no. 29

2006' best albums: 29. various production - the world is gone

not a compilation album, various production combines beautiful pencil-sharp sleeve and website design with a sound that perhaps can best be descriped as apocalyptic grime-folk. after releasing a handful of radically different ep's - including robo-funk versions of missy and brandy hits, but also cough-syrup-crunked retro soul tracks and gloomy folk tunes - various released their debut album: a style-compilation unified by a creeping sense of dread worthy of a british lynch. sir, though it has up-to-date, slightly too commercial-shiny beats, at least gives a good sense of this album's mysterious attractions.

2006' best songs: 29. pink nasty & will oldham - don't ever change

this austin songwriter sounds nothing like her name suggests. after dropping several great covers into the blogosphere - moody versions of elo and usher - pink nasty's raucous duet with will oldham shocked fans of bonnie 'prince' billy around the world; the man can really belt! the down-to-earthy lyrics (which feature deodorant stains, a subject rarely referenced in love-songs), combined with the singers' 'say you love me six times' battle just before the drawn out coda makes this the sweetest lovesong i've heard all year.
http://uploadhut.com/view.php/233543.mp3