MUZIK's Top 30 of 2001

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Apologies for this but I'm bored, so here's another poll to carp about and contrast with NME list. I'm interested to see what the dance music experts on ILM (i.e. not me) make of this. (I got the list from DJ Martian's page BTW so I know what he thinks.)

1. Roots Manuva - Run Come Same Me (Big Dada)
2. Air - 10, 000 Hz Legend (Source)
3. Adam F - Kaos (EMI Chrysalis)
4. Felix Da Housecat - Kittenz and Thee Glitz (City Rockers)
5. Daft Punk - Discovery (Virgin)
6. Zero 7 - Simple Things (Ultimate Dilemma)
7. Smart Alex - Straight A's (Eukahouse)
8. Oxide & Neutrino - Exceute (east west)
9. Röyskopp - Melody AM (Wall of Sound)
10. Beta Band - Hot Shots II (Regal)
11. Gotan Project - La Revancha Del Tango (XL)
12. Aphex Twin - Drukqs (Warp)
13. Gorillaz - Lo Fi Thriller (Virgin)
14. Manitoba - Start Breaking My heart (Leaf)
15. Miss Kittin & the Hacker - First Album (International Deejay Gigolos)
16. Basement Jaxx - Rooty (XL)
17. The Avalanches - Since I left You (XL)
18. Groove Armada - Goodbye Country, Hello Nightclub (Pepper)
19. Teebee - Through The Eyes of A Scorpion (Certificate 18)
20. Ladytron - 604 (Invicta Hi-fi)
21. Jim O'Rourke - Insignificance (Domino)
22. Nitin Sawhney - Prophesy (V2)
23. Funk D Void - Dos (Soma)
24. So Solid Crew - They Don't Know (Relentless)
25. Ellen Allien - Stadtkind (Bpitch Relentless)
26. cLOUDDEAD - cLOUDDEAD (Big Dada)
27. Badmarsh & Shri - Tribal (Outcaste)
28. Bubba Sparxx - Dark Days Bright Nights (Interscope)
29. Original Soundtrack - Logan's Sanctuary (Emperor Norton)
30. Panacea - German Engineering (Position Chrome)

― Jeff W, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Martian doesn't know who Bubba Sparxxxxx is. From ethan's neck of the woods, no?

― Jeff W, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

he's an entrant in my own personal single of the year award shortlist.

― chris, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thought #1: Manuva's album is good, but certainly not album of the year. Likewise, Air is nice but doesn't deserve second place.

Thought #2: Cool to see the Adam F album getting mad props (he deserves it), although I hope it's not because he was a former dance producer who's being rewarded for "besting" the homegrown hip hop talent.

Thought #3: I need that Felix Da Housecat album

Thought #4: The Avalanches haven't being doing so well in the year-end round-ups so far, have they?

Thought #5: Haven't heard Teebee's album but I bet it would be the best artist d&b album this year.

Thought #6: No-one needs to hear that Nitin Sawhney album, I'm afraid. Wishy washy crud.

Thought #7: What an odd list.

― Tim, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Anxious for the US release of the Felix Da Housecat record. I heard it's coming out here in February or so. The only work of his thus far that I've heard is the Maddkatt Courtship record. If that record is any indicator, I shd love it.

― Andy K., Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Handy reading this after being asked what I wanted for christmas: Felix da Housecat. What's Jim O'Rourke doing there?

― stevo, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Muzik always like to put a couple of token indie records in, perhaps as a sharp comment on how so-called 'general' music publications restrict their electronic entries to two or three.

Mind you they're being just as odd about hip-hop. It is a weird list.

― Tom, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hard to believe these people rate the likes of Oxide & neutrino and So Solid Crew's output over the Avalanches 'Since I Left You' - an infinitely more inventive, thoughtful, refreshing and powerful piece of work. Oxide may be a technically competent (although timestretched vocals and hoover basslines are so 1994 etc.) producer but he's no Liam Howlett and certainly not worthy of such a high place. Okay, Daddy didnt buy me a recording studio for Christmas so its just sour grapes...

Bizarrely no place for this year's most touted (tho like Oxide capitalising on the 'less is more' trend for minimal production stylings) knob-twiddles The Neptunes. No Destiny's Child or Missy either...Muzik has always been very supportive of the American modern r'n'b artists in the past so this is curious as Timbaland and co. have had probably their strongest year to date and their work is far more impressive than the irritating poseurs that supposedly consist of the UK Garage massive.

