The Stepkids have made some big moves in 2011 with their self-titled LP which came out on the iconic Stones Throw Records this past fall. The Stepkids are that great moment when musicianship, impeccable songwriting, and a strong sonic and visual aesthetic all intersect – a very rare and difficult thing to tastefully pull off these days. The gents put together their favorite albums of the year which I strongly co-sign. Be sure to check out some of my favorite cuts from some of these releases as well as an amazing collaboration the Stepkids did with their labelmate, Jonti.
Asian Dan’s Guest List : The Stepkids Top 10 of 2011
Jonti – twirligig
Tuneyards – whokill
Ford & Lopatin- channel preasure
James Blake – James Blake
Tyler, The Creater- Goblin
Oneohtrix Point Never- Replica
Thundercat- The Golden Age of Apocalypse
Frank Ocean – Nostalgia/Ultra
Dam Mantle – first wave
Rustie – Glass Swords [Read more]
As Brodinski said in his Asian Dan Q&A : Introduction to Bromance Records, brainchild of both himself Brodinski and Guillaume of The Shoes, Gucci Vump are back with a new 30 min mixtape of original productions called “Nvthin Bvt A Gvxxi Thang”. Highlight tracks include a fantastic remix of Switch’s “I Still Love You”, a chopped & screwed sample of Toto’s Africa, and some chopped n’ screwed Drake to top it all off. Download the 30 min mix here or as separate tracks via Megaupload just like Kanye would.
I will come out with it now and say that Fort Lean is my favorite band of the year. I listen to their free 4-track EP at least once a day and sing-along to every tune, especially “High Definition”. They are well on their way to becoming a household name with all the buzz and success that has come to them in just the past 6 months. Once again I will say that I had the honor of sharing the bill with them twice this year with Emil & Friends and that they always destroy it live. Check out this interview with Keenan from Fort Lean in Interview Magazine and be on the lookout for their next single, “Sunsick” out on Neon Gold in February 2012.
The Fort Lean boys show that they are quite LOLzy by submitting their Top 10 Cars of All Time list instead of the traditional Top 10 Tracks of 2011. Be sure to read their Asian Dan Q&A that they answered a few months ago.
Fort Lean’s Top 10 Cars of All Time:
1. geo tracker – a classic in every sense
2. suzuki x-90 – so compact, so sleek
3. chevy el camino – in case you need to move anything
4. plymouth prowler – the virtual boy of cars
5. pontiac aztec – angular, aggressive
6. chrysler pt cruiser – mini-hearse
7. mazda miata – 90s mid-life crisis embodied
8. vw beetle (2000) – comes with built-in flower holder
9. vw rabbit pickup – is it a station wagon? is it a pickup?
10. mazda mpv – is it a van? is it a station wagon?
Cloud Boat may have only released two tracks but they are two fantastic tracks (Lions on the Beach/Bastion) that I have been listening to all year. Tom and Sam were kind enough to put together a list of their favorite albums of the year, a very eclectic list of releases that highlight Cloud Boat’s taste and define their unique and intoxicating sound.
Asian Dan’s Guest List : Cloud Boat Top 10 of 2011
CANT visits KEXP studios to give a moody and introspective performance of Chris Taylor’s dark pop tunes. “The Edge” is a standout track in this performance.
The mysterious Kindness from the UK has release yet another slithery disco tune entitled “SEOD”. This tune will be out in January as a White Label release before Kindness unleashes his full length album next year which was co-produced by Philippe Zdar. “SEOD” is a slinky dark disco tune that is part space journey and part trip into your third eye via some sexy lead guitar and bellowing sax. Will Kindness be the Arthur Russell of 2012? I hope so.
The intellectual-Popsters known as Miike Snow have returned with a new track entitled “Devil’s Work”. The only way I can describe it is as a track you would hear at the end of a movie as the end credits just kick in. Syncopated piano chord stabs propel the song while a sneaky snare roll keeps Andrew Wyatt’s vocals a float. Oh and just wait for the horn section that act as a reminder of how epic/cinematic Miike Snow can be.
Chairlift channels some serious Broadcast, Stereolab, and Cocteau Twins vibes on their new tune “Met Before”. Quite a straightforward and fun tune propelled by big toms and swirling synths.
I will be honest and say that Fort Lean is my favorite band of 2011 and all they have released was a free 4 track EP. I have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with them twice this year while playing with Emil & Friends and they always impress me. I always end up singing along to their songs in the crowd. Their latest video for “Beach Holiday” shows what a LOLzy band they are. Pure fun tunes. Looking forward to their future releases and more sing alongs.
All music shared on this site is copyrighted by the artists and are only meant as samples, please buy their music,
buy their merchandise, see them live, support them, tell your friends about them, love them, cheers.
