Ah, sweet, sweet remembrance. The year is almost over, we are stocking up on Champagne (or cheaper equivalents) and soon fireworks aimed at our eyes will spell out “Bye, Bye 2009!” Life’s gooood.
Who knows, maybe with the benefit of hindsight 2009 will age, well, …well? Of course, depending on your view of life, you do still have a few cynical hours left to moan the shitty state we’re in. But maybe this list of “Great albums of 2009″ signed Sten Ove Toft will ease your transition from “Wasted Youth” to “Those were the days..?”
Then again — maybe not.
“Off the Top of My Head” by Sten Ove Toft
A general list of what’s been the most influential, most enjoyed and most of all surprisingly good in the year of 2009. It must be said that ‘09 has, for me, been a highly selected experience and not like previous years where I’ve been listening to a lot more and eclectic music. So many albums have been overlooked on this list due to the fact that I’ve been somewhat lazy. The following is therefore a collection of albums that I actually will remember from 2009.
Kevin Drumm - Imperial Horizon (Hospital Prod)
Drumm has never disapointed me, and after this I don’t think he’s capable
(Available through Hospital Productions who also run their own outlet on Manhattan, between 1st and 2nd Avenue.)
Emeralds - What Happened (No Fun)
New American Noise. Synth is the new loud.
(Available through Brooklyn’s No Fun Productions who also put together the No Fun Fest festival every year and make great use of the word “no”.)
Harrys Gym - Harrys Gym (Hype City)
Finally a Norwegian pop group that proves it has something to offer the international market. Also had a couple of amazing live experiences with Harrys Gym the last 12 months — recommended.
(Available through Hype City - Nö Music review here)
Maribel - Aesthetics (Oslo Grammofon)
Oslo Rock City marks it’s territory again with an amazing debut album by Maribel. Noise’n'Pop unite!
(Available on one of Oslo’s D.I.Y labels, Oslo Grammofon - Nö Music review here)
Monolithic - Black Science (Roggbif)
I can’t go through 2009 without mentioning a couple of bands I’ve put out on my label — Roggbif. Monolithic is a brutal duo bursting with free jazz metal. I’m truly honored that I could release this album (and do the artwork)
(Available from Toft’s own quality label Roggbif)
Obliteration - Necropsalms (Fysisk Format)
Dirt Metal Salvation. One of the best bands in Norway.
(Available through Fysisk Format. Nö Music praised Necropsalms here)
Maja Ratkje - Cyborgic (TLRC)
An amazing piece of vinyl on Rune Grammofon’s sub-label The Last Record Company. I booked and recorded this concert which ended up being Cyborgic. One of my favorite live moments and it’s truly a shame that so few people came to the show.
(Find it at Rune Grammofon’s)
The Skull Defekts - The Temple (Important)
Modern Party Swede Rock. Rhythm is the key for this band, and the monotone, hard-hitting, kraut rock-ish feel to this band makes me shiver. I just had to sign them to Roggbif! Give The Temple a spin on your record player and you’ll understand why.
(Get the record from humble Important Records…)
Ungdomskulen - Bisexual (Ungdomskulen Rec)
I’ve listened too much to Ungdomskulen this year. A DJ favourite of mine. A great band.
(Go directly to the source: Ungdomskulen Shop)
Utarm - Panic Chamber (Roggbif)
New Norwegian Black Metal. Electronic, harsh and absolutely evil.
(Make another stop at www.roggbif.com)
Wolf Eyes - Always Wrong (Hospital Prod)
New great album from the wolf boys! Just when you thought it couldn’t get messier they stir up a complete nihilistic racket.
(And one more time: Hospital Productions)
Nate Young - Regression (iDEAL)
Wolf boy Nate Young makes the double this year. Regression is his soloproject released on the amazing swedish label iDEAL. Nate serves us a slower, more rotten tape/synth version of what the general public is used to with Wolf Eyes. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him perform a couple of times this year, which is even better than the album.
(Available amongst other shiny, dark things at iDEAL Recordings)
Årabrot - I Rove (Fysisk Format)
A perfect album which is really an EP. This is the Rolls Royce of Noise Rock. (Some labels just can’t go wrong: Fysisk Format is one of them. Also: Nö Music review here)
This year’s bonus:
I don’t know when Johannes Nilsson released the 7″ titled ‘Luxemburg 91 Soundtrack’ on the Swedish label Fylkingen Records, but this must be the most disturbing thing I’ve ever listened to. I discovered this little beauty just a couple of months ago, so it deserves a place in the 2009 summary. This is the sound from Johannes’ video camera when he was on a family vacation. Passing through Luxembourg they come across a recent car accident. From what I interpret the sounds I’m hearing, they are the first on site. It’s a post car crash scenario captured on vinyl. It sounds completely nerve wrecking and it’s really on the edge of everything. A Clenodium. I bought two copies.
(Have a look at it here: Fylkingen Records)
Sten Ove Toft’s Altaar can, and should, be witnessed at By:Larm 2010 (Oslo, 18.-20. Feb).
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