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Mogwai – “Kids Will Be Skeletons”
Happy Songs For Happy People

This album, the second of the “new Mogwai” so disappointing to some, is understated rather than uncompromising, and although it ends up underwhelming at times, it demonstrates their strength in arrangement rather than raw power. The delicate and deliberately paced “Kids Will Be Skeletons” and the sibilant and triumphant closer, “Stop Coming To My House,” are just plain beautiful, something missing from a lot of loud music these days. (insound)

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Thieves – “Silent Servant”
You Hold The World Like A Gun

This totally unexpected record defies categorization, its closest relatives being Secret Frequency Crew, Herbaliser, and Four Tet — yet Thieves maintains a sound all their own, darker, noisier, more repetitive. Each song sounds more like the soundtrack to a scene than a standalone piece of music. Original and arresting.

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Espers – “Sightings”
III

While I doubt Espers will ever again attain the heights they reached with their debut album, tracks like this one at least keep me occupied while I hope against hope. Most of this album seems to show too much of how the band works, like a magician explaining his tricks, but a few tracks, like “Sightings,” manage to be as mysterious and beautiful as any they’ve ever made. (insound)

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Four Tet – “Angel Echoes”
There Is Love In You

Four Tet has moved away from the magical, Fridge-esque organic electronica and towards a more beat-oriented sound, but that’s not all bad. And of course we’ll always have Pause. And there’s something about the disjointed sampling on this and other tracks from this album that catches my ear. There’s a lot of variety, but early Manitoba is the best reference point I can think of.

Benny Goodman – “Sing Sing Sing (With A Swing)”
Live At Carnegie Hall

I came across this track completely by accident while looking for the more conventional dance hall version of this song, but after putting it on, sat in shocked rapture for the entire 12 minutes. The breakdowns and rebuilds, the departures and returns to the original melodies, the unbelievable playing. I wish I could hear what he says that makes the audience laugh nine minutes in, though. And man do I wish I was there that night in 1938.

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Crime in Choir – “Cincinnati”
Crime in Choir

Two. Two. Two songs in one. The first half is a triumphant anthem with unbelievably tight percussion; the second half, a gorgeous guitar soundscape with clattering drums and voice loops. Just an absolutely brilliant piece of music all the way through. (insound)

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Bedhead – “The Present”
Transaction De Novo

Bedhead’s understated songwriting makes for such incredibly solid albums, but so few truly standout songs, that it’s hard to pick a track. I’ve always loved the slow grow and sudden end of “The Present.” It’s not exactly representative of this excellent album, but it’s a great song nonetheless. Great being around the house music.

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Silent Kids – “Sgt. Dexter Pt. II”
Take Us Home

This is the last track on this album, which to be honest wasn’t that impressive. But if the rest of it were the quality of this track, they’d really have something amazing. The first part is more like the rest of their songs, but the brilliant extended instrumental outro and quiet coda (after about 30 seconds of silence) really shows that they’ve got a lot at their disposal. I love the amp’s cool-off “ahhh” noise in the breaks! You can get the whole album here.

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Camera Obscura – “Other Towns And Cities”
My Maudlin Career

Half of this album seems to me to be rendered somewhat toothless by poppy instrumentation; the vocals and songwriting are best left relatively unaccompanied, as demonstrated by “Other Towns And Cities.” It becomes clear once you strip away the backing that it’s really the vocalist’s wonderful cadence and simple counterpoint melodies that are really making the music sing, as it were. (insound)

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Stereolab – “Tomorrow Is Already Here”
Emperor Tomato Ketchup

I think this was the first Stereolab track I ever heard. It’s still the one I think of when anyone mentions them. They really did have a knack for rhythm, layers, and timing — and all the rest of the stuff as well. Makes me want to listen to this whole album again. Maybe I will.