Brissa Sanchez — Writer
1. Future Islands – Singles (4AD Records)
From beginning to end, Future Islands delivers a beautiful soundscape of snythesizers, crooning, and sentiment. Its impossible not to sing along with the band’s front man, Sam Herring! Favorite tracks: “Spirit”, “Doves”, and “Like the Moon”. You can stream the album here.
2. Milky Chance – Sadnecessary (Lichtdicht Records)
At first listen, I thought Milky Chance was just another one hit wonder band. Sadnecessary definitely proved to be a masterpiece of reggae undertones meshed with fun poppy guitar hooks. You can stream the album here.
3. De Lux – Voyage (Innovative Leisure)
Just a couple of younglings making danceworthy tracks à la Talking Heads. Voyage offers a raw insight to what happens in our young minds. From realizing that “Sometimes Your Friends Are Not Your Friends” to gaining enough confidence in ourselves (“I’ve Got To Make A Solid Statement [No More Likes and Ums]). You can stream the album here.
4. Interpol – El Pintor (Matador Records)
A beautiful album illustrating the struggle a man goes through in trying to achieve what we call love and the fact that even society can change our perspectives on the meaning of love. Paul Banks swoons on the tracks “My Desire” and “All the Rage Back Home”. You can stream the album here.
5. Jungle – Jungle (XL Recordings)
In the mood for some funky fresh vibes? Jungle’s debut album takes you on a mellow journey of tracks meant for cool summer nights. You can stream the album here.
6. Broken Bells – After the Disco (Columbia Records)
James Mercer and Danger Mouse bring you an album influenced by the 70s and groovy pop songs like “After the Disco” and The Bee Gees sounding like song, “Holding Onto Life”. You can stream the album here.
7. Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire For No Witness (Jagjaguwar)
This folk sweetheart stole my heart with honest songs about facing loneliness and romance. She is truly an angel singing from the heart with her ability to captivate the audience with a rollercoaster of pitches ranging from high to low. You can stream the album here.
8. Julian Casablancas + The Voidz – Tyranny (Cult Records)
Julian Casablancas was able to drift away from the pop rock genre we’ve enjoyed thus far, and slammed fans with an album filled with an all over array of sounds such as African beats (“Father Electricity”) and punk thrashing drums (“M.utally A.ssured D.estruction”). Definitely check out “Crunch Punch”. You can stream the album here.
9. Perfume Genius – Too Bright (Matador Records)
This is some eargasmic ’80s electronica. Mike Hadreas sounds like a disturbed child singing in eerie, quivered, breathy vocals, that enchant you song after song. Its impossible not to be captivated into listening to what he wants to say. You can stream the album here.
10. Neil Cicierega – Mouth Sounds (Self-released)
My first time listening to a mash up album was by Mr. Cicierega ‘s 90s mash up album of the year. Mouth Sounds features an amusing hour of excerpts such as MJ’s “Billy Jean” mashed with Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, and the Full House Theme song mashed with Smash Mouth’s “Allstar” and Alanis Morisette’s, “You Outta Know”. Just a fun and silly mash up album for all ’90s babies out there! You can stream the album here.
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