Not only are we treating you to a mammoth 100 album rundown of our year here at GIITTV towers, we’re also blasting out some of the finest tracks we’ve heard this year for your delectation. First off we have Dominic Valvona with his eclectic mix of tunes from 2011.
Django Django ‘Waveforms’ (Because Music)
Emerging from their east London laboratory to unleash a vaporous tide of succinct iridescent psychedelic pop; Django Django sound like ‘the age of Aquaruis’ for Williamsburg hipsters.
Those Dancing Days ‘Can’t Find Entrance’ (Wichita)
Bursting with exuberance and bright-eyed innocence, the classy all girl group from Stockholm team up with sparkling disco pop advocate Max Martin (Katy Perry, Kelis), for this shimmering blazing heart-yearning belter.
S.C.U.M ‘Amber Hands’ (Mute)
Contentious as it sounds, S.C.U.M out 80s shoegaze the Horrors on this maelstrom of quivering and hazy whirling psych-rock. Their opulent brand of transcending esoteric joy displays a passion for The Cult and BRMC.
Fuzzy Lights ‘Slowing Time’ (Little Red Rabbit)
Starting off as a perspicacious drifting, sagacious and soothing diegesis, ‘Slowing Time’ hops, skips and leaps into uplifting inspired jazz. Fuzzy Lights surreptitious, ponderous lilt evokes a pastoral Radiohead, throwing stones across a placid lake.
Cool Runnings ‘Fool Moon’ (Too Pure Singles)
Knoxville’s loose band of omnivorous sonic tillers unearth a real beauty with this psychedelic indie suite. From a gentle languorous brooding bassline intro, ‘Fool Moon’ builds into an expansive, orchestral accompanied, grandiose anthem that breathes in OMD, Arcade Fire and Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah.
Wolfgang ‘Dancing With The Devil’ (Atlantic)
Glitterball pomp and circumstance meets Sparks and Mott The Hoople’s wavvy adroit pop on Wolfgang’s theatrical escapism. His rises and swoops seem dramatic, yet enthral and titillate. Pop just got that little more exciting.
The Vaccines ‘Wetsuit’ (Columbia/Sony)
Over-hyped and over-indulged, The Vaccines prove (to this critic) that there might be a glimmer of hope, with this the sixth single taken from their fanfare heralded debut. A more poignant line is taken, as ‘Wetsuit’ shows a discerning and nostalgic side to the band. Their sound traverses The Walkmen, Editors and Buddy Holly in its pursuit to document a lost innocence.
Lykke Li ‘Sadness Is A Blessing’ (Atlantic)
Such effulgence, such brilliance: Lykke Li weaves Kierkegaard despondency and the plaint lovelorn wooing of 60s girl groups together with an updated bombastic Spector-esque production. Nordic melancholy never sounded sweeter.
Lana Del Ray ‘Video Games’ (Interscope)
Those salacious beguiled lips sigh, swoon and ooze knowing; as Ms Del Ray’s intoxicating Hollywood-turned-sour soundtrack and assiduous lyrics charmed us all. Re-packaged as a modern era street savvy Nancy Sinatra, the Lake Placid gal’s inspired reboot could have easily backfired, if the talent wasn’t there from the outset. However, it worked and the blogsphere, fans and critics wait with bated breathe for the upcoming album in January.
Eleanor Friedberger ‘My Mistakes’ (Merge)
Eleanor’s train of thought is squeezed into a Moroder pulsing synth bassline and awkward Greenwich Village hip-pop backing, on her debut solo effort. ‘My Mistakes’ is a rapturous, roaming, rambling paean to regrets, crammed with lyrical gymnastics and random observations about incidental details; all integral to the big picture. She croons like a Harvard straight As version of Debbie Harry, whilst laying all bare to the world.
