Ancient Astronauts - Into Bass and Time

2011; 15 tracks

"Hard hip-hop, funky breakbeats, dub reggae, and late night smokers' trip-hop, Into Bass and Time brings it all."

Ancient Astronauts is a German hip-hop duo known for their futuristic approach to combining many different styles of beats and samples. It's not entirely instrumental, but when guest artists appear and such, the rapping is seriously top-notch. After just the first listen, I knew that this was one of the greatest albums of the year.

and the people of earth stood, and stared

Pogo - Texturebox

2010; 13 tracks

I have been extremely obsessed with Pogo lately. He is Nick Bertke, an an emerging electronic music artist in Perth, Western Australia known for his work recording small sounds from a single film or scene and sequencing them to form a new piece of music. Many of the clips are from old Disney movies from when I was a little kid. *sigh*

Texturbox is his only full-length, and consequently his most recent release. Every single song on here is fucking amazing.

try / buy

Secret - Moving in Secret

2011; 10 tracks

More delightful k-pop.


Download.

Wugazi - 13 Chambers

2011; 13 tracks

This is an amazing album of hip-hop, rap, jazz, post-hardcore, and just free-styling awesomeness. Wu-Tang Clan provides (most of) the vocals to music by the legendary alternative/punk band Fugazi. I have never heard anything like this, but it was very well done.

Download.

TOKiMONSTA - Complete Discography

Bedtime Lullabies

2008; 5 tracks

Download.


Mary Anne Hobbs Mix

2009; 1 track

Download.


Midnight Menu

2010; 11 tracks

Download.


Cosmic Intoxication EP

2010; 6 tracks

Download.


TOKiMONSTA Live in London, Brainfeeder Sessions, 2010

2010; 1 track

Download.


Analogue Monsta

2011; 2 tracks

Download.


Creature Dreams

2011; 7 tracks

Download.


Re-mixes & Extras

23 tracks

01 Megajoy (TOKiMONSTA's Unsound Bliss Remix) [Original artist: Kidkanevil)
02 Mileena's Theme (Full Version)
03 Big City Lights (TOKiMONSTA Remix) [Original artist: Shing02]
04 Hot Boxing the Cockpit (TOKiMONSTA Remix) [Original artist: Shlohmo)
05 Horizontal Figuration (TOKiMONSTA Remix) [Original artist: TAKE]
06 Alive
07 Almost Free
08 Breaking Atoms
09 Breath on my Contacts
10 Cigarette Lust
11 Hungry Stomach
12 Last Nights Blurry Memories
13 Line To Dot
14 Little Bit (Remix)
15 Madness
16 Moving Forward (Remix)
17 Park Walks
18 So Sick (Instrumental)
19 Stargazing Coma
20 Taste
21 The Black Heart
22 The Word (Unreleased)
23 Yo B!


Download.

Beautifully constructed instrumental hip-hop by Jennifer Lee.

현아 - Bubble Pop! EP

2011; 5 tracks



현아 (Hyun Ah) is a South Korean singer, rapper, and dancer. She is also the main rapper in the popular girl group 4minute. This is her debut EP, after releasing a popular single last year, and the title track, "Bubble Pop!" is super catchy. I like this EP a whole lot, her voice has a lot of character and the music isn't overblown and obnoxious... The track "A Bitter Day" is actually quite beautiful, and "Downtown" is really awesome. Yes, I love this.



Download.

Naphini - Get Your Pretense On

2006; 15 tracks

Ahhh, Naphini. This album was one of the first that I downloaded completely off of Last.fm, when I was like 14. Listening to it again brings back all these memories of me dancing to the BEST ALBUM ELECTRONIC ALBUM I'VE EVER HEARD.

Naphini is "an artist based in Minneapolis that writes, performs, engineers, produces, and masters his own music which generally fits into some subgenre of electronic." Yes, it is definitely electronic. But it's a little something more than that, I think. This music is just intelligent, and engages you like nothing else can. Purely mathematical, and layered with classical, idm, techno, and trip-hop, Get Your Pretense On is always pulsing with midnight energy. I mean, could you ever in a million years find a better song in the universe than "Bohemian Poetry"? Or "Drip Dance"? No. This is a true work of electronic genius.

Download.

Daedelus & Jogger - Friends of Friends, Vol. 1

2009; 6 tracks

This is a really great EP with three tracks each of idm/electronic artist Daedelus and up-and-coming experimental/indie group Jogger. Daedelus' approach to hip-hop is slightly laid-back, but this EP features the amazing track "LA Nocturn," as well as an Elliot Lipp re-mix of the track. Jogger is virtually unclassifiable, but their electronic mixed with metal tracks found here are enticing indeed. It's highly enjoyable and even beautiful at times.

