Top 100 12"s of 2007

So there it went. 2007's nearly gone, and I've finally finished this bloody list. Samples can be found below the descriptions, and please support the artists and buy the records! Here are some links to help you out:

Boomkat // Piccadilly Records // Phonica // Rooted // Discogs

If anyone wants to send us some promo material (preferably vinyl!) for review/chart inclusion on TAPE then drop me a line here, as from mid January we're hoping to put out a fortnightly two hour radio show to showcase records that we love, both new and old.

Anyway without further ado, here is 2007's TAPE 100...

100) Shonky - Olympia EP // Freak'n'Chic
Three tracks of heads down bleepy techno from the wonky Frenchman. 'Horizontal Moon' is the pick of the bunch - check those crazy synths!

Samples:
Shonky - Olympia EP // Freak'n'Chic

99) Buraka Som Sistema - Yah! // Modular
Bumping bass, wonky synths, and an urgent female rap are the simple ingredients to this lo-fi afro-techno call to the dancefloor. If this doesn't get the ladies going at peak time, just give up! The B1 isn't much cop, but B2 'Coozi O Mambo' is another cracker with its deep chords providing the foil for a frenetic machine gun bassline that'll get those booties wiggling.

Samples:
Buraka Som Sistema - Yah! // Modular
Buraka Som Sistema - Coozi O Mambo // Modular

98) Thumbs Aloft - Bedmo Disco Volume 1 // Pointless Edits
Yes, this does come from some of our Best Before: cohorts, but all three tracks have been mini-anthems down at The Bank where we do our more disco-centric parties. 'Stick Around' is an extended edit of Macca's 'Coming Up' which does justice to the song unlike Linus Loves' abhorrent version, while b-sides 'TK Max' (funked up dub disco) and 'Pedalo Disco' (err.. remember the England vs. West Indies cricket music?) round things off extremely nicely. The forthcoming EP is even better, so look out for that early in '08.

Samples:
Thumbs Aloft - Bedmo Disco Volume 1 // Pointless Edits

97) Szenario - Exszenaration EP // Leftroom
Raudive saves his best production of the year for Matt Tolfrey's Leftroom label, a pulsing bass throbber that pops and clicks over a mad stretched out chant that makes it sound more like a moan, in fitting with Ho's moniker.

Sample:
Szenario - Pleaseasy (Raudive Remix) // Leftroom

96) Lovebirds - Modern Stalking EP // Winding Road
4 tracks of lazily deep disco-house, my favourites being the Metro Area-ish 'Can't Get Along' and the looped up deep disco of 'Behind You'. Fans of Theo Parrish and Moodymann should check the latter, especially.

Samples:
Lovebirds - Modern Stalking EP // Winding Road

95) Onur Ozer - Red Cabaret EP // Vakant
Solid EP here - three tracks of paranoia inducing minimal techno, my favourite being 'Allegro Energetico' with its looped sax and whip-cracking snares.

Samples:
Onur Ozer - Red Cabaret EP // Vakant

94) Samuel L Session - Remixes Pt 01 // Klap Klap
Two remixes each of two of his tracks from last year's 'Easy Walker' 12", and all of them are excellent. Choice picks are the second remixes of both tracks, the chugging reductionist house of 'Smokestack', and the loopily boompty 'The Stick Up'.

Samples:
Samuel L Session - Remixes Pt 01 // Klap Klap

93) Battles - Atlas (Original & DJ Koze Mixes) // Warp
Puffin didn't really like this remix from DJ Koze at all, but I really dug its soulful techno lullaby vibe. The original's undeniably one of the highlights of their 'Mirrored' LP and takes math-rock to the dancefloor in style.

Samples:
Battles - Atlas // Warp
Battles - Atlas (DJ Koze Remix) // Warp

92) Beard Science - Razor Sharp Edits #1 // Beard Science
Solid edits 12" from the mysterious men with the best facial hair in town. Personal favourites of mine are T. Tauri's dreamy kraut-disco on 'Ark Raiders' and the of Oswego's string-led vocal pumper 'Martian Mirrorball'.

Samples:
Beard Science - Razor Sharp Edits #1 // Beard Science

91) Vincent Markowski - The Madness Of Moths / False Flag // DC
Something a little bit different for DC here, two hard hitting electro-disco cuts for both the heads and the nu-ravers. Both sides are bona fide belters, 'The Madness Of Moths' on a Syclops tip, and 'False Flags' with its low slung slow-house vibe.

Samples:
Vincent Markowski - The Madness Of Moths // DC
Vincent Markowski - False Flag // DC

90) Jichael Mackson - ...Wasn't Me // Musique Risquee
Mackson flips dub techno on its head with the Chris Isaak sampling 'The Grass Is Always Greener', and the inclusion of his remix of Pastamusik from 2003 will please DJs of a wonkier persuasion.

Samples:
Jichael Mackson - ...Wasn't Me EP // Musique Risquee

89) Unknown Artist - Ugandan Speed Trials // Downwards
Fuck knows who's behind this, but this is incredible. Two tracks of swinging hard techno with impeccably clinical production. If you're a fan of T++ and that sort of reduced Hardwax gear you should definitely pick this up.

Unknown Artist - Ugandan Speed Trials #1 // Downwards
Unknown Artist - Ugandan Speed Trials #2 // Downwards

88) Claude VonStroke - Who's Afraid Of Detriot (Deepchord & Soultek Mixes) // Echospace
If there was one track that didn't need any more remixes, it'd be 'Who's Afraid Of Detroit'. Thankfully, Deepchord strip things back to their usual breathy throb, and Soultek jacks it up for the floor with spacey chords, bleeps aplenty, and a punishing bassline.

Samples:
Claude VonStroke - Who's Afraid Of Detriot (Deepchord Remix) // Echospace
Claude VonStroke - Who's Afraid Of Detriot (Soultek's Suckaz Running Scared Mix) // Echospace

87) Pepe Bradock - Rhapsody in Pain // Atavisme
The craziness of the original may have scared a few people off (actually, it might just have been the screaming), and whilst it is great, it's bettered by the 'Bonus Beat' on the flipside which is hypnotically lush organic techno.

Samples:
Pepe Bradock - Rhapsody in Pain EP // Atavisme

86) The Mole - Ombudsman EP // Musique Risquee
Three great tracks on this versatile EP from The Mole. Looped up dub disco, ambient, and killer deep house all feature, and there's not a bad one from the bunch.

