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Mikael
Kahrle
Albums
Rome: "Masse Mensch Material"
Everyone I've played Rome for, falls in love with the darkness.
Zeigeist: "The Jade Motel"
Apparantly their first and last CD. Shamelessly inspired by everything from Vangelis to gay disco, they have cleverly put together some immensly catchy and slightly weird tunes.
Rex the Dog: "The Rex the Dog Show"
An irresistable fusion of old machines and dance music.
Alice in Videoland: "She's a Machine"
An album only 27 minutes long is fine by me; after all it's cut to the chase punk-EBM-pop we're talking about here.
Hocico: "Memorias Atrás"
They still have that energy, both on stage and on record. This album and the M'era Luna gig, finally won me over.
Elegant Machinery: "A Soft Exchange"
I haven't really bothered much after their debut, to be honest, but here we have that wonderful, cool synthpop again.
Qntal: "Translucida"
"Ozymandias" had more magic, but we're still flown through space and time.
Twice a Man: "Slow Swirl"
A reissue of an album from their golden days, including extras like the excellent "Japanese Letters". Not their best, but up there.
Tiamat: "Amanethes"
At first, I was not that fond of their shift towards more straight-forward rock but the songs and overall quality won me over.
Arcana: "Raspail"
One word: beauty. One of six Swedish CD on this list and there could have been more.
Songs
Necro Facility: "Do You Feel the Same (Demo)"
Hit warning when the Vancouver sound is infused with pop and even smooth, ordinary vocals.
Hocico: "The Day the Earth Stood Still"
One of the strongest new tracks, and it's not even on the regular album.
F.O.D.: "Synthesizer Tanzmusik"
Straight-forward German charm. You too will smile when you hear it.
Combichrist: "Sent us to Destroy"
I started DJ:ing about a year ago (it's never too late!), and Combichrist work wonders.
Live
artists
Einstürzende Neubauten
No old gems and a long, calm concert. Yet: a truly spell-binding performance. They sure looked like they enjoyed themselves in Gothenburg.
Yazoo
25 years off the stage. But the show in London turned out to be one of my all-time favourites.
Newcomers
Beauty of Gemina
Darkwave from Switzerland that reminds me of all the great artists from labels like Danse Macabre and Dion Fortune in the 90:s.
Zeigeist
They have delivered spectacular performances for years and not they finally delivered their debut album. Which became their last.
Kropp
When you're in the right party mood, there's nothing like pouring up some charming jägerbody.
Artists
Yazoo
For returning in style. What if they hadn't quit?
Portion Control
A completely different English duo than Yazoo obviously, that still have the attitude and they went all the way to Borås, Sweden, for a one-off small gig. "Slug" is quite an album too.
Bear McCreary
There are some really powerful pieces among all his TV-scores for shows like "Battlestar Galactica" (my favourite series) and "The Sarah Connor Chronicles", like "A Preulde to War".
Niklas
Forsberg
Albums
Universal Poplab: "Seeds"
Continuing to build on their catchy pop legacy.
Suicide Booth: "Terror From the Sky"
On this, the surprise of the year, Alphavillian qualities mix with electro and techno.
Zeigeist: "Jade Motel"
Clinically perfect electropop.
Rex the Dog: "The Rex the Dog Show"
I'm basically a cat person, but Rex might change my mind.
Moonlight Cove: "Orphans of the Storm"
The best synthpop of the year, hands down.
Portion Control: "Slug"
Far from "The Great Divide", but still imminently urgent.
Elegant Machinery: "A Soft Exchange"
Modernising their vintage recipe.
Glasvegas: "Glasvegas"
Timeless rock for the whole planet.
Kleerup: "Kleerup"
For the variety and the clever arrangements.
Thermostatic: "Humanizer"
Everyone's bitpop darlings should have had better success with this pearl.
Songs
Felix Marc: "Give Back the Moments"
Stepping out of the Diorama and Frozen Plasma shadows.
Mobile Homes: "Close"
Back where they belong.
Kite: "Ways to Dance"
Jittery electro dance and a truly unique voice.
