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	<title> &#187; ceo</title>
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		<title>ceo // Illuminata (Dan Lissvik Remix)</title>
		<link>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2011/12/23/ceo-illuminata-dan-lissvik-remix/</link>
		<comments>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2011/12/23/ceo-illuminata-dan-lissvik-remix/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:05:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bryant</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Musical Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ceo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dan Lissvik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mp3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Remix]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.parttimemusic.com/?p=3421</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Apparently, there&#8217;s a ceo remix EP, appropriately entitled White Magic Epilogue, that has been teased on Sincerely Your&#8217;s website since November and is scheduled to drop any day now in the US (although I can&#8217;t find any info an a physical release anywhere; just digital it seems). Second only to jj, ceo is one of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img alt="" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/articlephotos/1112/ceo.jpg" title="ceo" class="aligncenter" width="450" height="150" /></p>
<p>Apparently, there&#8217;s a ceo remix EP, appropriately entitled <em>White Magic Epilogue</em>, that has been teased on <a href="http://www.sincerelyyours.se/yours0176.php" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.sincerelyyours.se/yours0176.php?referer=');">Sincerely Your&#8217;s website since November</a> and is scheduled to drop any day now in the US (although I can&#8217;t find any info an a physical release anywhere; <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=album-Bpttfpk3i5ai3qkktv72vrx474y" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/market.android.com/details?id=album-Bpttfpk3i5ai3qkktv72vrx474y&amp;referer=');">just digital it seems</a>).</p>
<p>Second only to jj, ceo is one of my favorite Swedish neo-Balearic pop group (specific, I know) &#8212; in fact their debut <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/top-35-albums-of-2010/">charted on my Best Albums of 2010 list</a>.  Dan Lissvik, of Studio fame, takes one of the highlights of that album, the track Illuminata, and de-clutters it making a less frantic, more palatable version.  Since I listened to the original about a billion times, I can&#8217;t help but feel that Lissvik&#8217;s version is bit neutered &#8212; slower tempo, no soaring strings, and an inexplicable throbbing bass line.  I guess that&#8217;s tough criticism considering this is a remix (and I&#8217;ve undoubtedly praised similar reworkings in past posts), but when the original is as close to perfect as you can get, why mess with that?  Check out both tracks below:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1112/Illuminata (Dan Lissvik Remix).mp3">ceo // Illuminata (Dan Lissvik Remix)</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1112/02 Illuminata.mp3">ceo // Illuminata</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Top 35 &#8220;Albums&#8221; of 2010</title>
		<link>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2011/01/15/top-35-albums-of-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2011/01/15/top-35-albums-of-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:00:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bryant</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Album Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Can't Get Enough]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Beach House]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Best of 2010]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Big Boi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Casiokids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ceo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cloud Nothings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crystal Castles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deerhunter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Explode Into Colors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flying Lotus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Glasser]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gobble Gobble]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Harlem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to dress well]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[James Blake]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jj]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Joanna Newsom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kanye West]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lower Dens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Memoryhouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mountain Man]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mp3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oneohtrix Point Never]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pantha du Prince]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pocahaunted]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robyn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rraaiillss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RxRy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sahel Sounds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Salad Fork]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stalker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Knife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toro y Moi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twin Sister]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[White Denim]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Woods]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.parttimemusic.com/?p=2720</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Got to say, work and stuff had me a little delayed with creating my year end lists for 2010 and I did a little bit of a half-assed job with constructing them (I&#8217;ve already thought of two glaring omissions) but nevertheless, it&#8217;s time for a celebration! For me, Twenty Ten was a stellar year in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Got to say, work and stuff had me a little delayed with creating my year end lists for 2010 and I did a little bit of a half-assed job with constructing them (I&#8217;ve already thought of two glaring omissions) but nevertheless, it&#8217;s time for a celebration!  </p>
<p>For me, Twenty Ten was a stellar year in music, choke-full of inventive and highly imaginative albums, which made it incredibly difficult to narrow them down to a Top 100 yet alone a Top 35!  For this year, I decided to do the list a little differently.  Instead of scrupulously going through every album in my iTunes library to find the ones from this past year &#8212; a process which is a bit more time consuming than my limited free time allows &#8212; I decided to just use my memory to list out the albums which stuck with me the most.  </p>
<p>For anyone who knows me, this process seems laughable (when it comes to names/facts, I have a terrible retention rate), however I feel like I got down almost all of my favorite albums.  To correct any errors, I&#8217;m going to post a second part to the list entitled &#8220;The Best Of The Forgotten&#8221; a couple of weeks from now, so if you have any suggestions/recommendations of music which I&#8217;ve overlooked, feel free to leave a comment!  </p>
<p>So without further ado, here are my favorite albums of 2010 which I remembered.  Oh and one more thing, if you just want a bulleted list without the descriptions, scroll down to the very bottom (there is also a .zip file containing all the tracks featured). OK NOW, LET&#8217;S DO THIS:</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Stalker // mp3s" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Stalker.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Stalker // mp3s</font></strong></p>
