Albums of the Year '99 |
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This is the third time Music Central has the privilege to present a list of musical favorites from the year. Looking back on the three years that I have maintained Mickey´s MusicCentral, it is quite obvious that my musical preferences have changed. In the first Best of List there was an emphasis on reggae and dub, during 1998 I spinned a lot of hip hop, and 1999 have been a house music year.
1999 has been a good year for music in general, with a number of good albums. Most of the albums on the list are from already established artists, but they have taken their music a step further, into something new and fresh sounding. And the ladies ruled 1999. The single list contains many debut records and I think this is the most interesting list. The single list contains acts that are struggling to maintain their musical independence and at the same time they are stretching outside the club audience. Last year I was having trouble to decide how large the selections of records should be. This year I have simply picked the most played records and ordered them into different categories.
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1. T L C Fan Mail
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Ultra modernist and slick soul and r&b. FanMail is an album full of pop hooks and sharp comments about the ancient games between boys and girls. TLC has proved that they are the best soul trio since... ever. Stunning.
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2. MISSY MISDEMEANOR ELLIOT da real world
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1999 was Missy´s year. She and Timbaland were stalking out new territories of music, they produced, remixed and wrote music for almost every major act. On da real world Timbaland lays crisp and thick computer beats to Missy´s sing song rapping. The production is forwarding the next century. Cameos from rappers like Enimen and MC Solaar makes this an extraordinary gem.
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3. MARY J BLIGE Mary
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Mary J Bliges most personal album so far. She has always managed to be a soul diva without loosing her street wise B-girl credibility.
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4. BLACKANIZED Future Generations
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The very fact that the people behind Blacka´nized, AJ Nuttal and Joseph Malik are resident in Edinburgh, Scotland is almost impossible to comprehend. Their debut album Future Generations is as far from the Scottish moors you could ever be.
Like the name, Blacka´nized implies it is a mixture of music. The most obvious inspiration is hip hop merged into jazz, with a large shot of dub reggae, soul and Brazilian textures wowed into the music. Deep and soulful music for both the dance floor and the Walkman.
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5. NITIN SAWHNEY Beyond Skin
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Strong and timeless music. It is of course not true, but Nitin Sawhney has created an album of rare beauty. It is jazz, hip hop, drum´n bass and Indian music.
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6. PRESENCE All systems Gone
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A title that brings David Bowie´s A Space Oddity into mind. Presence are not lost in space, their frontman Charles Webster took deep house out from the clubs and created a perfect comedown session for the sofa. A homelistening bliss from San Francisco complete with a cover version of Bodean´s Far Far Away From My Heart.
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7. DOT ALLISON Afterglow
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Dot Allison off One Dove fame finally released her anticipated solo debut album. She came up with a record that is strangely out of time, and yet in total co-ordination with contemporary dance music. It is a soul record, much in the same way as Dusty Springfield made soul records. Dot Allison´s soul music has nothing to do with the soul music of the American south, or the streets of New York. This is soul music for a taxi ride on rainy and windy streets of London. Strings and snare drums with echo layered vocals´ makes it a beautiful and sometimes haunting album.
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8. ERIC BENÉT A Day In The Life
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| The soundtrack of the summer of ´99. Georgy Porgy featuring Faith Evans, nice! |
9. SUEDE Head Music
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| There are three rock groups worth following at the moment, Suede is one of them and they released an excellent album early 1999. They have had massive airplay of She´s In Fashion and the album is as good as the single. |
10. MACY GRAY On How Life Is
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| There are a couple of great songs on this one. Deep grooves. |
11. EXTENDED SPIRIT Solid Water
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| All singles by Extended Spirit collected on one CD makes an indispensable album. Jazzy, Brazilian tinged house and drum´n bass from Germany. Beats and grooves does not come much better than this. |
12. UGLY DUCKLING Fresh Mode
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| This year´s most danceable hip hop came from Ugly Duckling. Old school and decent scratch work. |
1. NINA SIMONE Sugar In My Bowl 1967-1972
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A collection of Nina Simone´s songs made during her RCA years. A true gem in the history of music. Nina Simone should never be taken lightly.
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2. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD Dusty In Memphis
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The classic Dusty In Memphis in an exclusive remastered reissue. The set includes the original album and 9 previously unissued tracks. Not to be missed.
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3. VARIOUS ARTISTS Trojan Rocksteady Box Set
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From the emergence of Rocksteady in 1966 until the development of reggae two years later; Rocksteady prevailed in Jamaica and it is these soulful sounds from that golden era which provide the focus of this collection. Essential and unreservedly recommended.
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1. ROOTDOWN 99 Compiled by Rainer Truby
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The Nuphonic beats and breaks collection.
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2. NUPHONIC 02
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The Nuphonic house music collection.
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3. BOSSA TRES...JAZZ When Japan Meets Europe
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The new world jazz order by MAW, Modaji, Bob Sinclair and Kyoto Jazz Massive. It comes with Salome de Bahia´s version of Outro Lugar. Contemporary jazz music with more than a touch of Brazil. Exquisite
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4. THE LOFT Presented by David Mancuso
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The disco music collection from Nuphonic. From the days before disco became house music. Essential listening for all groovers.
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5. OUT OF SIGHT Original Soundtrack
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David Holmes wrote the score, compiled the music and cut oneliners from the dialog. Cool!
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of the Year
1. SIMON LEE & RAY GUPTA Azteca
Spectrum Records
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2. ANTONIO Happy, Joyous & Free
Tribal Winds
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3. JOSH ABRHAMS featuring AMIEL DAEMION Addicted To Bass
Prozaac Recordings
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4. DAVID ALVARADO Klugh (DJ Dazia´s Mix)
Ovum Recordings
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5. JOE CLAUSSELL Je Ka Jo
Ibadan
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6. BETH ORTHON Central Reservation (Spiritual Life/Ibadan Remix)
Heavenly Recordings
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7. RAPHAEL SAADIQ & Q-TIP Get Involved
Hollywood Records
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8. WHITNEY HOUSTON It´s Not Right, Buit It´s Alright
Arista
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9. TQ Westside
Epic
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10. NEXT EVIDENCE The Sands EP
Versatile
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The Homepage. 1997-1999 by Mickey.