1.
Not sure why this didn't get more hype, but I think it's perfectly-crafted sunshine pop. Super literate lyrics, totally addictive hooks, and pretty imaginative melodies. It's too bad the Shakes broke up after releasing this album; I was really looking forward to both seeing them live and hearing more out of them.
2. jj - jj no 2
This music is lovely. Simple, a little ethereal, and riddled with drug references. People like to get their panties in a twist over the live show that jj puts on, but I was personally tickled by it. First of all, I was impressed that her voice is as clear and pitch-perfect live as it is recorded. Second of all, I was impressed that he didn't break anything. I would use pre-recorded beats, too, if I were relying on someone who was totally drugged out to back me up. "From Africa to Malaga" and "Things Will Never Be the Same Again" remain two of my favorite songs of the whole year.
3. Taken By Trees - East of
Didn't think I'd ever like Taken By Trees-- or anything, for that matter-- more than The Concretes, but this album blew me away. I guess for me, at this point in time, the only way to really improve on what Victor Bergsman has always done is to pair it up with some vaguely Afro-Caribbean drumbeats.
4. The xx - xx
This album took some time to grow on me. I thought it was too simplistic and too hyped. But damn, their voices are sexy as hell. These songs are just dripping with sex, and they're not even about sex. On top of that, they give an amazing live performance.
5. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Uh, did you know that I didn't really like this album until I saw the P.S. 22 chorus sing "Lisztomania?" I still like their rendition better, but this was such a great soundtrack to the first sunny days of spring. It's high-quality music, original, and catchy like crazy.
6. Washed Out - EP
My personal favorite from the chillwave craze, maybe because of the R&B sensibilities that come through it. It's a short EP, but it packs a strong punch, and it is wonderful background music for warming up social settings. It's laid back enough not to overshoot the mood of pre-party mingling, but energetic enough to create a sense of anticipation for the night to come.
7. The Very Best - Warm Heart of
I've been sold on the Radioclit + Esau Mwamwaya pairing from the beginning. This music is just so warm and exuberant. By the way, Ezra Koenig's vocals on the title track: totally impressive.
8. God Help the Girl - God Help the Girl
Stuart Murdoch's songwriting + some chanteuse that I know nothing about = a Broadway show I actually want to see.
9. Slow Club - Yeah, So
Adorable. Of course I love it.
10. Thunderheist - Thunderheist
A LONG TIME COMING. I'm not sure if anything could have lived up to the hype that "Sueños Dulces" has created for me since... what was it, 2005? 2006? But this did a pretty good job. "Jerk It" might break my top 10 for songs to shake it to.
11. Handsome Furs - Face Control
Maybe it's because I spent more time with this album from the beginning, maybe it's because of the time of year it came out, but I love this way more than Plague Park. I just love the Handsome Furs' aesthetic-- not just because they're totally hot on stage, but because for some reason their music just sends me mentally into 1980's East Berlin or something. Not that I know what that was like, but there is something about the intensity and coarseness of his voice over these rudimentary (but equally intense and coarse) electronic beats that make me think of Eastern Europe.
12. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
I've never been a huge fan of Animal Collective, but I actually love about half the songs on this album. I'll let everyone else dissect this album and compare it to previous Animal Collective stuff, but I'm guessing it's because these songs are less glitchy and more intelligible.
13. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
14. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
A sweet group of people with a cute and fun live show. Very Brooklyn-y, very young, very early 90's.
15. Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do
Everything I ever needed Solly to spin during my last semester of college.
16. Chromatic Flights - Sunset
17. The Sandwitches - How to Make Ambient Sadcake
The song "Fire." Complete love-hate (mostly love) relationship with it. Why?
18. Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon
19.
20. Metric - Fantasies
21. Discovery - LP
Crazy as hell! This shit is my dream music... but the melodies even get too nutso for me after a while.
22. Lee Fields and the Experience - My World
23. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
24. Telekinesis - Telekinesis
25. La Roux - La Roux
Every gay man's jam. And that includes me.
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