<p>This year’s recipient of the <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/top-20-albums-of-2006/">Scott Walker award</a> &#8212; <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/top-30-albums-of-2007/">given</a> <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/top-40-albums-of-2008/">annually</a> <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/top-41-albums-of-2009/">to a far out-there</a> yet interestingly enjoyable album &#8212; is not even an album at all, but more of a collection of molasses-paced mp3s by Chicago innovator <a href="http://sunset-garden.net/#e06/soundcloud" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/sunset-garden.net/_e06/soundcloud?referer=');">Stalker</a>.  Signed to fellow forward-thinkers <a href="http://tri-anglerecords.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/tri-anglerecords.com/?referer=');">Tri Angle Records</a>, Stalker’s modus operandi is chopping &amp; screwing further than what most people like to chop &amp; screw a track, pushing radio-friendly hits (Lindsey Lohan and These New Puritans have both been slow-moed) to uncomfortable boundaries.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/final_1.mp3">Stalker // Final_1</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Joanna Newsom // Have One On Me" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Joanna Newsom.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Joanna Newsom // Have One on Me</font></strong></p>
<p>I don’t know if it was unintentional or maybe a slight to the inevitable critics complaint that <em>Have One on Me</em> is a bit long-winded, but I absolutely loved how <a href="http://www.dragcity.com/artists/joanna-newsom" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.dragcity.com/artists/joanna-newsom?referer=');">Ms. Newsom</a> opens up her latest opus with a track entitled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yGKhVLegJo" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yGKhVLegJo&amp;referer=');">“Easy”</a> – something that, for the listener, this album is definitely not.   For those who still can’t get past the uniqueness of Newsom’s voice or choice of instrumentation (aka “the haters”), the 3xLP is three-times as grating, but for the lucky ones, we get two plus hours of sweetly melodic, musically intricate, and always lovely hit-after-hit.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/2-03 In California.mp3">Joanna Newsom // In California</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Salad Fork // Compilation" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/SaladFork.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Salad Fork // A Mixtape for Haiti</font></strong></p>
<p>Probably more so than any other year, I’ve fallen prey to the ever expanding collections of mixtape compilations that circulate the web at roughly 3.00*10^8 m/s.  In an effort to not overpopulate this list with these e-gems, I narrowed it down to a single one: <a href="http://sallyfork.net/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/sallyfork.net/?referer=');">Salad Fork’s</a> <a href="http://sallyfork.net/post/465754124/mixtapes-for-haiti" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/sallyfork.net/post/465754124/mixtapes-for-haiti?referer=');">Mixtape for Haiti</a>.  Although the cause was enough for a donation (relief for earthquake victims in Haiti), the album itself boasts one of the nicest blends of tracks that can fit on an artfully decorated two-sided cassette. Well done Lou!<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/All-American.mp3">Weekend // All-American</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Woods // At Echo Lake" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Woods.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Woods // At Echo Lake</font></strong></p>
<p>Like most, I was incredibly amped when Brooklyn based psych-folk outfit <a href="http://www.myspace.com/woodsfamilyband" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/woodsfamilyband?referer=');">Woods</a> released “Suffering Season” <a href="http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/14250-suffering-season/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/pitchfork.com/forkcast/14250-suffering-season/?referer=');">a mere days before At Echo Lake was scheduled to drop</a>, instantly making it one of my most anticipated albums of the year.  Unfortunately, these incredibly high expectations were ultimately too much to overcome (and placing below <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/top-41-albums-of-2009/">the number 15 ranking Songs of Shame garnered last year</a>), but regardless, we’re left with a collection of ten well-composed palatable tracks that I’ll always like to listen to on rainy days.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/06 Death Rattles.mp3">Woods // Death Rattles</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Pocahaunted // Make It Real" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Pocahaunted.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Pocahaunted // Make It Real</font></strong></p>
<p>At the beginning of the year, I wouldn’t have dared put money that Bethany Costentino (aka <a href="http://www.myspace.com/bestcoast" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/bestcoast?referer=');">Best Coast</a>) would have found herself below the band she had jilted.  Where Costentino went “safe” with her boy-crazy debut LP, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/pocahaunted" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/pocahaunted?referer=');">Pocahaunted</a> vaulted deeper into the freak-out/you-don’t-know-what-the-fuck-is-about-to-happen realm (something I was hoping a little bit more of from Woods), creating one of their best efforts to date.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/04 UFO.mp3">Pocahaunted // UFO</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Casiokids // Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Casiokids.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Casiokids // Topp stemning på lokal bar</font></strong></p>
<p>It’s been no secret that <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/tag/casiokids/">I’ve been following</a> this <a href="http://happyjokes.wordpress.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/happyjokes.wordpress.com/?referer=');">fun-loving Norwegian electro-pop group</a> since pretty much its I N C E P T I O N, championing anything and everything that the band has released in the past three years.  After much waiting, we finally find ourselves with the debut from this collection of kids-at-heart that’s perfect for any afternoon play dates in the sandbox.  As an added bonus, the remix album (featuring reimaginations of Casiokids’ songs from Familjen and Captain Credible among others) paired with the release is just as good!<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/03 Verdens største land.mp3">Casiokids // Verdens største land</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Cloud Nothings // Turning On" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Cloud Nothings_III.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Cloud Nothings // Turning On</font></strong></p>
<p>2010 seemed to be a year where up-and-comers overshadowed indie rock stalwarts, and Cleveland’s <a href="http://www.myspace.com/cloudnothings" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/cloudnothings?referer=');">Cloud Nothings</a> is one of the best examples of this.  <em>Turning On</em> is chiefly a collection of the guitar-centric, fuzzed-out mp3 and 7’’ releases that Dylan Baldi had made through the latter parts of 2009 and early 2010 and was a staple on both my turntable and my car’s stereo.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/05 Hey Cool Kid 2.mp3">Cloud Nothings // Hey Cool Kid</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Flying Lotus // Cosmogramma" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Flying Lotus.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Flying Lotus // Cosmogramma</font></strong></p>
