 | 1. Lime Headed Dog - Neck of the Woods [genuinely unlike anything I've heard before - it won't get anywhere near your chart but check it out anyway!]
2. Destroyer - Kaputt
3. Death Grips - Ex-Military
4. Tom Waits - Bad as Me
5. And So I Watch You From Afar - Gangs
6. Battles - Gloss Drop
7. Hella - Tripper
8. ...And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead - Tao of the Dead
9. Okkervil River - You Are Very Far
10. Wild Flag - Wild Flag
- Tom Davis |  | ok here goes...there are probably a few more obscure things I could answer with but these ten are probably the most I've played and enjoyed this year so far.
1. Iceage - New Brigade
2. Mastodon - The Hunter
3. British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall
4. Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
5. Lanterns on the Lake - Graciuous Tide, Take Me Home
6. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
7. Cults - Cults
8. Wolves in the Throneroom - Celestial Lineage
9. Nicola Roberts - Cinderella's Eyes
10. Buffalo Tom - Skins
-
Gareth Davies
|
 |
1. Elite Gymnastics - RUIN
2. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
3. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
4. Balam Acab - Wander / Wonder
5. Weeknd, The - House of Balloons
6. Zomby - Dedication
7. Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage
8. Lil B - I'm Gay
9. Nico Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
10. Boris - New Album
- Charles MacDonald-Jones |
 |
1. Tune-yards - who kill
2. My Disco - Little Joy
3. Wye Oak - Civilian
4. Royal Headaches - ST
5. Middle East - I Want That You're Always Happy
6. White Denim - D
7. Josh T Pearson - Last of the Country Gentlemen
8. Radiohead - King Of Limbs
9. Implodes - Black Earth
10. Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming
- Graham Brown |
 |
1. Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
2. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol 2: Judges
3. Destroyer - Kaputt
4. Peaking Lights - 936
5. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX - We're New Here
6. Blanck Mass - Blanck Mass
7. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
8. Four Tet - Fabriclive 59
9. Sully - Carrier
10. Absu - Abzu
- Ben Hart |
 |
1. Mastodon - The Hunter - It sounds like a ghastly mistake on first listen, but patience pays off big time with this.
2. Bjork - Biophilia - Probably requires a viewing of the live show accompanying it for full appreciation but remains stunning.
3. Big Business - Quadrouple Single - This probably shouldn't count as it is technically a single, but it is probably the catchiest record of the year.
4. DJ Shadow - The Less You Know The Better - This guy is an amazing composer. How does he do it?
5. Primus - Green Naugahyde - Weird, quirky and downright bonkers.
6. Puscifer - The Conditions Of My Parole
7 'Weird Al' Yankovic - ALPOCALYPSE - Who doesn't like Weird Al?
8. They Might Be Giants - Join Us -
9. Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage - Less of an Emperor influence this time.
10. Radiohead - King Of Limbs
- Alex Turner |
 |
1. PJ Harvey: Let England Shake
2. Fleet Foxes: Helplessness Blues
3. Bon Iver: Bon Iver
4. Katie Moore: Montebello
5. Fucked Up: David Comes To Life
6. Weeknd, The: House of Balloons
7. Stephen Malkmus & Jicks - Mirror Traffic
8. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings: Kings and Queens
9. Braids: Native Speaker
10. Joy Formidable, The: The Big Roar
- Jennifer Woltemade |
 |
Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow would have been top 10 if it had come out before I'd made my list! Also I would have liked to put one of E-40's two records from this year on - but didn't quite love them as much as his two from 2010 - though in my book he's the best rapper out there right now.
