Listen to the track below or head here to enter an E-mail address and download it from Warp.

Rodrigo y Gabriela: Area 52 (ATO)

Rodrigo y Gabriela: "Juan Loco"

With their last album, 11:11, dueling guitarists Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero exploded into the spotlight, gaining a new swell of fans with their blend of acoustic rock and Latin sounds. Now the duo — whose original material already is infused with the energy and frenetic fretwork of classical guitar and metal — has re-imagined its own material with the aid of a 13-piece Cuban big band.

Area 52 is full of horn stabs, jazzy piano accents, and flute flourishes, but it goes well beyond being a traditional Cuban record. A healthy diversity is borne from psychedelic guitar effects and unexpected guest appearances, including sitarist Anoushka Shankar, bassist Carles Benavent (Chick Corea, Miles Davis), and drummer John Tempesta (Testament, White Zombie).

“Hunuman,” one of the duo’s biggest songs, is re-imagined — and nearly unrecognizable from its powerful acoustic-thrash beginning — as a dramatic string-tinged intro paves the way for the song’s main melody. It even bears shades of Carlos Santana. Though fans will have to keep waiting for brand-new songs, these selections nearly qualify.

- Scott Morrow

Gangrene: Vodka & Ayahuasca (Decon)

Gangrene: "Vodka & Ayahuasca"

In November of 2010, rappers/producers The Alchemist and Oh No released their first full-length collaboration as Gangrene. The album, Gutter Water, showcased the duo’s subtly sophisticated production techniques as well as Alc and Oh’s emcee skills, although the latter fell flat in moments of self-aggrandizement or gratuity.

Now Gangrene returns with its follow-up record, Vodka & Ayahuasca — a grimy, tripped-out nightmare. Like its predecessor, V&A tends to suffer a bit from outlandish lyrics and occasionally clunky deliveries, but its hip-hop beats fused with psychedelic effects, distorted-guitar and piano samples, and as clips of ayahuasca freak-outs provide a satisfyingly weird, unnerving atmosphere. (For those unaware, ayahuasca is a DMT-laden hallucinogenic.) Though the album may be unappealing to those outside of drug culture, the bizarreness of the whole experience will keep you listening track after track.

- Meaghann Korbel

Victor Villarreal: Invisible Cinema (Joyful Noise)

Victor Villarreal: "Enters"

Following his years as an unheralded but influential guitarist in Cap'n Jazz, Ghosts 'n' Vodka, and Joan of Arc, finger-picking virtuoso Victor Villarreal went through a musical disappearance. He finally resurfaced in 2009 with Alive, a tribute to his late brother that featured Villarreal's vocal debut over strummed singer-songwriter pieces.

Invisible Cinema is, in the words of Joyful Noise, his first "fully realized" effort. The complex guitar passages are restrained but more frequent, and with them are a handful of accompanying instruments as well as, seemingly, more self-confidence as a singer. Though Villarreal's vocals can be hit or miss, he has made ample progress since Alive, and the opening track, "Enters," is proof. After two minutes of amazingly melodic guitar work and backing strings, the piece is joined by drums before Villarreal launches into a 3/4-based vocal phrasing — something that he might not have tried on Alive.

With bits of trumpet, bass, guitar feedback, and drums and other percussion, Invisible Cinema has enough flavor to keep from getting old. If being a solo performer is the next chapter of Villarreal's career, he should do just fine.

- Scott Morrow

Plug: Back on Time (Ninja Tune)

Plug: "Feeling So Special"

Back on Time is the latest collection of tracks from oddball electronic musician Luke Vibert, whose aliases of Wagon Christ, Plug, and many others have tens of albums to their credit (in addition to officially "solo" releases). In gathering these 10 tunes, Vibert rummaged the depths of his apparently massive catalog of Plug material from 1995 to 1998, a time when he was putting his own stamp on the drum-and-bass genre.

Though these previously unreleased songs are roughly 15 years old, the record sounds, for the most part, strangely renewed. Tracks like the break-beat-driven, semi-glitchy, semi-jazzy “Yes Man” display Vibert’s creativity in fusing different electronic styles. But the album’s freshness is in part due to his playful humor: the industrial “Come on My Skeleton” throws a curve-ball with the sober warning “you might also become aware of your anus or genitalia”; “Mind Bending” jerks back and forth between Speak 'n’ Spell-style synthesized speech and a stoner’s awe at some “fucking excellent acid house.”

Melodies and beats are aplenty, in nearly whichever style you prefer. But when the album threatens to become a tad too serious, you can count on that humor to cut the tension at just the right moment.

- Meaghann Korbel

Gonjasufi: MU.ZZ.LE (Warp)

Gonjasufi: "Feedin' Birds"

Written as an emotional and spiritual outlet while on the road touring, MU.ZZ.LE is psychedelic rapper Gonjasufi’s latest “mini-album” since his 2010 debut, A Sufi and a Killer. The combination of down-tempo beats and haunting lyrics on this album make for a dark and introspective atmosphere, but his voice is his most powerful and versatile instrument. At times, it’s something of a hoarse croak, a barely audible mumble; at other times, it reaches a sorrowful croon and a creeping howl, often in a sudden, drastic shift. The effect is unsettling — and unforgettable.

