Our annual holiday

buying guide

Mirror critics pick their top 5ive releases of the year

or go directly to the index for more!

Mireille Silcott

Club chick-cum-music-ed.-cum-president of the Liam Gallagher Single Eyebrow Fanclub. Cum!

[1] Aphex Twin Richard D. James (Warp/Sire)

This is so smart it should be boring. It isn't.

[2] Atmosphere Dancing in Outer Space 12" (Masters at Work remixes) (Disorient)

Oh, hello, record of my dreams...

[3] (TIE) Various Atlantic Jaxx-A Collection (Atlantic Jaxx)/ Bentley Rhythm Ace Bentley Rhythm Ace (Skint)

Two cheery Brit new schools pilfering old schools. Cool.

[4] Various Anthems 2-- 1988-1992 (United Dance)

Early and pre-rave. On my top five for the next decade, probably.

[5] The Planet Smashers Attack of the Planet Smashers (Stomp/Sonic Unyon)

Some other kind of dance music. Smasheroo Skanadian!

Chris Yurkiw

Lover of that proto-electropop, post-post-rock, pre-millenium, '80s/'60s/'90s sound.

[1] Bran Van 3000 Glee (Audiogram)

A very Montreal response to the beat-driven late-'90s. The local album of the decade. You read it here first.

[2] Daft Punk Homework (Virgin)

Phucked-up French disko. Platinum in Canada!

[3] Veruca Salt Eight Arms to Hold You (Outpost)

The thin girl/fat guitar dynamic has never been more dramatic.

[4] Oh Susanna Oh Susanna (Stella)

An ol' acoustic, a cracked voice to break your heart, and a record collection from Leadbelly to Gatemouth.

[5] Genf Import/Export (Compost)

Five industrious Germans break into Can's studio and bring the funk.

Rupert Bottenberg

If Shaggy were an artiste who took swing dance lessons, his name would be Rupert.

[1] Tipsy Trip Tease: The Seductive Sounds of... (Asphodel)

The post-modern lounge luau.

[2] Stereophonic Space Sounds Unlimited Play Themes From TV (Mai Tai)

I only wish these shows had existed.

[3] Spaceshits Winter Dance Party (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

The sounds (and smells) of juvenile delinquency.

[4] Servotron Spare Parts (Amphetamine Reptile)

Prime Directive: Destroy... All... Humans!

[5] Ben Folds Five Whatever and Ever Amen (Sony)

Punk rock Billy Joel/breeder Elton John.

Johnson Cummins

Mansonite deviant in black. '87 dress sense. The most rock person we know.

[1] Space Needle The Moray Eels Eat the Space Needle (Zero Hour)

Better than hauntingly beautiful.

[2] Spiritualized Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating In Space (Arista/BMG)

Music to take drugs by, recorded by people on drugs.

[3] Snapcase Progression Through Unlearning (Victory/Sonic Unyon)

Hardcore at its brutalest.

[4] Tipsy The Seductive Sound of... (Asphodel)

Acid (the drug) with a martini chaser.

[5] The Herbaliser Blow Your Headphones (Ninja Tune)

Even rocker bozos like myself have to bow down to the Mighty Herbaliser.

Scott C

A true mack keeping it real in Mont Real, the real deal, on the real!

[1] Mos Def Universal Magnetic 12" (Rawkus)

Absolutely necessary. There are no words for Mos Def's lyrical perfection.

[2] KRS-One Step Into a World (Rapture's Delight) (Jive/BMG)

This song is in my head for good.

[3] Company Flow Funcrusher Plus (Rawkus)

A new beginning for the stagnant halls of hip hop.

[4] Notorious B.I.G. Life After Death (Bad Boy/BMG)

The only important Puffy stuff of the year.

[5] Rakim It's Been a Long Time 12" (Universal)

Damn, was it worth the wait!

Gerard Dee

Our slo-jammin', God-fearin', soul-searchin' hunka brown sugah.

[1] Rahsaan Patterson Rahsaan Patterson (Universal)

Silky, silky soul music.

[2] Janet The Velvet Rope (Virgin)

Because it's thinkin' groove.

[3] Various Love Jones (Sony) soundtrack

Year's most chill album.

[4] Erykah Badu Baduizm (Universal)

Be bop meets hip hop.

[5] Joe All That I Am (BMG)

Singin', producin', writin' fool.

Mateo

DJ Mateo, that is. Can tell you the colour of Richie Hawtin's underwear when he recorded his first record.

[1] Richie Hawtin Concept 1 (Concept/Plus8)

Absolutely sublime 12-record set from the undisputed king of minimalism.

[2] Speedy J Panik (Plus8/NovaMute)

One of the most intense records ever made. Total dancefloor annihilation.

[3] The Modwheel Destination Morocco (Heard)

The very definition of the word "anthemic."

[4] Jamie Bissmire Sacred Ground (Ground)

Absolut Mindf**k.

[5] Gaz Varley Presents Tony Montana (!K7 Records)

Brilliant Scarface-inspired minimalism from ex-LFO member.

Len Dobbin

Jazz old schooler. Not afraid of the 10/10.

[1] Charlie Parker Boston, 1952 (Uptown/Fusion III)

More newly discovered "Bird."

[2] Tommy Flanagan Sea Changes (Evidence/Fusion III)

A 1996 trio gem from Mr. Taste.

[3] Jimmy Raney ...Visits Paris (Vogue/BMG)

1954 vintage guitar by the master.

[4] John Hicks After the Morning (DSM/Unidisc)

The historic 1992 Jazzfest solo outing.

[5] Bob Mover Television (DSM/Unidisc)

A 1997 cutting-edge Montreal concert performance.