10. Agnès presents Cavalier, A Million Horses
[Drumpoet Community] (buy)

It wasn’t until this year that Agnès, partially under the guise of Cavalier, laid out his blueprint for an ideal house on a canvas bigger than an EP. In many ways A Million Horses lives up to the Swiss producer’s great potential, offering his refined take on more than a dozen facets of house. They arrived in an array of sizes — some only as baubles, others as full-on Jesus pieces — each bearing his Swiss precision hi-hat programming, attention-grabbing bass lines, and subtle melodies that stand up to close scrutiny and club play. The tracks really move, too, putting all their weight into swinging rhythms or playing it deliberately straight, but always with a grace that feels instinctual instead of studied. Rather than trying to turn house on its head, it was obvious Agnès preferred to work with the same forms as his peers and just did a superior job within those parameters. Although at times uneven, A Million Horses repeatedly proved Agnès is one of house music’s most talented craftsmen whose low-profile toiling paid off even in the tricky album format. (Steve Mizek)

09. Steffi, Yours & Mine
[Ostgut Ton] (buy)

With just six tracks to her name at the start of the year, no one knew much at all about Steffi. Setting aside her lauded DJ sets, that is. Nevertheless, with the release of Yours & Mine, it became clear the Dutch artist had been doing much more than just collecting records. For a debut album (hell, any album) it was technically impeccable, delivering stomach-dwelling bass and radiant synth work with equal clarity. One thing it didn’t do was break the mold compositionally, nor offer incredible variation. That didn’t matter: in distilling deep house down to such reliable elements, Steffi created a long player that was exceptionally dependable, wherever you dived in. There was the innocent dreaminess of “Lilo,” the relentless pulse of “Nightspacer” and of course, “Yours,” the track that lodged Virginia’s imploring vocals deep into everyone’s brains. Who wants to race to the end of the pool when treading water is this pleasant? (Nick Connellan)

08. Legowelt, The TEAC Life
[Self-Released] (buy)

A sprawling 14 tracks which often come close to the 10-minute mark, The TEAC Life was Danny Wolfers’ most engrossing album yet. Released as a free download, he memorably described it as “raw as fuck Detroit unicorn futurism made on cheap ass analog and digital crap synthesizers recorded in a ragtag bedroom studio.” Raw it may have been, but it was also a powerfully emotive listen, navigating the completely idiosyncratic landscape he’s been building up for over a decade. Tracks like “U Can Fly Away from the Hood” and “The Soul of a City” summed up everything that was great about this LP — layer on layer of colorful synth swirls grounded by warm and rounded drum machine funk. But while the obvious influences, both musical and cultural, are writ large, The TEAC Life never sounded contrived — or, worse, twee. Rather, the dual engines of vintage house and electro were twisted further and further away from the club, and into areas that speak of space navigation, lo-fi futurism, and innocent escapism: a real trip, from one of the great journeyman of electronic music. (Harry Sword)

07. Tim Hecker, Ravedeath, 1972
[Kranky] (buy)

Physicality is something that draws many to dance music, but Ravedeath, 1972 isn’t body music in the same sense as everything else you’ll find on this list. Tim Hecker’s finest hour (not to mention 2011′s best ambient record) does’t set your body in motion so much as it moves you — physically, sure, but its vibrations penetrate deeper, rattling obscure organs and dredging up emotions you maybe weren’t sure you had. While the effect isn’t unheard of in Hecker’s music, some credit must go to Ben Frost, the Australian composer and master of harsh beauty who engineered the sessions in Reykjavik where these almost painfully lush sounds originate. Though it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with any beatless, experimental, or modern classical record you could get your hands on this year, Ravedeath struck a chord with many who might not normally know what to do with this sort of stuff. Perhaps its structure, moving from the bitterness of the “In the Fog” through to the blurry, gossamer sensuality of “In the Air,” helped this abstract music become as seemingly universal as a four-to-the-floor kickdrum. Or maybe it’s just that the album actually delivers on its cover (which is pure class, by the way): you feel like that nearly-alighted piano has slammed straight into your chest, a collision sure to cause more than a bit of internal bleeding.
(Jordan Rothlein)

06. Roman Flügel, Fatty Folders
[Dial] (buy)

It’s hard to believe Fatty Folders was the very first solo album to bear Roman Flügel’s birth name. After all, he’s been releasing music with his real title since the late 90s. In that respect, the LP’s appearance may have been more of a surprise than its actual contents. Besides featuring previously released tracks “How To Spread Lies” and “Bahia Blues Bootcamp,” Folders continued the steady course Flügel has been plotting for several years, rather than swerving to an unfamiliar vector. As always, however, there was no one on the path but him. Armed with his customary confidence and poise, the Frankfurt-based producer delivered neon-lit electro-funk with “Deo,” idyllic synth noodling via “Krautus” and a touching elegy in “Song With Blue.” It was an album of carefully spread variation, though wherever it went, Flügel’s hand was always audible. And perhaps that’s the simple reason why Fatty Folders was so popular. In one big hit, it delivered more of the celebrated producer than anyone has heard in half a decade.
(Nick Connellan)

05. Jonsson/Alter, Mod
[Kontra-Musik] (buy)

Every once in a while a friend or acquaintance asks me to recommend an album of exemplary house music which they, the uninitiated, might enjoy. Since Jonsson/Alter’s LP Mod landed in October it’s been my go-to recommendation, one that’s been met with more than a few approving head nods and foot taps from said recipients. My reasons for recommending it are the same reasons it’s been so well received: the duo exhibit an absolute mastery of house music’s fundamentals and have excised anything that might detract from them. Listeners get the sense every synth tone and timbre has been labored over for just as long as it took to arrange them into a track, yielding sumptuous melodies that ricochet around the brain for weeks. Their work is obviously indebted to classic house and yet makes no attempts to reanimate the past, preferring to belong to the canon of classic house records because of its quality. And like all the best dance albums, Mod cultivates a series of moods and feelings that justify its existence rather than relying on utilitarian notions to get by. Put succinctly, Mod offered everything I wanted in a house album. Given its inclusion in this list, I suspect I’m not alone in this conclusion. (Anton Kipfel)

04. Morphosis, What Have We Learned
[Morphine Records/Delsin/M>O>S Recordings] (buy)

Rabih Beaini’s daring and unconventional approach to his album, What Have We Learned, ended with equally audacious results. Using a limited amount of equipment and taking a live jam approach that extended over just two days, he was able to create a work immersed in an exotic atmosphere that is equal parts eerie and thrilling. His penchant for jazz shows itself in many ways, most notably on the abstract side during “Silent Screamer,” “Ascension,” and again with “Gate Of Night” as cosmic synths swirl and xylophonic percussion envelop the listener. Elsewhere jazz tonalities are felt within the melodic strains or within the loose drum programming and spontaneous percussive fills. On “Too Far” we see Beaini combining those jazz idioms with Middle Eastern motifs, an ominous bass line and haunting lyrics from vocalist Kae to create something truly unique. With “Spiral” and “Dirty Matter” Beaini offers up chugging percussive techno that has a primitive, hypnotic quality that is richly textured. That What We Have Learned is considered techno is almost beside the point, as Beaini has masterfully achieved a cohesive atmosphere that seems to transcend the album’s individual components. It’s as if he’s created a mythical sonic world where anything goes and usually does. (Kuri Kondrak)

