10 Albums of 2007

10 Albums of 2007



1. Pantha du Prince: This Bliss
The best techno of the year -- think of cold, minimal, technical beats underneath warm, illustrious chimes and you have a rough idea.




2. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew: Spirit If...
Wasn’t as immediately likeable as previous BSS releases but slowly built its way into some of my favourite songs of the year and maybe my favourite BSS album. Once again, the songs come together to almost form one epic, multidirectional song.

3. Ne-yo: Because of You
The best thing to happen to Soul/R&B since Gaye (and even since Gaye’s What’s Goin’ On) puts out his best album yet.




4. Gui Boratto: Chromophobia
To steal Mallory O’Donnell’s accurate formula at Stylus: “minimal + maximal = magical”




5. Björk: Volta
There is, regrettably, a track or two that shows Björk here not at her best (“Declare Independence” stands out in this department), but the rest of the songs make up for it with their over-the-top energy and experimentation, proving that she still has a lot left to give (evidenced by the most amazing concert I have ever been to, this September). Volta is one of her best in quite awhile ...unfortunately it didn’t include her breathtaking recent “Boho Dance”cover.

6. The Field: From Here We Go Sublime
Axel Willner steps up with an acutely constructed album that proves he is ready to meet the hype of his previous singles with diversity and a perfect ear for innovative samples.



7. Justice: †
There was a new Radiohead album with a sales gimmick and a return to the game by a bunch of bands that broke through (and died) in 2003, but what the year will really be remembered for is the year of Justice and their ubiquitous “D.A.N.C.E.” Lucky for us, the rest of the album not only equals, but actually exceeds their internet-hyped hit single (which, for the record, has produced some even greater remixes), with the apex coming with the Goblin samples and with the track “Stress,” a brutal spy-movie-car-chase-scene theme song.

8. M.I.A.: Kala
M.I.A. shows us that she is more than just beats and gunshots (which are most definitely here, and in full force) and that the true, unrelenting political power of her music comes from her lyrics and her powerful voice.


9. James Blackshaw: The Cloud of Unknowing
A short acoustic 12-string symphony that is somehow paradoxically both soothing and eerie.



10. José González: In Our Nature
My first run-in with González, like many, was his cover of The Knife’s “Heartbeats,” a track I instantly fell in love with. Not letting me down with these expectations, this album, full of all-original material, might be one of the main reasons I asked for all my birthday and Christmas gifts this year to be combined in order to buy a new acoustic guitar.