Albums of 2012 // 52 - 41

I could suggest that the reason for this being a top 52 is to allow for one album per week. That would be neat. Except it would also be a lie, the truth being that my indecisive nature has meant I'm unable to trim my favourite albums of 2012 list down any further. It just wouldn't be fair.

As such, here is the first installment of incredible music that actually did make the cut (and there was a cut), taking in 'SFV Acid #2''s fractured electronic beats, the psychedelic swoon of 'Melody's Echo Chamber' and the lo-fi blitzkrieg of PAWS' debut 'Cokefloat'.

52. Lands & Peoples - 'Pop Guilt'



51. Menomena - 'Moms'



50. OMBRE - 'Believe You Me'



49. Mount Eerie - 'Clear Moon'



48. Nite Jewel - 'One Second Of Love'



47. The Walkmen - 'Heaven'



46. Ceremony - 'Zoo'



45. Cold Specks - 'I Predict a Graceful Explosion'



44. Laurel Halo - 'Quarantine'



43. Melody's Echo Chamber - 'Melody's Echo Chamber'



42. SFV Acid - 'SFV Acid #2'



41. PAWS - 'Cokefloat'

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Cold Pumas // Fog Cutter

Post punk can get awful repetitive at times, but when you are as adept at delivering looped drums and riffs with The Fall-like intensity then repetition becomes instantly alluring.

Fog Cutter, taken from Cold Puma's long awaited debut LP 'Persistent Malaise' fits this mould, almost four minutes of controlled yet unraveling aggression to blow out your mind and make you want to play it over and over and over and over.

Cold Pumas // Fog Cutter

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How To Dress Well // Cold Nites

How To Dress Well has been slowly unveiling new tracks from his forthcoming new record 'Total Loss', and this latest, Cold Nites, is a sexual, emotional, fluid exercise in modern pop. You can also stream and download another track from the album, Ocean Floor For Everything, below.


 

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Greenwood Sharps feat. Py // Crowns

London based vocalist Py, who has worked with Breton and Lapalux among others, provides the child-like, haunting backdrop to this recent track from Greenwood Sharps, a delicate, dense piece of laid back two-step, which really kicks in at the 1.42 mark. Listen below, and download the track here.
 

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Tomas Barford // November Skies (feat. Nina Kinert)

 Tomas Barfod, one leg in the Whomadewho tripod, is the man behind this bounding, dreamy electro-pop track. While this might sound awful close to Yeasayer in its basslines and smooth synths, it's Nina Kinert's gorgeous vocal that differentiates and lifts it above the ever-rising chillwave tide. Listen and download below.

 

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jj // High Summer EP

Swedish duo jj have just dropped a free five track EP, 'High Summer', for your listening pleasure, a record of lush, angelic electronica interspersed with lyrical profanity and paranoia. In lieu of a new record proper (jj no. 4) this will most definitely do nicely thanks.

'High Summer EP'
jj // High Summer
jj // 10
jj // My Name
jj // Big Hearts, Big Dreams
jj // Times

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Unknown Mortal Orchestra // I'll Come Back 4 U

Premiered on Lauren Laverne's show this morning and forming part of Adult Swim's Summer Series is this utter joy of a track from Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

I'll Come Back 4 U's popping, funky bass and indie lo-fi vocals prove a winning, off-beat, summery combination, and considering this is a freebie makes you wonder how good the stuff you have to pay for is. Download below.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra // I'll Come Back 4 U

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Shine 2009 // Our Nation

In these past weeks of patriotic celebration, the UK has opted for fervent flag-waving, confusing dress-up and a combination of the archaic and abysmal as representations of our national pride. The Scandinavians, predictably, do things in a much more stylish and believable manner.

Finnish duo Shine 2009's Our Nation is a early 90s house ode to their homeland, while the video offers some mildly psychedlic facts and sloganeering in support. Having watched it, I think I feel prouder of Finland than I do England. The band even show their generous side, offering you a free download of the track too.

 
  Shine 2009 - Our Nation by Shine 2009

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Local favourites // Vadoinmessico

Five piece Vadoinmessico only just qualify as 'local' favourites, solely thanks to drummer Joe. The remainder are made up of Italians Giorgio and Alessandro, Salvador (from Mexico) and banjo playing Austrian Stefan, combining to make luscious, tropical folk-pop. The Vampire Weekend-esque Pepita Queen of the Animals and In Spain showcase elegantly quirky vocals reminiscent of Devendra Banhart, while the nostalgic rolling folk and slide guitars of Teeo are our personal picks, but there's much to admire in all the band's enigmatic output thus far.