Samples:
The Mole - Ombudsman EP // Musique Risquee

85) Matthew Dear - Don & Sherri EP // Ghostly
One of the gems from Matt D's 'Asa Breed' LP (which you should have picked up if you haven't already!) gets some pretty mediocre reworkings by MANDY and Hot Chip, but the real magic comes with DJ Koze's remix of 'Elementary Lover'. Gorgeous strings get chopped and looped, while Koze's use of space and subtle punctuation give Dear's vocal space to breathe. Add to that the pitched up "thank you... we've all enjoyed being here tonight... you've been a great audience... we've going to close with a song for all you dreamers..." at the end, and you've got the perfect penultimate track of the night if you're going to finish on a blissed out tip. The boompty electro-pop of the original's well worth a look too, but you knew that already, didn't you?

Samples:
Matthew Dear - Don & Sherri // Ghostly
Matthew Dear - Elementary Lover (DJ Koze Remix) // Ghostly

84) Pan Pot - Charly // Mobilee
This one's a fucked up cokehead baiting mongathon. That's a good thing, by the way.

Sample:
Pan Pot - Charly // Mobilee

83) Marc Ashken - Two Left Feet EP // Leftroom
Marc Houle's moody bass guitar-driven remix of 'Nimrod' is pretty nice, but full marks to Ashken on 'Roots Dyed Dark' for making the most twisted series of breakdowns in techno this year. Everything slows down to almost a complete halt, whips back up to breakneck speed, and then drops into a series of crazy sections whilst never losing sight of the floor. A peak time only record, maybe, but a great one at that.

Samples:
Marc Ashken - Two Left Feet EP // Leftroom

82) V/A - Tronic Jams Vol. 1 // Deeply Rooted House
The Argy and Wipe The Needle cuts on this are fairly functional, but it's Prof Delacroix that really shines through, bringing together subtle Dial-esque tones with a beat reeks of Chicago house at it's finest. Marcus Enochson's 'Awa' is the other brilliant contribution, which sounds like what'd happen if you put Kerri Chandler, Luciano, and Morgan Geist in a room together and told them to make something special. Now if that isn't recommendation enough...

Samples:
V/A - Tronic Jams Vol. 1 // Deeply Rooted House

81) Alex Under - Gris // CMYK
What I said then... "Alex Under's no stranger to using weird samples from movies and TV (one of his best works, his remix of Random Play's 'Just Like That' features samples from Requiem For A Dream), and for his latest release on his own CMYK label, he's sampled the stoned gay hippy from Family Guy. On paper it shouldn't work at all, but the lines that he's taken ('I'm gonna eat that hairy leg', 'I did have a chubby kid on the raft earlier today, etc.) give the relentless bass riff and plinky melody that extra surreal edge."

Samples:
Alex Under - Gris // CMYK
Alex Under - Anthemo // CMYK

80) John Daly - Freak Out Or Get Out EP // Wave
Killer release on Wave for Irishman Daly. 'Do It' is a deep disco-house shuffler with attitude, whilst the other two tracks are sundrenched anthems that got a lot of play round my gaff during our short English summer this year.

Samples:
John Daly - Freak Out Or Get Out EP // Wave

79) Sascha Dive - The Basic Collective EP (Part 1 of 3) // Deep Vibes
Two slower cuts for both the stoners ('Bdown Variation 7') and the smackheads ('Samuel Davis Export I') are to be found on the A-side, but things get even better when you flip it over. Go for 'Long Way' if you want something deep and wonky, but my favourite from the four is hypno-boompty anthem 'Deep In Rhythm'. That's a seriously nice groove right there...

Samples:
Sascha Dive - The Basic Collective EP (Part 1 of 3) // Deep Vibes

78) Serafin & Roman Bruderer - Dream Sequence // Mountain People
I'm not much for the B-side of this one, but the A-side is bumpin' tracky house goodness that's impossible to stay still to.

Sample:
Serafin & Roman Bruderer - Dream Sequence // Mountain People

77) Ali Kuru - Cyanide (Tolga Fidan Remix) // Luxa Flex
Without the remix it's a pretty bog standard dark tech-house affair, but Tolga Fidan works 'Cyanide' into a totally different beast. Menacing tribal wonk that'll scare the dribbling K-heads into the nearest taxi.

Sample:
Ali Kuru - Cyanide (Tolga Fidan Remix) // Luxa Flex

76) Bodycode - A Document Of An American Past // Yore
This is probably going to sound a little bit homoerotic, but one of my favourite dancefloor moments was watching Bodycode making his laptop set a little more pumping by working a towel behind his shoulders like he's some sort of male stripper. 'Body To Body' is, I'm sure, what's going on in his head when he's getting down in the dark rooms of Berghain (ie. ultra sexy boompty techno), and 'The Centre Of Time', well, just sounds like you'd imagine Berghain to. Proper techno from the coolest Alan in the scene.

Samples:
Bodycode - Body To Body // Yore
Bodycode - The Centre Of Time // Yore

75) Len Faki - Rainbow Delta / Mekong Delta // Ostgut Ton
Two rolling techno killers from the Ostgut camp. In particular, it's Mekong Delta that'll put a rocket up the dancefloor's arse, but Rainbow Delta is also good if you want to keep things deeper and more hypnotic.

Samples:
Len Faki - Rainbow Delta // Ostgut Ton
Len Faki - Mekong Delta // Ostgut Ton

74) V/A - Detriot Beatdown Vol. 2 EP 1 // Third Ear
The two wonky downbeat tracks on the A side, are pretty decent, but the tracks on the B are just astounding. Smith & Hall opt for a silky deep houser soaked in strings but with a heavy skipping beat, and the Black Art Music track is just fucking sexy! This is what plays in Kenny Dixon's head when he's getting it on...

Samples:
V/A - Detriot Beatdown Vol. 2 EP 1 // Third Ear

73) Mark E - R&B Drunkie // Golf Channel
'I feel like pumping to some old school...' Indeed. Mark E creates yet another dub disco classic, this time from Janet Jackson's 'R&B Junkie'. Bouncing groove, incredible bassline, great vocal - total dancefloor winner.

