ARTICLE
2006 10 Favourite Labels

ALBUMS
aMute
Art Ensemble of Chicago
Asphalt Jungle
Joseph Auer
Avia Gardner
Tommi Bass
Caural
Cdatakill
Christ.
Conjoint
Contriva
Cursor Minor
DJ Soul Slinger
DJ Wally/DJ Willie Ross
DoF
Electric Penguins
Encre
Flashbulb
Fuckpony
Funckarma
Cedric Gervais
Eglantine Gouzy
Greater Than One
Greg Haines
François Houle
Housemeister
Jan Jelinek
Eleni Karaindrou
Kode9 + Spaceape
Takagi Masakatsu
Mini
Move D
The New Law
Nuuro
Qwel & Meaty Ogre
Rant
Max Richter
Janek Schaefer
Svarte Greiner
Thighpaulsandra
Unwed Sailor
Geoff White
Wilt
Yellow6
Jesse Zubot

COMPILATIONS/MIXES
4 Women No Cry Vol. 2
Analog for Architecture
Assemblage Sessions
Jimmy Van M
King Unique/Nubreed
Monza Club Ibiza
Pop Ambient 2007
Rub-N-Tug
Thankful
The Rorschach Suite

3"/7"/10"/12"/EPs
Baseheadz
Big Toe
Franco Cangelli
Richard Chartier
Deadbeat/Monolake
Depth Affect
Diebombshelters
DJ Koze
Eltron
Johan Fotmeijer
Hellothisisalex
Mitsuaki Komamura
Múm
Ozka
Seekers Who Are Lovers
Strategy
Tandem 5
Andi Teichmann
The Twilight Sad
Ray Valioso

The Twilight Sad: The Twilight Sad
FactCat

The Twilight Sad's debut EP opens in a wheezy folk-accordion style with James Graham's thick brogue immediately hinting at the band's Glasgow origins. But two minutes in, “But When She Left, Gone Was the Glow” detonates in a distorted firestorm of scarred guitars and drums, announcing that the quartet (formed in 2003 and rounded out by guitarist Andy MacFarlane, bassist Craig Orzel, and drummer Mark Devine) is perhaps more comfortable stoking a fierce howl than it playing a gentle ballad. Graham's delivery subtly hints at Morrissey in “That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy,” which likewise escalates to an impassioned roar in its chorus, and, at moments, the blistering “And She Would Darken the Memory of Youth” brings back memories of The Smiths' glory days. The most anomalous song, the pounding chant “Last Year's Rain Didn't Fall Quite So Hard,” sounds like its barreling up from an underground cavern, so huge is its reverb. At day's end, you'll remember the songs' potent hooks but you'll remember the tidal wave of guitar noise even more. Hold on for dear life, for example, when the guitar chorus majestically combusts during the nine-minute closer “Three Seconds of Dead Air.” Here and elsewhere, the guitars swell to such a gargantuan, hornet's nest pitch, the material feels primed to explode. Though a mere 25 minutes in length, The Twilight Sad makes for an incredible and intense experience.

December 2006