Best Album of 2012 or New Music for you in 2012

[J T]

Here's my top 10 of what I heard from 2012. Each image is a link to a representative track from the album.

1.) Squarepusher- Ufabulum
303 Scopem Hard


2.) Marilyn Manson- Born Villain
No Reflection


3.) Leonard Cohen- Old Ideas
Darkness


4.) Cooly G- Playin Me
Landscapes


5.) Jessica Curry- Dear Esther Soundtrack


6.) Last Step- Sleep
Somno


7.) Christian Scott- Christian aTunde Adjuah
New New Orleans


8.) The Heavy- Glorious Dead
What Makes A Good Man


9.) How To Destroy Angels- An Omen
Keep It Together


10.) Fiona Apple- The Idler Wheel...



Really, I mostly listened to chiptunes music this year, so the list doesn't quite feel representative to me of what I actually had playing out my speakers in 2012, but this is what I was listening to that is current.

These are cheating because they are compilations/live albums, but I listened to these a lot in 2012 as well:
Chiptunes = Win (free download)
Amon Tobin: Boxset
Tori Amos- Gold Dust
Florence + The Machine- MTV Unplugged

[noiseredux]

I haven't had time to write out my big long blurbs, so maybe I'll add those later. But here's my Top 10 for 2012:

1. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
2. Sonic Youth - Smart Bar Chicago 1985
3. Nas - Life is Good
4. GOOD Music - Cruel Summer
5. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
6. The Game - Jesus Piece
7. The Smashing Pumpkins - Oceana
8. Wu-Block - s/t
9. Masta Ace - MA DOOM: Son of Yvonne
10. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...

[Hobie-wan]

Most of this is older stuff what was new to me. I'm just gonna ramble about some highlights.

Despite liking Pussy Galore since they were still together, I'd never checked out any of the bands that emerged from the breakup. Got into Jon Spencer Blues Explosion a bit this year and have Orange, Experimental Remixes, and Acme now. I'm not always in the mood for them, but good stuff when it strikes me. Bellbottoms.

I don't remember exactly how I came across Here - Brooklyn Bank, but it is some nice low key electronic stuff. Cello.

The one new thing I got that came out this year as opposed to just being recent was Squarepusher - Ufabulum (limited edition). More lovely bleepy stuff from Tom. Dark Steering.

Phil Western - Laborandum is a compilation of older tracks under his own name and Kone that came out this year, but they were all new to me. Ke Bop Bop.

[SteveyMajors]

This year, I really liked:

2012:
"Channel Orange" - Frank Ocean
"OF Tape Vol. 2" - Odd Future
"Nocturne" - Wild Nothing
"Sweet Heart, Sweet Light" - Spiritualized
"Lonerism" - Tame Impala
"Bloom" - Beach House
"Attack on Memory" - Cloud Nothings

Other records:
"In The Army 1981" - Puffy Areolas
"The Perfect Prescription" - Spacemen 3
"Beauty and the Beat" - The Go-Go's
All the Mamas and the Papas I can get my hands on

[Stark]

I haven't had time to write out my big long blurbs, so maybe I'll add those later. But here's my Top 10 for 2012:

1. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
2. Sonic Youth - Smart Bar Chicago 1985
3. Nas - Life is Good
4. GOOD Music - Cruel Summer
5. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
6. The Game - Jesus Piece
7. The Smashing Pumpkins - Oceana
8. Wu-Block - s/t
9. Masta Ace - MA DOOM: Son of Yvonne
10. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...

Hmm Lana Del Rey is a good choice, haven't heard any of the new Pumpkins stuff or Fiona Apple, might have to go check those out ... right now!

[noiseredux]

Hmm Lana Del Rey is a good choice,

I guess I could have cheated and said Born To Die/Paradise as they were released as a double album, but I bought BTD back when it was released early in the year so I listened to that one way more. I got Paradise for Christmas. Paradise is solid though... "Cola" and her cover of "Blue Velvet" are worth the price alone.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I've listened to a good variety this year but not much of it came out in 2012. Disproportionate amount of chiptune, but it's all good stuff.