Preparing to release their debut record 'Archaelogy of the Future' on 5th March on PIAS, Vadoinmessico will be following up with a show at the Lexington with Drugstore on 6th April.


 

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THEESatisfaction // Pause + Do You Have The Time

THEESatisfaction have been pricking the ears of Zane Lowe, The Guardian's Paul Lester, and many other tipsters in the last few weeks. While you shouldn't necessarily take either of these endorsements as gospel, anyone who's heard their 'Transitions' or 'Sandra Bollocks Black Baby' records from last year will understand the hype is deserved, as the girls fuse jazz, early hip hop and 60s soul, served in a smooth yet unpredictable groove akin to stablemate and collaborator Shabazz Palaces.

The duo are ramping up for the release of their debut on Sub Pop 'awE natualE'. Check them performing Pause and 'Transitions' track Do You Have The Time below on KEXP, and grab free download Queens while you're at it.

 
 

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Childhood // Mount Chiliad

Trading in languid, hazy pop, Nottingham/London trio Childhood recently appreared on Double Denim's Binnacle bill of brand new acts alongside Outfit, Seams, Patten and other singularly denominated bands. While their output may be limited thus far, they demonstrate quality over quantity, as early tracks Paper Wave, Just Floating, Blue Velvet, and the newly recorded Mount Chiliad show. Here's hoping there'll be more to come from these guys this year.

Childhood // Paper Waves



Blue Velvet by childhoodmusic

Mount Chiliad by childhoodmusic

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La Sera // Please Be My Third Eye

Katy Goodman is pretty much the most prolific musician around, gaining rapidly on Damon Albarn and Jack White in the accumulating bands stakes. Already having produced three LPs as one prong of Vivian Girls, a self-titled EP as half of All Saints Day, she's about to release a second full length as her most recent alias La Sera.

Tracks such as Never Come Around and Devils Hearts Grow Gold from La Sera's self titled debut were caressing exercises in 60s girl group pop with a fuzzy lining, Please Be My Third Eye, the first single to be released from the new record 'Sees The Light' on Hardly Art, is all about the punch. Retaining the sinister menace of the heartbroken, the sound is direct searing pop punk with a melodic riff reminiscent of The Strokes before they became all bitter and hateful. Grab the track for yourself below.

La Sera // Please Be My Third Eye

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Frankie Rose // Know Me

Frankie Rose and the Outs was one of our favourite records of 2010, an LP of effortless Shangri-La pop. This new track from Frankie, the first from new album 'Interstellar', marks a subtly ambitious progression through a few decades and into the 80s indie of The Smiths and The Pastels with added spectral production, a sound currently homaged pretty successfully by Blouse and Still Corners.

Have a listen below in anticipation of 'Interstellar', released on Slumberland Records on Jan 17th.

Frankie Rose - Know Me by Slumberland Records

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Sea Pinks // Dead Seas

While Veronica Falls, Girls Names and Spectrals all made the cut in our list of the top 50 albums of 2011, the Sea Pinks' 'Dead Seas' missed out.

Having relistened to the Belfast trio's second record almost exclusively today, we feel we may have made an error of judgement / lapse of concentration / temporary insanity, and would like to rectify this in a small way by highlighting its Black Lips on a coastal stroll-esque garage excellence here. Their kaleidoscopic visual treat for Fountain Tesserae is below, as well as the whole album to stream.





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Balam Acab vs The Weeknd // Big Boy Outside (TLS Mash)

With an R&B groove that hints of Usher's You Make Me Wanna, this mash of Balam Acab's See Birds and The Weeknd's Outside from The Leaving Scene takes the best of both worlds to create a gorgeous new one in Big Boy Outside. Check out the track below, as well as 'Echoes of Silence', the third EP from The Weeknd, here.

Balam Acab Vs The Weeknd - Big Boy Outside (TLS Mash) by The 405

via

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50 albums of 2011 // 10 - 1

At some point in 2011, the release of each of these albums made us not want to listen to anything else, but more so than any other with White Denim's 'D'. Street Joy, Keys, It's Him and every other track are brimming with soul, excitement and hyperactive musicality, and for us at least there was no other option for album of the year in 2011.