- Meaghann Korbel

Honorable Mentions

Abigail Williams: Becoming (Candlelight)

Bleubird: Cannonball!!! (Fake Four)

Dodecahedron: s/t (Underground Activists / Season of Mist)

Imbogodom: And They Turned Not When They Went (Thrill Jockey)

Lamb of God: Resolution (Roadrunner)

Nada Surf: The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy (Barsuk)

Pyramids / Horseback: A Throne Without a King (Hydra Head)

Rhyton: s/t (Thrill Jockey)

Zomes: Improvisations (Thrill Jockey)

For us, 2011 was another year of taking in as much as we could and sharing the best with you. Next year, however, will be a homecoming of sorts, a return to rock-'n'-roll roots. We'll soon be able to share the projects that we have in store — across multiple mediums — but for now, dig into this rock-focused list of must-own albums.

And for more, revisit (or simply visit) our lists from 2010 and 2009:

100 Unheralded Albums from 2010
50 Unheralded Albums from 2009

Steven Drozd: The Heart Is A Drum Machine (The Score) (Twinkle Cash Co., 1/18/11)

Steven Drozd: "Born"

A multi-instrumentalist and the third-most-tenured member of The Flaming Lips, Steven Drozd marked his first official solo release early this year with the nearly instrumental accompaniment to the documentary The Heart is a Drum Machine.

The music shares a lot of characteristics with the Flaming Lips of the past dozen years – synthesized grooves, big rock beats, fuzz bass, airy keyboards, and different instrumental flourishes weaving in and out. But listeners are unlikely to confuse the two, and the score succeeds as a standalone album as well as a film accompaniment.

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead: Tao of the Dead (Richter Scale Records / Superball Music, 2/8/11)

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead: "Weight of the Sun"

There has been no shortage of grand themes and allegories in the canon of Austin post-punk quintet …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. The band’s newest album, however, better matches its ambitious themes with its music, presenting an epic pair of pieces for Tao of the Dead.

The album recalls progressive albums of yore, from the likes of Rush and King Crimson, but channels them into easily digested movements. Stretches of heavy distortion and drum thrashing will appeal to the more metal-minded Trail of Dead fans, but there’s also plenty of hook-laden, radio-ready alternative rock.

Wires Under Tension: Light Science (Western Vinyl, 2/8/11)

Wires Under Tension: "Electricity Turns Them On"

Light Science is the exciting debut from Wires Under Tension, a duo comprised of violinist/multi-instrumentalist Christopher Tignor and drummer Theo Metz. With help from a few friends, including Jared Bell of Lymbyc Systym, the two combine live performance with electronic manipulation, sounding something like a progressive Dirty Three with horns, hip-hop beats, and post-rock guitar swells.

This seven-track release is a dense, fluid collection that retains consistency thanks to Metz’s steady rhythms. Electro-mechanical piano, clavinet, and synthesizers mesh with loops and samples to round out an impressive first release.

Pitom: Blasphemy and Other Serious Crimes (Tzadik, 2/22/11)

Pitom: "Head in the Ground"

Combining heavy, fuzzy rock jams with Jewish melodies, Pitom is one of many projects from guitarist, bassist, and composer Yoshie Fruchter. Blasphemy and Other Serious Crimes, the quartet's second release on Tzadik, follows the same path as its predecessor, but it does so with a bit more cohesion and restraint.

Built from the ground up with distorted bass and violin, the band's music carries similarities to that of Skeletonbreath and Miasma & The Carousel of Headless Horses. Whether driving a song with an infectious melody, commingling with the violin in the high end, or simply taking over a track with raw ability, Fruchter knows when to go full throttle (the punk power of "An Epic Encounter") or pull back (the dark slow jam of "A Resentful Repentance").

The Psychic Paramount: II (No Quarter, 2/22/11)

The Psychic Paramount: "RW"

Though relatively silent for the past six years, New York noise-rock trio The Psychic Paramount returned in February to release its first full-length since 2005. Effected guitar loops, devastating low-end grooves, and bashing rhythms again form the core of the band's sound, but II is a direct yet dynamic rock explosion.

Between the guitar, the cymbals, and the effects, the mid-range gets a constant workout. Those who are turned off by this kind of music may find it to be an exercise in patience, but the lengthier durations are a testament to the trio's skills at climax and denouement.

DeVotchKa: 100 Lovers (Anti-, 3/1/11)

DeVotchKa: "100 Other Lovers"

Following the fame from its Oscar-winning soundtrack for Little Miss Sunshine in 2006, Denver multi-instrumental quartet DeVotchKa has playfully tinkered with its sweeping, emotive sound. Though it already tossed together elements of folk, rock, Mexican, and Gypsy music, it remained united by the sullen croons and songwriting of frontman Nick Urata.

That unifying factor remains, but its newest album, 100 Lovers – its second post-Sunshine full-length – continues to expand the band’s scope. The material adds new and often subtle flavors to DeVotchKa’s repertoire. Uninitiated listeners might hear more of the same, but 100 Lovers is perfect for content fans – moving in new directions without a radical departure.

Stateless: Matilda (Ninja Tune, 3/1/11)

Stateless: "Ariel"

Matilda, Stateless' second full-length, showcases the British electro-rock group's continued maturity. Lead singer Chris James hits an impressive range of notes, from reverb-cloaked backing croons to soulful leads, atop an amalgamated mix of styles, sounds, and beats.

With contributions from The Balanescu Quartet, DJ Shadow, and Shara Worden (of My Brightest Diamond), Matilda is stylistically inventive, with familiar worldly touchstones reworked into new contexts.

Grails: Deep Politics (Temporary Residence, 3/8/11)

Grails: "I Led Three Lives"

With cinematic soundscapes, Westernized Indian melodies, film-noir mystique, 1960s psychedelia, and crushing heaviness, Grails is an instrumental rarity. The Portland band's newest offering, Deep Politics, is an engaging and epic mix of acoustic intonations, indigenous sounds and melodies, spaghetti-western motifs, somber piano balladry, and more doom-filled, Eastern-infused stylistic transcendence.

