It’s December, which means it’s time for a review of the best of 2009. I’m biased, I’m most definitely not including ALL of the year’s great music, and yes, ‘best’ is totally subjective and unfair but below is some of the music myself and Ian Doig-Phaneuf have listened to and loved most this year. Instead of trying to describe each album with words I’ve included a link to the youtube video I feel is most representative (or simply their best/most popular) work.

What’s on your most played list this year? What albums do you want in your stocking?

2562 - Unbalance
Dubstep.


Animal Collective-Merriweather Post Pavilion
Hard to put this band’s sound into a neat genre but to me it’s psychedelic indy music.
Sounds like: Panda Bear, Grizzly Bear


Beat Dimensions Vol. 2 - Various Artists
This album features the work of 20 underground hip hop artists including Nosaj Thing and Danny Breaks.

"More than just a compilation its a movement bitch!"

Bibio - "Vignetting The Compost" (Ian's pick) and "Ambivalence Avenue" (my pick)
Two releases in 2009! Two related but distinct sounds on each album.
Sounds like: Boards of Canada, a sunny day in the park



Bruce Peninsula-A Mountain is a Mouth
For those of you who missed this year’s LOLA, you missed out on hearing one of Canada’s best bands live (and they were awesome).



Camera Obscura-My Maudlin Career


Canaille - Potential Things
Jazz.
http://www.zunior.com/product_info.php?products_id=2701

Dangermouse and Sparklehorse-Dark Night of the Soul
An amazing indie collaboration.



Fever Ray-Fever Ray
Sounds like: The Knife (obviously)




Fuck Buttons-Tarot Sport
Noise with some beautiful melodies.
Behind one of my favorite remixes of the year (Fever Ray’s If I had a Heart).


Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest
(another awesome remix)


Harmonic 313 - When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence
Instrumental hiphop.



Jim O'Rourke - The Visitor


jj- jj n° 2
Swedish electronic pop with a heavy R&B influence.



Junior Boys-Begone Dull Care
Amazing group from Hamilton, Ontario that you should be aware of by now.


Land Of Kush - Against The Day
Sam Shalabi and plenty of others make crazy Egyptian orchestral music.


Major Lazer-Guns Don’t Kill People-- Lazers Do
Diplo and Switch join forces to make a dancehall album. And it’s as awesome as dudes with lazers for arms. These videos are probably NSFW.



Mary Anne Hobbs - Wild Angels (compilation)
The year’s best dubstep. Check yourselves.



Memory Tapes-Seek Magic

If you feel like summer was too short this album might assuage your pain a little bit or at least keep you hanging onto dreams of the next.

I’m in love with you little sister / we ride home in the night / from under our feet the rain paints the street / with the stars/



Metric-Fantasies



Moderat-Moderat
Sounds like: a Modeselektor and Apparat collaboration ;)



Mos Def-The Ecstatic



Mulatu Astatke w/ The Heliocentrics - Inspiration Information



Muskox - 5 Pieces
http://www.myspace.com/muskoxmuskoxmuskoxmuskox


OH NO - Dr. No's Oxperiment
Madlib’s brother, evidently also crazy talented.


The Pains of Being Pure At Heart



Pan American - The White Bird Release
Ambient

http://www.myspace.com/panamericantrue


Passion Pit-Manners
Sounds like: your heart exploding into a million glittery pieces.



Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
If I had to pick just one, this would probably be my absolute favorite of 2009.



Sholi - Sholi
Psychedelic


Slaraffenland-We’re on Your Side
Another great band that played at this year’s LOLA festival, thank you Mr. Phoig-Daneuf!

Sounds like: The National, but experimental and uniquely special.



Sufjan Stevens - The BQE


Tim Exile - Listening Tree
Sounds like: Aphex Twin meets Dave Gahan



Timber Timbre-Timber Timbre


Two Fingers-Two Fingers
Sounds like: grimey dub n’ basshop (hot new genre).


The xx- xx
Sounds like: make out music for teenagers and the young at heart.
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