The Finest Vinyl of 2014

Yes indeed, it's that time of the year again. Time to think which album i played the most, gave me the most goosebumps, which cover art or vinyl pressing i liked best... the so-called Finest Vinyl has become a tradition already.
And like previous years, it's been a tough choice to decide which albums i'd have to remove from my shortlist, because there are way more than 10 that i'd like to put in the spotlight right here. Also it was extremely hard to choose which album belonged on which spot exactly. But my mind's made up now...

First of all, let me tell you which 5 titles were very close but did not make it to the top 10 (in no particular order):

Ringo Deathstarr - God's Dream
I Break Horses - Chiaroscuro
Smashing Pumpkins - Monuments To An Elegy
Lamb - Backspace Unwind
The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream

Then, if i'd have to choose a best 7" single of the year, it would be Newmoon - Invitation To Hold.
And a best 12" EP would definitely be the Split EP by Whirr & Nothing.

But on with the show, here's the moment you've been waiting for:
THE FINEST VINYL of 2014:

01. NOTHING - Guilty Of Everything

02. WARPAINT - Warpaint

03. CHEATAHS - Cheatahs

04. THE RAVEONETTES - Pe'Ahi

05. FUJIYA & MIYAGI - Artificial Sweeteners

06. ESBEN AND THE WITCH - A New Nature

07. THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE - Revelation

08. DEAD HORSE ONE - Without Love We Perish

09. MOGWAI - Rave Tapes

10. WHIRR - Sway

Esben And The Witch - A New Nature [12", 2LP]

Rarely have i been looking out more for an album to appear than for A NEW NATURE by ESBEN AND THE WITCH, a band which i've been following since their 33 demo EP came out. Literally looking out for it, because ever since i made my pledge early February at Pledgemusic for this album to be realised, i've been counting down the days to receive it at my doorstep. The band chose to release an album on their own brand new Nostromo Records label, and even wanted to record it with no other than Steve Albini at his Electrical Audio studios. The funds were raised and the result is absolutely gorgeous. The band's sound developed from rather claustrophobic yet beautiful "nightmare pop" on their debut Violet Cries to a more accessible sound on Wash The Sins Not Only The Face early 2013, but this is yet another step further. Steve Albini's raw signature sound is very present, and captures exactly how their live sound is: energetic and free. The bass-driven 10+ minute opening track Press Heavenwards! is unlike anything we've heard from them before. And there's even a longer track on this double LP: The Jungle, which is over 14 minutes long and to my opinion one of the album's best tracks and actually even one of the best tracks they ever made. Just like No Dog, with its energetic outbursts. However Dig Your Fingers In is my favourite. A pure gem. It's also the first single of the album (check the video here).
The vinyl itself is beautiful as well. I really like the yellow colour (one could choose between this limited coloured version and the regular black one during the pledge process) and also the artwork is outstanding with a very atmospheric picture and a reverse board printed gatefold sleeve.
Besides the LP i also received a signed copy of the limited CD EP And New Life Blossoms From The Ruins, with drones and jams and alternate versions of songs on the album.

Label: Nostromo Records
Cat.nr.: NSTRM001LPX
Year of release: 2014

SIDE A:
01. Press Heavenwards!

SIDE B:
01. Those Dreadful Hammers
02. Dig Your Fingers In
03. No Dog

SIDE C:
01. The Jungle

SIDE D:
01. Wooden Star
02. Blood Teachings
03. Bathed In Light

Esben And The Witch - Wash The Sins Not Only The Face [12", LP, Bonus 7"]

Oh, i love this album. Been a fan of ESBEN AND THE WITCH ever since i came across a review of their demo and checked some songs online out of curiosity. Violet Cries was one of the best albums of 2011. Their "nightmare pop" has become less claustrophobic on this new album: it's more transparent, lighter, more accessible; better produced if you like. But all the time there's this haunting, dark and icy vibe that's so typical for this band. The track Despair is quite illustrating for that matter. This uptempo dreamy song starts off pretty gently, until dissonant synths kick in. It's one of my favourite songs on this album and i can now already tell that WASH THE SINS NOT ONLY THE FACE will definitely be in my album top 10 list of 2013. The album comes out this Monday, and the LP is available as limited edition. That version is the one i have; it has a bonus 7" and includes the album on CD as well. Better than a download to my opinion! The bonus 7" comes in a picture sleeve and features an excellent remix of Deathwaltz (produced by Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio), plus a non-album song called Trail.

Label: Matador
Cat.nr.: OLE9910
Year of release: 2013

SIDE A:
01. Iceland Spar
02. Slow Wave
03. When That Head Splits
04. Shimmering
05. Deathwaltz

SIDE B:
01. Yellow Wood
02. Despair
03. Putting Down The Prey
04. The Fall Of Glorieta Mountain
05. Smashed To Pieces In The Still Of The Night


Bonus 7":

Label: Matador
Cat.nr.: OLE1013
Year of release: 2013

SIDE A:
01. Trail

SIDE B:
01. Deathwaltz (Rework, Produced by David Andrew Sitek)

Esben And The Witch - Chorea [12"]

This 12" by ESBEN AND THE WITCH was released for Record Store Day 2011, as a limited edition. Title track CHOREA comes from their excellent Violet Cries LP, while the original version of Corridors appeared on their "33 EP". That version was already 9 minutes long, but this one takes twice as much and is much different than the original. It was used as a soundtrack for Karl Sadler's indoor forest installation "Corridor" at the Creators Project.
Last but not least it features a Mogwai remix of the song Eumenides. A nice reinterpretation with a lot of electronic beats.

Label: Matador
Cat.nr.: OLE-9561
Year of release: 2011

SIDE A:
01. Chorea
02. Eumenides ( Mogwai Remix)

SIDE B:
01. Corridors Installation

Esben And The Witch - Marching Song [12"]

This was the first single that was lifted off their Violet Cries debut album, and with reason. MARCHING SONG is definitely one of ESBEN AND THE WITCH's best songs. Actually the song that got me hooked when i first heard songs from their 33 EP online. The other tracks on this EP are non-album tracks. There's a sticker on the sleeve saying it's limited, and Discogs claims there were only 300 made, but i don't know if that's true.

Label: Matador
Cat.nr.: OLE-9461
Year of release: 2010

SIDE A:
01. Marching Song
02. Souvenirs

SIDE B:
01. Done Because We Are Too Many

Esben And The Witch - Violet Cries [12", LP]

First time i heard about ESBEN AND THE WITCH was when some online zine wrote something about their 33 EP. Can't remember which one but I think it was voted their Demo Of The Week or so. I listened to the tracks on the band's Myspace and decided i just had to have this; i hadn't heard a new band that good for a long time. When i wanted to order a physical copy from the band, i got the message they were all sold out, but then a few days later i got a mail from frontman Daniel Copeman saying it was available as a free download from their Last.fm page. Since then we kept in touch occasionally, and i've seen them live a couple of times and went for some drinks after their shows. Really nice people.
Anyway, VIOLET CRIES came out in January 2011 and it was very well-received. It contains two re-recorded songs from their demo (Eumenides and Marching Song) and eight other songs. Haunting nightmare pop, as they called it themselves, and the icy cover artwork fits perfectly with the album. An excellent debut.

Label: Matador
Cat.nr.: OLE 939-1
Year of release: 2011

SIDE A:
01. Argyria
02. Marching Song
03. Marine Fields Glow
04. Light Streams
05. Hexagons IV

SIDE B:
01. Chorea
02. Warpath
03. Battlecry / Mimicry
04. Eumenides
05. Swans