And thanks in part to arrangements by Timba Harris, the mighty violinist from unparalleled genre annihilators Estradasphere and Secret Chiefs 3, Deep Politics vies to be Grails’ best album yet.

Parts & Labor: Constant Future (Jagjaguwar, 3/8/11)

Parts & Labor: "Constant Future"

After establishing itself early last decade as an interesting new name in noise rock, Parts & Labor delivered a flurry of releases over the span of just a few years. Since then, the band has scaled back to a trio built around the fuzzed guitar, bass, keyboard hooks, and tight rock rhythms.

Featuring some of the band's sturdiest songs yet, Constant Future is direct, potent, and catchy. Behind Dan Friel and BJ Warshaw's echoing, harmonized vocals are dirty, thick grooves that power the overlaid electronic freak-outs.

Adebisi Shank: This is the Second Album from a Band Called Adebisi Shank (Sargent House, 3/15/11)

Adebisi Shank: "Micro Machines"

Released to European acclaim in 2010, the aptly titled second album from Irish electro/math rockers Adebisi Shank achieved North American release this year thanks to the peerless Sargent House.

The management company / record label describes the trio as a blend of Fang Island’s shredding riffs with Battles’ electronic quirkiness and rhythmic playfulness. That description isn’t off the mark, but readers won’t get a sense of the band’s real abilities until they hear its hyper-melodic, polyrhythmic, and — most importantly — jubilant songs in full.

Second Album delivers a maelstrom of zany electronics, unusual distortions, and triumphant, rapidly ascending scales mixed with vintage synths, marimba, horns, and other accoutrements. This is all packaged between and around gloriously catchy and powerful rock riffs, resulting in a manic and buoyant sophomore effort.

Sahy Uhns: An Intolerant Disdain of Underlings (Proximal, 10/18/11)

Sahy Uhns: "Anticipation of the Night"

Morrow: Sahy Uhns (pronounced "science") is the solo moniker of electronic/hip-hop producer Carl Madison Burgin, whose debut CD comes as part of a 5" x 5" book with photographs of the California deserts. The deserts are said to have inspired the album, but the glitchy, beat-ridden sounds therein are more the soundtrack for robots break-dancing than cactus needles rustling in the wind.

Though at times it simply resembles another detailed IDM album, An Intolerant Disdain of Underlings stands out with highly melodic phrasings and nuanced differences in timbre. It's a beautiful, danceable sound collage that's good for the car or the dance floor, falling somewhere between the styles of Warp recording artists (Chris) Clark and Harmonic 313.

Hajduch: My first point of comparison was going to be Clark too. In the way the album initially shifts from ambient drift to clattering racket to riffy, squelching synthesizers, it's a lot like Chris Clark's Clarence Park.  But Sahy Uhns is coming from a more contemplative direction. It's still noisy and aggressive, but An Intolerant Disdain of Underlings has a bit of melancholy peeking around the corners, such as when the field recording of "Rain Song" gives way to the interrupted melodies of "13.73 ± 0.12 Billion."

Morrow: I'm always a sucker for melodies, so I prefer IDM/electronic artists that don't overemphasize beats or neglect the actual notes. One of my favorite moments on the album comes right after "13.73 ± 0.12 Billion," and that's when the blipping 8-bit sounds of "I'mage" lead into twangy, squirming melodies that seemingly are from sequenced kora or lute samples. Then the break beats come in all huge. It's a win all around.

Hajduch: Closing song "We Offer Our Silent Presence" opens, again, with watery ambience, running through vocal samples and chiming noises that gradually coalesce into a big, messy swell of drone/noise/gaze/melody. It's a perfect finish to a very solid album, and it led me to start right back at the beginning twice now as I've been pondering what I'd write here.

Morrow: Yeah, me too — I've been looping it three or four times to let it all soak in. There's a lot bubbling under the surface, so give Sahy Uhns a few listens to catch everything that's going on.

Mastodon: The Hunter (Warner Bros. / Reprise)

Mastodon: "Curl of the Burl"

Since forming in 1999, Mastodon has grown from cult sensation to preeminent poster-child of metal’s next generation. Along the way, its crushing, complex brand of melodic sludge has absorbed elements of thrash, prog, and Southern rock, all complemented by earthen mythology, literary ambition, and serious chops.

On The Hunter, an album that breaks the band's concept-album streak, vocal melodies are at an all-time high, imbuing tracks such as "Curl of the Burl," "All the Heavy Lifting," and "Creature Lives" with genuine pop catchy-ness that, at times, approaches the intonations of Alice in Chains. But grizzly screams and up-tempo sludge riffs have not gone the way of the band's namesake; "Blasteroid" and "Black Tongue" have plenty of head-bashing fury.

A few spacey and horror-esque elements, musically and lyrically, give the album an interesting wrinkle here and there, such as on "Stargasm" and "Creature Lives," the latter of which uses pitch-shifting synths to set an alien mood. "The Sparrow" then closes the album with touches of lap-steel guitar, setting the tone for some of the airiest Mastodon vocals yet.

In all, The Hunter is a fun, riff-filled album, but it's destined to alienate more Mastodon "purists." The bottom line, however, is that the band continues to crank out killer riffs and turn on a new generation to metal — even if it has a softer edge.

Boom Bip: Zig Zaj (Lex)

Boom Bip: "All Hands"

Ever since his loop-based beginnings, Bryan Charles Hollan — known better as experimental hip-hop artist Boom Bip — has been on the search for his optimal live-band incarnation. With his latest, Zig Zaj, he seems to have found it.

