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Music in 2010

Every year my music library seems to grow exponentially. Currently, it’s hovering around 13k and that is with constant pruning. While already I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music, 2010 saw the addition of a much more diverse collection of tunes (especially older material I’d never been properly introduced to…guess that’s a bonus of living in such an international environment). And now onto the tunes…(in no particular order).

New Artists

Aeroplane - Hard to classify, but psychedelic synth electronic, with influences from Floyd, the Stones, and 80’s electronica. Recommended listen: We Can’t Fly

Angus & Julia Stone - Alternative folkish tunes, with complementary male/female vocals. Recommended listens: Big Jet Plane and Yellow Brick Road

Ananda Shankar - A fusion of western and eastern tunes from India. Introduced to me by a Portuguese friend. Recommended listens: The River and Cyrus

Broken Bells - Alternative rock combo, featuring James Mercer (lead singer of The Shins) and electronic producer Danger Mouse. Excellent live show as well (saw them in Amsterdam, August 2010). Recommended listens: The High Road and The Ghost Inside

Bonobo - British musician and electronic producer. Linearly developed music composed of samples and original material; hard to describe, but is a medley of awesomeness for the ears. Recommended listens:  Kiara and We Could Forever

Eva Be - German producer of electronic jazzy/dubby tunes. Recommended listen: No Memory of Time and Into My Blues

Home Video - Two guys from Brooklyn producing dark electronic rock with heavy Radiohead (actually eerie how similar the voice is to Thom Yorke), Smashing Pumpkins, and some classical influence. Recommended listens: The Smoke and Melon

Sean Hayes - A raw folkish sound with excellent vocals. Recommended listens: Garden and Open Up a Window

CFCF - Lyric-less electronic soundscapes. Recommended listens: Half Dreaming and Monolith

The Doors - I think most people are familiar with The Doors on some level, but I gained a new appreciation of their music after watching The Doors (movie) this past summer. Recommended listens:  Riders On The Storm and When The Music’s Over

Four Tet - Solo producer from the UK who creates abstract electronica combining elements from many genres. Recommended listens: Unspoken and As Serious As Your Life

Neil Young - Another artist that needs no introduction. Re-introduced to me by a friend in Amsterdam. Recommended listens: Southern Man and Down By The River

Radiohead - Another well known artist; alternative, sometimes experimental, rock. Introduced to me by a Portuguese in Amsterdam. Recommended listens: Pyramid Song and Everything In Its Right Place

Ratatat - Technically, this doesn’t belong on the list, but seeing how Ratatat is one of my top 5 bands…and they had a new album, LP4, released this summer. Best described as a electronic psychedelic rock with elements of hiphop. Recommended listens: Kennedy and Shempi

Rodrigo y Gabriela - Mexican duo who make magic with their fast-playing, rhythmic beating of acoustic guitars. Recommended listens: Hanuman and Triveni

New Songs

Daft Punk - Tron: Legacy (entire album)

Foals - Spanish Sahara

The Pass - Colors

Minus The Bear - My Time

Angus & Julia Stone - Yellow Brick Road

Gorillaz - Stylo

The Go Find - Everybody Knows It’s Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight

Interested in some of the tunes mentioned above? Playlist featuring all the recommended listens. (Warning: some linked files are large in size; no time to downsample.)

What were your favorite tunes of 2010? (if you haven’t already made a year end music list)

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