Best of the Bloglin 2011: The Top 15 EPs
I wrote last year that the EP had become more important than what anyone could have conceived at its inception. It had long since outgrown its role as a place for castoffs or B-sides, but was still viewed as something somehow less than. Post millennial artists, of course a lions share of them being from the underground, took the format and instead turned it into a hotbed of experimentation.
This year, not only the sound but the reasons for the EP’s were more varied than ever, affording us a vast (and often free, lets not forget that) catalogue of stellar releases for us to choose from. There were releases from artists who are clearly in between albums, which is a quality I find quite enjoyable as it gives you a look into the unique transitional period between sounds.
Fatima Al Qadiri
There were side-projects from both established and emerging artists, the presence of which is not only welcome alone but fascinating in the context of their other work. Then there is perhaps my favorite trend in EP’s this year: the party time capsule EP.
That is a pretty terrible and unwieldy phrase I just coined there, but I swear it sounds better when I explain it. One of my favorite things about this year was watching the theme party come back in a big way. Not theme like “cops n robbers” or some lame shit like that, but rather a weekly (or monthly or what have you) party that has its own very specific sound and experience.
Jam City
Though spearheaded by Ghe20 G0th1k, many other parties have risen alongside. Releases from those parties go-to DJ’s are a great and invigorating way to take a look into a subculture that has really been dormant for a while. All these things, of course, still are united by one thing: being really good music.
So here’s our picks for the top 15 EPs of 2011. As per usual, each reviewer submitted their own list, and we Franenstein’-ed them together into one super duper list. Enjoy!
Best of the Bloglin 2011: The Top 15 EPs
The Honorable Mentions:
• Clams Casino – Rainforest EP [Tri Angle]
• Wavves – Life Sux EP [Ghost Ramp]
• Supreme Cuts – Trouble [Small Plates]
• Maria Minerva – Sacred & Profane Love [100% Silk]
Knowing us, we couldn’t limit ourselves to JUST 15, so we have to give some honorable mentions, whether it be Clams Casino’s wafting cloud rap production, the playful weirdness of Maria Minerva, Wavves further adventures in bratty surf garage, or the R&B bizarreness of Supreme Cuts.
These 4 EPs were just on the outside looking in but all worthy of some heavy rotation well into 2012.
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15. Elite Gymnastics – Ruin 1 & 2 [Psychedelic Surf Club]
Taking sounds from the K-pop universe and injecting them into their already solid sound, Elite Gymnastics continued their successful run of breakbeat heavy chillwave with Ruin 1.
The fact that it was accompanied by a chopped n’ screwed counterpart in Ruin 2 showed a whole other side of the group, that makes the holistic listening experience that much better.
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Though the EP is certainly not nothing (far from it) the title may have more to say about the music than you’d think, especially if Zomby immediately calls to mind the rave revival of Where Were You in ’92.
Taking a much colder, insular approach to the songs, Zomby works with just a few sounds and samples per track, always knowing just how long to repeat, and then stun you with a subtle rearrangement just before dropping back into the groove… DnB groove at that!
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13. Jam City – Waterworx EP [Night Slugs]
The youngest member of the Night Slugs roster, Jam City is also the least bass centric of their artists. On Waterworx, he explores vast swathes of the genre, unafraid to marry the almost disco-keyboards of Detroit house to modern breaks and wobbles.
He may still be figuring out exactly where he wants to go, but if it’s as good as Waterworx then I’m all for it.
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12. Horrid Red - Pink Flowers/Silent Party EPs [Burundi Cloud/Soft Abuse]
You remember when The Cure got really into Krautrock for a while there and Robert Smith started mumbling all his lyrics in German through a fuzzbox, right? That thing that never ever happened?
If you wish for such a thing, then this pair of EP’s from Horrid Red is for you. Though an oddity on the surface, the sense of melody is surprisingly strong, and you’ll find these songs stuck deep in your head (even if you have no idea what they’re talking about).
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11. Dom – Family of Love EP [Astralwerks]
Following up on all the potential of Sun Bronzed Greek Gods and then some, Dom recruited Animal Collective producer Nicholas Vernhes for their follow up EP. There was a lot of sunny garage pop last year, but Dom has certainly survived the culling.
I’m reticent to say the record is more mature, because I think they might take that as an insult, but Family of Love, while as catchy as ever, also has honest (if-not-world-shattering) things to say about bein’ young and probably in love.
