With 2012 drawing to a close, we here at Mount Analog wanted to share with you our favorite records of the year…so here they are, the Mount Analog Top Ten lists.
Mahssa
(Owner, Mount Analog / US branch of Finders Keepers Records / DJ)
A DJ/player/selector of records of the 60s and 70s kind — Mahssa’s own party in Los Angeles is called CUREATION (as part of the global B-Music Collective). Though her DJ sets are focused on “globally obscure and funky 45rpm recordings” from about 1968-1972, Mahssa’s musical tastes range about 50 years before and after that. She is also owner and head buyer at her brick and mortar shop in LA called Mount Analog, as well as a writer, and independent curator and promoter for art and film houses in Los Angeles, including under her own Mount Analog brand. Mahssa also represents the US branch of Finders Keepers Records, based out of Manchester UK (and London). The B Music/Finders Keepers collective is not only a reissue record label, but they are a worldwide group of vinyl archaeologists, know-it-alls, ramblers, and misfits alike specializing in all aspects of off-kilter counterculture including strange music, film, design and literature.
Top 10 for 2012:
Raime – Quarter Turns Over A Living Line (Blackest Ever Black)
Dariush Dolat-Shahi – Electronic Music, Tar and Sehtar LP (Pre-Cert Home Entertainment)
Vatican Shadow LIVE with Demdike Stare, Andy Stott, Silent Servant and Kangding Ray (Sep 2012 – Los Angeles)
Tod Dockstader – Electronic Volume 1 (Mordant Music)
Gareth Williams and Mary Currie – Flaming Tunes LP (Blackest Ever Black)
Suzanne Ciani – Lixiviation (Finders Keepers Records)
Long Island Electrical Systems Record Label (label of the year!)
Wild Unknown Tarot Deck (designed by artist Kim Krans)
Andy Stott – Luxury Problems (Modern Love)
Silent Servant – Negative Fascination (Hospital Productions)
Zane Landreth
(Owner, Mount Analog)
Silent Servant – Negative Fascination (Hospital Productions)
Andy Stott – Luxury Problems (Modern Love)
Pye Corner Audio – The Black Mill Tapes volumes 1&2 (Type)
Torn Hawk – Tarifa EP (L.I.E.S)
Black Marble – A Different Arrangement (Hardly Art)
Merchandise – Children of Desire (Katorga Works)
Demdike Stare – Elemental (Modern Love)
Lauer – Phillips (Running Back)
Vatican Shadow – Kneel Before Religious Icons (Type)
Raime – Quarter Turns Over A Living Line (Blackest Ever Black)
Reissues
Gareth Williams & Mary Currie – Flaming Tunes (Blackest Ever Black)*hands down my release of the year*
Monoton – Monotonprodukt 07 (Desire)
Suzanne Ciani – Lixiviation (Finders Keepers)
Halloween 3 – OST (Death Waltz)
Lives of Angels – Elevator To Eden (Dark Entries)
Trop Tard – Ils Etaient 9 Dans L’Obscurite (Sacred Bones)
Sensations Fix – Music Is Painting In The Air (RVNG)
Ike Yard – Fact A Second (Desire)
Sam Rosenthal – Tanzmusik (Mannequin)
V / A- Tomorrow’s Achievements: Parry Music Library 1976-86 (Public Information)
Ed Vertov-
(Owner, Pro-Tez Records. DJ / Producer)
Automatic Tasty – Fieldwork EP Lunar Disko Records – ldr_10.10
Adel Akram – Untitled ZCKR – ZCKR05
Frak – Prisma Kontra-Musik – KMWL002
XOSAR – Nite Jam Rush Hour Recordings – RH X-2
Raw Series – Raw Series #02
Jamal Moulay – Echo Trap EP Pro-tez Records – P-T 025
Diamond Version – EP1 Mute
Truss – Splot Our Circula Sound – OCS006
Lee Gamble – Diversions 1994-1996 – Pan
Ian Martin – Mechanical Rain Further Records – Fur043
Sarah Toon –
Sarah Toon works under the name Blk Rainbow in Los Angeles as a DJ and promoter. She founded the club killing spree in 2009 with Zane Landreth and currently runs Stalker. She is currently awaiting the impending apocalypse.
V/A – Les Annees Folles (Enfant Terrible)
Natural Assembly – Arms of Departure (Avant!)
