I’ve got twice the number of artists this month that have killed it, so I’m going to break it down:
1. Diplo / Santogold – Top Ranking
Diplo returns with another artist-centered mix after his M.I.A. mixtape, Piracy Funds Terrorism. The results might top that effort with its reworkings of Santogold, dub, and sometimes the kitchen sink. Diplo knows how to throw a party.
2. The Bug – London Zoo
Digital ragga laced onto dubstep beats, this is the long-awaited followup to The Bug’s first album Pressure. The Bug has been playing dubstep maybe longer than anyone and it shows. My favorites are ‘Angry’, ‘Warning’, and ‘Poison Dart’.
3. Tricky -Knowle West Boy
A surprising return to form for the trip-hop artist. And don’t miss the ‘Council Estate (Drums of Death mix)’ found separately that takes nu-rave to another level.
4. The Black Ghosts – The Black Ghosts
(**Their old ‘hits’ have been mixed horribly for the album, and it is truly sad that I had to lower this.) Half of this album has been floating around for a while now, but as a whole I would seriously have to consider this for Best of 2008. The new songs are great. “Repetition Kills You’ sounds like Blur with keyboards.
5. VA – Life Beyond Mars Bowie Covers
Don’t miss the tracks by Matthew Dear, The Emperor Machine, and Joakim.
6. Ratatat – LP3
The boys deliver their best album yet by delivering variety and more depth than their trademark guitar sound.
7. Benny Benassi – Rock N’ Rave
Surprising quality from the electro-jumpstarting ‘Satisfaction’ auteur. He mostly avoids the cheese that plagued him after that worldwide smash. There’s a superb mash-up with Iggy Pop called “Electro Sixteen’. Also don’t miss the separate ‘I Am Not Drunk (Bloody Beetroots mix)’.
8. Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
This Warp artist already can count Kanye and Erykah Badu as fans with his brand of chip-hop.
9. Digitalism – Kitsune Tabloid mix
Delicious electro mix that leaves a burn.
10. Unkle – End Titles – Stories for Film
Half of this is instrumental music, but the new songs such as ‘Chemical’, ‘Nocturnal’, and ‘Ghosts’ are great.
The Bug’s ‘Poison Dart’ video:
