Well, look at that, we're three-quarters of the way done. Hopefully I'll crank through the last bit of this list soon, but until then, here's numbers 50-26 of my top albums of the year for you all, with descriptions, artwork, genre, countries, and download links. Just click on this post to view the whole thing!
Genre: Avant-Garde Jazz
Country of Origin: Canada
Country of Origin: Canada
Almost like the flipside to the coin provided by Matana Roberts this year, Colin Stetson is, similarly, a bass saxophonist signed to Constellation Records (most famous as the home to post-rock megaliths Godspeed You! Black Emperor). It's easy to draw the comparisons, but while Matana Roberts' form of experimental jazz music has intense vocals and dense, crowded instrumentation, Colin Stetson jumps to the exact other end of the spectrum, providing an album which is about as minimal as you can get. Despite the occasional guest vocal, this is pretty much just a one-take recording of Colin and his mighty bass saxophone. With percussion provided by the tapping of his sax keys, bass lines and melody created through his remarkable circular breathing technique (he can essentially keep playing forever without having to stop for breath), and textures thrown in by him literally screaming into his instrument while playing, 'New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges' is a harrowing listen. Incredibly minimal without being sparse, Colin Stetson takes such a simple concept and makes it intense, brooding, and claustrophobic in the extreme.
Top tracks: Judges; Fear of the Unknown and the Blazing Sun
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Top tracks: Judges; Fear of the Unknown and the Blazing Sun
Listen.
49. Shabazz Palaces - 'Black Up'
Genre: Experimental Rap
Country of Origin: USA
Everyone talks about the extended history behind Shabazz Palaces, but honestly, none of it really matters in the face of 'Black Up.' The album's ten tracks sport defiant verses, heavy, fucked up beats, and minimal, oppressive atmospheres, setting the album up as one of the most creative and bizarre rap albums to be made in a very long time. It's not the easiest listen, but it is certainly one of the most interesting. Shabazz Palaces takes weird, unnerving rap music and makes it something truly intriguing, atmospheric and huge. The crazy, looped-out beats mix with the unique flow and turn 'Black Up' into a genuinely triumphant piece. But at the end of the day, this is one of those albums you can simply only say so much about--you just need to listen to it.
Top tracks: free press and curl; The king's new clothes were made by his own hands
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Country of Origin: USA
Everyone talks about the extended history behind Shabazz Palaces, but honestly, none of it really matters in the face of 'Black Up.' The album's ten tracks sport defiant verses, heavy, fucked up beats, and minimal, oppressive atmospheres, setting the album up as one of the most creative and bizarre rap albums to be made in a very long time. It's not the easiest listen, but it is certainly one of the most interesting. Shabazz Palaces takes weird, unnerving rap music and makes it something truly intriguing, atmospheric and huge. The crazy, looped-out beats mix with the unique flow and turn 'Black Up' into a genuinely triumphant piece. But at the end of the day, this is one of those albums you can simply only say so much about--you just need to listen to it.
Top tracks: free press and curl; The king's new clothes were made by his own hands
Listen.
39. G-Side - 'The ONE...COHESIVE'
Genre: Rap
Country of Origin: USA
2011 seems to have been the year of atmospheric rap, with many artists coming out of the woodwork who choose to eschew the normally angry and egocentric genre for more textured, emotive music. But with the recent rise of the 'cloud rap' demigenre, it was easy to lose some other truly amazing atmospheric rap albums in the mix. Case in point: G-Side's forth record, a sublime piece of rap music with massive beats and deeply textured atmospheres. Gorgeous cinematic strings underpin the fantastic vocal interplay between G-Side's two MCs to create a fantastically impressive rap album, which creates more powerful and interesting music than has been seen from the rap scene in years.
Top tracks: Y U Mad; Inner Circle
47. Baths - 'Pop Music/False B-Sides'
Genre: Electronic
Country of Origin: USA
This would be a hell of a lot higher if it wasn't effectively an unreleased-tracks compilation, because the scatter-shot feeling that the record has because of that is the only thing holding it back. Despite being essentially just a way to tide fans over until his next full-length, 'Pop Music/False B-Sides' manages to simply triple the feeling that Baths truly is the greatest producer around today. The masterful beats and textures that Will Wiesenfeld creates are just as stunning as always, and the same can be said for his glorious vocals. As per the usual, Baths mixes electronic music with his many other influences to create simply some of the most beautiful songs in the genre, and when he hits, he hits harder than anyone else, bar none. The best songs on this record can easily be mentioned alongside his other masterworks, and the album does its job perfectly: it's pretty hard not to be excited for his next work now.
