Son Lux – We Are Rising

For someone to compose this masterpiece in only 28 days… that alone deserves to be number one. To do it for NPR’s RPM Challenge and then not get end of the year recognition, especially from them, is MADNESS!!!! Absolute madness. I was knocked out when I first listened to the album’s teaser – the song samples, only lasting a few seconds, were enough to obsess about. I was dying to hear the complete version of what promised to show this haunting artist’s genius and complexity in a lustrous new light – his edgy side unhinged through an opulent, saga-like sound. The electronic mad scientist I would often see on stage – unplugged from reality and rocking the fuck out – is finally on record. The detail of his vision and the intensity of his execution are honestly otherworldly. Track by track, the album surges through raw emotion, with most songs being bright enough to get you moving. On “Let Go,” I can feel the anxious, manic energy of Son Lux’s demand for perfection – scrambling to piece everything together in time. “Rebuild” is the best song he has created yet and ends the record on a note of “wait until you see what’s next!”

The Raveonettes – Raven in the Grave

Thinking about how awesome The Raveonettes are pisses me off because they never get the credit they deserve. The duo creates such alluring music together and their voices have serious soul-melting power. Raven in the Grave has got it all…nostalgia, a dark side, shoegaze vocals, badass rock guitar, moving chords, a modern edge, shiny pop layers, etc. It’s 50’s & 60’s, it’s 80’s, it’s goth, and it is SO easy to like! The album makes sense every step of the way because they put heart, thought, and perfectionism behind each note. The bass lines are flirty and I have found myself smiling or a bit teary-eyed over their lyrical stories. From the innocently delightful “Forget That You’re Young” to the terror riffs of “Evil Seeds,” the record represents both sides of The Raveonettes today – where they are at this point in their lives and who their fans want them to be. Sharin & Sune have honestly always been two of the coolest people in indie rock, from their sense of style to their mysterious personas – these two are real fucking rock stars!

Future Islands – On The Water

I only just listened to Future Island’s 2010 In Evening Air earlier this year, and I asked myself, “Where the fuck have I been?” Then the new album came out and I thought, “My GOD. What perfect synthpop.” The music has a Death Cab flavor to it, so it’s really the spill-your-guts-out style of J. Gerrit Welmers’ vocals that make this band particularly exceptional. His unconventional voice is reckless and desperate, and it will tear at you. With a sprinkle of new-wave here and heartwarming beats there, it’s a bittersweet satisfaction that will seep into you. From what I’ve heard about their “blood, sweat, and tears” performances, there’s always something to look forward to from Future Islands.

Tycho – Dive

First off, “Coastal Brake” is mind blowing. Five minutes and thirty-five seconds of electronic perfection – and easily, one of my favorite songs ever made. I have spent many nights laying in the dark and taking in the magnificence of every instrumental track. Tycho makes music that sounds crisp, sunny, and delicate. He offers an intelligent perspective to the genre with being meticulously conscious of his craft – and making his deep artistic understanding apparent, in sound and in graphic design. Fans of Boards of Canada will be fans of Tycho – and he’ll leave you breathless.

Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise

The wild card on my list (as there should always be one). Much like The Knife’s Silent Shout, Jaar’s music is an acquired taste. Let’s just say that SION makes James Blake look like a rookie – even though I really enjoyed that album as well (see #16)! This record is targeted towards the insomniac or a creator seeking brain food. It’s quite hard to pick favorites because it’s an experience in its entirety. No one song completely represents his style, and each track has its own soundscape.

PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

Long before acts like Joanna Newsom came along, there was PJ Harvey with her magical songwriting. She has always set herself apart as a singer and a musician, and it’s amazing to see her tale telling only become stronger. The layout of this record draws out a world of fantasy and rebellion. It’s placed in the past but holds a place in the future; it gives old characteristics a fresh polish. Maybe it’s just PJ’s voice, but I’ve felt that parts of the album sound like The Knife if they ceased the electro and got folky on us. The album glistens and bruises with its triumphant tone, exposing an entirely new skin for PJ and rearranging the bookmark on her career – with the story being far from over.

The Field – Looping State of Mind

Minimalistic, repetitious prog electronica has never sounded so good! The well-crafted loops and winding microbeats give a stimulating radiance to the album. The subtleties are really beautiful and when songs reach their full momentum, the patient buildup quickly turns into a thrilling pay off. This album can wind you down or hype you up – either way, you will find yourself zoned out, in an almost drug-like state, which can get as mystic or transcendent as you will allow.

Alias – Fever Dream

Alias is the man. But he has always been the man, so this is nothing new. He has come from being a solid rapper, to focusing on his beat style, to concentrating on his music’s ambiance, and finding a balance in using vocal collaborations to brand his creative outlook. This album encompasses his strengths and shows off how much he has mastered, presenting us with a straightforward and more powerful Alias. The tone of the album is more upbeat than ever – perhaps because he has recently become a father for the first time – and has more soul than anything he’s ever produced. I love the late 80’s and early 90’s hip-hop/r&b feel to the songs. The album is simply so sick.

Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital

The Handsome Furs are more direct in their dance-oriented, explosively fun sound on this album. I find myself singing along to every song, thinking, “FUCK YEAH, HANDSOME FURS!” The tracks burst into one another and are progressive and uplifting – even when the lyrics are not. I want to believe that the electrifying energy behind this husband and wife duo’s strongly bonded musical chemistry reflects the happiness in their marriage and the unity of their wild personalities. They rock the shit out of the many colorful noises found on Sound Kapital, truly showing the spontaneity of their performance and their love for music on record. It’s an awesome time!

Radiohead – The King of Limbs

I honestly tried to avoid putting this on my top because I felt that it would come off as predictable – like it was some necessity to give a RH album praise if they released one – so their place on this list has nothing to do with being relevant or my years of loving them. It’s a fantastic album, fit for these dub-heavy times, and I found myself going back to it often! Many people think it was a change of direction – and even though it is a bit more glitchy and maybe not as relatable as some of their material, it’s still very Radiohead. TKOL feels like a natural progression for the band and I am enjoying where they are headed. Definitely listen to TKOL RMX 1234567 if you haven’t – a few tracks I almost like better than the originals.

Tron: Legacy – Reconfigured

I feel guilty about giving this album any recognition. Daft Punk was reportedly very unhappy about its release – which is entirely understandable. It definitely is fucked up that they had no say in who would be remixing their original work, especially considering it was to be an official release, sold commercially, and would be successful (or at the very least receive a ton of interest.) Still, I enjoyed the shit out of the record. Many of my favorite electro/dance artists – The Glitch Mob, Boys Noize, Com Truise, M83, etc – played their part on the album and played it very well. The songs are insanely bangin’ to begin with, but we all know that any Daft Punk song is the perfect canvas for a remix. I feel that these artists just stepped it up and amped up the techno spirit, giving their take on what the original material would have been, if it wasn’t limited to being a movie score.