Kuuso on 9/1/2014 at 22:17

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I've fallen off the new music wave this year and mostly just looked for stuff to mix instead of keeping up with new music. That is why I feel that I would have probably found way more good and new music, if I had been active (music in general I've been binging on like hell).

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories has been mentioned already. I'll come at it from a different angle, which anyone with decent audio setup can agree on: that album is probably the best of the year from production side of things. There's nothing amiss on it and it really goes for that warm authentic feel of the 70/80's production (vocals are not overworked like in any new pop record, there's fuckloads of room for every instrument and they're mixed perfectly well). Giorgio by Moroder is the highlight from the album. My gripe with the album is that whereas I can just jizz all over how it sounds, I don't really find all the songs that good from a songwriting perspective.

Disclosure - Settle is probably the best album this year, if you'd look at my most played. I've danced my ass of more times I can remember to it's songs and unlike most electronic dance music, the album doesn't trail off after the single hits. It's fresh, it's simple and it's catchy as fuck. I wish I'd be as good as those dudes (who are what, like 21-year-olds?). If you do not like this album, you're a boring person, who probably doesn't leave his house for nothing else than lan-party.
[video=youtube;bkk2H3Ztrfk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkk2H3Ztrfk[/video]

65daysofstatic - Wild Light is the best, if we move out of the electronic/dancey stuff. I find it amazing, how a band can just continuously reinvent themselves and morph to something else yet retaining a stellar quality in the music. 65daysofstatic have fuckloads of stuff going in on their music (their studio diaries are funny as hell to read, because the sounds they have produced most often than not go through a million amps and other magical machines) yet their songwriting has always been based on very, may I say minimalistic, melodies. Those melodies always hit the mark as well. This makes you instantly fall in love with their music yet there's so much to explore in a single song that I still find myself listening to their previous record even though I should be exploring this one.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N67mw_1Iz-A) (Sleepwalk City, one of the many highlights)

Jon Hopkins - Immunity is another electronic album that I fell in love with. Hopkins has been consistent at making the most humane electronic music that translates well to emotional content, but I'd say Immunity takes it up a notch and stretches it into a perfect album. One of those albums that take you into a different world and only lets you go, when the final track ends. I love how he has the finesse of ambient music makers, but still bases his songs on glitch beats (a bit like Nosaj Thing).
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eERi_OQiiLM) (Full album)

Honorary mentions:
Bonobo released an album this year, but Phaeleh - Tides ended up being an even better Bonobo album than their own (which was also as good as they always are).
Òlafur Arnalds - For Now I am Winter wins the solo/singer-songwriter category. Iceland never ceases to amaze with it's music and Olafur ain't no expection. I cried so much when I saw him live. Dat piano too good. I also got a pick with him and the singer. :)
(http://s262.photobucket.com/user/juusoko/media/olafur_zps7f011cc7.jpg.html) http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii118/juusoko/olafur_zps7f011cc7.jpg
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O-WHevzCR8) (Lead single, For Now I am Winter)

Muzman on 11/1/2014 at 18:09

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Excellent. But the lyrics are the best bit! (well one of them I guess). Ok there are a lot of variations on the theme of being a bit of an outsider with no interest in parties and bling, but she does it with some decent realist poetry a lot of the time. Not everyone's going to go for that aspect I suppose.

Most detractor arguments seem to come from that notion "Why is she so famous when -my favourite obscure indie pop act- has been around for years and years and is just as good or better?" (not that you're saying this).
This may well be as unfair as it seems. But if stuff like this is topping the charts for a change then there is some hope, I reckon.

(will check out them others. There's a little too much very 80s flavoured stuff around at the moment though, I find. I almost want to race back to the top 40 for a break. Almost).

Muzman on 12/1/2014 at 17:49

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ooo, I remembered something else from last year that I actually listened to last year.

(http://huhwhatwhere.bandcamp.com/album/songs-to-break-up-to) Ta - Ku's Songs to Break Up To.

Sort of loungy sadness hip-hop. Worth a try if that sounds vaguely interesting.