Top tracks: Iniuria Palace, Tourian Courtship
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Country of Origin: USA
This would be a hell of a lot higher if it wasn't effectively an unreleased-tracks compilation, because the scatter-shot feeling that the record has because of that is the only thing holding it back. Despite being essentially just a way to tide fans over until his next full-length, 'Pop Music/False B-Sides' manages to simply triple the feeling that Baths truly is the greatest producer around today. The masterful beats and textures that Will Wiesenfeld creates are just as stunning as always, and the same can be said for his glorious vocals. As per the usual, Baths mixes electronic music with his many other influences to create simply some of the most beautiful songs in the genre, and when he hits, he hits harder than anyone else, bar none. The best songs on this record can easily be mentioned alongside his other masterworks, and the album does its job perfectly: it's pretty hard not to be excited for his next work now.
Top tracks: Iniuria Palace, Tourian Courtship
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46. Bon Iver - 'Bon Iver, Bon Iver'
Genre: Indie Folk
Country of Origin: USA
After releasing what is arguably the defining album of the genre back in 2007, Bon Iver's sophomore effort had a lot to live up to. However, it's almost illogical to compare the two records--Justin Vernon has chucked out the lo-fi, stripped-down solo project thing and created a fleshed-out, full-band album bursting at the seams with life and sound. 'Bon Iver, Bon Iver' is filled with lush instrumentation and Justin Vernon's gorgeous falsetto vocals, and the band's newly expanded sound lends itself to gorgeous, meandering songs which gently flow in and out of movements and themes, swelling to huge heights and ebbing off to beautifully textured softer segments. This is certainly a new Bon Iver than we knew back when 'For Emma, Forever Ago' came out of nowhere, but the music is all the more interesting for it.
Top tracks: Holocene; Calgary
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Country of Origin: USA
After releasing what is arguably the defining album of the genre back in 2007, Bon Iver's sophomore effort had a lot to live up to. However, it's almost illogical to compare the two records--Justin Vernon has chucked out the lo-fi, stripped-down solo project thing and created a fleshed-out, full-band album bursting at the seams with life and sound. 'Bon Iver, Bon Iver' is filled with lush instrumentation and Justin Vernon's gorgeous falsetto vocals, and the band's newly expanded sound lends itself to gorgeous, meandering songs which gently flow in and out of movements and themes, swelling to huge heights and ebbing off to beautifully textured softer segments. This is certainly a new Bon Iver than we knew back when 'For Emma, Forever Ago' came out of nowhere, but the music is all the more interesting for it.
Top tracks: Holocene; Calgary
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45. City and Colour - 'Little Hell'
Genre: Folk/Indie Rock
Country of Origin: Canada
By the time 2011 rolled around, Dallas Green had more than proven himself masterful of not one but two radically different genres. Despite the breakup of energetic post-hardcore act Alexisonfire, his solo project is still going strong, and the third album under his City and Colour moniker is easily the best yet. 'Little Hell' is everything that we've come to expect from City and Colour--intimate, beautiful folk music fronted by Green's stunning, soaring tenor voice. The thing is, it's simply a thousand times better. This album finally does away with all of the breakup-cliches and instead delivers a truly moving, immensely powerful listen. Throughout the record's eleven tracks, Dallas Green gives the performance of his career, creating the best almost-acoustic album since Bon Iver debuted back in 2007, and that's high praise. To call these tracks heartbreakingly personal doesn't do them justice, and doesn't even touch on the complex emotions and incredible darkness contained withing this album's soul. Dallas Green has finally outgrown his hardcore roots and delivered the kind of album that only comes once in a lifetime.
Top tracks: The Grand Optimist; O'Sister
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Genre: Folk/Indie Rock
Country of Origin: Canada
By the time 2011 rolled around, Dallas Green had more than proven himself masterful of not one but two radically different genres. Despite the breakup of energetic post-hardcore act Alexisonfire, his solo project is still going strong, and the third album under his City and Colour moniker is easily the best yet. 'Little Hell' is everything that we've come to expect from City and Colour--intimate, beautiful folk music fronted by Green's stunning, soaring tenor voice. The thing is, it's simply a thousand times better. This album finally does away with all of the breakup-cliches and instead delivers a truly moving, immensely powerful listen. Throughout the record's eleven tracks, Dallas Green gives the performance of his career, creating the best almost-acoustic album since Bon Iver debuted back in 2007, and that's high praise. To call these tracks heartbreakingly personal doesn't do them justice, and doesn't even touch on the complex emotions and incredible darkness contained withing this album's soul. Dallas Green has finally outgrown his hardcore roots and delivered the kind of album that only comes once in a lifetime.