Sample:
Mark E - R&B Drunkie // Golf Channel

72) Burial - Ghost Hardware EP // Hyperdub
The hectic percussion of 'Shutta' is a little too much for me, but the spectral garage of 'Ghost Hardware' and dubbed out 'Exit Wounds' are right up my alley.

Samples:
Burial - Ghost Hardware EP // Hyperdub

71) Hatchback - White Diamond (Prins Thomas Diskomiks) // Thisisnotanexit
Dreamy 17 minute kraut-disco epic from the Nordic royal. Essential post club listening, this.

Sample:
Hatchback - White Diamond (Prins Thomas Diskomiks) // Thisisnotanexit

70) October - Three Drops/Homosapiens // Caravan
Yes, he's our mate, but if you've actually heard this record already, I don't think you'll be complaining about its inclusion in the 100. 'Three Drops' is the Ronseal of this year's techno releases - it does exactly what it says on the tin. What always struck me about Jules' first forays into techno production is his attention to detail on the beats. Unwilling to keep the same patterns looping over and over, his broken beat pedigree shines through as beats reappear and disappear, all whilst the melody provides a counter rhythm that locks in perfectly. Add some analogue synth washes that sound simply incredible on a big system, but those drops... Cracking. 'Homosapiens' aims much deeper, pulsing along on a dubbed out vibe before rolling over into some synth and bass embellishments a couple of times. Annoyingly, the pop'n'click classic that is 'There's A Glitch In My Soup' only featured on the digital release, but I'm sure I'll coax Jules into whacking it onto wax in '08. Caravan then - more fun than a wet weekend in Wales, and with upcoming releases from October, Emptyset and TG, next year looks to be theirs already.

Samples:
October - Three Drops // Caravan
October - Homosapiens // Caravan

69) Ron Hardy - Baby, Baby Baby, Aw Shucks // Partehardy
As far as I'm aware, these releases are edits that have been put together in a Ron Hardy style and not actually done by the big man himself, but this one of First Choice's 'Let No Man Put Assunder' its absolutely stonking. The edit loops and loops itself around your brain until you can't help but get into the irresistable groove, bringing things up slowly but surely with subtle progressions before ending with (an incredibly functional) "it's not over" stop-start section. The b-side's a bit naff, but it's worth picking up for the corker of an A.

Sample:
Ron Hardy - Baby, Baby Baby, Aw Shucks // Partehardy

68) Smith & Mudd - Shulme // Claremont 56
This one isn't for the dancefloor, but is the perfect soundtrack to the the early morning when the teas have been made and the spliffs are going round. As the gorgeous rhythm section rolls on, guitars duel and chime, celestial synths provide aural valium, and for a few brief minutes you'll know it's been a bloody good night. Look out for their album that's coming on Mudd's Claremont 56 label in 2008.

Sample:
Smith & Mudd - Shulme // Claremont 56

67) cv313 - Dimensional Space // Echospace
Two cuts of sublimely deep skanking dub techno from the mysterious cv313. There are still a few of these at normal price over at Discogs, so get them before the prices start getting silly.

Samples:
cv313 - Dimensional // Echospace
cv313 - Space // Echospace

66) Aeroplane - Caramellas // Eskimo
Was 2007 the year the piano came back with a vengeance? With Noze, Still Going, and Peverelist all putting out classic piano based tracks, I'm definitely not complaining. Aeroplane's case in point, 'Caramellas' is a bumping slow jam with one of the most euphoric sunrise synth riffs I've heard in a while, and one that the clever DJs will be saving for those Sonar beach parties next year.

Sample:
Aeroplane - Caramellas // Eskimo

65) Tony Allen - Kilode (Carl Craig Remixes) // Honest Jon's
It's always nice to hear Carl Craig doing something a little bit different, and these two remixes are a perfect example of that. The 'Straight' mix is top notch warm up fare which really emphasises the brilliant bassline and percussion, but the other mix is a shuffling strung out builder with some incredible synth stabs that'll work the housier floors.

Samples:
Tony Allen - Kilode EP // Honest Jon's

64) Karma - Beach Towel (I:Cube & Pascal Schafer Mixes) // Compost
Some great remixes on this one; essential sundrenched cosmic house from I:Cube, and cheekily pensive techno from Pascal Schafer.

Samples:
Karma - Beach Towel EP // Compost

63) Ada - Hensel & Damsel // Cereal/Killers
Her release on Areal this year was okay, but ultimately disappointing as it was nowhere near as good some of her previous material. This track on one of the Cereal/Killers split 12"s helped to redress the balance with its menaching acid line that makes way for drifting synths and classic Cologne percussion.

Sample:
Ada - Hensel & Damsel // Cereal/Killers

62) Baby Oliver - Primetime (Uptown Express) // Environ
I've got quite a bit of play out of this supposed Morgan Geist production this year. Ideal for when you're bringing things up from slower tempos, 'Primetime' boasts a bassline to die for along with a strange stabbing synth/vocoder line, and putting the cherry on the cake are the cheeky lyrics about 'getting on the train and never feeling pain again' (if this isn't about getting as high as a kite, don't spoil it for me!). B-side 'Hypochondriac' is beautifully produced, but didn't really do much for me personally. Never mind that - it's worth the entry price for the A-side alone.

Sample:
Baby Oliver - Primetime (Uptown Express) // Environ

61) Mark Farina - Back To The House EP // Om
What I said then... "The 'GLA mix' is my preferred version - an incredibly simple track made up of a spoken word vocal eulogising about bringing house music back, backed with a boompty bassline and a jacking drum track. There's also a mix with just the drums and vocals for the more adventurous DJ, and a more melodic version for people who want to keep things a little more groovy. A classic jack track for '07 - get yourselves on it."

Samples:
Mark Farina - Back To The House EP // Om

60) DJ Koze - All The Time / Cicely // Philpot
Two absolute belters from Mr Kozalla that show the dichotomy of his DJ Koze persona perfectly. 'All The Time' wonks it up so much that it seems to be permanently imploding, and 'Cicely' is blissed out micro-house at its finest.

Samples:
DJ Koze - All The Time // Philpot
DJ Koze - Cicely // Philpot

59) V/A - Death Is Nothing To Fear #1 // Spectral
I wasn't too big on most of Matthew Dear's Audion productions this year, but the stridently psychedelic 'I Gave You Away' presses all the right buttons for me. Bodycode's contribution is also well worth a listen with its eerie keys and jacking beat.

Samples:
V/A - Death Is Nothing To Fear #1 // Spectral

58) Omar S feat. Theo Parrish - The Grand Son Of Detriot Techno! // FXHE
Hypnotic acid-laced Detroit house that'll worm its way right into your brain. It's ever so simple but keeps getting better and better as it goes along, drawing you further into the murky groove. Get your heads down for Detroit!

Sample:
Omar S feat. Theo Parrish - The Grand Son Of Detriot Techno! // FXHE

57) Pole - Steingarten (Shackleton & Peverelist Remixes) // ~scape
What I said then... "If you only buy one of the four Pole remix twelves, let it be this one. Shack's tripped out mix was the one that held my attention in the shop, but once getting it home it was Peverelist's use of space and whomping bass pulses that really got me going."

Samples:
Pole - Achterbahn (Shackleton Remix) // ~scape
Pole - Winkelstreben (Peverelist Remix) // ~scape

56) Kassem Mosse - Workshop003 // Workshop
Workshop continued their faultless record of releases with this little beauty. The A takes some skittering old-school electro beats and marries them to a backing which is foreboding yet funked up, and then ends with a 3 minute ambient wash which provides the perfect mixing tool for some additional atmospherics or even an abrupt tempo change. Speaking of tempo changes, the pace drops down for the B-side cuts, and B1 in particular is suited to a particularly messy after hours with its cavernous echo effects and bumping nocturnal groove.

Samples:
Kassem Mosse - Workshop003 // Workshop

55) Mountain People DJs - Mountain People 005 // Mountain People
What I said then... "No surprises here - Mountain People come out with yet another cracking twelve inch. No idea who the producers are on this one (I'm guessing that label founders Serafin & André Schmid provide a side each), but you've got a tracky roller on the A broken up intermittently by a sustained spaced out chord, and a chunkier track on the B which is on more of a skippy deep house tip."

Samples:
Mountain People DJs - Mountain005.1 // Mountain People
Mountain People DJs - Mountain005.2 // Mountain People

54) Kadebostan - Caracas Soul EP // Freude Am Tanzen
Kadebostan's downbeat ethnic techno really grabbed my ear this year, and even though they only released these three tracks, all of them were stupendous. Eerie affected strings drone over minimalist percussion on the title track, whilst a detached yearning female vocal appears only to submerge into the mix seconds later. 'Back To My First Heroes' is similar but on a more slower, reduced tip, but it's the B2, 'Spirit Soldiers', that really seals the deal. Both ominous and reflective in equal measures, it's hardly peak time fare, but will definitely get a discerning afterhours crowd grooving along.

Samples:
Kadebostan - Caracas Soul EP // Freude Am Tanzen

53) Lovefingers - RVNG Of The Nrds #4 // RVNG
Four top notch varied disco edits from NYC's Lovefingers. Probably the best in the series, but after brilliant twelves from Mock'n'Toof and Tim Sweeney, that's saying something.

Samples:
Lovefingers - RVNG Of The Nrds #4 // RVNG

52) V/A - Music Is My Space // Statik
What I said then... "Quality dub techno EP from the Statik camp. Quantec (who's previously had records out on Styrax Leaves and Echocord) serves up a hypnotically shimmering shower of synths, whilst newcomer Chet knocks out a seriously deep skanker that marks him out as a producer to watch."

Samples:
V/A - Music Is My Space // Statik

51) Partial Arts - Trauermusik // Kompakt
Come end of year list time, many forgot about this little beauty released right at the start of January by Ewan Pearson and Al Usher's Partial Arts project. A perfect end of the night record, marrying delicate strung out chords with a boompty bassline and intertwining celestial synths that'll leave people smiling as they leave the club.

Sample:
Partial Arts - Trauermusik // Kompakt

50) Babytalk - Keep On Move // Stickydisc
This is essentially a DFA record, what with it being done by in-house engineer Eric Broucek, but was mysteriously released on the unknown Stickydisc label in November. The original (and my preferred) mix is bass driven space disco from the future, and the Six-Leg Friend mix puts the vocal into a dubbier disco context.

Sample:
Babytalk - Keep On Move // Stickydisc

49) Optimo - Walkabout Sampler // Endless Flight
I'm sure that a lot of techno fans have overlooked this 12" from Optimo's 'Walkabout' mix, but you should definitely pick one up if you see it kicking around. Wolfgang Voigt's 'Grungerman' from 1995 gets a timely re-release (50 euros for the original? I think not), and there are two edits from the Optimo lads. Wilkes takes on the bubbling bass'n'bleeps of Pan Sonic's 'Hapatus', and Wilkes twists obscure Italian techno act Databrain into a pumping dancefloor weapon.

Samples:
Optimo - Walkabout Sampler // Endless Flight

48) Patrice Scott - Beyond Deep / Raw Fusion // Sistrum
Top notch deep Detriot house from Patrice Scott. 'Beyond Deep' has a bit more jack to it, but 'Raw Fusion' is a great dubby reductionist house track that'll mix well with a lot of the recent dub techno releases.

Samples:
Patrice Scott - Beyond Deep EP // Sistrum

47) 2562 - Kameleon / Channel One // Tectonic
This is my favourite of the two releases that Dutchman Dave Huismans has put out as 2562 this year. 'Kameleon' is a deep tribal stepper, while 'Channel One' has a seriously heavy skanking bass pulse that'll rock both dubstep and techno dancefloors.

Samples:
2562 - Kameleon // Tectonic
2562 - Channel One // Tectonic

46) Pendle Coven - Habitual Stress // Modern Love
'Brick Tutor' is a great ominous dub techno track, but pure evil never sounded as good as it does on 'Habitual Stress'. Acid house in hell, and we all know that the devil throws the best parties.

Samples:
Pendle Coven - Habitual Stress // Modern Love
Pendle Coven - Brick Tutor // Modern Love

45) Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts - Petits Djinns EP // Circus Company
What I said then... "The A-side 'Sous D'Arbre' holds a lovely tribal groove before an idiosyncratic synth line and submerged vocal peep through the mix, picking things up nicely. The end of the track sees him indulge his wonky jazz tendencies with a looped sax sample and some wooshing noises to pick up the straggling dancers. The b-side cuts are a little more downbeat, with 'Yone' going for a tropical cyclical vibe and again utilising the sax here and there, whilst 'Chilly Willy' has more of a Moodymann with brass band in carnival mode thing going on."

