
muir moor - "gliding" (stream-only) New digital single from Muir Moor . This single is part of an awesome concept project from Fake Flamingo Records. Here's what the project is all about: "Conceived in 2011 as a response to the current phenomena of selling an artist's identity rather than their music. The goal ... more is to release a digital single each week, created by an artist working under a pseudonym. As an added bonus, when the proceeds reach $1K, [...]

landscape - "norman bates" (download) 1980 single from British synth pop outfit Landscape . Their singer, Richard James Burgess , not only produced recordings by Adam Ant and Spandau Ballet , he co-designed the first electronic drum set, the Simmons SDS-V .

micro naps - "quentin (permanent sleep)" (download) I don't really know anything about Micro Naps other than that they're from the Bay Area, and that they recently released this split EP with Powwoww on Tundra Dubs . Also, I know that it's good. buy soundcloud

martin lloyd - "science fiction man" (download) More greatness from the Minimal Wave catalog. This time around, it's Martin Lloyd of Oppenheimer Analysis. From his 4-song EP L'amant Electronique. buy

fockewulf 190 - "body heat" (download) Fockewulf 190 were a Human League - Ultravox - Kraftwerk -inspired Italian duo who were most active in the 802s, although as recently as 2010, they released a cover of the classic Kraftwerk track "The Model." They take their name from a WWII German fighter jet.

gobble gobble - "lawn knives" (download) Canada's Gobble Gobble no longer performs or releases music under this name. They have since changed their name to Born Gold . Either way, their music is hard to describe. Have a listen. buy

madrid - "bam bam brother (digits remix)" (download) Toronto's Digits smooths out fellow Torontonians Madrid 's track "Bam Bam Brother" from last year's Original Message LP. I love this stuff. buy

delayscape - "stereo delay" (download) Some Aphex Twin-esque electronic music from Denmark's Delayscape . Delayscape's Morse Disco release is a double disc, and it's chock full of greatness.

bill wyman - "(si,si) je suis un rock star" (download) Bill Wyman is best known as the bassist for the Rolling Stones from 1962-1992. In 1982, he released his self-titled third album, which spawned this minor hit. buy
fulgeance - "vilnius bump" (download) From the new Fulgeance LP To All of You , which recently came out on Melting Pot Music . A while back, I posted this French producer's remix of Architeq 's " Birds of Prey ," which is just as great as this. buy

hudson mohawke - "thunder bay" (download) From his newest EP Satin Panthers on Warp . This one is a neck-breaker. buy

prgz - "chevy (feat. jackie chain)" (download) I posted about Alabama's Paper Route Gangstaz a while back due to their catchy, Diplo -produced track "Stop N Go." Toward the end of 2010 they released their Born 2 Ball mixtape, (which gets my vote for one of the worst covers of the year). "Chevy" is from this mixtape. I'm not too into most of the other songs, but this once has be bouncing around a bit. [...]

latent sea - "street priest" (download) Latent Sea is Oakland, CA's Tom Baugh (aka Crested ) and Matthew Holt of San Francisco's Broken Figures . They pride themselves on using mostly hardware synthesizers. They are working on a full length and in the meantime will be releasing free songs online. soundcloud

moebius-plank-neumeier - "all repro" (download) In 1982, Kluster 's Dieter Moebius collaborated with German producer Conny Plank and Guru Guru drummer Mani Neumeier to release this Krautrock-meets-electronic-mee ts-dance LP Zero Set. "All Repro" is one of the standout tracks from it. buy

cat stevens - "was dog a doughnut?" (download) I'm sure when you think of early electro innovators, you don't think of Cat Stevens , do you? While he's one of my all-time favorite musicians, hearing a song like this coming from the man who wrote "Wild World" is quite a surprise. Recorded in 1976, this instrumental is considered by some to be one of the first "electro" songs. buy

john foxx & the maths - "summerland" (download) From their 2011 release Interplay . John Foxx was the mastermind behind 802s electronic experimenters Ultravox . This is his collaboration with producer Benge. buy

the the - "giant" (download) 1983 release from British alternative/synth pop band The The. I was a big fan of these guys in the early 902s, when they were constantly being played on MTV's 120 Minutes. buy

Here are my favorite releases of 2011, in no particular order. I've made a Spotify playlist if you'd like to check them out. Light Asylum - In Tension John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves Trust - Candy Walls 73 Austra - Feel It Break Com [...]

mux mool - "raw gore" (download) A neck-breaker of a track from his upcoming LP on Ghostly International , Planet High School (out February 7). website