2012’s List of Faves

I completely went MIA on you guys, sorry about that. I’ve just been mulling over a few things the past few months re: blog content, and lacked a bit of time writing about favorites. My Tumblr blog is well and alive though, and if you’re only after my fave of the day, then you should totally check it out from time to time. Also, I have been using Music Weekly as my outlet, pretty much, so if you’re in for some Crush of the Day posts from me and my colleagues then dig around the site.

Now that that part’s done, I’m off to do my yearly lists of things! I can’t say that it’s an annual thing as this is only the second time for me to do it. But here goes:

Frank Ocean was every bit a surprise for me, as much as hearing about this from me for you. Maybe that’s the reason why I always put Channel Orange on top of my list: it’s not my usual pick, and yet I could listen to it and pass it on to friends with two of my thumbs up. Most of all, Channel Orange made RnB exciting again, at least for me.

I missed this album in 2011, but I’m glad I’ve gotten hold of Youth Lagoon’s The Year of Hibernation, a 10-track release of serene dream pop tunes with beautiful, slow builds to climax. Not something you would want to listen to while walking on the street (as it could get pretty quiet at first) but something that accompanies writing, thinking, sighing, daydreaming – you get the picture – perfectly.

The beginning of this year, I was pretty much in love with The Paper Kites’ Woodland EP. I listened to the whole of it every day for weeks and weeks and arrived at this review.

San Cisco – Awkward EP

Ah, San Cisco, the soundtrack of my summer (other tracks outside Awkward included). Fun, catchy, oozing of youth and sunnies, the EP makes me think of running wildly through the suburb streets with friends, tagging along skateboards (I don’t have friends with skateboards, though, how sad) under the bright sun. Ice cream in cones can be included.

M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Also a release from 2011, I never got a good listen of M83’s Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming until the beginning of the year. It visited my ear buds from time to time all throughout the year.

Milo Greene – Milo Greene

I have to admit, Milo Greene could be the apple of my eye this year. I may have talked about the band a little too much this year, raving about their self-titled debut, my feelings completely reminiscent of my infatuation with The Head and The Heart in 2011. This band deserves so much more recognition, and I’m going to keep pushing and pushing until they get the fans they deserve.

Beirut – The Rip Tide

Beirut took a while before their sound rubbed off of me, but when it finally did, it stuck. Brilliant music, but could be an acquired taste. Then again, so as most good things in life.

Passion Pit – Gossamer

Passion Pit’s latest is my go-to happyhappydancey album (well, I’m bound to have one, a friend of mine felt sleepy just listening to Milo Greene, how much more if I asked him to listen to The Paper Kites + Youth Lagoon?). Gossamer is an electropop delight, one that could brighten anyone’s dull day.

The XX – Coexist

Considering the fact that it took me a year, yes, a year, to actually sit back, tilt my head and say, “Hey, The XX is good” after getting a copy of their debut, Coexist was a different story. Hearing “Angels” for the very first time sort of turned me into melted wax, so you can only imagine what the whole thing could do for me.

Mumford and Sons – Babel

I would be a hypocrite to not put Babel in this list, because the first time I got Babel a few days early from its release (unbelievable perks of my job!), it made my day. Made my month, even. It made me giddy for days straight, the kind of feeling one gets when they’ve waited for something all their lives and it didn’t disappoint (unlike all of our first kisses, ha ha ha). With that said, I do have to say Sigh No More remains more of a favorite, Babel a close second.

Runners-Up:
Alt-J – An Awesome Kind of Wave
Sigur Ros – Valtari
Passenger – All The Bright Lights
Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
The Maccabees – Given to the Wild
Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon
Of Monsters and Men – My Head is an Animal
Best Coast – The Only Place
Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg

Other Artists Mostly on Shuffle:
Band of Horses
Bon Iver
Beach House
The Smiths
The Weeknd
Regina Spektor
The Vaccines
Muse
Ben Howard
Laura Marling
Noah and the Whale
Metric
Little Red
Foster the People
Maroon 5
Julia Stone
Sleigh Bells
Snow Patrol
Death Cab for Cutie
Daughter
The Drums
The Killers
Angus Stone
White Lies
Damien Rice
Nirvana
John Mayer
Florence and the Machine
Marina and the Diamonds
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Los Campesinos!
Fanfarlo
Isbells
Ellie Goulding
Phoenix
Jinja Safari

Fave Newbies:
Walk the Moon
The Rubens
Young the Giant
The Apache Relay
Citizens!
Owl Eyes
Youngblood Hawke
Royal Teeth
The Royal Concept
Lucius
Father John Misty
The Griswolds
The Lumineers
San Cisco
GROUPLOVE
JJAMZ
Trails and Ways
Purity Ring

Guilty Pleasures (and I won’t even justify them):
One Direction
Owl City feat. Carly Rae Jepsen – Good Time
Lana del Rey

I might do a different post for my fave singles for the year, might. I won’t say ‘stay tuned’ but what the hell, maybe do.