<p>A schizophrenic assault on the ears, <a href="http://www.flying-lotus.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.flying-lotus.com/?referer=');">Fly Lo’s</a> latest is a complicated assortment of sounds and layers that, although not as digestible as Los Angeles, shows when it comes to music producing no one is as experimental as him.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/1-06 Computer Face _ Pure Being.mp3">Flying Lotus // Computer Face / Pure Being</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Gobble Gobble // mp3s" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Gobble Gobble.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Gobble Gobble // mp3s</font></strong></p>
<p>In a year that was deep with exciting new acts, there was nothing this year – or any year, in fact – quite like the spastic musical outpourings of the gang that call themselves <a href="http://gobblegbl.tumblr.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/gobblegbl.tumblr.com/?referer=');">Gobble Gobble</a>.  Whether it was taking a hyperactive spin to a classic favorites (<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/04/09/gobble-gobble-where-is-my-mind/">The Pixies “Where Is My Mind”</a>) or reinventions of other emerging groups (Diamond Rings, Cloud Nothings, DOM, etc…) or their very own dance-party-in-a-track concoctions, one thing is for certain with Gobble Gobble: you’re guaranteed to have a good time listening to every track!<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/End of Days.mp3">Gobble Gobble // End of Days</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Liars // Sisterworld" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Liars.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Liars // Sisterworld</font></strong></p>
<p>Got to admit, I was a bit disappointed with how <a href="http://thesisterworld.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/thesisterworld.com/?referer=');">Sisterworld</a> turned out.  I was hoping for a mind-altering musical experience when the needle struck the vinyl for the first time, and what I got was another album cut in almost the same weird-rock mold as its two predecessors.  Although not meeting my expectations, I still thoroughly enjoyed Sisterworld.   I guess if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, eh?<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/1-07 Proud Evolution.mp3">Liars // Proud Evolution</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Crystal Castles// Crystal Castles" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Crystal Castles.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Crystal Castles // Crystal Castles</font></strong></p>
<p>Not to be confused with the S/T which <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/top-40-albums-of-2008/">wound up near the top of my ’08 list</a>, the sophomore release by the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/crystalcastles" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/crystalcastles?referer=');">Canadian 8-bit/electro-er…-something duo</a> was not an instant grab like its predecessor.  In fact, I was going to omit it from the list completely if it wasn’t for <a href="http://getoffthecoast.blogspot.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/getoffthecoast.blogspot.com/?referer=');">Jheri from Get Off the Coast</a> campaigning for a relisten!  The album’s second chance came in the form of blasting it out on some high quality home stereo equipment (a method which made Sleigh Bell’s “Treats” passable for an album), and needless to say the dance-worthy tracks appeared less flat and more energetic than I remembered while the ballads remained just as potent as ever.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/09 Vietnam.mp3">Crystal Castles // Vietnam</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Toro y Moi // Causers of This" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Toro Y Moi.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Toro y Moi // Causers of This</font></strong></p>
<p>Another album that was a slow grower for me, I really didn’t get a complete impression of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/toroymoi" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/toroymoi?referer=');">Chaz Bundwick &amp; Co.</a> until after I saw them live this past autumn.  Too high-brow to be considered glo-fi (or whatever the nom du jour is) yet still capturing the nostalgic feeling as his contemporaries, Toro y Moi fulfills a niche that the myriad of imitators somehow missed.  And did I mention his live show is awesome?!?<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/11 Causers Of This.mp3">Toro y Moi // Causers Of This</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Twin Sister // Color Your Life" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Twin Sister.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Twin Sister // Color Your Life</font></strong></p>
<p>I’ve had a <a href="http://twinsistermusic.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/twinsistermusic.com/?referer=');">Twin Sister</a> post in my queue for about seven months now which I revisit often, never quite putting to words the impression this NYC band makes on me.  I’ve tried and tried rewriting it countless times but somehow it’s always deficient and incomplete.  So I’ll just throw up my hands and tell you <a href="http://twinsistermusic.com/music/release/color-your-life/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/twinsistermusic.com/music/release/color-your-life/?referer=');">you should download this album</a> (if you are one of the two people who haven’t done that already) and get lost in their pleasant pop sounds.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/04 All Around and Away We Go.mp3">Twin Sister // All Around and a Way We Go</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="White Denim // Last Day of Summer" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/White Denim.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">White Denim // Last Day of Summer</font></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gorillavsbear.net/2010/12/02/gorilla-vs-bears-albums-of-2010/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.gorillavsbear.net/2010/12/02/gorilla-vs-bears-albums-of-2010/?referer=');">Maybe it’s a Texas thing</a>, but I&#8217;m always impressed by the recordings of Austin’s <a href="http://whitedenimmusic.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/whitedenimmusic.com/?referer=');">White Denim</a> and am constantly surprised by the lack of coverage of them by the blog-o-world.  For the past four years, this four-piece has been consistently releasing hit “indie-rock” (I use the term loosely) record after hit record yet they somehow get lost in the shuffle.  Whether it’s your first exposure to them or if you’re already a fan, <em>Last Day of Summer</em> is sure to be a great listen.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/07 some wild going outward.mp3">White Denim // Some Wild Going Outward</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="jj // KILLS" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/jj.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">jj // K I L L S Mixtape</font></strong></p>
<p>Let’s be honest, <a href="http://ravekommissionen.blogspot.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/ravekommissionen.blogspot.com/?referer=');">jj’s</a> no.3, <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14045-jj-n-3/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14045-jj-n-3/?referer=');">also released in 2010</a>, should have been a collection of B-sides to no.2 rather than a fresh LP.  Thankfully, the Swedish hip-hop inspired electro-pop duo of Joakim Benon and Elin Kastlander redeemed themselves in the nick of time with the <a href="http://www.sincerelyyours.se/yours0159.php" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.sincerelyyours.se/yours0159.php?referer=');">release of this badass mixtape on Christmas Eve</a>. KILLS is a collection of hip-hop samples and rap lyrics (sung sweetly by Elin) amalgamated in quasi-random fashion to surprisingly great results – an end-of-year treat to a solid year of music!<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/01 STILL.mp3">jj // STILL</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Harlem // Hippies" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Harlem.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Harlem // Hippies</font></strong></p>
