Total Bummer is a Total Winner (PLAYLIST)

So there are a lot of music festivals lately – have you noticed? And they’re getting bigger; much bigger. Ten bands in one day used to qualify as a “festival”. Now SXSW has 1000 bands and lasts 6 months (I think). With all these festivals popping up, surely there’s one out there with allure past a few interesting headliners AND doesn’t cost $300. Maybe? No? Bummer.

SEGUE into obvious counterpoint: yes, such a festival exists and it’s called Total Bummer, happening this weekend in Orlando. Unless you’re pretty actively seeking out music, the lineup, which spans 4 days (Thur-Sun) probably looks unfamiliar. Let me promise you that this roster is somewhat of a triumph of promising, under-the-radar artists. Certainly a triumph by Florida standards. While other festivals feel like an exercise in market targeting, Total Bummer looks like a curated collection of artists that have been earning nods from music geeks, Bandcamp scouts, and tumblrerers. It’s a sign that maybe self-publishing music – and, in many cases, sharing it for free – is the new way to connect with listeners, build a fan base, and perhaps even make a living out of creating music without getting pimped around by a label.

Total Bummer’s artists range from dance floor sensations Pictureplane and Teengirl Fantasy to performance art to unapologetically subtle instrumental acts. In between there dozens of Florida’s most promising new(er) acts, including a showcase from Tiny Waves.

Total Bummer 3D: Dance Mix

In total there are 103 bands. And because the majority of the artists aren’t reined by mid-major labels, the price is low. Very low. $30 gives you a weekend pass. Radical!

Here’s the full line-up:

Obvious conclusion: I genuinely recommend making it out to this. Support Florida bands and self-supported musicians/artists*

*that are inventive and talented. don’t support the other ones – someone needs to wait all these tables

Shchmue Unveils 19-track “Mashchup Megamix”

The mashup is a dubious thing in music. When they’re good, they’re really good–consider Danger Mouse’s acclaimed blend of Jay-Z’s black album with the Beatles’ white album, “The Grey Album“–get it?

Remember when mashups were cute?

It’s understandably irresistible to work in some wordplay when merging things, but this hallmark of the modern mashup has had an undesirable side effect: the birth of mashup ideas based on wordplay (or other conceptual novelties–like photoshops–that become available when song A is juxtaposed with song B). The problem is that song A and song B just might not be mashuppable. In fact (FACT), they usually aren’t unless at least one of them is skillfully disassembled first (a fact overlooked by armies of cut-and-paste DJs equipped with an arsenal of illustratively potent YouTube tutorials). The internet’s been getting landfilled with bungled mashups and we could stop it if awareness could be raised on some essential ingredients to a mashup engineering.

1. You don’t get to name the track until it’s done
2. Key matters
3. Mastering is important to add some uniformity across the (separately mastered) source tracks
4. A cappellas should be used to isolate vocal tracks
5. Beat signature and song structure matter. Shuffle pieces around and see what works.
6. IF IT’S NOT WORKING, GIVE UP. We have enough Biggie mashups anyway.

With due advisories out of the way, let’s talk about Shchmue, Tampa’s own Ryan Dubas. He doesn’t play shows (yet?) and rarely shares his music outside of a circle of trusted friends. He and I (and countless others) share e-composer masterminds Richard D. James and Aaron Funk (Aphex Twin and Venetian Snares) as major influences – it keeps the bar high but the output low. Greg Gillis, a proficient IDM/experimental producer endured a similar path of anonymity in perfectionism before deciding to start messing around with pop samples. Most now know him now as Girl Talk, the unofficial emperor of mashups.

The take-away? Attention to detail (and not shallow points of conceptual novelty) are what make mashups good, so take note of the producers behind mashups because they are the common element behind ones that you should actually add to your library. Shchmue has offered up one such example – a 6-min “mashchup megamix” that fuses 19 different tracks together in true mashup spirit. He revealed the track to an audience of other local producers and musicians at a recent listening party. As the mix unfolded I think we all realized at the same time that Ryan had upped the ante.

You may not recognize the tracks (like the lead-in with unknown chiptune heater “Maybe [MX remix]” by Fighter X), but that’s part of the point – song recognition and “oh neat” moments might carry a mashup through the initial listen, but it’s not enough to keep it on repeat. We’re going on the record saying that Shchmue–thanks to due study of the mashup scene, production methods, and basic music theory–is doing the mashup justice. We are excited to see how it unfolds when it’s finished in the workshchop.

Introducing: XXYYXX

XXYYXX is the moniker of Orlando's Marcel Everett.

XXYYXX is one among a promising stable of young beat makers and musicians on East Coast label Relief in Abstract, grabbing attention from some high-visibility blogs including XLR8R and Earmilk. Not bad for a 16-year-old just getting his feet wet (feel old yet?)

Last week he released his second full-length album, self-titled XXYYXX. The 14-track album explores the negative space that characterizes downtempo beats, accented with hints of 90s R&B as well as more in-the-moment styles (think: “glo-fi”, genres with “witch” in the name, and other dreamy, minimal styles).

Check out one of the album’s more uptempo spots, “Love Isn’t Made” featuring the omnipresent Steffaloo to soften the edges on some UK-style breakbeat.

Marcel will be supporting Blackbird Blackbird during stops in Orlando and Tampa – you can bet your blackbirds Brasky will be out for that one. Sample some more of XXYYXX’s work over at his Bandcamp (I especially endorse his beat-rich split EP with Ruddyp.)

