I don’t want to drag this out into 2012, it’s the kind of thing I’ll obsess over and not obsessing over this kind of thing is definitely one of my resolutions.
- The Beach Boys - The SMiLE Sessions
It’s the first year that you could ever say “it’s been released”, so cut me some slack. Also, even if it had been made this year, it would have been the best album of the year. What were you expecting? - Machinedrum - Room(s)
Every track on here is great. An amazing extrapolation on the sound of juke/footwork music. Absolutely essential. - Nicolas Jaar - Space is Only Noise
A great album in the traditional sense of the word. It’s not just a collection of songs; it ebbs and flows and bangs and boggles. - AraabMuzik - Electronic Dream
Eminently playable. Nothing else hooked me so quickly and never let go. If you ever find yourself in a car at night and you’re not sure what to put on, now you are. - James Blake - James Blake
For some reason, I always find myself listening to this album on airplanes. On the last trip, it finally clicked for me. This album has an inventive patience and fragile boldness on every track. - John Maus - We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves
Continuing with a certain strain of music that seemed to be everywhere last year, Maus overpowers you with the size of his music. Big bellowing emotions with richly deep keys. - A$AP Rocky - Live.Love.A$AP
I still love rap, but I’d like it if there was more worth loving. Thank goodness for A$AP’s first full-length mixtape for bringing back the sounds that make you want to ride around town, speakers on blast, roll on slow. - Weeknd - House of Balloons
I’d write more about this, but I need to get ready for a New Years party, and if anyone would understand that, it’s Weeknd. - Kuedo - Severant
Electronic Insect Hip-Hop. No more, no less. But for me, that’s plenty. - Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
A little bit of a throwback to the Devendra days of college, but coming out fresher than you’d expect due to a torrent of sincerity and obvious passion for playing. It has some weak points as a whole, but the songs you’ll keep on repeat will feel like little albums in themselves.
