Currylingus

OMG, lists were so hot in 2005! You know what else was hot?

10. Annie - Anniemal
Yeah, I know this came out in 2004 but I only heard it in 05, plus it was released in Dubai only last year. Actually, I first heard 'The Greatest Hit' off this album in Dubai last summer...on afternoon radio at that. Soooo, I guess it counts! I've been waiting for pop like this since I got bored of St. Etienne and Kylie became overplayed. Annie has saved me with her chewing gum and down-to-earth lyrics about boys, clubs, crushes, and Top of the Pops. Missus B Missus E Missus A-U-T Missus I Missus F-U-L!

9. Modeselektor - Hello Mom
Ack, ze Germans are coming! People, I don't give a fuck if you roll your eyes at my next words...this album puts 85% of the crunk and grime and ghettotech out today TO SHAME. This is the sort of shit that I bet my life DJ Assault is slapping booty to. You know why? Uff, the man has taste. Tracks that take M.I.A. into warp speed, tracks that revive O.D.B., tracks with TTC, tracks with Arab strings, tracks that make you want to dance but you would have no idea how to so you just sit and listen in amazement to two sweet BPitch Control lads giving the slapdown of a lifetime to mind-numbingly austere techno-lords everywhere. Take THAT Kompakt.

8. Kelley Polar - Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens
Haayyy, it's time for the disco drums! *doo doo DOO* Haaayyy, lemme hear dem strings! That was my first reaction to this debut effort by a child prodigy who is so badass that he got expelled from Julliard. And good too because now we have this "unrequited love in my head and party in my bed" record. We also have his efforts on some of Metro Area's *bestest* tunes like Miura and Caught Up.

7. Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headbase
Ahhh, like putting on an old pair of jeans with frayed edges and cute, square front pockets, bought at Miss Selfridge in the hot summer of 99, in Middlessex, London, that have been there through sickness and health, summer and winter, Asia and North America, love and loss, and now they fit like a pair of loosy goosy pyjamas. Yoose dig?

6. Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel
HeLLO. Need I type anymore? From heroin to martyrdom, DM make the trek that few with their history can survive, heads high.

5. Roots Manuva - Awfully Deep
While the current hip-hop scene stanks hard of recycled beats and rhythms this album is all melody and chords. Taking elements from Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, P Funk, Basic Channel, crunk, Kraftwerk and his own dubby style, Rootsy has created a beast of synth that works oh-so-well with his beautiful voice and writing that's chock full of common sense.

4. Ada - Blondie
My past is speckled with crushes on Euro ladies who have killer debuts and like to sing their own tunes. 2004 was Miss Kitten, the year before was Ellen Allien, 06 is all about Annie. Ada was last year's obsession. Hard woman to find any information on...like where she lives and what she's wearing RIGHT NOW. All I know is how good this first album is and how it needs far more recognition in North America. Heartbreaking vocals in a sweet little accent and synths spanning house, pop, electro-tech, whatever. Special lyrics for one track written by one of my favourite bands of all time, Everything But The Girl. A couple of crazy covers of the Eurhythmics and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. This album is also an open floozy for remixes and has spawned good ones by Sacha Funke and Michael Mayer.

3. Isolee - We Are Monster
Metro Area and Boards of Canada met in high school and fell in love. They got married in a chapel (similar to the one in GnR's 'November Rain' video) and bought a cute house. A child was born who they named Isolee. He was a happy child leading a comfortable existance until he hit puberty. Things began to suffocate him. He began feeling embarrassed about his parents taste in music. "This disco, this slow melodious shit is for stuffy old people with no lives!". He was going to make his own music, something that suited him, he would show his parents something they had never thought was possible...and they would hate it...mwahaha. Many months later, he proudly presented his parents with the finished product. They just sat back, laughed and gave him a big round of applause. Isolee was confused (and a little disappointed), "I thought you were going to hate it, I mean, I made it the way I thought music should be made. I don't understand!" Metro Area and Boards of Canada looked at each other and said to him, "It may be your music but you are our son". The moral of the story is...this is a brilliant album. I love it & I love it. Guess what? I love it. Every bleep, bloop, twang, and lyric is so perfectly placed in this album that it MUST have a divine creator.

2. Danger Doom - The Mouse and the Mask
The most scrumptious collaboration since Paul & Michael. MF Doom and Danger Mouse, live together in perfect harmony, side by side on my player, this album, oh lawd, why don't we? Doom being his usual brilliant self and Danger just killing me with his samples. Throw in some Cee-lo, Ghostface, Talib Kweli, and a harmonium in the 3rd track to boot and this girl begins to feel unfairly over-rewarded for not doing the right thing and buying this slice of brilliance.

1. M.I.A. - Arular
Love at first goddamn Galang, that's what happened with Maya and me. Then came Diplo and he just made her sweeter. Bucky done good. I may have retired this hard-workingconstant from contant rotation a while ago but I still hear the tracks when I go out and I still don't roll my eyes and say "yesterday's news". I just DANCE.

ESPESHYULL MENTIONS

DJ Rupture - Special Gunpowder
The only reason this isn't up in the list is because I JUST heard it a couple of weeks ago and I think it was released in 04. This album is phenomenal and I expect much goodness from him in the next year. The first track will make you wine and grind the first piece of person/furniture/pet in sight.

Vitalic - OK Cowboy
Just for the heck of it, even though the pre-released material on this album kinda bummed me out (entirely my fault for having listed to it WAY TOO MUCH) I have nothing but love for these dudes. At the end of the day, this I can surely say about 'Ok Cowboy', AT LEAST IT ISN'T 'HUMAN AFTER ALL'.