Top tracks: The Grand Optimist; O'Sister
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44. Radiohead - 'The King Of Limbs'
Genre: Progressive Rock/Electronic
Country of Origin: England
Looking back, it's a little weird that 'The King of Limbs' was such a surprise when it came out. After having over three quarters of a year to figure it out, the scattershot drum loops, minimal keyboard textures and strong basslines just make sense, and it's easy to forget how huge of a departure this album was for Radiohead. Despite that, though, 'The King of Limbs' provides a lush, beautiful world within its semi-electronic minimalism, with the repetitive, entrancing instrumentation providing a fantastic backdrop for Thom Yorke's distinctive voice and the band's fantastic vision. Although the acclaimed band's eighth proper album may seem cold and distant at first, repeated listens reveal how truly warm, inviting, and absolutely loving the music contained within truly is, and it's hard to not want to listen to it over and over again.
Top tracks: Bloom; Codex
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Country of Origin: England
Looking back, it's a little weird that 'The King of Limbs' was such a surprise when it came out. After having over three quarters of a year to figure it out, the scattershot drum loops, minimal keyboard textures and strong basslines just make sense, and it's easy to forget how huge of a departure this album was for Radiohead. Despite that, though, 'The King of Limbs' provides a lush, beautiful world within its semi-electronic minimalism, with the repetitive, entrancing instrumentation providing a fantastic backdrop for Thom Yorke's distinctive voice and the band's fantastic vision. Although the acclaimed band's eighth proper album may seem cold and distant at first, repeated listens reveal how truly warm, inviting, and absolutely loving the music contained within truly is, and it's hard to not want to listen to it over and over again.
Top tracks: Bloom; Codex
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43. Kashiwa Daisuke - '88'
Genre: Piano Instrumental
Country of Origin: Japan
Kashiwa Daisuke has always been kind of the partner to World's End Girlfriend in my own eye, being a solo Japanese musician making incredibly creative, long-form glitchy post-rock with a combination of organic and synthetic instrumentation. This exact reasoning is why '88' is an absolute surprise to anyone who's been following Kashiwa's music at all, as it removes all of the lush organic instrumentation and crazy cut-up computer wizardry and is literally a simple album of beautiful piano pieces. However, despite the simplicity, Kashiwa Daisuke has provided us with some of the most moving, gorgeous, and human pieces of music to come out this year, with each song plucking all the right heartstrings perfectly. There really is nothing more to it, this music is sheer beauty for the sake of beauty.
Top tracks: Coto; My Favorite Things
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Country of Origin: Japan
Kashiwa Daisuke has always been kind of the partner to World's End Girlfriend in my own eye, being a solo Japanese musician making incredibly creative, long-form glitchy post-rock with a combination of organic and synthetic instrumentation. This exact reasoning is why '88' is an absolute surprise to anyone who's been following Kashiwa's music at all, as it removes all of the lush organic instrumentation and crazy cut-up computer wizardry and is literally a simple album of beautiful piano pieces. However, despite the simplicity, Kashiwa Daisuke has provided us with some of the most moving, gorgeous, and human pieces of music to come out this year, with each song plucking all the right heartstrings perfectly. There really is nothing more to it, this music is sheer beauty for the sake of beauty.
Top tracks: Coto; My Favorite Things
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42. A Winged Victory For the Sullen - 'A Winged Victory For the Sullen'
Genre: Ambient/Modern Classical
Country of Origin: USA
When a collaboration between Adam Wiltzie of modern classical/ambient duo Stars Of The Lid and composer/pianist Dustin O'Halloran was announced, I was unashamedly excited. A collaboration between essentially two of the absolute best modern classical/ambient composers around was a big deal, and when the album finally came out, it didn't disappoint. Gorgeous strings and piano parts slowly swirl around the album, matching the album's lofty expectations with aching beauty. The slow-moving, nigh-perfect melodies encased in 'A Winged Victory For the Sullen' are ceaselessly moving, evocative, and profound to the extreme. Be it as background music or the focal point of your listening experience, this album is simply fantastic through and through.
Top tracks: A Symphony Pathetique; We Played Some Open Chords and Rejoiced, for the Earth Had Circled the Sun Yet Another Year
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Top tracks: A Symphony Pathetique; We Played Some Open Chords and Rejoiced, for the Earth Had Circled the Sun Yet Another Year
Listen.
41. Kendrick Lamar - 'Section.80'
Genre: Rap
Country of Origin: USA
Kendrick Lamar could easily ride out on how simply unique and interesting his voice and flow are. Instead he opts to create genuinely remarkable music to back up his honestly fantastic voice. His melodies are haunting and his rapping is both versatile and emotive, and the beats that back up his tracks are some of the most lush and creative non-Clams-Casino-produced instrumentals in the genre today. The power housed in the dreary, after-hours pieces that Kendrick forms on his record are unparalleled and impossible not to be stunned by. Add in the loose concept that ties the album together and Kendrick's evocative lyrics, and you have an absolute must-hear. The late-night cough-syrup anthems hit hard and Kendrick manages to put everything in just the right place for a fantastic debut.