Brasky Presents: SBTRKT @ Orpheum, March 24

On March 24, Brasky is proud to present SBTRKT, live at the Orpheum. SBTRKT (hint, “Subtract”) is the alias of London producer/musician Aaron Jerome, who is making his first US tour following a tremendously successful self-titled album in 2011. Don’t just take it from us–the album found its way onto many top 10 lists in 2011, including the #1 spot for two of The Guardian‘s music critics.

Purchase Tickets via Daddy Kool Records.


Saturday March 24, 2012
The Orpheum
Doors Time: 8pm / Show Time: 9pm
$16 Advance / $20 Day of Show

Expect to see SBTRKT donning his characteristic tribal mask, part of a larger initiative encouraging listeners and DJs to evaluate his music on its own merits–to “subtract” personal attributions and focus on the music (Seem unusual? Jerome certainly doesn’t take the anonymity angle as far as another UK producer).

SBTRKT is usually accompanied by Sampha who contributes vocals and keyboard work. Look for the live set to include performance and not just DJ’ing:

And for those of you who fell in love with Little Dragon this year (or at least caught wind of the buzz), Yukimi Nagano is featured in SBTRKT’s single “Wildfire”:

Staff Picks: Best Albums of 2011

Our staff, as well as our growing forum community (the “Brasky Society” over on Facebook), have been committed to following music this past year. Inevitably this means having to endure countless tracks that land well outside our preferred genres, but it’s a necessary toll before you can make sweeping assertions about what music is the “best”.

This year we recruited the opinions of a few of Tampa Bay’s music scene insiders – Jack Spatafora from Aestheticized (a long-time fixture in the Bay Area), Anna Serena from Don’t Stop Collective and No Clubs (booking powerhouse), and Yvonne Bell, music editor at DiveInTampaBay.com

Earning top album honors on multiple lists this year are Washed Out, M83, Little Dragon, Neon Indian, Metronomy, Toro y Moi, and Bon Iver. For those of you scoring at home, that’s three bands that are firmly associated with the birth of “chillwave” (one of the predominant music trends in 2011).

Usual disclaimers:

1. The omission of major pop acts doesn’t mean they weren’t given fair consideration
2. Bands that released music too close to the beginning or end of the year are probably underrepresented. Some albums in this post were first released in late 2010.
3. We each took our own stance on whether we wanted to order our lists and whether we wanted to include write-ups

Fine print disclosed, here are the Brasky collective’s choices for best albums of 2011.

Top Albums of 2011

Derek Clark’s Top 10

The Rural Alberta Advantage Departing	I am very puzzled why this album didn’t make it on more people’s lists this year. This album i… I am very puzzled why this album didn’t make it on more people’s lists this year. This album is loaded with incredibly moving tracks, ranging from wistful/quiet tunes to stampeding rock songs that are softened with keyboard accompaniment, keeping the message sincere while remaining urgent. Read More | Listen on Spotify
Washed Out Within and Without	Pleasantly surprised at how excellent this album was, afraid that it would not match the appeal… Pleasantly surprised at how excellent this album was, afraid that it would not match the appeal of Life of Leisure (the EP from 2009 that really launched Washed Out) Read More | Listen on Spotify
M83 Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming	When I learned this album was two discs I was a bit concerned. Not since SP’s Melancholy and t… When I learned this album was two discs I was a bit concerned. Not since SP’s Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness have I run across a 20+ track album that didn’t feel bloated with filler. But M83 delivers with a widely acclaimed album that features more instrumentation and more singing from Anthony Gonzalez than album’s past. The tracks range from introspective, dreamy synth instrumentals to radio-caliber electro pop. The album’s greatest achievement may be reaching out to new audiences without compromising the signature sound that captured early listeners. Read More | Listen on Spotify
Alex Winston Sister Wife	If this was one of those Miller Lite commercials where my friends sass me for doing the “second… If this was one of those Miller Lite commercials where my friends sass me for doing the “second unmanly thing” by grabbing a generic light beer, then the first unmanly thing would be including this album on my list. Or maybe listening to it at all. But that’s as far as I’ll backpedal–these songs are jubilant, whimsical, catchy, and honest. Alex has already repelled some listeners with her curious singing voice, but she wins big points for me for her songwriting. (Note: favorite track is ‘Locomotive‘, which isn’t available to listen to on Spotify – for me at least). Read More | Listen on Spotify
Morning Benders Japan Echo	Somewhat under the radar, the Morning Benders released a remix album to help raise money for Ja… Somewhat under the radar, the Morning Benders released a remix album to help raise money for Japan after the tsunami. The album featured 2 original tracks and 6 remixes (of last year’s Big Echo), assembled by a reputable lineup of up-and-comers: Star Slinger, Twin Sister, Wild Nothing, RAC, and Aislyn. Intrigue aside, I was impressed by every single track. Read More | Listen on SoundCloud
Ricky Eat Acid 2 albums (Haunt U Forever, Seeing Little Ghosts Everywhere)	I include two albums here because hearing the second will completely change how you feel about … I include two albums here because hearing the second will completely change how you feel about the first, regardless of which you try first. We’ll go chronologically – “Haunt u forever” first. Here you’ll find 9 tracks with short, seemingly ironically-named (to play up the short/empty pop song titles). The style? Ambient beats with some nice guitar samplage to create that mellow west coast vibe I first sensed when listening to Nobody 5 years ago (before the arrival of the more glitch/LA-influenced stuff). Now try “seeing little ghosts everywhere” and at first the contrast is so stark you wonder if the music is serious. Track after track short, minimal cassette recordings, mixing light piano, light acoustic guitar, and a lot of negative space polluted with static. But then the picture comes together and the nuance starts to take form. Song titles like “sitting by the church with dan”, “birthdays”, and “it rained for so long that my house floated away and i drowned” start to paint this landscape of dreary days and detachment. The download comes with about 20 pictures depicting gray tableaus of rural Maryland and dark indoor spaces. The album marks a shift toward sadness, which by all accounts, appears to be sincere. The songs are mostly vacant, but ooze warmth, occasionally offering piano melodies that support the fact that real songwriting is present and not just dreary doodles. Ultimately, it’s the context of the music’s origin (perhaps made more intriguing by the uncertainties) that made Ricky Eat Acid memorable for me in 2011. “Ricky” doesn’t offer much in his bio. Right now you’ll find only the following: “im sad”. Maybe in the end he won’t regret where it took him creatively. Read More | Listen on Bandcamp
Cults Cults	After a few remarkably successful debut singles in 2010, Manhattan duo Cults was poised to drop… After a few remarkably successful debut singles in 2010, Manhattan duo Cults was poised to drop a big album this year – they delivered. Almost every song achieves moments of pop bliss while still remaining non-formulaic and thoughtful. Read More | Listen on Spotify
Galapagos (multiple EPs)	For me, the sound of Austin producer Galapagos’ work is a perfect blend of a lot of things I’ve… For me, the sound of Austin producer Galapagos’ work is a perfect blend of a lot of things I’ve come to love from electronic music. The tempos range from quick juke-like beats (think: Star Slinger) to casual tropical bumpers (think: Delorean). Lots of vocal cut-ups, instrumental samples, and manual edits give the music an organic feel, but some tracks do seem a bit light on layers and don’t evolve much. But in the Bandcamp/Soundcloud era of increased output and shorter track lengths, the preceding charges should be softened when evaluating Galapagos’ potential. Read More | Listen on Bandcamp
Various Artists Mad Hop: Volume 2	Believe me, I don’t like including a compilation on here; doesn’t feel right. BUT. During a “… Believe me, I don’t like including a compilation on here; doesn’t feel right. BUT. During a “slow” year, this collection of tracks positively dazzled me. What sets this compilation (and the emerging “Mad Hop” series) apart its truly international scope. All indications are that the Mad Hop creators are from Russia or Eastern Europe, though their compilations each include the tag “Hong Kong”. At least 12 countries and 5 continents are represented. The production quality, flare and pure expressive energy on most tracks far exceeds what you’ll usually encounter in the great abyss of netlabel-variety beat music. The Mad Hop series has made me realize that our visibility of the music scene is still very limited–kudos to the scene scouts that are pulling all this talent together. Read More | Listen on Bandcamp
Germany Germany Adventures	From Canada Canada comes Germany Germany, an independent music project by Drew Harris. The m… From Canada (Canada) comes Germany Germany, an independent music project by Drew Harris. The music varies in style, but is consistently bumps along on danceable kicks. The mood is softened with ambient guitar and synth accents, occasionally venturing into synthpop territory but usually keeping things echoey and mellow. Sadly, Germany Germany is on break for “personal reasons”. One and done? Read More | Listen on Bandcamp

