Dipped in Dollars has been enjoying a week long feature on BreakThru Radio, where you can now listen to/download our “Anatomy of a Blogger” radio show. We picked a lot of our favorite songs of the year and weaved them together with Danger Dome/Chief interviews over Comanche beats. We tried to make it something you could thoroughly enjoy from start to finish. Tracks listed below for anyone interested. Check it out by clicking the Anatomy of a Blogger link on BreakThru‘s program guide.

00:00 Alex Bleeker – These Days (DJ Mimi intro)
00:41 MGMT – Electric Feel (Justice Remix)
06:05 Comanche – Ivory (Danger Dome interview)
07:19 Hudson Mohawke – Overnight
10:04 Bibio – Lovers’ Carvings
13:55 Comanche – On the Floor (Danger Dome interview)
14:22 The Cool Kids – Pennies
17:22 Washed Out – Feel It All Around
20:26 Comanche – Light on the Nile (Danger Dome interview)
20:52 Warpaint – Billie Holiday
27:25 School of Seven Bells – Iamundernodisguise (Alternate Version)
30:49 Comanche – Octubre (Chief interview)
31:15 Dirty Projectors – Stillness is the Move
36:30 Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky
43:15 Mountain Man – Animal Tracks
45:35 Comanche – These Birds (Danger Dome interview)
46:05 CFCF – Half Dreaming
51:30 Real Estate – Snow Days
55:48 Alex Bleeker – These Days (DJ Mimi outro)
56:46 Beach House – Used to Be

This post was written by the lovely Jason and originally posted on his blog, indie shuffle (click here and your ears will thank you).

“It has been a matter of weeks since I first posted about Bibio and his June 2009 album, Ambivalence Avenue. To be honest, the last thing that I was expecting was to see a new album released less than six months later. And while the feat is perhaps dampened by the fact that only four of these tracks are completely original to the artist, the eight additional remixes featured on The Apple and the Tooth provide some real gems.

Still, the tracks worth particular focus are those that are untouched by anyone but Bibio. With them he has once again demonstrated that his prior sound, which emulated record-label companions Boards of Canada, is dead and gone. The new Bibio knows how to get down, and can do so with some serious style. The attached track, Bones & Skulls, is a perfect example of his versatility and new sound: clean and full guitars backed by somewhat subtle vocals and thick, electronic percussion. To be fair, those descriptions (with the exception of vocals) could easily describe the Boards of Canada production. The emotions produced by the tempo, however, couldn’t be more different.

You can go here to stream a number of tracks and support the artist by purchasing his work: warp.net.

While his new material is excellent, the remixes are hit or miss. The jerkiness of Clark’s remix of the song “S’Vive”, for example, can get rather annoying, and does very little justice to the original. But what’s novel here is that Bibio actually remixes one of his own tracks, “Palm of Your Wave”. This was one of the better (and perhaps sadder) tracks on Ambivalence Avenue, rooting itself in a purely folk sound (vocals and guitar, alone). For the remix, Bibio has added to what sounds like a minstrel quartet: simple percussion and a harpsichord on crack. Another one that I do like is Lone’s “All the Flowers” remix:

Bibio – All the Flowers (Lone remix)

Remixes aside, who is this Bibio character? Well, I’ve already written about him before, so I’m going to quote myself:

Like English compatriots Bonobo and Caribou, Bibio has developed his own electronica style that is at once warm, funky, and full of all things experimental. Following a few releases that embodied a folk/field recording blend, Stephen Wilkinson signed with Warp records, home of my favorite, Boards of Canada. The product of his evolution stands in stark contrast to his prior work: it is as if he has evolved into a whole new beast.

Bibio – The Apple and the Tooth ”

So it’s that time of year again, the time for the “best of” lists that seem to crop up everywhere. While I find the idea of a list of the best albums of a year overwhelming (let alone of a DECADE, not even gonna touch that one), I know that I will be able to handle it. However, for now I’m easing into it with a more specific category, my favorite remixes released this year. Though often overdone, and largely mediocre, a good remix can be a powerful thing. It can transform a great song into an even greater one, and a not that great one into an enjoyable listening experience. They allow music to transcend genres, and when done right, create a song that one thinks of as completely separate from the original. I tried to choose five, but had to bump the number up to ten, because there was too much greatness to go around. I’ve also chosen to list these by remixer, not original artist. So let’s get to it.

1. Faux Pas [Paul Dempsey - Ramona Was a Waitress]

Faux Pas has never let me down. This song is number one not only because it is catchy, danceable, and has an amazing instrumental interlude, but because of how far it has come from the original version. He has transformed a song I would have never otherwise listened to, into one that I can’t get out of my head. Pure Genius.