<p>My favorite original garage rock release of the year, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/harlemduh" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/harlemduh?referer=');">Harlem’s</a> tracks are more like short stories with their albums bounding them into a nice collection.  The group finds the perfect balance between hard-driving melodies and storybook lyrics that captivate you in perfect three-minute chunks.  In an album of sixteen tracks, it’s amazing that there is not a throwaway in the bunch.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/10 Tila And I.mp3">Harlem // Tila and I</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Various Artists // Sahel Sounds" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Sahel Sounds.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Various Artists // Sahel Sounds</font></strong></p>
<p>For lovers of “world music” (like chillwave, another moniker I can’t stand), this <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/10/04/sahel-sounds-compilation/">collection of cell-phone recorded tracks from Sahara Africa is a must-have</a>.  Nothing boils my blood more than when people describe African music as nothing more than a novelty listen – pleasant enough, but uninspired.  With Sahel Sounds, you get such inventiveness in a dearth of instrumentation (most tracks feature just an acoustic guitar) that it makes you wonder about the state of monochromatic singer/songwriter “coffee shop” music that inundates the Western world.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/02 abba_ahmedou - ishumar guitar.mp3">Abba Ahmedou // Ishumar Guitar</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Mountain Man // Made the Harbor" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Mountain Man.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Mountain Man // Made the Harbor</font></strong></p>
<p>Even before a proper release, the near-a capella sounds of Vermont’s <a href="http://mountainman.bandcamp.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/mountainman.bandcamp.com/?referer=');">Mountain Man</a> made many Best of 2009 lists (<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/top-41-albums-of-2009/">including yours truly</a>).  2010 was a banner year for this all-female folk trio, releasing an <a href="http://underwaterpeoples.com/index.php/up-catalog#mountainmansundog" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/underwaterpeoples.com/index.php/up-catalog_mountainmansundog?referer=');">EP on Underwater Peoples</a> and an <a href="http://www.partisanrecords.com/catalog/made-the-harbor" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.partisanrecords.com/catalog/made-the-harbor?referer=');">LP on Partisan Records</a> that collected their massively downloaded mp3s of the prior year along with some new gems.  Although the recording doesn’t come close to capturing their captivating live performance, it serves as a good representation of the band’s talent.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/01 Animal Tracks.mp3">Mountain Man // Animal Tracks</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Oneohtrix Point Never // Returnal" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Oneohtrix Point Never.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Oneohtrix Point Never // Returnal</font></strong></p>
<p> One would be crazy to think that you represent the complex synth sounds of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/pointnever" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/pointnever?referer=');">Daniel Lopatin</a> in a few sentences without the aid of psychotropic drugs, so I won’t even try…<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/03 Stress Waves.mp3">Oneohtrix Point Never // Stress Waves</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Explode Into Colors // Quilts" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Explode Into Colors.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Explode Into Colors // Quilts</font></strong></p>
<p>Similar to Mountain Man’s full-length, this “LP” by Portland garage rock band <a href="http://www.myspace.com/explodeintocolors" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/explodeintocolors?referer=');">Explode Into Colors</a> is more of a collection of their already released works (three sold-out 7’’s) than a new record.  Regardless, for the uninitiated <em>Quilts</em> serves as a good introduction (or I guess conclusion since <a href="http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2010/05/21/2544666-explode-into-colors-break-up" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2010/05/21/2544666-explode-into-colors-break-up?referer=');">the band is now-defunct</a>) to the wild bass/drum-dominated tracks this trio of women seem to effortlessly produce.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/03 Coffins.mp3">Explode Into Colors // Coffins</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="ceo // White Magic" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/ceo.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">ceo // White Magic</font></strong></p>
<p>You will not find a bigger lover of Swedish music than myself.  It’s impossible.  Whether it’s coming from Stockholm, Malmö, or Göteborg (arguably the epicenter) it doesn’t matter.  If it has umlauts, some crazy vowel/consonant combination, or a feeling of icy ethereal to the music, I’m bound to love it. I’m constantly amazed by the impact this Scandinavian country of a paltry nine-million people have on music these days.  Case in point, the electro-pop dance-tunes of <a href="http://www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/?referer=');">ceo</a>.  The only complaint I have about the album is it’s short duration – twenty-eight minutes is enough to whet, but not satiate, my appetite for the inventive tracks of Eric Berglund.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/04 White Magic.mp3">ceo // White Magic</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Glasser // Ring" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Glasser.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Glasser // Ring</font></strong></p>
<p>Can we all agree that <a href="http://www.truepanther.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.truepanther.com/?referer=');">True Panther</a> has been knocking every release out of the park?  Ah man, just thinking about this album gives me the shivers: the combination of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/glasssser" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/glasssser?referer=');">Cameron Mesirow’s</a> angelic voice sung over sparsely laid instrumentation is a power to behold.  I always love albums/songs which seem deceptively simple but when you start attentively listening to elements you find that they are overwhelming intricate, and <em>Ring</em> is one of the best examples of this this year.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/01 Apply.mp3">Glasser // Apply</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Pantha Du Prince // Black Noise" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Pantha Du Prince.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Pantha du Prince // Black Noise</font></strong></p>
<p>When I first heard this album through the incredibly inadequate speakers on my laptop, I was like “meh”, but when I blasted from a more proper sound system I was like “Whole.Lee.Shit.”  A lot has been made about <a href="http://www.panthaduprince.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.panthaduprince.com/?referer=');">Pantha’s</a> dominance when it comes to composing bass lines, but I found myself gripped more from the oddball percussive elements he sprinkles and spatters across a track much like <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/42/Namuth_-_Pollock.jpg" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/42/Namuth_-_Pollock.jpg?referer=');">paint on a Pollock canvas</a>.  An amazing composition and no doubt one-step forward for electronic music.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/02 Abglanz.mp3">Pantha du Prince // Abglanz</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="RxRy // Omega" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/RxRy.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">RxRy // Omega</font></strong></p>