In 2002, Seed to Sun demonstrated Hollan's ability to make compelling organic and instrumental hip hop. On his recordings since that time, nearly everything has been performed by hand, and the results have been admirable — but nothing has clicked quite like this.

Now Hollan is armed with a permanent live band, consisting of Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Eric Gardner (Gnarls Barkley, Charlotte Gainsbourg), and Josiah Steinbrick. Their chemistry is immediately evident on Zig Zaj, which also sports standout guest spots from Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand (for one very Depeche Mode track), Money Mark, Luke Steele (Empire of the Sun), Cate Le Bon, and Mikey Noyce (Bon Iver).

Partly because of the guests, the new material takes a poppier and more rock-driven direction. But there's still plenty of the old Bip underneath, as synths and electronics commingle with the bass grooves and delicate acoustic riffs. It's a catchy, beautiful, and well-balanced blend, perfect for first-time Bip listeners. Pick this up now.

Welder: Florescence (Ancestor)

Welder: "Run"

Brendan Angelides is a San Francisco-based electronic producer best known as Eskmo, an IDM/electronica project that has come to focus more on atmospherics and on writing songs than on its early roots of making dance tracks. He has found a like-minded collaborator in the incomparable Amon Tobin, with whom he operated as Eskamon for a 2010 single, but for his latest release, Angelides has retraced his roots as Welder for another self-released gem.

Welder began as one of Angelides' first and most introspective projects. Living alone in a lakeside house in Connecticut for two years, he created soft, internal music, a more “chilled” version of electronica, under the alias . But it wasn’t only the remote locale that inspired the quiet sounds, as Angelides pored over documents and papers about the dark underside of American society and government and conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11.

Florescence is almost a rebirth for Welder. The IDM elements remain, but the music is more organic than ever. Gone are the bass-heavy dubstep rumblings of his self-titled Eskmo release, and the worldly elements of the earlier Welder material have been replaced by interwoven grooves, stirring melodies, and diverse timbres.

The emphasis here is on Angelides' musicianship, including his talents on the piano and bass. From the start, Florescence is highly active, intertwining feisty and bubbly melodies of faux cello and glockenspiel. Piano, guitars, synths, and strings surround those other elements, and whether they're real or library samples, they create a sound that's simultaneously lifelike and dreamy.

- Text by Marla Seidell and Scott Morrow. Read the feature story on Eskmo here.

Zechs Marquise: Getting Paid (Sargent House / Rodriguez Lopez Productions)

Zechs Marquise: "Static Lovers"

El Paso-based psych-prog five-piece Zechs Marquise is three-fifths Rodriguez Lopez — brothers Marcel, Rikardo, and Marfred — a surname that gained music-industry notoriety from Omar, the prolific Mars Volta guitarist (and head of Zechs Marquise's label). Together, the siblings have followed in the progressive footsteps of their older brother, but Zechs Marquise has blazed its own trail over its eight years as a band.

Its official debut album, the 2009 effort Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare, was a much more experimental and atmospheric work, patching together songs with eerie intros, funky keys, and jazz-tinged ambience. Getting Paid, however, fully focuses on the groove. Each of the album's nine tracks moves at its own pace, venturing into an alternate sonic universe at a moment's notice. Abrupt tempo shifts, an inexhaustible junk drawer of textures, and a healthy obsession with '70s prog fusion culminate in a truly shape-shifting record, albeit one that consistently rocks. Zechs Marquise knows when to give into its sweaty, twisted vision-quest dalliances and when to let a groove ride.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

Evidence: Cats & Dogs (Rhymesayers)

Evidence: "You"

Los Angeles MC Michael Perretta (better known as Evidence) is one third of the hip-hop trio Dilated Peoples. Over the past four years, with Dilated on hiatus, Evidence has focused on his solo career, and Cats & Dogs marks his move to Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Here Perretta delivers a crisp flow that is complemented by guest vocalists such as Slug (Atmosphere), Aesop Rock, Raekwon, and Aloe Blacc. With samples anchored in soul and pop, the album lays a pliable backdrop for topics that range from the recession to distorted concepts of love. Skits between tracks bear an early-’90s influence, and with shout-outs to KRS-One and De La Soul, it’s clear that the time period remains a strong influence on Cats & Dogs.

- Text by Portia Medina.

Plaid: Scintilli (Warp)

Plaid: "35 Summers"

Despite an eight-year layoff between "official" full-lengths, London electronic/film-scoring duo Plaid certainly has not lost its touch. Initially announcing the news of their sixth studio album back in 2008 and taking as long as an entire day to produce a single beat, Andrew Turner and Ed Handley have used their tedious perfectionism to make Scintilli worth the wait.

Plaid's first non-film-related release since 2003, Scintilli is a dreamy, hyper-melodic mélange from the get-go, as ethereal female vocals glide over the first track’s delicate chimes and synths. Each of the album’s 13 tracks, however, adds an entirely new rhythmical sequence and mood to the mix. With a vast array of layered sound effects, Scintilli has a captivating range. Its infectious loops and spliced styles – hazy pop, acid house, dubstep, glitch – fade in and out in a confused muddle. Yet the mingling of these divergent electronic sounds creates a pleasant disconnect, perfect for eclectic IDM fans.

- Text by Lauren Zens.

