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User
Reviews 139
Approval 98%
Soundoffs 104
Album Ratings 449
Objectivity 70%
Last Active 03-06-14 4:09 pm
Joined 02-22-11
Review Comments 1,105
| 2011: Some Hidden Gems
So, another year done - and my first on the site complete. I've developed a small rep on the site for reviewing older stuff, and whilst I love the retro and will always continue to cover it, i'd like to drag my arse into the 21st century and move onto much more fresh music in 2012. So that's my New Years' resolution - review and listen to new shit; simple and fun, eh? However, I did manage to squeeze a few new titles into my listening schedule these past 12 months and this list gives a few corking albums that I discovered and seemed to have slipped under Sputnik's radar - check 'em before the end of the year! | | 1 |  | Class Actress
Rapprocher
My album of the year; no jokes. As I said, I've neglected a fair amount of rated new material this year so it could've been different, but I just LOVE this album regardless. A perfect mix of icy retro synth filtered through a super cool, modern indie ideal. If you ignore everything else on this list, at least check this one out and raise the profile of this wonderful new artist. | | 2 |  | Young Galaxy
Shapeshifting
One from way back in Feb of this fair year, this Canadian outfit transformed form a fairly uncompelling indie rock sound into a sleek, poetic form of modern electro pop. Gorgeous and criminally underexposed. | | 3 |  | Cold Cave
Cherish The Light Years
Perhaps a controversial choice as moody cold wavers, Cold Cave, released a sparkling debut in 2009 and followed it up with this very divisive second effort. For some it was a disappointing move away from their original gothic synthpop slant, but for others (myself included) the change was thrilling, even if they did lose a little face. Some wonderfully New Order-esque, Cure and Depeche Mode absorbing electro rock. Marmite-y but worth a try for that very reason. | | 4 |  | Shimmering Stars
Violent Hearts
Reverb drenched indie pop with simple, but resonating emotion. A real grower with mounds of potential; tracks like 'I'm Gonna Try' have become a compulsive listen for this user. | | 5 |  | The Soft Moon
Total Decay EP
Black as the abyss post-punk revailist stuff. A wonderful if sadly short EP; if the future of Soft Moon is as tantalisingly dark as this piece then it's brighter than one could imagine. | | 6 |  | The Strange Boys
Live Music
I haven't spun this one as much as the rest but not for lack of quality on The Strange Boys' behalf. Opening cut 'Me and You' explains it all. | | 7 |  | Veronica Falls
Veronica Falls
My least favourite on the list, Veronica Falls' debut is suprisingly ill covered on this site. Wholly enjoyable, reverb-y indie with some seriously catchy numbers and harmonies between male and female vocals that I, perhaps embarrassingly, chose to describe as "sort of if like the Beach Boys were miserable ghosts". | |
Tom93M
12.22.11 | Well, let's see if you know any... | luschlotz
12.22.11 | 6 and 7 are pretty cool, gonna check out some of these. thanks | Tom93M
12.22.11 | No probs, dude. | supertouchox2
12.22.11 | Intrigued to say the least, definitely giving some of these a listen. | Tom93M
12.22.11 | That was my goal : ) Nice one, man. | cometstail2
12.22.11 | Class Actress was pretty much snubbed everywhere. Glad it's been getting the credit it deserves, at least here. ;) | Tom93M
12.22.11 | So underated, eh dude? Glad to see All Music gave it a 4.5 same as me - good people. |
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