Another year has passed us by again. For the thrird time we’re gonna end the year with our very own ‘Best of 2011′. Together with Nevill and Deluge, I’ve picked out some of the finest music that was released this year. Many thanks to all our visitors and of course the artists out there making music that matters. We wish you a blessed 2012 with loads of great music and make sure you go out with a blast!!

Now on to the Best of 2011..

Best Album 2011
1. Thundercat – The Golden Age of Apocalypse
2. Amalia – Art Slave
3. Brandon Coleman – Self-Taught
4. Elzhi – Elmatic
5. Osunlade – Pyrography
6. Evil Needle – Cirrostratus
7. Mark de Clive-Lowe – Renegades
8. Teeko – Light Up The Darkness
9.  Phonte – Charity Starts At Home
10. Kan Sano – Fantastic Farewell

Best EP 2011
1. KING – The Story EP
2. Dirg Gerner – Preface EP
3. Terrace Martin – The Sex EP
4. fLako – Carving Away The Clay EP
5. Hazel – Playground EP

Best Compilation 2011
1. Soulection
2. The Heart Vol. 2
3. Starship 27 Vol. 2: Take Off
4. LA♥JPN♥LA Vol. 2
5. Label Love Pt.3

Best Videos 2011
1. Erykah Badu – Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long
2. J*DaVeY – Raincheck
3. Jay Electronica Dimethyltryptamine
4. Overdoz – Pasadena
5. Amalia – Freeze That!

Best Remixes 2011
1. Daedelus – Tailor Made with Milosh (Floating Points Remix)
2. Salva – Wake Ups (B. Bravo Remix)
3. Meemee Nelzy – Comme Un Lotus (Buscrates 16​-​bit Remix)
4. Leon King – More Than A Crush (Opolopo Remix)
5. Architeq – Into The Cosmos (Mr Beatnick Dub)

Best Documentaries
1. Real Scenes: Detroit
2. Still Shining
3. Planet Rock: The Story of Hip Hop and the Crack Generation

Best New Musical Talents Spotted 2011
1. ERIMAJ – Conflict Of A Man
2. Brandon Coleman – Self Taught
3. Ayanna – Truthfully
4. Greg Spero – Acoustic
5. Manuals – MPG

Best Collaboration 2011
1. Martyn Slott – Pointing Fingers
2. Zebrahim – In My Heart I Am
3. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Thuggin EP
4. Onrazel – Two for the P (Bonus)
5. Bun B & 14KT – The Life

Best Record Labels 2011
1. Tokyo Dawn
2. Tru Thoughts
3. Plug Research

Most Slept On Artist 2011
Christoph El Truento

Ones to watch in 2012
1. Dirg Gerner
2. Union
3. Derrick Hodge
4. KING
5. East Liberty Quarters

It Was Your Time To Go 2011 (R.I.P.)
1. J-1
2. Fonce Mizell
3. Sylvia Robinson

written by nilez \\ tags: 14kt, amalia, ayanna, b. bravo, best of 2011, brandon coleman, buscrates 16-bit ensemble, christoph el truento, daedelus, derrick hodge, dirg gerner, east liberty quarters, elzhi, erimaj, erykah badu, evil needle, flako, floating points, fonce mizell, greg spero, hazel, j'davey, j-1, jay electronica, kan sano, king, label love, leon king, madlb, manuals, mark de clive-lowe, martyn slott, moovmnt, mr beatnick, onrazel, opolopo, osunlade, overdoz, phonte, plug research, salva, soulection, staff pick 2011, sylvia robinson, teeko, terrace martin, the heart vol. 2, thundercat, tokyo dawn records, tru thoughts, union, zebrahim

1000 Fellas, But No Ladies?:

It’s been a while since we posted a Paul Pre mix, but I thought it was a good idea to share his latest “1000 Fellas” mix. He made this one to celebrate the fact he has reached 1000 followers on Mixcloud. This one has a little bit of everything and sounds kinda smooth. Lets face it…can’t go wrong with two Thundercat songs right!?! Enjoy and make sure to follow Moovmnt as well as Paul Pre on Mixcloud for that sound you like.

written by nilez \\ tags: 1000 fellas mix, astronote, b.lewis, beat maker beat, beats, electronica, evil needle, fatima, flako, floating points, hip hop, knxledge, kromestar, mixcloud, moovmnt, paul pre, shlohmo, soul, spacekid, ta-ku, thundercat

The Golden $200:

WTF!?!!…where the heck has this beauty of a song been hiding all this time? Flying Lotus produced (and streamed on his Soundcloud) this extremely sexy bonus track of the Japanese version of Thundercat‘s “The Golden Age of Apocalypse”. It features Austin Peralta and let’s be honest…“$200 TB” is by far the sickest bonus track I’ve heard in a while! Big up Brainfeeder.