Honorable Mentions

Apparat: The Devil’s Walk (Mute)

Bonnie "Prince" Billy / Phantom Family Halo: Mindeater (Knitting Factory)

Brutal Truth: End Time (Relapse)

Extreme Noise Terror: Holocaust In My Head (Candlelight)

Bill Frisell: All We Are Saying (Savoy Jazz)

Itsnotyouitsme: Everybody’s Pain is Magnificent (New Amsterdam)

The Janks: Hands of Time (Sprouted Records)

Junius / Rosetta: Split (Translation Loss)

Rudresh Mahanthappa: Samdhi (ACT Music & Vision)

Jono McCleery: There Is (Counter)

Rwake: Rest (Relapse)

Matt Stevens: Relic

Tom Vek: Leisure Seizure (Downtown / CO-OP USA / Island)

Craig Wedren: Wand (Nerveland)

Wilco: The Whole Love (dBpm Records)

yMusic: Beautiful Mechanical (New Amsterdam)

Battles

Battles: "My Machines" (feat. Gary Numan)

This week, experimental electronic trio Battles releases yet another single from its latest full-length, Gloss Drop. After previously releasing Ice Cream, a three-song single featuring Mathias Aguayo, the band follows a similar template with the Gary Numan-ized My Machines. In addition to the title track and its instrumental version, there's a brand-new track entitled "A.M. Gestalt" that bursts with the band's signature chugging percussion. It reaches a creepy carnival-esque crescendo and then begins rapidly deteriorating, shedding its nuts and bolts like an old, wooden roller coaster.

The pile of rubble on the single's cover took on a new meaning after the recent riots in London; Warp's UK stock was almost entirely destroyed by the PIAS / Sony DADC warehouse fire. As a result, the supply of Battles' limited-edition, silver-colored vinyl took a hit. The label had planned to release five random copies, each with a handwritten lyric sheet signed by Gary Numan. It's no longer known how many are in circulation, so if you happen to find one in your copy, you're encouraged to E-mail battles@warprecords.com.

Mariachi el Bronx: II (ATO)

Mariachi el Bronx: "48 Roses"

It might seem strange for a hardcore-punk band to have a full-blown, un-ironic mariachi alter-ego. But that's the case with LA's The Bronx, as the enmeshed Mexican culture of Southern Culture led the rock outfit to be transformed as Mariachi El Bronx.

With II, the band's mariachi incarnation makes its second release since the punk outfit's last full-length in 2008. Once again, it's more than hollow tribute, as the genre has come naturally to the members with only one noticeable modification: the gringo singer. Matt Caughthran delivers tender and melodic English (and occasionally Spanish) vocals over piping trumpets, sweeping violins, rich tones of the guitarrón, and delicately arranged vihuela, and the songs again benefit from the efforts of multi-instrumentalist Vincent Hidalgo.

The punk foundation has been completely replaced by the rich folklore of mariachi, all the way down to the charro outfits and romantic lyrics. The complications of having four lovers is the topic of "48 Roses," "Matador" covers the courage and strength of one man, and an accordion infuses a little bit of polka into the banda-inspired "Norteño Lights." While staying true to "real" mariachi music, Mariachi El Bronx gives it a new flavor with its English lyrics — as well as its punk spirit.

- Text by Portia Medina.

Hudson Mohawke: Satin Panthers EP (Warp)

Hudson Mohawke: "Thunder Bay"

Satin Panthers is one evocative-ass title. Consider the sheer sleekness of it; it’s like what Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, and Barry White would have named their supergroup. As the name of the new five-song EP from Glaswegian electronic producer Hudson Mohawke, it speaks more to ferocity than seduction.

Mohawke, whose real name is Ross Birchard, has carved a niche making maxed-out, hip-hop-inspired, synth-based instrumentals. On Satin Panthers, glinting arpeggio and sped-up vocal samples light up like Times Square, while thick, wobbly bass lines lurch in the sewers beneath. The fourth track, “All Your Love,” features a twinkling, channel-panning melody that’s primed for dance-club popularity. But sheer aggression differentiates these tunes from the radio-friendly techno-junk that currently dominates the airwaves. Piano stabs are more like full-force piano punches, and bass levels are likely to decimate your iPod earbuds.

Though it’s a short album, there’s a slight lull on the middle track, “Cbat.” Though it’s the most traditionally hip-hop song, with a mid-paced tempo and prominent snare, the melody sounds like it’s in a constant state of deflation. It’s an oddball on an otherwise fun, stuttering, wobbling electro album.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

Collections of Colonies of Bees: Giving (Hometapes)

Collections of Colonies of Bees: "Lawn"

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver once proclaimed that Milwaukee-based six-piece Collections of Colonies of Bees is his favorite band. As a frequent collaborator with CoCoB’s members in the Volcano Choir, Vernon knows firsthand the musical talent involved with the 13-year-old band. Its newest album, a four-song, half-hour-long record called Giving, is CoCoB’s first release on the Hometapes label.

Giving is both an exercise in economy — each song moves rapidly through instrumental-rock buildups and breakdowns — and in rich extravagance. Post-rock is frequently described as “sprawling,” but CoCoB achieves something much tighter and focused than the thick haze of circuitous, hypnotizing noodling that the terms implies, despite its guitar-driven melodies. Electronics, courtesy of Jim Schoenecker, add another layer of complexity to the rhythmic backbone of Jon Mueller’s lively drumming and Matthew Skemp’s dexterous bass playing.

Giving, ultimately, is a document of an experienced band pulling its diverse influences together in an irrepressibly upbeat, triumphant album. There are moments of sonic intensity that recall Battles’ squealing experimentation, and there are bright patches of pure, shimmering melody that call to mind the band’s slightly jazzy indie-rock roots in Pele. There’s something for everyone, and in this case, that’s a good thing.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

Honorable Mentions

Fruit Bats: Tripper (Sub Pop)

Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter: Marble Son (Station Grey)

Moonface: Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped EP (Jagjaguwar)

Ximena Sariñana: 11 Tracks (Warner Bros.)

