Paris DJs presents
The 10 Best Albums of 2012
Posted on Thursday 03 January 2013
This entry concludes our 'best of 2012' series with a selection of our 10 favorite albums of the year. Hands down, The Souljazz Orchestra ruled with their totally ridiculous album - and yep, 'ridiculous' means it's really great!. Not far behind, the Paris DJs Soundsystem compilation follows, and from Australia Papa Chango complete the podium. Those 3 albums have all in common their modern afro/latin/funk grooves with nods to the past. All 3 are filled with so much hits, you're left wondering how they could decide on which tracks to send to the radios. KILLER material all along. Other artists who messed with our heads the most this year include Quantic & Alice Russell, Franck Biyong & Grant Phabao, Calibro 35, Doctor L, Brownout, Wrongtom & Deemas J., and Monophonics. What a great musical year it's been... and that concludes our 2012 retrospective as Paris DJs marches on 2013 mutating into a label that's an international community of artists. But more about that later... Stay connected!
Paris DJs - Best Of 2012 - The Albums01. The Soujazz Orchestra - Solidarity (Strut) info | buy
Absolutely no weak moments on this album, loaded with hits, incredible protest or psychedelic anthems. Like every great platter, Solidarity does sound like an instant classic - as if this music was here a long time ago. As if it's always been here.
02. Paris DJs Soundsystem - Dis Is Good For You - Tropical Grooves & Afrofunk International (Paris DJs) info | buy
An epic take on 21st century Afrofunk, Afrobeat, Ethio-Jazz, Reggae and Soul. Cult bloggers/producers Djouls & Grant Phabao gather their friends for an afro/reggae/tropical/funk festival of hits - one of the albums of the year, hands down!
03. Papa Chango - The Matador (General Film Music) info | buy
Someone should press this 70’s ethio-jazz and afro-funk "Morricone meets Mulatu" afro-blaxploitation soundtrack on vinyl ASAP!
04. Quantic & Alice Russell - Look Around The Corner (Tru-Thoughts) info | buy
Pure sweet soul and blues, with overtones of gospel and folk music and the added Latin swing of the Combo Bárbaro- Absolute class!
05. Franck Biyong & The Diamane Bantu Messengers - Ki I Ye Yi (Afrolectric Music/Paris DJs) info | buy
When the lost big band Central Africa tradition meets the urban 70s afrofunk sound of the Paris Djs studios, Cameroonese music is reaching new heights…
06. Calibro 35 - Ogni Riferimento A Persone... (self-released) http://www.parisdjs.com/index.php/post/Calibro-35-Ogni-Riferimento-A-Persone-...
impressive funk/jazz and vintage 70s pop jam band with Italian soundtracks obsession.
07. Doctor L - We Got Lost (Comet Records) info | buy
This afro/folk/blues masterpiece has been playing on repeat in our headphones for months. And it's just one of the many incredible releases of the Doctor in the recent years!
08. Brownout - Oozy (Nat Geo Music) info | buy
another killer album of Latin-Funk grooves
09. Wrongtom meets Deemas J. - In East London (Tru Thoughts) info | buy
Remixer/producer Wrongtom and dancehall MC Deemas J offering classic British rub-a-dub over early 80s UK dancehall dubs. Addictive retro grooves.
10. Monophonics - In Your Brain (Ubiquity) info | buy
The band is deeply rooted in 70s Funk & Soul, but with a lot of fuzzy psychedelics and bits of 60s garage rock, nods to afrofunk and blaxploitation, rather close to the best productions from Orgone or Daptone's studios.
Author: DjoulsStay in touch with the latest news and subscribe to the RSS Feed about this category