1. Destroyer - Kaputt
2. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol.2: Judges
3. Deerhoof - Deerhoof Vs Evil
4. Katy B - On A Mission
5. Grails - Deep Politics
6. Death Grips - Exmilitary
7. Gillian Welch - The Harrow and The Harvest
8. Braids - Native Speaker
9. Azari & III - Azari & III
10. Matana Roberts - COIN COIN Chapter One: Gens de Couleur Libres
- Jamie Summers (ATP staff) |
 |
1. Hella - Tripper
2. Jay-z + Kanye West - Watch The Throne
3. Panda Bear - Tomboy
4. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
5. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
6. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
7. Real Estate - Days
8. Beyonce - 4
9. Bright Eyes - The People's Key
10. The Rapture - In The Grace Of Your Love
- Michael Giuliano |
 |
1. Atlas Sound - Parallax
2. Still Corners - Creatures of an Hour
3. The Weeknd - House of Balloons
4. Panda Bear - Tomboy
5. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
6. Braids - Native Speaker
7. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
8. DRC Music - Kinshasa One Two
9. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
10. James Blake - James Blake
- Nichole Benavente (ATP runner) |
 |
1. Poison Control Center, The - Stranger Ballet
2. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
3. Sic Alps - Napa Asylum
4. Battles - Gloss Drop
5. Widowspeak - Widowspeak
6. Anika - Anika
7. Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
8. FaltyDL - You Stand Uncertain
9. Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin On
10. Ice Age - New Brigade
- Willy Muse (ATP runner) |
 |
1. Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
2. John Maus - We Must Become The Pitiless Sensor Of Ourselves
3. The Reatards - Teenage Hate
4. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
5. White Hills - H-P1
6. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
7. Black Lips - Arabia Mountain
8. Earth - Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light
9. Stephen Malkmus - Mirror Traffic
10. Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
- Gabriel Harriss |
 |
Low - C'mon
Master Musicians Of Bukkake - Totem Three
Blawan - What You Do With What You Have
Lanterns on the Lake - Gracious Tide, Take Me Home
Retox - Ugly Animals
Das Racist - Relax
Cass McCombs - Wits End
Tombs - Path of Totality
Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
Acephalix - Interminable Night
Erfrim Manuel Menuck - plays High Gospel
- Shaun Kendrick (ATP staff) |
 |
Josh Pearson - Last Of The Country Gentlemen
Horrors, The - Skying
Panda Bear - Tomboy
Low - C'Mon
Wolves In The Throneroom - Celestial Lineage
Decemberists, The - The King Is Dead
Crystal Antlers - Two Way Mirror
War On Drugs, The - Slave Ambient
Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
Wild Flag - Wild Flag
- Ben-S |
 |
1. Tom Waits - Bad as me
2. James Blake - James Blake
3. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic
4. tUnE yArDs - whokill
5. Panda Bear - Tomboy
6. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
7. Julianna Barwick - Magic Place
8. Atlas Sound - Parallax
9. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
10. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
- Rui Canico |
 |
1. Bombay Bicycle Club - A different Kind Of Fix
2. St Vincent - Strange Mercy
3. Wild Beasts - Smother
4. Wild Flag - Wild Flag
5. Junior Boys - It's All True
6. Destroyer - Kaputt
7. The Field - Looping State Of Mind
8. Braids - Native Speaker
9. The Fall - Ersatz G.B.
10. Siriusmo - Mosaik
- Michael Woods (ATP Staff) |
|
1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
2. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
3. Feist - Metals
4 tUnE-yArDs - Who-Kill
5. Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
6. Elbow - Build a Rocket Boys!
7. Tom Waits - Bad as Me
8. Yuck - Yuck
9. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
10. Shonen Knife - Free Time
- Stuart Jary |
 |
Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
Civil Civic - Rules
Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
Rustie - Glass Swords
Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place
Wiley - 100% Publishing
Grouper - AIA
Jay-z and Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
