Ghostland Observatory albums.

I initially held off on posting these because I feel their live show is so very and vastly far superior to their actual music, but I think it's worth it as I've been listening to them more frequently lately. I first encountered them at Bonnaroo 2008, and their light show was stunning, particularly in the wee hours of the morning. I missed them in DC and saw them again, however briefly, at Coachella this year- I love dancing, and they bring the perfect atmosphere. Listen to them in preparation for one of the most visually appealing live shows you could ever hope to witness!



Paparazzi Lightning (2006)



Delete.Delete.I.Eat.Meat.(2007)

Calvin Harris - I Created Disco (2007)

I found dear, sweet, Scottish Calvin Harris by way of his cover of Jamiroquai's "Stillness In Time", which you can cop from me if you scroll down just a little. As they are one of my favourite bands (10 years after the fact, I know, okay) and he managed a catchy cover that may even be more fun than the original, he instantly had my heart. This album is more of that same, perfect dance electronica, and make no mistake-- the fact that I think it's perfect might tell you something. (As it happens, I hate this mediocre, electroclash, MGMT-y crap that's popular right now, but I think this album stands out as an example of what more electronic artists should be doing instead. )



Download.

Two more Black Moth Super Rainbow albums!

Because you can never have enough spaced-out, technicolour electronica made by foresty, reclusive hippies with both real instruments and synthesizers. Mostly for you, Justin!


Start A People (2007)


Drippers (2008)

Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline (2007)

This electronic, spaced-out duo makes music that sounds the way the cosmos looks; I can't put their sound into a more apt description. I've gotten a lot of reading and thinking done to this brain massage of a record.



Disc One
Disc Two

Two Kraftwerk kuts.

Kraftwerk was a German electronic band often credited with blazing the trails of electronic music. Founded in the 70's, the original members met at college, where they were studying improvisational music. Last.fm told me they are often referred to as "the godfathers of electronica". In any case, this music in its sparkley, blipping minimalist style is a pleasure to hear, so here are the two that I've been listening to lots as of late.



The Man-Machine (1978)



Trans-Europe Express (1977)

Two Tim Hecker cuts.

Tim Hecker is a producer responsible for some really interesting, non-objective soundscapery.


Haunt Me, Haunt Me, Do It Again (2004)


Harmony In Ultraviolet (2006)

Jamiroquai discography.

Though I found this band far too late, I'm really just thankful that I did at all. Their cosmic disco funk is, in my opinion, one of the finest things to have arrived in my ears so far in my life. I'm not even kidding; they are definitely one of my favourite bands. Here are all their studio albums!


The Return of the Space Cowboy (1995)


Traveling Without Moving (1997)


Synkronized (1999)


A Funk Odyssey (2001)


Dynamite (2005)

School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms (2008)

I caught the tail end of this band's set when I saw M83 in November, and I was so impressed that I went straight home and checked them out. This whole album is really lovely; supposedly it was named for a myth of a school in either pre-colonial South America or America in which children were taught to pickpocket- fabulous!



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Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends (2008)

This is the side project of one of the guys in Black Moth Super Rainbow, who I adore for being the epitome of one of the sounds I like best at this point. It was pitched to me as his 'hip hop' project, but that is probably due at least in part to the fact that Aesop Rock makes an appearance on one of his songs. Otherwise, I'd say that, though the beats are a little fatter (not "phat", okay, "fat"), there's not much hip hop involved on this record. Instead, it's reminiscent of BMSR, but this is not the same as one of their releases.



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Air - The Virgin Suicides Original Motion Picture Score (2000)

I loved both the book & movie, The Virgin Suicides, so I had to give this score a shot. Luckily, it's swell; if you aren't familiar with Air, they're a French electronic duo who puts out these ambient, quasi-atmospheric and always-lovely soundscapes. Apparently Sophia Coppola was such a fan of theirs that she personally asked them to this for her film. My favourite track on this release is #6; it's actually a lot like a hurricane. There will likely be more of their work posted in the future.



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M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us (2005)

This is my favourite M83 album partly because it sounds just like the cover looks. It's clear and crisp while still being challenging and complex. Definitely night-time music.



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Julie Ruin - Self-Titled (1998)

This is what Kathleen Hanna was doing in between the breakup of Bikini Kill and the start-up of Le Tigre, which, in fact, was initially formed as a backup band for Julie Ruin. Written and recorded in her apartment with some samplers and a broken drum machine, this record is definitely of the DIY mixtape variety; however, what it lacks in production value it more than makes up for in articulate, intelligent lyrics spanning topics from police brutality to the widespread-vapidity in the punk scene. It's one of my favourite albums evar because it's so genuine and smart; it has all the crunchy, self-responsible makings of the good punk records for which Kathleen was responsible in her Bikini Kill days, but it's much more pointed, more mature.



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Suicide - Second Album (1980)

This was the second (and, in my opinion, slightly less impressive) album by the influential if almost completely anonymous post-punk, electronic group, Suicide. I'm posting this mostly to make sure that everyone has access to it as I've noticed it's not as widely circulated as the first one.



Disc One

Disc Two

Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum (2007)

If you took seven hits of acid then got impossibly lost in an enchanted forest in another dimension, this is what it would sound like.



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Shout Out Out Out - Not Saying/Just Saying (2006)

Good old-fashioned, synth-y, dance electronica complete with lots of bass and a robotic voice. In the vein of Benny Benassi or Daft Punk, it's great music for when you're smugly (but aimlessly) driving around.



Download.

Björk - Live Box (2003)

If you know me at all, you know that I live for this woman goddess and her work. I bought this last year when it became completely clear that I couldn't make it out to Coachella to see her.




Disc One
1. Human Behaviour
2. One Day
3. Venus as a Boy
4. Come to Me
5. Big Time Sensuality
6. Aeroplane
7. Like Someone in Love
8. Crying
9. Anchor Song
10. Violently Happy

Disc Two
1. Headphones
2. Army of Me
3. One Day
4. Modern Things
5. Isobel
6. Possibly Maybe
7. Hyper-Ballad
8. I Go Humble
9. Big Time Sensuality
10. Enjoy
11. I Miss You
12. It's Oh So Quiet
13. Anchor Song

Disc Three
1. Visur Vantnsenda Rósu
2. Hunter
3. You've Been Flirting Again
4. Isobel
5. All Neon Like
6. Possibly Maybe
7. 5 Years
8. Come to Me
9. Immature
10. I Go Humble
11. Bachelorette
12. Human Behaviour
13. Pluto
14. Jóga
15. So Broken
16. Anchor Song

Disc Four
1. Frosti
2. Overture
3. All Is Full of Love
4. Cocoon
5. Aurora
6. Undo
7. Unravel
8. I've Seen It All
9. Echo, A Stain
10. Generous Palmstroke
11. Hidden Place
12. Pagan Poetry
13. Harm of Will
14. It's Not Up to You
15. Unison
16. It's in Our Hands

Tender Forever - Wider (2007)

One girl sing-rapping over fun, sweet-but-heavy electronic beatz. This album is just adorable.



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Suicide - First Album (1977)

According to reputable sources (wikipedia, last.fm, ha), this album was neither considered nor appreciated at its start; however, it's considered in many circles to be a really influential album in the genres of punk, no-wave, electronica, synth-pop, etc. It's crunchy, it's just underproduced enough, and it's a little creepy, reminiscent of New York City's underbelly circa late 70's. In other words, it's completely brilliant, definitely one of my favourite albums right now.

Also, an interesting fact about this album: the last song on the second disc, "23 Minutes Over Brussels", is a recording of a Suicide show that eventually erupted in a riot.



Disc One

Disc Two