Album Review : Masaki Batoh

So, to cut a long story short, Masaki Batoh's solo record Brain Pulse Music is music made from brain waves, via a specially commissioned piece of equipment called the BPM. Fuck yeah!

It's a requiem for those affected by 2011's tsunami and earthquake in Japan, and the Ghost frontman adds traditional Japanese instrumentation to the BPM to make a truly unique record, which I've reviewed over at The Line of Best Fit.

So to read more about the construction of the record and how it actually sounds, click along here.

Albums of 2011 : Numbers 12 and 11

You know it's getting good if these two can't make the top ten.....

12 - The Horrors : Skying

Channeling the spirit of, amongst others, Simple Minds and Psychedelic Furs, the formerly gothic chancers stepped it up yet again. If Primary Colours was something special, The Horrors surpassed that record by adding a scintillating pop sheen to the motorik grooves found on their second album. The best British album of 2011 by a country mile, they've got their eyes set firmly on a glittering prize. If My Bloody Valentine soundtracked a John Hughes film, it might sound a heck of a lot like this.

11 - Girls : Father, Son, Holy Ghost

It wouldn't surprise me if this was Pitchfork's album of 2011, and to be honest any other year it would probably make my top three of the year. Cribbing from the past yet sounding utterly fresh, Christopher Owens has an understanding of pop music like few other young men of his age. It's The Beatles, R&B, VU, Jonathan Richman and The Rolling Stones, yet none of them at the same time. A friend of mine said "they know how to play those 'sad girl songs' chords, don't they?" and that might best describe Father, Son, Holy Ghost - a record full of emotion, feeling, and wonderful songs.

Below is a link to a Spotify playlist for numbers 20 down to 11:

http://open.spotify.com/user/andrewahannah/playlist/3wIrwooNyfCSICApKDyAL2