03. BNMJMN, Plastic World
[Rush Hour Recordings] (buy)

It’s impossible to know now if BNJMN would have broken as large as he did if he hadn’t have released his debut on Rush Hour. The most on-point label in the world was the perfect fit for the producer who also turned out to be one of the most compelling finds of 2011 with not just one but two incredible albums. His first, Plastic World, was his introduction; the densely packed, rich rhythms finding a home in ears appreciative of the meeting points between techno and bass music that have been so prevalent this year. In places the pure strains of Dutch and Detroit techno were plastered all over the tracks, such as on the celestial opener, “Blocks,” or the deeply grooving “Tunnel Flight.” Elsewhere, like on “See Thru Stars” or “Miniature Steps” the influence of UK bass music is clearly felt. But Plastic World was much more than simply being a derivative strain of these popular trends. Its force lay in both its sonic architecture and the unique take that the producer had on the ideas contained therein. In the first instance BNJMN intensifying and heightening the frequencies contained in his tracks to the maximum, and in the latter being able to fully realize his ideas and shape them how he saw them, making Plastic World sound unlike anything else that came out this year. (Per Bojsen-Moller)

02. Andy Stott, Passed Me By
[Modern Love] (buy)

Although Andy Stott experimented with dropped tempos on last year’s Tell Me Anything, this spring’s Passed Me By drastically redefined his career, squashing and dragging his shimmering dub techno to a lurching, lethargic pace. Often a slight drop will add a bit of sex to a rigid rhythm, or as Jochem Peteri says, the “simply dissolves in a more beautiful way.” But on Passed Me By (and its companion, We Stay Together), Stott took his tracks a step further. Any slinkiness is smothered in unrelenting bass weight, creaky industrial ambience, and claustrophobic side-chain compression. The recent trend for slowness — not only in music, but also in movements like slow food — has been widely attributed to the rapidly increasing speed of media and communications, as its proponents attempt to exert some control over their environment. Passed Me By seems much more about being trapped under the weight of that information flow, and its solemn trudge is frequently punctuated by sharp cries ringing out into the graininess, skewed beyond intelligibility. It’s this pervasive unease that makes it such an intoxicating, relevant effort. (Steve Kerr)

01. Machinedrum, Room(s)
[Planet Mu] (buy)

It might have been the tapping of fingers, closely clipped samples, or some nameless drummer going nuts on the kit, but if there’s one sound that defined the year’s best album, it’s percussion. A complete and utter reinvention, Travis Stewart’s nth album as Machinedrum splashed intricate percussive tracks across all sorts of landscapes, beats that click, clack, and bang at incredibly high tempos, speeding ahead of everyone else in “bass music” in 2011 both literally and artistically. While there was no shortage of footwork influence seeping into dance music — especially that made on American shores — Stewart takes what was fast becoming a cliche and flies off with it in a direction that I don’t think anyone could have predicted or even really imagined. Recognizing the music’s compatibility with jungle, with Room(s) Stewart crafts an eminently futurist album that tears and twists bits of footwork — its thrill-seeker pace, its dislocated bass frequency dread politics, and its penchant for hypnotic repetition — and weds it with the uniquely flighty feel of jungle, music that feels like it’s hurtling joyously and unapologetically in any direction it could fling itself toward.

What makes Room(s) so much more than “footwork for white people” is its expansive sonic makeup: while there’s a definite formula here, each does it with completely different sets of ingredients. Forgoing footwork’s roughly hewn, sawed-off vocal aesthetic, every vocal on Room(s) — a mixture of Stewart’s own cooing and the usual array of disembodied sample — sounds shimmering and iridescent, touched just slightly with AutoTune and other processing effects. Its near-convoluted percussive patterns range from soft (“She Died There”) to lusciously tactile (“Youniverse”) to just plain drummer’s abandon (“U Don’t Survive”), and even throws in a few tender moments, like the tender “Lay Me Down,” a slow jam at 150 beats per minute, making the most of the Burial recipe of mallets, makeshift drums, and strangled yelps. The album’s unrelenting breakneck speed might scare off prospective listeners, but even at its most frenzied the elements congeal into something attractively psychedelic and sonically adventurous (the piano-house-on-speed of “Come1″ or the Boards of Canada-sampling “Sacred Frequency”) rather than a deafening jackhammer.

Far be it for me to go all “consensus rules,” but maybe the biggest indicator that there was something special happening here was how music like this — music that takes the most extreme elements of “bass music” in terms of sampling, speed, and structure — managed to unite sticklers and scenesters from all over the dance music map. Sometimes critical acclaim really does line up with greatness, and Machinedrum’s Room(s) deserves no less than the uproarious reception it received: there was no other album this year more adventurous, confident, perfectly executed or so damned exciting every single play through. There was no album either as giddily celebratory or celebrated as Room(s) in 2011, he owned this spot since bits and pieces of his masterpiece started trickling earlier out this spring. (Andrew Ryce)

++

Staff Charts:

Per Bojsen-Moller
01. BNJMN, Plastic World [Rush Hour Direct Current]
02. Machinedrum, Room(s) [Planet Mu]
03. Rick Wilhite, Analog Aquarium [Music 4 Your Legs]
04. Andy Stott, Passed Me By [Modern Love]
05. Martyn, Ghost People [Brainfeeder]
06. Legowelt, The TEAC Life [Legowelt]
07. James Blake, James Blake [Atlas Recordings]
08. When Saints Go Machine, Konkylie [Studio !K7]
09. Jonsson/Alter, Mod [Kontra-Musik]
10. DJ Qu, Gymnastics [Strength Music Recordings]

Nick Connellan
01. Roman Flügel, Fatty Folders [Dial]
02. Steffi, Yours & Mine [Ostgut Ton]
03. Morphosis, What Have We Learned
[Delsin/Morphine Records/M>O>S Recordings]
04. BNJMN, Plastic World [Rush Hour]
05. Dominik Eulberg, Diorama [Traum Schallplatten]
06. tobias., Leaning Over Backwards [Ostgut Ton]
07. Jonsson/Alter, Mod [Kontra-Musik]
08. Nebraska, Displacement [Rush Hour]
09. Vincenzo, Wherever I Lay My Head [Dessous Recordings]
10. Massimiliano Pagliara, Focus For Infinity [Live At Robert Johnson]

Steve Kerr
01. Julia Holter, Tragedy [Leaving Records]
02. Zomby, Dedication [4AD]
03. Hype Williams, One Nation [Hippos In Tanks]
04. Max B, Vigilante Season [Amalgam Digital]
05. Maria Minerva, Cabaret Cixous [Not Not Fun Records]
06. Afrikan Sciences, Means And Ways [Deepblak]
07. Oneohtrix Point Never, Replica [Software]
08. Andy Stott, Passed Me By/We Stay Together [Modern Love]
09. Niggas With Guitars, Ethnic Frenzy [Digitalis Recordings]
10. LV & Joshua Idehen, Routes [Keysound Recordings]

Anton Kipfel
01. Andy Stott, Passed Me By [Modern Love]
02. Machinedrum, Room(s) [Planet Mu]
03. Portable, Into Infinity [Perlon]
04. BNJMN, Plastic World [Rush Hour Recordings]
05. Maria Minerva, Cabaret Cixou [Not Not Fun Records]
06. Agnès presents Cavalier, A Million Horses [Drumpoet Community]
07. Roman Flügel, Fatty Folders [Dial]
08. Steffi, Yours & Mine [Ostgut Ton]
09. Jonsson/Alter, Mod [Kontra-Musik]
10. tobias., Leaning Over Backwards [Ostgut Ton]

Kuri Kondrak
01. Morphosis, What Have We Learned
[Delsin/Morphine Records/M>O>S Recordings]
02. John Heckle, The Second Son [Mathematics Recordings]
03. Conforce, Escapism [Delsin]
04. Afrikan Sciences, Means And Ways [Deepblak]
05. J.T.C., Creep Acid [Nation]
06. Kuba Sojka, Mysterious Intrigue [Mathematics Recordings]
07. Legowelt, The TEAC Life [self-released]
08. Lerosa, Amanatto [Uzuri]
09. Fudge Fingas, Now About How [Prime Numbers]
10. Fred P, The Incredible Adventures of Captain P [Soul People Music]