Music from 2012:

All Hail The Void by Enabler MKE
Speechless

Fast, hard, dirty crust punk/metal. Way more groove than anything else I've heard this year. I know the band members and this album was featured in Spin Magazine. Check out last year's "Year One" which is even dirtier.

Cancer by Showbread
You Will Not Die In A Prison

No one song can represent this album, but the whole thing is free so that's fine Musically it's "raw rock" with lyrics all over the place. It's not nearly as well written/disturbing as "Who Can Know It?" so download that one too.

All Creatures by ElisaRay
Foxden

Guitar and violin folk with smooth vocals from male and female singers. Good lyrics, fall asleep to this one. This album is free.

Impulse OST by Meteo Xavier/12 Followers
When You Find A Stranger In The Alps

Experimental, generally awesome electronic music. Chip instruments, synth, and real instruments all thrown in a skillet. This album is also free.

Wounded Healer by The Followers
Wounded Healer

Slower, darker folk-rock worship with electric guitars. Eclectic and super catchy.

Glory Outshines Doom by Slang
もの言わぬ本 / ろうそくのまち

Super heavy metallic hardcore, in Japanese. Pretty hilarious, but there's a serious message. Watch the video!

Wandering by Yosi Horikawa
Bubbles

Noise art with samples collected from around Japan.

Blueshift by Protodome
Oh I Feel Just Fine...Because I'm Making Macaroni

The final "Blue" album is the best. It's happy chiptune acid jazz and this time it has vocals! Snag it for $1.50! The macaroni recipe is included in the download.

Falling Apart by LukHash
Pixelove

You can't resist a new Lukhash album. They're all on his website. Chiptune/synth music and this time around there's some dubstep elements thrown in. Download Digital Memories, too.

Katawa Shoujo Enigmatic Box of Sound
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1mDNFBQ6O9Q/UBIIOPG-XeI/AAAAAAAACEA/0irtleQS0FQ/s1600/Katawa+Shoujo+Enigmatic+Box+of+Sound+(by+Nicol+Armarfi,+Blue123,+Juno).jpg
Collaborative soundtrack for the visual novel which hopefully needs no introduction.

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Other music I listened to this year and feel like mentioning:

In Due Time by Next In Line (punk rock) free
Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple
Valkyrie Profile OST
Veil of Remembrance by Crimson Moonlight (Black metal)
Frederic Chopin (classical piano)
Once I Was a Bird by Lauren Shera (slow female-led folk) free
Master of Puppets by Mettalica
Mirror's Edge OST by Lisa Miskovsky
Xenoblade OST
Abbey Road by The Beatles
Hydorah Arranged Tracks (various genres) free
Stab At Love EP by The Shiny Darks (punk) free
Steins;Gate OST
Thunderforge by Skyforger (heavy viking metal)
Hymns From The Blazing Flesh - Stairs to Nowhere (WTF) free
Neurovision by Mitsuo Suzuki (Electronic)
Lesser Men by Abel (indie rock, great concept album) free
The work of Thor Bremer (experimental/neoclassical/jazz)
Anti-Meridian by Brave Saint Saturn (groovy rock)
Quill by The Last Bison (?) free
The Healing of Harms by Fireflight (hard rock)
The Raven And The Reaping by The Famine (metal)
Infinite Titanic Immortal by A Hill To Die Upon (metal)
Art Ambidextrious S/T - poetry/rap free
Burial by Extol (Absolute classic death metal)
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel
At The Dawn of War and A Forlorn Throne by Sletchvalk (Viking metal)
Dance Or Die by Family Force Five (Goofy dance/rock)
Ensiferum - S/T and From Afar (Viking metal)
Down The Way by Angus and Julia Stone (soft rock)
Dimensions by Believer (Thrash)
Emotional Cues - Eiko Ishiwata (Orchestral) free
Fight With Tools - Flobots (Political radio rap)

[BoneSnapDeez]

...oh and the newest Napalm Death and Sigh albums were both fantastic and I'd highly recommend them.

Ah shit I forgot about the new Napalm Death.

[Stark]

5.) Jessica Curry- Dear Esther Soundtrack

Love this choice, just spent the last hour listening to it again.

[J T]

I always love the best of albums threads at the end of the year. This is how I find a lot of music I missed throughout the year.