― stevem, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Very weird, bu then this wasn't a good year for dance albums. Odd then that Muzik fails to include my favourite dance (not counting hip-hop, for a moment - that wouldn't be fair) album, Dillinja Presents Cybotron. Out of this list, I particularly disliked Nitin Sawhney, Gotan Project, Zero 7 and Air. Very so-so: Badmarsh & Shri, Teebee, Groove Armada, Aphex Twin, Röyksopp, Oxide & Neutrino, Daft Punk, Adam F and Air. I've never heard (of) Logan's Sanctuary, Ellen Allien and Smart Alex. I don't understand the fuss when it comes to retro electro like Felix da Housecat and Miss Kittin.

― JoB, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Avalanches' album placed higher in the list than So Solid Crew's. I've still never been able to get anything more than "that's quite pretty" out of 'Since I Left You' though.

― Tom, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Also not being a dance music afficionado, wonder if someone could give me opinions on two comps: Pop Shopping (juicy music from German commercials 1960-1975) and Paris Lounge. They sound good to me, but what do I know?

― dleone, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You don't have to be a dance music afficionado to enjoy soundtracks to German TV commercials from the sixties and seventies. I am, and I don't.

― JoB, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Has anyone actually got Felix Da Housecats album? Cos that Harlot song is really fantastic. One of my singles of the year if I ever actually post on that thread.

― Ronan, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

See this thread Felix Da Housecat

― DJ Martian, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That Air album is shit

― jk, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The inclusion of cLOUDDEAD and not Cannibal Ox is just barking mad. The cLOUDDEAD album is OK and that, but rather dull compared to the Cold Vein. It's not even the best thing Dose and Why have appeared on this year.

Is the O+N album worth buying BTW? I loved Up Middle Finger but haven't really heard that much else.

― RickyT, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Indieeeeeeeeeee.

― Sterling Clover, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

2. Air - 10, 000 Hz Legend (Source)>BR>Stopped after seeing that one.

― helen fordsdale, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

agreed, 10,000hz Shitstain is truly awful.

I'm not sure what to make of this as a 'dance' list ... electronic- pop might be more appropriate considering O'Rourke, Logan's Sanctuary soundtrack, etc... but in general this list is poor.

Zero 7 is charming though, minimalist techno but with a focus on melody, not that gritty skitchy-skitch house variety .. Manitoba's Boards-of-Canada-nostalgia has grown on me, and the cLOUDDEAD album doubly-so, those boys did such great work with lo-fi production values and all..

but where is Herbert? Prefuse 73? Matmos and Mouse on Mars aren't on my year-end list, but 'A Chance to Cut' and 'Idiology' are better than Basement Jaxx nonsense and the Daft Punk album, which bored me. Should be changed to 'Daft Funk'

― Dare, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

nonsense?

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

RickyT is OTM with the cLOUDDEAD / Cannibal Ox thing.

― Robin Carmody, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That's more like it, bad year for dance albums my arse. Quite like the list, nothing to get worked up about. At least has my joint album (s)-of-the-year in the top 5 (Discovery/10.000 Hz). But okay since Jeff asks what ILM's dance experts think I'll play along: I miss Mouse on Mars, Cannibal Ox, The Other People Place and maybe Bjork. I faintly raise an eyebrow at inclusion of Shiterillaz, Beta Band and Zero 7. Also am a bit disappointed that Muzik don't include compilations in the real list.

― Omar, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Omar there was a seperate compilations of the year chart.

― DJ Martian, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think Omar is rightly saying that separating the two is rockist.

Herbert - you can concentrate on the clicks and minibeats and hear a bustling forest floor of house rhythms, or you can concentrate on the rest and hear sleazy/'classy' jazziness. An attempt to do the former is generally thwarted by the latter which is why it's not on *my* albums of the year list at least.

― Tom, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah Martian i was counting on that. Personally I just like to see compilations count as real albums esp. in dance music. Not that it is a big deal. What was the comp of the year though? Looking over the top-30 again I indeed miss Herbert's album and am I the only one who has heard and loved the new Green Velvet album?

― Omar, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tom is right about the Herbert album. The jazzy stuff is just too distracting for it to be a good listen for me as well.

