2008 in Review

Since BlackRose is out of town, I'll be handling TBC all by my lonesome today. This also means that we'll probably delay revealing this year's Top 10 until the show on January 3rd. However, a cursory glance at the releases of 2008 shows that we have our work cut out for us in deciding:

• :wumpscut: - Schadling (Metropolis)
• Abney Park - Lost Horizons (Self Produced)
• Anders Manga - X's & the Eyes (Vampture)
• Ayria - Hearts for Bullets (Alfa Matrix)
• Bella Morte - Beautiful Death (Metropolis)
• bioassay - Silence (Single) (Self Released)
• The Birthday Massacre - Looking Glass EP (Metropolis)
  
• Collide - Two Headed Monster, Not Forgotten EP (Noiseplus)
• Combichrist - Frost EP: Sent to Destroy (Metropolis)
• The Crüxshadows - Immortal (Single) (Dancing Ferret)
• The Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia... (Roadrunner)
  
• Ego Likeness - The Lowest Place on Earth (Single), South EP, West EP (Dancing Ferret / Self Released)
• Imperative Reaction - Minus All (Metropolis)
• Informatik - Beyond (Metropolis)
• Jill Tracy - The Bittersweet Constrain (125)
• Neuroticfish - A Greater Good - History 1998-2008 (Dancing Ferret)
• Lunascape - Innerside (Noir)
• Rotersand - I Cry EP (Metropolis)
  
• Sapphire Solace - Sapphire Solace EP (Self Produced)
• Straftanz - Forward Ever, Backward Never (Scanner)
• Unextraordinary Gentlemen - No Hands to Guide Us (Self Produced)
  
• Voltaire - To the Bottom of the Sea (Self Produced)

... among others (so many, the blog ran out of space to tag all these). This year sadly saw the end of Dancing Ferret Discs, but as you can see, it also saw the emergence of awesome new acts and the reemergence of perennial favorites.

In all honesty, I don't want to do a Top 10, and in the end we may not. Every one of these albums (including the ones I've somehow forgotten) deserves the highest of praise and continued, repeated play. I don't want to hold one release above another, because to do so would disregard the remarkable talent and quality found in all of these.

I am extremely proud of the extraordinary material we showcase on TBC, and am deeply grateful and honored to have the opportunity to spin nothing but the best in freeform darkness. I eagerly look forward to what 2009 holds.