december is the blogosphere’s favourite month in the calendar, as it rolls itself out as a welcome mat for the never ending parade of year-end lists. on the fat planet radio show on wednesday 19th december (9pm australian est on fbi radio), i’ll be spinning the ‘fat planet oh-seven mixtape’ – my selection of this year’s international tunes that ought to be remembered long after the stroke of midnight on january 1st.
i’ve pre-empted the mixtape show in this list, my pitch for the best full-length international releases of the year, in no particular order. as is the case on fat planet, anglo-american-indie-electro joints not represented…
- MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND – Pinata (Nacional Records) [MEXICO]
- RAZ MESINAI VS BADAWI – Unit Of Resistance (RIOR) [ISRAEL]
- DEADBEAT – Journeyman’s Annual (~Scape) [CANADA]
- APPARAT – Walls (Shitkatapult) [GERMANY]
- BJORK – Volta (One Little Indian) [ICELAND]
- PEKOS / YORO DIALLO – Pekos/Yoro Diallo (Yalla Yalla) [MALI]
- PORTABLE – Powers Of Ten (S√?d Electronic) [SOUTH AFRICA]
- ULRICH SCHNAUSS – Goodbye (Independiente) [GERMANY]
- TAKEN BY TREES – Open Field (Rough Trade) [SWEDEN]
- M.I.A. – Kala (XL Recordings) [SRI LANKA]
- MISHA – Teardrop Sweetheart (Tomlab) [CHINA]
- MODESELEKTOR – Happy Birthday (BPitch Control) [GERMANY]
- VALGEIR SIGURDSSON – Ekvilibrium (Bedroom Community) [ICELAND]
- BONDE DO ROLE – Bonde Do Role With Lasers (Domino) [BRAZIL]
- TENNISCOATS – Totemo Aimasho (Room40) [JAPAN]
- MAGA BO – Confusion of Tongues (Soot) [U.S.]
- RADIO ZUMBIDO – Pequeno Transistor De Feria (Quatermass) [GUATEMALA]
- SIBOT – In With The Old (African Dope) [SOUTH AFRICA]
- SOUTH RAKKAS CREW – The Mix Up (Mad Decent) [JAMAICA]
- MADLIB – Beat Konducta In India (Stones Throw) [U.S.]
- COMPILATIONS:
- African Underground: Depths Of Dakkar (Nomadic Wax) [SENEGAL]
- Rumble In The Jungle (SoulJazz Records)
- El Mash Piola Volume 2 (Pirate Pixie) [ARGENTINA]
- Doublemoon Remixed (Doublemoon) [TURKEY]
- Urban Africa Club (Out There)