I find that quite hard to do nowadays because the way we (or at least I) consume music has changed drastically over the last few years.

I barely buy CDs anymore, and not much more albums. Yes, there is a difference between the two, because of the possibility of buying individual tracks opened by the likes of iTunes, Beatport and all the other online music stores.

The impact on listmaking is that it becomes hard to draft one that encompasses albums.

So, the following list of my favourites of the past year merely reflects the productions I have come across that made an æsthetic impact on my passion for music.

Without further adue, here they are, in no particular order and with as much useful info as I can convey to you, dear readers.

Blue Steel (Still Going Remix) – Bot’Ox

Bot’Ox, is a French duo composed of Tekel’s Julien Briffaz and Benjamin Boguet, who you might know better as Cosmo Vitelli. Quite a pedigree! As for Still Going, a pair of producer from New York City, they’ve been banging out wicked tunes on DFA for a few years now. Combine all that and what you get on a major dancefloor bomb and you can even download it for free here!

Listen to Blue Steel (Still Going Remix) Blue Steel

The Professor – Dionigi

I wasn’t even going to include this on my list until just before I started writing this list. I’ve purchased that album and didn’t really give it a thourough listen until today, while I was researching my library for tracks to include on my next Cosmix. While going through all the tracks of the album, I realized that this album by Dionigi is one hell of an album that falls firmly in the Space Disco category while touching to many broader styles, from House to Breaks to Ambient. Yes, Italians can and still do produce good music, if you dig below the surface crap they are also capable of producing… Special mention for ugliest album art of the year, or at the very least of this list!

Listen to No radio, No TV No radio, No TV

Empire Ants – Gorillaz

Yeah, I could’ve included the whole Plastic Beach album, but this track stands out so much from the rest — and moved me so much — that I chose to include only this one on the list. It also has the added benefit of introducing me to Little Dragon, a band I didn’t know before. I’m madly in love with the second movement of the track, when it gets more electro, and it’s a real shame that it’s so short! Now, a concert is the perfect setting to jam a bit with a song and extend it, but when they stopped over Montreal last October, the Gorillaz (with singer Yukimi Nagano) didn’t do anything of the sort… Shame, I tell you… But guess what! When they played on whatever TV show they played on in this video, they did extend it! See, and hear, for yourself!

Desilusion – Gotan Project

Tango 3.0 is by far my favourite album by the multinational trio. They don’t reinvent themselves, but they certainly take their concept to a new level here, a level that was hinted at on the second album, released in 2006. Why did I choose Desilusion? Well, because I think it’s the most apt ambassador to the rest of the album as a whole.

Listen to Desilusion Desilusion

She’s a Fast Persuader – Jamiroquai

I’ve been a total Jamiroquai fan from the get-go, no shame in admitting that! I’m always excited when they release a new album, and the latest was no exception to the rule. Jay Kay et al. don’t reinvent the wheel here, let alone themselves, but it’s still a great Jamiroquai album, better than the last one, in any case. I wouldn’t, however, go as far as including the whole album on my list, but this little gem of a track is definitely the stand-out track for me. Pure Jamiroquai at their best!

Listen to She’s a Fast Persuader She’s a Fast Persuader

Le Troublant Acid – KZA

Yotsukaido Nature is a Japanese producer who’s known as KZA as sometimes Force of Nature. This amazing little ditty is entirely based on a a loop from an obscure French single from the 70′s, Le troublant témoignage de Paul Martin, that he sped up and complemented with a drum track and TB-303 line. Nothing groundbreaking, production-wise, but it is SO efficient! Once you hear this track, it’ll be stuck in your head for days, trust me.

Listen to Le Troublant Acid Le troublant acid

Le shack à Chuck – Martin Léon

J’écris en anglais sur mon site perso car je m’adresse à un auditoire international, mais je trouvais plutôt étrange d’écrire en anglais au sujet de Martin Léon, un des très rares artistes québécois que je trouve vraiment intéressants. Il a une poésie, une façon de raconter des histoires plutôt que de banalement chanter l’amour, en plus d’un talent de compositeur et de réalisateur hors-pair. Je vous recommande chaudement son plus récent album, Les Atomes, comme tous les autres, d’ailleurs. And for the others, all I can say is if you don’t know Martin Léon, don’t let the language thing bug you and dig into his work: you won’t regret it!

Listen to Le shack à Chuck Le shack à Chuck

OFI – Model 500

Godfather of Techno Juan Atkins doesn’t release stuff that often, so in and of itself, a new release by him, espcially under his Model 500 moniker, is quite a happening. In this case, however, we’re not only dealing with a happening, but also one monster of a track. Agreed, the break is so-so, but’s it’s the only blemish on this track’s face. I’ll let it speak for itself…

Listen to OFI OFI

Long Distance – Onra

Definitely one of my favourite releases of 2010, Onra is a one-man-show from the mastermind of French producer Arnaud Bernard. Onra produces leftfield hip hop, or whatever you want to call it, but he does it with a flair that is unique and irresistible. I chose the title track from his 2010 album simply because my favourite track on it, My Comet, is actually from 2008…

Listen to Long Distance Long Distance

Transatlantic Landing Bay – Space Dimension Controller

I don’t know much about the band, other than the info I found on Zero Inch: “Belfast’s Jack Hamill started releasing ambient downbeat as RL/VL before assuming the name of Space Dimension Controller. Combining elements of electro-funk and deep techno in his tracks, Space Dimension Controller has been one of the shooting stars of 2010, performing at Barcelona’s prestigious Sónar festival and recently signing to seminal imprint R&S Records”. But don’t believe the hype and just trust me when I say that here’s a name you should memorize, because I’m predicting his ascencion is only begining. As a matter of fact, his remix of the aforementionned OFI by Model 500 is coming out in January. Now that’s somehting I can’t wait to hear!

Listen to Transatlantic Landing Bay Transatlantic Landing Bay

Honourable mentions

Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!! (Lulu Rouge Feat. Abdullah S Remix) – Trentemøller || I’m not Dubstep’s best customer, but I like this one a lot, even though I’ll admit it’s got nothing very special about it. Silver

I Know You’re Mine – Roberto Rodriguez || Can’t get enough of Rodriguez’ productions! Mine

State Trooper (Trentemøller Unofficial Mix) – Bruce Springsteen || The only reason this didn’t make my list is that it did not come out in 2010, even though I only heard of it eraly in the year. Top work! Trooper

The Logical Song – Rodion || An electropop cover of the Supertramp classic? Gotta love it! Logical

J’ai numérisé ma collection de disques et j’en vends plusieurs centaines. Tous les CDs sont en excellent état et sont vendus au coût de 5$, incluant les albums multiples (ie 2cd=10$, 3cd=15$, etc.), ainsi que quelques DVDs qui seront vendus au coût de 10$.

I’ve digitized my entire record collection and I’m selling several hundreds. All CDs are in excellent conditions and are going for 5$ each, including multiple albums (ie 2cd=10$, 3cd=15$, etc.) as well as a few DVDs that will sell for 10$.