Top tracks: A.D.H.D.; The Spiteful Chant
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Genre: Rap
Country of Origin: USA
Kendrick Lamar could easily ride out on how simply unique and interesting his voice and flow are. Instead he opts to create genuinely remarkable music to back up his honestly fantastic voice. His melodies are haunting and his rapping is both versatile and emotive, and the beats that back up his tracks are some of the most lush and creative non-Clams-Casino-produced instrumentals in the genre today. The power housed in the dreary, after-hours pieces that Kendrick forms on his record are unparalleled and impossible not to be stunned by. Add in the loose concept that ties the album together and Kendrick's evocative lyrics, and you have an absolute must-hear. The late-night cough-syrup anthems hit hard and Kendrick manages to put everything in just the right place for a fantastic debut.
Top tracks: A.D.H.D.; The Spiteful Chant
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40. Vildhjarta - 'Måsstaden'
Genre: Djent
Country of Origin: Sweden
Arguably the most important album to ever come out of the djent subgenre. Ever since the idea of djent as anything besides 'that thing that Meshuggah do' has started to gain traction, Vildhjarta have been among the most well-known and intense forces in the style, and their debut album shows exactly why. 'Måsstaden' is gut-bustingly heavy. There's honestly no other was to describe it. The band's own take on what fans call 'ambidjent' fuses fantastic textures and softer sections with some of the heaviest movements out there. The vocals are brutal, but the long, extended, stomach-punch-low guitar notes are what really give Vildhjarta their magic, and they dole them out left and right. The rhythms and production on show on this album are astonishing and spot on, and when you find that one moment that hits you just right, it's hard to not listen to it thirty times over. And that's how you know that Vildhjarta have truly done their job.
Top tracks: All These Feelings; When No One Walks With You
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39. The Weeknd - 'Thursday'
Top tracks: All These Feelings; When No One Walks With You
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39. The Weeknd - 'Thursday'
Genre: Electronic/R&B
Country of Origin: Canada
The Weeknd's second piece of the year is a notable departure from 'House Of Balloons.' While the first was a withdrawn, bleak look at a hedonistic, drug-laden, abusive lifestyle, the second part of The Weeknd's 2011 trilogy blossoms into colour, finally shoving the protagonist's habits into the spotlight, focusing on the way he is actively--and maybe purposefully--ruining his girl of the month. The darkness of his first tape is amplified a few dozen times on 'Thursday,' but it isn't as immediate as before, instead choosing to seep into the listener, with Abel Tesfaye's incredible voice crooning over the dark electronic production offering a slow descent into the heart of the record. Although it may not be clear at first, when 'Thursday' finally reveals its true colours, it becomes clear that The Weeknd is getting darker and better with every release.
Top tracks: Lonely Star; The Birds Part One
38. Glassjaw - 'Coloring Book'
Genre: Post-Hardcore
Country of Origin: USA
Country of Origin: USA
Glassjaw's second EP of the year finally started showing what the band is starting to delve into since their reformation, and is a distinctive departure from their previous sound. 'Coloring Book' is a collection of six dense, textured, experimentally-structured tracks which branch off of Glassjaw's original post-hardcore sound and take it to completely different heights. Far from feeling out of their depths, however, the band feels like they're truly reaching out and moving forward into legitimately interesting and complex musical ideas, executed in typical flawless Glassjaw fashion. 'Coloring Book' is the most interesting and remarkable thing that these post-hardcore legends have done to date, and that says everything.
Top tracks: Stations of the New Cross; Daytona White
37. Boris - 'Heavy Rocks'
Genre: Progressive Rock & Metal/Experimental Punk
Country of Origin: Japan
Canonically, 'Heavy Rocks' is the second of three albums Boris released towards the beginning of this year (although technically it was released simultaneously with 'Attention Please'), and was their token Metal Album of the year. Not so coincidentally, it also has a very similar cover to another album they released in 2002 titled 'Heavy Rocks.' That being said, these are definitely two very different albums, with the always-elusive Japanese trio pumping out an alternately powerful, fun, heavy, and beautiful record of the harder rock style they played with towards the early 2000s. The weird punky songs of that era are back and in full swing, all shouting and fast guitar riffs, and are as fun as ever. However, the more extended songs are where this album truly shines, creating long, gorgeous mournful songs which build and peak into beautifully intense numbers. If you've never heard Boris before, it can be pretty overwhelming to get into them, considering how many albums they've released across so many genres, but Missing Pieces may be the greatest song they have ever recorded, and the intensity of the record that surrounds it matches it perfectly. Yet another brilliant album from Boris, and an absolutely fantastic addition to the band's immense repertoire.
