The music that made my year

“Hardcore will never die, but you will.” Not my words, of course, but the title of post-rock act Mogwai’s latest offering. A departure of sorts from the monumental cascades of sound that populated their previous offerings, this album finds the Scottish band embracing a more melodic approach, and ultimately a place on my top albums of 2011 list.

On the home front, the list of releases – a mixture of albums, singles, demos and online music videos – has been as prolific as ever

Diehard fans will argue it falls short of the elevated mark of quality Mogwai have always kept, but there’s an endearing quality here that provides the perfect starting point for new listeners to acquaint themselves with Mogwai’s adventurous music.

Oregon indie folk band The Decemberists has, over the space of a decade or so, released six albums, of which The King Is Dead is the latest.

Previous releases have been met with critical acclaim but The King Is Dead successfully blends the band’s country, folk and blues tendencies into a flowing stream of songs that tantalise with their acoustic drive and, on those tracks boasting the presence of REM guitarist Peter Buck, a welcome reminder of why we had gone crazy about the now-defunct Athens, Georgia outfit before they lost their religion.

And while we’re on the subject of folk and country, I have to mention Daniel Martin Moore’s In The Cool Of The Day, on which the Kentucky singer-songwriter ably drapes his folk roots with a gospel cloak, creating a deeply engaging and intimate record.

Equally appealing is PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake. A curious departure from both her rough-edged indie origins and the experimental, introspective nature of her acclaimed 2007 album White Chalk, Polly Jean’s latest offering is informed by a pronounced propensity for all things English, thematically at least.

Musically it flies off at a tangent; a magnificent musical manifestation etched into shape by Harvey’s maverick fortitude and an inspired fresh approach to her use of the guitar (and countless other instruments). As a result, Let England Shake comes across not only as Harvey’s most inventive album to date, but one that has consolidated her position as one of Britain’s musical treasures and my top foreign release of the year.

On the home front, the list of releases – a mixture of albums, singles, demos and online music videos – has been as prolific as ever, making it all the more difficult to pick my absolute favourites; unfortunately, there is a limit to how many one can fit on one page, so here goes.

In terms of singles, there were more than 30 radio releases, in addition to which one must also consider those songs released online or as music videos, the latter a format that seems to be gaining more ground with local artists seeking to attract a wider audience via the internet.

If I had to limit myself to picking my top five singles, the list must definitely include In A Hurry – Stalko’s sublime slice of fleeting folk-pop with vocal harmonies to die for, and Funk Initiative’s The Liberators, a song I also had the pleasure of listening to live and unplugged when the band performed it during my weekly Rockna radio show.

Three places to go, and one of them is taken by Com’ on Com ‘on, The Sylvan Aaron Massacre’s buzzing mesh of ‘feelgood indie-surf-rock’. With Cable 35’s Cowhead, NoSnow/NoAlps’ Far into the night without you, Bridget Bone’s Jackie the Stripper, Cruz’s Stalk Hawk, Three Stops to China’s The Courtney Effect, Dolls for Idols’ Rave ’n’ Roll, The Crowns’ Memories and the recent exqui- site instrumental Nutjez by folk duo Klizum Klof all having left an indelible impression on me, picking the final two becomes impossible. Let’s call it a tie and move on to the albums.

Here too, there were over 30 releases this past year, and given the variety of genres and the particular appeal a good number of them possess, I really needed to search for those emotions that made me listen to some albums more than others before picking my Top 5. One album in particular, namely The Areola Treat’s Pleasure Machines, had me hooked from the minute I first listened to it.

It is a powerhouse of a record from start to finish; a fiery brand of fluid alternative rock fronted by what I feel is Malta’s most potent female voices ever and flaunting a sea of influences stretching as far back as the spirit of the original post-punk scene and even a subliminal touch of Goth. One intense juggernaut of sound that somehow sounds totally unique.

The result of relentless gigging (at home and abroad) and two prior EPs that helped the band find its feet and bearing, Cable 35’s Louder fully embodied the young trio’s teenage angst and unbridled energy. More importantly, it reflected just how far they’ve come from the pop-punk imprint of their earlier material. What makes this record particularly special is the way Cable 35 manage to balance an alternative, somewhat raw edge with identifiable melodies in their music.

Romantikpolitik was another mighty debut, underlining the fact that Nosnow/Noalps’ sources of inspiration are varied indeed. This had already been evident on their 2006 Just Rock EP, but the band made it a point to cast their nets out even further for this full-length outing. The result is a more impacting blend of melodies, thanks largely to a deeper sense of genre cross-pollination, and in particular, stronger vocal deliveries and harmonies that have helped the band grow into one of the leading acts on the local scene.

Of the several electronic music releases, Cygna’s Opus Ena was a definite stand-out. By all means, it is an album that requires more than one listen, not for lack of accessibility, but because it has this ethereal vibe floating around it that tends to sink in deeper the more familiar one gets with the music. Cygna’s soundscapes are elaborate, reflective of his meticulous approach to composition and inspiration.

Another electronic release that caught my attention was Sonitus Eco’s Steel Plateau. Released as a free download via pinkpube.com, the mini-album leans towards the minimal side of techno punctuated with dub and ambient references, an aural fusion that Sonitus Eco has ably developed into his own signature sound.

Not quite an album but a significant release in my books nonetheless, was Kultural’s debut self-titled EP. The young quartet’s mixture of rap, folk, classical and world music is quite possibly the most original music I’ve heard this year. Despite operating outside the mainstream circles, Kultural have succeeded in drawing mixed audiences to their shows, possibly because they are bringing a fresh aspect and a youthful, contemporary charm to the kanzunetta Maltija, but probably also because their songs, their lyrics and their musical outlook are so authentic and heartfelt.

Although not featured in the above lists, there are several releases I also wish to mention, among them the crossover projects by Renzo Spiteri and Dominic Galea, who are tapping our historical and literary heritage while creating novel ways of documenting the Maltese culture.

Germany-based singer and musician Joe Mizzi’s Angels Fall self-released album showcased the former Stratkast frontman’s full range of talents, while country artist Marty Rivers released his third album Midnight Sky, which has been doing considerably well at an international level.

Norm Rejection, Weeping Silence and Prayer of the Dying delivered fresh instalments of their respective individual brands of metal, also drawing a good number of positive reviews from various international webzines in the process.

Danjeli took a break from recording with Brikkuni to release his own Kontronatura album, as did Chasing Pandora’s Keith Anthony, who resurfaced with his three-man acoustic combo Fellowfish and released an EP. Dolls for Idols also made an impact with their Cut, Paste, Rave and Roll debut.

The list goes on, but unfortunately, this page doesn’t, so I’ll stop here, but before signing off, I’d like to share with you a musical treasure I discovered recently while walking down Republic Street in Valletta; a young female busker with a beautiful voice and equally fascinating songs that are available on the CD album To The Sun. Her band is called Swarga and you can check them out at www.swarga.si.

Happy New Year.

bugeja.michael@gmail.com