It’s been a year of a lot of very good music rather than a year of very great music. I’ve tried to categorise things to make it easier for people to skip over stuff, and wherever possible linked to a relevant Bandcamp site.
With one obvious exception this is limited to stuff first released this year..
Ambient(ish)
A Winged Victory For The Sullen – Atomos
A bit hard to define, but it’s sort of ambient, sort of modern classical. Gentle melodies, a touch of Arvo Pärt perhaps?
Matt Berry – Music For Insomniacs
Largely instrumental, it’s not really ambient in the sense that it stays in the background (it does have loud bits). Reminds me in parts of Mike Oldfield’s weirder stuff. Yes, alright I’m struggling.
Andrew Heath – The Silent Cartographer
Truly ambient. Tinkling synths mixed with found and field recordings. Rather lovely.
This is the new soundtrack to Captain John Noel’s 1924 film of Mallory and Irvine’s doomed attempt on Everest. Lovely. Features trumpet by Cosi Fanni Tutti.
and
Straight(ish
Beck – Morning Phase
I wasn’t too impressed by this at first, but it really grew on me through the year.
Broken Bells – After The Disco
I was blissfully ignorant of this lot until halfway through the year. Stupid boy.
David Crosby – Croz
Unashamedly West Coast laid back (wouldn’t you be at 73?), but the songs are really good, he’s chosen good guests and his son has done a really good job on arranging/producing.
CSN&Y – CSNY 74
From an allegedly broken tour, Nash has retrieved a huge number of great performances, ignored many of the old standards and given the focus to the songs that were new to them (including stuff that was never heard again). When they were hot, they were very hot and Stills adding his guitar to this song just works.
Eels – The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett
E is back on the analyst’s couch again, but this time he’s contemplative rather than angry, melodic rather than full-on. I like both styles, but this is one of his better recent albums, especially the stuff on the bonus disc.
Eno Hyde – Someday World
For something that was conjured up supposedly from studio jams, this is really good. More Taking Tiger Mountain than dubnobasswithmyheadman, I’d like to link “Who Rings The Bell” but I can’t find one.
Metronomy – Love Letters
Poppy, piles of earworm-worthy tunes. Nothing more to say really.
The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream
This is very straight, with a hint of Springsteen, and initially that put me off a bit, but the songs are so good it just wouldn’t go away.
Electronic
Jon Brooks – 52
Electronic pieces (some tuney, some atmospheric, some abstract) that were triggered by memories of his Grandmother’s house. The video here, by Frances Castle of Clay Pipe Music, is my favourite of the year.
The Advisory Circle – From Out Here
This is Jon Brooks again, under his Ghost Box identity. All tuneful stuff with snatches of speech samples interwoven (though not as often as in earlier TAC albums).
Node – Node 2
Berlin school (Tangs etc.) electronica that maintains its own identity. Excellent.
Richie Hawtin’s first Plastikman album for ages. Live (not that you’d know it), not dance-oriented, but really good nonetheless.
Jazz
Neil Cowley Trio – Touch And Flee
Not as amazing as Mount Molehill, but still excellent.
Matthew Halsall & The Gondwana Orchestra – When The World Was One
This is another acoustic jazz album, this time rooted in the traditions of, say, Dave Brubeck and Alice Coltrane. The blend of instruments (trumpet, flute, sax, harp, koto, piano, bass, drums) means that it never sounds samey. Lovely stuff.
Instrumental. Starts off quite quietly, later on starts to get a bit of a motoric grove going. Err, good tunes…struggling here…
These New Puritans - Expanded Live
Field Of Reeds was my album of 2013 and this is the live version of it (plus a few extras from Hidden) with orchestra and choir. This was a magical concert and the recording’s great (though his voice is a bit submerged). If you get the music, and I admit many won’t, then this is essential.
Dr. Trippy – Invasion By Osmosis
This is sort-of like Shpongle, in that it’s base is Goa Trance mixed in with a bit of dub and then condensed into short song-like tracks. It’s very very good.