Top tracks: Missing Pieces; Aileron
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Top tracks: Wrinklecarver; Boring Horror
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Top tracks: Beat of My Drum; Sticks + Stones
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Genre: Progressive Rock & Metal/Experimental Punk
Country of Origin: Japan
Canonically, 'Heavy Rocks' is the second of three albums Boris released towards the beginning of this year (although technically it was released simultaneously with 'Attention Please'), and was their token Metal Album of the year. Not so coincidentally, it also has a very similar cover to another album they released in 2002 titled 'Heavy Rocks.' That being said, these are definitely two very different albums, with the always-elusive Japanese trio pumping out an alternately powerful, fun, heavy, and beautiful record of the harder rock style they played with towards the early 2000s. The weird punky songs of that era are back and in full swing, all shouting and fast guitar riffs, and are as fun as ever. However, the more extended songs are where this album truly shines, creating long, gorgeous mournful songs which build and peak into beautifully intense numbers. If you've never heard Boris before, it can be pretty overwhelming to get into them, considering how many albums they've released across so many genres, but Missing Pieces may be the greatest song they have ever recorded, and the intensity of the record that surrounds it matches it perfectly. Yet another brilliant album from Boris, and an absolutely fantastic addition to the band's immense repertoire.
Top tracks: Missing Pieces; Aileron
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36. Born Gold - 'Bodysongs'
Genre: Electronic/Pop
Country of Origin: Canada
There's something magical about the way Born Gold (previously known as Gobble Gobble) approaches pop music that's just so damn endearing. Maybe it's his nifty keyboard noodlings or his fantastic beats or his idiosyncratic voice, but something about it just feels more honest than other artists in the genre. The fact that he's often mentioned in the same breath as Baths makes a lot of sense, as his glitchy stylings fit in perfectly with Mr Wiesenfeld's downtempo musing, although they tend to be significantly more pop oriented--not that that's a bad thing, by any means. Born Gold's first full-length album provides gigantic, catchy hooks backed by awesome lyrics and some of the coolest electronic instrumentation out there, and it's so fun you really just can't help loving it. Simply a wonderfully lovable listen, through and through.Country of Origin: Canada
Top tracks: Wrinklecarver; Boring Horror
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35. Nicola Roberts - 'Cinderella's Eyes'
Genre: Pop
Country of Origin: England
After the hiatus of British pop group Girls Aloud, the various women involved in the project started putting out a variety of mediocre solo albums. The most recent of these comes from Nicola Roberts, the most talented and (for some reason) hated and trash-talked member of the group. The difference here, however, is that Nicola Roberts' album actually kicks ass. 'Cinderella's Eyes' puts forth twelve songs of introspective, complex pop music which deftly walks the line between being in depth and fragile and being catchy and fun as hell. Her music (and awesome videos) display a wonderful, fiery multifaceted personality, and her charisma leaks through every second of her debut solo record. The hooks on this are huge, the sad songs are honestly powerful, and the fun ones are some of the most all-out enjoyable pop tunes to come from anyone besides Britney Spears herself this year. 'Cinderella's Eyes' is easily one of the best solo pop albums to come out in a very long time, and if one thing is for sure, it's that right now is a fucking awesome time to be Nicole Roberts.Country of Origin: England
Top tracks: Beat of My Drum; Sticks + Stones
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34. Elite Gymnastics - 'Ruin'
Genre: Atmospheric Electronic/Dreampop/Witch House
Country of Origin: USA
Elite Gymnastics' dual-EP has some of the most fitting cover art out there. 'Ruin 1' is a lush romp through electronic soundscapes depicting the joy and beauty of life, and its cover is covered in vibrantly coloured flowers. 'Ruin 2,' on the other hand, takes the same songs from the first half of the set and transforms them into bleak, cold, otherworldly creations of electronic minimalism--so wouldn't it make sense for its cover take the same flowers from 'Ruin 1' and suck all the life out of them, leaving us with a sad, grey image? And this really sums up a lot of the magic of the 'Ruin' set. The wonder and beauty from the first EP sets a fantastic, nigh-dreampop mood, and watching the songs transform themselves into the dark, tragic, witch house-esque numbers found on the second EP truly is remarkable. But even beyond this, the fact is that the songs contained within this work are incredible pieces of atmospheric electronica in and of themselves, and come together to make the 'Ruin' duo one of the most interesting pieces of the year.
