A couple of us here at KOXY want to share our favorite music-related happenings of 2010 with you all. This is our first installment.
Disclaimer: I failed miserably at staying current with music in 2010. That said, my “list” of favorites centers primarily on things related to Los Angeles since that’s basically the most comprehensive bond tying my year together. On a different but related note, I’m not the biggest user of superlatives in arranging things I like. So, in alphabetical order, some things that stuck out over the last 365 days:
A Club Called Rhonda. Self-described as “LA’s undisputed mecca for HOUSE, DISCO, AND POLYSEXUAL HARD PARTYING,” Rhonda loves one thing: taking you to the astral plane. Her use of capitals is no joke, her parties are colossal dance parties that provide Los Angeles with a consistently amazing source of disco-infused headlining acts. Do a favor and introduce yourself to the goddess, you won’t regret it.
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti’s Before Today. While this album may be a departure from the lauded lo-fi arsenal of underground legend Ariel Pink, Before Today hones in on the beautiful elements of all his other works without forfeiting the avant tendencies that have made him famous. Infiltrating and compelling, these songs lodge into your brain for good reasons.
DJ Harvey. Sure, he’s a dj. But, Harvey is a true artist both in that he this year released edits and a run of 12″ records as Locussolus. Moreover, his infamous 8-hour long warehouse parties prove that even though you play other’s music you can create something wholly unique in how you play that music.
Dunes’ s/t debut. I think I saw Dunes the most times of any band this year. That wasn’t accidental. Unlike a lot of other local bands who use distorted guitar riffs and sing about how rad the sun/beach is, Dunes borrow from older styles in a way that subdues their influences and makes something distinguished and different. Their 6-song record perfectly captures the mood of Los Angeles as it is – beautiful, scary and completely fucking insane.
Secret Circut’s Cosmic Capers cassette. One advantage to having a tape deck in my car is that I can listen to this 60-minute trip through outer space whenever I have to drive somewhere. Which, in this city, can be a frequent occasion. Consequently, I’ve listened to this tape a lot. I mean, a lot. Six months later, it’s still as creative and fresh and the first time I popped it in.
xo, Parker