YEAR IN REVIEW: Albums of 2011: 20-11

	20. Atlas Sound - Parallax After listening to Parallax, I think I've decided that Bradford Cox is one of those musicians I can always rely on, year in, year out, to deliver amazing musical experiences; be it while playing in Deerhunter or during his solo affairs as Atlas Sound. Parallax is a hazy, familiar affair that doesn't necessarily evolve the Atlas Sound formula, but when the foundations are set down so well, why change them? The record is another massive achievement from a musician who just seems to ooze song-writing ability. DOWNLOAD: Mona Lisa
	19. Deleted Scenes - Young People's Church of the Air I feel like I don't need to put a lot here, seeing as I only did a review recently, which you can read here. Young People's Church of the Air is a wonderful collection of songs with infectious melodies and pleasant vocals akin to The Shins. If you don't have a melody contained on this album running constantly through your head after listening, there might be something wrong. DOWNLOAD: Baltika 9
	18. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light The follow-up to 2008's Dear Science was a massive release for me, and it delivered on all fronts. TV on the Radio are a band that sound on top of their game with this record. 40 seconds into the album, the beat kicks in and you remember what you'd been missing for three years. No one does it quite like TV on the Radio, and their brand of soulful, trumpet-filled, frantic rock music is always welcome. Nine Types of Light is the epitome of what the band are all about. DOWNLOAD: Caffeinated Consciousness
	17. Drake - Take Care Drake's brand of smooth RnB mixed with some of the best-produced hip hop made Take Care an album that needs to be heard. Collaborations from Jamie xx, The Weeknd and Frank Ocean, to name a few, Take Care takes everything that was great about Drake's debut and adds more variety and polish to create a record that's a joy to listen to from start to finish. DOWNLOAD: Marvin's Room
	16. Active Child - You Are All I See Active Child's 2010 EP Curtis Lane showed a lot of promise, so I was anticipating his debut LP very highly. Heavenly harp notes join with synthesisers and thumping drum beats to create a unique sound punctuated by Pat Grossi's unique falsetto tones, the album leaves you feeling a strange sense of enlightenment. DOWNLOAD: Hanging On
	15. Beirut - The Rip Tide Zach Condon & Co's new album shows the most refined, complete collection of songs the band have put out to date. With delicate melodies spread across a modest 10-track, this album proves to be the easiest entry point for newcomers to Beirut's work, with all shades of their unique style on show for all to see.  DOWNLOAD: Vagabond
	14. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming When I try to think of any double albums that I listen to regularly or even at all, my mind comes to a blank. With Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, M83 were taking a big risk that ultimately paid off in dividends. This album provided a fascinating look at the world of M83 through an epic 22-track.  Gonzales is well experienced in his art, and this year's offering from him feels like the most complete, visualised and compelling work yet. Plus... Saxophones. DOWNLOAD: Midnight City
	13. Bright Eyes - The People's Key Personally, this was my most highly-anticipated album of the year, and it did not disappoint. After 2007's slightly underwhelming Cassadaga, The People's Key was Oberst's chance to prove that he still had what it takes to compete with other bands these days, and it proved it superbly. nonsensical ramblings from a priest introduce the album with a familiarly long winded spoken intro, and he closes it as well. Oberst is at the top of his game with this album, it really has all the key ingredients; whimsical lyrics that are perfectly constructed, a decidedly more upbeat instrumentation and hook after hook. One For You, One For Me is a testament to how bands should close out albums for future reference. It might just be Oberst's most well-realised, polished and complete collections of songs to date. DOWNLOAD: Triple Spiral
	12. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra Frank Ocean is undoubtedly the best thing to come out of Odd Future, in my eyes. Nostalgia, ultra is a mixtape that showcases the limitless talent that Ocean possesses. The smooth pop-tinged R'n'B is so heart-felt and different to what the rest of the Odd Future crew are doing. Audio snippets from Kubrick's last film Eyes Wide Shut permeate throughout the record in an unsettling fashion, along with other little blemishes that give the album a distinguished feel. Ocean uses samples of the likes of Coldplay and MGMT but makes them his own with his imminently listening vocals. The fact that the album is free from the constraints of a label and was released DIY-style on the internet is an added bonus to this already brilliant debut. DOWNLOAD: Novacane
	11. Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love This re-issue of Connan Mockasin's delightfully weird 2010 debut is one of the most unusual records I've had the pleasure of listening to this year. His sound is definitely unique, showing hints of The Beatles at their most hallucinatory. Mockasin uses surreal lyricism and a psychedelic sound to build a collection of songs which have such an endearing atmosphere. The album has a decidedly laid-back pace which just lets you sit back in wonderment at the strangeness of the world Connan Mockasin has created. DOWNLOAD: It's Choade My Dear

