By Remi Watts
Andy Williams (Entertainment Editor)
1. James Blake- Klavierwerke EP and CMYK EP
Very few musicians have garnered as much acclaim or generated as much buzz this year as James Blake, which is remarkable considering he’s only released three EP’s this year and no full-lengths. It speaks to his talent, and though people are having a hard time classifying what exactly Blake is doing (it’s definitely not dubstep, which is a label he is attracting with more frequency), it’s absolutely enthralling.
2. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
3. Sufjan Stevens- The Age of Adz
4. The Tallest Man on Earth- The Wild Hunt
5. Girl Talk- All Day
Ken Clarke (Graphic Designer)
1. Jeff Beck- Emotion & Commotion
Guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck released his first studio album in seven years and once again confirmed his status as king of contemporary electric guitarists. This disc is Beck’s most eclectic offering to date with instrumentals ranging from progressive rock to orchestral arrangements. Guest vocalists Joss Stone, Imelda May and Olivia Safe add their unique talents to four tracks, but this album is really all about Beck’s incredibly heartfelt guitar prowess.
2. Natacha Atlas- Mounqaliba
3. Etran Finatawa- Tarkat Tajje/Let’s Go
4. Brian Eno- Small Craft on a Milk Sea
5. Gil Scott-Heron- I’m New Here
Remi Watts (Illustration Editor)
1. Humans- Avec Mes Mecs
An ecstatic juxtaposition of auditorial eschatology combined with the wonders of Mother Dance herself. Humans have managed to create a sound which envelops you, like a constrictor entwining itself round the mind; you can feel it your feet, building up into the inexorable desire to bend your knees, shake in double-time, flail your arms, and vibrate your molecular structure to the point of disintegration.
2. Future Islands- In Evening Air
3. Scott Dunbar- One Man Band
4. David Vertesi- Cardiography
5. Frazey Ford- Obadiah