This time of year the music world is flooded with LISTS but, let’s be honest, it’s mostly gonna be the records you’ve been hearing about all year. Name your favorite record/track/artist that you think was overlooked in the comments below with your name for a chance to win all three Memory Tapes records on vinyl as well as some other surprises. I want to know what I missed…
– Memory Tapes
Motor City/Endless Nights/Sand Circles. The whole tape is amazing.
Spiderwebbed by the Bristol producer Stumbleine!
Susanne Sundfør – The Silicone Veil
Probably because it hasn’t been released outside Europe yet but imagine if Bjork recorded an album for 4AD.
Chris Cohen’s Overgrown Path, OMBRE’s Believe You Me, Deep Time’s Deep Time.
You Blew It! – “Grow Up, Dude”
Potential to be a future emo classic.
Here is something you might enjoy:
Marco Benevento – TigerFace
Amazing piano player, great live show, and he keeps getting better
I am a huge fan of Kool Music – Won Ton Jaz. GvB turned me on to “Running Back to Everyone” and it is one of the most beautiful songs ever!
I think the new Woods record is pretty overlooked in general, could be because they put out a lot material. Definitely one of my favorite releases from this year.
Chris Weisman – Maya Properties
Blanch Blanche Blanche – Wink with both eyes
both under appreciated!
Oh, and your album is amazing! (does sucking up work to help win)??
Afar by Ice Choir. This track, and the record its named after are impeccably produced/engineered
Demdike Stare- Elemental
favorite album: I Will Make My Own Hell Because There Is A Devil Inside My Body by Teen Suicide
http://teensuicide.bandcamp.com/
favorite song: Jon Benet by Gremlins
http://gremlins.bandcamp.com/
favorite artist: Gremlins
Overgrown Path by chris cohen (check out the tracks “Caller No.99″ and “Optimist High”) and Fin by Joh Talabot (check out “Missing You” and “Last Land”) were underrated this year, at least on this site and others that I frequent.
Port St. Willow and their album “Holiday”.
Arca – Stretch 2
Karriem Riggins put together one of the best multi-instrumental jazz records that doesn’t get much attention, I’d definitely say that.
overlooked tracks:
four tet :: locked (pink).
ty segall :: you’re the doctor (twins).
…and allah-las :: long journey (s/t)
also: The Memories S/T is sick
Violens – True
Jangle Pop goodness, the first track Totally True sounds like an R.E.M. track with wistful singing. Really helped define a lot of moments this summer, and I’m already feeling nostalgia for it.
Collarbones – Die Young
Port St. Willow – Holiday
Absolutely heartbreaking from Peter Silberman’s friend/collaborator (?)
Slow Magic-Triangle
A glo-fi ep that always puts me in the right mood.
Algodón Egipcio – La Espina del Cardenche
Definitely, my overlooked album of the year is House of Wolves!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3aGN3asIBQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuF4QfmyVXM
Monster Rally – Beyond the Sea LP
Survive’s self-titled album. Especially if you dig stuff like Pye Corner Audio.
http://mannequinrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mnq-026-s-u-r-v-i-v-e-s-u-r-v-i-v-e-lp
I do believe that the s/t album by Zammuto is one of the best things of this year. If I could also, a second option, I would choose Mac Demarco, that man has some amazing talent with both an on stage performance and with a guitar. Finally with a third, I would have to say Anthony Naples as my most recent find in house and 4×4, has the potential to continue to excel.
Record- ♥(V)- αtμ
Track- Heartbreak Hotel (Chopped and Screwed by OG Ron C)- Whitney Houston
Artist- BADBADNOTGOOD
All of them deserve a lot more attention.
RYAT’s album Totem. Great album and voice.
Warm Ghost’s Narrows! dark sexy electronicness from brooklyn. opener golden tidal wave of solutions is great!