YEAR IN REVIEW: Albums of 2011: 30-21

	30. Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine The king of "chillwave" returned early this year with Underneath the Pine. It displays his skill at creating instantly danceable beats, with defined melodies, but also shines in other areas, such as the decidedly more downbeat Before I'm Done. Underneath the Pine has the atmosphere of the best synth albums of yore, while somehow maintaining the ability to feel current. Dance away. DOWNLOAD: Divina
	29. Patrick Wolf - Lupercalia Patrick Wolf has long since been my favourite musician, since I first heard Wind in the Wires. With Lupercalia, Wolf showed a side of his music that we'd only seen glimpses of previously. Whereas most of his other records are shrouded in apathy and gloom, it's clear on Lupercalia that Patrick Wolf is at a very happy time in his life right now. The City officially made the saxaphone cool again, with the help of M83 and the album is just full of consistently great hooks and lyricism.  DOWNLOAD: Bermondsey Street
	28. Cass McCombs - WIT'S END Cass McCombs' first album of the year was a perfect showcase of the skills in song crafting that he possesses. The album opens with serene ballad County Line, which is one of the most smooth pieces of music to be released this year. What follows is a dark, twisted journey finished up with 9-minute Knock Upon Upon the Door, which has an almost medieval vibe to it. McCombs' unique brand of folk music is really at its pinnacle here. It's a shame that his second album, Humor Risk, couldn't follow suit and appear even higher up this list. DOWNLOAD: County Line
	27. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra Unknown Mortal Orchestra were a complete surprise to me. I had no knowledge of the band prior to the release, but straight away the funk vibes, distinctive vocals and hazy summertime feeling caught my attention instantly, and kept me listening regularly to this day. DOWNLOAD: Jello and Juggernauts
	26. Cut Copy - Zonoscope Cut Copy seem to have a perfect balance between dance and alternative music, and Zonoscope is a shining example of what they do so well. The album is laden in hooks and pulsing beats; it has one of the biggest feel-good atmospheres of any we've seen this year. Frontman Dan Whitford has the attitude of so many great frontmen of indie music gone by, and the synths and electronic drums give the music a unique, captivating twist. Zonoscope closes in a deservingly grandiose fashion, with the sprawling 15-minute Sun God, which really sends the whole album off in style. DOWNLOAD: Take Me Over
	25. Panda Bear - Tomboy Before Tomboy was released, the hyperbole surrounding it was overwhelming. The singles leading up to it promised that it was going to be something special and it certainly is. Noah Lennox displays his expertise in creating rhythmically complex and deeply compelling music with a mix of sampled drum beats and synths. Even though it's been two years since Animal Collective's last full-length, Panda Bear more than makes up for this fact. DOWNLOAD: Slow Motion
	24. John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves Maus's Ariel Pink-like nu wave sensibilities are in full flow on his offering this year. It's quite a surreal experience, with many of the tracks being synth heavy, while Maus's low vocals meander throughout in a dream-like fashion. Big bass lines emphasise the 80's feel of the music, and the constant change in tempos give the album a great sense of pace.  DOWNLOAD: Hey Moon
	23. The Black Keys - El Camino This album was the latest new entry on to the list for me. The Black Keys can always be relied upon to bring around records that are consistently great and El Camino might just be their best one to date. They show their blues roots underneath roaring riffs reminiscent of The White Stripes and keep the hooks coming, song in, song out.  DOWNLOAD: Sister
	22. Fucked Up - David Comes to Life Some people will look at the run-time of this record and be instantly put off. Sprawling over 72 minutes, David Comes to Life is an epic concept album that combines sound instrumentation and Damian Abraham's distinct roaring tones to create example after example of how hardcore music should be sounding. If the rumours of Fucked Up ending their career (at least the way we know them as at the moment) they'll have this a a stellar testament to what a great band they are. DOWNLOAD: The Other Shoe
	21. Dananananaykroyd - There Is a Way When I heard the news that Dananananaykroyd were splitting up, my heart sunk. It's such a shame that so shortly after releasing the brilliant There Is a Way, they had to part ways. There Is a Way takes Hey Everyone! and shows how much the band has evolved musically, and translates the frantic live show experience perfectly onto record. DOWNLOAD: Think and Feel

