So I was going to bitch and complain about the sad state of affairs in New York City and how everything is wack and nothing has any flavor and blah blah blah. Then I said to my jaded self, “self, things are way better here in New York than in 95% of the world, so curb those negative vibes, embrace that inner-hippie and tell the people of the internet what’s really good, not really bad.”

So with this newfound optimism I present my Top 9 things That Totally Ripped in 2007…

9.PorkChop
Jon Nicholson aka PorkChop aka Private Sector for years has quietly been making some of the most off-kilter psychedelic house music in these parts, holed up in his Brooklyn studio under the JMZ tweaking synths, jamming drum machines through effects units and recording that shit straight to tape, dude is producing some of the most rugged jams around. Further solidifying his legendary cult status, this year Jon did a three day non-stop improvisational music performance recording the entire 72 hours to cassette at the Grace Space. Aside from being a member of the Black Label Bike Club, PorkChop can be found DJing various venues around the 5 boroughs and doing time in avant-noise outfit Excepter. To say this guy inspires me is an understatement. Keep an eye out for some vinyl releases from Jon in early 2008.

8. Malvoeaux
aka Steve Summers aka Death Commando aka Rhythm Based Lovers aka Teen Laquifa aka Twin Roots. These are all the alias’ of one Jason Letkiewicz. Formerly of the Washington D.C. area and just recently a San Francisco transplant, Jason is destined for something big in the near future. In this past year during any given week I could count on an email coming from Jason containing new tracks from any of his numerous projects. An analogue outboard machine freak, equipped with an 808, 909, 707, Roland Juno-106 and various other pieces of machinery, Jason has, in my opinion, mastered numerous electronic music genres in tasteful and effective fashion. From 86′ jack-house, to electronic disco, to John Carpenter-esque soundtrack music there have been no boundaries for his creative output. Check out his tracks and see for yourself at CONFUSED HOUSE And if you download his tracks and play them out on your Serato, make sure you give credit where credit is due or drop the man a line and let him know you’re digging the jams. Again another major source of inspiration for me this year.

7. Eric Copeland’s (of Black Dice) first solo record, Hermaphrodite
I’ve been jamming this hard since I got a copy this past summer, but it wasn’t until the past weekend when I hit the peace pipe and jumped on the train back from Philly that this album got deep inside my head. I know that it takes a certain mind state to feel the effects of the Dice and their related projects, but I couldn’t help but feel as I closed my eyes that there were hundreds of tiny bugs crawling all over my face. HIGHLY recommended.

6. The visuals on Danny Perez
Here is a man who never leaves his home with the exception to walk his dog Boris and it shows. Deep beneath the clouded bongwater and the four walls of his editing room lies an individual intensely committed to creating a body of work that will be remembered for years to come, though hardly digestible by the masses. You may have seen his work this year flashing behind the stages of such acts as Panda Bear and Black Dice whilst giving tripping sixteen year-olds epileptic seizures. 2008 will see the completion of the full length Animal Collective “don’t eat the brown acid” movie entirely written, directed and edited by Perez. A beyond killer bro for sure.

5. Pissed Jeans
A punk band that’s not afraid to be a punk band. They get up on stage, plug in, and play for 25 minutes straight, unplug their gear and leave the stage. No bullshit, no antics, no claims to be this or that, just unrelenting heaviness in the vein of My War era Black Flag with a tad of the Germs thrown in for good measure. Sure you hear a lot of people compare new bands to such mega-outfits of yore, but Pissed Jeans truly lives up to these standards in today’s mundane world of rock n’ roll music.

4. Claudio Rispoli aka DJ Moz-Art
Thanks to the magic of ye ol’ internet, I came across this really mind-blowing Claudio Rispoli aka DJ Moz-Art mix from 1979 and have rocked it non-stop since last winter. Rispoli was one of the residents at the Baia degli Angeli in Italy alongside Daniele Baldelli who were among the pioneers of the Cosmic/Afro funky sound. The song selection and mixing on this tape is so on point for the time, gets me amped every time I play it. Features tracks by Ron Wright, ORS, Joe Gibbs and the Jam Band, and Queen Samantha among others.

3. The Music of Marcuss Mixx
Unearthed by some dude named Thomos, the music of Chicago House boozebag/screwball Marcuss Mixx has risen from the dead and hopefully to a dancefloor near you. A total tweaker who worked with legendary Chicago House DJ Ron Hardy towards the end of his career, Mixx has produced some seriously left field tracks, with only more to come. Should I leave my blow-up doll because she doesn’t like House music? I don’t have the answer to that Marcuss, but check out Let’s Pet Puppies to find out more.

2. Not Living on a Couch Anymore
I was living on random couches for almost two years. I now have an apartment again, and for that I am thankful.

1. Ziti, the dish
What do you all know about Ziti? What about a tray of Ziti? Or even Marie down the block who is rumored to make a terrible tray of Ziti. Ziti has been my cornerstone meal for years, it never lets me down, it’s cheap and if you know the right spots you will be treated lovely by this dish. Now don’t just walk into one of those broke-dick Rays Pizza’s and try to get some Ziti, because you will be very disappointed. I would suggest hitting Lalocanda at 432 Graham Ave. in Williamsburg as they know how to do things right. And if you don’t know about Ziti by now, well I really can’t tell you much more. All Hail Ziti!

This is Mr. Malta signing off for 2007… adios!