Voici une liste à jour des titres qui sont en vente || Here’s an up-to-date list of titles for sale:

THE CDS

• 4 Hero – Star Chasers Cd Single
• Abd Al Malik – Gibraltar
• Agoria – The Green Armchair
• Alain Caron – Conversations
• Alain Caron – The Jazz Rock Cuts
• Alexkid – Caracol
• Alexkid – Mint
• Ali Slimani – Hope
• Amon Tobin – Foley Room Cd+Dvd Special Edition
• Amp Fiddler – Afro Strut
• Antoine Clamaran Feat. Lulu Hughes – Release Yourself Cd Single
• Ariane Moffatt – Point De Mire Remix Cd Single
• Athlete – Tourist
• Atom Presents – Acid Evolution 1988-2003
• Banzai Republic – Where The Fun Starts Early In The Day
• Barenaked Ladies – All In Good Time
• Beast – Beast
• Bebel Gilberto – Bebel Gilberto
• Bebel Gilberto – Bebel Gilberto Remixed
• Bebel Gilberto – Momento
• Bebel Gilberto – Tanto Tempo
• Bebel Gilberto – Tanto Tempo Remixes
• Beck – The Information Deluxe (2cd+1dvd+Stickers)
• Big Muff – Aurally Exciting Remixes
• Blue 6 – Sweeter Love Cd Single
• Bob James – The Legendary Albums 2cd
• Bob Marley – Legend
• Bodymovin – Bodymovin
• Boris Dlugosch Feat. Roisin Murphy – Never Enough Cd Single
• Bougie Soliterre – Simple Things
• Bruno Pronsato – Why Can’t We Be Like Us
• Bugz In The Attic The Remixes Collection 2cd
• Caia – The Magic Dragon
• Catz ‘N Dogz – Stars Of The Zoo
• Cesaria Evora – Club Saudade
• Champion – The Remix Album
• Champion Et Ses G-Strings – Live (Cd+Dvd)
• Chemical Brothers – Come With Us
• Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole
• Chemical Brothers – Exit Planet Dust
• Chemical Brothers – Further
• Chemical Brothers – Push The Button
• Chemical Brothers – Surrender
• Chemical Brothers – We Are The Night
• Coldcut – Sound Mirrors Videos + Remixes 1 Cd + 1 Dvd
• Come And Get It – The Best Of Apple Records
• Compáy Segundo – La Colección Cubana
• Compilation – Alma De America 2
• Compilation – Audiomatique Volume 1mixed By Martinez
• Compilation – Bavaria: Beats Of Brazil
• Compilation – Beat Buzz Pitch
• Compilation – Bugnology Vol. 2
• Compilation – Canon Records 2007
• Compilation – Cd Sampler Cirque Du Soleil Solarium Delirium Remix
• Compilation – Compost One Hundred 2cd
• Compilation – Crosstown Rebels: Get Lost (2cd)
• Compilation – Dialect Intersection: Cooked Up By Cyril K
• Compilation – Digital Disco
• Compilation – Dirty Diamonds Iii 2cd
• Compilation – Dj Kicks: Trüby Trio
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Acid House Reborn Mixed By Jon Carter
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Are You Tribal?
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Body & Soul Vol. 3
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Cloe & Ivan Smagghe
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Deep Space Nyc Vol 1
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Delon & Dalcan: Picture Of Now
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Dj Garth San Francisco Sessions Vol. 3
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Dj Magazine Presents Back To Basics Mixed By Ralph Lawson & Dave Beer
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Fabio & Grooverider – Durm N Bass Revolution
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem 2002
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Get Salted Volume 1 Mixed By Miguel Migs
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Glasgow Underground Presents Summer Breeze Mixed By Kevin Mc Kay
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Hypercity: Forcetracks Mixed By Andrew Weatherall
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Ibiza Cheese-Free Mix By Layo & Bushwacka
• Compilation – Dj Mix: John Digweed – Transitions
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Josh Wink – Profound Sounds Vol. 3 2cd
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Junior, Fuju & Muzik Present Dark & Long Mixed By Futureschock
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Mixer Presents Afrika Bambaataa
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Naked Music Presents Miguel Migs: Nude Tempo One
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Summer In The City
• Compilation – Dj Mix: The Silver Star Holtel 02 Mixed By Jef K
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Tong’s Future Classics
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Toxic
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Tresor 17: Matthew Herbert – Let’s All Make Mistakes
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Turbo Toronto Mix Sessions By Kenny Glasgow
• Compilation – Dj Mix: Wall Of Sound Essentials Mixed By The Wiseguys
• Compilation – Filter Magazine: High Noon At Cedar Street
• Compilation – Invisible Hands Music: Contemporary Formation
• Compilation – Kitsuné Maison 6
• Compilation – Klang Elektronik: Diamanten Und Racketen Ii
• Compilation – Let It Be Revisited
• Compilation – Love: Endless Summer Selection
• Compilation – M For Montreal
• Compilation – Michael Mayer: Immer 2
• Compilation – Mixmag Presents Porn House Mix By Nic Fanciulli
• Compilation – Mixmag: The Mongo Hotline
• Compilation – Muzik Presents 17 D&B Anthems
• Compilation – Nightlife Magazine Présente Montreal Noise
• Compilation – Q Magazine Presnts The Best Of 2004
• Compilation – Rarewerks
• Compilation – Steve Bug Presents Bugnology 3
• Compilation – The Original Chicago House Classics
• Compilation – The Wall Rebuilt Disc 2
• Compilation – Triple R Selection 5
• Compilation – Un Siècle De Tango
• Compilation – Underground Classics Vol 1: New York Soulful Vocals & Detroit Deep House Classics
• Compilation – Upfront 2007
• Compilation – Warp Advence Listening Opportunity
• Compilation – Wave Music Cd Twelve No.1
• Compilation – 10 Years Of Tiefschwarz Remixed
• Compilation – 5@8 Années 80 Énergie
• Compilation – 5@8 Années 80 Énergie Volume 2
• Compilation – Arabia – The Essential Album 2cd
• Compilation – Blue Note Revisited
• Compilation – Bombay One
• Compilation – Café Lounge
• Compilation – Compounds + Elements An Introduction To All Saints Records
• Compilation – Ennio Morricone Remixes Volume 1
• Compilation – Ennio Morricone Remixes Volume 2 2cd
• Compilation – Future Retro
• Compilation – Hecho En Cuba 3
• Compilation – Jazzland Remixed
• Compilation – Kitsuné Maison 6
• Compilation – Kitsuné Midnight
• Compilation – Klang Elektronik: Diamanten Und Raketen Ii
• Compilation – Kompakt – Speicher 3
• Compilation – Latin House Sessions 3cd
• Compilation – Mobilee Back To Back 2cd
• Compilation – Modern Sounds From Italy Vol 2
• Compilation – Mojo Beatlemania Vol. 2
• Compilation – Mojo Beatlemania Volume 1
• Compilation – Mojo Mod Club Party
• Compilation – Mojo Presents Southern Soul
• Compilation – Montreal Departure Mixed And Compiled By Julius Papp 2cd
• Compilation – Ocean’s 13 Ost
• Compilation – Old School Nation 2cd
• Compilation – Ost – Control
• Compilation – Ost – Death Proof
• Compilation – Ost – Murder Was The Case
• Compilation – Paluche 3.14 Paul Piché Remixé
• Compilation – Private Lounge 4 2cd
• Compilation – Pure Disco (2 Copies)
• Compilation – Pure Disco Vol. 3
• Compilation – Pure Funk
• Compilation – Relish 2cd
• Compilation – Retro Active 2
• Compilation – Shapes: True Thoughts Recordings/Zebra Traffic
• Compilation – Sid Lee Loves Turbo
• Compilation – Silver Label
• Compilation – The Ascension Dimension Second Edition 2cd
• Compilation – The Best Pop Album Of The 80s Ever 2cd
• Compilation – The Rebirth Of Cool Vol 7 2cd
• Compilation – The Vampire Diaries Ost
• Compilation – Tru Thoughts Shapes One 2cd
• Compilation – Turbo Sessions Volume 2
• Compilation – Uncut – In God’s Country: Music That Inspired The Joshua Tree
• Compilation – Uncut – The Summer Of Motown
• Compilation – Wallpaper Mach 1.5
• Compilation Ascension Dimensions 2cd
• Compilation Dj Mix – Dj Morpheus I Can’t Live Without My Radio
• Compilation Dj Mix – Frabriclive 28 Evil Nine
• Compilation Dj Mix – Missil – Mashup
• Compilation Dj Mix – Sascha Funke – Watergate 02
• Compilation Dj Mix – 10 Years Of Blackmusic Mixed By Tiefschwarz
• Compilation Dj Mix – Exkimo Recordings Present Cosmic Disco? Cosmic Rock!
• Compilation Dj Mix – Sheffield Turbo Mix Sessions: Chris Duckenfield
• Compilation Dj Mix – Steve Bug Presents Bugnology 3
• Compilation Dj Mix – Stockholm Turbo Mix Sessions 2: Jesper Dahlback
• Compilation Dj Mix – Wavetec One
• Corinne Bailey Rae – The Sea
• Corinne Bailey Rae (Chinese Copy)
• Cravo E Canela – Free Radical
• Cubanismo – Reencarnacion
• Curtis Mayfield – The Very Best Of
• Daft Punk – Herder Better Faster Stronger Cd Single
• Daniel Bélanger – 4 Saisons Dans Le Désordre
• Daniel Boucher – Chez Nous Cd Single