Chris Miller
01. Andy Stott, Passed Me By [Modern Love]
02. Morphosis, What Have We Learned
[Morphine Records/Delsin/M>O>S Recordings]
03. Machinedrum, Room(s) [Planet Mu]
04. Fred P, The Incredible Adventures of Captain P [Soul People Music]
05. Tin Man, Perfume [Salon]
06. tobias., Leaning Over Backwards [Ostgut Ton]
07. BNJMN, Black Square [Rush Hour Direct Current]
08. DJ Qu, Gymnastics [Strength Music Recordings]
09. Tim Hecker, Ravedeath 1972 [Kranky]
10. Martyn, Ghost People [Brainfeeder]

Steve Mizek
01. Machinedrum, Room(s) [Planet Mu]
02. Jonsson/Alter, Mod [Kontra-Musik]
03. BNJMN, Plastic World [Rush Hour Recordings]
04. Agnès presents Cavalier, A Million Horses [Drumpoet Community]
05. Tim Hecker, Ravedeath 1972 [Kranky]
06. Andy Stott, Passed Me By [Modern Love]
07. Portable, Into Infinity [Perlon]
08. Morphosis, What Have We Learned [Delsin]
09. James Blake, James Blake [Atlas Recordings]
10. Hercules & Love Affair, Blue Songs [Moshi Moshi Records]

Jordan Rothlein
01. Machinedrum, Room(s) [Planet Mu]
02. Tin Man, Perfume [Salon]
03. BNJMN, Black Square [Rush Hour Direct Current]
04. Africa HiTech, 93 Million Miles [Warp]
05. Tim Hecker, Ravedeath, 1972 [Kranky]
06. Legowelt, The Teac Life [Legowelt]
07. Roman Flügel, Fatty Folders [Dial]
08. Steffi, Yours & Mine [Ostgut Ton]
09. FaltyDL, You Stand Uncertain [Planet Mu]
10. Elektro Guzzi, Parquet [Macro]

Andrew Ryce
01. Machinedrum, Room(s) [Planet Mu]
02. The Weeknd, House Of Balloons [Not On Label]
03. M83, Hurry Up We’re Dreaming [Mute]
04. Andy Stott, Passed Me By [Modern Love]
05. araabMUZIK, Electronic Dream [Not On Label]
06. Instra:mental, Resolution 653 [NonPlus+]
07. Kuedo, Severant [Planet Mu]
08. Salva, Complex Housing [Friends of Friends]
09. Balam Acab, Wander / Wonder [Tri Angle]
10. Lucy, Wordplay For Working Bees [Stroboscopic Artefacts]

Harry Sword
01. Pinch & Shackelton, Pinch & Shackelton [Honest Jon's]
02. FaltyDL, You Stand Uncertain [Planet Mu]
03. Andy Stott, We Stay Together [Modern Love]
04. Alex Kortex, Kihon [Pomelo]
05. Planetery Assault Systems, The Messenger [Ostgut Ton]
06. Machinedrum, Room(s) [Planet Mu]
07. Omar-S, It Can Be Done But Only I Can Do It [FXHE Records]
08. Legowelt, The TEAC Life [self-released]
09. Surgeon, Breaking the Frame [Dynamic Tension Records]
10. Steffi, Yours & Mine [Ostgut Ton]

2011 will not be remembered as a particularly good year for the world. Between a myriad of horrifying natural disasters, the uncertain outcome of the Arab Spring, political gridlock in the U.S., the EU’s seemingly unraveling state, austerity protests, and a generally ugly economic period, the events of this year have not offered much to smile about. But for dance music fans, 2011 was a year rich with exciting music coming out of house, techno, bass music, and everywhere between and around. While it might not be remembered as the most progressive of years — retro and recently unearthed seemed to be the most popular aesthetic themes — enthusiasts will be able to look back at their 2011 finds and say with certainty that many will still be worth their weight in the years to come. As in past years, LWE’s reviewing staff has devoted a great deal effort combing through the year’s releases to bring out our top 30 favorite tracks of 2011. Your mileage may vary and many great tracks were left out, but for us these selections defined our 2011 listening experiences. Our individual staff lists will be published this Friday.

30. EQD, “Equalized#005-B”
[Equalized] (buy)

2011 was a lean year for René Pawlowitz releases, especially after his fattened 2010 release schedule. In fact, if you put aside his remixes of 2562 and Radiohead, it all came down to one record released in 2011′s waning months — the fifth installment in the Equalized series. Luckily for us, it was a complete reversal from the disappointingly one-note #004 that more than made up for a year’s worth of near silence. Firing up what sound like the same synthesizers that made the first three Equalized singles must-owns, Pawlowitz turned each up to 162 to build one of the year’s most massive tunes. The skanking progression that opens “Equalized#005-B” merely hints at the approaching fury, as a phalanx of similar progressions begin to gallop alongside their leader. The track only grows beefier and more aggressive (in spite of the lighthearted tambourine percussion) until it’s difficult to imagine any more space left in the room for more synths — and that’s when the euphoric melodies wash over everything. Thanks to its late-November release it might take critics and record buyers a few more months to fully absorb this record’s genius, but its impact was already so strongly felt that we at LWE just had to make room for it among 2011′s best. (Anton Kipfel)

29. RNDM, “Hideaway (Dub)”
[Laid] (buy)

Last year, Oskar Offermann and Moomin’s “Hardmood” just sneaked into LWE’s top 25 list. “Hideaway,” actually released the same year, similarly showed the power of bold, carefully crafted percussion, favoring solid basics over audaciousness. This was a sentiment reinforced by its mostly regressive palette. The 12″ itself — the tenth on Dial’s prestigious sub-label – actually offered three nuanced versions. It was this, however –the wisely-chosen A-side – which appeared the most confident with its essentials and consequently, caused the biggest splash. I first encountered it through Oliver Hafenbauer, Live At Robert Johnson’s A&R guy. When I searched frantically for it the next morning, there was no uncertainty as to whether I’d stumbled onto the same tune. Its friendly, warbling synth program and shrugging hats were instantly recognizable. And isn’t that about the best one can hope for with a track of such modest ambition?
(Nick Connellan)

28. Tin Man, “Nonneo” (Donato Dozzy Remix)
[Absurd Recordings] (buy)

Imagine you heard Tin Man’s “Nonneo” on Earth in 2011. (If you followed dance music this year, then this probably isn’t a difficult scenario for you to conjure.) Now imagine that, immediately upon finishing the track, you’re hustled into a spacecraft and launched toward some distant black hole. Your ship circumscribes the event horizon for awhile, where gravity is strong enough to warp time, and then you blast off back toward your home planet, thousands of years having effortlessly passed. After being extracted from your ship by fusion-powered robots, you’re transferred to a holding pen curiously outfitted with some reconstituted artifacts of 20th-century electronic music production (they got the Roland plates right and everything), and a perfectly polite but obviously synthesized voice asks if you might recreate that tune you heard moments before your adventure began. My guess is you’d produce something like Donato Dozzy’s masterful remix, wherein the power of Tin Man’s original is amplified despite so many of its sounds getting lost in the ether. Of course, having the year’s best bass line at your disposal makes losing the rest of your stems somewhere between Neptune and Uranus a rather tasty prospect.
(Jordan Rothlein)

27. Protect-U, “World Music”
[Future Times] (buy)

When the Protect-U duo of Aaron Leitko and Mike Petillo began, they didn’t set out to make easily quantifiable music. And with “World Music” from their second release for Future Times, Protect-U continued to color outside the lines. “World Music” sends us sprawling through a sonic tableau of synth eddies, tapping into how expansive techno can be in the right hands. Starting off with staccato drum programming and white noise salvos from delayed snare reverb, Protect-U take a sound that would be a rushing, climactic tool in most current techno and instead use it to introduce tension and apply texture. It’s followed by a rolling funk bass line, twinkling synth chirps and jutting bleeps that intersect with melodic chord phrasings evoking a meditative calm, before changing gears and ending as a stripped-down cosmic burner. They may have called it “World Music” but where it ends up is closer to the sun. (Kuri Kondrak)

