strange nostalgia for the present

     

For someone who grew extremely tired of their sophomore full-length 'In Ghost Colours' past the first year of release, Cut Copy is a band that has now managed to reinvent themselves while still keeping the original core that set all of those hearts on fire three years ago. With their obvious retro disco feel, there's really not much like it out there nowadays, and to be honest, there doesn't need to be. This band managed to follow a critically acclaimed album with an even better one. 'Zonoscope' is an album that shelters the mindset of their past, but brings it in to a new, modern, era.

Where they will take this next, I don't know. 'Blink and you'll miss a revolution', they sing in one of their singles off of this album; this, however is just an evolution, but a pretty darn good and well needed one at that.

the fifth greatest album of 2011 is 

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

below you will find the five greatest original tracks of this year, in a particular order:

James Blake - 'Wilhelm Scream'
       

simply this years greatest track. james blake is not only reinventing modern music, but is also constantly reinventing himself. managing to pull off a song with what essentially is two sentences does nothing but showcase his variety and potential as an artist. this track was not the beginning, nor his ticket to fame; it was his ticket to history.

Tyler, the Creator - 'Yonkers'
       

the biggest, baddest, and yet simplest beat of the year. this, combined with the outlandish voice of tyler, the creator/wolf haley, is, simply put, nothing short of hypnotizing. this song will make you feel like the king of the universe. swag.

Jamie Woon - 'Shoulda'
       

voice, finesse, lyrics, production. 'shoulda' showcases all of these things; from the mesmerizing production, through jamie's soothing voice, to the descriptive yet restrained lyrics. jamie woon does really have "it", but i'm convinced that we have yet to see him in his prime.

M83 - 'Raconte - Moi Une Historie'
       

without a doubt one of the most interesting songs of this year. without a doubt one of the most heartfelt productions of this year. to be honest i could've picked anything off of this new album as a top five entry, but there's just something captivating in how the bouncy production and trippy lyrics are presented in such an assuring and harmless way.

Drake - 'Marvin's Room'
       

i've never been a fan of drake, but one thing led to another and so i ended up listening to 'marvin's room'. i wasn't instantly hooked. i wasn't impressed, though i did respect, but not fully understand, his choice to release this as his first track from his then forthcoming and much anticipated sophomore album, 'take care'. so i ended up listening to it again, and again. and if you wouldn't consider the above, 'raconte - moi une historie', to be one of the most heartfelt productions of the year, then this is the one. tell me, have you heard that lately?