- Ben Perkins |
 |
Dirty Beaches, Badlands
Peaking Lights, 936
Light Asylum, In Tension
Shabazz Palaces, Black Up
Gang Gang Dance, Eye Contact
Grimes, Geidi Primes
araabmuzik, Electronic Dream
Group Doueh, Zayna Jumma
White Fence, Is Growing Faith
Iceage, New Brigade
- Pam Garber (ATP Runner) |
 |
1. Radiohead - King of Limbs
2. Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
3. Washed Out - Within and Without
4. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
5. Walls - Coracle
6. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
7. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
8. Group Doueh - Zayna Jumma
9. Atlas Sound - Parallax
10. Zomby - Dedication
- Paul Cowley |
|
1. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
2. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare 2: Judges
3. Walls - Coracle
4. Field The - Looping State of Mind
5. Battles - Gloss Drop
6. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
7. Nicolas Jarr - Space is Only Noise
8. Death Grips - Exmilitary
9. Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse
10. Future Islands - On The Water
- James Carnes |
 |
1. Deerhoof- Deerhoof vs Evil
2. Zomby- Dedication
3. Clams Casino- Rainforest
4. Clams Casino- Instrumentals
5. Water Borders- Harbored Mantras
6. Planetary Assault Systems- The Messenger
7. Shabazz Palaces- Black Up
8. Egyptrixx- Bible Eyes
9. Cut Hands- Afro noise
10. Liturgy- Aesthetica
- James Hardy |
 |
1. Bill Wells and Aiden Moffat - Everythings Getting Older
2. The Trumpets of Death - Teeth + Teeth = Teeths
3. Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi
4. Mekons - Ancient & Modern
5. Battles - Gloss Drop
6. Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light Pt 1
7. Middleman - Spinning Plates
8. The Truth About Frank - Cannibal Work Ethic
9. Stateless - Matilda
10. monmon - Garage Rock
- Steve Walsh |
 |
01. Real Estate - Days
02. People's Temple, the - Sons of Stone
03. Royal Headache - s/t
04. Wooden Shjips - West
05. Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
06. White Hills - H-p1
07. Phil Manley - Life Coach
08. Men, the - Leave Home
09. Six Organs of Admittance - Maria Kapel
10. Oneida - Absolute II
- CRAZYLAND |
 |
Oh Blimey ... I do hate this ... but I love you guys enough to have to do it ! This is not necessarily my idea of the BEST music that came out the year but it is all part of my soundtrack for 2011. Most of this speaks for itself but please pay attention to Yogurt as, although it is a "covers" album, it is quite magical and the money goes the Japanese Earthquake Appeal!.... and New Villager as my daughter put them on my radar!
Battles - Gloss Drop
Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
Rustie - Glass Swords
Coppe' - Yogurt
Shonen Knife - Free Time
New Villager - New Villager
Danger Mouse / Daniele Lupi - Rome
ColourMusic - My ____ is Pink
Deerhoof - Deerhoof vs. Evil
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
- Sydney Levinson |
 |
1. Let's Wrestle - Nursing Home
2. Braids - Native Speaker
3. Nicola Roberts - Cinderella's Eyes
4. Caged Animals - Eat Their Own
5. Bright Eyes - The People's Keys
6. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
7. Tennis - Cape Dory
8. SBTRKT - SBTRKT
9. Battles - Glass Drop
10. Jeffrey Lewis - A Turn in the Dream Songs
- Richard Burrage |
|
1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
2. Broughton, David Thomas - Outbreeding
3. Destroyer - Kaputt
4. Low - C'Mon
5. Panda Bear - Tomboy
6. Valentine, Matt - What I Became
7. Grouper - A I A Alien Observer
8. Ignatz - I Hate This City
9. Vile, Kurt - Smoke Ring For My Halo
10. Haunted House - Blue Ghost Blues
- Owen Summers |
 |
1. Panda Bear - Tomboy
2. Deerhoof: Deerhoof vs. Evil
3. Beyonce - 4
4. Atlas Sound - Parallax
5. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Lenses Alien
6. Tune Yards - W H O K I L L
7. Ducktails - Arcade Dynamics
8. Drake - Take Care
9. Fennesz - Seven Stars EP
10. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
- Vincent Dee (ATP Runner) |
|
There's many more that could have been added to the list, but these are the ones I've kept coming back too. The Oneohtrix Point Never album would probably have been here if it had turned up on time!