• Danny Fernandez – Automatic Luv (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Darius Rucker – Charleston, Sc, 1966 (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Dark Comedy (Aka Kenny Larkin) – Funkfaker: Music Saves My Soul
• David Bowie – Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Edition 2cd VENDU PAT HOUDE
• Dennis De Santis – Clock Wise
• Depeche Mode – Tour Of The Universe 2cd+1dvd
• Depeche Mode – Remixes 81-04
• Dextro – Consequence Music
• Dierks Bentley – Up On The Ridge (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Dj Shadow – Endtroducing…
• Dj Shadow – Midnight In A Perfect World / The Number Sond Cd Single
• Dj Shadow – The Private Press
• Dk7 – Disarmed
• Dubtribe Soundsystem – Do It Now Cd Single
• Duo Campion-Vachon – Duke Ellington
• Dzihan & Kamien – Fakes 2cd
• Dzihan & Kamien – Gran Riserva
• Dzihan & Kamien – Refreaked
• Eagles Of Death Metal – Death By Sexy
• Electronic – Forbidden City Cd Single
• Erik Truffaz – Face À Face 2cd
• Erik Truffaz – Arkhangelsk
• Ersahin, Truffaz, Madsen, Rueckert, Penman – Our Theory
• Erykah Badu – Baduizm
• Everyhting But The Girl – Home Movies: The Best Of
• Everything But The Girl – Adapt Or Die: Ten Years Of Remixes
• Everything But The Girl – Walking Wounded
• Fatboy Slim – Greatest Hits
• Fatboy Slim – You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby
• Fauna Flash – Confusion
• Fauna Flash – Fusion
• Fc/Kahuna – Machine Says Yes
• Femme – Bathtub Clashes
• Fila Brazillia – Jump Leads
• Fpu – Crockett’s Theme Cd Single
• Fragile State – The Facts And The Dreams
• Franz Ferdinand
• George Benson – White Rabbit
• Gonzales – Soft Power
• Gonzalo Rubalcaba – Paseo
• Good Charlotte – Cardiology New Still Wrapped
• Gotan Project – Gotan Project 2cd
• Gotan Project – Lunatico
• Grace Jones – Island Life
• Greenskeepers – Pleetch
• Groove Armada – Goodbye Country Hello Nightclub
• Groove Armada – Lovebox
• Groove Armada – Vertigo
• Groove Armada – Soundboy Rock
• H Foundation – Environments
• Hakan Lidbo – Sound Molecules
• Herbie Hancock – Future 2 Future
• Hug – Heroes
• Hush Puppies – The Trap
• Ian Brown – Golden Greats
• Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Jaffa – Elevator
• Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey
• Jamiroquai – Dynamite
• Jamiroquai – Synkronized
• Jamiroquai – You Give Me Something Cd Single
• Jeff Samuel – Step
• Jill Scott – Beautifully Human: Words And Sounds Vol. 1
• Jill Scott – Collaborations
• Jill Scott – The Real Thing: Words And Sounds Vol. 3
• Jimpster – Domestic Science
• Jirku/Judge – Private Eyes
• Johnny Fiasco – Cycles: A Mixed Retrospective
• Johnny Reid – A Place Called Love New Still Wrapped
• Juicebox – Miniputtingbingobowlers
• K-Os – Atlantis
• Kabuki – Signal To Noise
• Katy Perry – Teenage Dream (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Keith Urban – Get Closer
• Kim – Don Lee Doo
• Kim – Mary Lee Doo
• King Tubby – Crucial Dub
• Kt Tunstall – Tiger Suit (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Kylie Minogue – Aphrodite (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Led Zeppelin – Early Days Vol. One
• Les Jardiniers – Cafeteria
• Lisa Shaw – Cherry
• Loco Locass – Amour Oral
• Los Amigos Invisibles – Zinga Son
• Louie Vega – Elements Of Life
• Luomo – Paper Tigers
• Lupe Fiasco – The Cool
• M.I.A. – Kala
• Madonna – Hard Candy
• Magneto – Magneto
• Malajube – Trompe-L’oeil
• Manhattan Transfer – Brasil
• Marasma – Signals
• Marc Déry – T’es Où Cd Single
• Marc Jordan – Crucifix In Dreamland
• Marc Leclair – Musique Pour 3 Femmes Enceintes
• Marcy Playground – Indaba Remixes From Wonderland (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Mario Biondi – Handful Of Soul
• Mark Masri – La Voce
• Mark Ronson – Version
• Massive Attack – Special Cases Cd Single
• Masters At Work Present Latin Verve Sounds
• Mathias Kaden – Studio 10
• Mc Solaar – Paradisiaque
• Metalica – St. Anger 1cd+1dvd
• Mettle Music – Moodswings
• Mia – Bittersüss
• Millmetrik – The Last Polar Bear On Earth
• Mocky – Saskamodie
• Mocky Feat. Feist – Fightin’ Away The Tears Cd Single
• Model 500 – Mind And Body
• Model 500 – Be Brave Cd Single
• Moloko – Forever More Cd Single
• Moso – New World Order
• Mossa – Some Eat It Raw
• Move D & Benjamin Brunn – Songs From The Beehive
• Mùm – Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy
• N*E*R*D – In Search Of…
• Naked Music Nyc – Reconstructed Soul
• Naturally 7 – Vocal Play
• Neon Phusion – The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be
• New Order – 60 Miles An Hour Cd Single
• New Order – Crystal Cd Single
• Newtones – Nomo
• Nickodemus – Endangered Species
• Nils Petter Molvaer – Recoloured, The Remix Album
• Norah Jones – Featuring
• Nôze – How To Dance
• Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul
• Panico – Subliminal Kill
• Pat Metheny Group – The Road To You Live
• Paul Mccartney – Wingspan Hits And History 2cd
• Pet – Rewind The Sofa Lady
• Pet Shop Boys – Ultimate
• Philip Glass – Glassworks
• Philip Glass – Powaqaatsi
• Phonique – Good Idea 2cd Limited Edition
• Phuture 303 – Survival’s Our Mission
• Plants And Animals – La La Land
• Playgroup – Playgroup
• Porn Flakes – Les Porn Flakes
• Portishead – Third
• Pretz – Soundcastles
• Principles Of Geometry – Principles Of Geometry
• Problem Kids – My First Acid House
• Psychocaravane – Psychocaravane
• Psychonauts – Songs For Creatures
• Quantic – Mishaps Happening
• Quantic – One Off’s Remixes And B Sides
• Quantic Soul Orchestra – Pushin On
• Queens Of The Stone Age – Era Vulgaris
• Queens Of The Stone Age – Go With The Flow Cd Single
• Radio Slave – Misch Masch 2cd
• Radiohead – Ok Computer
• Rae & Christian – Sleepwalking
• Ramasutra – El Pipo Del Taxi
• Rest Area – Rolling
• Rinocérose – Installation Sonore
• Robbie Williams – In And Out Of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010 2cd
• Roisin Murphy – Sequins 2
• Roni Size & Reprazent – In The Mode
• Roots Manuva – Alternatively Deep
• Roots Manuva – Dub Come Save Me
• Roy Davis Jr. – Traxx From The Nile
• Ryuichi Sakamoto – Heartbeat
• Savina Abel – Miss America
• Seal – Seal
• Secret Machines – Ten Silver Drops
• Secret Machines – The Road Leads Where It’s Led Mini Album
• Seelenluft – Birds And Plants And Rocks And Things
• Shades Of Culture – Mindstate
• Shantel – Greatdelay
• Simon & Garfunkel – Greatest Hits
• Siouxsie & The Banshees – Gold 2cd
• Sly & Robie – Drum N Bass Strip To The Bone By Howie B
• Sly And Robbie – Drum N Bass Strip To The Bone By Howie B
• Smashing Pumpkins – Gish
• Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream
• Smooth – An Electro Soul Experience
• Snooze – Americana
• Solar Sides – Electrolyse
• Sporto Kantes – Act 1
• Square One – Round One
• St-Germain – Tourist
• St-Germain – Boulevard
• Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life 2cd
• Streetlife Originals – Sidewalk Stories
• Supermayer – Save The World
• Swayzak – Route De La Slack: Remixes And Rarities
• Swayzak – Snowboarding In Argentina
• Swayzak – Loops From The Bergerie
• Sweet Thing – Sweet Thing (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Sylk 130 – When The Funk Hits The Fan The Remixes
• Tears For Fears – Tears Roll Down Greatest Hits 82-92
• Terence Blanchard – Flow
• The Constellations – Southern Gothic (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• The Cure – Greatest Hits
• The Funky Lowlives – Somewhere Else Is Here
• The Lost Fingers – Lost In The 80s
• The Lovers – The Lovers
• The Music – The Music
• The New Deal – The New Deal
• The Police – Ghost In The Machine
• The Roots – Phrenology Limited Edition 1cd+1 Dvd
• The Rurals – Farmland Flavours
• The Young Gods – Second Nature
• These Kids Wear Crowns – These Kids Wear Crowns (New, Still Wrapped/Neuf, Encore Emballé)
• Thomas Fehlmann – Honigpumpe
• Thunderball – Cinescope
• Tiefschwarz – Eat Books
• Tom Middleton – The Sound Of The Cosmos 3cd
• Toots Thielemans – Do Not Leave Me
• Tosca – No Hassle 2cd
• Trentemøller – Live In Concert Ep
• Trevor Loveys – Era
• Trouble Man – Time Out Of Mind
• Truant – Neither Work Nor Leisure
• Trulz & Robin Feat. Baseman
• U2 – Last Night On Earth Cd Single (Contains Their Version Of Pop Muzik)
• U2 – Vertigo Cd Single
• Underoath – Ø (Disambiguation) New Still Wrapped
• Underworld – Two Months Off Cd Single
• Wd-40 – Panache
• Wei Chi – One I Two Eyes
• Wibutee – Sweet Mental
• Williams Fairey Brass Band – Acid Brass
• Wintersleep – New Inheritors
• Wood Brothers – Ways Not To Loose
• Yello – You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess
• Yennah – Red Noise
• Zombie Nation – Black Toys
• Zorg – La Vie Privée De…
• Zorg – La Vie Remixée De…