Jim Ward: Quiet In the Valley, On the Shores the End Begins & The Electric Six (Tembloroso)

Brian Eno and the words of Rick Holland: Drums Between the Bells (Warp)

Brian Eno: "Glitch"

Ambient/electronic luminary Brian Eno has been on a collaborative kick in recent years, and that streak continues with his latest album, Drums Between the Bells. Using the words of poet Rick Holland, Eno offers an eclectic mix of timbres and moods as the foundations for metered metaphors and tales, as recited by a range of guests.

The album’s varying musical styles are striking, ranging from celestial to funky, down-tempo, cinematic, and even slightly aggressive. Eno’s trademarks tie it all together, giving the album a necessary cohesion, but between the assorted sounds and vocalists, Drums Between the Bells achieves a diversity and quality that few spoken-word albums do.

Manorexia: Dinoflagellate Blooms (Ectopic Ents)

Dinoflagellate Blooms is the latest instrumental opus from musical alchemist JG Thirlwell, better known for his varied compositions as Foetus. Reprising his Manorexia moniker for its first studio creation since 2002, Thirwell uses these 11 tracks to craft dark, cinematic drama while using a plethora of orchestral instrumentation.

Last year, Thirlwell released The Mesopelagic Waters, a re-imagination of his previous, sample-based work as Manorexia using a live string quartet and percussion ensemble. Dinoflagellate Blooms goes a step further, performing the faux film-score sounds with full sonic regale.

There remains, however, a number of strange, brooding samples in the mix, taking the lead for pieces such as the 10-minute "Krzystl," which should frustrate listeners with its cuts of an old telephone busy signal and buzzing flies. But whether sampled or performed, the album's moments of formless ambience, dissonance, and moodiness create an unease that permeates it.

Yet it's not entirely sinister; chimes and bells bring melodic touches to Dinoflagellate Blooms, and at other times, the album establishes a sense of frantic urgency with pounding percussion and deep horn swells. It's a delicately crafted release, as reflected by a bonus DVD of the album that's in 5.1 surround sound.

Slugabed: Moonbeam Rider EP (Ninja Tune)

Slugabed: "Moonbeam Rider"

UK musician Greg Feldwick is the man behind Slugabed, a multi-pronged electronic project that touches on dubstep, glitch, and grime with a generally spacey, bass-heavy MO.

Following a handful of releases for electronic labels Planet Mu, Stuffrecords, and Ramp, the Moonbeam Rider EP is Slugabed's jump to Ninja Tune, which will release his debut full-length later this year.

The music recalls many different electronic artists, albeit in a way that sounds familiar.  But Slugabed's strength is maintaining a distinct balance of beauty and beats, and that's most evident in a track such as "My Sense of Smell Comes and Goes," which achieves a quasi-Flying Lotus vibe thanks to active melodies and some 8-bit dubstep.

"Tomorrow Morning" is dancier than its predecessor but just as intricate with its scales, and "Nu Krak Swing" closes the EP with a one-minute throwback to new jack swing with cheesy synth bass and "orchestra hit" keyboard effects (like, for reference, the theme music of Entertainers with Byron Allen).  It's a gorgeous debut, hopefully laying the groundwork for greater things.

Honorable Mentions

Big Spider’s Back: Memory Man (Circle Into Square / Fake Four)

Com Truise: Galactic Melt (Ghostly International)

Exhumed: All Guts, No Glory (Relapse)

Gardens & Villa: s/t (Secretly Canadian)

My Silence (Jason Stein, Nick Butcher, Mike Reed, Sharon Van Etten): It Only Happens at Night (482)

Old 97s: The Grand Theatre Vol. 2 (New West)

Samiyam: Sam Baker’s Album (Brainfeeder)

Battles: Gloss Drop (Warp)

Battles: "Ice Cream" (f. Matias Aguayo)

Shaken up and stripped down, the three members of experimental post-rock outfit Battles spent the better part of the past year reshaping and restructuring a sound that, up until then, included multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and loop guru Tyondai Braxton.

The new record, Gloss Drop, is a shimmering, fascinating detour from Battles' previous output, soaring with ebullience and sheen. It bounces about on dance-y, frenetic beats and ripples in restorative whirlpools. The music retains Battles' signatory edge and cerebral tone, but the band’s instinctual process has brought about a surprising, new result.

Lively guitar parts and math-rock riffs fuse with overlapping rhythms. Songs like “Futura” incorporate Caribbean percussion, and “Sweetie and Shag,” featuring Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead, features dazzling melodies over a playful composition. Other guests on the album include DJ Matias Aguayo, Boredoms vocalist Yamantaka Eye, and the one and only Gary Numan. Swirling in color and emotion, Gloss Drop does not sound like the record of a band that was contemplating its own demise while creating it.

- Text by Charlie Swanson. Read the feature story here.

Hail Mary Mallon: Are You Gonna Eat That? (Rhymesayers)

Hail Mary Mallon: "Garfield"

With a name and album title inspired by Typhoid Mary, Hail Mary Mallon is the union of MCs/producers Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz.  Both rappers are alumni of independent hip-hop label Definitive Jux, and all three have collaborated for years, but Are You Gonna Eat That? is their first release as a trio.

