Recently I've been feeling a bit disenchanted with electronic-based music. Then I realized that I'd forgotten about the French. Those sly bastards are still so on top of the game, its almost as though their a genre unto themselves: incomparable to the rest of the "production" world. One of the best examples of this is Vitalic (née Pascal Arbez), who I have unrelentingly held as the second-greatest French producer (after Daft Punk, naturally) since I first caught wind of him back in the noughties. Listen to any piece in his catalog and you'll catch the perfect bass lines and tight drums that, while providing a solid backbone to each piece, never teeter towards overindulgent.
It’s Thursday night in Paris and Yolanda Be Cool is in town. Cool.
To celebrate the occasion I wanted to post a Yolanda Be Cool song, but none really fit with the LOOSE L!PS aesthetic (yes, believe it or not there is an ‘aesthetic’). I could just go the easy route and post We No Speak Americano, but that doesn’t quite fit either, not to mention it is probably the most over-played song of 2010, and I doubt that anyone needs or wants to hear it again (but I do tonight, oh please oh please). So I’m posting another song that isn’t in ‘Americano’. I hope you get my thought process here. Even if you don’t, it’s a great song nonetheless. I give you: Sabali by Amadou & Mariam, remixed by the godly Vitalic. Amadou & Mariam are an Afro-pop duo out of Mali, and Vitalic is French (go figure). Vitalic’s deep bass and twinkling marimba—you can’t go wrong with marimba—mixed with Mariam’s exotic, pitched vocals make this quite the unique remix. The production renders it sexy, and Miriam’s ethereal, almost childlike, vocals make me feel that to label it as such is a bit taboo.
Here’s my first attempt at a ‘Best of [insert year here]’ list…but it’s not quite. The thing is, thus far Loose Lips has been entirely dedicated to the songs I’ve loved in 2010. I’ve tried to only post music that’s truly moved me, and consequently the blog’s archives can more or less be read as my year’s ‘best' list. However, there were a few notable tunes that fell through the cracks, so to speak. Whether because I never got around to posting them, I was unable to post them due to copyright issues, or they didn’t fit in with the aesthetic of the blog, for whatever reason they never made the cut, but that’s not to say that I loved them any less. They might not be the ‘best’ by industry standards, but they’re what made me happiest or inspired me most. Anyway, I don’t think I have any kind of right (nor do many others) to make a qualitative list of the ‘best’ music of the year, as music taste really is so subjective. So without further ado, here’s Part I of Loose Lips’ 2010 Wrap-Up, my “Year’s OTHER Best” if you will.
Pt. I of the 3-part Wrap-Up features my top 10 (downloadable) Electronic songs of the year. 'Electronic' meaning music made by producers versus a traditional band setup. I say 'downloadable' because there are actually 12 tracks here, but seeing as I couldn’t legally post the Grum tracks—which are arguably my top 2 electronic tunes of the year—I included 2 extra. (Make sure you listen to the Grum tracks though, they're stellar.)
Downloading: Either grab all 10 tracks simultaneously by grabbing the Zip Folder HERE, or pick and choose by clicking each song link and downloading individually. (Right click, save download...you know the drill.)
Continuing my Hervé kick (‘The Count’ is yet another one of his aliases, used when collaborating with fellow British DJ, Sinden), this song shows his playful and—dare I say it—poppy side.
The Glitch Mob were one of the most unique groups to break onto the scene this year, both in production and performance style. Animus Vox is creative and intricate yet immediately accessible.
While the Flux Pavilion remix of DJ Fresh’s song got all the attention among my peers, the original Dn’B version is what had me coming back for more. You can’t beat the energy of the original. And the music video!
Though Vitalic’s album, Flashmob, was released in 2009, the Second Lives Single came out in March, so I’m allowing it to count. Vitalic is one of the best producers in the world today; I’d venture to say top 10. If you don’t believe me, just listen and see for yourself.
French Horn Rebellion provided us with perhaps the year's best electro pop tune, which all but forces you to put a smile on your face and sing along.
Heartbeats--Grum [from Heartbeats] Popjustice called Grum's Hearbeats 'the greatest song of the 21st century', and they weren't too far off. The thing I love about this song is unlike most songs that start at a '1' and build, climaxing at '10' and gradually fading back down, this song is at a constant '11'. I wish I could give it to you to download. Buy it here instead.
Joe Bonomo