Monika Novak: "Living on the Run"
Oldschool Italo disco on a relatively new label. Viva Italo!
Arvid: "Hur kunde jag låta det ske"
The forthcoming album will be one of the highlights of 2009.
Live artists
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Newcomers
Rex the Dog
A splendid album and revolutionary videos. And a small, white dog playing the synths!
Moonlight Cove
From nowhere to the top in under a year is pretty good going.
Arvid
Picking up where Saft left off.
Artists
Rex the Dog
Did I mention the white dog playing the synthesizer?
Yazoo
In my heart. Always.
Glasvegas
Showed the world that huge breakthroughs are still possible.
Johan
Carlsson
Albums
Keane: "Perfect Symmetry"
They dared to move into some new territory with this album, and it paid off. Brilliant pop music.
Kloq: "Move Forward"
Forever in the making, we finally got the album this year, and it's a splendid effort.
Kleerup: "Kleerup"
Suddenly, Andreas Kleerup was everywhere, and he got all the cool girls to sing with him. My favourite is Marit Bergman's "3 AM".
Ferry Corsten: "Twice In A Blue Moon"
Ferry's back with another fantastic album, blending electro, trance and pop to wonderful effect.
The Future Sound of London: "Environments II"
FSOL has released a whole truckload of unreleased material lately, and this is the best of the bunch. Chilling ambient.
Foretaste: "Terrorist TV"
Haunting yet still catchy electronic pop.
Deadmau5: "Random Album Title"
Playful progressive tech and electrohouse, with lush melodies on top. Sweet.
Carmen Rizzo: "Ornament of an Imposter"
As a producer, Carmen is extremely skilled. Seems he can write good tunes as well.
Bitcrush: "Epilogue In Waves"
Shimmering, contemplative ambient guitar and electronica soundscapes from former Gridlock man Mike Cadoo.
Elegant Machinery: "A Soft Exchange"
They're back, and they're still fantastic. Listen to the title track to see what I'm talking about.
Songs
IAMX: "Think of England"
A slightly more indie sound has me a bit worried about the upcoming album, but Chris' sense of melody doesn't fail.
Kite: "Ways to Dance"
Quite possibly the track I've listened to the most 2008. Extraordinary.
Keane: "Pretend that You're Alone"
I love that they have a track with both hand claps and a saxophone on it. And it's the best one!
Moonlight Cove: "Shadow of Your Embrace"
Hi-energy synthpop at its finest.
MGMT: "Kids"
Modern and hip electronic pop. Who knew such a thing could exist? And yes, it's an older track, but the new album version is the best.
Live artists
Keane
Boy, that guy Tom in Keane can sing! Sounded absolutely flawless live this time too, and the other two are no slouches on stage either.
Yazoo
What a fantastic treat to see Alison and Vince together again on stage after all these years. Another treat to realize that they were still bloody brilliant.
Kleerup
I just happened to stumble on to his gig at Medborgarplatsen in Stockholm, but the enthusiasm, playfulness and overall danceyness of the tracks kept me glued. Titiyo showed up as well, and after a while there was a party both on stage and in the audience.
Newcomers
Kite
The overall quality of their output is yet to be decided, but their first EP absolutely knocked my socks off.
Moonlight Cove
The second Swedish act in the newcomers list, which is something I'm very glad for. Their debut album is filled with electric bliss.
Deadmau5
He's caused quite a stir in dance music circles with his debut album "Random Album Title", and rightly so.
Artists
Keane
With a fabulous new album and a great gig in Stockholm in their belt, who am I to argue?
Yazoo
Always and forever, one of the best electronic groups.
Alex Veronac
Albums
Fixmer/McCarthy: "Into the Night"
Brilliant release with hard vocals re-occurring between electro.
Ohgr: "Devils in My Details"
Moving from earlier hard analogue CD:s to a fully digital concept album awash.
The Cure: "4:13 Dream"
Long time fans can still enjoy despair in The Cure today.
Tricky: "Knowle West Boy"
Defying musical categorization, Tricky responds yet again.