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10. Laurel Halo – Hour Logic [Hippos In Tanks]
Laurel Halo has mastered the art of hypnosis on Hour Logic. Songs have manic, pulsing repetitive centers that pull you in (helped by the extreme length of most of the songs).
But once your locked on, the beautiful sounds that are slowly shifting in the periphery, bouncing off of your perception, constantly surprise you, as if you forgot you were waiting for them at all.
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9. Babe Rainbow – Endless Path EP [Warp]
“Set Loose,” off of the Endless Path EP, was originally created to be a Lil’ B beat. Though that never materialized (man, I wish it had), Babe Rainbows style, in ethos if not sound, fits right in with the Basedgod.
Seemingly overflowing with creativity, Babe Rainbow is never afraid to let his music take him where it wants to go. That’s part of the joy of each new release: you just never know what you’re gonna get.
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8. Crystal Stilts – Radiant Door EP [Sacred Bones]
Radiant Door might not exactly be a deviation from form for Crystal Stilts, if that’s what we’re gonna get for their second release of this year then you bet your ass we’ll take it.
Full of catchy (oh, how catchy) songs that as always play to early indie and psych rock sensibilities, this was the perfect little release for those of us left clamoring for more after In Love With Oblivion.
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7. Hudson Mohawke – Satin Panthers EP [Warp]
Despite his oddly long dormancy, it only took me about 5 seconds into “Thunder Bay” before I thought “Oh yeah, Hudson Mohawke.” 5 seconds later, as I danced around I thought “fuck yes, new Hudson Mohawke.”
There are some quasi-experimental departures (“Cbat”), but for the most part it’s huge (though not in length) and totally, wonderfully unabashedly so. Sometimes you just need some big ass music in your life, music full of walls of synth and glimmering lazer noises and everything that you deep down know is just fun.
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6. Lone – Echolocations EP [R&S]
Pared down house that just keeps going and going, Echolocations isn’t exactly packed with frills, but Lone knows just which few elements he needs to keep the party going.
It’s a dance records par excellence, and it doesn’t just refuse to take breaks, it makes a point to keep getting bigger and bigger.
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5. Fatima Al Qadiri – Genre-Specific Xperience [Uno]
After experimenting with a capella on her release as Ayshay, Fatima Al Qadiri reached even greater heights bringing her unique middle eastern and african sensibility and melding it with her considerable electronic skills.
From the soothing “Hip Hop Spa” to the dubstep of “How Can I Resis U”, Qadiri effortlessly presents you with sounds you vaguely recognize, but seem to come from a different world.
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4. Autre Ne Veut – Body EP [Hippos In Tanks]
Like the glistening cover art, Body is a sensual, sexual soul with a mysterious and almost vulgar twist. Melodramatic and raw in all the right ways, Body is very listenable.
But it also can reveal itself to you (no pun intended), with Autre’s harried and syrupy voice, not to mention a killer guest spot form She Wolf, carrying the real weight here.
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3. Toro Y Moi – Freaking Out EP [Carpark]
Chaz Bundick’s swagger just grows and grows with every release. Don’t get me wrong, he still has that slightly foggy distance to him, but on Bootsy Collins indebted tracks like “All Alone” he’s having more fun than ever.
His music has always been head nodding, but if Freaking Out is a sign of things to come, then he could be a soundtrack for some serious booty shaking.
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2. Nguzunguzu – Timesup EP [Fade To Mind]
Whereas many modern electronic artists are just happy to know the multitudes they can pull from across a career, DJ duo seem dead set on pulling everything into a single track.
They’re masters of layering, with each track gaining just one more sample, one more break, one more hip-hop drop, just when you think they couldn’t do no mo’. The Timesup EP is also made even better by two killer remixes from fellow up and comers Kingdom and Total Freedom.
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1. Holy Other – With U EP [Tri Angle]
Another victory for Tri Angle records, no EP stuck with us more this year that Holy Other’s Debut With U. Simply put, it’s a beautiful collection of songs. What could be mistaken for mellowness is really just lushness, and tracks like “Yr Love” build so organically to pretty and subdued crescendos that you’ll be compelled to throw them on repeat.
The title track is punctuated by modulated repetitions of “with u” that start off affecting and end up cut apart, rearranged, and stretched so far they become almost devastating. With U cultivates the mood of love, loss, and longing so well captured on its maybe-morning-after cover. All that in just 20 minutes.
- Whole Milk
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Surprised Sinjin Hawke didn’t get a mention
December 23rd, 2011 at 5:50 pm
No Dam-Funk? The bloglin doesn’t seem to give much love to Damon. His Scion EP was one of my top 3 easily