LJ Kruzer

I thought I’d join in the fin-de-décennie nostalgia and make a list of my favourite albums made and released in the last ten years. I’ve got albums from this decade I like more than some of these, but I decided not to include any reissues, compilations and classical albums that contain music that’s not of its decade, as it were. So, in the order they came out of the vinyl collection/compact disc pile…

Speedy J – A Shocking Hobby. Novamute 2000.
I had a spiritual experience in the ICA in London listening to Mr Paap playing tunes off this album at high volume, a night that feels like it was a long time ago. I bought a Speedy J T-shirt, which disappointingly shrunk in the wash, leaving it too tight around the armpits.

Isolée – WeAreMonster. Playhouse 2005.
One of my non-league ambitions is to see Isolée live so I can dance like I’m 19 again to these tunes. What a sight that would be. It appeals to me how some of the tunes share basslines or sounds, something I decided to copy on my last album. I don’t know if anyone’s noticed.

Thom Yorke – The Eraser. XL 2006.
Me and the wife bought this in the Nice branch of FNAC on our honeymoon on France’s radiant Côte d’Azur. Not only does it bring to mind late nights drinking cognac on the terrace of our luxury Antibes apartment, it’s also got lots of good music and singing on it.

Madvillain – Madvillainy. Stones Throw 2004.
This one reminds me of our old kitchen, where it got a lot of play on the CD player on top of the fridge.

Ricardo Villalobos – Thé au Harem d’Archimède. Perlon 2004.
I think I want to like this album more than I actually do. Still, dancing to Villalobos and Richie Hawtin DJing together at Sonar 2005 (I think) was the most fun I’ve had dancing in public.

Bonnie Prince Billy – Ease Down The Road. Domino 2001.
One of the songs has a rude word sung quite clearly in the middle of it, which I enjoy joining in with, much to the disapproval of the wife.

Studio Pankow – Linienbusse. City Centre Offices 2005.
I remember being tuned into Resonance FM on the stereo in our old kitchen and hearing a tune off this album, one of those tunes that makes you stop doing the washing-up and move over to the fridge to listen for the artist and title. I’ve since spent a good few minutes on the internet trying to find an album in this style that I like as much and I have yet to find it.

Isan – Lucky Cat. Morr 2001.
This album makes me think of the sea, specifically the sounds of the sea at La Baule drifting up to the balcony of our luxury holiday apartment there. I think my wife and I bought this in the Nantes branch of FNAC. Back in 2001, being able to scan CD barcodes and listen to them in the shop was very exciting to us.

Eero Johannes – Eero Johannes. Planet Mu 2008.
I think I’ve only included this because the opening track always makes my baby son smile and jiggle a bit. No, it’s good! Expertly constructed music that makes you realise how much more talented other people are than you.

So, there you go. For some reason I feel a bit underwhelmed now. I still like my Serge Gainsbourg and Charlie Parker CDs better than these…

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