Melanie Walker, Music Director

1. Lykke Li — Wounded Rhymes

Favorite song: "I Follow Rivers"

Wounded Rhymes is the best modern indie pop album of the year provocative and oozing confidence.

2. Little Dragon — Ritual Union

Favorite song: "Ritual Union"

Sweden continues to churn out some of the best new music and Little Dragon leads the pack with some of their most imaginative and whimsical tracks to date.

3. M83 — Huring Up, We're Dreaming

Favorite song: "Intro feat. Zola Jesus"

Not too many people can get away with making a double album, but M83's lush, expansive sound pulls it off in epic proportions.

4. Frank Ocean — Nostalgia, Ultra

Favorite song: "There Will Be Tears"

The only one artist worth salvaging from the mess that is Odd Future.

5. Chapel Club — Palace

Favorite song: "The Shore"

Chapel Club would make The Smith's proud carrying on the signature Manchester sound. "Palace" is easily the most overlooked debut of the year.

6. Radiohead — King of Limbs

Favorite song: "Lotus Flower"

As a die hard Radiohead fan I'd be remised to not include any of their releases on my year end lists. I love their return to the icy ,Kid A-like, monochromatic sound.

7. Anna Calvi — Anna Calvi

Favorite song: "Blackout"

London's female "Nick Cave" has a cinematic quality to her music that makes it alluring and mysterious.

8. Toro Y Moi — Underneath the Pine

Favorite song: "New Beat"

Sometimes I long for the hey day's of down tempo and nu jazz but most of the favorites I long for haven't really stood the test of time. Toro Y Moi brings back the best of that era for me with his chill lo-fi arrangements.

9. John Maus — We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves

Favorite song: "Believer"

Ok yes he's a total weirdo, but underneath all the oddities and extremes John Maus is the new master of future pop.

10. Cults — Cults

Favorite song: "Abducted"

What I love best about Cults is that underneath all that pop brilliance there's a dark secret just waiting to be discovered.



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