<p>Speaking of steps forward for electronic music, this year was fortunate to house the breakout albums (yes, plural) of semi-anonymous producer <a href="http://rxryryrx.blogspot.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/rxryryrx.blogspot.com/?referer=');">RxRy</a>.  Where most ambient electronic music is snooze-worthy, RxRy found a way to not only keep you interested in the music but also perk up your childhood imagination a little bit.  When listening to <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?flmj7v5tgvjllln" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.mediafire.com/?flmj7v5tgvjllln&amp;referer=');">Omega</a> (the third of three LPs released this year by RxRy) you can’t help but envision a slew of fantasy micro-climates (lush rainforest, coastal crags, unending bodies of turbulent water, etc…) making it all the more enjoyable getting lost in the sound.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/05 Aertgo Lapsees.mp3">RxRy // Aertgo Lapsees</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Memoryhouse // mp3s" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Memoryhouse.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Memoryhouse // mp3s</font></strong></p>
<p>Although releasing <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/11/19/memoryhouse-caregiver-7/">a couple</a> <a href="http://sixteentambourines.bigcartel.com/product/memoryhouse-lately-7-inflated-records" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/sixteentambourines.bigcartel.com/product/memoryhouse-lately-7-inflated-records?referer=');">of 7’’s</a>, we unfortunately were not graced with a full length by bedroom-pop extraordinaires <a href="http://memoryhouse.tumblr.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/memoryhouse.tumblr.com/?referer=');">Memoryhouse</a>.  I don’t care, I’m including them on the list – and high up on it &#8212; anyways.  I probably played every single mp3 of Evan Abeele and Denise Nouvion a hundred times, that’s how easily I drifted away alongside their sweet melodies and comforting vocals.  One of my favorite emerging artists of this past year and I can’t wait for what 2011 has in store for them!<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/04 To the Lighthouse.mp3">Memoryhouse // To the Lighthouse</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Robyn// Body Talk" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Robyn.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Robyn // Body Talk</font></strong></p>
<p>Team Sweden strikes again!  If I had to describe to some alien what pop music is, I would probably slap <a href="http://www.robyn.com/#/blog/420190932" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.robyn.com/_/blog/420190932?referer=');">Robyn’s</a> <em>Body Talk</em> onto the turntable and give them a listen.  To me, Robyn is the essence of pop and it’s unfortunate (or maybe, more appropriately, unjust) that it’s the Britney Spears of the world selling out arenas from Indonesia to Arizona rather than her.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/03 Hang With Me.mp3">Robyn // Hang With Me</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Lower Dens // Twin-Hand Movement" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Lower Dens.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Lower Dens // Twin-Hand Movement</font></strong></p>
<p>Probably <a href="http://www.myspace.com/lowerdens" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/lowerdens?referer=');">one of the few bands</a> on this list that I can see both myself and a young adult version of parents listening to.  Although distorted at times, <em>Twin-Hand Movement</em> is mostly a smooth enjoyable listen that’s fairly easy on the ears. The album is nothing particularly revolutionary but rather it&#8217;s just a great uncomplicated record done <em>extremely</em> well &#8212; something you don&#8217;t get too often nowadays.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/06 Completely Golden.mp3">Lower Dens // Completely Golden</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Rraaiillss // 1098" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Rraaiillss.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Rraaiillss // 1098</font></strong></p>
<p>I feel like <a href="http://rraaiillss.bandcamp.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/rraaiillss.bandcamp.com/?referer=');">Rraaiillss</a> is <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thesandwitches" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/thesandwitches?referer=');">The Sandwitches</a> of 2010: a group (or in this case an individual) who makes unbelievably high quality music yet surprisingly doesn’t garner a shred of coverage.  1098 is an incredibly solid album that blazes through genres as diverse as shoegaze to bedroom-pop, leaving in its smoldering remnants a stunned and amazed listener whose only response is to hit replay.  Equally unbelievable is the fact that the music – from drums, guitar, vocals, electronics – is produced solely by one person, Adam Anderson, who also somehow finds time to do <a href="http://incubator.bandcamp.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/incubator.bandcamp.com/?referer=');">some electronic stuff on the side</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/01 Red String.mp3">Rraaiillss // Red String</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Big Boi // Sir Lucious Leftfoot" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Big Boi.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Big Boi // Sir Lucious Left Foot</font></strong></p>
<p>Although the masses might disagree, any diehard music fan would probably concede that <a href="http://bigboi.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/bigboi.com/?referer=');">Big Boi</a> is the heart and soul of Outkast, with Andre 3000 providing the funk and funky. With Sir Lucious Left Foot, Big Boi showcases what he does best, writing fast-paced, complex rhymes over head-banging big-band beats which you can bump even in a 1996 Corolla.  In a Lil Wayne-less year of music, Big Boi’s rapping provided a suitable replacement.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/02 Shine Blockas feat. Gucci Mane.mp3">Big Boi (ft. Gucci Mane) // Shine Blockas</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Kanye West // My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Kanye West.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Kanye West // My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy</font></strong></p>
<p>Of the stacks and stacks of positive reviews and effusing articles discussing the new <a href="http://twitter.com/kanyewest" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/twitter.com/kanyewest?referer=');">Kanye</a> album, the statement that stuck with me the most was from The New Yorker music critic <a href="http://sashafrerejones.com/2009/11/best_of_2010_1.html" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/sashafrerejones.com/2009/11/best_of_2010_1.html?referer=');">Sasha Frere-Jones</a>: “Good luck figuring out what kind of music this is, though it does contain rapping.”  And that’s exactly why I love this album so much – it pushes the boundary in a genre that seems to have become overwhelmingly stagnant the past half decade.  If anything, West deserves a gold medal for finally scrapping the most annoying thing about rap albums: skit interludes.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/1-03 Power.mp3">Kanye West // Power</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="How to Dress Well // Love Remains" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/How To Dress Well.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">How to Dress Well // Love Remains</font></strong></p>
