Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
The third studio album from the Canadian multi-piece is effing quality. It received rave reviews all round and God damn it, they deserve it.
Key Tracks: Rococo, Ready To Start
Netsky - Netsky
Boris Daenen is the prodigal son of Hospital Records. Being on the same label as liquid funk maestro's High Contrast and London Elektricity probably helped the young Belgian release such a crisp debut album.
Key Tracks: Let's Leave Tomorrow, Storm Clouds
The Roots - How I Got Over
2010 saw The Roots push out their 9th studio album. The soul hop stories of growing up in hard neighbourhoods and hustling have never been so pleasing to the ear.
Key Tracks: How I Got Over, The Fire
Tame Impala - Innerspeaker
Dream sequence rock from beyond-their-years kids from Perth. The crazy artwork is the icing on an inspiring and psychedelic cake. Australia's best thing at the moment.
Key Tracks: The Bold Arrow Of Time, Solitude Is Bliss
Reflection Eternal - Revolutions per Minute
The second installment from this skilfull partnership is just as good as their first. Hi-Tek's cruisy beats and Kweli's ever consistent rhyme compliment each other like rosemary and lamb.
Key Tracks: The Ballad Of The Black Gold, In This World
Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III)
The album that keeps on giving. It's hard to pull off an album that's 18 tracks long, but Janelle does it. Bad luck to whoever's going to Good Vibes, this funk soul extravaganza has cancelled. Pity... her sexy engergy woulda made you moan ae.
Kay Tracks: Dance Or Die (feat. Saul Williams), Tight Rope (feat. Big Boi)
Foals - Total Life Forever
Foals muchly anticipated sophomore album surprised a lot of people with a more melodic and harmonic approach, opposed to the dance floor mathematics of Antidotes. Total Life Forever was said by the band to be "like the dream of an eagle dying"... Yeah man totally. All tripped out similes aside, it's a sick album.
Key tracks: Alabaster, Miami, Spanish Sahara
Bonobo - Black Sands
Cover to cover brilliance. Strong contender for album of the year... actually fuck it - album of the year. Chill out at it's best.
Key Tracks: Kong, We Could Forever, All In Forms
Black Milk - Album Of The Year
This album is actually titled 'Album of the Year'. His rapping ability may not be as sharp as some, but this kid is one talented beatsmith. Royce Da 5'9'' and Danny Brown rip it up on their respective tracks.
Key Tracks: 365, Deadly Medley (feat. Royce Da 5'9'' & Elzhi), Black and Brown (feat. Danny Brown)
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty
Big Boi's debut solo album oozes that cocky pimpishness that only some MCs can pull off. The first 5 tracks on the album don't miss a beat.
Key Tracks: Daddy Fat Sax, Shutterbug (feat. Cutty)
