Ryan Winnick, The Cynic’s uber-knowledgable and ultra-hip Arts and Entertainment Editor, conducted in-tensive and scientific research over break and determined the best music and film releases of the past 12 months. Bear in mind that this is based on her research alone, so take them for what they’re worth, but expect to disagree – and really, what fun is a list without a little argument? Albums of 2008:Santogold [Santogold] Santogold’s debut album is fresh, syncopated and evolutionary – the perfect emblem of 2008’s “remix”culture. Wired by M.I.A’s producers Diplo and Snatch, MC Santi White works hip hop, dub, and new wave into a meaningful non-stop dance party. Fear and Loathing in Hunts Vegas [Benzi and Diplo Present: Paper Route Gangstaz] The hottest and latest out of the durrty, durrty- Paper Route Gangstaz keeps it light but good with barking choruses, layers of wheezy and Timbaland repetition. Diplo and Benzi lift the Gangstaz out of the grit of mediocrity – here they come 106 & Park. 19 [Adele] Adele’s voice deepens into a handsome jazz drawl, while cooing us with gentle lyrics carried by a static pop backbeat. “First Love” and “Right as Rain” are lush. Dear Science [TV on the Radio] With a range as pervasive as Prince, TV on the Radio delivers us kicks of recycled disco and funk, with hypnotic synthesizers looping in the background. Punkgasm [Don Caballero] Start running, this album is gripping. Not too heavy, a little over-strained, but totally thrashable – Punkgasm will make you wet your pants. Fleet Foxes [Fleet Foxes] Mesmerizing and escapist, this debut album has begun its own canon. Fantastical, folkish, Woodstocky and peeking with inflections of rock’n’roll- thanks to Robin Pecknold’s vocal tenacity- Fleet Foxes is on the map. Uproot [DJ/rupture] Worldly, spacey and techno-y – Uproot has a track for everyone. Los Angeles [Flying Lotus] Thumping with sly offbeats, hard bass seduction, spicy drumming, and latin groove, L.A. is all of the above: ambient, lounge, dance, and trip-hop. Films of 2008:Rachel Getting Married [Director Jona- thon Demme] Milk [Director Gus Van Sant] WALL-E [DirectorAndrew Stanton] The Dark Knight [Director Christopher Nolan] 4 Luni, 3 Saptam??ni si 2 Zile (4 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days) [Director Cristian Mungiu] Man on Wire [Director James Marsh] My Winnipeg [Director Guy Maddin] Happy-Go-Lucky – [Director Mike Leigh] Synecdoche, New York [Director Charlie Kaufman] Entre Les Murs (The Class) [Director Laurent Cantent]
