Resident Advisor's Best of the 00's

These lists are great -- there's an embarrassment of riches here. So much I haven't heard, so much I really need to hear ...

RA's Top 50 mixes

How many I've heard: only about 11! There are a number of cases in which I've heard plenty of the artist, but never that exact mix, i.e. Surgeon's "This is For You Shits"

Most shockingly high entry: #9: Dave Clarke's "World Service Volume 1". Really? I never really got into it, partly because his "X Mix - Electro Boogie" mix is sooooo much better.

What a nice surprise: #11: Henrik Schwarz, Âme & Dixon, "The Grandfather Paradox". A really unique mix, undoubtedly one of the very best of 2009, and one that will stand the test of time better than almost any mix on this list.

Virtually every "Best of 00's" list, in every publication in virtually all genres, is heavily skewed toward 2000-4, especially '00 and '01, and this list is no exception. Also notice that there's virtually nothing on here from 2005-2007? It's almost as if they tried to overcompensate and include more from '08 and '09 to balance out the large number of picks from the start of the decade.

I'm not a huge fan of Michael Mayer's mixes, but I can't argue with the choice of "Immer" at #1, it was a hugely influential mix.

RA's Top 100 Albums

How many I've heard: 49. And I don't think I'd characterize a single one of them as "bad". The worst of that lot is probably Justice's "Cross", but even that had a bunch of fun moments.

Most shockingly high entry: I've never understood the love for "Discovery" (it's a strong EP plus a bunch of filler) but seeing it at #4 is hardly a surprise. Otherwise, maybe Booka Shade ... at #8?? For me, that album is up there with the Knife's "Silent Shout" and Isolee's "Wearemonster" as the go-to critical techno hits of their years -- once the buzz wore off, I hardly ever found myself wanting to hear those records. Most surprisingly low entry has to be "Sound of Silver" at #23.

What a nice surprise: #6, Gas' "Pop". It's a crazy high ranking, it's not the best Gas album (that would be "Konigsforst") but it's the only one that was released this decade and I love the fact that Wolfgang Voigt's Gas project has grown so much in stature with the passage of time. Honourable mention to Shed's "Shedding the Past" -- a great, no nonsense techno album, and a record that I was worried had already become something of a forgotten classic.

I can't argue too strenuously against the choice of "Alcohofa" as their #1, again, it's a massively influential record and with the possible exception of "Pop" and "Untrue", it's easily the best album in the top 30.

RA's Top 100 Tracks

How many I've heard: I think it's 39. That is sure to change however.

Most shockingly high entry: It's tough to say because I've only heard about half of the top 20. However, "Dexter" and it's Joy Division-gone-minimal groove > "Easy Lee", "Raver" > "Archangel", and half of Audion's "Suckfish" > "Mouth to Mouth", although I know that not many others will agree.

What a nice surprise: #29, Roots Manuva, "Witness (1 Hope)" -- this would be a jaw-droppingly high entry in a US publication, but even on a UK site like RA it's nice to see this track so high.

Metro Area's "Miura" was one of the tracks I didn't know (of course I immediately queued it up on Youtube). It's a good top 100, although I personally don't have deep connections to most of these particular tracks. My favourite out of the bunch is #57, Jürgen Paape's "So Weit Wie Noch Nie".