YEAR IN REVIEW: Albums of 2011: 40-31

	40. WU LYF - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain WU LYF remained an enigma among the public and music press alike for a while. They wouldn't participate in interviews, and stayed obscured during their live shows. As a result, not many people knew what to expect from debut LP Go Tell Fire To the Mountain. The result is an album that is soaked in post-rock sensibilities and Foals-esque rhythms. The lead vocals are definitely an acquired taste, but grow on you with roaring, mostly unintelligible lyrics throughout. The atmosphere of the album is really unique. DOWNLOAD: Summas Bliss
	39. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx - We're New Here Jamie xx's reworking of the late-great Gil Scott Heron's 2010 album I'm Still Here sounded like a strange prospect at first. The two styles felt like they would clash together and sound horrendous a la Lou Reed and Metallica, but instead it created a strange, dark piece that built on the foundations that Scott-Heron built, and put xx's signature sound over the top of it. Jamie xx is quickly becoming the go-to guy for dub-influenced remixes, and We're New Here is an excellent display of his skill. DOWNLOAD: Ur Soul and Mine
	38. Blood Orange - Coastal Grooves Dev Hynes has had quite a prolific career thus far. After the demise of Test Icicles, he kept himself busy under the moniker of Lightspeed Champion, 2 albums later he recorded an album under the pseudonym of Blood Orange. Coastal Grooves is a sun-soaked, stripped down affair which sparkles with electronic drum samples and sensual rhythms which reflect Dev's delivery. Clever wordplay and sincere vocals make this one of the best albums of 2011. DOWNLOAD: The Complete Knock
	37. Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know Laura Marling has always been known for being wise beyond her years, with her song-writing reflecting that of someone much older than in their early twenties, and A Creature I Don't Know reflects that statement. Her third album feels like, as is the case with most of 2011's best albums, a record that is so well-realised and her most accomplished work to date. It's one of the best displays of sincere, ear-pleasing UK folk music that 2011 has seen. DOWNLOAD: My Friends
	36. Ghostpoet - Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam Ghostpoet's debut felt like a refreshing change in the UK music scene when it released. Although it was primarily a hip-hop album, it showed many different musical shades, from James Blake-esque Post-Dubstep to rock-influenced finishing track Liiines. Ghostpoet's honest lyricism depicted life living in dreary old England to a tee and his slurred vocal delivery fits the mood of the album perfectly. DOWNLOAD: Liiines
	35. Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch the Throne When two entities such as Kanye West and Jay-Z decide to do a whole album together, with the help of Frank Ocean and Beyonce, to name a few, it should never be taken lightly. Although it wasn't the best hip-hop album of 2011, it still had a lot of solid songs on it. Opening track No Church in the Wild still has one of the most alluring beats of the year, thanks in part to Frank Ocean. DOWNLOAD: No Church in the Wild
	34. Real Estate - Days Days is a sunny, up-beat gem of an album. It's remarkably easy-going and floats by like all those fond summer afternoons. The album is full of joyful melodies and jangling layers of guitars. Lyrically, the album follows the breeziness of the music, with frontman Martin Courtney singing "our careless lifestyle / it was not so unwise" really summing it up.  DOWNLOAD: Green Aisles
	33. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde Dye It Blonde is some of the best fun I've had listening to music this year. It's almost dream-like in nature. The bouncy guitar riffs accentuate the up-beat hooks. Dye It Blonde is a massive step-up from their eponymous debut and the tunes on display will furl themselves in your mind before you even realise. DOWNLOAD: All Die Young
	32. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo Kurt Vile's newest LP is the ultimate record for a hungover sunday morning. The rolling, complex guitar patterns compliment his low, ponderous voice. Lyrically, the album is brilliant, Vile is able to conjure the most vivid imagery in your head seamlessly.  DOWNLOAD: Jesus Fever
	31. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong The infamous NME review of this album might have dissuaded some people from listening to this album, but if you put time into it you'll find that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's sophomore effort contains well-constructed lo-fi anthems. Belong has some of the best sing-a-longs of the year. DOWNLOAD: Heart in Your Heartbreak