26. Roman Flügel, “Iron Curtain”
[Live At Robert Johnson] (buy)

It’s a tough task to choose the vital tracks from Roman Flügel’s 2011 catalog; everything the producer touches – or perhaps just looks at or thinks about — turns to gold. Even narrowing it down to Desperate Housemen, the EP from which “Iron Curtain” comes, provides only a little help. No doubt a consequence of Flügel’s penchant for FM synthesis, all four tracks showed distinct, separate personalities. And yet, they were all so utterly, unmistakably Roman. Then why select this one? Well, the German wunderkind has made a name for himself by making quirky, playful tracks. And “Iron Curtain” fulfills these criteria better than anything else he produced this year (competing with “Brasil” and “Bahia Blues Bootcamp,” admittedly). The most identifiably “Roman Flügel,” if you will. The main melody was a kind of schizophrenic Melody Pop-esque blooping; a versatile and totally unique timbre with the ability to move from a standing start to melodramatic highs in just a few bars. The track’s bleary pads and shuffling percussion felt similarly distinctive. Vital indeed. (Nick Connellan)

25. Crystal Maze, “Crystal Maze” (Chicago Skyway Remix)
[aDepth Audio] (buy)

When Crystal Maze released their debut, eponymous EP on aDepth Audio some months ago, it was immediately apparent that the four-tracker was not the work of mere amateurs. Indeed its members, Gstring and MarcoAntonio Spaventi — along with Aroy Dee — make up the trio R-A-G, who have released two highly accomplished EPs of their own already. The original title track from the EP is a deep, atmospheric house track, full of plaintive pads, and a bass line that aligns itself with the heartbeat. In the hands of Chicago Skyway the track takes on a whole new life, the bass line transformed, writhing, arpeggiated, insidious. Spanning several octaves, it manages to not just anchor the track but also provides the main melody. All that is required from here is to provide window dressing in the form of some purposeful claps, dilapidated snare fills and overdriven hi-hats. Addressing the balance of the sentiment presented in the original, Chicago Skyway rounds out his remix by incorporating the moody, ethereal pads for sections of the track. Not only does his mix serve to provide some dance floor heat to Crystal Maze’s excellent first outing, but it also ranks as one of the most compelling takes on a retro-futuristic Chicago house sound that was such a big part of 2011. (Per Bojsen-Moller)

24. Martyn, “Masks”
[Brainfeeder] (buy)

Martyn on Brainfeeder: the pairing of the L.A. beat freak (out) kings with the mature, measured, steady Dutchman certainly turned heads this year. And while the wildly experimental label was certainly not the first that many listeners would associate with a Martyn release, the results of this 12″ (and the resulting LP) were both strong and some of the most unabashed and simple 4/4 dance floor tracks Martyn has put his name to. Never mind “bass music” — this is house music: shuffling, bleepy, mildly experimental and imbued with the warmth, humanity and storytelling that Martyn has refined over the past few years.
(Harry Sword)

23. Burial, “Stolen Dog”
[Hyperdub] (buy)

Tucked away at the end of Burial’s Street Halo EP, “Stolen Dog” is one of the more moody and beautiful tracks from this elusive producer. When I reviewed the EP earlier this year, I compared it to Four Tet in terms of it’s melody, but also to the cinema and ballads. There is a very warm and loving quality to “Stolen Dog,” something that Burial’s music often eschews. The vocal snippets seem to coo at the listener, seducing them to just be in the moment with the music. It’s sad, wistful, but also hopeful, like falling in love. Clearly one of the most emotional Burial songs to date, it has a very minimal beat much like his first album, relying on melody and atmosphere to make the connection, showing compositional growth and maturity from the already vaunted artist. (Keith Pishnery)

22. The Citizen’s Band, “West 42nd”
[Live At Robert Johnson] (buy)

Where last year was Arto Mwambe’s biggest to date, 2011 has been a banner year for its two members. It began with an excellent single by Phillip Lauer, continued with the debut of Christian Beißwenger’s electro project with Oliver Hafenbauer, B.H.F.V, and concluded with a long overdue Beißwenger single (all of which took place on Live At Robert Johnson). The lead track “West 42nd” makes it clear why Beißwenger adopted The Citizen’s Band for this new material rather than carry on as CB Funk: this is freewheeling stuff. Its percussion cuts sassy, unexpected patterns in the fluffy, rainbow colored tones that zoom by, transporting listeners to a Mario Brothers’ cloud level where the floor evaporates at will. It certainly keeps dancers on their toes as well, first with a tricky kick deployment and later with a skittering return to beats post-breakdown. There has always been an undercurrent of the unexpected in Arto Mwambe’s classic-indebted tracks, and as The Citizen’s Band, that twisted sensibility steps into the spotlight and demands attention. What’s more, “West 42nd” has no peers to speak of, in house or elsewhere; it’s a sui generis masterpiece that’s likely to remain unique for a long time to come. (Anton Kipfel)

21. Machinedrum, “Come1″
[Planet Mu] (buy)

Being a genius is great and all, but if you can’t communicate your brilliant and paradigm-shifting ideas to us merely above-average individuals, then why even bother? Travis Stewart wasn’t the only producer on his own tip this year, but what’s notable about his, as exemplified by Room(s), was both how utterly alien his thesis was and how tangible its explication. “Come1,” arguably the album’s centerpiece, features everything both non-intuitive and deeply eloquent about Machinedrum in 2011. What begins with barrage of pianos and tambourines quickly reveals itself as something of a rainy-day lament, with Machinedrum’s half-lyrics coaxing honest-to-goodness indie rock guitars up from the bed of funk samples. When was the last time a track that would leave most dubstep DJs huffing and puffing made you tear up a little bit? “Come1″ is unquestionably one of the least expected and most thoroughly original journeys a dance music producer has taken us on this year, but its daring would be all for naught if Stewart couldn’t sell it, and doesn’t he ever. Like one six-minute-plus crossfade by a particularly adventurous DJ, “Come1″ begins one place and ever so effortlessly takes us to one we would never have imagined. (Jordan Rothlein)

10-6 >>
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What does it mean when the artists who “define” the year are all artists who have been around for at least five years? Considering the list below, it doesn’t speak as much to a dearth of promising new talent in dance music — certainly, I don’t think anyone could say that with a straight face in 2011 — but rather the longevity, ingenuity and constant strive for innovation that seems to drive those at electronic music’s forefront. There were certain artists who seem to break out in a big way in 2011 — James Blake, Blawan, Boddika, Analogue Cops, Maya Jane Coles — but it was something about the dignified yet hungry drive of these veterans below that almost managed to eclipse all of those. Whether it was mutant dub techno, footwork hybrids, creaky tech-house, or any number of variations on acid, techno, and Dial deep house, some of 2011′s most vital sounds came from some very familiar faces.

05. Kassem Mosse

Gunnar Wendel was #2 on this list last year, and that he’s dropped all the way to #5 isn’t a sign of decline rather than ridiculous longevity, a visceral sort of impact that hasn’t seemed to lessen over the past few years since he came to prominence. What’s even more impressive is how he manages to make that visceral impact with music so skeletal and spindly, deep house that sounds like it’s been sucked of the warm and fuzzy spirituality that defines its U.S. strains and instead suffused with the leftover ghosts of minimal. Wendel didn’t really do anything particularly new with his sound in 2011, but at every turn it was still somehow shock and awe: take his third go on the Workshop label, with a 12-minute bumper revolving around one of the year’s most infuriatingly distant vocal refrains, as what sounded like four or five different house anthems bubbled up from underneath. Or his late-year landing on Instra:mental’s NonPlus+, which somehow drained his music of even more humanity and left us with the orchestra of clicks and clacks on the masterful “Enoha.” Wendel’s got a signature sound that he’s not afraid to milk — and I don’t think any of us are going to start complaining anytime soon.

