HERE ARE MY TOP ALBUMS OF 2006 IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
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FM3 "Buddha Machine" (Staalplaat)
Tim Hecker "Harmony in Ultraviolet" (Kranky)
Alog "Catch that Totem" (Melektronik)
Mountains "Sewn" (Apestaartje)
Modern Institute "Excellent Swimmer" (Expanding)
Alva Noto / Sakamoto "Insen Live" DVD (Raster-Noton)
Triosk "Headlight Serenade" (Leaf)
Sickoakes "Seawards" (Type)
Mono "Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain" (Temporary Residence)
Francisco Lopez "Untitled 2005" (Aneoma)
Gruppo Di Improvisazione Nuova Consonanza "Azioni" -Reissue (Die Schachtel)
Sunn O))) / Boris "Altar" (Southern Lord)
Machinefabriek "Marijin" (Lampse)
V/A "OHM - Early Gurus of Electronic Music Box-Set" - Reissue (Ellipsis)
3/4HadBeenEliminated "Year of the Aural Gauge Operation" (Hapna)
Chihei Hatakeyama "Minima Moralia" (Kranky)
Toru Takemitsu "Complete Edition - Music for Movies Box-Set" (Made the list eventhough I can't afford the darn thing, but I've heard it all and its a amazing collection of soundtrack work from the 50's-80's) (Shogakukan)
Another pretty darn explorative year in sound, there were many works that took the ears to exciting places (especially appearing this past fall) that did so in distinct, expressive and adventurous ways. Oh and hey, where's that new Supersilent album anyway?!!
Here's a sub-list for the hip-hop as it certainly does get play/listening time alongside all that avant/dissonant/brainy/abstract stuff:
Lady Sovereign "Vertically Challenged" (Chocolate Industries)
Ghislain Poirier "Rebondir" (Big Dada)
Spank Rock "Yo Yo Yo" (Big Dada)
Mr. Lif "Mo'Mega" (Def Jux)
Clipse "Hell Hath No Fury" (Re-Up Gang)
Dabrye "Two/Three" (Ghostly)
