ARTICLES
2006 Top 10s and 20s
2006 Artist Picks

ALBUMS
17 Pictures
Angina P
Ateleia
Benni Hemm Hemm
The Boats
Cappablack
Celer
Dead Letters Dead Words
Deceptikon
Deerhunter
Denzel + Huhn
Displayaz
Dollboy
Drone
Eluvium
Emanuele Errante
The Eternals
Fear Falls Burning
Marcus Fjellström
Fonoda
Funkstörung
Goldfrapp
Gyroscope
Robert Henke
James Holden
The Idealist
Anders Ilar
Landing
LCD Soundsystem
Library Tapes
L Pierre
Lullatone
Tor Lundvall
Mad EP
Mahogany
Melodium
Mem1
Daisuke Miyatani
Mole Harness
Momus
Monoceros
Mormo
Mothboy
Original Hamster
Pierson & Horton
Prince Valium
Radical Face
Retail Sectors / Yaporigami
Rylander & Elggren
Scott Solter Plays PIM
Sideshow
Silicone Soul
Skream
Splinters
Mark Templeton
Thread Pulls
T. Raumschmiere
Tycho
Ultre
Virculum
Xela

COMPILATIONS/MIXES
AudioArt 03
Cumulous
Dubstep Allstars Vol. 4
Eriksen / Toft / Utarm
Katapult VA Vol. 3
Let's Lazertag Sometime
Mr Geoffrey & JD Franzke
Skagen / Halvorsen / Toft
Tectonic Plates

3"/7"/10"/12"/EPs
Gabriel Ananda
Robert Bardini
DAT Politics
Dead Letters / R. Sundin
Dogmixer
Benjamin Fehr
Fenin
HL
I Make This Sound
Zoë Irvine
Kyriakides and Moor
Lamont & 2tall
Ljud. & Piloten / Kama Aina
Jacob London
Sam Mcqueen
Miskate
Ryo Miyashita & Hiiragi_
[nara]
New Faces
Of / Greg Davis
Charlemagne Palestine
Phon.o vs Litwinenko
Portable
PostPrior
Samarah
Nicholas Sauser & Ditch
Someone Else
Hannes Teichmann
Tractile
Andy Vaz

IMAGES
F.S. Blumm

I Make This Sound: Everything Means Something
I Make This Sound

A single listen is all some releases need to convincingly argue their case and no better recent example than that is I Make This Sound's 25-minute six-pack Everything Means Something. The band, its seven Texas natives now rooted in Los Angeles, deftly segues between guitar-based rave-ups and enchanting balladry. “Macaroni Art, For You” eases the listener in with a gently picked acoustic guitar, soft keyboard accents, and hushed vocal before “Clockwork” kicks in with a similarly restrained vocal but a faster tempo and some blistering slide playing during its gloriously anthemic choruses. “Everything Means Something” opens with Morrissey-styled vocal melodies against a simple piano and vibes backing before a swooning slide figure stretches across the sky. Sleigh bells ring throughout the endearing jaunt of “Holiday” which likewise hints at a strong Morrissey influence. By comparison, the gothic sludge of the closer “The Dancer” appeals less but that disappointment doesn't negate the impact of the other gems. There's much to like here but mention must be made of the slide guitar playing, clearly a signature strength of the group's sound. Everything Means Something is that rare EP that opens strongly and gets better with each passing song, and proves once again that great songwriting, arranging, and singing never goes out of style.

January 2007