CHIRP: The Chicago Independent Radio Project

Richard Paul writes

CHIRP Radio Best of 2011 (Richard Paul)

Throughout December CHIRP Radio presents its members’ top albums of 2011. The next list (in reverse order) is from DJ Richard Paul.

(Click here to get the complete list of CHIRP Radio members’ picks.)

1. Tape – Revelationes (Häpna)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   “Gorgeous” is the best word to describe the ambient, experimental, instrumental folk from this Swedish trio.
2. Washed Out – Within and Without (Sub Pop)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   Ernest Greene’s got the voice and he fuses it seamlessly with electronics. It’s hard not to like this music. Every track does well.
3. The Field – Looping State of Mind (Kompakt)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   How do you do it Sweden? And I have a feeling we’ll be seeing you again on this list. Who would have thought repetitive loops would make a “Best of” list? The Field must have. And so, I thank you Axel Willner.
4. Gotye – Making Mirrors (Eleven)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   The Belgian-born Australian Wally De Backer took home the 2011 ARIA awards (think Australian Grammys) for Single of the Year, Best Pop Release and Best Male Artist all for very good reason.
5. James Blake – James Blake (Universal Republic)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   I do not like dub-step, but James Blake has molded it into something I like very much.
6. Detroyer – Kaputt (Merge)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   This album really kicked off the year with a bang…in a soothing sultry kind of way.
7. Nils Frahm – Felt (Erased Tapes)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   Nobody gets as much emotion out of a piano as the Berlin gentleman named Nils Frahm.
8. The Drift – Blue Hour (Temporary Residence, Ltd.)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   There’s no better way to grieve than through your art form. Experience the anger and resolution as The Drift deal with the loss of their trumpet player, Jeff Jacobs.
9. Roll the Dice – In Dust (The Leaf Label)
   BUY: Insound / iTunes
   Ah, Sweden again. If you ever need to fast forward time. Put on this album. After one song, you’ll swear that 10 minutes did not just pass by. When, in fact, they definitely have. But you have no complaints about how those 10 minutes were spent. No complaints at all.
10. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (Temporary Residence, Ltd.)
    BUY: Insound / iTunes
    Explosions can just do no wrong in my ears. They may not be as cutting edge as they once were but I believe that they completely put their all into every single song that they make. And for that, they have all of my gratitude.

Honorable Mentions

• Beirut – The Rip Tide (Pompeii)
  Talkdemonic – Ruins (Glacial Pace)
  Loney, Dear – Hall Music (Polyvinyl)