a long period of time. The slow build of tension they create, the soft delicate parts, the crashing symbols, the times when the speakers feel like they're going to give out... yeah, all that stuff rocks. Can't wait to see what they come up with next.

02. interpol - antics



Wow, it's been awhile since I've disliked an album so much initially, only to fall head over heals for it later on. I suppose this is because I was such a big fan of the first record, my first reaction to Antics was "this sounds like a lame cover band version of Interpol." It wasn't until after many repeated listens (and admittedly the "Slow Hands" single growing on me) that I began to realize the genius behind many of these songs. My favorite bits are "NARC" followed by the 1-2 punch of "Take you on a Cruise." Both songs have what I call "soaring" moments... those parts of the song that send it into the stratosphere and make you want to sever your vocal cords from singing along so loud... or maybe that's just me.

03. air - talkie walkie



I fell in love with this album the moment I heard "Cherry Blossom Girl." My only qualm with the record is that it's too short. I'd love to hear the crazy freak out versions of "Run" and "Alpha Beta Gaga" like you're usually treated to when seeing them live. The "Ahhhhhhh" parts on "Run" are up there with the drum roll on Phil Collin's "In the Air" tonight... goose bump city.

04. arovane - lilies



What an amazingly beautiful and delicate record. It took the foundation built off of "Tides" and added many new layers upon it. Arovane proved he's no one trick harpsichord playing pony with this one by golly. The main thing this album did was make me nostalgic for the melodic IDM records of yesteryear which seem to be harder and harder to come by. BOC should be helping in that department when their new release comes out next year. Now, I just have to get myself to Japan so I can listen to "Lilies" with headphones on the streets of Tokyo.

05. dj krush - jaku



Man, this guy is on fire... seems like each record gets darker and deeper than the previous one. I just love the brooding mood and dense soundscapes he creates.

06. the dead texan - the dead texan



This was a late insertion into the list... an album I've been listening to a lot lately. I always find it hard to find ambient records I like and this year was exceptional in this regard. As you'll see further down the list, there have been many ambient records that blew me away over the past few months and this one is the cream of the crop. Their use of strings mixed with those delicate vocals get me right here (thumps fist into chest) every time.

07. loscil - first narrows



Another great ambient record, this one from nearby British Columbia. The dubby bass that permeates throughout this record is some of the best I've heard. I was also overjoyed to get to see him at the Decibel Festival this year... really hope he comes back for next year's.

08. erlend oye - dj kicks



This mix took 3 things I really like and mixed them... karaoke, quirky mixing, and great songs. That transition from Avenue D into the Rapture is great... I can't hear those songs separately now without thinking of them intertwined like they are in his mix.

09. william basinksi - disintegration loops



This set of albums provided the soundtrack to my work day for the greater part of this year and to me, was the most touching tribute to 9/11 than anything I've seen in mainstream media.

10. john b (uk) with mc soultrain - live at stadtgarten, cologne (01.16.2004)



This may seem a bit odd as it's technically not an album... but running at album's length, I figured it'd be ok to throw it in my list. I listened to this mix at least a bazillion times this year. I've been quite drum n' bass starved over the past few years and this was like a little ray of light that the genre isn't officially dead. John leans towards the more epic, synthy, trancey variety of drum n' bass, but it's perfect for when you want to put a little pep in your step, drive a little faster, or for some extra motivation during a workout. Sure, MC Soultrain is obnoxious as hell, but I think it goes quite well with the obnoxiously epic songs underneath. The mix also introduced some new phrases into my vocabulary like "where's the whistle crew?" and "who's 'avin a good time!".

download: here
live photos: here

RUNNER'S UP:

annie - anniemal



I'm always a sucker for well produced, catchy pop songs and this album took the cake in that regard. I wish there were more Annies in mainstream U.S. music to show these other dolts how it's done.

solvent - apples & synthesizers



I often ask myself, "when will you get tired of hearing vocoded vocals?". I think after listening to this record a lot this year, the answer is probably never. Some really great tuneful songs on here that sound like they were sung by a homesick robot... what's there not to like?

mylo - destroy rock n' roll



"Muthauckas gonna drop unda presssahhhhh!!!!" gah I love that track. This album is sure to bring a smile to your face... great dance music all around. Daft Punk meets Royksopp.

diplo - florida
m.i.a. / diplo piracy funds terrorism, vol. 1




Diplo had a fantastic year in 2004. Both Florida and his mixtape with M.I.A. are off the hook. He definitely has a talent from going from the introspective DJ Shadow-esque jams to the get your ass on the dancefloor Brazilian baile funk.

katamari damacy - soundtrack



This years best video game also has what I think is the most impressive video game soundtrack of modern era games. Almost every genre is included on here, from crooning ballads, to 4 on the floor dance tracks, to weird Autechre sounding skittles... it's all here. I hope the musicians behind the music will do the music for the sequel which is due out next year.

pan american - quiet city



Another great ambient record, this one leaning more towards the organic side of the spectrum. A lot of these songs sound as if they were recorded underwater... I really like that quality.

kiki - run with me



Awesome techno record (ok, you can tell I'm running out of steam here).

xela - tangled wool



Beautiful mix of acoustic guitar and electronics.

ratatat - ratatat



Decimated guitars, whopeee!

zero 7 - when it falls



Great music to chill out to.

kylie minogue - body language



Great pop record... lots of catchy tunes and ace production. I hope she can keep this streak going that she's had ever since "Can't Get you Outta my Head" came out.

proem - socially inept



My Houstonian homie does it again with an excellent record of melodic IDM.

neulander - smoke + fire



One of my more interesting finds of the year... some great tracks on here... hope they continue to make music.

keane - hopes & fears



Ok, I'm a sap sometimes when it comes to these kinds of records. Yeah, it's uber-cheese, but a lot of these songs are fun to sing along to. I really think they need to differentiate themselves a bit more from the likes of Coldplay though if they expect to have any longevity.

mouse on mars - radical connector



Consistency is these guys' collective middle name. Lots of fun tracks on here that are of course, 10 times better live.

marsen jules - yara



A superb ambient record you can download off the net for free... sweet! Lots of beautiful songs on this one.

lali puna - faking the books



Solid record for fans of the Stereolab, female fronted rock vibe (minus the kitsch). Wish I could've seen them live.

ada - blondie



This record grew on me more and more through the year... this lady has mad skills. Them synths are mighty fine.

max richter - the blue notebooks



Hauntingly beautiful.

jóhann jóhannsson - virðulegu forsetar



Great classical record from Iceland... home of the bands that use strange symbols over their vowels.

ame - ame



It's rare that I find house music I actually like, but this one really did it for me.

trespassers william - different stars



And lastly, this little record from a band out of SoCal that hardly got a mention anywhere. Lead singer's voice is very calming... great music for night time listening.

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So that's it for 2004... what did I miss? What were some of your favorites? One thing glaringly absent from my list is some good hip-hop. Admittedly, I didn't hear much this year that really grabbed my attention. Apparently the Ghostface and Madvillian records were off the heazy, but I didn't notice.

2005 looks like it's shaping up to be a great year for music as well with new albums from Low, Mercury Rev, and M83 already leaking their way onto the internets.

Some other interesting top 10 album lists: pitchfork, stereogum, and allmusic. amadeeeep has also been posting a running list with a post dedicated to each album on his journal here... great stuff. Here's another good list from fellow LJ'er, antitype.

my top 10s from 2003, 2002, and 2001.