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The best records of 2021 (part four)




Mica Levi - Zola (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)


This is one of the newer releases of the year, having dropped in early December, yet this has still been on heavy rotation. Mica Levi has already created two of my favourite soundtracks of all time with the mind-blowing score Under the Skin, and my personal favourite (and one of my greatest records of all time) Jackie. For Zola Levi has created a collection of miniatures that manage to use silence and space in an incredible way, and often in pieces that last under a minute - which is no mean feat. It was hard to pull a piece out of context for this one, which could also apply to the music itself as it’s so integral to the movie itself. Yet somehow it works alone, scoring a very personal motion picture soundtrack. Pressed on white vinyl with a glorious illustration of the movie. Go listen and go check out the film. Life-affirming stuff.


Kelly Moran - Chain Reaction At Dusk

This is culled from a split LP, but I’ve really only ever spun the A side as Moran’s compositions are just incredible. Clocking in at a total of 15 minutes, Moran’s three compositions manage to open up a world full of vast vistas and deeply moving soundscapes. This is one of those sides you can’t help but reset the needle for repeated listens. Prepared piano and hazy synths adorn blue and white star-splatter vinyl. Moran’s playing is commanding and as the track title of my selected piece suggests, hymnal in its structure and tone. There’s a wanton elegance that never feels showy or indulgent as it often can with prepared piano music. It’s a delicate outing that is rarely heard on Hospital Productions, and a welcome one too.


Serpentwithfeet - Deacon

I have been following Serpentwithfeet’s creations intently since falling for his sound on his wonderful EP ‘blisters’ back in 2017. He then swept me off my feet with tracks like ‘Messy’ ad ‘Bless Ur Heart’ from his first LP ‘Soil”. ‘Deacon’ is no less magical as it creeps further into the pop-side of R&B. The first single to drop was ‘Same Size Shoe’, which is the most exquisite uplifting love song from one man to another. The video is also beautiful and well worth seeking out. I included ‘Derrick’s Beard’ as it’s such a sweet and beautiful track. His vibrato vocals and minimal piano with overdubbed harmonies make for a delicious couple of minutes. This record is pressed to opaque brown vinyl. It’s a celebration of being black and queer and proudly wears its heart on its sleeve. A joy and welcome record that cuts through the populist rhetoric of our torrid times.


Rob Lye - Un

My first and only tape from this year. Sorry cassettes - I’ve just neglected you this year as I’ve had no money left over from all the vinyl. I really need to switch this up next year, especially as we’re moving house and shifting vinyl is a total dickflap. I digress… Just look at this thing. It’s stunning. Minimal holographic artwork encases a white tape that is full of mystery and captures shards of sounds from the outer reaches of the solar system. Released on Lye’s very own Stairwell Editions label, ‘Un’ follows on from last year’s ‘Soft Subject’. I had been a fan of Rob’s music for some time, having originally written about his collaborative projects for Foxy D back in the day. Chora, Faux Amis and Le Drapeau Noir put out incredible records, all of which I wrote about at length. Lye’s solo work is a different beast entirely. Alone he is more contemplative, forging stunningly intimate works that move from bedroom guitar to fractured electronics that scour the outer reaches to create a massive sound. This minimal/maximal approach is never jarring as all is balanced and controlled in such a way that you can’t escape its haunting and moving sound. This record hits you like the first time you hear Fennesz; just pure wonder.


Eli Keszler - Icons

If you’ve ever seen Keszler perform live you know that you’re in for a treat when he drops a new LP. Not only is he a phenomenally gifted drummer, but he can also compose an incredible piece of music. This record utterly floored me. He managed to bottle the same magic as the first Tortoise and DJ Shadow LPs. Yes this did make me feel like the first time I heard ‘Endtroducing’ back in ‘96 - it’s that fucking special. It’s definitely its own beast, yet bears comparison to so many things as he manages to take the best of so many styles and forge them to his will. Nods to Oneohtrix Point Never, Squarepusher, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Bjork and many more spring to mind. It’s like he’s devoured some of my favourites and regurgitated them with his own genius. It’s a remarkable record and one I hope ends up on many lists as I feel it came and went without much fanfare upon its release. Don’t be fooled by the many tranquil moments on this record - it’s a fiercely creative work of percussive mastery and mystery. Pressed on clear vinyl and encased in lusty red - this really is a rare gem.