Bauhaus: "Go Away White"
Legends return for the last time?
Songs
Fixmer/McCarthy: "Look to Me"
Reminds me of NE's "Belief" album almost too much for me to be able to resist.
Ohgr: "Witness"
Evidence of Ogre and Walk in top form, all immitators shrink like bacon in a pan.
Live Artists
Malhavoc
Da evol of electro.
Merzbow + Keiji Haino
Japanese avant garde duo.
Ministry
Their last hurrah.
Newcomers
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Artists
Ogre
First Ogre's film debut in "Repo: the Genetic Opera", then Ohgr's third CD.
Douglas McCarthy
Doing both NE, F/M and Kloq.
Muse
Building on many elements in their sound, they span audiences. |
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Peter
Marks
Albums
Standeg: "Ultrahightechviolet"
The name of this album pretty much says it all. Forward thinking electronic music the likes of which come only after thirteen years apparently. Don't be a stranger!
Out Out: "Assumed Outrivaling"
Nothing to assume here, it's all on display. Phasers set on kill, Mr. Miller. Glorious time to be a fan, an even more poignant time to commit to memory as this one will continue to endure until he retires.
Portion Control: "Slug"
What is there to say about the English veterans of Portion Control. Serious attitude, serious swagger. Dig into this album at your peril. You stand warned, populace at large.
Kone: "On Daddy's Farm"
I don't know how Phil Western made this year his, but it surely was. From "Dat Hell" to "Beam Error" and now this. It's Philth's world, we only live in it.
Jonson: "Mindlook"
Spacious third album from the Mikrolux veteran. What tones, what a setting. If electronics can get any icier and at the same time contain so much feeling, I'm terrified to imagine it.
Squarepusher: "Just a Souvenir"
Hardly! This thing is an animal, a genre rending electronic/acoustical nightmare of Herculean proportions.
Autechre: "Quaristice"
Wheras their labelmate Squarepusher raise the temperature until all control is lost, the masterful duo Autechre drop it until it freezes beyond human survivability. Bite sized confectionary wrapped in a bitter almond coating.
Stoa: "Silmand"
It's my cross to bear being a fan all these years and by thunder I happily await the next nail. Get that Nooten fellow to guest more often. A literal who's who of the darkwave/neo-classic world.
Wire: "Object 47"
The rock album by which you'll be measuring whatever any other outfit dare to put out. A trio bent on I have no idea what, but it makes sense to them. Still playing it non-stop.
Songs
The Virgins: "Rich Girls"
It must be the voyeur in me, I cannot stop watching this video. Part Duran Duran circa "Notorious" and part insolent NYC youth it gets no catchier than this.
Wire: "One of Us"
Right out of the gate with no time wasted. Joy Division get the remembrance, Wire are still making it happen. Viciously alive.
The Beauty of Gemina: "Psycho Flood"
No mercy shown, a "Ribbons" for present times. Just when all recall has been cast aside, here they come with this number.
Diary of Dreams: "Son of a Thief"
Lordy lordy, Adrian Hates is a man possessed. He must be, listen to this and tell me he's not. Double dog dare.
Das Ich: "Kannibale"
The classic touches combined with a straight-forward approach they've not done since the maniacle days of "Krieger". I'm braced for the album. Still so deliciously twisted after all these years, Dorian Grey has nothing on them.
Live artists
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Newcomers
One Eye Wanders
Fixated on the inner labyrinth of the mind. Auspicious in vintage.
Jontekinik
Electro perhaps but my god what an ear for melody.
E-A
We are now past the rim of the galaxy. Buckle up.
Artists
Phil Western.
He's become a part of my musical existence and life in general. Single-handedly, this fellow has ignited experimental electronics in ways absent for well over a decade.
Andrew Lagowski.
Continuing to operate behind the scenes, supplying what many out there take for granted. RIP Legion, you will be missed.
Aliens Production/Mikrolux Records.
Neither one of these are particularly well known to Release readers and they don't flood the market with their wares but whoever are the ears behind these labels operate on a level of pure genius.