Personally, Teen Suicide’s I Will Be My Own Hell Because There Is A Devil Inside My Body is one of my favourite albums of the year. As for my favourite artist, Mat Cothran has put out two records under his Elvis Depressedly moniker this year, both of which I found to be of a very high standard. And finally, a fantastic track which I thought was largely overlooked (and is also a strong contender for my track of the year) is Too Much by Pale.
Huerco S., check out “Battery Tunnel” or “No Jack,” noirish homespun techno in the vein of Andy Stott
Young Magic – Melt (2012) http://vimeo.com/35547550
Thievies Like Us – BLEED BLEED BLEED https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyoHvjFwZtA
Cold Cave – A Little Death to Laugh At https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-zCYlr_a4c (think you’ll really like this LP davey)
Kindness – World You Need A Change of Mind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmwCxCVsWV4
Shine 2009 – Our Nation (single) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-I7rsSKvL4
here’s my favorite upcoming albums of 2013!
Inc. – No World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVmNaMy_CLA
Painted Palms debut http://soundcloud.com/yourstrulysf/painted-palms-big-balloon
<3 weird tapes est. 2008
This was just released, but Crystal Castles (III) is a real step forward for Crystal Castles and is an excellent album to boot. Its dark and somewhat depressing, but it holds your attention for the 40 minute duration in a way makes you just wanna play it again, if only to deepen your brood session. A much more mature sound for the band’s third release. Speaking third releases…I’m excited to hear Grace/Confusion later this week!
Black Marble – Black Marble
Under the Pale Moon by Wymond Miles. The best song is probably “Singing the Ending”. It’s a creepy 80′s prom song with a touch of Echo and the Bunnymen.
Mike Dunkley – Corpus Clocks
Teen Daze – The Inner Mansions
Beacon – For Now
Young Man – Vol. 1
It’s a really well put together album but hasn’t seen enough love
I’d say Nick Zammuto’s solo album, Zammuto; it’s all kind of beautiful fun, and a thrill to see the group perform.
MU.ZZ.LE by Gonjasufi. Criminally overlooked.
http://soundcloud.com/warp-records/sets/gonjasufi-mu-zz-le/s-RujL4
~Anstam – Stones and Woods~
he needed more love
I thought one of the most overlooked artists of the last few years was Dayve Hawk’s last project Hail Social. Modern love and death was such a perfect album. I guess if I had to pick one underrated artist from this year, it would be Lazer Sword. That memory LP was awesome front to back and i haven’t heard much in the media about them.
Trust played ATX twice in the last month or so and both shows were phenomenal. Most overlooked by the world outside of GvB is Symmetry’s Themes For an Imaginary Film (a must on vinyl).
Milo Greene’s debut album “Milo Greene”
Fatima Al Qadiri and her Desert Strike EP – intense and ethereal at the same time. Definitely deserves more attention.
Monster Rally: Beyond the Sea. fantastic 50′s topical pop made for any tiki party.
http://monsterrally.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-sea-lp
Vestals – Forever Falling Toward The Sky
Here’s the album preview: http://soundcloud.com/experimedia/vestals-forever-falling-album
Merchandise – Children of Desire
I’ve been jamming that new Coolrunnings track, “Belewe,” like nonstop, but it’s gotten pretty much zero coverage anywhere that I care about. http://soundcloud.com/draculahorse/coolrunnings-belewe
Pegasvs: Pegasvs
great spanish krautpop
astrounauts etc. -supermelodic pulp. Maybe not overlooked but everyone should check it out if they haven’t done so already.
You guys are setting the bar high so far…because every single album I’ve seen mentioned (except for the Woods’ latest), I was not aware of.
I liked AbdeCaf’s Rebuild
(But I too am digging Memory Tapes’ Grace/Confusion…wow).
I have two for you:
Miike Snow – Happy to You
and
Twin Shadow – Confess
atu https://soundcloud.com/atu_n/v-bonus-track
Artist- Kasket Club
Album- Kasket Club EP
Track- “Patience”
This synth pop duo really captured my soul this summer with their EP. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Been a fan of yours since i was Asleep at a Party in 09. keep up the good work man!