Thundercat – $200 TB (prod. Flying Lotus Ft. Austin Peralta)

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written by nilez \\ tags: $200 tb, austin peralta, brainfeeder, flying lotus, japanese bonus song, the golden age of apocalyse, thundercat

A few month ago we had the exclusive Tiron & Ayomari “En Kärlekshistoria” EP which is still available for free download. Now a few days ago the two guys from Crenshaw and Slauson released their second collaborative project entitled “A Sucker For Pumps.” The album is available on The Cafeteria Line Bandcamp. GO AND SUPPORT!!

Tiron & Ayomari – If I Had You Feat. D.R.U.G.S & Thundercat

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Tiron & Ayomari – All My Love Feat Yummy Bingham

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written by nevill \\ tags: ayomari, bandcamp, cafeteria line, en karlekshistoria, los angeles, sucker for pumps, thundercat, tiron

Thundercat HooooooO!! Today’s the day that “The Golden Age of Apocalypse” officially releases on Brainfeeder. We don’t need to tell you how serious this album is and how mindblowing some of these tracks are. Just listen to “Fleer Ultra” and rush to  for that digital stuff or to Rush Hour for that vinyl or CD.

Thundercat – Fleer Ultra [128kbps]

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written by nilez \\ tags: brainfeeder, cd, fleer ultra, flying lotus, flylo, itunes, jamboree, rush hour, the golden age of apocalypse, thundercat, vinyl

Another mix from Flying Lotus. This time it’s a 30 minute mixtape filled with new, rare and unreleased tunes from Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner as a prelude to his “Golden Age Of The Apocalypse” album which will be out on Brainfeeder, August 30th.

Thundercat – Shenanigans pt 1

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written by nevill \\ tags: brainfeeder, flying lotus, golden age of the apocalypse, mix, part 1, shenanigans, stephen bruner, thundercat

Inglewood’s Overdoz recently dropped this fly ass video for their “Pasadena” song. The video was directed by Calmatic and in the the track was produced by THC. Check it out, tell your friend and just be cool..

written by nilez \\ tags: calmatic, dom kennedy, just be cool, los angeles, overdoz, pasadena, thundercat

Suicidal Tendencies bassist Stephen “Thundercat’ Bruner is set to release his debut album The Golden Age of Apocalypse this fall on Brainfeeder. You should know Thundercat from his extraordinary basswork for Flying Lotus, Shafiq Husayn, Erykah Badu, and many others. Below you can find a free download for the George Duke cover “For Love I Come”.

Thundercat – For Love I Come

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Thundercat – Thundercat Jamboree [112 kbps]

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written by nevill \\ tags: brainfeeder, flying lotus, george duke, stephen bruner, suicidal tendencies, the golden age of apocalypse, thundercat

Sonny Coates sent us some this crazy psychedelic take on Shafiq Husayn‘s “Major Heavy”. Together with Shafiq (percussion/background vocals), Om’Mas Keith (drums/background vocals), Thundercat (bass/whistle/background vocals) and Wow Jones (fender rhodes, synthesizers), Sonny (guitar/lead vocal) recorded this live one-take version called “mjrhe∆vy !!!!!!!!!!!!_! (*)”.

Sonny Coates Ft. Shafiq Husayn & Om’Mas Keith – Mjrhe∆vy !!!!!!!!!!!!!

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written by nilez \\ tags: los angeles, major heavy, mjrhe∆vy, om'mas keith, psychedelic, sa-ra, sa-ra creative partners, shafiq husayn, sonny coates, thundercat, wow jones

Brand new video of FlyLo‘s “Cosmogramma” album featuring Stephen ‘Thundercat’ Bruner. The video was directed by team ‘Special Problems’ and is cosmicly soothing if you ask me. ”Mmmhmm” happens to be my fav and so I’m happy they picked this song for the video. Big ups to HipHopDX for yet another one. Album still available through Rush Hour on CD or vinyl or go for digital at iTunes

written by nilez \\ tags: brainfeeder, cd, cosmogramma, digital, flying lotus, flylo, hiphopdx, itunes, mmmhmm, rush hour, sa-ra creative partners, thundercat, vinyl