Les Sins is Chaz Bundwick (aka Toro y Moi)'s side project which is more focused on his production skills rather than highlighting his voice. Michael takes Chaz into new unique territory as he experiments with house music beats, deep bass, warped synths, and distorted vocal samples. However, through all this experimentation, Chaz's lovable soulful style is still very present (especially on "Why"). Michael is ultimately a feel-good album, which will stay stuck in your head for days at a time. Key Tracks: "Why (ft. Nate Salman)", "Bother", "Bellow"
19. Pharrell Williams- Girl
Ever since the release of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky", Pharrell Williams has been taking the pop music world by storm. The release of his hit "Happy" even furthermore justified his status as one of the most relevant pop stars. Girl uses tons of ideas from soul/funk/R&B music from the 70's to let Pharrell truly express his songwriting capabilities. Pharrell uses this album to paint himself in the image of a king, and it displays his incredibly positive sense of confidence which he has rightfully gained through his rise to pop stardom. Key Tracks: "Happy" "Gust of Wind (ft. Daft Punk)", "Come Get it Bae"
18. Shabazz Palaces- Lese Majesty
17. Rustie- Green Language
Over the past few years, Russell Whyte aka Rustie has been the king of the modern "future bass" movement in electronic music, with many artists (such as Wave Racer and Sophie) building off of the standard he set with 2011's Glass Swords. Green Language however, somewhat strays away from the wonky, glistening sound of Glass Swords, and instead focuses more on Rustie's ability to build his music with the help of vocalists. With these vocalists, Rustie throws a rave which sounds like its happening inside a bayou (notice the flamingos on the cover), and the results are glorious. Rustie is no longer the nintendo-sampling bass geek he was a few years ago, he is a defined artist with some pretty high standards to meet. Key Tracks: "Raptor", "Attak (ft. Danny Brown)", "Velcro", "He Hate Me (ft. Gorgeous Children)"
16. Panda Bear- Mr. Noah EP
With the upcoming release of Animal Collective member Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox)'s upcoming album Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper, Lennox decided to put out a four track ep to give the world a taste of what he has been cooking up. The title track "Mr. Noah" along with the other three amazing b-sides show that he has indeed been bringing his sunny psychedelic pop into new territories. Never before has Lennox sounded so fun, and so straightforward. It is clear that despite time, he is still on top of his game, and the world will see this even more when the full album is released on January 13th. Key Tracks: "Faces in the Crowd", "Mr. Noah"
15. Thom Yorke- Tomorrow's Modern Boxes
The Radiohead frontman returns with his second solo release which he self released via BitTorrent. Tomorrow's Modern Boxes focuses primarily on Yorke's wispy vocals hovering above glitchy, minimalist electronic music. Fans of Atoms for Peace as well as the more electronic-based Radiohead albums will fit right in with this release, while the casual "Creep" Radiohead fans will be slightly confused. Here Yorke focuses more on sound textures and perfectionist production rather than songwriting, but yet his vocals still manage to retain their usual charm. After first listen it may seem quite average, but after multiple listens the beauty of this album will reveal itself. Key Tracks: "Interference" "The Mother Lode" "Truth Ray" "Nose Grows Some"
14. Run the Jewels- RTJ2
The hip-hop kings Killer Mike and El-P return in full force for their second album as Run the Jewels. This time they're sharper, angrier, and more acquainted with each other's styles. The duo is more fueled than ever, as they speedily rip through El-P's thick beats and they pass off and pick up the mic where the other left off. This album was exactly what the true hip-hop heads needed, in an era where meaningless cheaply-produced singles are gaining the attention of the masses (Bobby Shmurda, Young Thug), Run the Jewels stand strongly to bring political hip-hop in the vain of visionaries such as Chuck D. and N.W.A. back. Key Tracks: "Blockbuster Night pt. 1", "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) (ft. Zack De La Rocha)", "All Due Respect (ft. Travis Barker)"
13. Mac DeMarco- Salad Days
Mac Demarco is a one of a kind person- one will discover through watching interviews and performances by this Canadian oddball. His unique behavior is reflected in Salad Days, the laid back, sun-soaked album which feels like one of the best chillwave albums to ever be made. DeMarco's humble voice is extremely inviting, and the guitars sound like they're straight out of a Hawaiian luau. 60's and 70's folk vibes are very present on Salad Days, with DeMarco's undeniable charm guiding the listener throughout it. Key Tracks: "Passing Out Pieces", "Chamber of Reflection" "Salad Days"
12. Clark- Clark
Feelings of destruction and doom are heavy throughout Clark, the recent release from UK Warp Records producer Chris Clark. It's almost like this album is the soundtrack to some apocalyptic film such as World War Z or 28 Days Later. These feelings are brought upon by Clark's dark and detailed production, along with his haunting piano work which appears on a few tracks. Without a single spoken word appearing on this album, Clark succeeds in translating his message through his professionally crafted sound. Key Tracks: "Winter Linn" "Unfurla" "Banjo" "The Grit in the Pearl"
11. Beck- Morning Phase
Morning Phase brings Beck back to the atmospheric acoustic sound which he previously explored on the album Sea Change. He is a lot more mature now, and less willing to go as far down the experimental routes which he has before. However, this doesn't mean that he can't still exercise his amazing songwriting skills through a much more conventional path. Morning Phase is a beautifully warm album which feels like you're reuniting with an old friend. He's changed, but he's still got that light in him which brought you together in the first place. Key Tracks: "Blue Moon", "Unforgiven", "Heart is a Drum", "Morning"
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