In the last few months of 2011 we discovered the collaborations of King Creosote and Jon Hopkins, and in particular their small masterpiece, Diamond Mine, which was nominated this year for Britain’s Mercury Prize.  King Creosote (songwriter Kenny Andersen) has said the album was the “soundtrack to a romanticized version of a life lived in a Scottish coastal village.”  The seven-track album is a combination of Anderson originals coupled with the ambient-electronica producer Jon Hopkins’ (Coldplay, etc.) arrangements, sounds and field recordings.  Meshing with the coastal village backdrop, the album’s sound and feel is pacific (if you will) and halcyon.  Anderson’s sweet vocals and lyrical cant can’t lose with Hopkins’ added sounds and effects.  All in all:  charming sounds for a lazy (or better, hectic) day.  Check out two of their songs below.  The video for Bubble should have made our Best Videos of 2011 list so check it out in particular, and if taken, you can check out way below a short video about the making of the Bubble video.

Bubble:

Bats in the Attic (Unravelled):

Making of Bubble: