Best Of 2011 part 10

Beirut - "The Rip Tide"

I can't really say anything bad about this album except that I think there is no progression in style from the last full length. But it IS at least the same level of quality and not any less. So if you like the old stuff, you'll like this for sure.

John Robinson & Robot Koch - "Robot Robinson"

I don't really consider John Robinson to be a phenomenal MC. To me he mostly sounds like a combination of Talib Kweli and MF Doom. He does manage to always seem to find dope producers to hook up with. This EP, in my eyes, is more of the way a lot of newer hip hop SHOULD be sounding, but unfortunately a lot of rappers and hip hop producers are still stuck in the past. Part of the thrill of good older hip hop to me was that the production was progressive, fresh, and new, and I think a lot of current producers have forgotten that aspect.

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - "Rome"

This is like a soundtrack and score to a movie that doesn't exist. Danger Mouse is trying to be like Ennio Morricone or something, and I really enjoy the end result. The vocal tracks are also very well executed. It probably helps that I don't find Norah Jones and Jack White (who really shows some vocal versatillity on here) annoying like a lot of people I know do.

Philip Selway - "Running Blind"

Even though he's mainly known for being the drummer of Radiohead, you wouldn't know it listening to his solo stuff. He sounds like an accomplished singer in his own right.

Krizz Kaliko - "S.I.C."

Nice little teaser EP to tide his fans over until the next LP drops in a couple months.

Samiyam - "Sam Baker's Album"

This album just straight bumps. Easy contender for album of the year. It's kinda like a "Donuts" type album, but with mostly synth based sounds. So deceptively simple sounding. This album doesn't seem to get played out.

Those Darlins - "Screws Get Loose"

They sort of ditched the light country sound for a more lo-fi psychedelic garage rock kinda sound, which I didn't like at first, but this album grew on me. These chicks have lots of heart and I feel like they're gonna be one of those groups that stays around for a long time and puts out many good albums.

Lorn - "Self Confidence Vol. 2"

Who gives away their best material (in my opinion) for free? Lorn, I guess... haha. I thought I had him pegged as a certain type of electronic artist, but clearly he's out to defy categorization, which delights me.

Declaime - "Self Study"

He just keeps crankin out these decent albums full of laid back, spaced out, pothead production and even more stoned sounding rhymes. Sometimes I wonder if he even knows what he's talking about, but it usually sounds good when i'm in the right mood for it.

Raekwon - "Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang"

This album is about on par with his last one, which I think was a little overrated, but still about as tight as a modern Wu album can be.

Nicolay & The Hot At Nights - "Shibuya Session EP"

Nicolay fronting a live jazz band. It's probably the logical step for him at this point in his career.

Fancy Mike - "Sigma Chi Primavera"

I literally know nothing about this dude. One of the best blind downloads i've ever found. Clearly influenced by Flying Lotus, a lot of these songs are incredibly tight. I'll have to see if he has anything else out there to hear for sure.