One more year, the list of my 30 favorite albums. I left out a few that could be part of this selection, but that I started to listen to them only recently (TV on the Radio, Actress, Felice Brothers, …) And of course, there are more that I’m still missing. However, here are my recommendations. The order is just a guide, not definitive.
These are the sounds and rythms that came to betterwithmusic’s library in 2013…
SKETCHES
Sketches is basically an album of soul, of instrumental hiphop, of R’n’B. Sensual and reflective, in gereral. Delicate, but also pick up some rythm explosions. Passionate could be the adjective. But a controlled passion, elegant, somewhat distant. It’s a ritual of seduction.
Synthetic sounds close to the 80’s or 90’s to create songs based on chord progressions and basic arrangements of soul and funk. It looks like “Raw Dub”, but more soul and less “dub”.
SCENES FROM THE ZOO
Pop melodies with distorted guitars. Powerpop. Some grunge and shoegaze tunes too. Nerve riffs and powerful rhythms. Music that seeks immediate happiness boldly. No worries, no perfectionism. Noise. Positive songs, cheerful melodies, passional and “excessive”.
Referring to other projects of the library, I could say that “Scenes” it’s more optimistic and positive than “The Crowd”, more rogue than “Traveller’s Guide”.
GALAXY
Rhodes and Wurlitzer, pianos, acoustic drums and programming beats, strong synth-bass lines, slap bass, playful guitars, guitars with vocoder, tens of clavinets, classic synths (Moog, ARP, Davosynth, Jupiter-8, M1 etc), string arrangements … All tools available to create a dance compilation with old-fashion sounds, while still sounding modern. To vindicate these old grooves with a contemporary album. A funky Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy…
VIIKINSAARI
Viikinsaari are small pieces for piano. And it’s water. It is the piano that calls the shots through melodies and rhythms inspired by the sounds of water, in their ways, their reflections … With string and wind arrangements that sound like whispers at times and other times explode in the ears leaving the piano in the background, like waves. A space for melancholy and contemplation.
SELE
Christmas songs that are not actually Christmas songs. The same happened with Año Nuevo and Postcard. They are songs inspired by this holiday season, by the winter, the family gatherings & reunions, the decorated houses … but at the same time, songs that can be heard all the year. Compositions about optimism and joy, with a touch of melancholy, couldn’t do it any other way. I wanted to add and highlight a homemade and imperfect character, direct, without excessive tweaking and production. Something accessible to young and old people.
New projects will come next year (I’m already working on it)
Keep in touch!
