Whoa-B’s Best of 2011

Dubstep may have jumped the shark this year, but there’s still plenty of good stuff to be found in the post-hardcore continuum of British bass music.  Allow me to illustrate through the following list of my favorite records of 2011.

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Synkro & Indigo - Guidance [Exit]
Submitted without comment.

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Current Value ft Snow - Shy Flame (SPL Remix) [Section 8]
Dare I call this tasteful brostep?  I don’t care, this killed the dancefloor every time I dropped it.

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S-X - Woooo Riddim / S-X vs Ramadanman - Woooo Glut [Butterz]
This was big on road in 2010, especially due to D Double E’s vocal version.  It finally came out on vinyl this year and I purchased several copies.

Bonus link: http://youtu.be/Ahrum2Ck5m4 (D Double E doing his version live)
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Frisco - Frisco vs Flava D [Boy Better Know]
The previous entry notwithstanding, there just isn’t as much grime on vinyl anymore.  But it’s quality releases like this and other BBK tunes have inspired me to press dubs again.

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Arkist - Fill Your Coffee [Apple Pips]
This is my jam.

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Burial - Stolen Dog [Hyperdub]
This reminds me of a time when I suffered from nostalgia.

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Amon Tobin - Journeyman [Ninja Tune]
If you’ve seen the live version, you already know what’s up.  Otherwise, just an expertly produced recording from an epic genre-less album.

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P Money & Blacks - Boo You [Butterz]
Arguably the biggest grime MC’s in recent memory put a old school twist on the grime sound.  Or is it a new school twist on the 2-step sound?  Either way, I want to hear more tunes like this.

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Instra:mental - Thomp [Nonplus]
I know I’m a bit late, but UK funky finally won me over this year.  In no small part due to this track.

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Raiden - Forbidden Fruit [Voodoo]
Drum & bass that you can groove to, no snares required.

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Hybris - Of Two Minds [Invisible]
Reminds me of the the chopped up Limewax vibe that got me back into drum & bass a few years ago.  Dark, heavy, and surgically edited. 

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Honorable mention:  Gorillaz - The Fall [Parlophone]
When I wasn’t mixing records or listening to DJ mixes, I had this one in my playlist on repeat.

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Bonus video:  Whoa-B - Deal With It, Bro
Next one I do will be in HD, I promise.