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Asian Dan Top Ten of 2011

It is that time of the year where we all round up our favorite #mp3s of the year and sum up the year of 2011 in Music. Making these lists are difficult since so much great music came out in 2011, but here are the tracks and albums that stuck with me in 2011.

I will say hands down that Metronomy’s “The English Riviera” is my favorite album of the year, an album that proved they are amazing songwriters and that they put on a great live show. Rustie destroyed 2011 with “Glass Swords” which shows that he is so FUTURE. The Stepkids, Blood Orange and the odd men out, About Group show that honest songwriting and impeccable musicianship still shines through all the hype and buzz of the modern age. I could not stop listening to Blawan “Getting Me Down”, Jim-E Stack “Lemme”, Jamie xx “Far Nearer”, and everything Julio Bashmore produced this year #seriousvibes. Cheers 2011 and here’s to 2012 and all the great music to come.

Also please checkout some of my favorite mixes that I made with the COLT+RANE team: COLT+RANE x The Blind Barber Mix C+R : #summervibes, C+R : autumnal tones 2011, and C+R : A Longtime

Asian Dan Top Ten of 2011

Top 10 Tracks of 2011

Metronomy – The Look
Fort Lean – High Definition
Julio Bashmore – Battle For Middle You
Das Pop – The Game
Jamie xx – Far Nearer
Blawan – Getting Me Down
Emil & Friends – Prescriptions
Jim-E Stack – Lemme
M83 – Midnight City
The Rapture – How Deep Is Your Love?
Kindness – Cyan

Top 10 Albums of 2011

Metronomy – The English Riviera
Rustie – Glass Swords
The Stepkids – The Stepkids
Blood Orange – Coastal Grooves
The Rapture – In The Grace of Your Love
Bibio – Mind Bokeh
Justice – Audio, Video, Disco
Emil & Friends – Lo & Behold
About Group – About Group
Holy Ghost! – Holy Ghost!
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Asian Dan’s Guest List : Prefuse 73 Top 10 of 2011

The one and only Guillermo S. Herren aka Prefuse 73 hooked the blog up with his favorite sounds of 2011. He couldn’t keep it down to 10 cause he is a punk so enjoy.

Asian Dan’s Guest List : Prefuse 73 Top 10 of 2011

2k11’s Why(s) and Low(s) via: @prefuse73 – Guillermo S. Herren ((FAMELECT.CATACUBANO.LOVERS.L.L.C.))

In no order but numbered _ organization represents = cleanliness…

1.”O.P.N.”_ Replica” : This is a perfect example of making a great ‘follow up’ record to a record that was already good.. Flipped the production up, abandoned previous t.m.s and succeeded… Muy ‘fucking’ Bien!!!! = I listen to it every day…<3
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Asian Dan’s Guest List : Bibio Top 5 of 2011

Bibio is merely a man that loves to create for the sake of creating. His identity and his sound can be heard in whatever genre he decides to touch upon in his productions – all in a sincere and honest way. Let Mr. Bibio lead you down story lane as he speaks in great detail about his Top 5 favorite releases of 2011.

Bibio’s Top 5 Releases of 2011 (in no particular order):

Rustie – Glass Swords
[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/DEC%202011/bibio%20top%205%20of%202011/03%20Surph.mp3]
Favorite Track from off the release: Rustie – Surph

I got a promo CD copy of this when I was down in London, I was at the Warp office where I was paying Steve Beckett & co a visit, and as I was leaving I grabbed a few goodies. Luckily I had my macbook with me so I could listen to it on the train home to Wolverhampton. Before heading off to the tube station, I joined a few of the lovely Warp folks for a pint and a pork pie in the ale house around the corner from the Warp office. Then, I headed to Euston, got my train, I got a seat (with a table), laptop out, got me a baguette and a bottle of water and put on my headphones. To cut to the chase, I was amazed by this album on first listen. It’s just so energetic, there are no dull moments. Rustie has really shone as a musician/producer/composer on this album, all the tracks are really well structured and have really hooky melodies and themes, it doesn’t feel stuck in a genre either, it feels like it gathers the best from various genres and makes something far more musical and colourful than anything else out there that he is often compared to. I think this album is a future classic, and a reassuring reminder that Warp is moving forward yet keeping its ear for magic. Rustie deserves far more attention, especially after putting out this gem. Some reviewers seem to mention the computer game theme a lot, but I don’t get that as much… what I get is fantasy landscapes with portals and weird surreal crystal sculptures and alien plants, kind of like something from the original ‘He-Man’ series, ‘Le Planete Sauvage’ or Norman McLaren’s ‘A Phantasy’, but with an occasional 90s nostalgia and a 21st century shiny digital edge… and so the faux-airbrushed album art is a perfect presentation of this album.
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Asian Dan’s Guest List : Brodinski Top 10 of 2011

Brodinski has been a very busy man this year from non-stop touring to starting his own label, Bromance – he is definitely on his way to doing big things. Checkout his Top 10 tracks of 2011 and don’t forget to listen to the new Gucci Vump Mixtape