THE DVDS

• Mad Men, seasons 1, 2 & 3
• La Petite Vie, la grande collection de luxe (9 DVD)
• 100 Limite
• 24 season 6 – 7 dvd
• 24 season 7 – 6 dvd
• 3 amis
• 3 fois rien – saison 1 – 2 dvd
• À nous deux
• American Gangster
• Anna M.
• Blue Note Sessions – Nigel Kennedy Quintet live in Paris at the New Morining
• Casino
• Cathy Gauthier – 100% vache folle
• Ce n’était qu’un rêve – La vie de Maman Dion
• Charlie Wilson’s War
• Daft Punk’s Electroma (promo copy in a cardboard sleeve)
• Découverte – Notre impact sur le monde du vivant
• Documentaire – The House that Ahmet Built
• François Léveillée (spectacle d’humour)
• Frost/Nixon
• Glastonbury Anthems: The Best of Glastonbury 1994-2004
• Gotan Project – La Revancha del Tango Live
• Heroes – Season 1 – 7 dvd
• L’ABC de la déguatation pour tous les amateurs de vin
• L’Assemblée – Backstage
• Le Coeur a ses raisons – saison 1 – 3 dvd
• Le maître du grill avec Steven Raichlen – saison 1 – 2 dvd
• Le Négociateur saison 1 – 3 dvd
• Lemire (Daniel) – Chez Vous (spectacle d’humour + sketches)
• Les 3 accords – En beau country
• Les 4 coins – L’intégrale de la saison 1
• Les Chevaliers de la canette
• Les Chick n’ Swell – Victollywood – 3 dvd
• Les hauts et les bas de Sophie Paquin saison 2 – 3 dvd
• Les Zapartistes – Zap 2007
• Lévesque & Turcotte – L’intégrale (4 spectacles sur 2 dvd)
• Ma vie n’est pas une comédie romantique
• Marco Calliari – Al Dente
• Minuit, le soir – La série complète + CD de la trame sonore
• Minuit, le soir, saison 1 – 2 dvd
• Minuit, le soir, saison 3 – 2 dvd
• Paranoid Park
• Pearl Jam – Immagine in Cornice (New, still wrapped/Neuf, encore emballé) – 15$
• Supreme Beings of Leisure – Strangelove Addiction
• Tout sur moi saison 1 – 2 dvd
• United 93
• Vice Caché saison 1 – 3 dvd

Some mixes just beg to be recorded.

Barely two months since the last installment in the series comes a new one.

The pieces just fell into place, or, more appropriately, the sculpture was already in the stone, all I had to do was remove the excess material, to paraphrase what a great sculptor once said.

So, here it is, in all its glorious two hours, fifty-five minutes and 40 seconds, my new 30 tracks-large sound sculpture.

It is all at once very different and totally similar to its predecessors.

It’ll make you groove, move, sway and play, it’ll take you through all kinds of emotions, ideas and dreams.

Or so I humbly hope.

Please abuse responsibly.