<p>I found myself coming back to this album by <a href="http://howtodresswell.blogspot.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/howtodresswell.blogspot.com/?referer=');">How to Dress Well</a> more and more as the year ended.  Maybe it’s the Bon Iver-esque falsetto vocals offset not by acoustic guitar but rather ambient R&amp;B beats or the complexity in simplicity mantra (much like Glasser’s Ring), but whatever it is, I found myself absolutely loving this album when winter rolled around.  Who knows, maybe if it was released a few months sooner it would have snuck into the top spot!<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/05 You Won't Need Me Where I'm Goin'.mp3">How to Dress Well // You Won&#8217;t Need Me Where I&#8217;m Goin&#8217;</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="The Knife // Tomorrow, In a Year" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/The Knife.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">The Knife In Collaboration with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock // Tomorrow, In A Year</font></strong></p>
<p>No doubt the most cerebral of albums I listened to this year, this score for a <a href="http://www.hotelproforma.dk/side.asp?side=2&#038;id=438&#038;ver=uk" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.hotelproforma.dk/side.asp?side=2_038_id=438_038_ver=uk&amp;referer=');">Charles Darwin inspired opera</a> composed by the <a href="http://theknife.net/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/theknife.net/?referer=');">Swedish electronic duo The Knife</a> twisted and warped the concept of evolution in highly imaginative ways.  Although their distinct pitch-shifted vocals are noticeably absent (except on the well-received track “Colouring of Pigeons” which features the singing of Karin Dreijer Andersson), the composition itself is a 22nd century incarnation of The Knife’s sharp synths and unusual sounding melodies.  <em>Tomorrow, In A Year</em> is certainly not for the casual listener, but for the people who take the time to attentively listen and deconstruct the album, it’s a worthwhile treat.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/12 Colouring of Pigeons.mp3">The Knife // Colouring of Pigeons</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Deerhunter // Halcyon Digest" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Deerhunter.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Deerhunter // Halcyon Digest</font></strong></p>
<p>What more can you say about <a href="http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/?referer=');">Bradford Cox</a> that hasn’t already been said?  With a Ryan Adams-like proficiency – and more critically acclaimed to boot – the guy churns out high-quality albums like its second nature to him.  <em>Halcyon Digest</em> is the latest in his dense discography (well, at the time of printing <em>Halcyon Digest</em> seems to have been replaced by <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14996-bedroom-databank-vols-1-4/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14996-bedroom-databank-vols-1-4/?referer=');">a hefty FOUR albums</a> Cox recorded in his bedroom that was released at the end of the year) and is one of his best.  60s pop-rock inspired, Cox shows that he knows a thing or two about how to string together simple melodies with sing-song songwriting to produce automatic hits.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/06 Desire Lines.mp3">Deerhunter // Desire Lines</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="James Blake // CMYK" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/James Blake.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">James Blake // CMYK</font></strong></p>
<p>Hands down, my favorite album(s) (<em>CMYK</em> is one of three EPs released in &#8217;10) from an up-and-coming artist this year came by way of twenty-two year old British producer <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jamesblakeproduction" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.myspace.com/jamesblakeproduction?referer=');">James Blake</a>.  Although dubstep and ambient are no doubt influences, I’m not quite sure you can conveniently pigeonhole Mr. Blake’s compositions into a nice little well-packaged genre.  As you’ve seen from many of the prior Best Of picks, this lack of categorization seems to be desirable not only from my perspective but also from <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7893-the-top-50-albums-of-2010/5/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7893-the-top-50-albums-of-2010/5/?referer=');">more influential music lovers </a>(it’s only a matter of time before “ungenre” becomes a genre).  The combination of the age and the music makes me so excited to see what Blake has in store for us with his February scheduled debut LP release.<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/01 CMYK.mp3">James Blake // CMYK</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Beach House // Teen Dream" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/albumcovers/2010_Albums/Beach House.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="150" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><font size="5">Beach House // Teen Dream</font></strong></p>
<p>Hands down, the most listened to and most loved album of the year for me (and it seems for a lot of other people as well).  I was a little late to jump on the <a href="http://tickets.beachhousebaltimore.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/tickets.beachhousebaltimore.com/?referer=');">Beach House</a> bandwagon &#8212; in ’08 I famously declared to many that I just didn’t “get it”— but <em>Teen Dream</em> helped bridged the gap in my lack of understanding.  Like most, I’ve helplessly fallen head over heels for the sweet crooning of Victoria Legrand and the delicate melodies composed by her keyboard playing and Alex Scally’s guitar plucking.  In a year that saw so much complex and boundary-pushing music, it was always refreshing knowing that I had Beach House’s simple, yet beautifully constructed tracks to cleanse the palate when all was said and done.  A great album that tops a great year in music!<br />
<a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1101/08 10 Mile Stereo.mp3">Beach House // 10 Mile Stereo</a></p>
<p>You can download all the tracks featured in this list from the two .zip files <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?isyik9597a9lica" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.mediafire.com/?isyik9597a9lica&amp;referer=');">here</a> and <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?9yvcsjcszoba04f" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.mediafire.com/?9yvcsjcszoba04f&amp;referer=');">here</a>. I recommend sorting via &#8220;Date Created&#8221; to get the tracks in order.  Here&#8217;s a recap of my Top 35 Albums of 2010:</p>
<p>1: Beach House // Teen Dream<br />
2: James  Blake // CMYK<br />
3: Deerhunter // Halcyon Digest<br />
4: The Knife // Tomorrow, In a Year<br />
5: How to Dress Well // Love Remains<br />
6; Kanye West // My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy<br />
7: Big Boi // Sir Lucious Left Foot&#8230;<br />
8: Rraaiillss // 1098<br />
9: Lower Dens // Twin-Hand Movement<br />
10: Robyn // Body Talk<br />
11: Memoryhouse // mp3s<br />
12: RxRy // Omega<br />
13: Pantha du Prince // Black Noise<br />
14: Glasser // Ring<br />
15: ceo // White Magic<br />
16: Explode Into Colors // Quilts<br />
17: Oneohtrix Point Never // Returnal<br />
18: Mountain Man // Made the Harbor<br />
19: Various Artists // Sahel Sounds<br />
20: Harlem // Hippies<br />
21: jj // KILLS<br />
22: White Denim // Last Day of Summer<br />
23: Twin Sister // Color Your Life<br />
24: Toro y Moi // Causers Of This<br />
25: Crystal Castles // Crystal Castles<br />
26: Liars // Sisterworld<br />
27: Gobble Gobble // mp3s<br />
28: Flying Lotus // Cosmogramma<br />
29: Cloud Nothings // Turning On<br />
30: Casiokids // Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar<br />
31: Pocahaunted // Make It Real<br />
