1.
Japandroids – Celebration Rock
Of all the records I’ve enjoyed this
year, this is the one I’ve revisited most often. It’s a wonderfully energetic
celebration of youth and debauchery; an exuberant, careering supernova of
nostalgia brought to life through bellowing, anthemic choruses, buzzsaw guitars
and breakneck-speed drums. Posturing and
pretension are left at the front door: this is just two guys singing about
partying, drinking and the excitement of new relationships; an honest salute to
the good times.
2.
Goat – World Music
Sweden’s Goat exploded onto my radar
this year with a kaleidoscopic carnival of colourful, hypnotic, psyched-out
jams. World Music is a dizzying,
danceable disco triumph where more traditional elements of primal chanting,
Afro-beat and tribal drumming collide with thudding bass, and are decorated by
flourishes of spacey guitars and vintage organ.
3.
School of Seven Bells – Ghostory
Ghostory is by far and away the most consistent and accomplished School of
Seven Bells record to date. It’s incredibly well-paced; a perfect balance
between blisteringly energetic pop gems and more floaty and downtempo
offerings. The record is peppered with huge hooks throughout, creating an enjoyable and memorable listen, and a sensory experience accentuated by Alejandra
Dehaza’s striking ethereal vocals.
4.
Air – Le Voyage Dans Le Lune
The French duo’s soundtrack to George
Méliès's 1902 silent film could be considered quite a niche listen, however
there’s more than enough going on here to interest those unfamiliar with the
concept of this record. A slightly menacing tension is maintained throughout,
punctuated by the upbeat strut of Parade
and the viscerally triumphant Seven Stars.
5.
Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
Perhaps slightly more accessible than
previous Dirty Projectors offerings, Swing
Lo Magellan takes a more straightforward approach. It’s a brave record,
allowing the heartfelt lyrics to come to the fore, however not impeding on the
sheer artistry that makes this band so thrilling. Longstreth’s vocal acrobatics
are still present and correct, and are backed up by lush and imaginative
harmonies and swells of strings, exemplified on Gun Has No Trigger.
6.
RM Hubbert – Thirteen Lost and Found
Hubbert teams his incredible,
near-virtuoso, flamenco guitar style with a veritable who’s who of the Scottish
music scene: Aidan Moffat, Alasdair Roberts and Hanna Tuulikki all feature to
carve out a breathtaking piece of work. The record features evocative tracks
dealing with loss, hope, death and depression, and is an exceptionally moving,
beguiling and uplifting musical experience.
7.DIIV
– Oshin
Fantastically melodic dream pop, with
distant and almost unintelligible vocals that leave the brilliant tangle of interlinking
reverb-heavy melancholic guitar lines and warm bass to communicate the musical
intent. Definitely an ‘album’ album, Oshin
is at its cohesive best when listened to in its entirety, and part of my
fondness for this record stems from it being recommended to me by a certain
shoegazer on his last day at One Up. Support your local record shop!
8.
Cat Power – Sun
A bit of a departure from Chan
Marshall’s previous output, the poppiness of Sun caught me off guard a little: it remains upbeat, but almost in
a defiance of what no doubt have been the darker elements in Marshall’s life. Among
the swagger there is an element of reflective retrospection and, notably, the best
use of the word “bitchin’” I’ve heard on a record in quite some time.
9.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor – ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
It was a delightful surprise to see a
new Godsepeed You! Black Emperor record this year, and I found myself
particularly blown away by Mladic: a
masterclass in how to use repetition at its most menacing and crushing best; a
chaotic Eastern-European refrain hurtling the track to its dizzying conclusion
in glorious fashion.
10.
Off! – Off!
A ferociously fast slice of Californian
punk by hardcore veterans, this self-titled album is an urgent and unyielding
listen that goes from track 1 to 16 in just over 15 minutes. Though it doesn’t quite rage as much as some
of the band’s previous EPs, a little more precision in the song writing
ultimately makes for a slightly more memorable listen.
Honourable
Mentions
Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
The Antlers – Undersea
Ringo Deathstarr – Mauve
Dirty Three – Toward the Low Sun
CH
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