Here's a nicely made video of Jogger's track "Nephicide" which is, for obvious reasons, my favorite on the EP.



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De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig - De Lachende Derde

2010; 15 tracks

Latest album from the Dutch hip-hop group De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig. The entire sound of this album is a world beyond that of their previous albums. It is much more sophisticated and altogether a fucking amazing release.

THE BEST ALBUM OF 2010 - IT IS CONFIRMED!

By me.. Allie.

Download

Purchase

Hymie's Basement - Hymie's Basement

2003; 15 tracks

Hymie's Basement is a collaboration between Why?'s Yoni Wolf and Fog's Andrew Broder.

I love love loooove this album. Their voices sound quite similar... but there really is nothing like this album. I love Yoni's obsession with hands. I love Broder's soft guitar playing. I love the contrast from their happy pop-like songs and minimally saddening pieces. I love their cuteness and their rawness. I love everything about this album.

Download.

Bracken - We Know About the Need

2007; 11 tracks

Wow, what a stunning album. The most beautiful thing about this album is his voice. I can't imagine anything more great. Bracken is the indie/experimental/hip-hop project of Chris Adams. We Know About the Need is the only thing I've heard by him, but... it's gorgeousity made flesh. The track Heathens seems to be my favorite track atm.

we have our backs against the wall

Faberyayo & Vic Crezée - Het Grote Gedoe

2010; 18 tracks



OMG sexiest album of the year! It really is. This is sooo much better than gangstah rap like Eminem and whatever else you think is good. Faberyayo is also in DJVT and Le Le.



first deze

Spacekees - Meer Ruimte

2008; 26 tracks

This is a really kvlt hip-hop album from Dutch artist Spacekees. His music sounds a bit like DJVT, but perhaps it's even more funky and stylistically genius and just fuunnn and cool. It's awesome.

Download.

Why?

I've been listening to Why? for about 2 years now, off and on, and they are still as wonderful as they were the first time. I've looked into many of their "similar artists" on Last.fm and nothing has ever come close to comparing with them :'). Why? is an Oakland based trio that has been making music for about 10 years. Their work is hard to describe, as it is so diverse and experimental and gorgeous. I'd say it's mostly indie hip-hop, with some rap and even some folk elements (especially in their newest album, "Eskimo Snow"). I have heard their entire discography about 20 times and I haven't gotten sick of it ONCE. I love their album Oaklandazulasylum the most by far. More info here. Enjoooyyy.


Oaklandazulasylum


2003; 14 tracks

This is my favorite Why? album. It took me a while to get into it because most of the songs are pretty short and fragmented and... it's just a trip to listen to the whole thing beginning to end. I always end up being in some dreary, dreamy state listening to this album - it gives me really funny dreams! My favorite tracks are Dream on Cortelyou, Our Neighbor's Daughter, and A Little Titanic. This is a perfect album, but it might not be for everyone... I suggest lisetning the shit out of it and forcing yourself to like it. I promise you will.

Download.

Elephant Eyelash


2005; 12 tracks

This album is extremely complex and layered and rich in texture/lyrical content. My favorite tracks are Yo Yo Bye Bye, Gemini (Birthday Song), and Rubber Traits. It is a difficult album to get into, but I'd consider it their most mature work of all. I love it.

Download.

Sanddollars EP


2005; 8 tracks

I really like this EP, especially the song 500 Fingernails. I think it shows a nice progression from their previous two albums. It seems like it introduces you to Why?'s new sound on Alopecia.

Download.

Alopecia


2008; 14 tracks

This is a cool album, but I think it is overhyped. As a whole, it's not amazing. I really love the songs "Simeon's Dilemma" and "Torpedo or Crohn's" like.. with all of my fucking heart. I also love the lyrics to the first 5 songs. Alopecia features more rapping, which turns some people off but whatever. Why? is awesome -heart-

Download.

Eskimo Snow


2009; 10 tracks

This is a nice album, it features more sentimental lyrics and softer music... I don't know how to describe it. Against Me is an amazing song :3 Eskimo is not bad, but it's not my favorite Why? album.

Download.

P.O.S. - Never Better

 2009; 15 tracks

P.O.S. is rapper Stefon Alexander from Minnesota. His music can be described as alternative hip-hop, or punk-inspired rap (Stefon has credited the punk band Fugazi as a major influence). I just love P.O.S., no matter what. It's extremely brutal and yet lovely and poetic. Stand-out tracks: PUREXED (x 1000 ^ 1000).

Download.