30. Shit Robot – From the Cradle to the Rave
29. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
28. Vampire Weekend –Contra
27. The Redneck Manifesto – Friendship
26. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter Of Mixed Drinks
25. Sam Amidon – I See A Sign
24. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
23. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
22. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
21. Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner
20. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
19. Villagers – Becoming a Jackal
18. Warpaint – The Fool
17. Perfume Genius – Learning
16. Mount Kimbie –Crooks and Lovers
15. Best Coast – Crazy for You
14. Sleigh Bells – Treats
13. The Cast of Cheers – Chariot
12. Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here
11. Four Tet – There Is Love In You
10. Beach House – Teen Dream
Beach House’s third album is by far their best, and most accessible work. Teen Dream is an instantly enveloping, rich and beautifully woozy collection of songs lifted up by Victoria Legrand’s stunningly atmospheric vocals. Hazy never sounded so comforting and reassuring.
Listen at Spotify.
9. Chilly Gonzales – Ivory Tower
The self-styled Canadian via Europe musical genius and entertainer, Chilly has long helped out other more famous friends like Feist, Peaches, Jane Birkin and Tiga. On Ivory Tower (which was accompanied by a limited run film release of the same name), Chilly finally became the focus and did so brilliantly while espousing the virtues of being a new European, providing his own tongue in cheek twist on rap braggadocio and piano-led instrumentals all buoyed by production from Boys Noize.
[Buy: iTunes]
8. Solar Bears – She Was Coloured In
The Dublin / Wicklow partnership of John Kowalski and Rian Trench bypassed the local musical ecosystem and went straight to labels that inspired them this year. Previously unknown, the duo released their debut album through Planet Mu in September and went on to pick up plaudits from international and online press like Fact Magazine, Dummy, Altered Zones, State, this blog and much more. She Was Coloured In is a luscious mix of analogue and digital, with cinematic influences, electro flourishes and a gentle ambience washing over it throughout leaving a very visual listening experience.
Listen at Spotify.
Solar Bears – Forest Of Fountains
7. Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid
Kansas City-born Monae set out into 2010 with a grand plan. After out-Princing Prince with her BET Awards performance, marking herself out with a pompadour hairstyle, spats and one of the songs of the year in ‘Tightrope’ she dropped a sparkling debut album of hip-hop, R&B, soul, blues and future funk. The album may be concerned with a messianic android who is sent back in time to free a secret society but this just signifies Monae’s big ambitions. Pop star of the year 2102.
Listen at Spotify.
[Buy: iTunes | JMonae.com ]
6. Foals – Total Life Forever
Who knew? The band who were known for shouting catchy nonsense like “Cassius it’s over” or “My Hummer!” grew a heart and made one of 2010′s most surprising records. This was the sound of five Oxford boys who deliberately stopping playing their instruments as fast as they could and injected space, restraint and a new palette into their music. The result was really something beautiful, that you could also dance to.
[Buy: iTunes]
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
Excellent choices, I almost completely concur.
yup couldnt argue with 90% of that list 🙂
Best album list I’ve read this year…even if I still don’t get the appeal of Gorillaz.
another list with kanye right up around the top..
can i ask you folks who are in the loop about kanye’s self-perpetuated soap-opera? do the tunes get better, or hold more truth (or whatever) when you know the details of what the guy’s been up in his life to or is the music just plain and simple that good?
lots of the reviews seem to make a big deal about how he’s airing everything in his songs.. as someone who doesn’t bother to read/find out about this guy (i knew nothing beyond the taylor swift stage crashing..), i found the album (two listens) annoyingly self-important and a bit over-indulgent (that chris rock skit isn’t even funny on the first listen), the roll-call of guests just too much, and the actual music nothing like as innovative as i would expect from something so lauded. much of it is decent hiphop backing track fare and not much more..
do we need to know the details of what the guy’s been up to for everything to click? that’s a genuine question, not a sneery one. i’ve read so much about this album and yet it leaves me cold. thoughts?????
Kanye’s Soap Opera life and his music are very different things. You do not need knowledge of one to know the other.
Bottom line about the album is I think it is a brilliant pop/hip-hop album forgetting about the supposed innovation. It’s just a great album and Kanye’s career best to date. If you don’t like it then so be it.
ok.. just many of the reviews i’ve read seem to intertwine the two, the soap opera and the music, as if they’re inseperable. i think the ‘innovative’ and ‘gamechanger’ tags (coupled with kanye’s immensably unlikable persona) have actually spolied it for me cos i can’t seem to get past them and give the music a chance..
check out ghostface’s latest offering “apollo kids”. completely under-promoted but probably his best album since supreme clientelle back in 2000.