1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
2. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
3. King Creosote And Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
4. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - S/T
5. Wild Beasts - Smother
6. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will
7. Half Man Half Biscuit - 90 Bisodol (Crimond)
8. Advisory Circle - As The Crow Flies
9. Rustie - Glass Swords
10. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
- Andrew Parsons |
|
1. PJ Harvey Let England Shake
2. Low- C'mon
3. Iron and Wine- Kiss Each Other Clean
4. St Vincent- Strange Mercy
5. Battles- Gloss Drop
6. Trembling Bells- The Constant Pageant
7. Juliana Barwick- The Magic Place
8. Faulty DL- You Stand Uncertain
9. Josh t Pearson- Last of the Country Gentleman
10. Wire- Red Barked Tree
- Ian Taylor |
|
1. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
2. Holy Other - With U (EP)
3. Walls - Coracle
4. Field, The - Looping State of Mind
5. Washed Out - Within and Without
6. Battles - Gloss Drop
7. Josh T. Pearson - Last of the Country Gentlemen
8. Rone - So So So (EP)
9. Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse
10. Babe Rainbow - Endless Path (EP)
- Matthew King |
 |
1. David Lynch - Crazy Clown Time
2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
3. Psychic Paramount, The - II
4. Josh T Pearson - Last of the Country Gentleman
5. Barn Owl - Lost in the Glare
6. Bjork - Biophilia
7. Suuns - Zeroes QC
8. Dirty Beaches - Badlands
9. Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love
10. Moon Duo - Mazes
I'm going to give honourable mentions to the following as well: 13 & God - Own Your Ghost, Wooden Shjips - West, Civil Civic - Rules, Seefeel - Seefeel and Crystal Antlers - Two Way Mirror.
- Bekki Burbidge |
 |
1. Bjork - Biophilia
2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
3. Trash Talk- Awake
4. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic
5. Mf Doom - Operation Doomsday (reissue)
6. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath 1972
7. Four Tet - Fabriclive 59
8. Iceage - New Brigade
9. Amon Tobin - Isam
10. Action Bronson - Dr. Lecter
- Hiro Yamazaki |
|
1. Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
2. Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip
3. Cults - Cults
4. Yuck - Yuck
5. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
6. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (their best since Rock Action, though I love everything they do)
7. Beirut - The Ript Tide
8. Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip
9. Battles - Gloss Drop
10. Black Lips - Arabia Mountain
- Benjamin Redder |
 |
1. Mogwai - Earth Division EP
2. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
3. tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l
4. Panda Bear - Tomboy
5. Four Tet (Various Artists) - Fabriclive59
6. James Blake - James Blake
7. Destroyer - Kaputt
8. Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
9. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo
- Karin Sung (ATP Runner) |
 |
1. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
2. Soldiers of Fortune - Ball Strength
-The best act I caught at ATP this May.
3. Beirut - The Rip Tide
4. Youth Lagoon - Year of Hibernation
5. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
6. Go! Team, The - Rolling Blackouts
-Great album to listen to while working out.
7. Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer
8. Yuck - Yuck
9. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
-Warrants a spot on this list for "Raconte-Moi Une Histoire" alone.
10. Fang Island - Fang Island
-Technically this came out in 2010, but I still listen to it far more than most albums from 2011.
- Bradley Redder |
 |
1. Braids - Native Speaker
2. Peaking Lights - 936
3. Blanck Mass - S/T
4. Death Grips - Exmilitary
5. Gareth Liddiard - Strange Tourist
6. The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
7. The Fall - Ersatz GB
8. Deerhoof - Deerhoof vs. Evil
9. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
10. The Luyas - Too Beautiful To Work
- Sim O'Farrell (ATP Staff) |
|
1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
2. Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
3. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
4. Low - C'mon
5. Death Grips - Ex-Military
6. Atlas Sound - Parallax
7. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
8. Deerhoof - Deerhoof Vs Evil
9. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol 2: Judges
10. Earth - Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light I
- Rosalynde Roberts (ATP Staff) |
