Here are our favorite records + songs from the first half of 2011. If you’re into reading, we’ve written about most of these here and in some other places. We’ve also enjoyed checking out all of your picks, as always. Please let us know what we missed:
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01 Shabazz Palaces :: Black Up
mp3:
Shabazz Palaces :: an echo from the hosts that profess infinitum
Shabazz Palaces :: Swerve…the reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)
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02 Peaking Lights :: 936
mp3:
Peaking Lights :: Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)
Peaking Lights :: Hey Sparrow
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03 Panda Bear :: Tomboy
mp3:
Panda Bear :: Last Night at the Jetty
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04 White Denim :: D
mp3:
White Denim :: Drug
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05 Grouper :: A I A
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06 Puro Instinct :: Headbangers in Ecstasy
mp3:
Puro Instinct :: Stilyagi (feat. Ariel Pink)
Puro Instinct :: Silky Eyes
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07 Washed Out :: Within and Without
mp3:
Washed Out :: Eyes Be Closed
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08 Julianna Barwick :: The Magic Place
mp3:
Julianna Barwick :: The Magic Place
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09 Ford & Lopatin :: Channel Pressure
mp3:
Ford & Lopatin :: Emergency Room
Ford & Lopatin :: Too Much MIDI (Please Forgive Me)
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10 Holy Other – With U
mp3:
Holy Other :: YR LOVE
Holy Other :: Touch
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NEXT 10 (alphabetical):
Burial – Street Halo
Cults – Cults
Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact
John Maus – We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Cass McCombs – Wit’s End
Colin Stetson – New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
Tennis – Cape Dory
The Sandwitches – Mrs. Jones’ Cookies
Toro y Moi – Underneath the Pine
Young Galaxy – Shapeshifting
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And check our favorite songs of the half-year, in no particular order, after the jump…
Purity Ring :: Lofticries
Panda Bear :: Alsatian Darn
White Denim :: Street Joy
Cass McCombs :: County Line
Shabazz Palaces :: Are you… Can you… Were you? (felt)
Peaking Lights :: Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)
Burial :: Stolen Dog
John Maus :: Believer
Balam Acab :: Oh, Why
James Blake :: Lindisfarne
Toro y Moi :: Still Sound
Tyler, the Creator :: Yonkers
Bodies of Water :: Open Rhythms
Washed Out :: Eyes Be Closed
Hotel Mexico :: Dear Les Friends
Jesse Ruins :: Dream Analysis
Jamie xx :: Far Nearer
Solar Bears :: Cub (Keep Shelly in Athens remix)
Thundercat :: For Love I Come
Ford & Lopatin :: Too Much MIDI (Please Forgive Me)
Cults :: You Know What I Mean
Summer Camp :: I Want You
Big K.R.I.T. :: Dreamin’
Sleep ∞ Over :: Casual Diamond
Jai Paul :: Flip Out
Young Galaxy :: Peripheral Visionaries
Grimes :: Vanessa
Clams Casino :: I’m God (instrumental)
Marissa Nadler :: Baby, I Will Leave You in the Morning
Pure X :: Dry Ice
Dreamed :: Izumi
Gang Gang Dance :: Mindkilla
Teebs :: Pretty Poly
Planningtorock :: The Breaks
Great list as always. I couldn’t agree more with your number 1, it will take a Herculean effort to dethrone that beast.
Wow, my half-year album list is completely different from yours, but there are lots of similar choices in the song section.
Is it possible to upload a .zip/rar or your usual one track compilation? My data allowance is rather limited, and these songs require more than one listen for full appreciation..
Keep it up, love your work.
good idea
btw: great list but where is bon iver or nicolas jaar?
That’s two votes, Chris.
Be a wizard and make it so.
I know it didn’t live up to anyone’s expectations except Tyler’s, but I’ll still probably have ‘Goblin’ somewhere near the middle-bottom of my list. Coolrunnings’ ‘Dracula is Only the Beginning’ is probably going to have a pretty comfortable spot near the middle-front. Barring some out-of-nowhere feat of strength, however, our #1 spots are going to be identical.
wow, no cut copy. they took over my life for the first half of the year. i think for the second half, though, Destroyer’s Kaputt will step in. neither of these are listed. too pitchforkish for GvsB i guess. and im surprised gang gang dance didnt place higher. i do completely agree with shabazz palaces from what i’ve heard so far.
Oh, obviously you haven’t listened to Hospital Ships’ Lonely Twin yet. I feel sad for you, such an amazing album!
Nice list btw.
Hey Chris, have you given the new Tune-Yards a listen yet?
I’m shocked you all didn’t have Love Inks in either the album or song category. I know it’s a bit of an understated record, but I simply can’t turn it off.