Top tracks: Minneapolis Belongs to You; Little Things 2
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Country of Origin: USA
Elite Gymnastics' dual-EP has some of the most fitting cover art out there. 'Ruin 1' is a lush romp through electronic soundscapes depicting the joy and beauty of life, and its cover is covered in vibrantly coloured flowers. 'Ruin 2,' on the other hand, takes the same songs from the first half of the set and transforms them into bleak, cold, otherworldly creations of electronic minimalism--so wouldn't it make sense for its cover take the same flowers from 'Ruin 1' and suck all the life out of them, leaving us with a sad, grey image? And this really sums up a lot of the magic of the 'Ruin' set. The wonder and beauty from the first EP sets a fantastic, nigh-dreampop mood, and watching the songs transform themselves into the dark, tragic, witch house-esque numbers found on the second EP truly is remarkable. But even beyond this, the fact is that the songs contained within this work are incredible pieces of atmospheric electronica in and of themselves, and come together to make the 'Ruin' duo one of the most interesting pieces of the year.
Top tracks: Minneapolis Belongs to You; Little Things 2
Listen.
33. Laura Stevenson & the Cans - 'Sit Resist'
Genre: Indie Folk
Country of Origin: USA
Genre: Indie Folk
Country of Origin: USA
Laura Stevenson's first album is one of the most endearing records to come out of 2011. I really can't think of a single thing about 'Sit Resist' that would be unappealing to anyone alive. This is pure, emotional, fun, adorable pop music with a basis in indie folk. Her connection to Bomb The Music Industry! shines through in the horns used throughout the record, but in the end, the star of this show is Laura's fantastic songwriting and instrumental arrangements. When combined with her incredible lyricism and lilting vocal delivery, 'Sit Resist' begins to reveal itself as so much more than just another pop-folk album, and turns out to be something truly brilliant, unique, and remarkably creative. This record is the standard that the genre should be judged by, a genuine masterwork, and it is lovely, emotive, and absolutely sublime to the core.
Top tracks: Halloween Pts. 1 & 2; Barnacles
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31. Thrice - 'Major/Minor'
Genre: Post-Hardcore/Indie Rock
Country of Origin: USA
Thrice are one of those magical bands who simply do everything right. Yes, they do rely on musical gimmicks at times (see: the fantastic 'Alchemy Index' series of EPs), but in recent years they've focused on stripping down their music to the bare essentials. And that's kind of the magic of Thrice these days: with no frills or gimmicks, they still produce some of the most awesome music in the game. Over the course of their many albums, Thrice have evolved from a simple post-hardcore band into a churning, artistic, experimental group and back into straight-up rock music, and they've only gotten better over the years. 'Major/Minor' is, tragically, the quartet's final album, but is a fantastic swan song, capturing perfectly the wide emotional range Thrice are capable of, even in their most stripped-down form. The emotive instrumentals burn wonderfully beneath Dustin Kensrue's soulful voice, and although it isn't as immediately apparent as their previous masterworks, once everything comes together 'Major/Minor' reveals itself to be a fantastic album well worthy of the Thrice name, and that's some pretty high praise right there.
Top tracks: Listen Through Me; Words in the Water
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30. My Epic - 'Broken Voice'
Genre: Indie Rock
Country of Origin: USA
My Epic are an interesting band. Their first two albums were refreshing takes on modern post-hardcore, featuring huge climaxes, powerful instrumentation and soaring vocals. It's curious, then, that for their third outing they chose to make an acoustic mini-album instead. However, it works incredibly well. Despite feeling a little cheesy at first, when that first minor chord hits halfway through the second track it's truly stunning. Despite its acoustic roots, 'Broken Voice' is not without its climactic moments, and My Epic know how to make their music spill over with emotion perfectly. Across the record's eight tracks, the trio expertly manages tension and release, providing a listen which is incredibly pleasant and enjoyable on the surface, yet reveals itself to be powerfully intense upon deeper listen. All bands considering doing an acoustic album should look to My Epic as a shining example, simply put.
Top tracks: Alone; Beloved
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Top tracks: Suffer Not; Angel Eyes
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Top tracks: Ultra Thizz; Cry Flames
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Top tracks: Halloween Pts. 1 & 2; Barnacles
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32. Airs - 'Gloomlights'
Genre: Black Shoegaze/Post-Rock
Country of Origin: USA
'Gloomlights' is basically the 'Deathconsciousness' of 2011. A huge double-album, massively powerful, mixing together shoegaze, black metal, post-rock, and a few other choice genres, this is a true masterpiece. Airs dig deep into the 'black shoegaze' subgenre, supplying layers and layers of thick, gauzy distortion on their guitars, supplemented by lo-fi hooks and furious blast beats. 'Gloomlights' is an immense record, with both discs packed full of shimmering, metallic shoegazey pop tunes, occasionally wandering into more post-rock-esque or black-metal-styled territory, but consistently an absolutely gorgeous, glittering listen for anyone who is looking for a beautiful underground release to occupy their time. And man, when they ratchet up the distortion and wail over the top of it, it's pretty hard not to be in awe of this glorious noise.
