2011. What a year it’s been. While the past 12 months probably won’t be remembered in the most positive light – rising levels of global social and economic inequality, the London riots, European financial crises, devastating natural disasters, Made In Chelsea…on the more positive side it is the spirit of Occupy and the beginning of the fightback for things just....it’s been another strong year from a musical perspective, and hopefully you agree that we at Just Music have contributed towards this.
Glaswegian quartet Laki Mera released their debut album The Proximity Effect to fantastic critical acclaim, with The Sunday Times calling it a “Wonderful debut album…a ghostly wall of sound of extraordinary emotional power”, Drowned in Sound stating “it’s the most confident debut I’ve heard in a long while” andDaily Record lauding Laki Mera as “One of the most promising, intelligent pop acts Scotland has produced this decade”.
Have a listen, and pick up the album if you like what you hear, here.
Following their inclusion in The Sunday Times’ Top 10 albums of 2010, enigmatic Manchester duoMarconi Union released Beautifully Falling Apart (Ambient Transmissions Vol. 1) this year to further plaudits, MusicOMH claiming that the album places them “firmly in the vanguard of acts making atmospheric, ambient music” and Drowned in Sound declaring that they “create wonderful emotive music”.
They also achieved the extremely rare musical feat of being included in Time Magazine’s 50 Best Inventions of 2011 for their track Weightless.
Check out Beautifully Falling Apart here, and hear Weightless here.
Just Music alumni Jon Hopkins has had an incredible year by anyone’s standards. As if an Ivor Novello Award nomination for his Monsters score wasn’t enough, his collaborative album Diamond Mine with King Creosote was then nominated for the globally renowned Mercury Music Prize. Couple this with tours of the UK and US - solo, with King Creosote, and supporting Royksopp, and appearances at some of the largest European festivals going, and it’s safe to say that he is hot property.
2011 has seen the Just Music Café go from strength to strength – not just bursting out of the confines of the inSpiral Lounge, but also the country. Earlier this year Echaskech, Marconi Union and Digitonal entertained a full house at Prague’s stunning Palac Akropolis as part of a highly successful foreign venture, and one which wlll no doubt be repeated in 2012. Another landmark for the Just Music Café was the request from Deer Shed Festival to curate their Big Top tent at July’s event.
What to look out for in 2012
For our North American friends, we’re very excited to announce that Laki Mera will be heading out to play global showpiece event SXSW in April.
Marconi Union’s momentum is set to keep on growing with the re-release of their highly coveted worksDistance and Under Wires and Searchlights, and a new album, Different Colours later next year.
Will Dutta will release his debut Parergon a collaboration with some wonderful artists including Plaid and Max De Wanldener...
Expect a new album from Digitonal, and a magical short film for Come & Play...
New works from Echaskech....
A debut from multi talented Sam Thomas...
Live events, compilations and much much more....
If you are new to the label - welcome - click on the Artists tab to find out more. Recent releases include Marconi Union's brilliant Beautifully Falling Apart and Laki Mera's stunning The Proximity Effect. And if you want a label overview, then Just Music Cafe vol 2 AM:PM serves as a great intro....
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