This is a tough one. While not necessarily overlooked, I have yet to see Alt-J’s “An Awesome Wave” be included on a top 50 list. Breezeblocks is still one of my favorite tracks from 2012. I also think Julia Holter’s “Ekstasis” was incredible.
Over all I think I might have to go with iamamiwhoami – “Kin”. Such an incredible album. Goods and Play are amazing tracks.
John Talabot – ƒin
extremely overlooked
For record I’d say Dads – American Radass (This Is Important). http://dadsnj.bandcamp.com/album/american-radass-this-is-important Math-y emo/punk out of New Jersey.
Track I’ll go with Clementine Creevy – Teenage Girl. http://clembutt.bandcamp.com/track/teenage-girl It got some nice coverage at Rookie, but I didn’t see it spread anywhere else. Girl of sixteen talking about taking a nicely reasoned look at how people sort of look down on “teenage” activities when you’re a teen and you try to defend that while playing into exactly those stereotypes. All in under two minutes in a fuzzy and dreamy track. Still can’t stop playing it.
Tennis – “Young and Old”. exquisitely retro-styled songs, great lyrics, love the singer’s voice. It’s blipping on the radars, but I still feel it’s the sleeper hit of the year.
Slim Twig: Sof’ Sike
This didn’t seem to post earlier, but here we go:
Track: Big Changes by Lemonade (by far my favorite song of theirs, its incredibly fun to listen to and I think much better than Neptune)
Album: Homebuilding by Roman Ruins (http://romanruins.bandcamp.com/album/homebuilding) I’m not sure why people haven’t really picked up on this yet. Its flows from song to song insanely well, and is one of the best ‘quiet’ albums of the year
Artist: Disclosure, everything they’ve done this year is gold, can’t wait for their first full length
Belbury Poly – The Belbury Tales
Memory Tapes – Grace/Confusion!!!! :)
or
Guillemots – Hello Land
Donnie & Joe Emerson – Dreamin’ Wild
Sun Araw & M. Geddes Gengras Meet The Congos – FRKWYS, Vol. 9: Icon Give Thank
Four Tet – Pink
Rimar – Closer
Fort Romeau – Kingdoms
John Talabot – Fin
Walsh – Back 2 the High Life
XXYYXX – s/t
B Flat – Night is Over
Coyote Clean up – Frozen Solid
Octo Octa – LA Vampires
Horse Head – +++/~~~
CFCF – Exercises
of course Nicolas Jaar – Don’t Break My Love / The Prism should have been #1
-Lucas
Inca Gold – “Atom” and their album “III” on bandcamp:
http://incagoldmusic.com/album/inca-gold-iii
DIIV – Oshin
c’est el-g, évidemment !
EL-G – “Mil Pluton” (Hundebiss rec.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BuQJoXNr-s
absolutely agree with John Talbot’s ƒin. no. 1 of the year for me.
Lineage/Ann Arbor Part 3 & 4/Shigeto. That whole release is awesomely dreamy. Also Christian Loffler’s A Forest
Kool ad – 51
anything by amaze88 is a jam
also second karriem riggins mentioned above
Well then.. Two local (Chicago = local in my world) psyche bands flew under the radar with beautiful weirdness this year. Look for Verma and E+
Verma = http://verma.bandcamp.com/album/verma-exu-lp-2012
.
E+ = http://e-p-l-u-s.tumblr.com
BUT— My vote goes to Agent Ribbons (Austin TX) for their Family Haircut album released on Cassingle and Loving it Records (as well as Antenna Farm Records) back in January ’12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G-vfYghCaI
Cousins – The Palm at the End of the Mind
session victim – the haunted house of house
I’d say Cheval Sombre – Mad Love
i am really in love with naomi punk’s “the feeling.” i haven’t been able to stop listening to it since april. i also like the self titled record by the soft walls, cold pumas’ “persistent malaise,” and broken water’s “tempest.”