Nikki Elizabeth’s Top 10

1	Phantogram Nightlife	Listen on Spotify
2	Spies on Bikes Man Overboard	Listen on SoundCloud
3	Freddy Todd Neon Spectacle Operator	Listen on Addictech
4	Blaerg Everything Was Altered	Listen on Spotify
5	The Human Abstract Digital Veil	Listen on Spotify
6	Tom Waits Bad As Me	Listen on Spotify
7	Curren$y Covert Coup	Listen on Spotify
8	Kate Bush 50 Words for Snow	Listen on Spotify
9	Auto!Automatic!! Auto!Automatic!!	Listen on Spotify
10	Seefeel Seefeel	Listen on Spotify

Aaron Rogge’s Top 10

1	War on Drugs Slave Ambient	War on Drugs’ newest album, Slave Ambient, scratches a particular itch that I’ve had ever since… War on Drugs’ newest album, Slave Ambient, scratches a particular itch that I’ve had ever since Grandaddy broke up. WoD explores a newfound fidelity (and newfound band members) while giving nods to rock mainstays as diverse as Tom Petty and My Bloody Valentine, or perhaps Bob Dylan and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Slave Ambient takes American rock standards and presents them in a distorted, sonically ragged way that stands as a dichotomy to the in-time pop melodia below the relentless churning of ‘wave’. The music is as distant as a spacecast and as familiar as a drive to work; the War on Drugs seem intent on bringing back the one-chord song so familiar in stereotypes of early-70s krautrock without losing this dying-ember romanticism pioneered by the likes of Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. The songs are supplicating but not apologetic in a way that Conor Oberst never pinned down. This album may find a lot of gray area between musical tastes, ages and ranges, but it has an enchanting motive firm enough to make it work. Read More | Listen on Spotify
2	Real Estate Days	Real Estate is a relative latecomer to the indie lo-fi long-play ouevre but they seem to have f… Real Estate is a relative latecomer to the indie lo-fi long-play ouevre but they seem to have found a nice sonic parking spot in the genre somewhere between Beach House and Local Natives. The album provides the requisite wistful breakdowns of modern indie and has plenty of flourishes that bump up against country underpinnings; the members never exploit rock and roll tendancies more than would, say, the Beach Boys. One rushes to dismiss them as Shins knockoffs, but with the dismay of knowing that there will never be another Chutes too Narrow, there’s Real Estate and they’re willing to give it a shot. It’s Real is the soundtrack to your next beach trip. Read More | Listen on Spotify
3	Neon Indian Era Extrana	Era Extrana is the second LP from Denton, Texas producer/bandleader/electronics guru Neon India… Era Extrana is the second LP from Denton, Texas producer/bandleader/electronics guru Neon Indian. Psychic Chasms came on in winter 2009/2010 as the relaxing clarion call (?) for a new generation of freakers, dreamers, 20-somethings, and in general people who like to use Instagram. Era Extrana brings more to the table when it comes to landscapes; where his collaboration with the Flaming Lips sounded like a scientist tinkering with fun instruments in something resembling the joy of Christmas morning, the new album has flare, finesse and a songcraft that seems in step with pop zeitgeist yet beyond any constraints of genre-settling or a pandering reverence to source material. What brings it down to earth is the nagging sensation that the echoing quality of the tones and sometimes saccharine pop choruses begin to mimic the background music to some strange 1991 shopping mall. Like the video game arcade ten minutes before closing. Read More | Listen on Spotify
4	Smith Westerns Dye it Blond	On Dye it Blonde, Smith Westerns successfully blend arena rock grandeur with the major-chord sc… On Dye it Blonde, Smith Westerns successfully blend arena rock grandeur with the major-chord scoot of pop punk in a way that comes off as fun, sincere and confident… they would seriously like to be the soundtrack to your next summer weekend. The songs have all the trappings of a raucous night out with friends: fist pumping rushes of adrenaline, sing-along oohs and ahs, and introspective rock ballad resignations. The recipe is as follows: finely chop an ounce of Thin Lizzy, mix thoroughly with a half ounce of 1978-era Elton John, then add a tablespoon of Brian May’s clean lead-guitar squeal. Top with a quarter cup of refined Saves the Day and a zest of Scissor Sisters. Serve with Sunglasses and PBR in the can. Read More | Listen on Spotify