Yup yup! These are all great.
so down with peaking lights at 2. so so ill
If yr last.fm is any indication, you need to give gang gang dance a couple more listens.
Okay so a couple of things:
Big Troubles recorded and released a song named “Phantom”….it’s rather enjoyable.
Julian Lynch released an album named “Terra”….also extremely enjoyable
The Crystal Stilts album didn’t meet my expectations but its still wonderful.
having said the above, GvB comes through yet again with a highly thought out, diverse and educational listing.
Thought you guys might’ve had the Weeknd mixtape on there somewhere near the bottom or at least a song or two. Panda would probably be lower on mine too…
of course, no one should argue your #1 spot though. brilliant.
jai paul – flip out? do u mean btstu? or is there another jai paul i dont know about….
Surprised to see a snub for Tyler, The Weeknd, and Bon Iver. OH, and the new Smith Westerns!
Teams Vs. Star Slinger. It’s the only album I have been able to fully get on board with. It has been a weak year for LPs to me. I’m hoping on m83′s new one to change that.
the puro album is just a dream. #1.
Missing WU LYF…..”dirt” is dope!
Ok, I found “Yonkers” on there. Sorry.
I’m surprised that James Blake didn’t make the cut.
Black Up is the coolest album since Cosmogramma
“Casual Diamond” is my undisputed SOTY. Good god, it’s PERFECT.
http://teenagevulture.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/favorite-albums-of-2011-so-far/
also, the world needs a dirk ‘we are the champions’ .mp3 on this list. love the list, bro.
no Kurt Vile?? new album has been on repeat.
Where’s “Shot yourself in the foot again” & “Rich kids blues”?
The Weeknd & Nicolas Jarr must be in the list too!
sad there’s no maria minerva in the song section… she’s my hero of 2011
Native Speaker by Braids is the bomb. And I agree with comehomenow, Dye it Blonde is up there. Also lovin’ La Sera.
While you’re in the process of listing albums that aren’t even out yet, how about some Goodbye Bread?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOnKNviBZrc
check out Hard Mix.. this song is the perfect soundtrack to driving home on a rainy day or overcast skies. But I’m also blasting his debut LP Defaults right now under the TX heat and it’s amazing
http://www.gorillavsbear.net/2010/07/02/memories/
almost a year old bro..
Bro.
Destroyer? Braids? Lia Ices? Jules Lynch? Cat’s Eyes?
Little disap tbh bro.
i like the Lynch and Lia Ices records a lot, just not top 20
if you’re gonna go with a krit song, gotta go ‘highs and lows’
You guys really don’t like guitars anymore, do you.
have you heard the White Denim album? how about Tomboy? Both prominently feature guitars
yes, i’ve heard white denim. it’s a great album, but i’m guessing they’re on here because of a long time allegiance with them and because they’re local. i haven’t heard panda bear because i’ve grown tired of the animal collective sound, but i’m going to listen because i sincerely doubt there’s a prominent guitar sound on it. i think you know what i’m getting at. 20% isn’t even good in baseball. i guess i just miss the diversity of this site from a few years ago.
what i’m getting at is this: at least half of these records prominently feature guitar. .500 would be a record or something in baseball. if anything, this list is more diverse than those from a few years ago.
out of curiosity, what guitar records am I missing? got the new Ty Segall after I posted this, but other than that, enlighten me…
first of all, i want you to know that i don’t mean to come off at all offensive. obviously, it’s all personal opinion and recently the influence GvsB has had on my listening habits in comparison to previous years has lessened. that’s neither a good thing nor a bad thing…like i said, i just miss it…that’s all.
but yes! i’d be a loser to sit here and moan and complain without offering suggestions…you are correct! Ty is definitely one that came to mind (my favorite by far up to now). others include, Dumbo Gets Mad (not guitar focused…haha), The Peoples Temple, Girls Names, Balkans, Destroyer, Mazes.
have any of you assholes ever seen puro instinct live? i had the displeasure of witnessing that mess at the gbv showcase at sxsw (also fucking disgusting). that girl is a disgrace. if i wanted to watch a thirteen year old spoiled brat sing her narcissistic ass off into a mirror i would have watched now and then. i immediately deleted their admittedly catchy/dreamy albums after. truly embarrassing to watch.
you didn’t like them live, so you deleted their album, which you enjoy? good idea
Puro Instinct actually blew me away when I saw them live last July (and I wasn’t a huge fan of theirs leading up to that show). Maybe you just caught them at the wrong time. I had a bad experience when I saw Beach House live but they are still one of my favorite bands. Maybe you should realize that performers/artists are real people and they have ups and downs just like us.
