2011 Albums of the Year: 30-21

Halfway to the end. Here is my continuing list of favorite albums of 2011, with numbers 30-21:

30. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is not necessarily a return to form for Mogwai; as they have never put out a bad album. But it is their most direct work since Young Team, and feels like it all works together as a whole, but with each song standing on its own as well. I know an album will be in my top list when I can't stop playing it over and over on my iPod. Hardcore has rarely not been played by me over the course of the year.

29. The Horrors - Skying

No one, least of all me, could have envisioned the tremendous leap in sound for The Horrors on their second album Primary Colours. Ditching the goth affectations completely, they showed a stunning mastery of post-punk, krautrock, and shoegaze, blending these and other genres into a call to arms, hereby announcing the reinvention into one of the most exciting bands of the last few years. Again, such an amazing transformation begs the question again as to where to go from here. Skying finds the band honing their sound rather than making a bold leap. That intense slap in the face you got from first listening to Primary Colours is absent here, and first listens can be puzzling, as there is really nothing new here from the band, however, over time, the strong melodies and increased confidence/maturity in their playing wins over. Produced by the band, Skying plays like a band wanting to expand and add depth to its sound. Keyboards are more prominent and bolder, drums boom and echo, and singer Faris Badwan all but abandons the tics and mannerisms used previously. First single "Still Life" is the perfect example of their new approach. Keyboards sparkle and glisten like outtakes from New Gold Dream era Simple Minds, with Badwan's vocals, understated and rich, blasting to new levels on the triumphant chorus.

28. Future Islands - On The Water

Over the course of now three albums, Baltimore via North Carolina synth-pop outfit Future Islands has gradually moved from synth spazz outs on Wave Like Air, to more modulated dance workouts on In Evening Air, and now progress even further with On The Water, taking their synth based template and toning things down, without taking away from what makes them so special. And most of that is due to Samuel T. Herring's vocals and lyrics. Let it be said, that the main entry point to Future Islands is Herring's voice. You will either be completely on board with it, or will want to turn it off immediately. It is grandiose, over-the-top, and steeped in drama; each word positively dripping with meaning and portent. But it is just so fascinating and gripping you can't ignore it, and it is what makes this such a great band to listen to. With On The Water, Herring has scaled things back a little bit, not from wanting to fit within what people want him to sound like, but more because the music and lyrics call for more restraint. This is serious album about disintegrating relationships, and love gone afoul, and the somber tone of the lyrics finds its way into the music, with less dancefloor oriented sounds and more moodier pieces.

27. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

What I like about electronic artist Daniel Lopatin is that he is so restless, he has several different names he creates under, so that he has a persona for each style of music he is into. Whether it is 80s pop that he performs first under Games and then as Ford & Lopatin, or synth drone music under his main name, Oneohtrix Point Never. And none of his side projects are merely throwaways, each is performed expertly and with the same amount of enthusiasm. His work as Oneohtrix Point Never is by far the more challenging and experimental side of his personality. Replica is his fifth album under the name, and like his previous album Returnal, is slowly making the sounds more accessible. Moving away from pure drone soundscapes, touches of melody and sheer overwhelming beauty wash over these tracks. There is still that edge to them though, like they could break and fall apart at any moment. This tension is what makes this record so endlessly fascinating. Where on Returnal, Lopatin sometimes used harsh textures to pull you out of the reverie, they often came at the wrong points, which tended to break the tension and harmed the flow of the record. Here, these textures are incorporated within the tracks and the constant buzzing and white noise aspects maintains a better pace. Replica has a lovely, analogue warmness that permeates the entire experience, as if a long lost Boards of Canada/AIR drone album had surfaced. But don't be put off by the word "drone," as this album transcends that genre more often than not. Using more samples and found sounds, Replica has a lived-in, antique feel that sounds like something you have heard in the corners of your mind your entire life, or recalling memories of film soundtracks from childhood you just can't place.

