20 James Blake - James Blake
Never has silence sounded so good. James Blake is not afraid to utilise "nothing" as a musical technique to make "something" even more beautiful. It is this bravery, or shamefaced audacity, that allows Blake's sparsely spits of echoing pianos or brimming with emotion vocals sound all the more heartfelt and haunting. In this self-titled debut album Blake has done the impossible in 2011 and made his offbeat encompassing sampling mainstream. With 'Limit To Your Love' currently possessing 9 million Youtube views; 'The Wilhelm Scream' 2 million. A sound popularised within underground clubs such as 'The Boiler Room' has since allowed Blake to win a number of accolades; with the latest scoop announcing James winner of 'Best Newcomer' at the European Festival Awards.
19 tUnE - yArDs - WHOKILL
An album that began it's early origins on dictaphones has travelled a long way to find itself as a strong contender for album of the year. tUnE-yArDs is a brave production, whilst it is undoubtedly genius it narrowly skates the line of the bizarre or the wonderful, much like modern art. In fact, in some ways the album pays homage to modern art, initially in its splicing and dicing synonymous with pop art culture - the siren sounds within 'Gangsta' as notorious as Campbells soup; secondly the album is almost a musical form of graffiti - it is barefaced, unashamed, it has a statement to make and it unabashedly makes it, seizing attention barefacedly. Thirdly, there is a sense within the album that nothing is off-limits as we crazily meander from punk guitar to saxophone serenades and back again. For this alone tUnE-yArDs' charting position is worthy. 'WHOKILL' is a bizarre affair, just what activity would this album soundtrack for instance? (the Mad Hatters tea party perhaps?) but it is a wonderfully creative and self-indulgent project. The range of the album is a tremendous accomplishment as 'My Country' cries for hula skirts, beach frolicking and a round of pina coladas whilst 'Doorstep' is a scatty whimsical fervour and 'Gangsta' has you locking your doors but mellowed down live the real beauty and creativity of the album is showcased, evidential here in Paris, of course.
18 Florence & the Machine - Ceremonials
From the ashes of the oh so popular 'Lungs' Florence has created a rousing spirited phoenix in 'Ceremonials.' As dark and dramatic as its predecessor 'Ceremonials' sees Florence making literary and biblical references to rousing choruses, clashing symbols and ambitiously long notes. The result is operatic and intricate, a sophisticated elevation from the nimbleness and naturalness of 'Lungs,' this is a very grown-up album as Florence caters for her festival audience through cinematic tracks such as 'Shake It Out'. There is a sense, that Florence's sensuous and soaring voice is almost secondary to the instrumental tracks, so orchestrated and overpowering are the ranges of bells, keyboards, strings and harps. A real stunner on the album is 'Never Let Me Go' which slowly creeps under your skin in a more subtle way than 'What The Water Gave Me,' capturing feelings we've all been privy to with an artists acuteness.
17 Austra - Feel It Break
Where 'Ceremonials' is the operatic and cinematic album of notoriety this year; Austra's equally as impressive efforts went largely unnoticed by both critics and charts. The Canadian band have created their own genre through the collaboration of electronic beats with classically trained Katie Stelmanis' stupendous vocals. There is something of the Florence Welch within the dark, subtly sexy soaring heights of Stelmanis' voice as the evocative beat (and video) for 'Beat and The Pulse' reveals. The concept album is strong from start to finish, with any of the eleven tracks capable of being lifted as singles. There is a juxtaposition, that also occurs within Florence and the Machine's album, in that these are songs you want to dance and drink and take drugs to but they are also songs you want to cry alone in your room to. The album is wholly theatrical and somewhat supernatural. As with 'The Beast' the hymn-like nature of Austra is emphasised, repeated Church-esque piano notes at complete odds with Katie's luminescent, hypnotic and otherworldly voice. This is intelligent, feministic electro and not nearly enough of it is being made.