My most underrated album of 2012?
CoCo Beware by Caveman.
Great mellow album to carry you through the seasons.
Mrs Magician – Strange Heaven
Mind Spiders – Meltdown
Motion Sickness of Time Travel – Motion Sickness of Time Travel
Y la Bamba out of OR had a killer album this year.
Also loved Poolside’s album
Definitely King Dude this year! His album Love came out late last year and seemed mostly ignored, but the even better Burning Daylight fared no better. Apparently he’s pretty popular in Europe, but he needs some stateside recognition. He’s bringing back the dark folk like an American Death in June, sort of.
Merchandise – Children of Desire
The only album I truly latched onto this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wn8igSeiCI
xxyyxx
Might not be that unknown but here are some of my album finds from 2012
Southern Shores – New World, John Coltrane – 1961 Newport Set, Liars – WIXIW, Action Bronson – both his mixtapes from 2012, Wild Nothing – Noctures, Easy Start All-Stars – Thrillah, Bobby Womack – Bravest Man in the Universe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wn8igSeiCI
xxyyxx
The “nyc stuff and nyc bags” ep by Vondelpark
Totally overlooked, yet totally amazing.
Colleen Green’s Cujo.
http://www.midheaven.com/item/cujo-by-green-colleen-12
Or Stay Calm’s first release, an awesome single and b-side.
http://staycalm.bandcamp.com/
Dent May – Do Things
Tropa Macaca – Ectoplasma
Extraperlo – Delirio específico
Broken Water did not receive very much press, and I thought Tempest was one of the best albums that came out this year. They do a good job of sounding like a mix between Sebadoh and Sonic Youth. From Olympia, check them outtttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!
Wye Oak’s Civilian. Pretty beautiful.
Haim – Don’t Save Me
Max Richter – Recomposed Four Seasons
Fidlar – Cheap Beer
Also, The Casket Girls’ debut album was great. “Sleepwalking” was stuck in my head for days at a time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI0KNAYeKgw
Joy Electric – Dwarf Mountain Alphabet.
All analog synths. Tremendous fun.
White Poppy – I Had A Dream
Doldrums – Egypt EP
The Interest Group – The Boys And The Girls
My Friend Wallis/Watermelon – SPLIT 7″
Kindness – World, You Need A Change of Mind
Father John Misty – Fear Fun
I feel like Tanlines’ “Mixed Emotions” has been absent from every 2012 list out there. It’s great!
Major Lazer – Get Free
or maybe
Danny Brown – Grown Up
1. The Flaming Lips – ‘Playing Hide and Seek with the Ghosts of Dawn’ –> The Lips team up with a number of artists to cover King Crimson’s debut album ‘In the Court of the Crimson King”.
2. Black Moth Super Rainbow – ‘Cobra Juicy’ –> showcases Tobacco and friends progression of their gooey synth sound.
Melody’s Echo Chamber
The Soft Moon
Terror Bird
Lotus Plaza
Polica
Hammock. – Departure Songs
Dayve you should listen to M. Constant for some funky bass tunes.
The “Bugged EP” is great. the remixes on it are pretty cool too
The Bilinda Butchers “Goodbyes” EP.
http://soundcloud.com/the-bilinda-butchers/hai-bby
Record: Matricidal Sons of Bitches: Matthew Friedberger
Track: I’ll Come Back 4 You: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Artist: TV Girl
I think you would like the band/album: Cemeteries “The Wilderness”.
I have others, but this CD was very hard to find and it might be the best album of the year. I did love Liars album this year, but you probably heard it. Listening to you new album right now.
Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action at a Distance.