04. Legowelt

Considering the glut of highly specialized, limited and obscure releases Dutch producer Danny Wolfers releases each year under any number of bizarre aliases, the fact that he had an equally steady stream of releases this year doesn’t really seem all that different. But when you consider the quality of tracks like “Sark Island Acid,” “Poverties Paradise,” “Dreams of Nova Scotia,” and a dizzying stream of remixes, it just felt like there were quirky gems dropping left and right through the course of the year. Undoubtedly the biggest impact was made with his free album The TEAC Life, a mammoth but tangential beast that seemed to embody his musical multiple-personality disorder in one hell of a sprawling, intimidating whole. It was as unfriendly as it was captivating, uncompromising and totally, unreservedly awesome, and it was backed up with some of the most refreshing, self-deprecating and meta bits of humor to come from such a usually humorless scene. Back all that up with two brilliant mixes for FACT and us here at Little White Earbuds, and you’ve got yourself a banner year.

03. Andy Stott

Andy Stott has been making really good dub techno for ages as part of Manchester’s Modern Love crew, offering Anglicized takes on the stuff that was heaving and as bass-heavy as the most austere Basic Channel but touched with an effervescent fluidity that aligned him as much with producers like Brendon Moeller and Steven Hitchell. But after years of swirling sheets of chord-cloud, some jaunty, bass music-influenced one-offs in 2009 and one hell of a slo-mo dub lurch with last year’s “Tell Me Anything,” when Andy Stott clawed his way back up from the netherworld in 2011 with his two doublepack EPs he was all but unrecognizable. While second EP We Stay Together patched up some of the holes and used some more recognizable — but still supremely fucked — rhythmic devices to make the tracks just slightly more dance floor, first EP Passed Me By was one of the scariest-sounding things to emerge from any techno scene since, well… ever? Mixing and matching themes and concepts from other genres, Stott was one of the few people in 2011 who tried to make dub techno new and fresh again: an accomplishment in itself given the flood of tired retreads we saw this year.

Photo by Texas Malika Touissant-Baptiste

02. Machinedrum

It might have taken a decade, but Brooklyn’s Travis Stewart is finally getting the recognition he deserves after over a decade of plugging away in obscure scenes. Moving from harsh IDM-tinged material to hip-hop to whatever you want to call this year’s Room(s) on Planet Mu, both by himself and as half of Sepalcure, Stewart seemed to effortlessly capture the bass music zeitgeist. Several times over. With the Fleur EP and eponymous Sepalcure LP, he helped to capitalize on and elucidate bass music’s growing obsession with both house and a general deceleration, rich, luxurious tracks painted in delicate brushstrokes. But it was the vengeful return of his Machinedrum solo alias that really did wonders: pasting footwork freneticism over jungle jitters, his Room(s) took nearly every trend imaginable in bass music and melted it down into one singular pot of uncompromising high-tempo music. One of the few artists to incorporate the ever-trendy footwork influence and do something unique with it, the kind of musical chemistry Stewart engaged with this year was simply uncanny, and he helped to capture the hearts of pretty much everyone with one of the most divisive forms of dance music to emerge in ages.

Photo courtesy of Red Bull Radio

01. Roman Flügel

At first glance it might seem odd to have Roman Flügel at the top of this list, because honestly, he didn’t really do all that much different this year. He just did his own thing at rate a lot more prolific than usual; and when your thing is Roman Flügel, I suppose that’s justification for plaudits alone. After his stunning Live at Robert Johnson mix and its accompanying “Brian Le Bon” single last year, there seemed to have been a fire lit under Mr. Flügel that made him nearly inescapable for most of the year. He continued his LARJ run with the utterly elegant Desperate Housemen EP, but even more notable was how he settled into new home Dial so gracefully. Following on the icy piano hop of last year’s “How To Spread Lies,” Flügel dropped a jazzy, mnml gem out of nowhere with “Brasil” and then flew right back into the clouds with the excellent Fatty Folders album. This darted through house, jazz, ambient, and the kind of weirdo-minimal we know him best for, all with the grace and composure we expect from such a legend. It might seem like the worst kind of backpedaling to bestow an honor like “best artist” upon an established and well-respected pioneer, but when anyone has a year as uncommonly great as Roman Flügel did in 2011, they deserve to be congratulated for it.

[Dial]

If you follow dance music as obsessively as I do, you’re likely to feel like there’s something at stake with every 12″ and MP3 that flows your way. Between the eternally forward motion of the UK scene, the endless refining of the Berliners, the fervent keeping of the flame by those in Chicago and Detroit, and the producers worldwide caught in the spiral of any and all of the above, dance music can be surprisingly serious business. But when you’re Roman Flügel — a multi-decade veteran of house, techno, electro, and probably a dozen other microgenre tags whose influence drips off plenty of the producers currently caught in the fray — your seriousness about this stuff doesn’t really need restating. Indeed, as Dial started disseminating new Flügel material late last year in advance of a new full-length, it was clear this godfather wouldn’t be playing kick-drum politics in 2011. But on some of the better 12″s from the last 12 months, both for Dial and for Live at Robert Johnson, and now with the new LP, Flügel showed that he’s not disengaging either.

So what’s utterly current about Fatty Folders? Honestly, not all that much. As it turns out, that all-bleep mix Flügel did for our feature on Live At Robert Johnson a few months back was a pretty good indicator of what his latest full-length would offer: just as on the singles, there’s a subtle wistfulness here for the trends Flügel had a pretty big stake in that don’t get much attention anymore (microhouse, anyone?). But more than a paean to long-lost subgenres or a play at shifting the conversation back in a particular direction, Fatty Folders is a celebration of having an inimitable voice. That these tracks sound lovely mixed with whatever we’re supposed to be calling the newest of the new these days shows that originality — or at the very least owning your sound — can translate into freshness.

Though it lacks Flügel’s best tune from this era (“Brasil,” released in May, is about as sublimely unhinged a track as anyone’s making in house music right now), the CD version of Fatty Folders leads off with the close second, the truly gorgeous “How To Spread Lies.” It’s an auspicious start to a full-length, but Flügel doesn’t sound terribly concerned with topping it, or even with structuring the record to flow out from there. He covers quite a lot of ground, taking us from atmospheric minimal (“Lush Life Libido”) to luxurious synth-pop (“Deo”), from a nightclub going off (“Rude Awakening”) to a series of rainy afternoons (“Song With Blue” and “Softice”). But even at its most disjointed, Fatty Folders is curiously consistent: truly a genius of sound design, Flügel builds all of these tunes out of the same soft and surprisingly pliable materials. Where much of the album could have easily sounded dated, he imbues even his least trendy reference points with something like that new car smell.

But this album isn’t just a matter of a seasoned producer reselling us a decade or more of refurbished trends; that said, he’s not exactly cutting a new highway through the forest, either. I hear Fatty Folders as a good deal more personal than either of these options: it’s Roman Flügel making dance music as only he can. And if it’s quietly making an argument for anything in contemporary electronic music, it’s that we should all strive to just be ourselves.

Whether releasing for Dial, Live At Robert Johnson, Running Back or Turbo, Roman Flügel has maintained a high standard of quality across records and styles, particularly over the last few years. But if you need more evidence that one of Frankfurt’s greats is on fire, check out our download of the week — his remix of Anthony Collins’ enjoyable if a touch over overwrought “Don’t Look Down Now.” Taut and ready to pounce, the unlikely ear-worming combo of metallic thwacks and rushes of marimba patterns works dancers to a lather at a leisurely 117bpm. It’s so good, it’s still enjoyable when its nine minutes are cut down to three. Thanks to Curle Recordings for making this available.