16 SBTRKT - SBTRKT
Pronounced 'subtract' the moniker of this London producer was as mysterious and as curious as his identity when this debut album first released. The album is a captivating eleven track album striking for its peppering of bare electro beats against beautiful vocals in collaborative tracks with forthcoming artists such as Jessie Ware, Roses Gabor and Sampha. The album framed SBTRKT as the perfect DJ, as sets at Parklife, Boiler Room and Bestival have since confirmed, the crowd is struck by artful timing, sonic creativity and an awareness of our time and culture as his stunning Radio One Essential Mix confirmed. It is clear that SBTRKT is wholly aware the album stands for dance music in 2011, an electronic indulgence influenced by the emergence of dubstep, Britain's underground dance culture, the history of garage and the wave The xx created with their debut album that SBTRKT has reacted to. Almost tribal 'Wildfire' has become the most played track of the album, whilst the subtle ghostly beats and hitting vocals - "You're giving me the coldest stare / Like You Don't even know I'm here" of 'Hold On' and garage influenced 'Right Thing To Do' audibly personify Britain's relationship with dance music.
15 Drake - Take Care
It is evidential by now the extent to which Drake has his finger on the pulse musically, but for anybody that wasn't quite aware of this, they were shocked into noticing with his version of Gil Scott Heron's 'I'll Take Care Of U' shortened to just 'Take Care.' Shockingly, with vocals provided by Rihanna and a homage to Gil Scott Heron remaining, the track was a beautiful, gentle adaptation of the song that set the precedent for 'Take Care.' The whole album has a throwback feel, with gospel choirs appearing on "Lord Knows" and Stevie Wonder collaborating on the deep "Doing It Wrong." The album is surprising from start to finish, but it is beautiful and brave as 'Crew Love,' that sees Drake and The Weeknd collaborate, emphasises.
14 The Horrors - Skying
2011 was the year The Horrors grew up, curbing their wild live performances, their goth pop ways and notoriety through personal relationships to create 'Skying.' Or perhaps, their behaviour still ran afoul and we failed to notice this time round, dazzled by the retro vibe and dazzling beauty of tracks such as 'Still Life'. This was indiepop Summer roadtrip music that came from the most unsuspecting of artists. The album was strong from start to finish; with woozy guitars, soft drums and a lullaby nature to Badwan's vocals that created a mystical and dreamy affair as 'Still Life' emphasises, though a cheeky testament to their old ways emerged unexpectedly through 'Endless Blue.'
13 Four Tet - Fabriclive59
Four Tet's Fabriclive album is a gorgeous homage to the club, Hebden places his own music secondary to the club itself, sampling muffled chatter and background noise from the cavernous club and combining garage and acid house to make a fitting tribute. The result is a twenty seven track album that tells a story. It twists and turns, leaps and bounds, fades in and out; condensing a history and appreciation of the club and the music its championed alongside Hebden's creative efforts. The scope and selection of the album's contents was a risky decision, but it ultimately paid off as heavily played blissful garage rooted tracks 'Pyramid' and 'Locked' have emphasised.
12 PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
PJ Harvey's 'Let England Shake' was a befitting 2011 Mercury Prize winner, ten years earlier she'd been unable to attend the ceremony due to being stuck in New York in the aftermath of the Twin Tower collapsing. That a peace album won a decade on from that moment was remarkably apt. It is also arguably PJ Harvey's most listenable album yet; the dramatic artistry toned down to just the right amount. Instead of marvelling at PJ Harvey as a concept or audacious avenger through 'Let England Shake' we are able to enjoy PJ Harvey is the most well translated way possible thus far. The album is poetic, playful and pastoral, it is also very Glastonbury, as the tile track demonstrates perfectly.
11 Cliff Martinez et al. - Drive
Drive's soundtrack possibly became a bigger hit than the movie itself, with echoes of 'Nightdriving' to be heard through the muffled headphones of people on public transport and through the rolled down windows of cars for some months following the film's release. With its 80s synths and gorgeous symphonies combined the result is a standout roadtrip soundtrack, that the repetitive chilled creativity of 'A Real Hero' emphasises exactingly.