As usual, you can stream it
Cosmix6 or download it by right-clicking the image on the right.

As always, your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

 

TRACKLISTING

Monsieur Seb’s Cosmix vol. 6: Set the Controls for the Heart of the Ultraworld

1. Burning Jupiter – Ilya Santana
2. Totally Tubular – Lovesick
3. Ufology – B Project
4. Lose Myself – Manolo
5. Falling – I:Cube
6. Dog Got My Wah Wah – Out In The Sticks
7. Rosenrod – Diskjokke
8. Love Honey (Ilya Santana Remix) – Sugardaddy
9. Time To Come – Ilya Santana
10. Kahluha Madness – Ytre Rymden Dansskola
11. Belfast (Sleazy McQueen’s Gabe Bass Mix) – Filipsson & Lindblad
12. Can You Feel It – Tensnake
13. Spindle – Brinton McKay
14. Maratona’s Grey Sky (Kid Who’s Cosmic Mix) – 3AM
15. Bleep Me (Dairmount & Honesty Perspective) – Dj Honesty
16. Eurodancer (Azari & III Mix) – Mano Le Tough
17. Endorphinmachine – Erobique
18. Chemise (Tony Underground Remix) – Sorcerer
19. No Static – Bottin
20. Jet Set (Ray Mang Version) – Marius
21. Home From The Can (Tensnake Remix) – Polargeist
22. In The End (I Want You To Cry) – Tensnake
23. Wait A Minute (Arto Mwambe Remix) – Osborne
24. Quiet Please – The Heels Of Love
25. Men Of The Future (Kris Menace Remix) – Moonbootica
26. Thermionic – Lazersonic
27. Norfolk Nights – Shit Robot
28. Komischer Ruckenwind – Dj Kaos
29. Oxygène (Greg Wilson Edit) – Jean-Michel Jarre
30. Pulsations – Brain Machine

To mark the release of their new album, Bleep is having a sale on Autechre’s back catalogue: $4,99 per album (download) or $6,99 per CD! Check it out here

Yes yes yes, boys and girls, it is finally here!

I was itching and scratching to get a new Cosmix iteration out since my set at Picnik Electronik (which was basically Cosmix vol. 3.5) and the ensuing Cosmix vol. 4, last August.

It took a while to put it together and find its groove — I do put a lot of thought and research into that series — but what a groove it found for itself!

This, my dear friends, is definitely the grooviest of the Cosmix series, so far!

You are about to download and listen a massive 2 hours and 38 minutes of tasty bits, the danciest, most straightforward of the lot, but then again, maybe not…

All together, the first three tracks alone take up 35 minutes of the total runtime and about a very groovy hour later, there’s a nice psychedelic break so you can light up a fat spliff before you start dancing again and get worked up for that one-two-three, jab-body blow-uppercut finale that’ll leave you dehydrated and, hopefully, ecstatic. I DO strongly reccomend that you listen to this mix in one sitting to fully appreciate it, otherwise the overall groove I was talking about before kinda gets lost…

Personnally, I’ll be bold and daring and say it IS flat out, no competition, my favourite mix in the Cosmix series so far.

Two little tracklist notes:

• The very first track was kindly offered by the artist even though it is still unreleased, and I have promised Dominique to help him get this track signed, so if you have any interest in releasing it or know someone who might, please contact me at dj@monsieurseb.com.

• As you’ve noticed, I take as little credit as possible when recording a mix, after all, I do them to introduce you to artists you might not know. Now, you’ll also notice that one track in the playlist has no links. The ting is, with that one, I have no idea how it got in my iTunes library. I subscribe to dozens of music blogs and such, and when I tried finding a relevant link for this track, I came up basically empty handed. If you have something to suggest, please do!

As usual, you can stream it
Cosmix 5 or download it by right-clicking the image above.As always, your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

TRACKLISTING

1. It’s All Over Now Except for One Last Bit – Dominique Leone (Unreleased)
2. Gimme (Kango’s Autostrada Dei Laghi Mix) – Headman & Dieter Meier
3. Venus – Roberto Rodriguez
4. Untitled Love (Instrumental Mix) – Still Going
5. The Way You Move (Greg Wilson Version) – Social Disco Club & Maia
6. PARTY★NIGHT – ID:69
7. Bumpin’ – Phreek Plus One
8. This Feeling – Lovebirds
9. Baby Can’t Stop – Lindstrom & Christabelle
10. Jetstream (Lindstrom Remix) – Doves
11. You’ll Disappear (Ilya Santana Remix) – The Phenomenal Handclap Band
12. Space Summer (Plastique De Reve Sweet Remix) – Ludan Dross
13. Hot on the Heels of Love – Throbbing Gristle
14. 45:33 (Theo Parrish’s Space Cadet Remix) – LCD Soundsystem
15. Looking For What – Lindstrom & Christabelle
16. A Brag Mount – In Flagranti
17. Cold Coke feat. Sauveur Mallia – Pierre-Alain Dahan, Slim Pezin, Marc Chantereau, Georges Rodi, Jean Pierre Sabar
18. Heart Break Dancing – Downtown Party Network
19. Far Beneath London – Padded Cell
20. The Pretender (Holy Ghost Remix) – Datarock
21. Black Flag (Emperor Machine Remix) – Duchess Says
22. Horns Of Innocence (Xavier Naudascher Remix) – Rebotini

Must’ve been the pressure from all those blogs and other sources of information I read daily, but I suddenly got the urge to post my favourite music of the last decade. A list of my favourite from 2009 has been posted a few days ago. I didn’t restrain myself to a certain number, it just so happens that I ended up with 32.

All I can tell you is that as this decade comes to an end, with the many life changes that are accompanying it into the past, these are the albums or songs or artists that come to mind instantly, or almost so, as I reflect upon the music that has shaped who I’ve become in the past 10 years…

MONSIEUR SEB’S BEST OF 2000s in alphabetical order

Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not I’ve often said, throughout the 2000s that rock would only achieve some form of renewal by breaking its structure rather than exploring sonorities, and that’s what the Monkeys have not done! Their structure is pretty classic ans their sound even more so, but still, when I first heard them, I truly had the impression of a majestic wave of freshness. Maybe it’s Alex Turner’s plume, which reminds me — in some strange way I can’t really explain — of Donald Fagen’s, but there’s something about the Monkeys that’s unique. And I’m not even talking about their stage presence and performance skills… The video below is a B-side from a single off their first album, and one of my favourite tracks of theirs.

Beat Pharmacy/The Echologist/Brendon Moeller No one does trippy dubbed out techno and deep house like Brendon does: NO ONE! This South African born gentleman (and I know he is, it’s not just a figure of speech) now residing in New York (and who is A&R for François K’s Wave Music) has dominated the 2000s, as far as I’m concerned, when it come to hybridizing the aesthetics of dub to those of electronica. PERIOD.

Bent Bent? Barely even really know them, but heck! what I know of them has consistently blown my mind. Their main hits have moved me WAY too much for me to leave them out of my favourite tracks from the past 10 years. They’re just one step up from a one hit wonder, but that doesn’t mean their music has less quality!

Bran Van 3000 James Di Salvio is, to me, one of the greats of this early 21st century. The man is no great composer, but he is a truly GREAT music lover who doesn’t just sample tracks, he pays them hommage. OK, two thirds of his albums have been released in the 2000s and they’ve all been received in a rather ambiguous way, but I’m one fan fini, and you don’t know what a Bran Van party is untul you’ve seen them live.