Mike
Whyte
Albums
Various Artists: "Mutations Vol.1"
A great start to great new record label Mutate.
As In RebekkaMaria: "Queen of France"
An artist to look out for and this CD grows and grows.
Violet Vision: "Heaven Underground"
Simply great stuff.
Sophie Rimheden: "Traveller"
A constantly improving Swedish artist and I think this her best album to date.
4-DMode-1: "Rekonnekted"
Fresh music from Japanese pioneers.
Aerine: "Hold R1"
Aphex/Autechre noodlings for those missing out.
Alex Empire: "The Golden Foretaste of Heaven (Eat Your Heart out)"
A return to the dance for Alex – just as I asked about in my Release Spotlight.
Autechre: "Quaristice"
Redefining music yet again.
Firefox AK: "If I Were a Melody"
I said it would hold it's charm, and it has.
Goldfrapp: "Seventh Tree"
Beautiful music, all warm and fuzzy.
Songs
Goldfrapp: "Cologne Cerrone Houdini"
A beautiful track from a great album.
Autechre: "90101-51-1"
Experimental dancefloor music, the type of which could only come from this duo.
Sophie Rimheden: "Home Sweet Home"
Eccentric Scandinavian hip-hop.
Live Artists
Autechre
Just cannot be faulted sonically at the moment – best heard live.
Ceefax Acid Crew
Incredible live show at Rephlex's 18th birthday party, incredible live acid.
Tricky
A great return to form for the ex-Massive Attacker.
Newcomers
As In RebekkaMaria
An artist on the up.
The Ting Tings
Been absolutely everywhere this year .
Artists
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Tobias Eliasson
Albums
Portion Control: ”Slug”
Lite the title, it hits you like a smash in the face. It’s experimental, danceable and hard hitting as always.
Absolute Body Control: “Wind(Re)Wind”
A classic band that gets new life with a nice collection.
Elegant Machinery: “A Soft Exchange”
Great comeback with high quality, they still remember how great synthpop is made.
Rex the Dog: “The Rex the Dog Show”
This brings hope for the future, synth music for the dancefloor that gets you going, and going, and going…
System: “Self Organizing System”
The concept just gets stronger for each album.
Ultravox: “Rage in Eden”
This is how it’s done. Remastered with exciting bonus tracks, this double CD makes me feel like I’m seven years old again.
Universal Poplab: “Seeds”
Why this didn’t break more is a mystery for me. The quality of the songwriting is amazing.
Kent: “Box 1991-2008”
It’s extremely fun to get this amount of good songs for so little money.
Yazoo: “In Your Room”
And the exact same thing can be said about this.
Foretaste: “Terrorist TV”
Very nice blend of old school and modern synthpop.
Songs
Veljanov: “Königin aus Eis (Covenant Remix)”
The combination between the vocals and the beat really got me going.
F.O.D.: “Synthesizer Tanzmusik”
Catchy as hell and can save a dancefloor.
Arvid: “Hur kunde jag låta det ske?”
I’ve been waiting for so long; please give me an album in 2009.
Parralox: “I Fell in Love with a Drum Machine”
The MySpace gem of 2008, simply amazing. And this is the first track they did.
Sturm Café: “Der Aufstand”
An almost perfect blend between minimal and EBM. This sounds promising for the upcoming album.
Live artists
Jean-Michel Jarre
To hear “Oxygene” performed as it should be gave me goosebumps.
And One
I’ve seen them before, but the show at Arvika showed a new band, fresh and vital as ever.
Yazoo
I had extremely high expectations and I wasn’t disappointed a bit.
Newcomers
Parralox
Great songwriting and true hit feeling that could go far.
Karin My Andersson
Finally her solo career has started; I’m really looking forward to hear the album.
Kropp
The jägerbody is here to stay. And sometimes it really gets into your head.
Artists
Yazoo
Suddenly they where back with a box and live show. Now they are gone and I will have to live on memories alone again.
Robyn
The shows at Hultsfred and Arvika showed what a great artist she really is.
Jean Michel Jarre
Nice to see a artist go back to his roots and try new things at the same time.
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