Robin Rimbaud - Staging Silence (Hans Op de Beeck Original Film Soundtracks)

This LP took me by surprise and was an unexpected treat from Sub Rosa, who have put out so many great records this year. One of my favourite memories of this record is listening to it with my daughter while we were painting together. It was the perfect soundtrack to a wonderful afternoon, so much so that we played it three times in a row. The music was created to accompany films by Hans Op de Beeck, which I would love to see. My experience with the record is deeply personal and I would like to see how it works in the context for which it was written. Regardless, this is a fantastic trip. Minimal electronics, drone, synths and piano intertwine and unravel to produce four beautiful pieces that are both moving and life-affirming. This is presented on a double LP, each side containing one movement. It’s a pretty perfect listen, at times bringing to mind Eno & Budd and even Holger Czukay’s collaborations with David Sylvian. The melodies really stick with you, and when they burst from the haze of drones and warmth of synths you can’t help but smile.


Shuttle358 - Frame

Finally Frame on vinyl. I discovered this record a few years ago having missed its initial release back in 2000. Which is a shame as I would have loved this as a 17-year-old. I was deeply into Warp records at the time, collecting everything they put out over the next couple of years, revelling in Autechre, Plaid, Squarepusher, Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin. Since finding this record I have listened to the standout track ‘Calty’ at least 100 times. It’s just perfect. The record is a minimal glitch record, with the warmest fucking pads you’ve ever heard. Listening to this no other record that spawned in this genre even comes close. It really is a standard setter. Each track feels like it was mastered and distilled with great care and attention. It doesn’t ever feel laboured, but organic and rich, yet you can hear the brushstrokes of a master. The production is incredible and often brings to mind Lustmord and Loscil. 21 years old yet still fresh and clean. This is up there with the best of Warp and seems odd that it wasn’t on that roster all those years ago, which is a shame as I could have had another twenty years to enjoy this. Here’s to the next two decades.


Space Afrika - Honest Labour

Another slab of minimal electronic music, this time from Space Afrika. At times this record also feels like it could have landed 20 years ago, but is riddled with nods to more contemporary incarnations, such as Burial and Huerco S. It is also very resonant of 2021, and couldn’t really exist in any other time. The record is a real trip and takes you through a misty dawn to a drizzly dusk. It’s very British and feels like it's leaked out of the cracks of Manchester’s walls. This is one of those records which is like a walk in the city whilst tripping; sounds drifting from tower blocks and shopfronts. People everywhere, but heard and viewed through a bubble of inebriation. As it unwinds there are moments that feel like you’re in a Lynch movie, or halfway through a Godspeed You Black Emperor! Set (see ‘LV’). Then you are back in a Northern town backed by southern beats courtesy of the Bristol massive of the 90s. Blackhaine’s turn on ‘B£E’ is a revelation. Hits hard and deep.


The Bug - Fire

Oh my. A new Bug record. And this one picks up where London Zoo left off. I just wish it had a more hopeful story to tell. But alas, this is 2021 a year of pandemic, extreme politics and the death of logic. Fuck me it’s grim. But there is a bit of light and it comes via Kevin Martin and guests’ Fire. Bass and beats are big hard and fierce AF. The guests… they’re not really guests but crucial band members giving voice to Martin’s monolithic production. Many of my favourites appear on this record, namely Flowdan, Logan_olm and Roger Robinson. I’m also turned on to new artists with huge love to Nazamba, Irah and Manga Saint Hilare. I mean everyone is on point tbf. These are Martin’s best beats and the record is relentless. It’s an electrifying listen and gets reet under your skin. This is definitely going to be on many an AOTY year, and for good reason. It can be a hard listen as really hammers home the mess things are in, then all of a sudden Daddy Freddy steps up and drops one of the best tracks of the year that you can’t help but bounce to. Pressed on Yellow/Red vinyl and encased in flame. Fire!


Akira Sakata & Jim O’Rourke - ５月

A blossoming record that surpasses expectations. That’s what first came to mind when I stumbled across this record courtesy of a review on Foxy D from Brad Rose. It’s a record that swings from calm to wild in a heartbeat, that drifts from beauty to dissonance in a turn of breath. Both musicians work in perfect unison, often exploring each other gently before erupting in volcanic trysts. You can tell these guys know each other well. There’s a unique understanding between the two that still sounds fresh as you can hear them chasing one another, joining and blasting apart as only Improvised music can achieve. Often not an easy listen, yet there’s something about Sakata’s squealing that leads to rapture more often than painful earsplitting (as I often find with saxophone performances). It really gets into your blood and takes over your body. I love to listen to this record alone after a few beers. It’s really very special and there’s something about being alone with it. It’s incredibly raw and if you close your eyes both Sakata and O’Rourke could be in the room with you. Not for the faint-hearted but it will explode yours if you let it. In a good way.



You can buy the music featured here:


Akira Sakata & Jim O'Rourke - https://akirasakata1.bandcamp.com/album/may



 
 
 

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©2021 Peter Taylor

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