William Basinski - The Disintegration Loops (2002-2003)

During the summer of 2001, prolific ambient composer Basinski attempted to transfer recordings he had made in the 1980s from magnetic tape to digital; as they slowly crumbled in the machine, he recorded what came out, and it's bloody (albeit accidental) brilliance. Basinski claims to have finished the project on the morning of 9/11, and he sat listening to the material on the roof of his NY apartment building with friends as the Towers collapsed around him. Whether you believe this story or not is a moot point; just listen to four albums worth of absolute pleasure.


The Disintegration Loops I
The Disintegration Loops II
The Disintegration Loops III
The Disintegration Loops IV

Múm – Finally We Are No One (2002)

I'm quickly running our of time (again!) as I have a train to catch so I'll keep it short but sweet. This is Icelandic, and if that isn't enough to prick your ears up, it's also bloody fantastic. This is the album I listen to whenever I go for a walk in the Yorkshire Dales on my own (yes Dave, I do walk occasionally!), and every time I listen to it, I find some new part of a song that I absolutely love. Enjoy.

Múm – Finally We Are No One (2002)

Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights (2002)

It still grates on me that the band which really kind of kickstarted the British post-punk revival - a scene which originated in Manchester in northern England - is from New York. True, two of the members are British-born, but they're still an American band. I'm incredibly hungover, and I think I've got chesnut poisoning, so I'm not going to go on and on about how damn good this album is. It's just an album you can listen to over and over, and never get bored, and always find something new to appreciate. No matter what kind of mood you're in - whether you want to party or just chillax - it just moulds itself into the perfect album for you. Enjoy.

Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights (2002)

TV On The Radio – OK Calculator (2002)

Another album I spent aaaaaages searching for on the interweb. This is a demo album that Tunde Adebimpe and Dave Sitek recorded in someone's bedroom on a little four-track recorder back in 2002, way before forming a fully-fledged band and becoming the alternative heavyweights they are. If you are expecting something similar to their current sound, you'll be dissapointed - entirely a cappella, this album is as basic as they come, as can be seen in the 'artwork' they have so lovingly created. However, there do begin to explore some elements that woukd become their trademark sound on later albums, and is a must for any TVOTR fan. Enjoy.

TV On The Radio – OK Calculator (2002)