This is dark, very dark stuff. English Heretic specialise in these themed albums (they all come with an actual book) which are a mixture of music, spoken word, singing but all with a thick, threatening atmosphere. Not an easy listen, not to be tripped to under any circumstances, but when it catches you in the right mood, extremely effective in creating something quite different.
Senegalese, brought up in Kuwait (was in the resistance against Saddam), now in New York, this album is mostly in Chinese (sort of) – enough reason to give up attempting to classify this, though officially it’s “sinogrime”! Don’t be put off by the opening track, which is Nothing Compares 2 U translated into nonsense Chinese.
Moon Wiring Club – Leporine Pleasure Gardens
MWC’s annual hauntology/plunderphonics offering, this time both as a CD and LP (the content of each is completely different). The CD is like the sample I’ve posted, the LP is two long more ambient tracks. I love this stuff, just don’t expect much in the way of tunes or rhythms.
and
Re-Issue Of The Year
Underworld - dubnobasswithmyheadman
Quite apart from the sparkling remaster of the original album, the bonus disc is jammed with stuff that's equally as great. And I'm told the quality doesn't slack with the 5 disc version. Still sounds as fresh as a daisy and utterly groundbreaking.
Should Have Been On There But...
Goat - Commune
The style's the same, the quality of the songs isn't. If I'd not heard the first album I'd be far more impressed.
Opeth - Pale Communion
Out and out prog, but not that good as prog (and I like prog). It's improved on further listens but still isn't good enough in my opinion.
Posted on: 14 December 2014 by Guy007
This is a list NME compiled from other lists to make a 'definitive' list
20. Against Me! – 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' (35)
19. Future Islands – 'Singles' (36)
=18. Jenny Lewis – 'The Voyager' (37)
=18. Spoon – 'They Want My Soul' (37)
16. Taylor Swift – '1989' (41)
15. Sleaford Mods – 'Divide And Exit' (42)
14. Mac DeMarco – 'Salad Days' (43)
=13. Flying Lotus – 'You're Dead' (52)
=13. Damon Albarn – 'Everyday Robots' (52)
11. Angel Olsen – 'Burn Your Fire For No Witness' (59)
10. Swans – 'To Be kind' (63)
9. Caribou – 'Our Love' (69)
8. Beck – 'Morning Phase' (70)
7. Sun Kil Moon – 'Benji' (71)
=6. Aphex Twin – 'Syro' (75)
=6. Sharon Van Etten – 'Are We There' (75)
4. FKA Twigs – 'LP1' (121)
3. Run The Jewels – 'Run The Jewels 2' (129)
2. St Vincent – 'St Vincent' (157)
1. The War On Drugs – 'Lost In The Dream' (188)
Posted on: 15 December 2014 by Richard S
Some really great suggestions there. I especially like Perge; first 3 albums duly ordered.
Thanks for taking the time to offer up these suggestions.
Posted on: 15 December 2014 by Huwge
Have tried and struggled to like War on Drugs, St. Vincent and FKA Twigs. Do like Beck but it's hardly pushing the envelope, the same applies to new Jenny Lewis.
Have been very happy to discover Hurrah for the Riff Raff.
Hassan Hakmoun, Toumani & Sidiki and Lucinda Williams have also delivered strong albums.
Posted on: 15 December 2014 by Bruce Woodhouse
St Vincent seemed to me like an album that was very clever and weird but actually likeable? Not for me. The sort of album critics rate perhaps because they think they ought to?
Bruce
Posted on: 15 December 2014 by Nick Lees
Originally Posted by Richard S:
Some really great suggestions there. I especially like Perge; first 3 albums duly ordered.
Thanks for taking the time to offer up these suggestions.
