Best of 2017: Albums

Here's a bunch of round slabs of music I enjoyed very much the past twelve months. 2017 produced tunes from old favorites, a few new faces, and a couple of reissues. There's actually one or two albums that could be considered metal so that's a bit of change for me. Somehow artists keep making creative stuff in this zany world we now live in.

As always any album had to be released in the calendar year and I had to listen to it a lot. The only exception is the Viki Victoria record that came out at the very end of 2016. I figured it deserved to be on the list for this year because it would slip though the cracks otherwise. And if you are one of those types who needs a definitive album of the year, then that honor goes to Vanishing Light by C. Lavender on Hot Releases.

The list goes band/album/label for those with questions of that nature.

01. Ama Divers - Shadow Seeking Sun - No Rent Records/Rent Hike
02. Caterina Barbieri - Patterns of Consciousness - Important Records
03. Marcia Bassett & Samara Lubelski - Live, NYC - Feeding Tube Records
04. BIG|BRAVE - Ardor - Southern Lord
05. The Body & Full Of Hell - Ascending A Mountain Full Of Heavy Light - Thrill Jockey
06. C. Lavender - Vanishing Light - Hot Releases
07. Del Paxton - All Day, Every Day, All Night - Top Shelf Records
08. Demen - Nektyr - Kranky
09. Aaron Dilloway - The Gag File - Dais Records
10. Flying Saucer Attack - In Search Of Spaces - VHF
11. Kwka - Frontier - Nonexistant Records
12. Le Creuset - s/t - R & D
13. Martina Lussi - Selected Ambient - Hallow Ground
14. Pharmakon - Contact - Sacred Bones
15. Pod Blotz - Disappear Here Live CD - self released
16. Robedoor - New Age Sewage - Hands In The Dark
17. Pauline Anna Strom - Trans-Millenia Music - RVNG Intl.
18. TALsounds - Love Sick - Ba Da Bing
19. Tether - Mirror Finish - Hot Releases
20. Various Artists - Oz Waves compiled by Steele Bonus - Efficient Space
21. Viki Victoria - New Victorian - Midwich Productions
22. White Suns - Psychic Drift - The Flenser
23. Wolf Eyes - Undertow - Lower Floor Music
24. X.Y.R. - Labyrinth - Not Not Fun
25. Yowie - Synchromysticism - Skin Graft

Best of 2017: Cassettes

I did the math to figure out my favorite tapes of 2017. As it has been for the last few years, I listened to more cassettes than anything. There's something wonderful about having a physical object to listen to. In terms of sonics, I like music made with synthesizers, electronics, tapes, drones, and things that are either fake techno or what is probably real techno. Whatever makes up this weird little universe that is noise, I suppose.

I capped any label at two tapes, which made it tough when selecting from Constellation Tatsu, Hausu Mountain, No Rent, and Not Not Fun. I really like what Unifactor is making and I look forward to their future releases. For the tape labels that are only putting out stuff by dudes, you guys need to try harder next year to include some variety in your batches.

As always any tape had to be released in the calendar year and I had to listen to it a lot. And if you are one of those types who needs a definitive cassette of the year, then that honor goes to Transverse Presence by Zaïmph on No Rent Records.

The list goes band/album/label for those with questions of that nature.

01. Lea Bertucci - All That Is Solid Melts Into Air - NNA Tapes
02. Black Hat - Impossible World - Hausu Mountain
03. C. Lavender - Serpentine Fever Dream - Primitive Languages
04. Canada Effervescent - Ridin' America - Constellation Tatsu
05. Kate Carr - The Story Surrounds Us - Helen Scarsdale Agency
06. Filthy Huns - Forever Beast - Not Not Fun
07. Fin - Ice Pix - Hausu Mountain
08. Forest Management - The Elevated Quiet - Constellation Tatsu
09. Future DZ - Bongo Hymns - Unifactor
10. Gmackrr - La Dépendance Électrique - Spring Break Tapes!
11. Kevin Greenspon - Mood Recovery - Bridgetown Records
12. Hainbach - Violin Forms - Ultra Violet Light
13. Chris Libutti - Climbing Backward - Limited Resources
14. Missing Organs - Old Speakers - Umor Rex
15. Sylvia Monnier - Stock Shot & Addictive Sling - Sacred Phrases
16. Multa Nox - Living Pearl - NNA Tapes
17. Pool - Jim Day Upholsterer - No Rent Records
18. Radiator Greys - Life In The Blast Radius - Devine Records
19. Liz Roberts & Henry Ross - Death Knell - Unifactor
20. Jack Taylor - Somnii - Dinzu Artefacts
21. Tree Branch Twig - Beneath The - Full Spectrum Records
22. White Poppy - The Pink Haze Of Love - Lone Hand
23. Valise - Thistles & Covenants - Devine Records
24. Video Salon - s/t - Not Not Fun
25. Zaïmph - Transverse Presence - No Rent Records