The group experience is new for Aesop Rock, and the album has the air of a relaxed, fun endeavor — something with no expectations.  There's plenty of modern production, with muffled bass lines, heavy snare hits, distant horn samples, spot-on scratching, and distorted vocal samples on tracks such as "Garfield."  But there's also a throwback party vibe on tracks such as "Breakdance Beach," and Aesop and Sonic trade call-and-response lines on many other songs.  Hail Mary Mallon is at its best when the MCs are involved in the same verses, but the group is careful not to overdo the trade-offs.

The album is an invigorating installment in each member's career, and it's another notable super-group to release something on Rhymesayers, which released the newest album by Felt (featuring production, in fact, by Aesop Rock).

Fucked Up: David Comes to Life (Matador)

Fucked Up: "The Other Shoe"

The latest from punk sextet / "social experiment" Fucked Up is another unexpected turn in an unpredictable career — an 18-song, 80-minute post-punk epic that tells a four-part narrative.

Adding to a litany of seven-inches and pair of LPs, David Comes to Life is far and away the band's hardiest release to date.  It's a punk-rock marathon that plays into punk's short attention span but that also demands patience, particularly when piecing together a narrative that shifts perspectives.

Musically, Fucked Up continues to come into its own, albeit with shades of The Who and other beloved practitioners of the rock opera.  The band's triple-guitar attack remains as aggressive and quasi-psychedelic as ever, but the gruff shouts of frontman Damian Abraham here are commonly backed by "real singers" whose softer intonations provide a pleasant contrast.

The album's 18 tracks have a tendency to blend together, but they benefit from their full-throttle delivery.  And though some listeners may have their patience tested by what essentially is a double LP of four-minute rock jams, preexisting fans should have one of their favorite albums of the year.

Týr: The Lay of Thrym (Napalm)

Týr: "Take Your Tyrant"

Based on the tiny Faroe Islands of the North Atlantic, Týr has made a name for itself with an infectious brand of folk/power metal.  The band's metal anthems, which are never short on overpowering melodies and harmonies, usually are a blend of traditional Scandinavian / Northern European folk tunes, with lyrics that touch on Nordic mythology, pagan pride, and heathen heroism.

The band's newest full-length, The Lay of Thrym, uses more Viking mythology as a thematic foundation, but it also expands the lyrical content, using some of its most fist-pumping sing-alongs to decry the remnants of Nazism and urge oppressed peoples to topple their dictators.

The music takes a similar course to the band's past catalog, but its melodic prowess and rhythmic fury are as potent as ever.  If you're not too cool for euphoric riffs and pop refrains, check this out.

Esmerine: La Lechuza (Constellation)

Esmerine: "A Dog River"

Begun in the early 2000s, Esmerine originally existed as the duo of percussionist Bruce Cawdron and cellist Beckie Foon, a pair of contributors to Godspeed! You Black Emperor, The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, and other members of Montreal's Constellation Records family.

The duo's sullen, minimalist chamber creations were built around cello, marimba, and other percussive elements, and though they expanded their range and emotion with other sounds, the band's first album in six years is a rebirth.  La Lechuza marks the addition of harpist Sarah Page and percussionist Andrew Barr (both of The Barr Brothers) as full-time members.  More importantly, however, it stands as a moving tribute to Montreal singer Lhasa de Sela, a mutual friend of all four members who passed away at the age of 37 on New Year's Day of 2010.

Each track on La Lechuza takes a life of its own, alternating between layered Steve Reich-ian repetitions, somber Danny Elfman-esque string arrangements, melodic polyrhythms, and ghostly vocal performances.  Special guests Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld (Arcade Fire) make appearances, and the result is the group's most most diverse, most skilled, and most beautiful release yet.

Honorable Mentions

Amorphis: The Beginning of Times (Nuclear Blast)

The Appleseed Cast: Middle States EP (Graveface)

Arch Enemy: Khaos Legions (Century Media)

BB&C (Tim Berne, Jim Black, Nels Cline): The Veil (Cryptogramophone)

Sarah Bernstein: Unearthish (Phase Frame)

Brent Hinds presents… Friend Without a Face: s/t & West End Motel: Don’t Shiver, You’re a Winner (Rocket Science Inc.)

Cults: s/t (Columbia)

The Engineer: Crooked Voices (Black Market Activities)

Ford & Lopatin (formerly Games): Channel Pressure (Software / Mexican Summer)

Infantree: Would Work (Vapor)

Jóhann Jóhannsson: Miner’s Hymns (Fat Cat)

Morbid Angel: Illud Divinum Insanus (Season of Mist)

Dustin O’Halloran: Vorleben (Fat Cat)

Oneida: Absolute II (Jagjaguwar)

The Rhythmagic Orchestra: s/t (Tru Thoughts)

Alina Simone: Make Your Own Danger (Virtual Label)

Sondre Lerche: s/t (Redeye)

Tea Leaf Green: Radio Tragedy (Thirty Tigers)

Tombs: Path of Totality (Relapse)

Trentemøller: LateNightTales compilation (LateNightTales)

Tom Vek: Leisure Seizure (Downtown / CO-OP USA / Island)

Battles: "Ice Cream"

Everything has changed. Shaken up and stripped down, the three members of experimental post-rock outfit Battles spent the better part of the last year reshaping and restructuring a band that was, up until then, four men strong. With their new record, Gloss Drop, already mostly written and scheduled for release at the time, they faced a grave challenge. This is the story of how one band fought through its darkest moment and emerged from it better than ever.