Samples:
Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts - Petits Djinns EP // Circus Company

44) Kelley Polar - Chrysanthemum EP // Environ
I was desperately waiting for the release of Kelley's 'I Need You to Hold On While The Sky is Falling' LP all this year, as I fell head over heels in love with his previous album on Environ. I've got a lot of respect for this man's quality control (his early EPs are all fantastic as well), and he shows no sign of dipping in form with yet more sumptious efforts on this 12". Wistfully bleak visions of the future collide with romantic sentiment on 'Chrysanthemum', while 'Rosenband' keeps things a little more upbeat with its boompty disco groove and dramatic arrangement. The mysterious Magic Tim (Sweeney or Goldsworthy, possibly?) also supplies an building instrumental remix that's a little more geared to late night club shenanigans which tops off an incredible 12" from the label that, in my eyes, was definitely the most consistent quality wise this year.

Samples:
Kelley Polar - Chrysanthemum EP // Environ

43) Donnacha Costello - Black Bag Job // Minimise
If you were to accuse Donnacha of being a bit lazy this year, you'd probably be right. So he does six tracks in six days last year and then this year we get one remix (which would be great if only it didn't remind me of that fucking Crazy Frog tune), and one original composition. What the hell does he do with the rest of his time? I hope you're working on something a new LP, Mr Costello, because teasing us with tracks this good just won't do. 'Black Bag Job' is an irresistable slice of perfect percussion and classic melody, as only DC can do.

Sample:
Donnacha Costello - Black Bag Job // Minimise

42) The Glimmers - Kobe's In Columbia // Diskimo
Easily the best of The Glimmers' Diskimo productions, 'Kobe's In Columbia' is a castanet-clapping, bass-squelching, low slung electro-disco monster that'll raise hell on all sorts of floors.

Sample:
The Glimmers - Kobe's In Columbia // Diskimo

41) Kerri Chandler - Computer Games EP // Deeply Rooted House
This EP from much earlier in the year saw Kerri go for a more resolutely electronic sound, whilst still keeping his trademark jacking deepness. All four tracks reek of quality, from the bubbling acidity of 'The Invaders (The Panic)', through to the rolling stab-a-thon of 'Moon Bounce'. Honestly, I'd be hard pressed to pick a favourite. Essential gear for the house heads out there - but you knew that already, didn't you?

Samples:
Kerri Chandler - Computer Games EP // Deeply Rooted House

40) 2000 & One/Len Faki - Work/Odyssee I // Podium
I've always got time for a bit of 2000 & One, but this offering for Faki's Podium imprint really knocked my socks off the first time I heard it. Taking a snippet of the vocal from Steve Poindexter's 'Work That Motherfucker', he places it over a boompty melodic house cut which is sure to do serious damage if you tweak the bass at the right places. The Faki cut also took me by surprise as it's (dare I say it) a little more electro-housey than I've heard from his other stuff. Starting as a grooving deep techno cut, steadily picks up layer by layer before unleashing an uber-trancy breakdown that powers into some buzzsaw acid action. 'Work' is the one you'll be picking this up for, however - top quality bounce for the floor.

Samples:
2000 & One - Work (Late Nite NYC Edit) // Podium
Len Faki - Odyssee I // Podium

39) Tiger Stripes / Solomun - Hooked / Jungle River Cruise // Liebe*Detail
Two housier cuts than usual on this L*D split, and both would've been worthy 12"s on their own. Solomun contributes an skippy ethnically infused deep house track with a subtle tracey melody, but Tiger Stripes takes the biscuit with the relentlessly charging 'Hooked'. Deep stabs propel proceedings throughout, while the delicate plinky melody dances a little jig in your cerebrum.

Samples:
Tiger Stripes - Hooked // Liebe*Detail
Solomun - Jungle River Cruise // Liebe*Detail

38) Escort - A Bright New Life // Escort
'We're the last standing disco band', sang Captain Comatose a few years back, but you can't help think that their lyrical whimsy applies to Escort much more. 'A Bright New Life' was the better of their two offerings this year, a chugging euphoric stormer that really works on the floor. Morgan Geist supplies a more relaxed instrumental remix, but it's all about the vocal for me (albeit pitched up slightly in ze club).

Samples:
Escort - A Bright New Life EP // Escort

37) Substance & Vainqueur - Libration/Resonance // Scion Versions
Substance and Vainqueur raise their game with yet another incredible dub techno 12" on their Scion Versions imprint. If you've heard the previous ones then you'll know exactly how this sounds. Yes, that's right - fucking incredible.

Samples:
Substance & Vainqueur - Libration // Scion Versions
Substance & Vainqueur - Resonance // Scion Versions

36) Moodymann - I'd Rather Be Lonely // KDJ
Irresistable multi-sectioned jazz house from Kenny on a ridiculously priced single sided 12". An oddball vocal track, yes, but the cyclical double bass, flanged guitar, and metamorphic percussion will have you hooked from the first listen.

Sample:
Moodymann - I'd Rather Be Lonely // KDJ

35) Beck - Cell Phone's Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Entlebuch Remix) // Bpitch Control
This year saw Ricky V turn Beck's original into a 15 minute hip-horse-house anthem as only he can, and the results were magical. The oddball spoken vocal fits perfectly with the clip-clop beats and eerie harmonies, and when that bassline drops halfway through, you can be sure that things will kick up a gear on the floor.

Sample:
Beck - Cell Phone's Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Entlebuch Remix) // Bpitch Control

34) Baby Oliver - Feelings 2 / Shot Caller // Environ
No duff tracks on this one, Baby Oliver's second twelve of the year. 'Feelings 2' is a surging electronic disco workout featuring an unknown vocalist that resembles the Junior Boys' Jeremy Greenspan quite a bit, which would make a lot of sense seeing as I've heard on the grapevine that Morgan Geist has a full vocal LP planned with Mr Greenspan... 'Shot Caller' is probably the jewel in the crown of the four Baby Oliver tracks, a slamming slo-mo reductionist disco banger for the late night freaks.