5	The Bees Every Step’s a Yes	The Bees, or A Band of Bees interchangeably, are a collective of folk, jam and rock musicians f… The Bees, or A Band of Bees interchangeably, are a collective of folk, jam and rock musicians from the Isle of Wight. Their newest release, Every Step’s a Yes, is a dramatically varied album that comes off like a mixtape from a band who chose to revamp songs from other artists that they thought could use a new coat of paint. Organs, horns, mandolins, and other style-specific instruments are applied appropriately. Even while touching on styles as disparate as reggae and minstrel balladry, the Bees never lose their distinctly relaxed, summer-of-love Brit-folk feel. I readily admit that this album came out in October 2010, but was only released stateside in November 2011, so mark it an Eight, Dude. Read More | Listen on
6	Russian Circles Empros	The latest album from Russian Circles sees the Chicago based Post-Rock/apocalyptic instrumental… The latest album from Russian Circles sees the Chicago based Post-Rock/apocalyptic instrumentalists sticking closely to the formula they employed on 2009’s staggering work of genius, Geneva. That is, punishing, trudging build-ups punctuated by well syncopated drums and quiet fugue states of atmospheric glow. In a year in which dozens of artists took their craft in new (sometimes regrettable) directions, the brutal yet mournful, overpowering yet thoughtful prowess of Empros fits nicely as another keystone in the genre. Russian Circles is making important music. Read More | Listen on Spotify
7	Iron and Wine Kiss Each Other Clean	Sam Beam is no one-trick pony. Iron and Wine’s newest album ‘Kiss Each Other Clean’ explores bi… Sam Beam is no one-trick pony. Iron and Wine’s newest album ‘Kiss Each Other Clean’ explores big orchestrations of funk, soul, and rock without sounding out of element. The deep-south funk-rock march of Big Burned Hand seems stolen straight from Keller Williams’ b-sides while Glad Man Singing sounds like a visit to Mick Fleetwood’s house. Beam and the rest of Iron and Wine show a wisdom that surpasses Bon Iver and a tenderness that escaped the Black Keys. This album may surprise fans of the band’s earlier work, but I found it to be a welcome transformation. Read More | Listen on Spotify
8	Buckethead Buckethead Pikes (1-5)	Buckethead Pikes is a set of five (and counting) albums released by avant-garde guitarist Bucke… Buckethead Pikes is a set of five (and counting) albums released by avant-garde guitarist Buckethead in 2011. The notorious virtuoso/workaholic set out to produce distinctly different albums that act as companion music for a trip through the furthest reaches of Bucketheadland, the amusement park so frequently chronicled in his incredibly wide sonic catalogue of over 30 albums. The tracks slink through thrilling battle-march shredfests and linger in mind-bending caverns of mysterious sounds and messages. The album covers are illustrated as if each were an issue in a comic book series, and Buckethead’s unending NBA muses continues to inspire prog ballads that would make Coheed and Cambria blush. This effort may not make many year-end lists, but it’s personally exciting to see veterans of the music industry continue to innovate and create with such proliferation. Read More | Listen on
9	Beach Fossils What a Pleasure	Beach Fossils’ ‘What a Pleasure’ is your godawful-hipster themed party soundtrack. Guitars so c… Beach Fossils’ ‘What a Pleasure’ is your godawful-hipster themed party soundtrack. Guitars so clean that you can hear the tweedy echoes of a vintage tube amp aptly pilot a series of songs that feel content to run touch-and-goes all day on the lo-fi tarmac; the songs break a sweat but never work too hard. Joy Division drums that sound as if they’re set behind a drum shield do their best to stay out of the way of soaring summer-day synths on an album that I almost consider boring. If they went any bigger, they’d be Temper Trap, and if they held any more back they’d be the XX. All things considered this is a well-measured album that knows its references and always keeps it a little less than serious. Read More | Listen on Spotify
10	The Globes Future Self	The Globes debut album ‘Future Self’ is a rich, personal affair. It feels as if the band member… The Globes debut album ‘Future Self’ is a rich, personal affair. It feels as if the band members don’t want to put down their instruments, but would prefer to keep jamming on each of these eight unfolding missives. The result here is an honest, brutal record with an amazing single, Pigeons. The well-recorded drums and novel codas recall the Smashing Pumpkins in their prime, yet I’d most adequately describe their sound as Burst and Bloom-era Cursive meets the current state of Sonic Youth. I personally discovered this band blind as they opened for El Ten Eleven. Been there, rode the ride, bought the t-shirt, wrote the review. Read More | Listen on Spotify

