Albums
Honourable Mentions: Loom - Fear of Men, I Never Learn - Lykke Li, In Conflict - Owen Pallett
5. Luminous - The Horrors
Luminous may not have represented a drastic progression for The Horrors, but its lavished Dream-Pop and Indie-Rock harmonies are consistently great. Still as hazily wistful as ever, and possibly even more catchy.
4. Nicki Nack - Tune-Yards
Delightfully offbeat, wonderfully left-field, crisply executed Indie Pop. Exquisite production, a unique voice, and enough subtle idiosyncrasies for innumerable listens.
3. Casualties of Cool - Casualties of Cool
Folk has hardly been the traditional genre for translating Sci-Fi epics into musical narratives, but it's successful here. It's lyrically intelligent and emotive, but Aimee Dorval's vocals are possibly my favourite thing in music so far this year.
2. To Be Kind - Swans
In terms of actual quality, this is very probably the best album of the year so far. Devastatingly powerful, the very experience of listening to it is arguably traumatic, and unavoidably moving. While, personally, I find its lack of intimacy destabilising at times, I can attest that you will not have a more brutally profound listen, well, ever.
1. Are We There - Sharon Von Etten
If To Be Kind ignores intimacy, Are We There has it by the truckload. A break-up album this uncompromisingly vulnerable, this affectedly touching (almost to the point of debilitation), is astonishing. It is an externalisation of the most insular pain.
Songs
10. Real Thing - Tune-Yards
9. Until The Sun Explodes - The Pain of Being Pure at Heart
8. Goddess - Iggy Azalea
7. Our Love - Sharon Von Etten
6. So Now You Know - The Horrors
5. Just Like a Dream - Lykke Li
4. Flight - Casualties of Cool
3. The Riverbed - Owen Pallett
2. Water Fountain - Tune-Yards
1. Your Love is Killing Me - Sharon Von Etten
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