Battles formed in 2002, in New York City. For five years, the four founding members — guitarists Ian Williams and Dave Konopka, drummer John Stanier, and multi-instrumentalist Tyondai Braxton — established their heady, experimental music. Already considered veterans, Williams had been in Don Caballero, Konopka in Lynx, Stanier in Helmet and Tomahawk, and Braxton his own avant force in music. When the four came together nearly a decade ago, it verged on super-group territory, but the relative underground approach that Battles took in creating and sharing its art kept it out of the spotlight until 2007, when its debut album, Mirrored, heralded the band's arrival to the world at large.

Last year, as the group was recording Gloss Drop, the long-awaited follow-up to Mirrored, Braxton dropped the bomb. He no longer wanted to be a part of Battles, no longer wanted to tour, and no longer wanted to collaborate. It was not a decision made of spite, nor one that caused it. After eight years in the group, it was time for Braxton to strike out on his own as the composer and solo performer that he knew he had to be.

It was the healthy choice for Braxton, but it devastated the rest of the band. Not only was Braxton a gifted performer and artist, but his multi-instrumental ability was one of the defining aspects of the group. For all of the talk of Battles being a prog band or math rock, it was the sounds of Braxton that kept the group from being pigeonholed. He was, of course, just one of four men that crafted this complex and winding narrative of music. But Battles now had to either adapt or die.

Fortunately, death was never an option. Williams, Konopka, and Stanier re-focused and regrouped, determined to deliver a sophomore album as inventive and groundbreaking as their debut. “When we became a trio, everything changed — how we wrote music, how we played," Stanier says. "We went back into the studio and rewrote the entire record. Now you’re writing with three people all on the same page, who all want to be there. It’s a much more unified effort.” Before, Stanier explains, the group worked more like a game of musical Monopoly, with each member trying to get his piece of real estate before it was all eaten up. The songs worked as a musical melting pot at best, according to Stanier, and a “schizophrenic Frankenstein” at worst. Now the three members found themselves with too little time for games and too much pressure to take a breath.
 

“There was this subliminal result from being in a shitty, horrible place mentally, and trying to get out of that.”

“A lot of this record was so down to the wire; at a certain point, we just went on instinct," Stanier says. "There was no time for a new master plan." In any normal situation, when a band has a member leave or a major lineup change, there is usually a "what now?" discussion that leads to the resolution. Battles did not have this. The record was due immediately. The band's contract was on the line. The pressure was on, and Battles used it to its advantage. “We were forced into this position," Stanier says. "And we took this negative situation and turned it into a positive." All in all, the trio rewrote, re-recorded, mixed, and completed Gloss Drop in four months. Stanier regards it as “miraculous.”

And the miracle of Gloss Drop doesn’t end with its completion in the studio. The new record is a shimmering, fascinating detour from Battles' previous output. Forged in darkness and bathed in light, the album soars with ebullience and sheen. It bounces about on dance-y, frenetic beats and ripples in restorative whirlpools. The music retains Battles' signatory edge and cerebral tone, but the band’s instinctual process has brought about a surprising, new result.

Stanier admits that it’s a strange record, and acknowledges the tonal change in Battles' musical dynamic. But looking back, it’s clear that this evolution was spurred by the events of the last year. “There was this subliminal result from being in a shitty, horrible place mentally, and trying to get out of that,” Stanier says. “We were forced to reach deep down inside and pull out ideas and stuff we had experienced, and bring these ideas out into the open.” Those ideas turned Gloss Drop into an upbeat, danceable album, with lively guitar parts and math-rock riffs fused with swirling indie-rock rhythms. Songs like “Futura” incorporate Caribbean percussion, and “Sweetie and Shag,” featuring Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead, features dazzling melodies over a playful composition. Other guests on the album include DJ Matias Aguayo, Boredoms vocalist Yamantaka Eye, and the one and only Gary Numan. Swirling in color and emotion, Gloss Drop does not sound like the record of a band that was contemplating its own demise while creating it.

“I feel like we’re old war buddies who just got back from a tour of duty or something," Stanier says. “We made it out of the treacherous stuff, came home, got a couple medals, but we’re not done.” Williams, Konopka, and Stanier have always been close friends as well as band mates, and the tireless days and long nights of rebuilding Battles from the ground up has only smoothed away any remaining bumps in the band’s road. “It’s smooth sailing from here," Stanier laughs. "Everything just seems so much easier now, and with us being a trio now, majority rules. I mean, it sucks if you’re outvoted on which kind of beer you want on the rider.”

“To make it out of this alive, I’m still kind of amazed by that,” Stanier continues. “We’re in a much better place, across the board. When the mastering and sequencing was done, and the album was complete, there was literally, and I’m not exaggerating, a feeling of an enormous weight lifted off my back. I feel like a completely different person. I feel that I’ve changed more in the last year than I have in the last 10 years.”

Battles is not a band that needs to reinvent the wheel at every turn, but it knows the dangers of complacency. Gloss Drop is a major change in the band's musical road map, and it is ready to celebrate that with fans and friends alike. Touring, after all, is one of Battles' best features. “There is no way I could be in this band without playing live,” Stanier says. “From day one, that’s been the most important  thing.” Now that the turmoil and hard work is over, the three plan on focusing their live show, starting with an extensive European tour this summer. “Live, we are a souped-up Toyota Celica,” Stanier says. “We roll into town and open the door, and anybody who wants to go on this crazy joyride just piles on in.”

With its sense of humor still in place and an exciting new album on the shelves, Battles remains one of the most dynamic and uniquely adventurous bands around, threading a difficult needle of music that is both challenging and appealing, personal and popular. After the frenzy of the last year, after all of the smoke has cleared and the tallies taken, Gloss Drop will prove to be a turning point unlike any other for the band: the moment when Battles became one.