In no particular order. Well, somewhat particular at least. Fever Ray made things easy in 2009, this year was more of a struggle. There was a lot of good records, but none that I really felt were leaps and bounds ahead of the others. Still, there were some that stood out. Joanna Newsom, for one, with her triple (!) LP (and without a track to spare) or Caribou’s Arthur Russell influenced LP. Two excellent minimal synth compilations were also on heavy rotation this year… And the list goes on. Here are some records we listened to the most this year.
Joanna Newsom: Have One on Me
Darkstar: North
Caribou: Swim
Flying Lotus: Cosmogramma
Four Tet: There Is Love in You
Pantha du Prince: Black Noise
Future Islands: In Evening Air
Broken Water: Whet
Robyn: Body Talk
High Places: High Places vs. Mankind
Emeralds: Does it Look Like I’m Here?
Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles II
Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
V/A: The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol.1/Cold Waves & Minimal Electronics Vol.1
SALEM: King Night
Tamaryn: The Waves
Teengirl Fantasy: 7 AM
These New Puritans: Hidden
Toro y Moi: Causers of This
Wild Nothing: Gemini
Deerhunter: Halcyon Digest
How to Dress Well: Love Remains
Mount Kimbie: Crooks and Lovers
Matthew Dear: Black City
Frank (just Frank): The Brutal Wave
Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer
Grass Widow: Past Time
Roll the Dice: Roll the Dice
Autre Ne Veut: Autre Ne Veut
No Age: Everything in Between
Warpaint: The Fool
Geneva Jacuzzi: Lamaze
Oneohtrix Point Never: Returnal
School of Seven Bells: Disconnect from Desire
Big Boi: Sir Luscious Left Foot the Son of Chico Dusty
Beach House: Teen Dream
Baths: Cerulean
John Roberts: Glass Eights
Loscil: Endless Falls
Actress: Splazsh
