So here we are. The final ten. It really has been a fantastic year for music. Flying Lotus, Curren$y, Sufjan Stevens and Yeasayer all could have easily made the top ten with their efforts but here are at least 5 albums, each with a very basic blurb, that stood in their way.
10) Lissie – Catching a Tiger
Lissie and her band have had a whirlwind of a year by industry standards. From being an absolute nobody in January to selling out Shepherds Bush Empire, supporting Joshua Radin, garnering the kudos from…errr… Perez Hilton and making a new best bud in Ellie Goulding in 12 calendar months is hugely impressive. However, if you shift all the media attention to one side, you are left with the bare bones: a cute, blonde girl, a guitar and her band. No strings, no synths, no strings attached. This is reflected neatly in her music. There’s no deep meaning or hidden context to these sweet love songs. They’re simple, they’re fun, they’re catchy and they’re something you can listen to without analysing each note every step of the way. Not only has her single ‘When I’m Alone’ made the iTunes #1 Single of the Year but her album, Catching A Tiger, has made the lessbrighteyes top ten albums of 2010. Which one is the more humbling accolade? That’s obvious. Let’s hope this commercial success doesn’t go to the label’s head – nobody wants to see Lissie ft. David Guetta.
9) Ihsahn – After
If you discount the infamous Varg Vikernes then Ihsahn is probably one of the most recognisable names in black metal. He is certainly the one to cover himself in the most glory (or the least controversy – take your pick) and he has left a lasting legacy that all music fans can be thankful for in the guise of Emperor. But would he be able to traverse the dodgy precipice of band member to solo artist? The answer was a resounding yes. His first two releases,The Adversary and Angl, are solid records in their own right, but After is his magnum opus. Check out my review of After right here on this blog.
8 ) Alcest – Écailles de lune
Another entry into the top ten for progressive black metal. Neige, the sole member of Alcest, isn’t as well known as Ihsahn, nor will the name Alcest ever send as big a shockwave through black metal as Emperor did, but a direct comparison to Emperor would be naive. Alcest contain all the musically experimental elements that make Ihsahn’s solo albums so successful but also add a facet of post-rocky/shoegaze goodness. For more on Écailles de lune, check my review here.
7) Royksopp – Senior
Finally, Royksopp release something that can stand proud next to their debut. Sophomore release The Understanding was good but not great and Junior, the first of these dual albums, built upon the happy, eccentric foundations that The Understanding set but never quite reached the quality that Melody AM set the benchmark for. Senior brings back elements of those warm, melancholy instrumentals while still retaining the catchy hooks that made songs like Eple and Royksopp’s Night Out so popular. However, Senior is also a lot darker than their debut. If Melody AM is the sound of you casually drifting down a freshly powdered ski-slope with the sun shining then Senior is the sound of you casually drifting down a freshly powdered ski-slope…in the pitch black. Unlike previous albums, there is no Robyn, no Karen Dreijer, no Erlend Oye; just you, Royksopp and a lot of reflection. If you let yourself be absorbed by the Norwegian duo’s introspective ambiance then there is a lot to find here.
6) Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid
Oh Janelle. The lovely Janelle Monae. So far ahead of Kesha, Katy Perry and other female pop artists of that ilk it’s untrue. When you hear that someone has signed to P. Diddy’s label, Bad Boy Records, it’s fairly easy to construct an image of that artist in your head. But Diddy, along with help from Big Boi, have unearthed an absolute gem. A real soulful, funky gem. A gem that even your mother would like. That’s the best thing about The ArchAndroid. On the surface, it’s a collection of funky, very well produced R&B/soul songs but behind this exterior is an outrageously huge concept that even a veteran of the music industry would find difficult to assemble. When you’re shuffling along to Tightrope or doing a little air guitar during THAT bit in Cold War, the thought that the album “involves the fictional tale of Cindi Mayweather, a messianic android sent back in time to free the citizens of Metropolis from The Great Divide, a secret society that uses time-travel to suppress freedom and love” never even registers. This is what makes The ArchAndroid surpass your Kelly Rowlands, your Ushers, your Ne-Yos. Incredible depth from a genuinely talented artist. Oh, and it’s her DEBUT LP. The ArchAndroid is just a mindblowing vision an artist that you, your brother, your sister and your mum can love.