Emanuel Moshouris’ Top 10

1	Apparat The Devil’s Walk	While everyone else was busy worrying about genres and other bullshit, Apparat reminded us that … While everyone else was busy worrying about genres and other bullshit, Apparat reminded us that it’s all music anyways. Read More | Listen on Spotify
2	Wallpaper. #STUPiDFACEDD	Lonely Island’s latest foray into fake rap may have been disappointing, but Ricky Reed done’ ch… Lonely Island’s latest foray into fake rap may have been disappointing, but Ricky Reed done’ changed the game. Almost album of the year, hadn’t Breaking Bad featured Apparat in a superbadass way in the last season. Read More | Listen on Spotify
3	SBTRKT SBTRKT	Goddamnit Nikki, you have to stop suggesting things that make my list harder to organize. I did… Goddamnit Nikki, you have to stop suggesting things that make my list harder to organize. I didn’t even want to like this band, then she had to go and suggest it. What a see word. Read More | Listen on Spotify
4	Holy Ghost! Holy Ghost!	Yeah, it took them forever, but, whatever. It’s catchy. It reeks of DFA. It’s delicious…. Yeah, it took them forever, but, whatever. It’s catchy. It reeks of DFA. It’s delicious. Read More | Listen on Spotify
5	Metronomy The English Riviera	I think this album was on repeat in my car for a few weeks…. I think this album was on repeat in my car for a few weeks. Read More | Listen on Spotify
6	Mexicans With Guns Ceremony	Lord, give me the strength not to punch this artist in the face if I ever see him live for havi… Lord, give me the strength not to punch this artist in the face if I ever see him live for having such a stupid name. Read More | Listen on Spotify
7	Dye Taki 183	And here we were, thinking the early 00′s electronic thing was played out. These guys come and … And here we were, thinking the early 00′s electronic thing was played out. These guys come and remind us what M83 was like before he turned thirty and got all shitty. Read More | Listen on Spotify
8	Com Truise Galactic Melt	This sort of catchy should be illegal. Also, bonus points for showing up to shows dressed up li… This sort of catchy should be illegal. Also, bonus points for showing up to shows dressed up like a thirty four year old overweight father. Read More | Listen on Spotify
9	Nicolas Jaar Space is Only Noise	On one hand, I loved parts of this album. On the other hand, he’s only, like, 21, and doesn’t k… On one hand, I loved parts of this album. On the other hand, he’s only, like, 21, and doesn’t know shit about how to balance an album out. So in a few years I expect perfection out of him. For now, he only gets #9. Also, he’s Chilean, which makes him obligatorily boring in person, probably. Read More | Listen on Spotify
10	M83 Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming	I didn’t feel like making an entire “Worst Of 2011 Album”, so instead, I’m simply placing this … I didn’t feel like making an entire “Worst Of 2011 Album”, so instead, I’m simply placing this steaming turd of failed ideas at my #10 spot, and letting you all know not only was this the worst album I’ve heard in 2011, it was the probably the worst hour of my life. The entire album feels like the packaging for the one good song. You can tell he obviously ran out of ideas, and sort of just kept… going. Someone at the label, however, forgot to tell him it was shit. Even funnier, is that they insisted they release ALL of the garbage he produced, and he made it a double album. If you want a quick reminder of how music shouldn’t be, just play this and remind yourself what happens when all reason, talent, and sense is neglected. Read More | Listen on Spotify

Victoria Casal’s Top 10

1	Washed Out Within and Without	Listen on Spotify
2	Adele 21	Listen on Spotify
3	Blind Pilot We are the Tide	Listen on Spotify
4	High Highs High Highs	Listen on Spotify
5	SBTRKT SBTRKT	Listen on Spotify
6	Fionn Regan 100 Acres of Sycamore	Listen on Spotify
7	Memoryhouse The Years EP	Listen on Spotify
8	Bon Iver Bon Iver	Listen on Spotify
9	Little Dragon Ritual Union	Listen on Spotify
10	Dustin O’Hallaran Lumiere	Listen on Spotify

Anna Serena’s Top 10

James Blake James Blake	Listen on Spotify
Washed Out Within and Without	Listen on Spotify
Radiohead The King of Limbs	Listen on Spotify
Little Dragon Ritual Union	Listen on Spotify
Braids Native Speaker	Listen on Spotify
Wolves in the Throne Room Celestial Linage	Listen on Spotify
Toro Y Moi Underneath the Pine	Listen on Spotify
M83 Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming	Listen on Spotify
Shabazz Palaces Black Up	Listen on Spotify
Tycho Dive	Listen on Spotify
John Maus We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves	Listen on Spotify
Prince Rama Trust Now	Listen on Spotify