― RickyT, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thankfully though the jazz is only a small portion of the disc. I think the problem is that the jazz is somehow *louder* than the house stuff, so it leaps out almost rudely.

― Tim, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Wow, that Herbert album is killing me, I don't understand these complaints. That's about the prettiest and most elegant thing I've heard all year, & those melodies are in the pocket. I think the clicky/IDM stuff is integrated very well into the overall sound, and in fact it's about the perfect example from this year of pop and glitch meeting (see Simon Reynolds' Faves 2001 list, where he rightly complains of experimental IDM feeling cut off from the social world of pop.)

― Mark, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I dont think it's a bad album, I just haven't found much use for it. The melodies don't move me and the singing awfully mannered and disengaged - "elegant" in a learned sense maybe. The vocals play up the tastefulness of micro-house over its tactility.

― Tom, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i was disappointed with Bodily Functions, too. his other stuff, like Around the House, is much better

as for the list, Zero 7 are just a bad copy of Air, the Royksopp album sounded pretty dull on a listening post thing, [and i love my Downtempo stuff normally]. Nice to see the Gotan Project getting a mention - was going to post about that on the best of the year thread but forgot.

Muzik do seem to appreciate a lot of good music, it's a shame that the magazine is pretty bad

― michael, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Something to do with the way clubbing as a culture has been packaged like rawk was circa 95. Dance magazines' capacity to review music = consistently underrated, though obviously not brill. either.

― Tim, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hmmm…to me the singing on Bodily Functions falls within the tin pan alley/show tune tradition, where the tune & the arrangement are meant to carry the day, & not the personality of the singer. In that respect, the disengagement of the singer, which I do hear, works well. Something about the vocals on Bodily Functions reminds me of what I like about Sade, w/ an emphasis on clarity & focus. I actually thought about Steven Merritt when I first heard the album, actually, because I felt like it drew from a similar songwriting tradition, and yet the “fake” vibe I sometimes get from the 3rd disc of 69 Love Songs (I may come around on this someday, & I’m sure I’ll feel foolish, but to me that record sounds "mannered and disengaged") didn’t seem to apply. I guess I’m defending the record because I found it very beautiful & feel lonely in my admiration. I’ll check out earlier Herbert, at any rate.

― Mark, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think the difference may lie in our differing emphases on lyrics as a vehicle of content in vocal music, Mark.

― Tom, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

mark - Matthew Herbert also records as Dr Rockit, Radioboy, Wishmountain etc. his site gives details of his releases etc. Dr Rockit 'Indoor Fireworks' is very, very good, particularly the accordian-led Cafe de Flore (the [unrelated] Gotan Project is a whole lovely album's worth of tracks like that).

also, he's the kind of person who would probably response properly to emails etc, although his schedule looks like he's very busy at the moment. i think one of my friends has corresponded with him.

― michael, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eleven months pass...

hm, I'm not surprised at your comments here, tom, but it's too bad you didn't take to the herbert album (I assume this might still be the case?). I've seen more than one review refer to it as 'a jazz album made with house music', and I'm inclined to agree with what mark said above. the vocals are done in a particular tradition, often, and the jazz songs seem very well integrated to me with the rest of the music. 'jazz album made with house music' is a little off I think (I will write on this later) but it probably gets at your problem.

― Josh (Josh), Sunday, 17 November 2002 00:40 (twenty-three years ago)

ooh sorry tom i should've read this before telling you to listen to it while working..

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Sunday, 17 November 2002 00:57 (twenty-three years ago)

cannibal ox has aged terribly hasn't it?

― bob zemko (bob), Sunday, 17 November 2002 21:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Felix should be top of this, that's one of the better dance albums I've ever bought.

― Ronan (Ronan), Sunday, 17 November 2002 21:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Definitely. I'm also a bit puzzled why the Tiesto album wasn't in the list. Or didn't it have a 2001 UK release date? I mean, if Groove Armada is in there, anything goes apparently...

― Siegbran (eofor), Sunday, 17 November 2002 22:34 (twenty-three years ago)

the Zero 7 and Royksopp bashing still annoys me, heh

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 18 November 2002 00:50 (twenty-three years ago)

three years pass...

hai....(cubaan 123...)

― muhammad azry, Friday, 28 April 2006 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

RELIVE THE GOOD TIMES

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

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