1. White Denim - 'D'



2. tUnE-yArDs - 'W H O K I L L'



tUnE-yArDs // Bizness

3. Girls - 'Father, Son, Holy Ghost'



Girls // Vomit

4. Balam Acab - 'Wander / Wonder'

Balam Acab // Oh, Why

5. Kurt Vile - 'Smoke Ring For My Halo'



6. Korallreven - 'An Album By Korallreven'

Korallreven // As Young As Yesteday

7. PJ Harvey - 'Let England Shake'



8. Active Child - 'You Are All I See'

Active Child // Hanging On

9. Anna Calvi - 'Anna Calvi'



10. Mazes - 'A Thousand Heys'



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50 albums of 2011 // 20 - 11

The fourth installment, and an incredible set of ten albums that have soundtracked our 2011. From SBTRKT's soulful dub step to Yuck's 90s leaning grunge pop, from Bon Iver's epic folk through to Timber Timbre's dramatic noir, it's testament to the top 10 we've picked that these records didn't quite make it in.

11. Bon Iver - 'Bon Iver'

Bon Iver // Holocene

12. SBTRKT - 'SBTRKT'



YT057 - SBTRKT - Living Like I Do by Young Turks

13. Toro Y Moi - 'Underneath The Pine'

Toro Y Moi // Still Sound

14. Yuck - 'Yuck'



15. Peaking Lights - '936'

Peaking Lights // All The Sun That Shines

16. Timber Timbre - 'Creep On Creepin' On'



17. Braids - 'Native Speaker'

Braids // Lemonade

18. Ghostpoet - 'Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam'



19. I Break Horses - 'Hearts'

I Break Horses // Winter Beats

20. The War On Drugs - 'Slave Ambient'



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50 albums of 2011 // 30 - 21

Round three, largely composed of international genius but with a sprinkle of UK stardust. There's also one that's sneaked in thanks to a re-release - if you can spot it you get 5 points and a Merry Christmas.

21. Youth Lagoon - 'The Year of Hibernation'



22. Real Estate - 'Days'



23. Bjork - 'Biophilia'



24. The Head and the Heart - 'The Head and the Heart'

The Head and the Heart // Lost in My Mind

25. Big Troubles - 'Romantic Comedy'

Big Troubles // Sad Girls

26. Oneohtrix Point Never - 'Replica'


Oneohtrix Point Never // Replica

27. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - 'Mirror Traffic'

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks // Stick Figures in Love

28. The Horrors - 'Skying'



29. The Sandwitches - 'Mrs. Jones' Cookies'


The Sandwitches "In The Garden" from Ryan Browne on Vimeo.

30. Arctic Monkeys - 'Suck It and See'



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50 Albums of 2011 // 40 - 31

The second installment. Not that it was planned that way, but this second set of ten also have some of our favourite videos of the year; from Dominant Legs' lesson in joy-seeking, through Metronomy's paper bird to Ganglians' psych-dystopia. Plus, we had to include two from Shabazz Palaces' awesomely titled/sounding record. Enjoy, with 30 to 21 to come tomorrow.

31. Dominant Legs - 'Invitation'



32. James Blake - 'James Blake'



33. Metronomy - 'The English Riviera'



34. Girls Names - 'Dead To Me'

Girls Names // Bury Me

35. Shabazz Palaces - 'Black Up'

Shabazz Palaces // Swerve... the reeping of all that is worthwhile (noir not withstanding)
Shabazz Palaces // An echo from the hosts that profess infinitum

36. Nicholas Jaar - 'Space Is Only Noise'

Nicholas Jaar // Too Many Kids Finding Rain in the Dust

37. Ganglians - 'Still Living'



38. Spectrals - 'Bad Penny'

Spectrals // Big Baby

39. Moon Duo - 'Mazes'



40. Veronica Falls - 'Veronica Falls'



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Boy Friend // Egyptian Wrinkle

Boy Friend is the new project from Sleep ∞ Over’s Sarah Brown and Christa Palazzolo, and their trade is reverb-laden, spectral electronics of the Memoryhouse ilk. Egyptian Wrinkle's ambient groove is the title track from their forthcoming debut out on 6 February 2012 through Hell, Yes! Records.

Boy Friend // Egyptian Wrinkle


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