Yep. It’s that time of the year. Everybody that feels like sharing their opinions on music makes a list of the “best” albums that came out this year. Seeing as I have an abundance of free time (which is rare, particularly during the school year), I figured what the hell, why not. I’m sorry that this is just a massive wall of text all in one post, but I figured it would be easier to chronicle/archive this way. But back to music…

I have no idea what it was this year, but for some reason this was a flagship year for indie music. I’m sure that down the line in 2019 when everybody is making their “Best of the Decade” lists, a lot of the albums are going to be from this year. That being said, I would like to remind those of you that this is simply a list of my favorites, not exactly what was the “best” of the year. Also, when I was making this list, I realized that any album that’s in the top 10 could easily be my favorite of the year. I like to think that they’re all just interchangeable. So without further ado, here’ my favorite 25 of the year. 

Honorable Mentions (albums that I really liked, but I think didn’t get enough attention this year):

Phantogram - Eyelid Movies; The Drums - The Drums; Lorn - Nothing Else; Emanicpator - Safe In The Steep Cliffs; Teebs - Ardour; Ruby Suns - Fight Softly; Onra - Long Distance; PVT - Church With No Magic; Mux Mool - Skulltaste

And now, the Top 25:

25) Javelin - No Mas

So there’s a reason behind why I have two #25s on this list. The reason being twofold: 1) I think this album deserves more recognition than an Honorable Mention and 2) I already finished this list before I realized that I forgot this awesome album and I’m lazy and don’t feel like reworking my entire list. But anyways, it really is a shame that I forgot about this great album, because there are some absolutely fantastic highlights. From the bouncing opener “Vibrationz” to the airy “We Ah Wi” to the old school Dilla-esque “Susie Cues”, this album is filled with some beat-tastic jams designed to get your head bobbing and your body moving. 

25) Jamie Lidell - Compass

I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Jamie Lidell. If I may step on my hipster pedestal for just a second, Mr. Lidell was around before blue-eyed soul started becoming trendy. Now I’ll step off this pedestal and write about the album. Unlike his other albums, this one was all written and recorded within the span of a month or so. All of the advantages and disadvantages that come along with such a recording were evident on this album. While there may be a dud or two scattered about, overall Mr. Lidell has proved his relevance once again, this time by making his voice-as-instrument technique that’s usually reserved for live shows much more prevalent on this recording. From the funky beat-boxing on “The Ring”, to the shape shifting and meandering of “Compass” and “Big Drift” to the baby-making jams “Completely Exposed” and “She Needs Me”, Lidell has the soundtrack to all of your emotional journeys.  

24) Girl Talk - All Day

Well, Gregg Gillis has done it again. Still proving the point that himself and the mashup are legitimate and relevant in the fast-paced, ADD music world that we currently live in. More drawn out and detailed than his previous adventures, All Day clocks in at 71 minutes, longer than any of his other albums; but between the incredible transitions and impeccable choice of samples, the end result is a non-stop party that ends all too soon and begs you to hit the repeat button. 

23) The Books - The Way Out

I never really got around to listening to anything by The Books until this later on this year. After hearing nothing but good things about this band, I figured I might as well just dive in head first. What I was greeted with was one of the most subtle and intricate albums of the year. Every little piece of this album just fits perfectly into one another just like a finished jigsaw puzzle. The end result is every single advantage of “headphone music” all compressed into one album. 

22) Delorean - Subiza

Delorean is one of those bands that thrive off of the one of a kind energy that comes out during the summer months. Almost every single song has melodies that unabashedly reach for the sky and try to bring the party at the same time. You can pick any track off of this album and you’re guaranteed to have a sun-drenched jam that lends itself perfectly to having a good time. Overall, the end product is one of the most compelling arguments for the future of the Balearic genre, and maybe even Chillwave, aka the micro-genre du jour of 2010

21) Caribou - Swim

I do believe it was Pitchfork that called Swim a “liquid dance album”. Quite frankly, I couldn’t agree more with that definition. Equal parts dark, sweaty club inspired beats and psychadelica that you can zone out to, Caribou seamlessly creates a sound that is uniquely his own. The first time I heard this album I was kinda confused whether I should dance along or try and sit down and decipher it. Turns out, this recording is perfect for doing both. Maybe even at the same time if you’re feeling particularly daring and adventurous. 

20) Star Slinger - Volume 1

As soon as I heard the first few bars of the opening track “Mornin’”, I instantly fell in love with Star Slinger. I’ve always been addicted to catchy beats, and this album has fulfilled my every desire. It’s chock full with nothing but choice funky/soul samples and post-Dilla shuffling beats all swirled together into one downright delectable dish designed to absolutely smother the pleasure centers in your brain with nothing but beat based goodness. 

