The CyberNoise Directives 2020 (Best Of Year 2020)

by Graham Needham (© 14th December 2020)

The CyberNoise yearly lists are compiled from the music that has been played the most by the CyberNoise team this year, using various metrics including iTunes play counts, longevity, personal memory and most importantly those albums still on rotation months after their release - they are in no specific order. This year was particularly hard with some really good new music from many artists. However, there can ultimately only be ten, so, well done to everyone on this year's top ten lists. Don't forget to support your favourite artists, either directly or via the iTunes and Amazon links listed here. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

10 Albums Of The Year 2020
10 Compilations And Reissues 2020
Officially Released Live Video Awards 2020
Books of 2020
Recommendations For 2021

10 Albums Of The Year 2020

Assemblage 23

• Mourn

Carpenter Brut

• Blood Machines (Original Soundtrack)

Cabaret Voltaire

• Shadow Of Fear

Exclusive white vinyl double LP available from bleep.com.

CHANT

• HYDRA

10 Compilations and Reissues 2020

Due to the coronavirus pandemic Bandcamp did multiple fee free Fridays and so many artists (joined and) reissued older material as high resolution digital downloads including, but not limited to:

And so to our primary top ten compilations and reissues of 2020…

Visage

• The Anvil / Fade To Grey The Singles Collection (Special Dance Mix Album)
Official Rubellan Remasters expanded CD editions

Heaven 17

• Another Big Idea 1996-2015
9xCD box set

Signed editions are available exclusively from Amazon UK.

Stephen Mallinder

• Pow Wow
Remastered 2xLP / CD / Digital

Also available in high resolution digital format on Bandcamp.

Fatal Morgana

• The Destructive Solution / The Final Destruction
Remastered 2xLP / Digital with bonus tracks

2xLP available direct from Mecanica Records.
Also available in high resolution digital format on Bandcamp.

Tangerine Dream

• Pilots Of The Purple Twilight: The Virgin Recordings 1980-1983
10xCD+2xBD box set with hard-back book / 74 track Digital

A limited edition with a rare Exit [POPT] collectible poster was exclusively available from recordstore.co.uk.

Laibach

• Revisited
5xLP / 3xCD box sets / 12 track Digital

Physical box sets available direct from Laibach WTC.

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop

• Four Albums 1968 - 1978
6xCD box set

This was a Record Store Day 2020 only release and limited to 1000 numbered copies worldwide.

Harold Faltermeyer

• The Running Man
35 track expanded deluxe edition 2xCD / 2xLP / Digital

Also available direct from Varèse Sarabande
USA store / EU store.

Ultravox

• Vienna
Deluxe edition 5xCD+DVD box set / 51 track Digital

New Order

• Power Corruption and Lies
Definitive edition 2xCD+2xDVD+LP box set / 26 track Digital

Officially Released Live Video Awards 2020

Another year of lacklustre official live video releases albeit, one might blame the COVID-19 pandemic, as record labels were busy contending with other stuff outside of their normal release schedules. We have low hopes for next year too, as hardly any artists actually played live in 2020 to film. Perhaps, with all this sitting around working from home, some record labels might dust off the old film canisters and remaster some old concerts in 4K UHD - here's looking at you Depeche Mode / Mute Records…

1st - Node - Live at the Royal College of Music

--> First place goes to Crushing Me Music for releasing a stunning high definition blu-ray of Node's Royal College of Music gig from 2015.

Limited edition Blu-Ray (500 copies worldwide) - available to buy via Bandcamp.

2nd - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Live From Your Sofa - Live at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo, London 20/11/2019

--> They are always a great live experience and this concert is available to officially own as a physical format - unfortunately, not available as high definition blu-ray.

Limited edition DVD - available to buy via the official OMD online store.

3rd - Solar Fake - Who Cares, It's Live

--> Another great live video release, but unfortunately, not available as high definition blu-ray.

Limited edition DVD+2xCD

Books of 2020

Dave Ball - Electronic Boy (My Life In And Out Of Soft Cell)

--> The glorious ins and outs of Soft Cell and The Grid and more…

SIGNED hard cover book available from Lexer Music while stocks last!

Gary Numan - (R)evolution

--> An official book covering all of his life and many musical eras but also his (r)evolution of the last decade…

Hard cover book with SIGNED bookmark available direct from the official Gary Numan store while stocks last!

Stephen Morris - Fast Forward: Confessions Of A Post-Punk Percussionist Volume 2

--> Part two of the confessional and laugh out loud history of Joy Division and New Order's drummer + one half of The Other Two…

SIGNED hard cover book available from Rough Trade while stocks last!