Burial Hex – Six Wings (Nostilevo)
Bad News – No End (Chondritic Sound)
Pete Swanson – Pro Style (Type)
Bronze Age – Antiquated Futurism (Bed of Nails Compound)
Youth Code – Demo (self released)
Inhalt – Vehicle (Dark Entries)
Heinrich Dressel – Sighing Melodies Thru the Graves (Mannequin)
King Dude – Burning Daylight (Dais)
Jessica Espeleta
(Musican. DJ. Encyclopedia. She’s probably been there. Buyer / Pricer at Mount Analog.)
1. Null & Void- Possibilities LP on Bunkerpop
Excellent experimental post-punk weirdness from Fullerton, CA circa ’81-’82… Their 3rd album
2. Stress-Conspiracy Theory on Dark Entries
A best-of compiled from first two cassette albums and comp tracks. Super catchy, dark electronic pop ’81-’85
3. Sam Flax- Age Waves on Burger
this bay area dude can really write a pop tune! Like a psychedelic Dwight Twilley, I’d say
4. Shadow Ring-Remains Unchanged 2xLP on Kye
20 unreleased tracks!! Comes with an enormous beautiful poster
5. Girlseeker-1-800-GREED co-released by 10 (!) international labels.
Such an addictive record by more dudes from Copenhagen… Synth pop with really cool guitar leads & wild solos topped with Ian Curtis-ish vocal delivery. YES
6. Regal Degal-Veritable Who’s Who on PPM
First official full-length by these now local psychedelic post-punkers. Heavy ro, yo.
7. Muzz-Light Show self-released cassette
Masterwork by local freak Jack Johns, formerly John Webster Johns and currently a member of Fancy Space people & White Fence. Light Show sees Jack creating a mini rock opera concept album lyrically, & musically a perfect combo of glam, proto punk, and pop weirdness.. GO GET ONE
8. Black Beard- Strictly Dub Wize
This record found it’s way to our shop and I can’t stop listening to it. Only currently available on iTunes, it would be a wise move for someone to reissue… This is Dennis Bovell’s first solo jam.
9. Gareth Williams and Mary Currie – Flaming Tunes on Blackest Ever Black
This one is probably on everyone’s list here at the shop! Beautiful Eno-ish stuff by This Heat member Gareth Williams & his partner Mary Currie. Another great thing about this coming out is that it reminded me of that Lifetones record, so I’ve been jamming both relentlessly.
10. A tie for two local live acts who’s recordings I’m desperately looking forward to! A: Exploding Flowers are paisley power-poppers WITH SAX and extremely well written tunes with KILLER guitar hooks… And B: The Dream Boys also a bit paisley with 3 part harmonies, at times sounding Felt-ish, House of Love-esque and even early REM jangley. Go see ’em!
T.K. DISKO’s Year end chart..
Digital by by Day, Analog By Night… shit thats been holding my interest all year..
1. Paranoid London – Paris Dub 1 – Paranoid London
2. Le Carousel – Lose Your Love – PK Recordings
3. Tevo Howard – Brainstorm – Thug
4. Mutant Beat Dance – Another World – Rong
5. Split Secs – Slave – Machine Limited
6. DJ Nature – Revenge of the Savage – Golf Channel
7. Scott Fraser – A Life Of Silence – Bird Scarer
8. Remain & Populette – Discomfort – Meant Records
9. EP-4 – Lingua Franca E.P. – Brutal Music
10. Tuff City Kids – Begger – Unerton
Andrew ‘Lovefingers’ Hogge
(Owner, ESP Institute. DJ. Designer. House buyer at Mount Analog)
Andrew, in true style, is currently jet-setting around the land of Oz for the month, and his Tops of 2012 will join the website when he lands back into Los Angeles. So WE decided to shout out a few of our favorite ESP jams of 2012. Hey Andrew. We love you man. Don’t lose a flip flop in your travels.
Mount Analog’s favorite ESP jams of 2012:
Land of Light – s/t
(This jam sounds like YOGA PANTS. The New Age is really here y’all. Get enlightened.)
The Backwoods – Cloud Nine EP
Soft Rocks – The Revenge of Soft Rocks 12″
Sea Power & Change EP
Young Marco – Nonono 12″
Michael Ozone – Perfect Systems 12″
Soft Rocks – Talking Jungle 12″