| Thirty to Zero: Our favourites of 2009 - 31 free tracks in 31 days. |
  
As 2009 draws to a close we can't help but get all misty-eyed and start to reminisce over what an outstanding year it has been for new, exciting music.
We'd like to take advantage of the end of year quiet spell to look back on 31 of our favourite tracks for 2009. To tip our hats in appreciation to all of you who have supported zero" this year, we are giving one of these 31 tracks away for free download every day the entire month of December! Each day a different code will be given out - sometimes on a zero" page, sometimes on one of the blogs we enjoy reading. 01/01/10: 2009 has ended and so has Thirty to Zero. Thanks to everyone who participated, spread the word and gave us feedback - we hope you enjoyed our selection. More good stuff: During January we are offering 50 of our favourite albums of 2009 for a special price - so happy digging and hope to see you around!
Read more about the tracks we have chosen so far and listen to them in our player below. Codes are valid for 24hours only, so make sure to check back for our daily updates!
0 // Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo
Taken from 'Hyph Mngo' on Hotflush Recordings 'Another great year for dubstep, no doubt. The genre came full circle with plenty of references to UK garage - pop harmonies and vocals included. Geiom or Mount Kimbie recorded some great tracks in the style, but the biggest hit was without a doubt Joy Orbison's 'Hyph Mngo', which landed from out of nowhere on Scuba's Hotflush label and took dancefloors by storm... Enjoy our number Zero, happy New Year and see you all in 2010!
1 // Redshape - Bound (Part 1 & 2)
Taken from 'The Dance Paradox' on Delsin Records 'References to Detroit techno could be heard in productions ranging from dubstep to deep house this year, and one of the producers who has continuously managed to make the classic sound aesthetic meet his own ends has been Redshape, whose eagerly anticipated debut album appeared this autumn. His slowly building techno arrangements sound as fresh as ever, and 'Bound' - our second to last pick for this year - shows the masked producer at the peak of his art.'
2 // Moderat - Rusty Nails
Taken from 'Moderat (+HD Videos)' on BPitch Control 'It was never going to be easy for Modeselektor and Apparat to meet the expectations geared towards their Moderat super group. They however managed to please almost everybody with their self-titled album, fusing eclecticism and pop appeal for some of the most advanced translations of current dance music trends into the realm of pop music. 'Rusty Nails', the album's first single, is a prime example: Wether you listen to it on the radio or at one of Moderat's bombastic live shows, it is quite simply perfect electronic pop.'
3 // Dan Curtin - Other
Taken from 'Other' on mobilee records 'In over 17 years Dan Curtin has contributed more fine recordings to the history of techno than most producers in the field. With this year's 'Other' for Berlin's Mobilee imprint Curtin proved that he is still on top of the game after all those years. 'Other' is a great piece of vocal-laced, chord-driven tech-house that perfectly reconciles the melodic experimentalism of his early days with the more minimalist production style of his recent past. Brilliant.'
4 // Brendon Moeller - Wondering
Taken from 'Escape' on Steadfast '2009 has been another big year for neo-New Yorker Brendon Moeller, not only with solid releases on Connaisseur and Third Ear, but also via his own highly promising imprint Steadfast, which Moeller has just started this autumn. Today's pick - and our number 4 - 'Wondering', is taken off the label's debut release - a lush piece of reflective piano-dub-house and a perfect display of Moeller's skills. Lovely.'
5 // Ancient Methods - AM-4 B1
Taken from 'Fourth Method' on Ancient Methods 'Clearly determined to do things their very own way, Ancient Methods have treated us to their outstanding Third and Fourth Method EPs this year. Melding powerful industrial techno with tribalistic rhythms, Ancient Methods' tracks would have blown away the towers of Jericho with ease some 3000 years ago, and today's pick off Method Number 4 is a prime example of their cutting edge sound.'
6 // Kreidler - European Grey
Taken from 'Mosaik 2014' on Italic '2009 saw the long-anticipated return of experimental pop heroes Kreidler, and we're happy we didn't have to wait another 5 years for their prospectively titled 'Mosaik 2014' album. 'European Grey' is a perfect tribute to the current season and echoes influences from 'Trans-Europa Express' to modern Krautrock-disco. Beautiful.'