Anthony Collins, “Don’t Look Down Now” (Roman Flügel Remix Video Edit)

[Curle Recordings]

The last 12 months or so have been a great time to be an opening DJ. As house, techno and even bass music tempos continue to drift downwards — often below 120 in the case of house — warm-up crews have been blessed with a bumper crop of records suited to their task. Don’t Look Down Now, the latest single from Anthony Collins, can be counted among their numbers. Released on Curle Recordings, the track revises the Frenchman’s emotive, organically flavored aesthetic to slot in nicely among early evening sets and comes complete with an equally unhurried remix by man of the moment, Roman Flügel.

“Don’t Look Down Now” feels like it was made to evoke the maximum amount of melancholic emotions without bringing the dance floor to a halt. An ever growing procession of vintage percussion patterns, curious synth leads, strummed and finger-picked guitar parts and docile marimba notes seems unwieldy on paper. Yet as Collins deploys each element their aggregate effect is magnified without becoming overwhelming, even when a Thom Yorke-a-like vocalist occasionally intones the titular line. If that sounds too emo for your tastes, be sure to check Flügel’s upbeat remix. Its steely, syncopated stabs will goad you onto dance floor but the flirty marimba rolls at multiple speeds and depths are what will keep you there. Refreshingly anachronistic in the wake of the ’08-’09 marimba craze, it’s an unusual but entirely functional track that handily outshines its source material. Either way, Don’t Look Down Now is another solid Curle release likely to delight the openers among us.

[Live at Robert Johnson]

Roman Flügel has had a winning streak under his given name lately. After his excellent contribution to the Live At Robert Johnson mix series, he’s released two stunning EPs: the unhinged reach-for-the-sky Aphex-isms of “Brian Le Bon” and the hauntingly reserved Dial EP, How To Spread Lies. His latest, a four-track EP, marks a triumphant return to the Live At Robert Johnson label, an imprint that further and further proves its surprising worth outside of its original purpose.

The humorously-titled Desperate Housemen EP sits somewhere in-between those last two releases, pulling in the melodic grandeur of “Brian Le Bon” and sticking it in the subtle and refined template of his Dial EP. “Lovedancing” is the immediate highlight, where distant whistles bounce off shuffling handclaps and tickling chimes, hemmed in by drafty blasts of synthetic bombast. Ever the careful hand, Flügel balances his track perfectly with a gritty bass line and trigger-happy snares, nudging it just slightly in and out of dance floor territory so that it works in any setting. Continuing in the same boogie-centric direction, “Mulish Crease” sprouts bright plucked strings and pitchbent chords from its bristling low-end, hinting at deep house with a laborious and straightforward saunter.

The deep house reference is made explicit on “Iron Curtain,” where descending bass notes and ancient drum machines amble along with a loopy chord percussion and strings. “Dishes & Wishes” is the only track that doesn’t feel revelatory, an average exercise in barreling house with a few special touches, such as the three-dimensional “whoomp” that happens about two minutes in. While nothing here quite touches the dizzy heights of “Brian Le Bon” or “How To Spread Lies,” Desperate Housemen continues Flügel’s lovely stretch of classy, melodic house, subtly loaded with clever flourishes and deft production values, executed with utmost clarity and finesse.

01. Jerzzey Boy, “Like A”
[My Love Is Underground] (buy)
With retro house styles so completely en vogue, it makes sense that labels are beginning to combine new, classically influenced releases with re-releases of hard to find records. My Love Is Underground, the Paris-based imprint owned by Jeremy Underground, takes it a step further: of its four releases so far, two seem to contain newly released tracks that date from the fetishized early/mid-90′s. Their third was by Jerzzey Boy, the duo of Curtis Edwards and George Lockett Jr. whose last record together dates back to 1994. The clear highlight of their Lost Cuts Pt.1 is “Like A,” a short and vivacious house track that’s clearly indebted to Journey With the Lonely-era Lil Louis. Its staccato organ chords and bass line hit the same pleasure centers, and Keva Holman’s confident vocals command the same level of respect as Lil Louis collaborator Joi Cardwell. It seems nearly impossible not to get caught up in the catchy refrain or the grin-inducing melodies throughout. Hats off to Jeremy for rescuing this excellent lost material; we look forward to what he and his crew unearth next.

02. Recondite, “Robur” [Plangent] (buy)
It’s become something of a familiar story: a hand-stamped white label arrives in stores with barely any information about the label or artist and wins the hearts and cash of discerning listeners. But like the best records to fit into this mold, it’s the music rather than the buzz that has shoppers adding Plangent#001 by Recondite to their piles. It’s altogether a splendid release, but “Robur” at A2 seems to be the standout. While bound together by sturdy 808 percussion, “Robur” is a delicate tune whose contemplative synth leads intermingle like curls of smoke rising from the morning’s first cigarette. The combination is quite affecting — just enough momentum to stir the dance floor’s first entrants with more melodic nuance than found in some whole DJ sets. Fans of Kassem Mosse, RNDM and Lawrence should check out this one before it vanishes from shops’ stock.

03. Roman Flügel, “Iron Curtain”
[Live At Robert Johnson] (buy)
There aren’t too many sonic signatures that tie-together Roman Flügel’s lengthy and varied back catalog; even his beloved 303 only shows up from time to time. Yet it’s fair to say the broad majority of Flügel’s work is endearingly lighthearted, and using his tracks in a set can act a reminder that dance music isn’t serious business and can be used to facilitate fun. He follows his Simon LeBon single for Live At Robert Johnson (one of the most killingest labels currently in operation) with the Desperate Housemen EP for the imprint, a cheeky record whose best moment, “Iron Curtin,” is as sticky in the mind as chewed gum is in hair. Its plush pads and complimentary synth strings, taken alongside syncopated house percussion, recall the exalted air of 90′s deep-house. So far so good, but what sets the tune off is the slippery synth lead which scrambles between notes like puppy on hardwood floors — eager and excited but barely able to control its enthusiasm or feet. The result is sure to bring a smile to dancers’ faces as they wiggle along. It looks like Roman Flügel’s third act continues to be as compelling and charismatic as parts one and two.

04. Terrence Dixon, “City Nights” [Thema] (buy)
If an artist’s popularity was commensurate to their talent, Terrence Dixon would be as well known as any of the Detroit producers adored by the dance music world. His music is otherworldly and familiar at once, containing many of the same ingredients as his peers but arranged in such unexpected ways that it can take a few spins before their structures click with what we come to expect. For his first release of 2011, Dixon teamed up with Brooklyn’s Thema imprint for a five track EP that showcases some of his more accessible material as well as his characteristically complex side. Like many of his best tracks, lead track “City Nights” fits together long, funky loops filigreed with jazzy tones and intervals and is bolted together with vibrating slap bass cables. Although it’s a straight 4×4, the frantically intricate drumwork leaves it feeling open to interpretation and various styles of DJing. The highlight, however, is when the strings detach from their high perch to swoon from side to side, providing the sensation of the whole track melting. Tunes like “City Nights” make us glad that labels keep giving Dixon a platform for his sui generis style of techno and give us hope that larger audiences will follow.

05. Vakula, “Kiev” [Achipel] (buy)
Mikhaylo Vityk, the producer better known as Vakula, has enamored himself to the deep house scene with great alacrity. In his two year career, the Ukrainian talent has racked up releases on top shelf labels such as Uzuri, 3rd Strike Records, Quintessentials, Firecracker Recordings, and most recently Anton Zap’s Ethereal Sound imprint. Yet it’s a largely overlooked release for Archipel which recently caught our attention and helped explain his allure. What he does so well, showcased best by the track “Kiev,” is to infuse familiar deep house motifs with empyrean synth lines that elevate the earthy elements. The funky bass line of “Kiev” seems to be swimming in a current of stardust as persistent hi-hats and staggered snare hits give the tune shape. It’s the kind of track you want to hear while watching the clouds float by, preferably while shaking it at the water’s edge.

