An Indolent Top 45

Here it is. The list that absolutely no one has been anticipating with any kind of excitement whatsoever.

Some of these artists have been around for a while, at least two died this year (the great Ali Farka Toure and Momo Wandel Soumah), some have quickly become well-known (Regina Spektor and Of Montreal), one has been sadly overlooked for decades (Darondo), and others were completely new to me (Barba turned me on to the hot but as-yet unknown Texas punk-ish band, Girl in a Coma, who will have their first album appear next year and should make a splash). This is basically a list of some music that caught my ear this year. This doesn't count other music I've gone back to. I've tried to keep the list contemporary.

Please listen. These people deserve the attention.

I present Helmut's top 45 of 2006 in no particular order:

1. Alice Smith
2. My Brightest Diamond
3. Herman Düne
4. Scala & Kolacny Brothers
5. Detektivbyrån
6. Juana Molina
7. Great Aunt Ida
8. The Dresden Dolls
9. Maurice El Medioni
10. Rodrigo y Gabriela
11. Momo Wandel Soumah
12. Kekele
13. Lobi Traore
14. Eglantine Gouzy
15. The Prototypes
16. Nouvelle Vague
17. Feist
18. Artisan
19. Tunng
20. Hot Chip
21. Jim Noir
22. Ramona Cordova
23. Lambchop
24. Kevin Johansen
25. Tinariwen
26. Darondo
27. Jose Kafala and Moises Kafala
28. Jorge Drexler
29. Regina Spektor
30. Johnossi
31. Dilon Djindji
32. Ali Farka Touré
33. Destroyer
34. Milburn
35. Of Montreal
36. Lily Allen
37. Girl in a Coma
38. Paulo Flores
39. Karl Blau
40. Tim Fite
41. Teitur
42. The Avett Brothers
43. Hanne Hukkelberg
44. The Hidden Cameras
45. Javiera Mena


P.S. I also need to thank four blogs in particular for turning me on to some nice music this year. Please give them a visit.

Benn loxo du taccu
Filles Sourires
Motel de Moka
Ternura Porno