5 Best Albums of 2008

I've decided to write one category which focuses on the five best albums (in my opinion) released in 2008. I have justified my list to myself by listening to all these albums once more and appreciating them again like I did previously in the year.

So here they are...

Best Five Albums of 2008:

Lykke Li - Youth Novels
Released: June 2008

Lykke Li was no doubt my favourite artist of the year. Her album, Youth Novels, was introduced to me by two of my favourite Swedes. Since then, I've posted six blog posts revolving around her.
This album, along with her performance and style, is innovative and irresistible. Even though she had a hard time starting out at first, I believe her motivation and passion have paid off and I think will continue to do so.

Lykke Li - Breaking it Up


Metronomy - Nights Out
Released: September 2008

This album was unexpectedly well-done. Via Hype Machine, I mainly focused on Metronomy's remixes when I first started listening to them (which are usually always good). Then, I got a hold of "Heartbreaker" and became obsessed. I just recently listened to all of this album and I was very impressed. It takes its listener through scenes of medieval electronica to modern love-dance melodies. This album doesn't appear to be on anyone else's "end of the year" pieces but I think it definitely deserves a spot in my top 5 best albums of 2008.

Metronomy - A Thing for Me


Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Released: May 2008

One of my close friends introduced me to Cut Copy's second album, In Ghost Colours. This band has been frequently played at the clubs I attend which has made me enjoy their music even more because it's ideal for dance parties of any type. This album will forever remind me of Vancouver now. Even though they hail from Australia, the Vancouver "scene" has submitted this album deep into its roots.

Cut Copy - Lights and Music



MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Released: March 2008

Surprisingly, I discovered MGMT on the Canadian music channel, Much Music, when their song "Time to Pretend" was released as their first single in March. I immediately looked them up and discovered the rest of the album which I digged right away. Since the release of this album, MGMT's fanbase has grown extremely.

MGMT - Electric Feel (Youtube Link)

Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue
Released: February 2008

I was introduced to Plants and Animals while listening to CBC Radio 3 (oh so Canadian). This band was short listed for the Polaris Music Prize and I had fate that they would win but unfortunately, they did not (though, Caribou was a fine choice anyway).
Parc Avenue has been a critically acclaimed album of this year. The acapalla arrangements, numerous instrumentals and nature-like lyrics supply this album with an original sound.

Plants and Animals - Feedback in the Field


Now, we're ready for 2009!

Did you take tram #7 to heaven?

Oh yes, I did.

It's been difficult trying to keep my blog up-to-date with new music while travelling the south of Sweden. To be honest, I'm liking Sweden. I really enjoyed Gothenburg; their diverse shopping and easily accessible transit could be potential reasons for this. I was told that the transit system in Gothenburg was a lot better than Vancouver's. At first, I took offense to this but I soon realized this statement was very true.
One of my friends who is currently travelling with me told me that Jens Lekman wrote the song, "Tram #7 to Heaven", about one of the best trams to ride in Gothenburg (I say "one of the best" because tram number seven took me from where I was staying to downtown very easily).
Jens Lekman isn't new, but he's pretty nice to listen to and has deep roots in Sweden; hence the existence of this song and other songs like, "The Cold Swedish Winter".

Splendid Interview with Lekman

Jens Lekman - Tram #7 to Heaven (live)

Don't get any big ideas

Until we bleed

This is a short post due to my presence in Sweden at the moment. But I feel that acknowledgment of this song is necessary. I've written so many posts about Lykke Li that I will mainly write about Kleerup for this post.
Kleerup's real name is Andreas Kleerup and he comes from Sweden. I couldn't find much information about him but here is a link to his blog which is sort of in English and Swedish.
This song is full of lot's of cello and Lykke Li's voice which both add to its beauty. Apparently, this song was produced some time ago before Lykke Li took off (in North America, anyway). So I seem to be kind of behind on this one but give me a break, I'm Canadian...eh?

Kleerup - Until we bleed (feat. Lykke Li)

British people love the Kings of Leon

When I arrived in England, I noticed that my friend's roommates really liked the song "Use Somebody" by the Kings of Leon. They played it on repeat as a warm-up song before going out.
A little later, I bought a Q magazine (which is a British music magazine) due to its cheap price compared to the Canadian one. It turns out that their number one album of the year was listed as the Kings of Leon's latest album, Only By the Night. I was really surprised to see this considering Under the Radar and myself gave the CD a mediocre review. But apparently, the Brits really like it.
This album has consumed my England experience.

Kings of Leon - Closer
(the best song from Only By the Night)

Everybody gonna say "You, K"

For the past couple of days, I've had Estelle's "American Boy" stuck in my head. I think it may be because I keep thinking "I'm in the UK." And then, Kanye's rap sequence comes into my head; the part where he says "Who killing them in the UK? Everybody gonna say 'You, K'". It's not a very good line but it keeps getting stuck in my head these days.
I decided to YouTube the song and an impressive cover by Sam Sparro came up. In the middle of the song, he does his own little rap; it's entertaining.
Check it out.

Sam Sparro - American Boy

Metronomy

I hadn't listened to all of Metronomy's album, Nights Out, until I was in England, traveling from the Heathrow airport to a city full of students. The album is a lot better than I had expected (hence why I hadn't listened to it yet). It's fairly abstract electronic rock which is refreshingly groovy. It's a perfect album to listen to when you're worn out heading somewhere where you don't know what to expect.
I definitely suggest checking out this album before Metronomy comes to Vancouver. According to their myspace page, they are going to be playing at the Biltmore on January 24th.

Excellent.

Metronomy - Radio Ladio


Metronomy - Heartbreaker

Vancouver, I'll see you next year

I will miss you but I'll be back later, little one.

This song will forever remind me of you:
Cut Copy - Strangers in the wind

A thing for me

This song has been stuck in my head since my good friend came into my room this morning and told me stories that automatically linked my brain to this song.

To be honest, I don't really like the original of Metronomy's "A thing for me" but I do like most of the remixes of it. I've posted two: one is remixed by Sinden and is fairly fast-paced. The other is remixed by Breakbot and is slower and funkier.

Metronomy - A thing for me (Sinden remix)
Metronomy - A thing for me (Breakbot remix)

More "A thing for me" remixes on HypeM

Metronomy - A thing for me

Go Brodinski, go DJ Mehdi

After DJ Mehdi came to Vancouver, I unfortunately never got around to writing about it. This sweet remix reminded me of how awesome that night turned out to be. I wasn't really feeling it at first but soon after I arrived, DJ Mehdi played some intense beats, and got me moving and feeling better.

Brodinski has remixed DJ Mehdi's "Pocket Piano" and has displayed the true value of piano keys. He isolated the piano bridge in the middle of the song and it really got me appreciating that pocket piano.

DJ Mehdi - Pocket Piano(Brodinski Remix)

DJ Mehdi - Pocket Piano

Kilometer

You know a song's good when you don't notice the girl moaning in the background...

I actually didn't notice the background moaning until the second time I listened to this remix. Surprisingly, I didn't mind it. Usually I don't like songs with sexual moaning in them but this one is different. Maybe it's because this remix is so good. Moulinex did a really good job of hyper-sexualizing this already sexual Sébastien Tellier song. I've listened to it on repeat all day today. I canNOT stop.

Sébastien Tellier - Kilometer (Moulinex Remix)

Sébastien Tellier - Kilometer

Dancing is the way to go

It's December.
Time for a break.
Time for the holidays.
Time for a vacation.
Time to bust out that fancy footwork.

Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Death to the Throne Render)

Death to the Throne MySpace
Chromeo MySpace