1. JOANNA NEWSOM YS (DRAG CITY): Listening to it still feels like opening the doors to a giant advent calendar, only to look around and find yourself in Santa’s grotto itself. I may never tire of this unique and wonderful piece of art. review listen buy
2. TIM HECKER HARMONY IN ULTRAVIOLET (KRANKY): To me, the most satisfying electronic album since Fennesz’s Endless Summer; this was a consistently dizzying Munch-like whirl of noise and colour. review listen buy
3. THE NECKS CHEMIST (RER): A monumental slab of irresistible propulsion which delivers a tantric masterclass in building unbearable tension; if they ever found that release it would be sooooooooo messy. A career best. review listen buy
4. THOMAS STRONEN POHLITZ (RUNE GRAMMOFON) : The pick of another vintage year for Rune Grammofon, and for Stronen (see his Humcrush release also), Pohlitz was a blur of percussive invention. Give the drummer some. listen buy
5. SVARTE GREINER KNIVE (TYPE): Just when we were thinking about sweeping up the post-party detritus Erik Skodvin snuck out this terrifying and unclassifiable opus. “Like someone assembling a bomb at the opera” I said. High praise, obviously. review listen buy
6. COLLEEN ET LES BOITES A MUSIQUE (LEAF) : An underhyped EP which contained some overwhelmingly powerful yet delicate music box symphonies, blown into shape like glass. She can do no wrong. review listen buy
7. SCOTT WALKER THE DRIFT (4AD) : Now 11 years since his previous release Tilt, and I still haven’t come to terms with that, never mind The Drift. Just thinking about it makes me want to hide under my duvet, eat pillow feathers and weep. listen buy
8. GREG HAINES SLUMBER TIDES (MIASMAH) : This was released so late in the year; I’ve a suspicion that if I had time to give it a few more listens it could have found itself even higher. “Debut of the year” someone said in the comments. I concur. review listen buy
9. GEIR JENSSEN CHO OYU (TOUCH/ASH) : Unexpected beauty and natural rhythms emerge from amidst the icy winds of this audio diary of a mad assault on one of the world’s highest peaks. The lengths some people will go to for our amusement… review listen buy
10. SVALASTOG WOODWORK (RUNE GRAMMOFON) : A beguiling instrumental oddity, the sounds of the zither lent this release an addictive charm; repeated plays suggested a master craftsman was behind Woodwork. review listen buy
11. ALI FARKE TOURE SAVANE (WORLD CIRCUIT) listen buy
12. JUANA MOLINA SON (DOMINO) review listen buy
13. TAYLOR DEUPREE NORTHERN (12K) review listen buy
14. CHRIS CORSANO THE YOUNG CRICKETER (CDR) review listen buy
15. ADRIAN KLUMPES BE STILL (LEAF) review listen buy
16. GRAILS BLACK TAR PROPHECIES 1, 2 & 3 (IMPORTANT) review listen buy
17. WILLIAM BASINSKI VARIATIONS FOR PIANO AND TAPE (2062) review buy
18. MATMOS THE ROSE HAS TEETH…(MATADOR) listen buy
19. JAN JELINEK TIERBEOBACHTUNGEN (~SCAPE) review listen buy
20. CARLA BOZULICH EVANGELISTA (CONSTELLATION) review listen buy
COMMENDED TO THE HOUSE : Johann Johannson IBM 1401, Paul Flaherty and Chris Corsano The Beloved Music, Broadcast The Future Crayon, The Gray Field Recordings Hypnagogia, Humcrush Hornswoggle, Ryan Teague Coins and Crosses, Glenn Kotche Mobile, Benoit Pioulard Precis, Mogwai Zidane, Triosk The Headlight Serenade, Christine Carter Electrice, Xela The Dead Sea, Chicago Underground Duo In Praise Of Shadows, Ricardo Villalobos Fizheuer Zieheuer, In The Country Losing Stones Collecting Bones, Alva Noto For, Boxhead Ensemble Nocturnes, Liars Drums Not Dead, Grizzly Bear Yellow House, Six Organs Of Admittance The Sun Awakens, Christopher Willits Surf Boundaries, Tom Waits Orphans, Burial Burial, Cat Power The Greatest, OOIOO Taiga, Max Richter Songs from Before, Volcano! Beautiful Seizure, Acid Mothers Temple Starless and Bible Black Sabbath, Huntsville For The Middle Class, Nina Nastasia On Leaving…
17 comments
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December 16, 2006 at 2:31 am
josé l báez
hi!
i recently made my list of 2006’s best (leaving all sense of objectivity behind) and i see that we share some common albums.
chemist by the necks it’s absolutely fabulous. i recall listening about 3 or 4 times in a day back there in august. tim hecker’s is a one that i recetly discover and it has become one of the favourites. colleen and jan jelinek also made lots of listening in my winamp.
i have to thank you ’cause your blog has become a point of reference for discovering great new music this year.
many greetings and you can check my list here.
