30 DAVID BOWIE
The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars PARLOPHONE
Ziggy’s 50th birthday saw a riot of celebrations, from international cosplay fan conventions to Barbie special editions and Brett Morgan’s kaleidoscopic biopic Moonage Daydream. But the flash and bang of glam would have gone nowhere without the tunes, as this half-speed vinyl remaster amply demonstrated, reminding us of how Bowie fused Judy Garland, Lou Reed and the Legendary Stardust Cowboy to kickstart the 21st century from the back streets of Beckenham, 1972.
29 CAN
Live In Cuxhaven MUTE
Compared with the sprawling sets captured on the first two archival releases in Mute’s Can live series, the third instalment was almost shockingly concise at 30 minutes. This performance in Cuxhaven, Germany, also documented a later stage in the band’s trajectory, the music here less evocative of the mantric grooves of mid-’70s albums like Soon Over Babaluma than it was of the funk and Afrobeat influences that came to the fore later in the decade.
28 ARTHUR RUSSELL
Calling Out Of Context/Instrumentals AUDIKA/ROUGH TRADE
Welcome reissue of two posthumous compilations that first brought the full scope of Russell’s singular output to wider attention. Calling Out Of Context showcased his knack for spry outsider pop, accompanying himself on keyboard, cello and drum machine. Instrumentals leaned more towards minimalist composition, but still infused with a rare, innocent wonder.
27 FERKAT AL ARD
Oghneya HABIBI FUNK
A couple of years ago, Habibi Funk reissued a fine solo album by Beirut’s Issam Hajali – but this 1978 follow-up with his band Ferkat Al Ard