Samples:
Baby Oliver - Feelings 2 // Environ
Baby Oliver - Shot Caller // Environ

33) Gatto Fritto - Invisible College // Dissident
Easily the best record from Dissident this year (some of those samples sounded rubbish, didn't they?), 'Invisible College' unfolds beautifully over its twelve minute duration, and doesn't outsay its welcome for a second. Head noddingly epic cosmic disco that's begging for a re-release.

Sample:
Gatto Fritto - Invisible College // Dissident

32) Junior Boys - Like A Child/Double Shadow (Carl Craig & Kode 9 Mixes) // Domino
Everyone always bangs on about the Carl Craig remix which is bloody fantastic (and probably the best thing he's done this year), but Kode 9's mix on the flipside definitely shouldn't be ignored. A killer steppin' rhythm surrounded in aquatic delayed guitar and cheap keyboard sounds that is essential listening, dubstep fan or not.

Junior Boys - Like A Child (Carl Craig Remix) // Domino
Junior Boys - Double Shadow (Kode 9 Remix) // Domino

31) Wild Rumpus - Musical Blaze Up // Bitches Brew
Rub'n'Tug's re-chug and Cosmo's psychedelic dub are both amazing, but I've always had a fondness for the original mix stuck on the B2. The reggae skank is pitched perfectly, the guitar line is just crazy, and it's topped off by equally madcap vocals from, err... MC Brother Culture.

Samples:
Wild Rumpus - Musical Blaze Up // Bitches Brew

30) Trusme - Brown's // Stilove4music
'Nard's' - what a track! Strangely retitled 'Narda' on his 'Working Nights' LP, this is a low slung disco bomb that works its way up to a heavy climax. Any idea what the vocal sample is on this one? The b-side cuts are also decent - two smooth as fuck edits that you wished your local rubbish bar DJs would play.

Samples:
Trusme - Brown's EP // Stilove4music

29) Still Going - Still Going Theme / On And On // DFA
If you haven't heard this yet, I don't know what cave you've been living in. Gorgeous piano bliss, in dubbed out disco and deep house flavours respectively.

Samples:
Still Going - Still Going Theme // DFA
Still Going - On And On // DFA

28) The Emperor Machine - Vertical Tones & Horizontal Noise Part 5 // DC
My favourite in ex-Bizarre Inc member Andy Meecham's six part series, this twelve has served me well this year. 'Labocatocs' struts and skanks along its spaced out groove, but B-side 'Rimramramrim' (which is always amusing when people come up and ask what it is) is a pure dancefloor killer. Opening beatlessly with a multitude of throbbing synths (which is quite handy as a mixing tool and also to mix out of really slow records - hello Frank Hebly!), it quickly picks up into a nagging disco groove and lets those synths battle it out for our aural pleasure.

Samples:
The Emperor Machine - Labocatocs // DC
The Emperor Machine - Rimramramrim (Ava's Uninterrupted Version) // DC

27) Citizen Kane - Kane's Spanish Home // Moton
What I said then... "There's nothing more annoying than buying a record, only for it to go missing somewhere along the way. This is especially true when you lose it less than a week after first buying it, which is exactly what happened with my copy of the latest Moton 12". Of course, I had to buy it again, meaning that I've spent £14 on a track, but with this one it's definitely worth it. I first heard this when Dennis Kane dropped it on Metro Area's Beats In Space show, and it just stood out as something with a totally different vibe to the glut of edits coming out over the last couple of years. Based on a track from the Kill Bill soundtrack, it's a stomping disco beat backed by a rousing spanish guitar/brass combo, but the arrangement is something incredibly special. Check the way it drops down to the plucked acoustic guitar and strings, only to snap-clap its way back into action and kick into the rolling strum."

Sample:
Citizen Kane - Kane's Spanish Home // Moton

26) Kabale Und Liebe - Mumbling Yeah // AreaRemote
So this is this year's 'mnml marmite' track. Only it isn't, because Marmite disgusts me, and I really dig this bubbling understated groover.

Sample:
Kabale Und Liebe - Mumbling Yeah // AreaRemote

25) Jay Shepheard - Pipes'n'Sneakers EP // Compost Black Label
Solid four tracker from the nice chaps at Compost, ranging from slinky Booka Shade style electro-disco ['Pipes & Slippers'], through to some seriously groovy cosmic house ['Last Days (Of Cou Cou D)', 'Song From Mikeldore']. Sure to be a hit with deep house and disco aficianados across the land.

Samples:
Jay Shepheard - Pipes'n'Sneakers EP // Compost Black Label

24) Lee Douglas - New York Story/Ravm // Rong
Two electronic disco corkers from Mr Doug Lee that seem unrealistically polished for only his second self-produced release. He's gotta be cheating, right? Here we've got a bubbling cowbell'n'bass monster (the ridiculously titled 'Ravm') and the euphorically funereal (yes, you read that right) 'New York Story' that'll get the hearts and feet of disco lovers going in the wee hours.

Lee Douglas - New York Story // Rong
Lee Douglas - Ravm // Rong

23) Robag Wruhme als Rolf Oksen - Bart Eins EP // Freude Am Tanzen
What I said then... "The always on point FAT camp (see what I did there?) have provided my biggest floor shaker of the year with yet another masterstroke from the guy with the weirdest name in techno. Maybe it's just because I'm based in Bristol, but when this bassline hits everyone goes fucking apeshit (and yes, that includes me!). Feel the wobble..."

Sample:
Robag Wruhme als Rolf Oksen - Dopamin // Freude Am Tanzen

22) Westpark Unit - Jeepah // Farside
Three solid tracks of electronic deepness from Westpark Unit. A-side 'Jeepah' has the most dancefloor pump, with heavy disco drums and understated bumpin' bass before dreamy synths enter and take things to the next level. The b-side cuts are just as good, if not better, but take a more dubwise direction. In particular, B2 cut 'Blaxrotation Suite Mix' provides a natural sounding progression if you're trying to pick things up from an ambient dub techno vibe to a more tribal percussive sound.

Samples:
Westpark Unit - Jeepah EP // Farside

21) Hercules & Love Affair - Classique #2/Roar // DFA
Two brilliantly atmospheric modern house cuts from Andy Butler's new project on DFA. 'Classique #2' holds you in suspense with its perfectly produced minimal percussion and sharp acid line, and 'Roar' is a low slung, seductively bumping groover that'll go down just as well later on in the night as it will when things are just warming up. I have it on good authority that their forthcoming album (or the sampler of it , at least) is absolutely mindblowing, so keep a look out for that one.

