What a weird year: Donald Trump runs for president figurehead in what seems like an epic prank turned bad dream turned reality for 'Murica, Kranky is all over my favorites list, Jim O'rourke shows up on here twice, Grouper started a rock band, cello and violin everywhere, so many ladies killed it this year, Popol Vuh reissues galore, and most importantly... Swans reissue my beloved "White Light from the Mouth of Infinity". Shew... exhausting. Without further adieu, here are my favorites.
25. Helen - The Original Faces (Kranky)
24. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly (Aftermath / Interscope)
23. Kenneth Kirschner - Compressions and Rarefractions (12k)
22. Jlin - Dark energy (Planet Mu)
21. Ducktails - St. Catherine (Domino Recording Co.)
20. Oren Ambarchi / Jim O'Rourke - Behold (Editions Mego)
19. Colin Stetson / Sarah Neufield - Never Were the Way She Was (Constellation)
18. Julia Kent - Asperities (The Leaf Label)
17. Christina Vantzou - #3 (Kranky)
16. Scott Tuma - Eyrie (Immune Recordings)
15. Port St. Willow - Syncope (People Teeth)
14. Floating Points - Elaenia (Luaka Bop)
13. Goldmund - Sometimes (Western Vinyl)
12. Deepchord - Ultraviolet Music (Soma)
11. Fennesz / King Midas Sound - Edition 1 (Ninja Tune)
10. Shaidar Logoth - The Ritualist: Chapter II (Self-released)
09. Helena Hauff - Discreet Desires (Werkdiscs / Ninja Tune)
08. Sean McCann - Ten Impressions for Piano and Strings (Root Strata)
07. Lakker - Tundra (R&S Records)
06. Oneohtrix Point Never - Garden of Delete (Warp)
05. Valet - Nature (Kranky)
04. Jim O'Rourke - Simple songs (Drag City)
03. Zelienople - Show Us the Fire (Immune Recordings)
02. Steve Hauschildt - Where All is Fled (Kranky)
01. Nest Egg - Respectable (Bathetic)
Yup. No bias. Honest. It's simply the most interesting, catchy, intelligent, listenable and rockin' record of 2015. Too many folks sleeping on this one. It's the deepest. And, if you've not seen them live, figure it out.
Peace, Love, and happy 2016. Thank you all for reading. It means so much to me.