Brian Eno – Another Day on Earth Well, of course Brian Eno is a music God, among other things, but this album is a little gem that everyone should get acquainted with, if only because he does have a great singing voice!

Burial – Untrue When Burial’s second album came out, I had been aware of Dubstep for a while, but that genre had yet to impress me. But when I first listened to Untrue, my jaw dropped to the floor. I was listening to a genre-defining album, much like Massive Attack’s Blue Lines 15 years before or Kraftwerk’s Trans-Europe Express before that, to name just those two. It will become a timeless classic, I can tell you that much.

Donald Fagen – Morph the Cat People who know me know that Steely Dan and Donald Fagen have made and are still making some of my favouritest music, and a new solo album by Fagen is a cause for rejoicing in and of itself, and Morph was even more so, with some of his best songwriting yet.

Doves Ah! The Doves. No doubt one of my favouritest British rock bands. They have yet to disappoint me, and what’s more, they seem to be getting consistently better after four albums. Their classic tracks are such monuments of beauty… I’ll just let them do the talking…

Gonzales – Solo Piano Jason Charles Beck, originally from Montreal (unless I’m mistaken) is one of those true artists who can do just about anything, and well. He’s done electro, hip hop, and even classical music on his Solo Piano album. That record sees him channeling the spirit of every great composer for the piano from Debussy to Keith Jarrett. The CD is an absolute must, but if you get the chance to catch him in concert, don’t miss it, because to top it all off, he is an amazing performer!

Gorillaz vs. Spacemonkeyz – Laika Come Home Little heard of before or since, the Spacemonkeyz had the idea of remixing the entire Gorillaz first album à la Dub, and thus was born Laika Come Home, my favourite Gorillaz album. No, really, I think this one is the best of the lot even though it’s not entirely a Gorillaz album. If you like Dub, this album is really worth the fistful of peanuts it’ll cost ya.

Jesse Somfay – A Catch in the Voice Like I said in my best of 2009, this human being has the uncommon talent to create beauty, but with his 2009 album A Catch in the Voice released on Pheek’s Archipel imprint, what he created is beyond words. Strictly speaking it is “electronic” music, but incredibly organic at the same time. In any case, like I just said, trying to affix words to his creations is quite futile. Just let the waves wash over you…

Jesse Somfay – Fricative White (From a whisper to a scream) All I can add to what I said about the previous entry is that this work of art is one of my favourite tracks of all time. Period. The video below is an edited version, but I URGE you to get the complete 27 minutes version (there’s a free legal download link to the complete version @192 kbps). One day you’ll thank me (but thank Jesse, he’s the one that deserves it).

Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around I picked this one because it’s the one that introduced me to Rick Rubin’s American series with Cash, but I might as well have picked any of them as they all contained blindingly eloquent examples of Cash’s talent as an interpreter. When he sings someone else’s song, it instantly becomes his. Many artists that were covered by Cash in the American series have said they felt they could no longer sing their song after hearing Cash sing it… The day he died was a sad day for the world, but a happy one for him, since I was finally reunited with his life’s true love, June Carter. RIP, Man in Black.

Jose Gonzales It took a Swede of Argentinian origins to reconcile me with Folk music. I first heard this Gonzales as a guest singer on a Zero 7 album (see below, they are also part of my best of the 2000s) where he sang on their version of his song Crosses, and I was immediately under the spell of his voice, so I decided to explore and discovered a wonderful album, Veneer, which was followed by an equally wonderful second album, In Our Nature.

Kings of Convenience It took a pair of Norwegian to reconcile me with Folk music… Although in their case, I’d say they (Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe) are not as clearly folksy as Gonzales (see above), with strong jazz and even bossa inflections in their music. In both cases, nonetheless, it is their voices that first drew me to their music.

LCD Soundsystem Talk about zeitgeist: one can almost smell New York when listening to a LCD track, but one can also hear, condensed in a few sharp words, the whole youth underground culture of the 2000s and its intense hybridization (re. Losing my Edge). Is James Murphy God? Nah! But he sure is one of the best artists of the 2000s, definitely. I would’ve loved to include the cover of Carl Craig (as Paperclip People)’s Throw that LCD do live, but the only clip I found was too short and sounded bad. Regardless: to me, the very idea of covering such a dancefloor track with a live band says it all about Murphy et al.

Lindstrøm Yeah… Saying I love Lindstrøm has become cliché by now, as people who know me well will readily tell you. Still, this man has singlehandedly led a whole movement for the past five years or more (depending on where you place the beginning) and keeps banging out incredible tracks, like his recent 42 minutes version of the Christmas classic Little Drummer Boy or Baby Can’t Stop, from his upcoming album with vocalist Christabelle which sees him going in a disco-funk direction à la M.J. circa Off the Wall! Boogie on!

Luomo – Vocalcity I picked Vocalcity because it was SO important to me when it came out, but especially the track Tessio, which gave me back hope that true House wasn’t on its way out, as it seemed to me back then (in 2000). If you hold any pretention of loving electronic music, your record collection simply isn’t complete without Vocalcity, and with the shortest track clocking in at 9:56, you can rest assured you’re getting your money’s worth with this one!

Malajube – Labyrinthes If you’re from outside North America, chances are slim you’ve heard of these guys, unless you ear is firmly pressed on the indie-rock railroad track. I wasn’t a fan of theirs before this third album. As a matter of fact, I barely knew more than their name and didn’t try to learn more, as I tend to shy away from bands that are too hyped, as was the case when their second album came out. However, when I received Labyrinthes in the mail last February, I thought I’d give them a real listen, and they blew me away. Definitely in my top 3 best albums of 2009 and top 5 of the 2000s. Indie-rock, yes, but with Prog flourishes that don’t need to blush in the presence of their elder statemen, Labyrinthes is an album borne out of personal hardship and, as most such albums, it radiates an intense light. And I did listen back to their earlier stuff: doesn’t measure up to this. Here’s a link to download the excellent opening track Ursuline.

Martin Léon Here’s another Québec artist who you probable never heard of if you live outside this province. I even feel strange writing about him in English! But what Martin Léon does different from most other Québec artists is write stuf that’s beyond the usual pop love song drivel. He is a true composer (who has studied with Ennio Morricone) and a great writer, and his ear is atuned to what’s going on in the world. The result are amazingly unique little gems. He’s only got two albums (more if you include his stint with the band Ann Victor), but they are priceless, with a little favoritism on my part for his first, Kiki BBQ.

Miguel Graça Initially, I was only going to include Mig’s first full length, Miguel Graça presents Soulnotmind: Shining Stars, but then, while researching for links and stuff, I realized that his other albums released during the 2000s had as much impact on me as that first one, although it does hold a special place in my mind and heart. Quite difficult to find stuff to link to, but here’s one taken off his second album, Monkey Mass, and co-produced with my buddy Fred Everything.

Mocky Dominic Salole is an artist who’s part of of the incredibly talented gang sometimes referred to as the “Canadian Crew” that includes Gonzales, Feist, Peaches and Taylor Savvy. Mocky is a multi-instrumentalist with an uncanny talent for great productions and even greater melodies; he’s often involved in the album production of his fellow Canadian Crew members. On his own, he’s released four albums in the 2000′s, with the latest, Saskamodie, almost being a pure jazz album. The whole Canadian Crew is worth discovering, but my suggestion is that you begin by Mocky’s productions (and save Feist for last, since y’all probably know her anyways).   Mocky feat. Feist – Fighting Away The Tears envoyé par raphal1050. – Regardez plus de clips, en HD !