Cool. Perge are a bit naughty in that they have a habit of quoting Tangs very directly (with maybe one note changed), but it's part of their charm...and they are very good at the Schmoelling-era TG in particular
Posted on: 16 December 2014 by osprey
Originally Posted by Bart:
Originally Posted by osprey:
How could I forget this one - perhaps the best of them all...
My wife and I couldn't get through it. "Turn it off" is her review, and that's a quote.
We had an interesting discussion about performance art vs. music, etc etc. I do think that there's an element of 'recording her performance art' to this album, which to me doesn't translate into something I'm enjoying listening to in my living room. (We saw her with David Byrne and it was a phenomenal show. But something if we owned a live recording of we'd be unlikely to listen to at home; it was, again, performance art.)
But I'm glad I got to see (hear) what it's about, thanks to your post!
It might be that I like the record just because I haven’t seen St. Vincent live (unfortunately I missed her recent performance here). The other reason could be that I get some flashbacks from 80s — she reminds me somehow about Nina Hagen (perhaps mixed with Devo).
Posted on: 16 December 2014 by Guy007
It's a while since I listened to the St Vincent album and now I remember why. Sure, there's some clever bits in there, but over all it wasn't a 'pleasurable' listen. In fact my wife also wanted me to choose any other album...
Posted on: 16 December 2014 by Richard Dane
Originally Posted by Gale 501:
This double album is on my best released albums of 2014 list.
Just noticed its up for a few Grammy's,
Jah.
This is on my xmas wish list...
Posted on: 25 December 2014 by migo
And they are available in DSD as well, just got the newsletter, and 25% off.
Originally Posted by migo:
I think the new Sound Liaison album After Silence qualifies.
After Silence with Trumpet great Andre Heuvelman is a true find.The opening track is setting the mood for the whole album and although the repertoire is very diverse that mood is kept throughout the entire album.
Beautiful lush arrangements and the playing by Heuvelman and consorts is nothing less than spectacular.
Sound stage is big wide and open, with that signature black Sound Liaison background.
For some reason the download Studio Masterfile is 24/88.2 while the other downloads I have from the same company are 24/96, but nevertheless incredible album.
I like Andre Heuvelmans liner notes as well, he seems to be an artist with a clear concept, somebody who dares to follow an idea.
"Sometimes you find what you are not looking for and that is especially true for the music on this album. The music on After Silence crossed my path, by meeting people or visiting places, events taking place or just materializing in my mind, but the one unifying factor for all 11 compositions is that they appeared after a moment of silence. Silence is the most important part of my music making. Silence is there, foregoing every first note I play. Silence being the place for inspiration. Silence which lets me start each piece of music as a child hearing it for the first time. Silence keeping me from automatically following the beaten path."...... Andre Heuvelman
Posted on: 01 January 2015 by Quad 33
This just could be my album of 2014.
Posted on: 01 January 2015 by Gale 501
Graham,
Still on the fence then in 2015?
After a lot of thought and both sides.
I can say this is my album of 2014
Posted on: 03 January 2015 by ragman
Posted on: 05 January 2015 by JBGWild
+1 for Caravan's Paradise Filter (and spring gigs) but the LP is two tracks shorter than the CD including one of the best tracks.
Some really good other stuff came out in 2014 from the British Underground of old too...
Arthur Brown's ZimZamZim is powerful, fresh and original.
Best of the Hawkwind families efforts was the Hawklords excellent Censored album.
The Hawklords also feature two songs on the fascinating double CD Stonehenge Free Festival 1974-84-2014 set. Quick mention also for Gong's I See You album. With the reformed Pink Fairies recording it looks like 2015 could continue in the same vein.
Posted on: 11 January 2015 by naim_nymph
My favourite Jazz album release of 2014
A modern jazz sound, a soulful way of playing a trumpet,
melancholy but never a dull moment, fab percussion,
plus varying instrumental flavours in the mix.
Available on 2 x LP - Okeh [Sony Music] Excellent pressing quality
This double album is on my best released albums of 2014 list. 