Jack Spatafora’s Top 10

1	Metronomy The English Riviera	Listen on Spotify
2	Jamie Woon Mirrorwriting	Listen on Spotify
3	Akron/Family S/T II: The Cosmic Birth & Journey of Shinju TNT	Listen on Spotify
4	Machinedrum Room(s)	Listen on Planet Mu
5	SBTRKT SBTRKT	Listen on Spotify
6	Junior Boys It’s All True	Listen on Spotify
7	Benoit & Sergio Principles + Boy Trouble 12″s	Listen on Spotify
8	Little Dragon Ritual Union	Listen on Spotify
9	Chrissy Murderbot Women’s Studies	Listen on SoundCloud
10	Here We Go Magic The January EP	Listen on Spotify

Yvonne Bell’s Top 10

1	Cut Copy Zonoscope	Listen on Spotify
2	Sleepy Vikings They Will Find You Here	Listen on Spotify
3	Washed Out Within and Without	Listen on Spotify
4	Toro Y Moi Underneath the Pine	Listen on Spotify
5	Neon Indian Era Extrana	Listen on Spotify
6	Jay Z & Kanye Watch the Throne	Listen on Spotify
7	The Horrors Skying	Listen on Spotify
8	The Black Keys El Camino	Listen on Amazon
9	Lykke Li Wounded Rhymes	Listen on Spotify
10	Cults Cults	Listen on Spotify

Top Albums of 2011: Honorable Mentions

And because some great releases don’t quite fit in the top 10 discussion, we have included the collective’s honorable mentions (100% real bits of honor)

	TV on the Radio Nine Types of Light	I added this after seeing none of our reviews even mentioned it. It’s another excellent album … I added this after seeing none of our reviews even mentioned it. It’s another excellent album from these Philly vets. If you’ve liked anything they’ve done before, you should enjoy this, too. Read More | Listen on Spotify
	The Weeknd House of Balloons	I really do not like R&B, but the insane amounts of hype pushed The Weeknd into queue. I was (… I really do not like R&B, but the insane amounts of hype pushed The Weeknd into queue. I was (and remain) very surprised at how much I enjoyed most of the tracks. For me the music underlying Abel Tesfaye’s words is the essential piece the sets it apart from other R&B, but I find the vocal tracks continue to grow on me. He’s good. Read More | Listen on SoundCloud
	Air Drops EP	Random EPs like Air Drops EP, EP, are what make the music hunt fun. Five tracks, sequen… Random EPs like Air Drops EP, EP, are what make the music hunt fun. Five tracks, sequenced to create a continuous listening experience that is very hard to corral with genre labels–and I’m good at it. Read More | Listen on Bandcamp
	Memoryhouse Caregiver b/w Heirloom	A two-track EP gets a mention? Must be that both tracks are A+ songs. Two songs is about as m… A two-track EP gets a mention? Must be that both tracks are A+ songs. Two songs is about as many that I truly savored on any other album this year. (Note: technically a late 2010 release; forgive me) Read More | Listen on Bandcamp
	HVZEL MIXTVPE	“Witch house”? Yeah, that stuff’s still popping up. Here’s my favorite of the bunch from 2011… “Witch house”? Yeah, that stuff’s still popping up. Here’s my favorite of the bunch from 2011 – 5 tracks from the mysterious HVZEL. Read More | Listen on Bandcamp
	Braids Native Speaker	Great EP from Montreal quartet Braids. Kinda dreamy, lovely fuzzy guitar loops, and occasional… Great EP from Montreal quartet Braids. Kinda dreamy, lovely fuzzy guitar loops, and occasionally peppy (female) vocals and drums. I’m tired of writing reviews, so that’s all I’m going to say. Read More | Listen on Spotify
	InfinitiRock Music for Primordial Recollection	InfinitRock is a throwback to beat-driven IDM pioneers like Machinedrum. Supremely lush beats,… InfinitRock is a throwback to beat-driven IDM pioneers like Machinedrum. Supremely lush beats, garnished with a colorful mixture of samples and effects. Music for Primordial Recollection demonstrates an impressive range, stylistically, testing high energy beats as well as crackly down-tempo minimalism/house in the style of Burial (and the like – “TianchiSightings” passes as Gold Panda, according to my giant brain). Read More | Listen on Spotify
	Tech N9ne All 6s and 7s	Listen on Amazon
	Shlohmo Places	Listen on Pitchfork
	Metronomy The English Riviera	Listen on Spotify
	Austin Peralta Endless Planets	Listen on Boomkat
	Animals as Leaders Weightless	Listen on Amazon
	Venetian Snares Cubist Reggae	Listen on Spotify
	AYWKUBTTOD Tao of the Dead	Listen on MySpace
	Giraffes? Giraffes! Pink Magick	Listen on Spotify
	Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr It’s a Corporate World	Listen on Spotify
	Explosions in the Sky Take Care, Take Care, Take Care	Listen on Spotify
	Battles Gloss Drop	Listen on Spotify
	Blitzen Trapper American Goldwing	Listen on Amazon
	Yuck Yuck	Listen on Spotify
	Bon Iver Bon Iver	Listen on Spotify
	tUnE-yArDs W H O K I L L	Listen on Spotify
	Phantogram Nightlife	Listen on Spotify
	Widowspeak Widowspeak	Listen on Spotify
	Metronomy The English Riviera	Listen on Spotify
	Real Estate Days	Listen on Spotify
	Woods Sun and Shade	Listen on Spotify
	Opeth Heritage	Listen on Spotify
	Common The Dreamer, The Believer	Listen on Spotify

Check out our year-end picks from previous years:
Brasky’s Top 10 Albums of 2010
100 Notable Songs from 2010 (curated by Derek)
Brasky’s Top 10 Albums of 2009
Notable Songs from 2009 (curated by Derek and Nikki – didn’t really finish this one…)

Up Next

In 2012 we’ll be looking to share more forward-looking posts about the music industry, aside from our growth locally. We have some big plans this year! Stick around – soon Brasky will function much more like a service for savvy music followers in Tampa Bay.