32: Woods // At Echo Lake<br />
33: Salad Fork // Mixtape for Haiti<br />
34: Joanna Newsom // Have One On Me<br />
35: Stalker // mp3s</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>ceo // White Magic</title>
		<link>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/07/11/ceo-white-magic/</link>
		<comments>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/07/11/ceo-white-magic/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:59:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bryant</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Album Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ceo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eric Berglund]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mp3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sincerely yours]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[White Magic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.parttimemusic.com/?p=2257</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[About a week ago was the release date for ceo&#8217;s White Magic, one of my most anticipated LPs of the year, and I just got around to listening to it for the first time during my recent vacation. If you don&#8217;t want to read my lengthy, unabashedly glowing review, then let me put my opinion [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img alt="" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/articlephotos/1006/ceo.jpg" title="Ceo // White Magic" class="aligncenter" width="450" height="405" /></p>
<p>About a week ago was the release date for <a href="http://ceoceoceoceoceo.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/ceoceoceoceoceo.com/?referer=');">ceo&#8217;s</a> <em>White Magic</em>, one of my <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/?s=ceo">most anticipated LPs</a> of the year, and I just got around to listening to it for the first time during my recent vacation. If you don&#8217;t want to read my lengthy, unabashedly glowing review, then let me put my opinion in a nutshell: YOU GOT TO BUY THIS ALBUM.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ll leave a &#8220;proper&#8221; review of the album <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14407-white-magic/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14407-white-magic/?referer=');">to the professionals</a>, and instead use my time to highlight the three things that blew me away the most with Eric Berglund&#8217;s solo debut:</p>
<ul>
<li><font size="3"><strong>The strings</strong></font>: I guess it&#8217;s always been present in most of the Tough Alliance stuff (see: closing of &#8220;Something Special&#8221;, background in &#8220;New Romance&#8221;) , but the orchestral component on <em>White Magic</em> is certainly more ear-grabbing.  The LP opens with &#8220;All Around&#8221;, a three-minute track of repeated cello-championed melodies and violin lines, and closes with &#8220;Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer&#8221;, a modern take on what sounds like a religious hymnal featuring a string quartet and a church organ &#8212; with much of everything in between including some sort of symphonic component.  Surprisingly, Berglund&#8217;s blending of high-brow instrumentation with Balearic melodies and beats work out extraordinarily well.  The best example of this coexistence is &#8220;Illuminata&#8221; where the driving force of the song, the oddball percussion-heavy beat, receives support during the interludes from a group of sprightly strings, creating a cheerful dance track.</li>
<li><font size="3"><strong>The structure</strong></font>: One of the most common comments I made when listening to the album was the quality of the bridges.  Any dude with Ableton Live on his laptop can create a hook or a verse, however, it takes an expert to properly connect the elements into a workable song.  Track after track on <em>White Magic</em> showcases Berglund&#8217;s talent in this regard: the electric guitar rip on &#8220;Love and Do What You Will&#8221;, the fluttering electro-elements and spliced up samples on &#8220;Come With Me&#8221;, the river sounds swelling on &#8220;White Magic&#8221;, and on and on and on&#8230; Equal to his ability of creating these dynamic bridges is Berglund&#8217;s savvy constructions of song endings.  Obviously fading the melody slowly into the blackness of in-between-track space is nothing new, but ceo songs typically introduce interesting new phrases before closing out a track.  The opener &#8220;All Around&#8221; has your typical violin decresendo at the thirty-seconds-left mark, however, the song doesn&#8217;t end as simply as you&#8217;d expect.  Instead, Berglund opts for starting earthly groans just as the strings finish, using these sounds to connect with the following track &#8220;Illuminata&#8221;.  For ceo, endings are more important than just wrap-ups.</li>
<li><font size="3"><strong>The singing</strong></font>: Maybe it&#8217;s just me, but there is something endearing about Berglund&#8217;s accented English and slightly strained vocals.  Obviously, the lyrics are catchy, interesting, and oftentimes ironic when coupled with song&#8217;s melody, however I think it&#8217;s Berglund&#8217;s &#8220;Average Joe&#8221; appeal that makes his music so sing-song-y. I find myself belting out the chorus of &#8220;come with me / COME WITH ME&#8221; primarily because I feel like I <em>can</em> sing it, and not only that, but sing it well (a notion that could easily be disproven in a nanosecond with the use of a recording device).</li>
</ul>
<p>So yeah, <em>White Magic</em> is Swedish dance-pop at its best and one of the best albums of 2010.  You can listen to title track, and arguably my favorite song from the record, below and cop the album from either the <a href="http://www.sincerelyyours.se/boutique.php" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.sincerelyyours.se/boutique.php?referer=');">Sincerely Yours shop</a> or from <a href="http://www.modularpeopleshop.com/product.asp?productId=220&#038;categoryId=50" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.modularpeopleshop.com/product.asp?productId=220_038_categoryId=50&amp;referer=');">Modular Records</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1006/04 White Magic.mp3">ceo // White Magic</a></p>
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]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>ceo // &#8220;Come With Me&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/05/30/ceo-come-with-me/</link>
		<comments>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/05/30/ceo-come-with-me/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 May 2010 17:00:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bryant</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Musical Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Track Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Youtube Finds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ceo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sincerely yours]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[White Magic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.parttimemusic.com/?p=2141</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Although not packing as much punch as his &#8220;Prologue&#8221;, &#8220;Come With Me&#8221; finds Eric Berglund exhibiting the same playfulness he brought to the table with his group The Tough Alliance. This out-of-left-field LP is definitely turning into the most anticipated album of the year for me. You can snag the mp3 below: ceo // &#8220;Come [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object width="450" height="360"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=12077255&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=00ADEF&amp;fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=12077255&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=00ADEF&amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="450" height="360"></embed></object></p>
