LISTEN TO THESE ALBUMS. ALL OF THEM.
The Antlers - Burst Apart
Etherial and beat-heavy, this release features a bunch of songs about heartbreak and not being okay with yourself.
Beach Fossils - What a Pleasure EP
This is what happens when a surf rock band with a decent debut decides to try their hand at post-punk. Think pre-dancepop New Order or U2's Boy album, but with more sunshine.
Bobby - Bobby
Ambient folk music--this makes For Emma Forever Ago seem straightforward.
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
We've seen what Justin Vernon can do by himself with no budget. This shows what he can do with a bunch of a friends and quite a bit of toys. He breaks the chains of his folk-singer mantle and dips into indie rock, chillwave, and 80s pop. Anyone who's kept up with his side projects won't be surprised.
BRAIDS - Native Speaker
Loop driven and beat heavy one track, soft and swelly the next, all while their frontwoman sings about sex.
Cults - Cults
This is what Beach House would sound like if they were more fun and not so French.
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
An incredible follow up to one of the most fantastic debuts in recent history. Harmony riched folk songs of existential crisis.
James Blake - James Blake
Soul songs by a dubstep producer. This is what ghosts listen to when they want to relax.
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
Americana at it's finest. This is what dreaming sounds like.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Belong
Do you miss 90s alt-pop already? Well, here's your fix. Think Belle & Sebastian with more distortion.
Panda Bear - Tomboy
Chillwave at its finest. The reverb drips off of this one. More straightforward than Person Pitch but with the same hypnotic production.
Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't have listened to this yet, unless you were turned off by the haters. Well, haters gon' hate. This is a fine addition to the Radiohead canon, featuring some of the best beatwork, most claustrophobic, and prettiest songwriting of their career.
Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
Remember how good Sea Change by Beck was? This is an acoustic record in the same way that was, with Beck behind the controls. All the same great guitar work and circling composition Moore has given us in Sonic Youth, stripped bare with strings and electronic bleeps tossed in for good measure.