The Year in Music, 2011

After critically evaluating a few hundred albums in one year (for our best albums of 2011 selections), I found myself developing surprisingly precise, abstract ideas about how everything fit together and what that “means” about the state of all creative music. It was a long year but I finished the whole thing (with a little help from my Brasky frands).

Here is an accurate summary of what’s going on:

Right-brained thinkers should feel satisfied and can stop reading.

For the restless and curious, here are a few more thoughts on the past year in music.

#1: It seems increasingly difficult for artists to stay relevant and hyped. Venerated bands like the Decemberists, TV on the Radio, The Black Keys, The Dodos, Iron & Wine, and My Morning Jacket released well-reviewed albums that barely got the attention of an online audience that’s heavily seduced by the idea of “the next big thing”. Even recent heroes struggled to hold the spotlight (Fleet Foxes…).

#2: As somewhat of an exception to the preceding, veterans Destroyer and Cut Copy enjoyed huge resurgences this year, but I suspect the support came from an entirely new generation of listeners.

#3: Minimalism and dreariness characterized many of 2011′s most critically acclaimed albums. Themes include:

• Slow and vacant electronic arrangements from Tim Hecker, The Field, Oneohtrix
• Drone-enveloped hymns – Julianna Barwick, SLEEP OVER
• Cassette culture’s pitch-wavering psychedelic mumblecore – John Maus, Blouse
• Men singing very delicately with almost no accompaniment – How to Dress Well, Bon Iver, James Blake.

#4: We saw the return of songwriters taking back some turf from the no-name bedroom producers. Folk music remains strong, especially in Europe, and blues/heartland rock continues to attract a new generation of listeners.

#5: The year in pop, reviewed: “feat. Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne”

#6: Everyone now knows that dubstep exists. However, no one knows what it is.

#7: A branch of big-bumping house music called “Moombahton” earns the honor of buzz genre of the year. Not to say there aren’t some ace Moombahton tracks and producers popping up, but I observed a lot of producers leverage the marketing power of the term and adapt their style accordingly. So what are the style guidelines? As you may have feared, the name draws from reggaeton, inheriting the bass kick signature (thump, thump, thump on every beat) but flexible on the snare arrangements. Plus a bunch of “pew pew pew” laser synths. Easy to criticize, but its dance floor popularity is harder to refute (especially after watching Nadastrom get the crowd bouncing).

Cats in the Basement to release Glow-in-the-Dark Vinyl

CATS would like you to have more fun

Cats in the Basement is “a musical performance project” by Sarasota’s Greg Ferris joined by a cast of “library-turned-dancehall” friends and musicians.

To help stir up some fanfare for their upcoming EP–mercilessly entitled “DOO BEE DOO LA DEE DAY DUM BE DUM DRINK YOUR BLOOD“–they are pressing some magical “glowie” vinyls.

Here’s a rather inspired teaser video from Greg & company:

It’s the season of giving around here (when we celebrate Bill Brasky’s birthing of Jesus), and Cats in the Basement are looking for support from people who like their music, appreciate local music, or simply support the cause of making more things glow-in-the-dark.

Visit their Kickstarter page and give them a few bucks–there are rewards for hitting certain pledge amounts. There are a variety of exotic rewards for recklessly generous pledges:

• $80 – We’ll write & record a song for you
• $250 – Greg Ferris will paint your likeness onto a 30″ x 24″ canvas.

I might have to start my own Kickstarter for the purpose of getting me that painting; I’m overdue to have self portrait over my headboard.

Skrillex @ The Ritz, Reviewed (Why I Hate or Love Skrillex)

When I found out I had a list spot at Skrillex’s show, I was surprised by how intrigued I became with the show. The Brasky forums know that I’ve been critical of Skrillex since his Deadmau5/Youtube-fueled emergence, but:

1. I enjoy live bass music and stick up for dubstep in this spirit
2. I’ve been curious to understand Skrillex’s popularity since noticing that his track “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” has surpassed 50+ million views, putting Skrillex in Lady Gaga territory. And, for the most part, he has done it without the visibility gained via mainstream media exposure. How? I needed to get to the bottom of it.

Upon arrival at the show I started ravenously observing the diversity of showgoers that were rolling in. It was clear that Skrillex was reaching a lot of different audiences within the electronic world, with most everyone represented.

8 Types of Skrillex Listeners

1.	Those half-naked rave girls, decorated with fluorescent doodads/trinkets/gewgaws – specifically, those Clydesdale ankle muff things. They are on drugs, but I’m not sure which ones.
2.	“Getting laid guys” (credit: Louis CK) in collared shirts, hooting at the fluorescent dancer girls (who of course are immensely detached from the people around them).
3.	Awkward computer nerds with Skrillex tees (I think these are the guys who relish the Transformer/dubstep correlation. Note: This correlation has been a terrible thing for dubstep. Also terrible: Zealous YouTube comments about “the drop” or “filth” that are so slobbery you can almost feel the mist)
4.	Suburban hipster looking people dressed very randomly with the jean shorts and wayfarer sunglasses and whatnot. I was wearing suspenders so I think that automatically lumps me here.
5.	Goth/metal couples on dates. (preemptive correction assuming this class may care greatly about this distinction: “cyber-goth”)
6.	People on ecstasy. And weird dudes in masks giving them nose-grazing neon hand jives while they sucked on lollipops and pretended to be rolling hard enough not to notice how REALLY WEIRD THIS LOOKS. IN PUBLIC.
7.	Vintage (2000-2005) screamo kids
8.	Clusters of white girls who appear to be dressing up to mimic the possibly-sincere fashion guidelines of any combination of the preceding. Most are unfamiliar with Skrillex but they’ve heard of dubstep and they like that band.

