Top 10s for 2008: Daggan (Novoton)
01. Pascal - Galgberget
http://www.klicktrack.com/novoton/releases/pascal/galgberget
I know I work with the band, but even if I didn't an album like this would be number one on my list any day. Pascal are back with their sophomore album "Galgberget", and what a follow up it is. They have fine tuned their cave rock and are both heavier and noisier than ever. More anger and bitterness. More hate, longing and much much more love. Just as Pascal likes it.
02. Woven Hand - Ten stones
http://www.myspace.com/wovenhand
I've been a fan of Woven Hand since day one and I know that some older fans didn't like this album, but I love it. I like that there is a little more rawness and energy. It's a great album.
03. Norma - Book Of Norma
http://www.klicktrack.com/novoton/releases/norma/book-of-norma
Another one of my bands and what a debut album they made. They mix ambient, Kraut, noise, electronica, indie often with a strict, repetitive bass/drum pattern and a magnificent, wide and almost hypnotic sound. This is rich, panoramic music with a warmth that you don't hear often from other bands trying to do something in this genre. German Kraut is one obvious thing, but also the spacerock of Spiritualized and Spacemen3 comes to mind. Newer references may be Silverbullit, 120 Days, Serena Maneesh and The Lionheart Brothers. Check out the review here at It's a Trap! and you'll get how good it is.
04. Clinic - Do it
http://www.clinicvoot.org/
Britain's finest psych rock combo return with a great summer album which I listen to almost exclusively the whole summer, and still do. "Corpus Christi now you miss me."
05. Ultravox - Ultravox!, Ha! Ha! Ha!, Systems of romance
http://www.metamatic.com/
05. Gary Numan - Replicas
http://www.numan.co.uk/
Every year I seem to have a trip down the memory lane and this year it was both Ultravox three first albums with John Foxx (don't care much for the ones with Midge Ure though). Still fucking brilliant. Enough said. I also listened a lot to a almost perfect album by Gary Numan - Replicas. Check them all out, it's well worth it.
06. Montys Loco - Farewell Mr. Happy
http://www.klicktrack.com/klicktrack/releases/montys-loco/farewell-mr-happy-2
Montys Loco are back with their forth album recorded in Namibia and Sweden. It explores organic sounds and electronic atmospheres created by Marie Eklund, Monty's guitarist and producer. PJ Harvey meets Suicide and Neubauten!
07. Spiritualized - Songs in A&E
http://www.myspace.com/spiritualized
"Songs in A&E" is a return to fantastic form by Spirtualized. All of Jason Pierce's fascinations of the past years appear here in a beautiful way. I'm always pleased to see old favourites release great albums.
08. Holiday For Strings - Upcoming second album
http://www.myspace.com/holidayforstrings
So it's not out yet but I got a CD with some of the new tracks which I absolutely loved. It's going to be a great album. Head over to their MySpace page and listen to them.
09. Glasvegas - Glasvegas
http://www.glasvegas.net/
I haven't really had time to get into it properly because I am always a little sceptic to bands that are hyped this much. However good music is good music even if it is being hyped, sometime it's hyped because it's good. I am sure this will be listened to a lot the next couple of months.
10. Fatboy - In my bones
http://www.klicktrack.com/klicktrack/releases/fatboy/in-my-bones
And to end the list a little bit of Rockabilly from Sweden. Fatboy's second album is truly genuine. Something with a feel for history, but that is fashionably out of date. A combo that looks like it sounds, that isn't afraid to laugh in the face of expectation.
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Daggan runs the label Novoton and is one of the founders of Klicktrack. Next year he is looking forward to release new albums by Antennas, Existensminimum and Pascal as well as a side project by Isak from Pascal.
www.novoton.se
www.klicktrack.com