7 // Robot Koch - Away From
Taken from 'Death Star Droid (+Bonus Track)' on Robots Don't Sleep 'We couldn't help but choose a real tear-jerker for today's Christmas Eve: Taken from Robot Koch's brilliant 'Death Star Droid' album, 'Away From' shows how the producer behind Jahcoozi not only excels at jump-up booty bass, but also at delicate, abstract hip-hop. Brought to you by Mr. Koch's young Robots Don't Sleep imprint and dedicated to all those spending tonight away from....'
8 // John Daly - This Is A Lonely Beat
Taken from 'Lonely Beat EP' on Drumpoet Community 'Without a shade of doubt, today's pick has been one of the biggest tunes of the year: 'This Is A Lonely Beat' by Irish deep house master John Daly has waves of melancholic chords pour over a stomping beat and longing vocals that had the punters flocking to the decks for a glimpse. No longer a secret, but none the less remarkable, Drumpoet Community have absolutely nailed with this track this year.'
9 // The Field - I Have The Moon, You Have The Internet (Gold Panda Remix)
Taken from 'Yesterday & Today Remixe' on Kompakt '2009 was another strong year for Kompakt with albums by Matias Aguayo, GusGus and Stockholm's The Field, whose 'Yesterday and Today' full-length featured the kind of dreamy, electronica flavoured techno pop Kompakt is famous for. For today's pick, his track 'I Have The Moon, You Have The Internet' gets a beautiful glitched-up broken beat treatment by Various Production artist Gold Panda.'
10 // &Me - F.I.R.
Taken from 'F.I.R. +++' on Keinemusik 'Berlins's Keinemusik collective has grown dear to our heart with some excellent tech-house releases this year. Adam Port, Rampa and David Meyer all held their own, but it was &Me's 'F.I.R.' that became the biggest hit on the label: A brilliant minimal house anthem by the Terranova and DJ Hell collaborator!'
11 // Desire - Don't Call
Taken from 'II' on Italians Do It Better 'After Glass Candy and Chromatics the third group founded by multi-talent Johnny Jewel, Desire delivered a lush blend of disco noir and indie pop this year on their gorgeous debut album 'II'. Our friends from Aufgemischt chose 'Don't Call' as today's pick, released on their 'favourite label of the year', Italians Do It Better. '
12 // Juho Kahilainen - Kuolonkellot
Taken from 'Kuolonkellot' on Prologue 'Prologue definitely belongs in our list of favourite labels this year, with its stream of dark, tripping techno releases and Cio D'Or's excellent album debut 'Die Faser'. Our pick of the day however must go to Finnish producer Juho Kahilainen and his track 'Kuolonkellot', a stand-out excersise in experimental minimalism.'
13 // Tolga Fidan - So Long Paris
Taken from 'So Long Paris' on Vakant 'One of the definite dancefloor slammers this year has come from Tolga Fidan, whose tribute to his city of residence pulls all the stops: smooth chords, a tight house beat and a slightly over the top sax riff are the main ingredients of 'So Long Paris', Vakant's contender for the summer hit of 2009.'
14 // Abe Duque - Salute The Dawn
Taken from 'Don't Be So Mean' on Process Recordings 'We've heard quite a few oddball tracks this year, but Mr. Abe Duque took the biscuit with 'Salute The Dawn' off his excellent 'Don't Be So Mean' album. As can be expect, we're treated to some prime-time jacking NYC by way of Chicago techno, but we're still wondering what that bizarre piano part is doing in there at minute 5:00. And what is it with the chirping birds? Anyway, ace track, chosen by our friends from The Gap as their pick of 2009.'
15 // JPLS - Reset
Taken from 'The Depths' on Minus 'Jeremy Jacobs' productions have always been among the most cerebral on the Minus label, and his brand new JPLS album 'The Depths' doesn't disappoint in this regard: 'Reset', our pick of the day, is a whip-cracking, drone-heavy monster of a track, which would fit just as brillantly on Raster-Noton as it does on Richie Hawtin's mighty Minus imprint.'