Crocodiles – Endless Flowers
Melody’s Echo Chamber – Self Titled
Diiv – Oshin
Young Magic – Melt
kero kero bonito! http://soundcloud.com/kerokerobonito
Lemonade – Diver
Bloc Party – Four
The Neighbourhood – I’m Sorry
Dead Can Dance: “Anastasis”
Their entire discography is incredible. So great to hear that they are as strong as ever. An underappreciated album and group.
Mesita – The Coyotes. Such an incredible blend of instrumentation and beautiful lyrics from this unsigned artists whose records keep getting better and better at a rate of so far one a year…becoming a favorite of mine…
Shock “Heaven”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJaY6lHc_iE
Album: Believe You Me by Ombre
Track: Wings (Floating Points Remix) by The Invisible
Overlooked Artist: Chicano Batman
Most the critics (except NPR) really missed this one: Kishi Bashi
Yeasayer – Fragrant World
Yeah yeah I know they’re kind of a big deal, but this record was pretty much panned when it came out. But did anyone actually take the time to listen? Yeasayer has been one of my favorite bands for a while now, and I think this album may be their best yet. It’s the sound of a band who’s not afraid to make the music they want to make. There’s all kinds of interesting sounds here, and I applaud them for truly innovative songwriting on this record.
I don’t really think Phedre got the attention it deserved. To me Phedre is what I wish Ariel Pink sounded like
Baron von Luxxury – The Last Seduction
Total fun, capturing that 80s disco party sound exactly. Bonus points for the poppy/creepy Terry Richardson.
Robert Francis/Dangerous Neighborhood/Strangers In The First Place
Feel me by Groundislava or Spooky Action at a Distance by Lotus Plaza
Attab Haddad Ensemble’s amazing debut album Days Distinctive has got far too little press in my opinion. Haddad is a great oud player and his compositions are fantastic too. Give it a go!
Fiona Apple- The Idler Wheel
Born Gold – Little Sleepwalker LP :)
Slow Magic – ▲
Probably Waxahatchee :.: American Weekend
Beak – >>
Nick Waterhouse’s “I Can Only Give You Everything” from his album Time’s All Gone. It takes the lyrics from the song of the same name by Them & borrows the main musical themes from Eugene Church’s version of Sixteen Tons. Could have gotten some more attention.
I’m gonnna assume you’re ok with a couple of choice selections…
Sleep Games LP/The Black Mill Video Tape/Pye Corner Audio – http://hypem.com/track/1qs94/Pye+Corner+Audio+-+The+Black+Mill+Video+Tape
Paperweights EP/Steve Holt!/You Me & Us – http://grumpybear.bandcamp.com/
The Moves EP/American Car/Useless Eaters – https://soundcloud.com/uselesseaters/american-car
Sleepwalking/Sleep Walking/The Casket Girls – http://youtu.be/mI0KNAYeKgw
^^^ha just realized you posted Pye Corner Audio as your first selection. Majorly diggin Juju & Jordash, thanks.
‘The Palace Garden’ Beat Connection
The Avett Brother’s ‘The Carpenter’ album! Happy holidays everyone :)
Kin- Iamamiwhoami
Put Your Back N 2 IT- Perfume Genius
TRST- Trust
An artist to watch is Holly Herndon too!
White Snapper: Cedar Water EP
Pristine river music crafted in the Pine Barrens.
I really enjoyed the new Moonface w/ Siinai album “Heartbreaking Bravery” and I’m gonna go ahead and say TOPS’ “Tender Opposites” was underrated too, even if it made the GvB top 10
Radiator Hospital – Some Distant Moon 7″
Digital Natives / Whats Doing There
http://excelsiordaymaze.com/album/whats-doing-there
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Digital+Natives+(2)
The suprise gem I keep coming back to was the Magic Fades/ROMCOM split cassette, especially the ROMCOM side. Experimental R&B and vaporwave at its best.
