The Best Music of 2009

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnLVp7nQSQA

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

Animal Collective - My Girls (2009)

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!"
Mono/Poly - Distant Form

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

Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue

Bibio - Top Soil

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).

Bruce Peninsula - Crabapples (are for loving...)

Bruce Peninsula - Steamroller

Camera Obscura-My Maudlin Career

Camera Obscura - "French Navy" official video

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.

Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse @ Dark Night Of The Soul

Little Girl - Dark Night of the Soul - Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse

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

Fever Ray 'When I Grow Up'

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

If I Had a Heart - Fever Ray (Fuck Buttons Remix)

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).

FUCK BUTTONS - SURF SOLAR

Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest

GRIZZLYBEATS: Grizzly Bear vs. The Knife ( Knife / Heartbeats - Remix ) (another awesome remix)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmD7CvuLxdE

Harmonic 313 - When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence
Instrumental hiphop.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Jim O'Rourke - The Visitor

Jim O'Rourke - The Visitor (extract)

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQgjpkbZ2AU

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

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

Junior Boys - Parallel Lines

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

Land of Kush - Rue Du Départ

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emig_w4vk9A

Major Lazer "Keep it Going Louder"

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

Mary Anne Hobbs - Wild Angels Preview

Architeq - Sleeping Bear Lament (Take Remix)

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/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EgbtNMcdwM

Memory Tapes-Run Out

Metric-Fantasies

Metric - Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT remix)

Gimme Sympathy [Official Music Video] - METRIC

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLzeY-9NR2Y

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Mos Def-The Ecstatic

Mos Def The Embassy

Mos Def Supermagic

Mulatu Astatke w/ The Heliocentrics - Inspiration Information

mulatu astatke/the heliocentrics - blue nile

Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics Interview (Strut)

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

Muskox - Foot Locker

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQhPHTLAqPY

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Stay Alive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JemWi8T-ejI

Pan American - The White Bird Release
Ambient

http://www.myspace.com/panamericantrue

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frHHS5FZWnM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px12JPgc0ic

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fty_DxJmUZw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrbGpvOulec

Sholi - Sholi
Psychedelic

Sholi - All That We Can See

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.

Slaraffenland - Meet And Greet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qPJ2ALgCqs

Sufjan Stevens - The BQE

THE BQE- A FILM BY SUFJAN STEVENS

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXFXWPer6rA

Tim Exile - Listening Tree

Timber Timbre-Timber Timbre

Timber Timbre - Demon Host

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

Two Fingers - Keman Rhythm

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

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.