Fruitonica

My musical exploration has slowed down this year, I haven't been hanging around MB as much. Also I've been catching up on some older stuff (I wish I could vote for Midnight Organ Fight). So I didn't really get to hear a lot of the things this year had to offer. Nevertheless, I'll submit these for now and hopefully a few others will come to mind.


Dessa - A Badly Broken Code

This by far for best of the year, I can't get tired of it. Dessa has a perfectly nimble flow that can inject snatches of melody into breakneck rapping, and her singing voice makes great hooks. Her lyrics are contemplative, elegant and gripping (perhaps a bit moody for some, but I'm enough of an angsty teen to like them). The production is varied and constantly interesting.
My only complaint is that there aren't any epic verses, everything is a little neatly trimmed.

The Glitch Mob - Drink the Sea

I don't often listen to techno, but their remix of Red Dress by TVotR caught my attention and this album is fantastic. Pounding, atmospheric, funky.

Gonjasufi - A Sufi and a Killer

Gaslampkiller's warped, lo-fi psychedelia production is what makes this such a great album, but Sufi's cracked, scratchy voice draws you in with its vulnerability.

Arya Stark

I definitely like what Dessa has going on. I wouldn't consider the album to be the best of the year because I only really liked a handful of the songs on the album, but she definitely brings something fresh to the table we don't hear often. But it seems to be a new thing going on, the singing and rapping by the same person in one song. Drake's doing it and so is Nicki. Obviously it's not the same, because Dessa has a completely different sound than the two of them, but it does seem to be a trend right now on the radio.

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duga

Best year ever? I don't know about that...

But it has been a good year I must say. I've picked up a couple albums from people's lists in here and I've already found a couple more that could sneak up there on my list. I'm interested to see what you got.

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dac

Due to hitting senior year of engineering school, my time for music and particularly this site has disappeared, but I thought I'd weigh in anyways.


A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head
I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet. At first I thought it was just ok, not quite as good as their debut, but after a few more listens I was sold. The last four songs make up possibly the most incredible stretch of an album ever. I mean, just effing listen:



Now go DL this.


I really, really enjoyed Mogwai's live album that came out, but idk if that really counts. Someone mentioned Autolux's Transit Transit in here and I have to say that that was probably my letdown of 2010 :/

Also, this sounds awesome, I can't wait to DL it

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duga

If you thought it was just ok the first couple times around but now it's in your top of the year, I might just listen to it a bit more. I listened to it twice and wasn't too impressed, but I heard potential. Maybe I need to pay more attention.

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clementine

those three are just great, specially Écailles de Lune, that one's on my list. the rest I'm not sure though I'd probably add Jónsi's solo album "Go"

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Alfred

Yeah, 2009 was pretty weak, only a few really top notch releases. This year's had several.

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Zer0

That album was released last year but it is a very solid album . It's not as abrasive as their debut but i think it's pretty much on par with it. I absolutely love the ending of the album where it sounds like your speakers are being toasted, just brilliant.

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dac

Wow. It was. I feel dumb. I think it's just cause I saw them this year that I classed it as '10. Tentatively mark me down for UNKLE's 'Where Did the Night Fall', which is criminally overlooked, as I try to figure out my choice then.

Jonsi's Go was good, but top heavy. Some tracks left me completely in awe (Tornado and Kolindur, or however you spell it) and others I just skip over.

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CanwllCorfe

As of now (in no particular order):

Rokkuro - Í Annan Heim



It's one of those albums that are completely timeless. Dreamy vocals and lots of classical influence help to really create a dark & cold atmosphere. I love it. The classical passages are unbelievable. Svanur has one of the best on the album.



The Saddest Landscape - You Will Not Survive



I've always been somewhat into screamo, but have never found something that really epitomized what I was looking for. The WHOLE album went on my phone. That never happens. The emotional intensity and aggression are spot on.

M. Ostermeier - Lakefront



Ambient can get a bit monotonous at times, but when it's done right, it can completely change the way I feel and think. This one is pretty damn dark. When I listen to it I can't help but feel unsettled somehow. The picture is spot on. You can tell by the trees that it is late in the year, and by the road that it just rained. The whole album feels like a dark, cold, wet suburban landscape.



The Tallest Man on Earth - Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird



Although his album Wild Hunt is fantastic, something about this one echoes the feeling I get from his first full length release Shallow Grave. I'd probably pick the songs I like from Wild Hunt, and the ones I like from this one to make the ultimate Tallest Man on Earth conglomerate.

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