<p>Although not packing as much punch as his <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/05/09/ceo-white-magic-details/">&#8220;Prologue&#8221;</a>, &#8220;Come With Me&#8221; finds Eric Berglund exhibiting the same playfulness he brought to the table with his group The Tough Alliance.  This out-of-left-field LP is definitely turning into the most anticipated album of the year for me.  You can snag the mp3 below:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1005/come with me.mp3">ceo // &#8220;Come With Me&#8221;</a> [via: <a href="http://gorillavsbear.blogspot.com/2010/05/video-mp3-ceo-come-with-me.html" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/gorillavsbear.blogspot.com/2010/05/video-mp3-ceo-come-with-me.html?referer=');">GvB</a>]</p>
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		<title>ceo // White Magic [details]</title>
		<link>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/05/09/ceo-white-magic-details/</link>
		<comments>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/05/09/ceo-white-magic-details/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 May 2010 16:02:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bryant</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Musical Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Youtube Finds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ceo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sincerely yours]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[White Magic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.parttimemusic.com/?p=2089</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[More details have slowly emerged about Eric Berglund&#8217;s (aka ceo) solo album as another hyperlinked star has cropped up on the group&#8217;s cryptic website. In similar form to The Tough Alliance&#8217;s 2007 LP A New Chance, Berglund&#8217;s other possibly defunct group, White Magic is slated to also be an eight-track album with amazing cover art [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img alt="" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/articlephotos/1005/ceo.jpg" title="ceo White Magic" class="aligncenter" width="450" height="405" /></p>
<p>More details have slowly emerged about Eric Berglund&#8217;s (aka <a href="http://www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/?referer=');">ceo</a>) solo album as another <a href="http://www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/#white-magic/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/_white-magic/?referer=');">hyperlinked star</a> has cropped up on the <a href="http://www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/?referer=');">group&#8217;s cryptic website</a>.  In similar form to The Tough Alliance&#8217;s 2007 LP <em>A New Chance</em>, Berglund&#8217;s other <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/04/11/in-1990s-swedish-indie-scene-had-a-low-self-esteem039.html" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/04/11/in-1990s-swedish-indie-scene-had-a-low-self-esteem039.html?referer=');">possibly defunct</a> group, <em>White Magic</em> is slated to also be an eight-track album  with amazing cover art (pictured above).  The complete track listing is:</p>
<ul>
<li>All Around</li>
<li>Illuminata</li>
<li>Love and Do What You Will</li>
<li>White Magic</li>
<li>Oh God Oh Dead</li>
<li>No Mercy</li>
<li>Come With Me</li>
<li>***</li>
</ul>
<p>And for those who missed my <a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/04/20/sincerely-yours-jj-ceo-tracks/">previous post</a>, here is a short video preview, appropriately titled &#8220;Prologue&#8221;, to get you excited about for the June 29th USA release date:</p>
<p><object width="450" height="253"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10967251&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=00ADEF&amp;fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10967251&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=00ADEF&amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="450" height="253"></embed></object></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Sincerely Yours // jj + ceo Tracks</title>
		<link>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/04/20/sincerely-yours-jj-ceo-tracks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.parttimemusic.com/2010/04/20/sincerely-yours-jj-ceo-tracks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:57:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bryant</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Musical Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Track Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Youtube Finds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ceo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jj]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mp3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sincerely yours]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.parttimemusic.com/?p=2019</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Being on the West Coast, I&#8217;ve long understood that I&#8217;ll never be able to break any news from the Swedish label Sincerely Yours; however that does not mean I can&#8217;t be an über-fan of theirs! The label&#8217;s latest news splash that has been reverberating around the blogs this morning is centered around the new &#8220;mystery&#8221; [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img alt="" src="http://www.parttimemusic.com/photos/articlephotos/1004/ceo_I.png" title="ceo" class="aligncenter" width="450" height="272" /></p>
<p>Being on the West Coast, I&#8217;ve long understood that I&#8217;ll never be able to break any news from the Swedish label <a href="http://www.sincerelyyours.se" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.sincerelyyours.se?referer=');">Sincerely Yours</a>; however that does not mean I can&#8217;t be an über-fan of theirs!  The label&#8217;s latest news splash that has been <a href="http://gorillavsbear.blogspot.com/2010/04/prologue.html" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/gorillavsbear.blogspot.com/2010/04/prologue.html?referer=');">reverberating</a> <a href="http://www.itsatrap.com/n/33906-sincerely-yours-presents-ceo" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.itsatrap.com/n/33906-sincerely-yours-presents-ceo?referer=');">around</a> <a href="http://stereogum.com/347301/ceo-prologue-video/video/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/stereogum.com/347301/ceo-prologue-video/video/?referer=');">the blogs</a> this morning is centered around the new &#8220;mystery&#8221; group of <a href="http://www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com/?referer=');">ceo</a>.  Not sure if the name is pronounced like the hyper-wealthy C.E.O.s of business or if it is some sort of Italian suffix, but regardless, the group looks to at least include the Eric Berglund-half of <a href="www.myspace.com/toughalliancemusic">The Tough Alliance</a>.  This is great news to hear considering that fellow friend and <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/04/11/in-1990s-swedish-indie-scene-had-a-low-self-esteem039.html" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/04/11/in-1990s-swedish-indie-scene-had-a-low-self-esteem039.html?referer=');">regular badminton opponent</a> Jens Lekman has had no idea what The Tough Alliance has been up to lately.  Check out the amazing video ceo put together for their stellar intro-track aptly titled &#8220;Prologue&#8221;:</p>
<p><object width="450" height="253"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10967251&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=00ADEF&amp;fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10967251&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=00ADEF&amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="450" height="253"></embed></object></p>
<p>And to mark the occasion, fellow labelmates jj have put together a piano ballad that strikes me as one of their best songs to date:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.parttimemusic.com/audio/1004/ceo birthday.mp3">jj // ceo Birthday</a></p>
<p>What&#8217;s next for the cryptic Sincerely Yours label?  Well if gaps in their catalog are any indication, it looks like we&#8217;ll have two more treats (YOURS0135 and YOURS0138) in the near future!</p>
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