16 // The Heavy - How You Like Me Now (Joker Remix)
Taken from 'How You Like Me Now?' on Counter Records 'One of the brightest shooting stars of 2009 was without a doubt Bristol's funk-stepper Joker, whose heavy synth riffs stood a mile apart from anything we've heard all year. Besides his jaw-dropping productions for Kapsize, we really dug this hidden gem - a remix for UK rockers The Heavy on Ninja Tune subsidiary Counter Records - and so did our friends from r.fm who chose this track as their favourite of 2009.'
17 // Grackle - Desert Acid
Taken from 'Desert Acid EP' on SuperSoul 'William Thomas Burnett, a.k.a. Grackle or Speculator, hails from Texas, so we asume he knows a thing or two about his subject matter: 'Desert Acid' is massive Krautrock Synth Disco, equally spaced out and epic in proportions as the work of his frequent collaborator Legowelt. When Moroder-like bass-lines meet The Shadows-style guitar riffs, we cant' help thinking of our favourite spaghetti westerns. Ace.'
18 // ISAN - Harmonic Deluxe
Taken from 'Not Given Lightly - A Tribute To the Giant Golden Book Of New Zealand's Alternative Music Scene' on Morr Music 'With a reputation of creating wonderful themed compilations, Morr Music's tribute to New Zealand's indie music scene was one of our highlights of the year. Besides great covers by Lali Puna, Tarwater or B.Fleischmann, the always amazing ISAN stand out with their version of Robert Scott's 'Harmonic Deluxe' - a Kraftwerk-like electronica gem, that is just the right tune for a wintry Sunday.'
19 // Harald Björk - Kranglan
Taken from 'Kranglan EP' on Kranglan Broadcast 'Combining field recordings, bubbly minimal tech and occasional outbursts of menacing riffs, Harald Björk's music definitely belongs to our favourite discoveries this year. His tracks might be emotional and naive, but always surprising and reflective. With his own label Kranglan Broadcast freshly started there's more to be expected from this talented young Swede.'
20 // Chromeo - I Can't Tell You Why
Taken from 'DJ KiCKS Re(Mix)' on !K7 'Ever since first appearing on Tiga's Turbo Recordings label, Chromeo have cultivated an image of being the unpredictable bad boys of modern funk. With this year's 'DJ KiCKS Re(Mix)', collecting some of the most outlandishly rare funk-disco tunes we can think of, they more than live up to their image, and their own contribution 'I Can't Tell You Why', selected by our friends from bln.fm as their track of the year, is just perfectly sleazy 80s R&B.'
21 // Biepang - Bypass The Body
Taken from 'Bypass The Body' on Open Concept Recordings 'Elegantly balancing classic electro sounds with cutting-edge minimal techno and electronica influences, releases by Carl Finlow, Legowelt, and most recently Luke Eargoggle & Anders Ilar made Open Concept Recordings one of our favourite labels of 2009. Our stand-out OCR track of the year must however be 'Bypass The Body', a mindblowing freestyle track by Florida's syth wizard Biepang.'
22 // Munk - You Never See Me Back Down (Cut Copy Remix)
Taken from 'You Never See Me Back Down' on Gomma '2009 has certainly been a strong year for Munk and the Gomma label, with an awe-inspiring amount of quality releases preaching the vision of funked-up disco punk. Selected by our #1 authority on stylish leisure, the unlike city guide, as their favourite track of 2009, 'You Never See Me Back Down' is a lush piece of layered synth goodness, remixed by Australia's disco boys Cut Copy.'
23 // Kassem Mosse - Untitled B1
Taken from 'Workshop 08' on Workshop 'Hailing from the deepest Leipzig techno underground, Kassem Mosse is definietely a producer's producer, with his hearty low-fi tracks lately making their way onto Mix-CDs of Cassy, Tama Sumo, Ellen Allien, and Damien Lazarus. Selected by our friends from Little White Earbuds as their 2009 fave, today's track is a special gem - pure analogue dub techno goodness, slowed down to a Newworldaquarium-style pace.'
24 // Daniel Paul feat. Colin Corvez - Something About You
Taken from 'Night Shift' on Cabinet Records 'Daniel Paul and DJ Zky's Cabinet Records label might be based in Berlin, but its musical home has always been North-American house and techno. With close ties to both the Sonar Kollektiv camp and labels like Stickman and Plus 8 (who have released a best of Cabinet compilation in 2006), Daniel Paul has come forth with his impressive 'Night Shift' full-length this summer, one of ous favourite deep house productions of the year!'
