12 Best EPs of 2011

Best of 2011

EPs

Singles

Albums

We’ve had a mammoth year for Electronic and Dance music, and the EP format has not only seen a huge amount of great releases but also some redefining ones; from dance classics which are essentially triple A-sides (Mosca, Scuba, Jacques Greene) to releases which are LPs in all but name, like Floating Points’ staggering late-entry Shadows. Here are my 12 favourite EPs of the year, with links to my original review where available. The list is in no particular order, because when it comes down to the very best of the year, they’re all fantastic. Here’s to a great 2012.

DjRUM – Mountains

Mountains Pt 1

On this spectacular EP DjRUM finally made good on all the promises made by his early work, producing four varied and exquisitely produced cuts situated somewhere between Dubstep, Garage and Ambient.

Floating Points –Shadows

Sais

With Shadows, Floating Points produced what is sure to be one of the most lasting EPs of the year, including distended experimental pieces fusing Techno, Jazz influences and references to today’s nebulous Bass scene. Above all, it was his finest release to date, and sounded utterly like nothing else.

Braille – A Meaning

Breakup

If Sepalcure’s full-length didn’t quite meet my expectations this year, Praveen Sharma’s debut EP as Braille certainly exceeded them. Showing a straight-up House muscle unseen on the duo’s deviations, here Braille amazed with a selection of dancefloor powerhouses that showed a skill evident on Sepalcure’s compositions but a sound entirely Sharma’s own.

Jacques Greene –Greene01

Motivation

This has been a great year for Greene and the Canadian Bass set, who brought a whole new meaning to RnB sampling. Not content to rest on his laurels after the killer Another Girl, here Greene focussed his attentions elsewhere, issuing on this White Label release not only the best RnB inflected track of the year in Motivation, but some fantastic forays outside the RnB bubble on this Triple-A side.

Octo Octa – Let Me See You

Let Me See You

The 100% Silk label has been flying high this year, and nowhere is this shown more clearly than in Octo Octa’s gorgeous debut EP. Every track on here is a winner, from the fantastic old-school sounds of the title track to end of the night stomper Coldwaves by way of the utter brilliance of EP standout I’m Trying.

Sepalcure – Fleur

No Think

I’ve already discussed my opinions on Sepalcure’s full-length, but at the beginning of the year their Fleur EP was a fierce mission statement. Defining the ill-defined Bass sound with lush and beautiful compositions, here the pair really flexed their muscles, veering from the rich beats of the title track to Ambient closer Inside by way of surprising Techno stunner No Think.

Bok Bok – Southside

Silo Pass

Night Slugs didn’t have quite as big a year in 2011 as they did in 2010, but their few releases like EPs from Bok Bok and Jam City continued their mind-bending sounds. On the Southside EP, label-head Bok Bok mixed Bass and Dubstep and Grime traits to create something gritty, brilliant, and utterly unique.

Downliners Sekt – Meet The Decline

Rising Saudade

The anonymous group completed their three-part series of free EPs this year with Meet The Decline, their most accomplished release to date. Across the four tracks Downliners Sekt deconstructed popular Dance and Electronic tropes with unerring precision and skill, creating a brilliant set of dusty, fascinating tracks which offer gorgeous worlds to explore.

Mosca – Wavey

Orange Jack

It’s been a great year for Mosca, with his flawless double-A side Done Me Wrong / Bax dominating the sets of all the best DJs this year. On the Wavey EP, he released a surprising but brilliant set of Techno tunes that will be sure to fill up dancefloors in the year to come.

Burial – Street Halo

Stolen Dog

After a much-felt absence, the king of dusty and emotive Dubstep returned for his first solo release in four years. Every track here is a stunning construction of his trademark DIY percussion and deeply atmospheric sounds, from the late-night dance cut Street Halo to the gorgeous and melancholy Stolen Dog.

Scuba – Adrenalin

Adrenaline

Hotflush head Paul Rose finally came out of his shell this year, turning from his normal cerebral dance cuts to Adrenaline, which essentially made Trance cool for the first time in over ten years. Add this to a killer couple of tunes on the B-side (including the fantastically groovy Never), and you’ve got one of the most impressive and enjoyable releases of the year.

Lunice – One Hunned

I See U

Lunice was another producer to emerge from the Canadian ether this year, releasing a sexy selection of Hip-Hop infused Bass cuts, none more sinister and alluring than summer anthem I See U.

Lunice – One Hunned EP

Glow

I See U

Juice

For those who were content to believe that America and the UK were the only places to find bleeding-edge dance tracks, Canada has been stepping up to the plate big time over the last week. First we had Prison Garde's superb mixtape Système Hermès, and now newcomer Lunice has released one hell of a first EP as a mission statement to dancefloors and bedrooms everywhere. Not just this, his label Lucky Me has certainly hit the mark on signing fresh talent, from Machinedrum's fantastic footwork abberations to Jacques Greene, who could be called an angelic counterpart to Lunice's 8bit grime.

This is grime in tone more than musicality, breaktaking single and standout I See U starts off broody with aggressively pacey percussion and ghostly synths, recalling a home-listening witch house experience more than anything else. However halfway in an aggressive bassline rises up, you feel that you didn't realise it was missing until it arrives, and it immediately beckons you onto your feet. Not only is this track brilliantly put together and hugely powerful in its raw aggression, that great bassline symbolises Lunice's unexpected approach which continually has you guessing at what will come next; these 6 tracks are far from predictable and your mind is never really safe from the assault of his synths.

Thankfully, his production is of a high enough quality that you're always happy to just go with him. Opener Glow is a lighter affair fusing clattering hip hop beats with an angelic sample, there's an ethereal glow to these sounds and when the 8bit melody emerges from the blinding light it's almost too much to take in. Lunice is clearly a fantastic producer, and he has a knack for picking out great sounds that litter his soundscapes, from the drag-inflected sliding percussion and bell sounds of EP highlight Juice to the nausea-inducing pitchshifting in Guardian. There's always a lot going on here, but the compositions are well spaced to suit headphones or a dancefloor, and never feel crammed like they threaten to every so often.

I See U also has a couple of remixes included at the end of the EP. The Blessings' remix changes up the track by changing the positioning of the layers, adding some hard-edged synth and a vocal sample, but doesn't really add a whole lot to the original track. However the second remix is by Night Slugs' crunk master (and White Noise favourite) Girl Unit, who is also probably the closest producer to Lunice releasing at the moment. This second mix seriously hits the spot, bathing the composition in grand synthlines and ramping up the sounds of the original to a super-threatening fever pitch. It's worth saying that the only negative thoughts I have on the EP are more subjective. Bricks is fairly forgettable sandwiched in between two fantastic tunes, and I personally find the untreated synth breakdowns in Guardian and And She Said a little treacly and nauseating, but that's just me.

Combining furious 8bit manipulation and darker grime emotions isn't completely new territory, and on the first few listens the EP could potentially sound like something from Zomby but these tracks are both richer and ultimately more satisfying. Lunice may not be re-inventing the wheel here but this EP, especially the first half and that stunning Girl Unit remix, is a taut selection of fantastically produced dancefloor fodder that definitely demands your attention.

8/10