Asian Dan’s Guest List : Brodinski Top 10 of 2011
1. The Weeknd – What You Need / XO
2. Heartbreak – Grown Man Shit / CDr
3. Switch Feat. Andrea Martin – I Still Love you / Dubsided
4. Steffi – Yours / Osgut Ton
5. Drake – Look What You’ve Done / Young Money
6. Gesaffelstein – Control Movement / Bromance
7. Scuba – Feel It / Hotflush
8. Woodkid – Iron / GUM
9. Mickey Moonlight – Close To Everything / Ed Banger
10. Drake – Free Spirit Ft Rick Ross / OVO

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/DEC%202011/Grown%20Man%20Shit.mp3]
Heartbreak – Grown Man Shit

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Asian Dan’s Guest List : The Stepkids Top 10 of 2011

The Stepkids have made some big moves in 2011 with their self-titled LP which came out on the iconic Stones Throw Records this past fall. The Stepkids are that great moment when musicianship, impeccable songwriting, and a strong sonic and visual aesthetic all intersect – a very rare and difficult thing to tastefully pull off these days. The gents put together their favorite albums of the year which I strongly co-sign. Be sure to check out some of my favorite cuts from some of these releases as well as an amazing collaboration the Stepkids did with their labelmate, Jonti.

Asian Dan’s Guest List : The Stepkids Top 10 of 2011

Jonti – twirligig

Tuneyards – whokill

Ford & Lopatin- channel preasure

James Blake
 – James Blake
Tyler, The Creater- Goblin
Oneohtrix Point Never- Replica

Thundercat- The Golden Age of Apocalypse

Frank Ocean – Nostalgia/Ultra

Dam Mantle – first wave

Rustie – Glass Swords
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Gucci Vump : Nvthin Bvt A Gvxxi Thang

As Brodinski said in his Asian Dan Q&A : Introduction to Bromance Records, brainchild of both himself Brodinski and Guillaume of The Shoes, Gucci Vump are back with a new 30 min mixtape of original productions called “Nvthin Bvt A Gvxxi Thang”. Highlight tracks include a fantastic remix of Switch’s “I Still Love You”, a chopped & screwed sample of Toto’s Africa, and some chopped n’ screwed Drake to top it all off. Download the 30 min mix here or as separate tracks via Megaupload just like Kanye would.

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Asian Dan’s Guest List : Fort Lean Top 10 of 2011

I will come out with it now and say that Fort Lean is my favorite band of the year. I listen to their free 4-track EP at least once a day and sing-along to every tune, especially “High Definition”. They are well on their way to becoming a household name with all the buzz and success that has come to them in just the past 6 months. Once again I will say that I had the honor of sharing the bill with them twice this year with Emil & Friends and that they always destroy it live. Check out this interview with Keenan from Fort Lean in Interview Magazine and be on the lookout for their next single, “Sunsick” out on Neon Gold in February 2012.

The Fort Lean boys show that they are quite LOLzy by submitting their Top 10 Cars of All Time list instead of the traditional Top 10 Tracks of 2011. Be sure to read their Asian Dan Q&A that they answered a few months ago.

Fort Lean’s Top 10 Cars of All Time:

1. geo tracker – a classic in every sense
2. suzuki x-90 – so compact, so sleek
3. chevy el camino – in case you need to move anything
4. plymouth prowler – the virtual boy of cars
5. pontiac aztec – angular, aggressive 
6. chrysler pt cruiser – mini-hearse 
7. mazda miata – 90s mid-life crisis embodied
8. vw beetle (2000) – comes with built-in flower holder
9. vw rabbit pickup – is it a station wagon? is it a pickup?
10. mazda mpv – is it a van? is it a station wagon?

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Asian Dan’s Guest List : Cloud Boat Top 10 of 2011

Cloud Boat may have only released two tracks but they are two fantastic tracks (Lions on the Beach/Bastion) that I have been listening to all year. Tom and Sam were kind enough to put together a list of their favorite albums of the year, a very eclectic list of releases that highlight Cloud Boat’s taste and define their unique and intoxicating sound.

Asian Dan’s Guest List : Cloud Boat Top 10 of 2011

Bon Iver – Bon Iver
David Lynch – Crazy Clown Time
Grouper – AIA : Alien Observer / Dream Loss
James Blake – James Blake
Klaus – Tusk EP
Kuedo – Severant 
La Dispute – Wildfire
Mastodon – The Hunter
Radiohead – The King of Limbs
Roly Porter – Aftertime

Asian Dan Q&A : Cloud Boat

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CANT : Live on KEXP

CANT visits KEXP studios to give a moody and introspective performance of Chris Taylor’s dark pop tunes. “The Edge” is a standout track in this performance.

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Kindness : SEOD

The mysterious Kindness from the UK has release yet another slithery disco tune entitled “SEOD”. This tune will be out in January as a White Label release before Kindness unleashes his full length album next year which was co-produced by Philippe Zdar. “SEOD” is a slinky dark disco tune that is part space journey and part trip into your third eye via some sexy lead guitar and bellowing sax. Will Kindness be the Arthur Russell of 2012? I hope so.

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