Hercules & Love Affair - Classique #2 // DFA
Hercules & Love Affair - Roar // DFA

20) Efdemin/Carsten Jost - Just A Track/Love // Dial
The first time I heard Efdemin's 'Just A Track', I just had to keep playing it over and over. Beautifully structured techno that manages to be deep and jacking at the same time. What it also jacks is the acapella to Roland Clark's 'Presidents House', but that's another matter entirely. Carsten Jost takes things deeper still with 'Love', a sumptious hypno-houser soaked in trademark Dial melodies and rattling hats. Two classics by two class acts.

Samples:
Efdemin - Just A Track // Dial
Carsten Jost - Love // Dial

19) Skatebard - Marimba // Supersoul
Supersoul really impressed me this year with their electronic disco meanderings, and Skatebard's 'Marimba' is probably the prime example of what makes this label so special. Pitched right down at 113 bpm, it's crawling speed really accentuates the spaciousness and misty Basic Channel-esque chords, while the trebly percussion rattles on like the drum machine's been switched to the 'Lunar Tropicalia' setting. Flip over to 'Pagans' and it's like Carl Craig trying to cover an old italo dub, with its beefy wobbling bass arpeggio and delayed synths projecting to the stars. 'Marimba' though, fuck... What a record!

Samples:
Skatebard - Marimba // Supersoul
Skatebard - Pagans // Supersoul

18) Move D - Workshop002 // Workshop
Puffin Jack commented on this record earlier this year by saying 'it's like Moodymann after a couple of gurners', and he's right on the money. Lovely stuff. Beards who like disco will also enjoy the B2, a much slower brooding electronic disco number. They might have only had two releases, but it's been a good year for Workshop and I hope that we hear much more from them in '08.

Samples:
Move D - Workshop002 // Workshop

17) Syncom Data - Beyond The Stars // SD
I think this is probably the first and only time I'll ever say this, but on this release, the best track is the 'Beats' version! Thundering beats accompany fantastically snaking mindfuck synths, and when the bassline and snapclaps enter, the dancefloor will be going wild. The 'Dub' (which confusingly has a full vocal) sounds like a cheap Rhythm & Sound record (though it sounds much better than I'm making out!), and the 'Beatless' (which has beats!) version provides a wonky synth for more adventurous DJs to freak everyone out with.

Samples:
Syncom Data - Beyond The Stars // SD

16) Frivolous - Midnight Black Indulgence EP // ~scape
What I said then... "This has been at the front of my box all year; 'Sooo Savvy...' is a great boompty call to arms against the wall hugging hipsters, but 'Goodbye Regrets' is my favourite. It's got a fantastic tropical-trance melody line, before this amazing bassline kicks in - I definitely see this EP riding up high in the 100..."

Samples:
Frivolous - Midnight Black Indulgence EP // ~scape

15) Appleblim & Shackleton - Soundboy's Ashes Get Chopped Out & Snorted // Skull Disco
For once Appleblim manages to better Shackleton with 'Vansan', a strung out stepper with cavernous stabs and an incredible beatless breakdown. There's a definite Basic Channel influence there, but when has that ever been a bad thing? As usual it's tribal ethnic wonk from Shackleton on 'She Brings Me Down', which is quite light percussively but has a definite swing to it and a heavy bassline to top things off.

Samples:
Appleblim - Vansan // Skull Disco
Shackleton - She Brings Me Down // Skull Disco

14) Mogg & Naudascher - Moon Unit (Parts 1 & 2) // Supersoul
Fledgling label Supersoul have only been round since August '06, and already they've knocked out a selection of essential releases. The first to come from their roster this year is Paul Mogg and (ex-Terranova member) Xaver Naudascher's 'Moon Unit' collaboration. Split into two parts, the first is a more upbeat, surging italo take on the label's electronic disco sound which'll send the right dancefloors into the stratosphere its synth attack, but the second goes for a more spacious approach that really floats my boat. Low slung bass stabs accompany an arpeggio face off with ever increasing intensity, and those snap claps just have to be heard. I've had a brief listen to parts three and four, and unfortunately they sound pretty naff, which is a shame. Never mind - get this instead.

Samples:
Mogg & Naudascher - Moon Unit (Part 1) // Supersoul
Mogg & Naudascher - Moon Unit (Part 2) // Supersoul

13) Mike Huckaby - My Life With The Wave // SYNTH
Incredible stuff from Mike Huckaby on his own SYNTH label. The A-side's one of the best dub techno tracks I've heard all year (and there were a lot this year...), and the lush Detroit house on the B is pretty damn smooth. God knows why there are still copies of this (apparently limited to 500) kicking around.

Samples:
Mike Huckaby - My Life With The Wave EP // SYNTH

12) Metro Area - #7 // Environ
What I said then... "There were always going to be high expectations for this, and Darshan and Morgan definitely don't disappoint. A-side 'Read My Mind' is the first ever MA track to feature a vocal, and is a dreamy disco-pop voyage, wrapped in sultry strings and staccato synths. Some may find it a little, well... gay for their tastes, but it's my favourite of the bunch. A short dub version is also provided (thankfully at the same speed so you're able to mix the dub version over the top of the previous track before fading down and whipping the needle back to the start of the vocal), along with 'Erodyne', where the lads set the arpeggiators to stun before dreamy chords send proceedings into orbit. The whole package isn't as immediate as some of the previous 12"s, but give it time and it'll become one of your favourites of this year."

Samples:
Metro Area - #7 // Environ

11) Arto Mwambe - Mudhutma! // Brontosaurus
Stunning two tracker from Mwambe that I got a lot of play from this year. 'Ombala Mbembo' is a pumping loopy house jam featuring vocal samples from Don Ray and Loleatta Holloway (the 'Love Sensation' breakdown bit gets me every time), and 'Noh Ngembo' a building piano-house groover on with boompty bass and cheeky cowbells. Just who is Arto Mwambe though? Because I definitely don't believe that this was recorded at 'International City Beef Studios, Ouagadougou'!

