The Top 4 seemed to pick themselves this year (though wrangling over the specific order still remains). Given the single remaining spot and the rock-focus of the other four albums I really wanted to pick something on the electronic side of life for number 5.
Sadly though, it's not been a vintage year for electronica in my music collection. There have been some stand out tracks (To Build a Home by Cinematic Orchestra; pretty much anything on Alarm Will Sound's Acoustica) and a few near misses (the techno rush of the first 3 tracks on Cross by Justice that sadly could not be maintained for the full hour). But it's been a light year for the electronic opus.
One band that pulled it off was Jimmy Tamborello's dntel. Dumb Luck is a quiet masterpiece. It's an album that is as expansive as it is intimate. An album where folky little tunes meet all manner of electrickery. An album that recasts filters and compressors as the essential instrument of melody.Take the title track's use of static washes to back it's whispered, self-doubting vocal. The white noise perfectly frames and enhances the acoustic guitar and adds clarity to the vocal. The mix is perfect, with not a single level out of place.
And every track has this magical quality. Using chaos and noise to showcase the beautiful, delicate structure of the underlying song. Bringing it to the front rather than drowning it out.
A real star track is 'Breakfast in Bed'. The lyrics are touching and bitter-sweet. The instrumentation is full of sexy gulps and bass with a crackling rhythm section. It come together as one of those perfect 'what John might have sounded like if he hadn't died' pop moments.
'Back in new York they can never find this out.' I disagree. Tell the world.
Breakfast in Bed - Dntel
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