1.Wild Beasts-Two Dancers
2.St Vincent-Actor
3.Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest
4.The xx-xx
5.Bat For Lashes-Two Suns
6.Wilco-S/T
7.Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
8.Yeah Yeah Yeahs-It's Blitz
9.Mos Def-The Ecstatic
10.Camera Obscura-My Maudlin Career
1.
Wild Beasts-Two Dancers
Really strong set of Associates-influenced indie,with the emotional contrast between raunch and bleakness making it a record of highs and lows which delights and disturbs.And "This Is Our Lot" is the best song of the year.
2.
St Vincent-Actor
Really enjoyed the blend of melodic pop sensibilites and experimentalism,with the weirdness of the record really allowing it to stand out from the pack
3.
Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest
Perhaps the best record of it's kind since Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, with fantastic songwriting supported by perfectly balanced experimentation to create something very beautiful.
4.
The xx-xx
The debut of the year, incorporates dance and R&B influences into indie more subtly than any other record made this year, and the sparseness really brings out how strong the vocals and playing are.
5.
Bat For Lashes-Two Suns
Thouroughly enjoyable barouqe pop album, which shows Khan to be the finest heir to the throne of Kate Bush as she balances atmosphere and pop songwriting within a slightly overcooked concept which was nevertheless one of the best records of the year.