
#9 Pinch and Shackleton - Pinch and Shackleton Of the two lads who collaborate on this genre-proof album, I know a good deal more about Shackleton than I do about the dubstep producer Pinch. I've yet to listen to Pinch's highly regarded Underwater Dancehall LP, and the only work of his I'm well acquainted with is this phenomenal fucking musical brick of inner-city England. There is no doubt that this fact biases my assessment of Pinch and Shackleton , so [...]

You should have seen the deliberation room after we finished the lists. Papers scattered across the floor, blood and coffee stains on the carpet, I think at one point Kenny threw his laptop at Stuart (it just barely missed). But it makes sense, because each one of us are so passionate about the music we loved this year. So, check out what music meant most to each of our wonderful writers- Also, be sure to check out our top songs of the year (100-51 / 50-1 ) and top albums of the year [...]

The best albums are much more than a collection of stand out songs. Like anything successful, a great album finds multiple parts coming together as one; accomplishing moods, textures, and developments not possible by any one singular piece. The best albums force you to take a step back, to not only look at each moment but to examine how that moment fits into a larger picture. Perhaps most important, the best albums are constantly evolving begging for repeated listens to show you all of their ins and out. Check out the 50 albums that kept us coming [...]