And I wasn’t a huge Beach House fan until I saw them live!
Funny you say that, cuz I was a HUGE Beach House Fan until the day I saw Puro Instinct live. But then right after that, I accidentally caught a glimpse of a thirteen-year-old singing in front of Panda Bear’s vanity mirror, which got me excited in a way that I now feel really guilty about.
first off, i love this list. rep seattle w shabazz! secondly, have you given the new matana roberts “coin coin chapter one:gens de couleur libres” a listen? third, i like the new panda bear, but why am i still disappointed? is it because i love person pitch that much or because i am missing something?
http://informalflick.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/halfway-favourite-recordstracks-of-2011/
i’m really excited for the washed out album
my god, the “i’m god’ instrumental. good god, so good.
Yeah. His mixtape is good too.
Destroyer??????
that was seriously the best arrangement of music i have ever heard. ok a bit of a stretch but it is amazing.
DON’T BE SURPRISED, IF I’M RIPPING OUT MY EYES. I’M ON FIRE.
fuuuuuucck. that songs gets me EVERYTIME. so glad to see it on this list.
LISTEN TO DESTROYER FOR REAL come on at least give it a try
I agree, destroyer is my favorite album of the year. DESTROYER 2011! give it a spin chrissypoo
same over here, DESTROYER 2011! the instruments on that album are just so sweet
peaking lights “tiger eyes”. damn good.
Peaking Lights is amazing. Weeknd has some of the best songs of the year. The album as a whole I could see not including, but where’s Glass Table Girls or The Morning on the songs list?? And DESTROYER consumed the first 4 months of the year for me. Lack of love for that is disappointing. Whoever said it must have been too pitchforky hit the nail on the head. Oh and White Denim is super refreshing.
Dum Dum Girls “He Gets Me High” is my favorite song this year
JAMES PANTS!
Well its not the best but it needs to be up there. Somewhere.
WOAHH WHERE IS THIS JAI PAUL TUNE ‘FLIP OUT’ THEN??!! MP3 PLEASE!
So where can I download Flip Out? Heard you play it on turntable last night and am itching to hear it again.
Sun Araw’s “Bump Up” will be sittin high on my year end song list, alongside Kurt Vile, Woods, and Julian Lynch
Clam’s Casino “I’m God” -If M83′s “we own the sky” sent you into
electronica-induced shoe-gazing, do not operate farm machinery while
listening to this track.
Purity Ring “Lofticries” -Soft vocals juxtaposed nicely with powerful
base beat. Sounds like a soundtrack for some Japanese virtual reality
game to be created in 2050. Maybe being hooked up to “the Matrix”
won’t be so bad if they play some good tunes.
Washed Out “Within and Without”
Upside: Chilled out vocals seem to simultaneously massage every muscle
in your body. It is cool and refreshing. Listen to it with your skin.
Downside: Not a lot of variation in melody, pitch, or rhythm. Novel
sound may grow old fast.
fucked up & washed out & weeknd
Wow great list G vs. B. I have to agree with you on Shabazz Palaces :: Black Up. This is an amazing album and I have listened to it every day at least once since I bought it. I was a fan of Digable Planets back in the day and it’ s great to hear Shabazz Palaces evolution.
1. Dirty Beaches | Badlands
2. Iceage | New Brigade
3. Toro Y Moi | Underneath the Pine
4. Crystal Stilts | In Love With Oblivion
5. Shabazz Palaces | Black Op
6. Destroyer | Kaput
7. Kurt Vile | Smoke Ring For My Halo
do you really like that ford + lopatin album, or is it just cause you hyped it so much that you can’t backtrack? it’s really no good, they should go back to the awesomeness that was games.
is that a serious question? listen to “too much MIDI” again
agree with public school whitey, Dirty Beaches – Badlands should be on here somewhere IMO
PJ Harvey?
where the frick is tUnE-yArDs???
i can’t stand that tune-yards album
And, personally, i’d probably put magic place ahead of within and without
Prizewinning is sooo sick!!
great selection of songs. in my personal one, i would probably find a spot for “a dedication” by Washed Out
In no particular order…
Nine Types Of Light
Goblin
Underneath The Pine
I Want You
Black Up
The King Of Limbs
Let England Shake
Badlands
Covert Coup
My list:
http://auralfood.blogspot.com/2011/06/best-of-2011-first-half.html
Planningtorock – The Breaks
Very deserving to be on the list, respect for including it.
Yeah, honestly W/W wasn’t a good album. I’m all for Toro, Neon Indian And Washed Out but W/W wasn’t as good of an album as I thought it was going to be. I don’t think it deserves to be on this list.