06. Julius Steinhoff, “Mischief Of One Kind And Another” [Geography Records] (buy)
07. Peverelist, “Dance Til The Police Come”
[Hessle Audio] (buy)
08. Prostitune, “NJ Turnpike”
[Just Another Beat] (buy)
09. Andre Lodemann, “Your Choice”
[Room With A View] (buy)
10. Leonid Nevermind, “Thymus Stimulator”
[Nowar] (buy)

Staff Charts:

Steve Kerr
01. Old Apparatus, “Untitled B” [Deep Medi Musik]
02. Andy Stott, “Dark Details” [Modern Love]
03. Grouper, “Alien Observer” [Yellow Electric]
04. Shifted, “Reach” (Szare Remix) [Syndrome Z]
05. Invisible Conga People, “Can’t Feel My Knees” [DFA]
06. Blondes, “Lover” [Rvng Intl]
07. Marcellus Pittman, “The Mad Underdog” [Seventh Sign Records]
08. Gesloten Cirkel, “Yamagic” [Moustache Records]
09. Sneaker, “You Think You Think” [Uncanny Valley]
10. Lone, “Blossom Quarter” [R&S Records]

Anton Kipfel
01. Julius Steinhoff, “Mischief Of One Kind And Another”
[Geography Records]
02. Dinky, “Polvo” [Ostgut Ton]
03. Hitsafe, “Let The Acid Out” (Tin Man Remix) [Shaddock Records]
04. Burial, “Stolen Dog” [Hyperdub]
05. Reggie Dokes, “Haiti” [Royal Oak]
06. Kenton Slash Demon, “Daemon” [Tartelet Records]
07. WK7, “Higher Power” (Hardcore PCK Mix) [Power House]
08. The Parallel, “Analogue City” [Kosmisch]
09. Unity Love Vibe, “Doom Loop” [Station 5 Records]
10. Art Department, “What Does It Sound Like?” [Crosstown Rebels]

Chris Miller
01. Andy Stott, “Excecution” [Modern Love]
02. DJ Qu, “Get Sum” [Strength Music]
03. Midland, “Through Motion” [Aus Music]
04. tobias., “Girts” [Ostgut Ton]
05. Pearson Sound, “Deep Inside” [Night Slugs]
06. Pangaea, “Run Out” [Hessle Audio]
07. Dresvn, “Woodlandscene A2″ [Acido Records]
08. Versalife, “Solenoids of Insomnia” [Clone West Coast Series]
09. Donato Dozzy, “In Bed” (Tin Man Remix) [Absurd Recordings]
10. Steffi, “Sadness” [Ostgut Ton]

Keith Pishnery
01. Kahn, “Like We Used To” [Punch Drunk]
02. 13&God, “Armored Scarves” [Anticon]
03. Wiley, “Numbers in Action” [Big Dada]
04. Illum Sphere, “Dreamstelin” [Tectonic]
05. Mexicans With Guns, “Highway To Hell” [Innovative Leisure]
06. Kode9 & Spaceape, “Otherman” [Hyperdub]
07. Save Slaves, “Revolver Juggling” [Nihon Kizuna]
08. Burial, “Stolen Dog” [Hyperdub]
09. Mokira, “Axis Audio” [Kontra-Musik]
10. Groundislava, “Animal” [Friends of Friends]

Andrew Ryce
01. Pittsburgh Track Authority, “Vertical Impact” [Uzuri]
02. Andre Lodemann, “Your Choice” [Room With A View]
03. Andy Mac, “Everytime” [Punch Drunk]
04. Steffi, “Sadness” [Ostgut Ton]
05. Machinedrum, “Fantastix” [Planet Mu]
06. Andy Stott, “North To South” [Modern Love]
07. Duijn & Douglas, “Clap Voor Je Backingvocals” [Feelharmonic]
08. Monolithium, “Swag Equity” [Error Broadcast]
09. Redinho, “Edge Off” [Numbers]
10. Miyoo, “Biogram” (West Norwood Cassette Library Remix)
[West Norwood Cassette Library]

01. Hercules & Love Affair, “My House”
[Mochi Mochi Recordings] (buy)
Although Hercules & Love Affair is best known as a disco group, Andrew Butler often worked elements of influential American house music into their songs. In fact the band’s first single since 2008 is the spiritual successor to their charged Chicago house track, “You Belong.” “My House” seems to inch forward in time to the late ’80s and early ’90s and integrates touches of a New York sound in its Windy City foundation. Its mellifluous bass and dexterous percussion form a muscular core that pulls the track through live-wire synth hums, vocals exhorting listeners to “Get up! Get up!” But what always sells me on Butler’s compositions is the songwriting. From its ebullient chorus declaring “My house / is in order,” to the clever verses and extraordinary bridge/breakdown, the song has fan-turned-vocalist Shaun Wright belting out an endearing tale about the peace of mind accompanying a stable relationship which doubles as an excellent house track. If you had any concerns about how H&LA would top their early peaks, “My House” should put them to rest with yet another high watermark for the group.

02. RNDM, “Hideaway Lane” (Dub) [Laid] (buy)
Oliver Kargl hasn’t seemed rushed by dance music’s mercurial ways, releasing only occasionally as half of Pigon with Efdemin, and just as sparingly when flying solo as RNDM. Slowly but steadily he’s established himself as a canny house producer with a few tracks for Dial, a tune for Naïf, and a 12″ for Laid. Hideaway Lane, his second, latest release for Laid, represents a leap forward for the Berlin-based producer. The Dub mix emerges as my favorite for bringing together the tuneful bass of the Shine mix and the spiraling, airy treble of the original. With its soothing pads and soft, tuneful synth undulations, the tune conveys a calm that’s only made more inviting by the lathered up bass line. Tender and limber all at once, “Hideaway Lane” strongly affirms the promise of Kargl’s measured ascent.

03. Lone, “Cloud 909″ [Magic Wire Recordings] (buy)
In spite of his prolific nature and the hype surrounding his “Pineapple Crush” track, Matt Cutler aka Lone didn’t really get my attention until the arrival of his late-2010 album, Emerald Fantasy Tracks. Over the course of its eight tracks, Cutler refined the sun-warped house sound of “Pineapple” into something a bit breathtaking. Opening track “Cloud 909″ is exemplary of this; hyper and housey like Underground Resistance’s “Jupiter Jazz” but furnished with a micro-textured sound akin to DJ Koze or Pepe Bradock. The result is sprightly and somewhat dazed by its own ostensible age — exultant and familiar but too singular to be pastiche. It’s a style few producers can pull off and Cutler does so repeatedly across his fourth long-player. I eagerly await his work 2011.

04. Sandwell District, “Speed + Sound (Endless)” [Sandwell District] (buy)
Sandwell District, both the label and collective, first established itself as a bastion for bleak, uncompromising techno. But as time passes the stony facade has crumbled and a more hopeful and melodically inclined face has revealed itself, starting with the sampler EPs and coming to a head with their long awaited album, Feed-Forward. Although critical consensus has lifted “Falling The Same Way” as the album’s peak, I find myself returning to its closer, “Speed + Sound (Endless),” for repeated eardrum massages. As with much of the album you can pick up any number of influences from the tune, mostly from the electronic side of Krautrock: Manuel Göttsching as Ash Ra Tempel, Harmonia, Tangerine Dream, Cluster, or even Kraftwerk. Balmy and pulsing, crested with gorgeous, swelling chords, minute hi-hats ticking along without disturbing the flow, the track gives the listener the sense Sandwell are as content to conjure soothing moods as dreary ones.

05. XI, “Gamma Rain” [Orca Recordings] (buy)
After a very prolific 2010, Toronto’s XI (Christian Andersen to his friends) begins 2011 on an auspicious note with his Gamma Rain/Medicate single for quickly rising imprint Orca Recordings. Side A dominates the proceedings with a hyper kinetic garage tune that imagines frantic sax lines being beamed through a wormhole, their notes and composition turning inside out, ripping apart and smacking back together with cosmic force. Both the interstellar mood and jazzy nature of “Gamma Rain” smacks of latter day Flying Lotus, but its limber yet straightforward percussion arrangements have more in common with garage/bass music than Dilla’s most revered disciple. Reaching uncharted corners of the sonic universe last aimed for by drum n’ bass producers, “Gamma Rain” is an impressive way to begin a year and potentially the catalyst for more concerted interest in XI.