Moloko – Statues / Forever More (FKEK Remix) I would’ve included the whole Moloko catalog if I could, but Statues is their only album which came out in the 2000s (oops, not true: Things to Make and Do came out in late 2000) and, sadly, t was to be their last album, too (so far). In a way, although it is sad, it is also a good thing because Moloko can only be Mark Brydon and Róisín Murphy, and the proof is in the pudding: what dear Róisín has done since is OK, at best. However, to cite Wikipedia: “While both currently pursue projects outside of Moloko and state that there are no plans for Moloko at the moment, Murphy has been keen to stress that the group are not necessarily defunct and that she has no interest in ‘burying’ the project.” So, there. I’ve put emphasis on the François Kevorkian and Eric Kupper remix of Forever More because, well… It is one of their best productions, simple as that!

New Order – Get Ready I’ve always been a great fan of N.O. and I can’t tell you how elated I was when rumours of a new album started floating around in 2000. I think a lot of people were surprised, at first, at how much more rock-sounding Get Ready was compared to what Barney & Co. had done before, especially Republic, which had preceded it 10 years before. Well, not I. I embraced this new hard sounding sound which perfectly suits Hooky’s bass and Barney’s voice. In any case, it also contains one of their best songs, Run Wild. I did enjoy Waiting for the Siren’s Call, but nowhere near as much as Get Ready.

Quantic/Quantic Soul Orchestra Wow! Here’s one guy who really blew my mind during the 2000s (although I’ve been a bit less into his productions of late). Will Holland is a rare musical genius who can play almost everything and compose in almost any style. As a matter of fact I’m certain he can compose any style of music, I just haven’t heard him do so. He’s known as The Quantic Soul Orchestra, The Limp Twins, Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro and other monikers, he works alone or with a full orchestra and everything he touches becomes groovy. Y’all should really hook up with Will, trust me!

Social System – Autumn > Spring Dearest Pheek, a true visionnary and a dedicated man. I have immense respect for him as a person and as an artist, but also as a label manager: he has great flair for discovering and nurturing fresh talent. This album is a collaboration between Jean-Patrice and Jason Corder. Now, Pheek’s releases are amazing little gems, and Jason can hold his own, too, but together, they created something that’s greater than the sum of its parts, and Autumn > Spring is an aboslute must in any record collection. JP, I couldn’t find any other source, so I’m embedding a track off your album instead of a YouTube clip. It is protected even in the source code, so in principle it is impossible to download and besides I’ve encoded it @ 128kbps. If you want me to remove it, let me know.   Social System – Milk Clouded (Archipel, 2006) Milk Clouded

Stars of the Lid – And Their Refinement of the Decline I really honestly don’t know what to say about SotL and this album in particular. They compose and play what has become my favourite ambient music. I don’t feel I need to add anything else…

The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Much like Luomo gave me back hope that House was not dying, the Flaming Lips gave me hope that rock was still able to offer something creative. Wayne Coyne et al. have been at it for almost thirty years already, and they show no sign of slowing down or losing their edge, and if only for that, they deserve their presence on this list. And once you listen to their integral cover of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, you’ll either love them for life or hate them forever.

Trentemøller – The Last Resort Much maligned after his immense and relatively rapid rise to fame, Trentemøller still deserves his spot on my list of the best of the 2000s. The Last Resort, whether they care to admit it or not, blew everyone’s mind by (to my ears, anyways) bridging the gap between minimal techno and more melodic House. Now, let’s just wait and see if he’ll top himself. So far it’s been over 3 years since he’s done anything worthwhile…

Underworld They’ve only released two albums in the 2000s, but I’d be hard-pressed to say which is best. No matter that, Underworld have been one of my favourite electronic bands since the day I first heard dubnoheadwithmybassman in 1994, so even if their latest releases had been total crap, I’d still have included them on my list!

Zero 7 Ah! my darlings Zero 7! Hardaker and Binns (whose name even sounds like a cool menswear line or pocket knife brand) have never produced anything I didn’t totally fall in love with, even their latest album, Yeah Ghost, which has left many a fan perplexed. Their music is always soothing and uplifting, even though it knows how to be a bit sad, at times. One of my fantasies: drivng along the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible while listening to the track below…

Also rans

Wish I could’ve included The Art of Noise’s The Seduction of Claude Debussy, but it officially came out in 1999, even though I discovered it in 2000. Same goes for Electronic’s Twisted Tenderness. I would also have included Oasis’ Dig Out Your Soul and The Verve’s Forth in the best of 2009, but they came out in 2008 and weren’t so good as to make the cut for the best of the 2000′s, although they are both kick-ass albums IMHO. I wish I could’ve included my friend Jean-Pierre reissues of Handful of Snowdrops and Spaceful of Astronauts, but reissues don’t count in my book — which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t rush to discover what I’m talking about if you don’t already know.

Must’ve been the pressure from all those blogs and other sources of information I read daily, but I suddenly got the urge to post my favourite music of 2009. A list of my favourite from the whole decade will follow shortly. I didn’t restrain myself to a certain number, it just so happens that I ended up with 20.

All I can tell you is that as this year comes to an end, with the many life changes that are accompanying it into the past, these are the albums or songs or artists that come to mind instantly, or almost so, as I reflect upon the music that has shaped who I’ve become in the past year…

MONSIEUR SEB’S BEST OF 2009 in alphabetical order

DJ Hell – Teufelswerk Rarely does an album, particularly in the electronic world, capture so aptly the zeitgeist. Two excellent cameos by P. Diddy on The DJ (the man DOES have a sense of humour) and Bryan Ferry — singing an unreleased track of his (U Can Dance, see below) are alone worth the price of the album, but the rest of the tracks are stellar, too. Some have hailed it as the best dance album ever. I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s certainly one of the best of 2009. The track The DJ is featured on my promo mix Inside Me, while U Can Dance can be heard on I Am Rhyhtm.

Doves – Jetstream (Lindstrøm Remix) The original is one of the best on the Doves’ latest, and we all know Lindstrøm is very close to being a musical genius, but on this totally groovy remix, he pulled out all the stops and in the first half the keyboard playing almost sounds like Elton John on acid. Major dancefloor scorcher, if you ask me. If I had presented this best of list in some kind of preference order, this one would paobably be my number 1.

Doves – Kingdom of Rust Ah! The Doves. No doubt one of my favouritest British rock bands. They have yet to disappoint me, and what’s more, they seem to be getting consistently better after four albums. Compulsion has all the potential to become a classic rock track, as do many others on this opus.

Jesse Somfay – A Catch in the Voice All I can say is that this human being has the uncommon talent to create beauty… Heck, even his Facebook statuses are little gems.

John Daly – Sea & Sky Released on François K’s Wave Music, this first album by the Irish producer encompasses his best productions so far plus three new tracks, and it hits the right spot. To quote Resident Advisor: “…this full-length makes its clear that tagging Daly as deep house only covers about half of what he’s up to.” His track exp3 from this album is featured on my promo mix Cosmix, vol IV.

Jonsi & Alex – Riceboy Sleeps Ambient done right by Sigur Ros’ singer Jón Pór Birgisson and his life partner Alex Somers. Somewhat reminiscent of my darlings Stars of the Lid, but “cleaner”. According to Wikipedia, Boy 1904 is said to feature the last known castrato singer ever recorded. Definitely an album of potent introspective power and luminescent beauty.