December 16, 2006 at 6:29 am
ebos
can’t believe yellow house didn’t make your top 10
Joanna at number 1? I must strongly disagree with that
December 16, 2006 at 5:55 pm
Mandrew
Dear Mr Maps, I’M with you on number 1 although it’ll be a tie with Burial for me, I reckon. There are a couple of things on your list that I don’t have though. I don’t even know who Greg Haines is. “Let’s discussing” as they say round these parts. My list and blog will appear some time this decade. I promise.
December 17, 2006 at 8:16 am
hmmm
seriously, no yellow house, seriously
bah humbug
December 17, 2006 at 7:24 pm
themilkman
Quite unsurprisingly, we share a few of our top 10 albums. Mine should be up sometime this week, and I hope it will make as much of an interesting read as yours…
December 17, 2006 at 11:46 pm
mapsadaisical
Thanks all.
Ola Jose! I’ve enjoyed your site too this year – great list, a couple of things on there I still need to check out.
Ebos/Hmmmm (same IP address, how interesting…): There are a couple of Grizzly Bear t-shirt wearing kids spraypainting “NEWSOM-LOVING SCUM” on my front door as we speak.
Mandrew – Greg Haines is, as Larry David would say, “pre-e-e-etty good”. Discussing is long overdue. Missing you big fella.
Milkman – I’m still waiting patiently!
December 18, 2006 at 10:57 pm
peter
Quality list; I must say that the more I listen to “Harmony in Ultraviolet”, the more it continues to simply blow my mind. Amazing amazing album.
I must say though, I am surprised that “Precis” didn’t even crack your top twenty. What a wonderful album that is…
December 19, 2006 at 10:16 am
mapsadaisical
Kranky had a great 2006. Definitely one of my labels of the year, along with Type and (as always it seems) Rune Grammofon
December 19, 2006 at 10:33 pm
peter
If kranky had only released the Tim Hecker record this year, it would have been a good year for them. But, they didn’t stop there. I don’t think anyone could have predicted kranky’s banner 2006 (or anyone who deserves it more).
December 20, 2006 at 11:10 pm
musicinterfaces
Interesting list, mine’s here. Last.fm says that we have a very high music compatibility yet we only share three picks! Is Farka Toure’s Savane up there with Niafunke and the Radio Mali?
December 20, 2006 at 11:12 pm
musicinterfaces
Oh weird – WordPress is linking me to something I’ve just set up that I don’t know whether I’m going to have the time/energy to maintain, but would like to if I could. Gah, cookies I guess. It’s me, eleventhvolume by the way…
December 23, 2006 at 9:13 am
doru649
hehe, i’m not into top 10s that much, but yeah, this one is pretty decent and varied. i have to say though that “Hypnagogia” is last year’s news (they’re releasing next year!), and as far as suggestions go, just take a listen to Ben Frost’s album (esp if you like Hecker so much) – it should be here with the greats.
December 29, 2006 at 10:30 pm
Linda
your list sounds good, nevermind the nitpickers. yellow house eh? whatever for?
December 30, 2006 at 5:18 pm
mapsadaisical
Ummm….what day is it? Merry xmas…happy new year…all that kind of thing.
Colin – I’ll keep an eye on your music interfaces thing, looks interesting. Can’t believe you haven’t heard Savane – it is definitely as good as Niafunke, and I know how highly you rate that.
Doru – I look forward to the new Gray Field Recordings, and will try to dig out the Ben Frost too. Thanks as ever for your recommendations.
Linda – Yeah, if this nitpicker isn’t careful, I’m demoting Grizzly Bear out of the top 50 just to spite him.
January 5, 2007 at 4:16 pm
mapsadaisical
Just to note: I’ve had to take down a few of the links due to problems with a certain file lodging facility. I hope to get them back up soon.
January 6, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Adam off of Queensbury
Scott, if you require alternative file lodging facilities, let me know and I will allow you to store whatever you wish on my server (that has no restrictions).
January 8, 2007 at 10:00 pm
mapsadaisical
Fixed, but ta…