Here are my favourite long players in no particular order.
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Does everything a follow up record should, expanding on the elements that made his debut so brillant with a few surprises tossed in for good mesure.
Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch the Throne
After months of hype and bizarre listening parties this album dropped to severely split opinion. In no way was it as brilliant as the sum of it’s part, or My Dark Twisted Fantasy, but it’s pure bombast and killer singles made sure it got a thrashing at BW towers.
Oliver Tank – Dreams EP
Coming out of nowhere Sydney’s own Oliver Tank continued to add to label Yes Please’s brillant roster. The James Blake comparisons are expected but Oliver brings enough of his own to proceedings. Roll on the LP.
Friendly Fires – Pala
While not quite as revelatory as their debut, Pala saw FF exploring earlier rave sounds and flexing their percussive muscle.
Tune Yards – Who Kill
Stuttering in parts, melodic in others but never dull, Who Kill is a unique pop indie record.
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Less accessible than their debut, this is a sprawling multi-instrumental record that opens up over multiple listens.
James Blake – James Blake
Blending the choppy dance floor sounds with the singer-songwriter hidden within him James Blake lives up to the hype and further expands the British bass sound.
Drake – Take Care / Frank Ocean – Nostalgia / Ultra
These two records define a sound that came to fruition in 2011, a strange blend of soul, modern R’n'B and electronica. While some may find the self pity tedious, this is easily cancelled out by the inspired use of samples and killer hooks across both LP’s.
The Roots – Undun
Appearing near the end of the year, this is the Roots at their most conceptual. Striping away all the weighty themes and heavy handed videos this album shines as an amazing collection of beats and rhymes.
Other Lives – Tamer Animals
A brooding collection of folk indie gems in the vein of the National. Lost in the shuffle this year, don’t sleep.