Top tracks: White Rose; Ghost
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Genre: Black Shoegaze/Post-Rock
Country of Origin: USA
'Gloomlights' is basically the 'Deathconsciousness' of 2011. A huge double-album, massively powerful, mixing together shoegaze, black metal, post-rock, and a few other choice genres, this is a true masterpiece. Airs dig deep into the 'black shoegaze' subgenre, supplying layers and layers of thick, gauzy distortion on their guitars, supplemented by lo-fi hooks and furious blast beats. 'Gloomlights' is an immense record, with both discs packed full of shimmering, metallic shoegazey pop tunes, occasionally wandering into more post-rock-esque or black-metal-styled territory, but consistently an absolutely gorgeous, glittering listen for anyone who is looking for a beautiful underground release to occupy their time. And man, when they ratchet up the distortion and wail over the top of it, it's pretty hard not to be in awe of this glorious noise.
Top tracks: White Rose; Ghost
Listen.
Genre: Post-Hardcore/Indie Rock
Country of Origin: USA
Thrice are one of those magical bands who simply do everything right. Yes, they do rely on musical gimmicks at times (see: the fantastic 'Alchemy Index' series of EPs), but in recent years they've focused on stripping down their music to the bare essentials. And that's kind of the magic of Thrice these days: with no frills or gimmicks, they still produce some of the most awesome music in the game. Over the course of their many albums, Thrice have evolved from a simple post-hardcore band into a churning, artistic, experimental group and back into straight-up rock music, and they've only gotten better over the years. 'Major/Minor' is, tragically, the quartet's final album, but is a fantastic swan song, capturing perfectly the wide emotional range Thrice are capable of, even in their most stripped-down form. The emotive instrumentals burn wonderfully beneath Dustin Kensrue's soulful voice, and although it isn't as immediately apparent as their previous masterworks, once everything comes together 'Major/Minor' reveals itself to be a fantastic album well worthy of the Thrice name, and that's some pretty high praise right there.
Top tracks: Listen Through Me; Words in the Water
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Genre: Indie Rock
Country of Origin: USA
My Epic are an interesting band. Their first two albums were refreshing takes on modern post-hardcore, featuring huge climaxes, powerful instrumentation and soaring vocals. It's curious, then, that for their third outing they chose to make an acoustic mini-album instead. However, it works incredibly well. Despite feeling a little cheesy at first, when that first minor chord hits halfway through the second track it's truly stunning. Despite its acoustic roots, 'Broken Voice' is not without its climactic moments, and My Epic know how to make their music spill over with emotion perfectly. Across the record's eight tracks, the trio expertly manages tension and release, providing a listen which is incredibly pleasant and enjoyable on the surface, yet reveals itself to be powerfully intense upon deeper listen. All bands considering doing an acoustic album should look to My Epic as a shining example, simply put.
Top tracks: Alone; Beloved
Listen.
29. Submotion Orchestra - 'Finest Hour'
Genre: Fusion Jazz/Dubstep
Country of Origin: England
What started off as a seven-piece one-off live project turned into a full-fledged band earlier this year, when the fantastic Submotion Orchestra finally released their first record. 'Finest Hour' is one of the most accurate album titles around, as Submotion Orchestra present ten absolutely incredible songs on their debut effort, combining live jazz instrumentation--sexy piano lines, smooth trumpets, gorgeous vocals--with intense, bass-heavy dubstep beats. It works incredibly well, providing a deep, rewarding listening experience, showing off a smoother, sexier side to the oft-maligned dubstep genre and adding a nice modern flair to their own little brand of jazz music, and it is simultaneously one of the most easily digestible and enjoyable, yet in-depth and complex albums to come out of 2011. 'Finest Hour' is so unique, interesting, and striking that it's a pretty impossible piece to ignore. But really, with music this good, who would want to?Country of Origin: England
Top tracks: Suffer Not; Angel Eyes
Listen.
28. Rustie - 'Glass Swords'
Genre: Electronic/EDM
Country of Origin: England
The sense of wonder displayed from the very first second of UK producer Rustie's first full-length album is pretty hard to match. While it is far from being representative of the overall sound of the record, the eponymous opening track of 'Glass Swords' provide an exciting and empowering soundscape that's really second to none. The best part, however, is that the album just gets better from there. This is EDM done absolutely perfectly--the beats hit hard, and the melodies are ridiculously catchy, yet remain elusively powerful at the same time. It certainly helps that Rustie picks simply the coolest synth patches and samples ever (he even manages to make Navi sound endearing!), but on top of that is the way that these things coalesce with the beats and brilliant melodies to create one of the most energizing, euphoric, and somehow incredibly deep experiences in the electronic genre. Simply put, the pieces on 'Glass Swords' make electronic music exciting again, and it is a damnable mistake to miss out on how simply fantastic it is.Country of Origin: England
Top tracks: Ultra Thizz; Cry Flames
Listen.