YEAR IN REVIEW: Albums of 2011: 50-41

	50. CANT - Dreams Come True When Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor and musician Twin Shadow decided to work together on a side project, expectations were always going to be high. What came out of it was a dark, complex album which, although didn't feel immediately accessible to the listener, had lots of deeper enjoyment, the more the record grew on you. The production values are second to none. DOWNLOAD: Answer
	49. British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall With Valhalla Dancehall, the Brighton band stayed true to their excellent track record and created yet another stellar album, filled with good old fashion rock and roll. With their down-to-earth lyricism and sing-a-long choruses in tow, BSP were onto another winner following the brilliant Do You Like Rock Music? Being released in January, I could have easily forgotten about it, but it sticks out in my mind as one of the finest English rock albums of '11. DOWNLOAD: Mongk II
	48. Johnny Foreigner - Johnny Foreigner Vs. Everything A relatively long time had past since their 2nd, slightly disappointing, album, so Johnny Foreigner had a lot to prove with this one. What they offered was a continuation of the output they had thus far, with a more matured edge. The band show their noise-punk sensibilities while displaying a calmer, more grounded side at the same time, which suits them perfectly. DOWNLOAD: 200x
	47. Times New Viking - Dancer Equired! Lo-fi heroes Times New Viking's third LP Dancer Equired! is exactly what you expect it to be; a fun-filled garage-punk record that goes at full-throttle all the way through. The record has a juvenile mentality that makes it just a joy to listen to. DOWNLOAD: Fuck Her Tears
	46. IceAge - New Brigade IceAge are, without a doubt, my favourite new band from Denmark. New Brigade showed great promise from the band with a raw punk spirit shining so bright, which is rare these days. There are no tracks above the 3-minute mark, and it feels like an assault on the ears that you actually encourage because of the quality of the sounds being thrown at you. DOWNLOAD: Broken Bone
	45. Childish Gambino - Camp Pitchfork be damned, Camp is a really, really enjoyable hip hop record. Childish Gambino's word play is second to none, even if his subject areas might be a little limited. The self-produced commercial debut showed that actor Donald Glover has what it takes to be taken seriously, finally, among his fellow hip hop contemporaries. DOWNLOAD: Heartbeat
	44. Washed Out - Within and Without Within and Without had a lot riding on it, "chillwave" was at the peak of its popularity at the time it was released, and Washed Out was the poster boy for the genre, in a sense. Within and Without delivered on it's promise, in a large sense. It provided the perfect soundtrack for the summer days spend hanging out at the beach and for barbecues. Ernest Greene's vocals flow in and out of pulsing synth rhythms to create quite an atmosphere. All the potential that was on display in EP Life of Leisure is shown here in a large abundance, and then some. DOWNLOAD: Before
	43. James Blake - James Blake Even though James Blake didn't necessarily hold true to the promise that his EP's showed musically, his debut LP was still a wonderful, chilling collection of songs, which highlighted his talent both as an electronic producer and as a vocalist and all-round great musician. His use of minimalism really evokes a feeling of isolation throughout the music, but he makes it feel soulful using his great voice. His performance of The Wilhelm Scream on Jools Holland still gives me chills. DOWNLOAD: The Wilhelm Scream
	42. Total Slacker - Thrashin' Total Slacker are a bratty bunch of hip young musicians who fully embrace the lifestyle their moniker to the full extent. Thrashin' is a bible for those of the "slacker" disposition, tackling all of the issues encountered throughout the typical day of a slacker. The music is a throwback to music of the 90's, and it's played very, very well. For more information, read my feature here. DOWNLOAD: Magical Date Night
	41. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact When an album starts things off with a song that totals over 11 minutes, you know you're onto something special. Eye Contact follows through on the promise by providing one of the biggest roller coaster rides of electronic music that 2011 has had to offer. Searing vocals pervade through every surface of Adult Goth, and intermissions are needed throughout the album just to calm down from what your ears have just experienced. DOWNLOAD: Adult Goth

IN APPRECIATION OF 2011: Total Slacker

Sure, their music might be a little shallow; sure, they may be juvenile, and sure, they are far from original at this point in time. It doesn't stop Total Slacker's Thrashin' being one of the most down-right fun records of 2011. Total Slacker's sense of humour and attitude are what helps make this record stand out in my mind as one of my favourites of the past year.

The Brooklyn trio's grungy garage punk album came out in September to a warm reception, but it gained cult recognition from fans of bratty lo-fi 90's throwbacks, a la Yuck, the world over. With drum beats provided by Ross Condon, little brother of Beirut's Zach Condon, and a big backing from the likes of similar natured Wavves, Total Slacker certainly have a lot going for them.

