Shape Of My 2011

As Sinatra sang, it was a very good year !
But 2011 was certainly not a "crooner-year" for me.

Look, here is my shape of 2011, in disorder :

 
James Blake

Who is this UFO ? It was his first album, the best of 2011 for me.

I saw his concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival this summer and it confirmed his "new talent" status.
"The Wilhelm Scream !" 

Charles Bradley warmed my soul with his album

"No Time For Dreaming". 

The backing band is the great Menahan Street Band.

Listen to the first track "The World"

One of my favorite producers ever, Pantha Du Prince, came back with the remixed versions of his last album "Black Noise"... I particularly liked Efdemin version of "Stick To My Side"

SBTRKT and his mysterious mask brought us a perfect electro-pop, 

check out this tune "Right Thing To Do"
featuring Jessie Ware and Sampha.

After "Passed Me By",  
Andy Stott surprised me again
with "We Stay Together"...

Hard, but soulful !

Ghostpoet also, with his rap on UK dub-electro instrumentals. 
Check "Us Against Whatever Ever"

Thom Yorke released a new Radiohead album. 
But I mostly remember his collaboration 
with Burial and Four Tet on Text records. 

It was "EGO"

On September, Zomby came with "Dedication", 
my favorite "back to school" album.

Listen to "Natalia's Song"

Finally, 2011 was a sad year.

We lost the Father, Gil Scott-Heron RIP.

He released "We're New Here" this year, remixes of his last album "I'm New Here",  
featuring Jamie XX, another great figure of 2011. 
Listen to "NY Is Killing Me"

GIL SCOTT-HERON : 1949 - 2011