27. Swarms - 'Old Raves End'
Genre: 'Post-Dubstep'/Bass
Country of Origin: England
Swarms are to 2011 what Burial was to 2007. 'Old Raves End' is that absolutely fantastic, mesmerizing record which crosses elements of dubstep, bass, garage, ambient, and various other electronic bits to make something truly special. The vocal samples, deep bass hits and skittering beats turn Swarms' debut from a simple dubstep record into an emotional wonderland. The atmospheres and feelings presented throughout 'Old Raves End' truly cut deep, and the absolute mastery that Swarms show over their slowly shifting electronic movements is enough to render anyone speechless. The organic, almost liquid feel of the beats and sample-manipulation presented on eleven songs of this record give it a mystifying power over the listener, culminating in a truly wondrous experience which grabs you and won't let go long until long after the album's lush, blooming soundscapes have receded.
Top tracks: Roulette; Flikr of ur Eyes
Listen.
Country of Origin: England
Swarms are to 2011 what Burial was to 2007. 'Old Raves End' is that absolutely fantastic, mesmerizing record which crosses elements of dubstep, bass, garage, ambient, and various other electronic bits to make something truly special. The vocal samples, deep bass hits and skittering beats turn Swarms' debut from a simple dubstep record into an emotional wonderland. The atmospheres and feelings presented throughout 'Old Raves End' truly cut deep, and the absolute mastery that Swarms show over their slowly shifting electronic movements is enough to render anyone speechless. The organic, almost liquid feel of the beats and sample-manipulation presented on eleven songs of this record give it a mystifying power over the listener, culminating in a truly wondrous experience which grabs you and won't let go long until long after the album's lush, blooming soundscapes have receded.
Top tracks: Roulette; Flikr of ur Eyes
Listen.
26. Tim Hecker - 'Ravedeath, 1972'
Genre: Ambient
Country of Origin: Canada
Tim Hecker has always kind of been the king of ambient music, but his latest release is pretty much a defining moment for the genre. 'Ravedeath, 1972' is one of those rare cases where digital ambient music feels completely relatable. Despite being one of the most inhuman and foreign albums out there, every moment of 'Ravedeath, 1972' just makes sense. The way that distorted synth lines build and break across the album and the slowly coalescing tones allow the music to cut straight to the core of human emotion, providing a form of release as well as understanding for the listener. This is the rare case where ambient music is about as far from 'background' music as you can get--this album practically forces you to pay attention to it and listen to its powerful outcries. But on top of all that, more than anything else, this album makes you truly feel, and the emotions displayed are as intense as any you can imagine.
Top tracks: The Piano Drop; Hatred of Music I
Listen.
PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE | PART FOUR | PART FIVE
Country of Origin: Canada
Tim Hecker has always kind of been the king of ambient music, but his latest release is pretty much a defining moment for the genre. 'Ravedeath, 1972' is one of those rare cases where digital ambient music feels completely relatable. Despite being one of the most inhuman and foreign albums out there, every moment of 'Ravedeath, 1972' just makes sense. The way that distorted synth lines build and break across the album and the slowly coalescing tones allow the music to cut straight to the core of human emotion, providing a form of release as well as understanding for the listener. This is the rare case where ambient music is about as far from 'background' music as you can get--this album practically forces you to pay attention to it and listen to its powerful outcries. But on top of all that, more than anything else, this album makes you truly feel, and the emotions displayed are as intense as any you can imagine.
Top tracks: The Piano Drop; Hatred of Music I
Listen.
PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE | PART FOUR | PART FIVE
Posts
"Tim Hecker has always kind of been the king of ambient music"
ReplyDeleteReally? I wonder what Harold Budd, William Basinski, or even Eno would think of that.
Hecker has only been around since '96. Not that time around has anything to do with it, I'm just saying it may be a bit early to be crowning the guy.
That being said, i've enjoyed your 2011 list. Where's the rest of it?
Well, considering that this is obviously a piece of my opinions, I'm putting forward mine. I love love Basinski's Disintegration Loops and Brian Eno is amazing, but Tim Hecker's ambient music has always been the ultimate top-notch for me. I think fifteen years is a pretty decent amount of time to have been making music that good, but I was more saying that he's always kind of been top-of-the-pile for me.
ReplyDeleteBut besides that, thanks for the kind words! I put a lot of work into the list. Unfortunately, my computer was busted for the last few days so I haven't been able to work on it. The next part should be out very very soon though!