Thrashin' has the '90's written all over it. From their fuzz-filled riffs, to the many, many references to all things 90's in the lyrics,  Total Slacker try their very best to hold on to those days. Their song "Stuck in '93" is obviously the prime example of their desire to revisit that decade, with a chorus of "I wish that I could be / stuck in 93 / Everyone is so cool / Makes you want to drool". Now, you might look at those lyrics and think that any other band wouldn't be able to sing them seriously, but frontman Tucker Rountree does so in an effortless way that makes it flow by without you even raising an eyebrow.

The album is full of addictive hooks and bouncy bass-lines. An obvious huge influence on the music is that of Weezer, with much of the hooks and guitar work echoing those of the pioneers of the 90's. That being said, the most obvious influence on their music is Nirvana. It's safe to say that Mr Rountree & co. are just a little bit fond of the Seattle grunge legends. Total Slacker is like a more up-beat, poppy version of Nirvana, who have been submerged in an abundance of pop culture of yore, so much that it extenuates through every track of the album.

The whole album tells the story of not caring, and being lazy, but the irony is the fact that the music is played so well that they must care a little bit, otherwise the music would sound like shit. 'No Mo 4Loko' tells the familiar story of waking up in the mid-afternoon after a heavy night drinking, in this case specifying the infamous American alco-pop Four Loko. With the uncanny riff of Smells Like Teen Spirit to carry it along, this song is the epitome of the Total Slacker mantra.

With only just over 20,000 scrobbles on Last.fm, It baffles me why more people don't listen to Total Slacker. Believe me, Thrashin'  is worth your time. Even if the attitude of the band doesn't resonate with you, the music will.

IN APPRECIATION OF 2011: Youth Lagoon

Youth Lagoon really came out of the blue for me. I had no knowledge of his existence prior to the release of his album, The Year of Hibernation, but from the first time I gave it a spin, I realised what I had been missing out on. Youth Lagoon, the moniker of 22 year-old Trevor Powers recorded the record independently in his bedroom, in a style similar to 2010's Learning by Perfume Genius, and that's reflected on the album. The title of the album is quite apt given the cold, isolated feeling of the album, but after sufficient time has been spent with the album, it opens up on another level and shows the passion and emotion that he really puts into his work.

Although the music that Youth Lagoon produces shouldn't be that revolutionary on paper, there's just something about the music that grabs you straight away. You won't be able to just listen to one track, there's something addictive about the way he makes music. When I saw Los Campesinos! in Brighton earlier this month, Cannons, a track from Youth Lagoon's debut, played before the band came on and it instantly made my friends I was with love his music. The melodies he produces are some of the most hypnotic, moving melodies I've heard all year, and it's part of what makes me find myself listening to the album almost on a daily basis.

The vocals are shrouded in a thick haze but that doesn't stop Powers from having a haunting quality to his voice, the songs usually share a familiar pattern of starting with his vocals being timid whisperings that echo through the keyboard and synths, before growing stronger and stronger and finishing with such passion; it really is an amazing experience. You can hear in his voice that he really means what he's singing.

At first, the lyrics take a back seat because of the distorted way they're delivered, but after a while, once you really listen to what he's saying, the true genius of Youth Lagoon is put on display. He takes real life experiences and embeds them perfectly into the songs. There's a distinct feeling of nostalgia that emanates throughout the record and makes it such a captivating listen. In highlight of the album, 17, he repeats "when I was seventeen / my mother said to me / don't stop imagining / the day that you do is the day that you'll die" in a way that really moves you.

Most of the tracks on the album all employ the same clever technique of starting off with a minimalist composition before building up, piece-by-piece until they form a kind of hypnotising motion that really carries the work forward, akin to that of The xx. July is a perfect example of this, it starts with a gentle hum from a synthesiser, before Powers' vocals are introduced. He then adds keyboards to the mix, his voice then grows stronger and stronger until he lets his emotions show on the track. It has a finish that combines every element of the track in such a dynamic way; it feels almost triumphant. Not all of the songs are written in this way, with Daydream being the biggest anomaly on the album. Straight away, we're submerged in a pulsing synth beat which gives the track a decidedly more upbeat atmosphere than the rest of the album.

The fact that Powers is able to translate the recorded material into a live setting so successfully really says something about the artist. His Tunnelvision session for Pitchfork showcased what makes him great. This particular live recording of July arguably sounded better than the recorded version.

As you can probably tell, The Year of Hibernation is a pretty special record in my eyes, and that's why it's one of my favourites of 2011. The future's bright for Youth Lagoon, and I cannot wait to see what happens next.