http://romcom1.bandcamp.com/album/magic-fades-romcom-split-cs
1.Hop Along’s new Get Disowned, female voalist killing it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCZKC6x9zlU
2. Blithe Field’s Warm Blood, which sounds kinda like The Books but more samples of children:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag15Pg4mtf4
3.Gremlins s/t, Coma Cinema + Braids + Ricky Eat Acid + Toro Y Moi Collab, good shit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=584jtnBUG4w
4. Zammuto s/t, one of the guys from the Books
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVFVLAUrrVc
5. Neutral Bling Hotel – In My G4 Over da Sea, hilarious mashup of NMH’s classic and kitschy rap music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtRnvyJBdTc
way obscure: brighton’s Philippe Nash.
http://philippenash.bandcamp.com
Father John Misty “Fear Fun”–Really great songwriting and the Tom Jones routine he presents on stage is on point.
CFCF “Excercises”–Makes me think of Blade Runner.
The Invisible – Rispah
So underrated!
collage party – suki and me
alan calder, part of the edmonton/montreal crowd that’s been blowing up (and making want to deflect to canada immediately), former member of makeout videotape. what sucks is i’m just realizing his bandcamp page is gone so he must have changed his name. anyway, it’s amazing.
without a doubt, Mark Van Hoen’s “The Revenant Diary”
http://www.markvanhoen.com/
Mark has been mastering the art of electronic music since the early 80′s…He has released countless records under his own name and also as Locust, as well as producing amazing records by Sing Sing, Mojave 3, Edison Woods,etc….Anyway, he is a seasoned veteran who has remained under the radar for over 20 years…He was also a founding member of SEEFEEL as well as SCALA(post Seefeel),who released some of the most forward thinking music of the 90′s. Mark has recently collaborated with the completely NOT overlooked Maria Minerva..watch this video and then go grab his newest record as well as all the Scala and Seefeel records…Your ears can thank me later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyBc9qWJj2U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRB4nxF-OTY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjVzizAmlDs
1991 and his cassette tape releases: [self-titled] and High-Tech High-Life. I feel lucky to have been able to buy even one of them.
Any one of the 2012 releases from Matthewdavid’s cassette label Leaving Records.
Borghesia – “Cindy Sherman”
Haunting almost David Lynch inspired track with a flowing progression. Sure to give you the chills you got when it turned 2012.
RECOMPOSED BY MAX RICHTER: Vivaldi — The Four Seasons
Erik Blood-Touch Screens
Seafoam EP
St. Lucia EP
LoveSkills http://loveskillsmusic.bandcamp.com/
ONUINU-Mirror Gazer
Elite Gymnastics “Andreja 4-Ever”
CHVRCHES “Mother We Share”
Golden Donna/Shifter/Golden Donna
Local (to my neck of the woods) electronic music with lots of grainy FM-sounding synths. Listen to that digital cowbell!
thee holy ghosts/standing along
XXYYXX – XXYYXX/Mystify
M|O|D I-IV
Color Plus – Cerulean Dream/Fuzz
Album: Mr. M by Lambchop
Song: Matthew Dear – “Ahead of Myself”
Artist: Menomena
Artist: Holograms
Album: Holograms (a self titled album)
Song: Monolith
i know this is way too late to win the contest, but i’d really like it if others took a chance to check out this guy.
Nomen Novum “If You Look for It, It’s There”
it is utterly astounding the things David is doing.
Is it too late? was there a winner? Who got the vinyl?
Memory House – The Slideshow Effect.
This album has some great sounding songs (both on the record and live).
Thinking About You by Nite Jewel.
Spooky action at a distance – Lotus Plaza
Such a chilled album with great guitar loops and strong themes throughout!
Porcelain Raft – Strange Weekend
It came out in January and everyone seems to have forgotten about it
Where is Bicycle – Memory Tapes? C’mon folks.
oops
Happy Jawbone Family Band. As far as an album goes, Okay Midnight You Win or Return of Hotel Double Tragedy.