19) Sleigh Bells - Treats

When Sleigh Bells first started getting all sorts of buzz late last year, I thought that I already had this duo pegged: Loud, unabashed pop-rock that had some tasty riffs and a good-looking lead singer with an awesome voice. So naturally I put this album off for quite some time until the buzz died down a bit. When I finally did give it a listen over the summer, that I found was an album that was downright fun to listen to. There maybe a few points where guitars blare simply for the sake of being loud, but in the end I found that this album was designed like a guilty pleasure: turn it up when nobody else is looking, and rock the fuck out. 

18) Bonobo - Black Sands

The man that saved downtempo is back. Only this time, he branches out from his roots and adds some creative flourishes from other genres to create quite the detailed and well put together mix that goes down a smooth as a nice milkshake on a warm summer day. I kinda imagine this album being that guy who dresses up in a suit everyday just because he likes to look good. While some may find it a bit pretentious and/or unoriginal, you can’t help but give the guy respect. Besides, there’s never been anything wrong in taking pride in your appearance.  

17) The Black Keys - Brothers

By golly have these guys undergone quite the reinvention this year. Almost every critic out there was concerned that this duo’s brand of blues-rock had run its course. However, these guys silenced every critic out there while converting some new fans like myself. From the funky, stomping opener of “Everlasting Light”, to the brooding “Too Afraid To Love You”, The Black Keys have proved their worth and staying power with this album that’s chock-full of goodies. 

16) Baths - Cerulean

What a year it was for the off-beat music. While many artists out there further plumbed the depths of hip-hop beats, Baths went in a bit of a new direction. Taking cues from the sounds of summer a-la-chillwave, Baths certainly forged a unique path, and the end result is quite impressive. The front of the album is rather well-polished and includes some silky smooth jams like “Lovely Bloodfow” and “Animals”. Interestingly, this contrasts the more lo-fi second half, which includes off-kilter yet surprisingly intriguing tracks like “Hall” and “You’re My Excuse To Travel”. I forget exactly where I heard this quote, but somebody once said that anybody can make the simple sound complex, but a great musician can make the complex sound simple. Baths is clearly in the latter category. 

15) Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner

Out of any band/artist on this list so far, Gold Panda had some rather lofty expectations to reach. His slew of fantastic EPs and singles created almost so much hype that anything less than perfection wouldn’t cut it. Fortunately, Gold Panda hit it out of the park and met every expectation that was set. His electronic stylings are equal parts Four Tet and The Field, with just a touch of Oriental flair. Tracks like the East Asia infused “Same Dream China”, the choppy yet surprisingly human sounding “You” and the barn burning “India Lately” all are capable of transporting you to a world far, far away and gracefully bringing you back before anyone realized that you were gone. 

14) Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (II)

For a short period of time, I was concerned about Crystal Castles. When their first single “Doe Deer” was released, I thought that the barely contained chaos that constituted the song was the first loose screw in what was a soon to be train wreck. I told myself I’d give them the benefit of the doubt and have a listen anyways. Sure enough, what I found was a considerably controlled and mature sound from the duo. Tracks like “Celestica”, “Baptism”, and “Vietnam” all show how they’ve managed to hone in their frenetic energy and channel it into an almost accessible dance song, or at least as close to a dance song as you can get considering these guys and their history. 

13) Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

Damon Albarn has finally stepped out from behind his cartoon band and into the spotlight like he rightfully deserves. Only on his 3^rd album with his ever-growing project, Mr. Albarn enlists the help of quite a few guest stars (Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed and Bobby Womack just to name a few), each with their own talents that Albarn uses to his full advantage. Through using guest’s talents, Albarn not only utilizes them to make his own voice shine its brightest (read: “On Melancholy Hill”), he also creates easily the most dynamic, diverse and fulfilling Gorillaz album to date. 

12) Big Boi - Sir Luscious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty

Hip-hop made a big time comeback in 2010. There were a few big names leading the charge, one of whom happens to be one half of Outkast, aka Sir Luscious Leftfoot, aka Son of Chico Dusty, aka Puff Daddy, aka Big Boi. Long story short, this really is one of the most comprehensive hip-hop albums out there. It has the over the top braggadocio (“General Patton”), silky-smooth sensuality (“Tangerine”) and all sorts of dank beats (“Shutterbugg”, “Daddy Fat Sax”, “Shine Blockas” and so on), all of which adds up to one hell of a listen. 

11) Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

Christ on a bike this album is a grower. I first started listening to it after Thanksgiving, and slowly but surely this beauty of an album has unveiled its secrets. These guys have taken the simplistic hazy, bedroom-pop formula and tweaked it to perfection. The mesmerizing and hypnotic guitar on “Desire Lines” and “He Would Have Laughed” act as a good peek into how these guys operate. Oh and I still haven’t gotten bored of the crown jewel of this album “Helicopter”, and last I checked it had a play count of 24 on my iTunes. All within the span of a couple weeks.  

10) The Roots - How I Got Over

I didn’t think it was possible, but The Roots might just be too good. They’re past couple albums have been so solid, when they put out How I Got Over, everyone simply gave it some praise, complemented the gentlemen for putting out another fine product and went on their way. These guys have already nailed the right formula for creating socially and politically aware hip-hop; but on HIGO, they stringed all if it together to create a surprisingly cohesive album that slowly builds up song by song to the mighty triumvirate of “Right On”, “Doin’ It Again” and “The Fire”.  Between this and their current run with Jimmy Fallon, it just seems like anything ?uestlove and the gang touches turns to musical gold. 

9) Vampire Weekend - Contra

How does an incredibly popular yet divisive band follow up one of the most popular debut albums in recent time? By embracing their eccentricities, that’s how. Haters gonna hate, and those who disliked their first effort are simply going to find more to dislike. But for those who even had so much as a small inkling that they like Ezra Koenig and the gang are going to fall head over heels in love with this album. Those who liked “A-Punk”, let me introduce you to “Cousins”. Liked “Walcott”? then “Giving Up The Gun” is right up your alley. But Contra isn’t a reboot of their self-titled debut. Instead of relying on prim and proper guitars, these guys take a few more detours; they throw out their proverbial silver spoons, bang on the drums like they don’t wanna work (bonus points if you picked up on that reference), let Koenig’s voice explore all sorts of ranges, mess around with some cool guitar effects, kick back and have a grand ‘ol time all while inviting you to tag along for the fun. 

8) Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

Indie’s favorite rockstars have struck again this year, this time with a kind of bombast and focus that’s rarely seen. While everyone is talking about how the Civil War theme helped these guys reach their full potential, I like to just think of it as another ingredient into the scrumptious stew that is this album. When I first heard these guys perform live a couple summers ago, I couldn’t help but notice how some of their riffs and hooks sound like they were stolen out of the dusty closet of some forgotten classic rock band; the same could be said for the majority of this album. Not only is the guitar meaty and constantly cranked up to 11 (see “A More Perfect Union”), these guys are just so earnest and heartfelt you can’t help but grab a beer and sing along until your voice turns into a raspy whisper. 

7) Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you probably already know all about Mr. West and his personal life that’s always…interesting, for lack of a better word. No matter what you think of the man, there’s one thing that you have to admit: this guy is reinventing the pop music scene, and by golly is he doing it on his own terms. Just look at some of the content he covers on MBDTF. From the self-aggrandizing to the ego crushing, from the easily accessible radio fodder to the complicated and dense, Kanye covered all of the bases on this one. Any time that you can get Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Elton John, Alicia Keys and John Legend all on the same song and have it stand out amongst a sea of other ace tracks, clearly you’re doing something right. 

6) The National - High Violet

These guys have slowly but surely been building up a head of steam over the past few years. Their last album Boxer was a grower, but eventually you could peel back the layers and find one of the most lyrically nuanced albums out there. On High Violet, the dad-rock superstars have hit their climax. Not only have they maintained their trademark lyrical, soul-searching density, they’ve managed to combine it with the ability to make their songs just as accessible on the first go-round. For those who liked some of the older, lyrically tightly-knit tracks, look no further than the aching “Conversation 16” and “Lemonworld”; but for people who want something that’s just as enjoyable on the first listen as on the 20^th, look no further than “Terrible Love” and “Bloodbuzz Ohio”. On the latter track, crashing drums are met with sweeping horns and strings, which all make way for Matt Berninger’s road worn voice singing “I still owe money / To the money / To the money I owe”. Who would’ve thought that one man’s mid-life crisis could prove to be so universal? 

5) Spoon - Transference

Oh Britt Daniel, what are we gonna do with you? We keep expecting nothing but well constructed and locked in music, yet when you exceed our every expectation, all we do is give you a pat on your back and send you on your way. On Transference, Daniels and the gang create yet another masterful record filled with all sorts of groovetastic jams. On just about every track, you can clearly see how these guys make it look downright effortless to find a groove, lock in, and do what they do best. If you want to see these guys in their element, look no further than “Nobody Gets Me But You”, “I Saw The Light” and “The Mystery Zone”. But in all honesty, you could look at just about any track on this album and find Mr. Daniel using nothing more than what he needs and making a downright tasty jam in the end. 

4) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

I’ve never really understood why people hate so much on Arcade Fire. They make huge, catchy music that strikes a chord with a lot of people. I suppose there’s some issue with whether they’re still “indie” or not. But that really shouldn’t matter when the music is this good. Clearly the idea of an album based on the suburbs has its advantages and pitfalls, but if anybody was going to pull it off, it would be Win Butler and his cohorts. Within this context, what you have is an intriguing perspective on both the ups and downs of a suburban community (if you want further proof, just watch the music video for “The Suburbs”). But even if you take the songs out of their obvious context, there’s no denying that this gang can make some of the most emotionally endearing yet relatable songs. Clearly this record does more of the same, and quite frankly, does and even better job than their previous efforts. 

3) Four Tet - There Is Love In You

If you look at the majority of reviews about this album, the word you’re most likely to see is “hypnotic”, or some synonym/variation thereof. While I would certainly agree with that definition, I prefer to use the term “transcendent”. Even some of the more dance-leaning tracks like “Love Cry” and “Plastic People” have the ability to whisk you away into a distant parallel universe. But what keeps me coming back to this fantastic album is how Kieran Hebden is able to take the simplest and most gorgeous loops and turn them into entire shape-shifting stories that pull you in and won’t let you go. Each sound is so meticulously picked and subtly changed that all you can do is fall into a trance and breath in and out precisely in time with each song. It’s this ability to suck you in, maintain your attention, take you on some otherworldly adventure within your own mind and then slowly bring you back to where you started that makes me fall in love with this album over and over and over again. 

2) LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

James Murphy is always the guy that young, informed, and hip people look to in order to figure out what’s considered “cool” these days. First, it was fully embracing your musical influences (see “Losing My Edge”). Then, it took a more personal tone (see “Someone Great” and “All Of My Friends”). Now, it seems as if the cool new thing seems to be, well, pretty much all of the above. Murphy still holds his musical geekery close to the heart, a la “Pow Pow”. Yet those heart wrenching relationships are still a large part, as can be seen in “All I Want” and “I Can Change”. In addition to this, Murphy does what he’s best at: charting new territory while still throwing a massive dance party along the way. Returning back to home and revisiting all sorts of nostalgia is a major theme which has its fingerprints all over the album, but can be seen particularly well in “Home” (duh). But also, Murphy makes room for having some good ‘ol fashioned stupid fun; look no further than “Drunk Girls” and “Dance Yrself Clean”. But even within both of those tracks, there’s still a hint of being self-aware. Lines like “I believe in waking up together” and “Drunk girls / Know that love’s like an astronaut / It comes back but it’s never the same” hint at a touch of maturity throughout all the sing-along fun. One thing’s clear: during all of the trials and tribulations of James Murphy’s career, the man knows how to make one hell of a dance song that works both your feet and your brain. 

1) Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

Steven Ellison is by definition, what you would call a mastermind. Between releasing an 8-bit sounding EP, running one of the most successful hip-hop labels and still finding time to play in some incredible live settings (the dude played a live session with a full orchestra and another on BBC 1), he still finds time to create and release one of the most ambitious, dense and complete albums I’ve ever heard. A bit of hyperbole? Possibly. But that doesn’t make Cosmogramma any less awesome.

Part of what makes Cosmogramma such a fantastic listen is how easily it transitions from song to song, and in turn transitions from theme to theme. The first third of the album has a distinct cosmic and almost celestial flavor to it. The upbeat yet decidedly spacey “Nose Art” and “Computer Face//Pure Being” provide the best examples. Then it shifts into a jazz and funk infused section in the second third. The crown jewels of the entire album are hidden here, with “MmmHmm” and “Do The Astral Plane” standing like twin peaks amongst the center of other ace tracks. Finally, FlyLo descends into a much more experimental realm with the final portion. Between “Recoiled” and “Drips//Auntie’s Harp”, it’s clear that Mr. Ellison knows how to give his songs just enough leeway to meander and find their groove without everything degrading into a mess of loose sounds. For those of you who are looking for nothing but unstoppable beats, there are plenty to be found all over the album (“Galaxy In Janaki” is immortal in this regard). And for those of you who are more inclined to delving into an album head first and exploring a bit, Cosmogramma is the kind of album that’s designed to give back as much as you put in. Clearly I’ve fallen hook line and sinker for this album, but one of the biggest things that keeps me coming back is how this is an album’s album. The kind of release that’s designed to be listened to from start to finish. It’s a shame that this doesn’t happen too often. But then again, that’s what makes FlyLo stand out in the first place; this kind of ambition doesn’t just roll into town on a regular basis, which is why we have to appreciate it for everything that it’s worth.