Samples:
Arto Mwambe - Ombala Mbembo // Brontosaurus
Arto Mwambe - Noh Ngembo // Brontosaurus

10) Deepchord present Echospace - The Coldest Season (Part 2) // Modern Love
Many complained that Modell & Hitchell's project for Modern Love was far too derivative of Basic Channel and didn't deserve the many plaudits that it recieved this year, but my money's on the fact that they've still got this record at home. B-side 'Empyrean' was the standout of the whole series, wearing its reggae influence on its sleeve and skanking sedately into the hearts of dub techno aficianados across the world. In a word... lush.

Samples:
Deepchord present Echospace - Empyrean // Modern Love

9) Wade Nichols - So Happy // Mindless Boogie
What I said then... "Play this in the early hours to an MDMA drenched dancefloor, and there is only one possible result. Watch as grown men hug each other and jump up and down, whilst the couples sneak off for a cheeky grope in the corner. Been caning this for a good few months now, and it never fails to raise a smile on my face when the chorus comes in."

Samples:
Wade Nichols - So Happy EP // Mindless Boogie

8) Peverelist - Erstwhile Rhythm/The Grind // Punch Drunk
Peverelist (or 'Tom from Rooted', as he's affectionately known round at TAPE Towers) had an astounding first year with his Punch Drunk label, and this is the cream of their 2007 output. 'Erstwhile Rhythm' is my favourite of the two, with its idiosyncratically looped piano and ascending chest rattler of a bassline, but 'The Grind' isn't far behind. The latter's propulsive rhythm and subtle two-note echoed synth produce a simple but effective dub techno banger. Both tracks look outward of the dubstep scene for influence, and shine out like a diamond in the rough - the rough being the slur of inwardly derivative dubstep productions that have plagued the year. Look out for more from Tom next year, with an Appleblim collaboration in the pipeline for Tectonic, and more releases on Punch Drunk on the way.

Samples:
Peverelist - Erstwhile Rhythm // Punch Drunk
Peverelist - The Grind // Punch Drunk

7) Andomat 3000 & Jan - L Delay // Cadenza
A surefire dancefloor groover for both myself and the Puffin this year, 'L Delay' hooks you in with its short bursts of melody and charging percussion. 'Frost' is of the more typical sprawling Cadenza fashion, but its bouncing bass and clipped beats mean that it'll still do some damage on the floor. It's all about 'L Delay' though...

Samples:
Andomat 3000 & Jan - L Delay // Cadenza
Andomat 3000 & Jan - Frost // Cadenza

6) Smith N Hack - Falling Stars / Space Warrior // Smith N Hack
What amazes me is that this record has been missing from nearly all of the end of year charts that I've seen so far. Whether the italo geek in you requires some silky smooth arpeggiated space-wonk ('Falling Stars'), or you a require a silly but ultimately brilliant freaky electro house banger ('Space Warrior') - both for me, please - then this record's for you. Extravagant perfection as usual from the unfortunately unproductive S'n'H team this year.

Samples:
Smith N Hack - Space Warrior // Smith N Hack
Smith N Hack - Falling Stars // Smith N Hack

5) Emptyset - Acuphase // Future Days
This was definitely one of the tracks that I played the most this year, and it never fails to work on the floor. This is Bristol's answer to clinical dancefloor reductionism, and both sides are square-wave rinsing maximalist minimalism that'll serve you well if proper minimal techno is your thing.

Samples:
Emptyset - Acuphase // Future Days
Emptyset - Displacement Activity // Future Days

4) Mr G - U Askin? // Rekids
Garage + Techno + Wonk = this little beauty that came from Matt Edwards' Rekids imprint this year. You know it's a barnstormer when a solid Marcel Dettmann remix on the flip pales into comparison with the original. Arguably the best record that's been released by Rekids, and that's saying a lot, even in their short history.

Samples:
Mr G - U Askin? // Rekids
Mr G - U Askin? (Marcel Dettmann Remix) // Rekids

3) Solomun & Stimming - Feuer & Eis EP // Diynamic
Absolutely fantastic record, this, and the best thing on Diynamic this year by a country mile. 'Feuervogal' just has this dirty garage swing that you can't resist, and when the beat kicks back in after the breakdown it's a real moment. Guido Schneider's takes it somewhere else completely, a dark clicky hypno-houser that'll get you bumpin' in the night. The real highlight though is 'Eiszauber', which takes a more subdued take on the swing of the A and injects an overdose of saccharin sweet melody that'll up your seratonin levels just by listening to it. Again, the breakdown near the end is fantastic with gorgeous strings euphorically serenading the return of the beat to wonderous effect.

Samples:
Solomun & Stimming - Feuer & Eis EP // Diynamic

2) Frank Hebly - De Tuinslangboogie // Magnetron Music
I've seen so many other end of year lists and I've yet to see this little beauty on any of them, much to my surprise. When I first told Alex from Family that I'd packed a 96bpm dancefloor banger for his Dublin crowd, I think that he thought that I'd been smoking crystal meth, but this track is a proven dancefloor smasher. Hebly's seriously wonky bass histronics can't help but get you bouncing, and those drops are something else. A totally unique house record, and in 2007 ones like these were few and far between.

Sample:
Frank Hebly - De Tuinslangboogie // Magnetron Music

1) Noze - Remember Love // MBF
The #1 slot has to go to the song that's had the most enduring appeal to me throughout 2007. Noze's 'Remember Love' has got countless plays from myself all year long - you just can't fault that rousingly off kilter piano vamping married to those slick micro-boompty grooves, and well, the vocal speaks for itself. Play this bad boy near the end of the night and don't be surprised if the bouncers start hugging each other.

Sample:
Noze - Remember Love // MBF


Phew! So, a fine year as far as I'm concerned, and that list was only just scraping the surface. Great records from Radio Slave, Roland Appel, Private Lives, Lawrence, Petre Inspirescu, T++, Lerosa, Terrence Dixon, Mark Broom and many others didn't make the cut but are all well worth investigating, so get sniffing around for those.

So then, what else did I miss out on this year? Enlightenment through the magical device that is the comments box is always appreciated. We'll be taking a week off at the start of the year, but we'll be back soon with some mixes from ourselves, and also one from Pipecock from the top notch infinitestatemachine webzine. He's also just done his end of year roundup, which is well worth a peek. Anyway, see you in a week or so, and have a happy new year!