Paul Dempsey – Ramona Was A Waitress (Faux Pas Remix)

2. Chico Love [Phoenix - Lisztomania]

I was already obsessed with Phoenix as well as this track, when I came across this remix by Chico Love. It is eight minutes long and worth every second. The vocals are slowed down dramatically, and every syllable becomes all the more significant. This track becomes almost a ballad, and even though you’ve likely had Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix on constant rotation for months now, there is something new to be discovered here.

Phoenix – Lisztomania (Chico Love Remix)

3. Bibio [Wax Stag - Folk Rock]

This remix was the second date in what was to become my full-blown love affair with Bibio. This track was one that would come up randomly every so often in my iTunes, and I was blown away each time. It is perfectly crafted and just plain irresistible. It is Bibio through and through, and my favorite time to listen to it is when on a train, it makes your journey seem all the more magical.

Wax Stag – Folk Rock (Bibio Remix)

4. Treasure Fingers [Little Boots - Meddle]

I was already quite enamored with Treasure Fingers when I first heard this remix, which also served as my first introduction to Little Boots. The internet was all abuzz about her, and I decided to check out the rest of her stuff. Well, I was hugely let down by its mediocrity, which only further confirmed the genius of Treasure Fingers. This will get you dancing whether you like it or not.

Little Boots – Meddle (Treasure Fingers Remix)

5. Peter Bjorn & John [Miike Snow - Animal]

This song by Miike Snow was already pretty catchy, but Peter Bjorn & John took it to the next level. I like this version more than the original now, everything these guys touch becomes gold. Check it.

Miike Snow – Animal (Peter Bjorn and John Remix)

6. Memory Tapes [Fool's Gold - Nadine]

This track is especially dreamlike, and lured me in with it’s intro of “don’t bare your soul to me”. Memory Tapes is one of my all time favorites, and has clearly done justice to this song, bringing their two styles together impeccably. The refrain of “Nadine” near the end is so amazing.

Fool’s Gold – Nadine (Memory Tapes Remix)

7. Washed Out [Small Black - Despicable Dogs]

I love everything that Washed Out creates separately, with all the hazy fuzz permeating throughout. Similar in style to Small Black, but more electronic than rock. He brings the perfect amount of his own aesthetic to their sound.

Small Black – Despicable Dogs (Washed Out Remix)

8. Siriusmo [Chromeo - Night by Night]

Chromeo‘s track “Night by Night” is brilliant enough as is, but Siriusmo has infused it with his own brand of quirkiness. It starts out like a pretty basic remix, then transitions into a pretty gnarly interlude that works perfectly, and almost makes you forget what you’re listening to.

Chromeo – Night by Night (Suriusmo Remix)

9. Blueshift [Bat for Lashes - Daniel]

I really don’t know much about Blueshift except that when I was obsessed with this Bat For Lashes track, he was the only one to create a remix that I thought was worthy of the original (and that I longed for).

Bat For Lashes – Daniel (Blueshift Bootleg Vocal)

10. Delorean [Lemonade - Big Weekend]

I have to admit, I’m really not the hugest fan of Delorean (although their name is awesome) or Lemonade, but somehow when they get all mixed up together, voila! Perfection. This track is great, despite my prejudices. To quote the song “the future of sound came to him in a dream”, brilliance.

Lemonade – Big Weekend (Delorean remix)

All right guys, that’s it. I’m sure I’m probably missing some great remix out there in the world, but this is the best of what I’ve heard. Let me know what you think!

Once upon a time a friend sent me a Bibio track, “Lovers’ Carvings”, my mind was blown and my world opened up. After visiting Epsilon in the north, I discovered he was a fan as well. I am just kicking myself for waiting this long to listen to the rest of his stuff. His previously posted remix of a Wax Stag track is so so so awesome, and you should definitely check it out. For now, however, I would like to touch upon his 2009 release, Ambivalence Avenue, which is the sweetest album title I’ve come across in a while. Bibio has this magnificent ability to transcend genres (often within one song) and exist outside of them at the same time. It was extremely difficult to try to pick songs that encompassed all of his facets (ranging from electronic to borderline soul to hip-hop-esque to folk). Regardless of how you define him, I love this man. Ambivalence Avenue flows so smoothly that you hardly notice that it’s over before you want it to be, and all you’re left with is the repeat button. Each track is like three separate ideas rolled into one giant ball of eclectic aural happiness, see for yourself.

Bibio – Fire Ant
Bibio – Lovers’ Carvings
Bibio – Sugarette