Jori Hulkkonen – Man from Earth Already a seventh album for Finland’s Jori Hulkkonen, not couting his mix CD a few years back on Turbo. As always, there’s a certain quality to his productions that’s hard to describe yet immediately apparent… I’m tempted to pin it on his nordicity, but I could be wrong. The standout tracks on this album are I Am Dead, Dancerous, Undercover, Bend Over Beethoven and the title track.

Lindstrøm – Little Drummer Boy Yes, another Lindstrøm oeuvre on my best of the year. I did include the Norwegian in my best of the 2000′s, but I sure wasn’t going te refrain from including his totally flabberghasting take on this Christmas classic on my best of cette année. Now, it is a well-known fact that I love long jams, and as long jams go, this is one of the best with its 42:43 seconds, ranking it just between Manuel Göttsching’s E2-E4 (59:35) and The Orb’s Blue Room (40:00), and it is not only its length that places it in such stellar company, but its intrinsic worth, too. With this production, Hans Peter proves he’s got nothing to envy those guys (as if we needed any more proof after his 2008 album Where You Go I Go Too). Here’s a link to a free download of the edited version, but you won’t have lived a full life until you carefully listen to the full version a few times…

Malajube – Labyrinthes If you’re from outside North America, chances are slim you’ve heard of these guys, unless you ear is firmly pressed on the indie-rock railroad track. I wasn’t a fan of theirs before this third album. As a matter of fact, I barely knew more than their name and didn’t try to learn more, as I tend to shy away from bands that are too hyped, as was the case when their second album came out. However, when I received Labyrinthes in the mail last February, I thought I’d give them a real listen, and they blew me away. Definitely in my top 3 best albums of 2009. Indie-rock, yes, but with Prog flourishes that don’t need to blush in the presence of their elder statemen, Labyrinthes is an album borne out of personal hardship and, as most such albums, it radiates an intense light. And I did listen back to their earlier stuff: doesn’t measure up to this. Here’s a link to download the excellent opening track Ursuline.

Massive Attack – Splitting the Atom If this four track EP is any indication of what’s to come on their new album Heligoland, due out in February 2010, my guess is that it will be their best album yet, IMHO. The four songs on StA are as beautiful as they are intense, and if you listen carefully, you’ll hear elements from all their previous albums, a sign of true artistic vision.

Max Essa – Continental Drift UK born but Japan based Max Essa releases mainly on Bear Funk, one of the labels to keep an eye on if you’re into the Cosmic Disco thing, although Essa’s album would fall more into the Balearic Beat category, if you want to be specific. This link will lead you to an interestingly eclectic promo mix by Essa.

Milton Jackson – Crash To me, Freerange Records is the label that replaced the late Paper Recordings as the best Deep House label in England and probably the world, and Jackson has been a stalwart of Freerange for a while, although he’s not the one I’d follow the most closely. That is until he released Crash an elegant exercice de style in (relative) minimalism and deep houseness. Not an album whose tracks you’ll likely hear on dancefloors, but I’d definitely recommend it as a driving album!

Mungolian Jetset – We Gave It All Away… And Now We Are Taking It Back One of Norway’s best kept and most valuable treasure, these guys are unique: NO ONE sounds like them (and if you think to yourself “Well, this remix reminds me of so and so”, just listen to another one of their productions: no two are alike). I can only urge you to Google them and explore the breadth and scope of their productions… We Gave It All Away is the perfect tool to do so, but it is only technically an album from 2009, because it is a double compilation of their productions and remixes and, sadly, most of them have been edited, because the Mungs tend to make epic tracks often busting the ten minutes mark (for example Clairevoyage [featured on my first Cosmix promo mix], a Dominique Leone track remixed jointly with Lindstrøm and that hit 12 minutes in its original full length, but was edited down to 10 minutes for this compilation). However, edited or not, unless you want to embark on a hunt for their releases (not an esay task), this release is the next best thing. This track is NOT pon that compilation, but it is definitely one of their good productions.

Pezzner Formerly known as one half of Jacob London, Dave Pezzner had created a solid reputation for himself in two short years with no less than 20 releases and remixes, including three releases of original material on Freerange. His first album is slated for spring 2010 on that label, so lets just hope it won’t be the usual collection of previously released material with a few new tracks. Below is one of my favourite remixes he did in 2009 which is featured on my promo mix I Am Rhythm

Radio Slave Certainly not a newcomer, Matt Edwards’ productions and remixes under his monikers Radio Slave and Quiet Village have yet to disappoint this DJ and music lover. Standout track of 2009, to me: his 28 minutes version of DJ Hell’s The DJ. He took the concept to its logical limit and you gotta respect anyone who does that! My buddy Nic B once said that the true Trance inducing electronic music is House and Mat Edwards seems hell-bent on proving so. The track below is also featured in my promo mix Inside Me.

Roberto Rodriguez Yes, another producer whose output didn’t once disappoint in 2009, and besides having that little je ne sais quoi that makes me love his productions so much, he excels in many different styles, which is an automatic respect earner for me. The video below is my favourite of his 2009 productions and is featured on my promo mix Inside Me.

Shit Robot – Simple Things (Serge Santiago Remix) I’m just gonna let the music talk. You can hear this track on my promo mix Inside Me.

Stimming – The Loneliness I could’ve presented Stimming’s whole Reflections album in this best of 2009 list, but this track stands out so much that I decided it deserved to be featured on its own. You can hear this track on my promo mix Inside Me.

The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs – Dark Side of the Moon The Lips are in my opinion one of the only good rock bands in the U. S. of A., one that has consistently dared to explore different sonorities and structures and one that has avoided the pitfalls that are typical of trying to gain or retain an audience that is only superficially interested in their musical creations. Their version of the entire iconic Pink Floyd album, while it might seemingly help them gain a wider audience, probably won’t do so. Not because it is not good: far from it! But the usual “HOW could they do THAT to such a classic album!” type of reaction is easily predictable from 99% of the people who’ll listen to it (if you exclude their fan-base, I mean). Long live Coyne, Drozd et al.!

The Phenomenal Handclap Band Live instrumentation dance-oriented rock that channels the spirit of prog rock, blues, disco and eveything in between, this band is made up of members from such bands as TV on the Radio, L’Trimm, Calla, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Mooney Suzuki, and Sí Se. One of their tracks is featured on my ilve mix at Picnik Electronik this past August.

In 1993, after the demise of Handful of Snowdrops Jean-Pierre Mercier, writer and composer of the band, began a new journey into instrumental electronic music under the new moniker Spaceful of Astronauts. After a couple of performances in rave events at the beginning of the 90s, he redirected his focus toward a more open and ambient sound that would culminate a few years later.

Nanomusique is the title of the long forgotten Spaceful of Astonauts’ album. Originally recorder in 1995, but never release for lack of resources, it has been completely remastered for the occasion of its official release as well as extended with two bonus tracks from the same era, namely Orion and Big Black Bubble.

You can now stream excerpts of every track of this mesmerizing electronic and instrumental work from the new SoA Mypace profile.

The 1 hour, 19 minutes and 11 seconds ambient epic is ONLY available as a DOWNLOADABLE DIGITAL ALBUM directly from the Handful of Snowdrops website shop and the Spaceful of Astronauts official Myspace profile.

BUY Nanomusique NOW ›››

Marvel at French synth pop duo Air’s vintage synthesiser collection as they show-off their new Atlas studio space to The Guardian.

The video is here.