Now that I’ve judged 99% of the people in the building, let’s judge the final 1%–the performers.

Nadastrom

Opening duo Nadastrom seemed to get the smaller, early crowd excited with their signature danceable Moombahton/Electro-house thumpers. No dubstep on the bill yet, though the snarling bass and shrill vibrating synths seem to agree with Skrillex goers. The crowd was dancing.

Two Fresh

Up next was Two Fresh, who, amusingly enough, is comprised of three people. These guys brought a different kind of energy – more ambient-accented hip hop, passionately mixed/muted/amended. The bass was a bit lighter, with claps/snares leading the beat. It was disappointing to see the crowd moving less–I thought the Two/Three were shredding it. The crowd even seemed to miss Lil B getting sampled/remixed, but Two Fresh reeled in some head bobs with a bristling remix of Alpines’ Icypoles (Star Slinger remix with live drum overlay = yes.)

12th Planet

12th Planet was up next, performing in front of a crowd that was approaching the Ritz’s 2,000-person capacity. There’s no mistaking that 12 Planet’s set went well, feeling out the crowd with a DJ’s intuition as he moved between Skrillex-collabs and detours into Drum ‘N’ Bass (proudly shouting “I’m a junglist!”), Noisia remixes (Two of them! Diplocodus and a direct sampling of Shellshock to segue 2 tracks), and mostly-untouched crunk anthems by Waka Flocka Flame and Biggie that got the crowd VERY fired up (me included).

Skrillex (of Skrillex)

Lastly Skrillex came on and started drilling into everyone’s brains with his relentless forays into high-pitched synth breakdowns. Behind him was a massive video display featuring a virtual robot DJ that was directly synced to his knob turns and fist pumps – unmistakably fun to watch. The increasing influence of (label lord) Deadmau5′s style in Skrillex’s sound was present as at least half the tracks were either plotted on house beat signatures or stacked up and glued together by lengthy trance rises/falls. To me, Skrillex’s main distinction has been his trademark dubstep drops, characterized by a rapid exchange of growling/screaming highs and lows, switching and sliding and wubwubbing. When he unleashed “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” I knew I wanted to capture the now-famous “YES OH MY GOD” rest-before-drop. I set aside my (now alcohol-inflamed) urges to skank out and steadied my hand to record one of 75 videos being recorded at that moment, capturing some live edits:

Conclusion? It was a fun time; felt like a party. The music critic in me wanted to crush the vibe from within at times, but the raw energy of the bass, the crowd, and the festival-like atmosphere made it hard not to enjoy. The music critic says 1) Nadastrom is good but they are cashing in on Moombahton hype, 2) Two Fresh was pretty fresh, 3) 12th Planet was better than Skrillex (though fewer original tracks in his set), 4) The scale of Skrillex’s hype remains a mystery, but he’s still deserving of A-list distinction among the vast fruitless plain of dubstep “producers”. Go see him next time because you will probably have fun. And you know one of those 8 listener types hit close to home….

Universus Vol III: A Post Dubstep Affair?

Circuitree Records is back with the part 3 of 4 in their Universus compilation series.

Universus Vol III takes the campaign in a new direction, with more artists–13–and a greater variety of styles. The prevailing theme? You guessed it: The description-less “post-dubstep” (Remember when I sheepishly described Mount Kimbie as post-dubstep? Hint: there is no such thing as post-dubstep. Or dubstep.)

Circuitree is letting us share a highlight track from the mix – a hi-fi heater with FlyLo-esque soundscapes from Aligning Minds.

Sit and stay a while; here’s the full mix:

Meet: Spies on Bikes

Let’s be honest: music geeks like to parade the most exclusive, unknown music they can find, a process that often means friends of said geek must endure mediocre tunes. I’m probably as guilty as anyone. Truth is, even the indiest of indie music comes into our awareness through the marketing efforts of small labels, so it’s rare that we can offer something truly fresh and un-hyped. Today we offer local newcomer looking to self-publish his first EP – Spies On Bikes.

Catahoula by Spies On Bikes

Home by Spies On Bikes

The tracks arrived at Brasky via our Soundcloud Dropbox. I first sampled the tracks on my smartphone (tinny, yes) and realized that I was hearing something that deserved a proper listening experience. When I listened on studio headphones later I was very impressed with both of the tracks offered up by Nathan Cochran, a.k.a. Spies On Bikes. Both tracks boast an impressive assortment of sampled sounds, live instrumentation, synths, and delicate vocal work. I would even dare draw some Radiohead comparisons, or perhaps, on the minimal side of things, Burial or James Blake–seriously good company. I realize that.

Talking with Nathan some more I learned that he’s been having a tough time financing his effort, forced to borrow almost every piece of hardware that was used in putting together his upcoming, debut EP, Man Overboard. My original intention was to just share the tracks, but I think his plea on Kickstarter is worthy of your time if you like the tracks.

And yes, we have a Spies on Bikes MP3 for you – a (surprisingly) grisly piece of glitch hop, hinting at what could be some surprises on the upcoming EP?

Download: Spies On Bikes – Watch Your Step

His ambient Rihanna remix also gets our endorsement (don’t worry: it’s light on the Rihanna).