25 // The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Embers
Taken from 'Here Be Dragons' on Ad Noiseam 'Following up their debut album on Planet Mu with two excellent releases on Ad Noiseam this year - the 'Mutations EP' and the album 'Here Be Dragons' - the Netherlands' Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble cross over dark, brooding electronica with moody David Lynch-style jazz. Currently on tour, The KDE's next stop is Berlin's Maria club next Wednesday, December 10, so be there, Berliners!'
26 // Siriusmo - High Together
Taken from 'The Uninvited Guest' on Monkeytown Records 'One of Berlin's most reclusive and idiosyncratic producers, Siriusmo was the ideal choice to start the new labels of his similar idiosyncratic (though not quite as reclusive) buddies from Modeselektor, Monkeytown Records. While we are still kept waiting for a live PA, DJ set or similar public appearance, tracks like 'High Together' keep us on our toes: Insane, fidgety rave house at disco speed. Ace.'
27 // Steve Bug feat. Gigi - Like It Should Be
Taken from 'Collaboratory' on Poker Flat Recordings 'One of our biggest tech-house albums of the year has surely been Steve Bug's 'Collaboratory' on which the Poker Flat mastermind once again proved his impeccable sense of style. Produced together with guest artists such as Cassy, Donnacha Costello, or Simon Flower, 'Collaboratory' is a dancy, yet deep and personal affair, perfectly exemplified by the aptly titled 'Like It Should Be', our track of the day.'
28 // Some Freak, Andreya Triana, Ritornell - The Light (Dorian Concept Remix)
Taken from 'The Light Remixes (+Video)' on Wald Entertainment 'Today's track brings two acts together that have invigorated the modern jazz and wonky hip-hop scenes this year with two amazing debut albums. Ritornell, who are joined by Some Freak and Andreya Triana for 'The Light', released their mesmerizing 'Golden Solitude' on Karaoke Kalk, while Dorian Concept set the solar system on fire with 'When Planets Explode'.
29 // Rone - Spanish Breakfast
Taken from 'Spanish Breakfast' on Infiné '2009 saw young French producer Rone release his debut album on Agoria's Infiné label. The album's title track 'Spanish Breakfast' is a perfect testimony to Rone's talent and one of our definite favourites of the year.'
30 // Solomun - Jungle River Cruise (Kiki Remix 1)
Taken from 'Jungle River Cruise Remixes' on Liebe Detail '2009 has been a magnificent year for Hamburg's characteristic techno house style, perfectly represented by both Solomun and the Liebe Detail label. While Solomun released his acclaimed debut album 'Dance Baby' on his own Diynamic imprint, Liebe Detail championed the art of lovingly assembled split releases featuring artists like Wareika, Langenberg, and Ekkohaus.' |
Infiné, Kompakt, Open Concept Recordings, Steadfast, The Field, !K7, Ad Noiseam, Cabinet Records, Hotflush Recordings, Minus, Prologue, Moderat, Poker Flat Recordings, Counter Records, Liebe Detail, Process Recordings, Munk, Robot Koch, Robots Don''t Sleep, Siriusmo, Abe Duque, Harald Björk, Kranglan Broadcast, Ritornell, Wald Entertainment, Steve Bug, Gomma, Keinemusik, Vakant, Delsin Records, Redshape, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Joker, Solomun, mobilee records, Drumpoet Community, Chromeo, Dan Curtin, Morr Music, Ancient Methods, Dorian Concept, Monkeytown Records, Biepang, Rone, Brendon Moeller, Workshop, John Daly, Tolga Fidan, Kassem Mosse, ISAN, JPLS, Italians Do It Better, Juho Kahilainen, Desire
aiaiai, i see, christmas is coming... ^^
thx!
thx!
Woooooow! Thank you very much...once again I feel treated like a king! THIS is tastier than the chocolate in the stockings.....you´re fuckin in!
What a nice selection!
oh boy, this is selection is killing me!
....getting better every day....thank you so much guys!
joker is so sick!!
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