Best Of 2013 - Archives, Compilations & Reissues

I think I'll start my end of year lists here as we are in the Retromania age.  I don't have to tell you 'new music in 2013 is just as good as in any era.' in a desperate tone to protect my brand so as to not lose my advertisers. I'll leave all that to those online magazine types. I guess it must be disheartening to be a youth in times such as these, you know, late in the epoch and atemporal etc. They have to try and make themselves believe that their culture is vibrant, alive and theirs because otherwise what have you got?  It's been a thin year for new musical output. Even in the experimental, dance and other usually exciting zones the good stuff is coming less and less. Hey I expected innovation and forward momentum in music to continue on until long after I was gone, I'm gettin ripped off too. So here's a list of great stuff from time.*

Conrad & Sohn - Conrad & Gregor Schnitzler (1981)

What the fuck is this? You may ask. Conrad the legendary German electronic pioneer did a one off LP with his then teenage son Gregor on bass and acid/sci-fi vocals and its fucking great. This is the best album you've never heard. (Yeah I know it's been kickin round the interweb for years but it never sounded this bloody good!)

Silber - Conrad Schnitzler (1974/75)
Another classic from my favourite German electronic guru. This is from the same era as the masterpiece Blau.

School Daze - Patrick Cowley (1973-81)
Porn soundtracks from the disco maestro who gave us the 16 minute extended version of Donna Summer's I Feel Love.

Purple Snow: Forecasting The Minneapolis Sound - Various
Sweet soul sounds and new wave funk of the late 70s/early 80s from the land of many lakes and er....Prince Rogers Nelson. Every once in a while a soul/funk compilation comes along and makes me think why would I listen to any other genre?

The Lost Tapes - Rodion GA (1978-83) 
Unreleased gold from Romania. These are the coolest Eastern European cyber-prog jamz you've n/ever heard.

Fragments Of Light - Sensations Fix (1974)

You gotta love a bit Italian space-prog from mid 70s Florence don't ya? Features Franco Falsini on guitar and synth.

It's You - Don Muro (1977)

Perplexing to say the least. Who'd have thought there was a missing link between Big Star and Tangerine Dream and that it'd be good?   

Celestial Music 1978-2011 - Laraaji (2013)

Every ones fave electronic zither player plays tunes for your spiritual enlightenment. 

I Am The Center: Private Issue New Age In America 1950-1990 - Various (2013)
Meet me on the astral plane.

Celestial Soul Portrait 1975-85 - Iasos (2013)
Meet me in the dimension beyond the astral plane. 

Re-Animator OST - Richard Band (1985)

Ever wondered what Bernard Herman would have sounded like with synthesised drums?

Solaris OST - Edward Artemyev (1972)

Awesome synthesiser score to Russia's most famous space movie. 

De Natura Sonorum - Bernard Parmegiani (1976)
20th Century French electronic composer gets his 70s classic reissued and then a few weeks later passes away. RIP.

GRM Works 1957-1962 - Iannis Xenakis (2013)

I've never heard a bad Xenakis record.

Kenya Special: Selected East African Recordings From the 1970s & 80s - Various (2013)

I thought maybe the 70s Afro/beat/disco/psych/funk/rock well may have dried up but no, Soundway move from West to East and bring us more unheard gold.

Who Is William Onyeabor? - William Onyeabor (2013)

Funnily enough I've been asking myself that question since Strut released that seminal Nigeria 70 compilation in 2001. That irresistible keyboard sound is total Guttertronics innit?

Half Dead Ganja Music - Vox Populi (1987)
Experimental ambient psychedelia from France in the 80s. This sounds like it could have come out of today's cassette underground and I mean that in a good way.

The Alchemist: The Best Of 1992-2012 - Goldie (2013)
Rufige Cru,  Metalheadz & Goldie give us drum n bass gold. Disc 1 in particular is da bomb.

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Best 2013 Mixtapes/Mixes/Podcasts etc....

Electro Chaabi for Avant-Guard Lovers - Various @ Soundcloud
Egyptian revolutionary jamz & stuff. Mixed by CLF.

Ketchup - DJ Mustard with Various Artists @ datpiff.com 
The sonic document of 2013. Ratchet = the future of rap and R&B or at least the exciting present.

1017 Thug - Young Thug @ datpiff.com
The coolest and most bizarre rapper ever.

Up/Down - Various @ ASoundAwareness
2 Choice mixes of Italian Library/Soundtrack music from David Thrussel, the man behind Omni Recording Corporation.

The Gold & Silver Dream (1971-82) - Various @?
Tribute to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories.

I Can't Beleive How Dark It is - Various @blogtotheoldschool
Old school darkside mix from Dev/null.

Dawn Of The Synth - Various @ EdiaboliksWorldOfPsychotronicSoundtracks
Synth Soundtracks mix.

Fact Mix 380- Various @FACT
The Black Dog present old school bleep and beyond.

Midnite in Europe Mix - Various @?
Moon Wiring Club Mix of 90s electronica.

Orange Dawn - Various @SonicRampage
90s Tech-Step mix from Pearsall.

Actual Pirate Material - Various @SonicRampage
Mid 90s jump up jungle mix by Pearsall.