06. Lauer, “Banned” [Live At Robert Johnson] (buy)
07. Audio Werner, “Guteaussichten” [Story] (buy)
08. Tin Man, “Nonneo” [Absurd Recordings] (buy)
09. Obsolete Music Technology, “Latency”
[Machining Dreams] (buy)
10. Roman Flügel, “How to Spread Lies” [Dial] (buy)

Staff Charts:

Chris Burkhalter
01. Digital Mystikz, “Education” [DMZ]
02. Lone, “The Birds Don’t Fly This High” [Magic Wire Recordings]
03. Kassem Mosse, “2d” [Kinda Soul]
04. Moritz von Oswald Trio, “Restructure 2 (Digital Mystikz)” [Honest Jon's]
05. Aardvarck, “Nosestep (Cosmin TRG remix)” [Rush Hour]
06. Rolando, “Junie” [Ostgut Ton]
07. Sandwell District, “Svar” [Sandwell District]
08. Tin Man, “Nonneo” [Absurd Recordings]
09. Area, “So Many Fireflies” [Kimochi]
10. Juju & Jordash, “Quasi Quasi” [Dekmantel]

Luke Hawkins
01. Bodycode, “I’ll Hold Your Hand” [Spectral Sound]
02. Newworldaquarium, “The Force” [NWAQ]
03. SND, “Atavism 2″ [Raster-Noton]
04. Ø, “Helium” [Sähkö Recordings]
05. Flying Lotus, “Parisian Goldfish” [Warp]
06. Moritz von Oswald Trio, “Restructure 2″ [Honest Jon's]
07. Actress, “Purrple Splazsh” [Honest Jon's]
08. Hieroglyphic Being, “Belief and Reality” [Mathematics]
09. Rick “Poppa” Howard, “Do What You Have To” [Rush Hour]
10. Tin Man, “Nonneo” [Absurd Recordings]

Steve Kerr
01. Andy Ash, “Freak” [On The Prowl Party Breaks]
02. Cally, “Wake Oops” [Fear Of Flying]
03. Virgo Four, “Look Into Your Eyes” [Rush Hour]
04. Tony Wilson, “New York City Life” [Bearsville]
05. Elphino, “I Just Can’t” [Somethink Sounds]
06. Roche, “Sk Rhythm” [Solos Recordings]
07. Brooks Mosher, “Intermetro” [Dolly]
08. Kowton, “She Don’t Jack” [Idle Hands]
09. Ital, “One Hit” [100% Silk]
10. Nina Kraviz, “Tanya” [Rekids]

Kuri Kondrak
01. Martyn/Mike Slott, “Pointing Fingers” [All City]
02. Shake, “Trackin” [Fit]
03. Tevo Howard, “The Age Of Compassion” [Buzzin Fly']
04. C-Beams, “Thumbling” [Uncanny Valley]
05. Ever Vivid, “Abandoned Virtues” [Open Mind]
06. BitterSuite, “Squeeze In” [Atmospheric Existence Recordings]
07. Juanpablo, “Dream” (J.T.C. Remix) [Frigio Records]
08. DMX Krew, “Worm Hole” [Fresh Up]
09. Arne Weinberg, “Motive Force” [Diametric]
10. Kassem Mosse, “2D” [Kinda Soul]

Chris Miller
01. Steffi ft. Virginia, “Yours” [Ostgut Ton]
02. Margaret Dygas, “We’re Not The Same” [Perlon]
03. Scuba, “Feel It” [Hotflush Recordings]
04. Tin Man, “Nonneo” [Absurd Recordings]
05. Joy Orbison, “BB” [Doldrums]
06. Tyrez, “Functional Love” [Dolly]
07. Kassem Mosse, “Untitled” [Trilogy Tapes]
08. Sepalcure, “No Think” [Hotflush Recordings]
09. Martyn x Mike Slott, “All Night” [All City]
10. Owen Jay & Melchior Sultana, “Days Gone By” [Underground Quality]

Jordan Rothlein
01. Tin Man, “Nonneo” [Absurd]
02. Steffi, “Reasons” (feat. Virginia) [Underground Quality]
03. Sepalcure, “No Think” [Hotflush Recordings]
04. Pawel, “Kramnik” (John Roberts Remix) [Dial]
05. Lauer, “H.R. Boss” [Live From Robert Johnson]
06. Steffi, “Nightspacer” [Ostgut Ton]
07. Mayhem & Distal, “Frozen Barnacles” [Surefire Sound]
08. Knifeshow, “Hallways” [Fancy Restaurant]
09. Rolando, “Junie” [Ostgut Ton]
10. Margaret Dygas, “We’re Not The Same” [Perlon]

Andrew Ryce
01. Kevin McPhee, “Get In With You” [nakedlunch]
02. XI, “Gamma Rain” [Orca]
03. Croms, “Invisible Cities” [Exit]
04. Boddika, “Daze That Were”
05. Joel Mull, “Holographic” [Truesoul]
06. Salva, “Icey” [Friends of Friends]
07. Steffi, “Reasons” [Underground Quality]
08. Contakt, “Not Forgotten” [Local Action]
09. Mode, “Stepping Stone” [Exit]
10. DJG, “Automatic” [Brownswood]

Jack Scourfield
01. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx, “NY Is Killing Me” [XL]
02. Braiden, “The Alps” [Doldrums]
03. Sepalcure, “Your Love” [Hotflush Recordings]
04. Krystal Klear, “Tried For Your Love (Hudson Mohawke Remix)”
[All City]
05. Vindicatrix, “Hume” [Mordant Music]
06. Bakey Ustl, “A Tender Places” [Unthank]
07. Cassie, “Me & U (Brackles Remix)” [Local Action]
08. Chasing Voices, “Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit” [Preserved Instincts]
09. Katy B feat. Ms. Dynamite, “Lights On” [Rinse]
10. Mzo Bullet, “Casablanca” [New State Music]

[Dial]

Whoever wrote Roman Flügel’s Discogs entry was right when they referred to him as a “chameleon.” The man’s been behind everything from big-room club hits to whimsical, serpentine house experiments, and remains as difficult to pin down as anyone working in dance music today. Nevertheless, a Flügel release on the Dial label is a perplexing prospect because Dial doesn’t exactly do chameleonic. Nuanced as it is, the label’s roster prides itself on consistent aesthetics, generally conforming to a specific bell-laden, bluesy atmosphere. How to Spread Lies exists in a space between Flügel’s catalog and that of the label; unquestionably more lighthearted than your average Lawrence release, the EP also contains some shades of sentimentality to appease skeptical Dial fans.

The title track is a mood piece; rhythmically a fairly basic 4/4, it mainly relies upon a selection of melodic elements: with soft bass tones, somber piano and chiming bells, the orchestration is classic Dial. A portamento synth line suavely escalates from this foundation, but things don’t go much farther than rubbing against pleasure centers. The similarly jazzy “Sunny Side Up” follows, a track that’s too short to make an impact — imagine one of Move D’s 10-minute workouts truncated into under four. A laid-back minimal house structure unexpectedly breaks into jazzy keys, but they seem to start noodling almost immediately, and there’s frustratingly not enough time to follow Flügel’s intentions. “Pattern 16″ is as mechanical as its title suggests, a bleepy, tightly-wound minimal composition that may work as a tool but, though playful, provides little in the way of hooks. The EP concludes with the beatless “Pianopiano,” which has entirely the opposite effect. It’s a tender, carefully restrained slice of indietronica, and the only successfully succinct piece here. Overall, How to Spread Lies feels like it would have benefited from Flügel fleshing out its sketches beyond familiar Dial blueprints.