first of the year...

i've been trying to think about my heroes of 2006. certainly up there are jonathan moore and matt black of coldcut. a great new album and a fantastic live show - result. the sound mirrors dvd/remixes package may not be perfect but if nothing else it shows the efforts of two artists who refuse to accept the limitations of the music industry like everyone else. also worthy of praise is switch - after a bit patchy i went looking for his other stuff, and then i ended up finding more and more of it. one to watch no doubt. his highlight must be his remix of his remix of spank rock's bump. beautiful. obvious ones are (obviously) diplo and erol, both of whom have put out some absolutely incredible stuff in the last 12 months in all areas, from remixes, mixes and production for other artists. also pusha and malice. they've been through a lot of "label drama", as they'd put it themselves, but it obviously hasn't shaken them one bit.

two men stand, nay, tower above the rest. or are they really men? Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter aka Daft Punk. over the course of the year they ut on what is without doubt one of the greatest live shows anyone will ever experience. i was lucky enough to see them in Marlay Park in Dublin, only a short walk from my house. while many people will talk about the beck/radiohead gig the night before, it was Daft Punk who will stick in my memory. as the bells tolled signalling a shift in Discovery territory, the heavens opened with a downpour of rain that, rather than taking away from the experience, embellished it, as thousands danced together in solidarity with each other - defying the weather and revelling in the marvellous sounds and sights on display.