26. Sepalcure - Sepalcure

Praveen Sharma and Travis Stewart have found success with their solo work, as Braille and Machinedrum respectively, but seem to hit the mark perfectly with their work as Sepalcure. Mixing lots of different bass styles into one seamless whole, Sepalcure touches on 2-step, grime, juke, house, R&B and lends them all a surprising warmth. Using similar tricks from Burial, blocky beats, atmospheric synths, and manipulated vocal snippets, Sepalcure make sort of a counterpart to landmarks like Untrue, using the samples more for emotionally cathartic release, rather than emotional introspection. Not to say this album is a "happy" record, it is sufficient moody in parts, but it does, through use of analogue equipment, provide more warmth and feeling.

25. Cold Cave - Cherish The Light Years

Cold Cave have evolved their neo-gothic sound with each new release. Their first album Cremations (essentially a compilation of early singles) was almost oppressive in its dourness; bleak and humorless, every song mired in claustrophobic, icy keyboards and tinny drum machines. Leaps ahead in production value and sonic diversity, follow up album Love Comes Close almost sounds like a different band. For this album, there have been more changes and a fuller embrace of the hooks that made Love Comes Close such a success. Indeed, Cold Cave sounds larger, almost stadium ready, putting together a set of songs that play well to the cheap seats. Monolithic tracks like "The Great Pan Is Dead" and "Underworld U.S.A." give the album meat while tracks like the New Order-esque "Pacing Around The Church" and sparkling "Confetti" are the dessert. Where this approach seemed to hobble the recent release from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Cold Cave's use of a glossier sheen and denser production only highlights what a strong band they have become.

24. Cut Copy - Zonoscope

Cut Copy's second album In Ghost Colours, was a blast of nostalgia mixed with a modern sheen; a rush of sparkling New Order-esque synths and 80s guitars with so many sugary hooks, you got a toothache listening to them. Their latest release Zonoscope is thankfully not a verbatim repeat of In Ghost Colours, instead, it takes what was great about that album and filters it through a more mature, updated lens. While In Ghost Colours was filled with short, super poppy songs, Zonoscope allows more room to breathe. Most of the songs are north of 5 minutes in length, and experiment with more foreign textures and percussion, sounding almost like a cross between New Order, Talking Heads, and early Thompson Twins. From the brilliant build of "Need You Now," slinky rhythms of "Blink And You'll Miss A Revolution," through to the 15 minute trance closer "Sun God," Cut Copy show their mastery of their craft.

23. Nero - Welcome Reality

Nero, the duo of Daniel Stephens and Joe Ray, are one of the few dubstep acts out there right now that have attempted an actual full length record. Welcome Reality suffers from a bit of bloat, but the singles make it basically a must-have for any dubstep fan. "Innocence," "Promises," "Guilt," "My Eyes," "Me and You," and a cover of the 80s guilty pleasure "Crush On You," are too brilliant to pass up.

22. Real Estate - Days

Real Estate's debut album in 2009 was a charming mix of low-fi, sparkling pop, which sounded like it was recorded under a freeway overpass. The lack of sonic clarity wasn't enough to derail the lovely songwriting, sweet melodies, and general air of low-key charm. The success of the album and subsequent tours brought them much needed attention which was enough to make Domino Records pony up more cash for them to record the follow up properly. Days, while lacking the ramshackle nature that Real Estate provided, is another fantastic record from this band; the increase in sonics and warmth makes a monstrous difference, allowing every note to ring clearly. Their sound has not changed much on the two years since, but has become more focused. There is hardly a misstep on this record; each song sounding like you have been listening to it for years. The familiar touchstones of early R.E.M., the Byrds, the Smiths, and Felt haunt this record, illuminating their sound rather that being a direct copy. Days is a great record for a long drive through the country, with the sweep and intimate scope of the songs providing the perfect accompaniment to a journey. There is slight, melancholic feel to the record, like the narrators are all on a journey through their pasts, ruminating over their successes and failures. It makes what could have been merely a pleasant record and elevates it to something classic and touching.

21. Drake - Take Care

Canadian rapper/singer Drake has said that he was upset with how his debut Thank Me Later came out, wishing it were more polished and deliberated over. Based on the high quality of that album, Drake must be an unforgiving perfectionist. His tracks are thoughtful, unlike most high-profile rappers, relentlessly pursuing new, fresh sounds, willing to skirt the fence between pop music and more experimental textures. And his verses and rhymes, while boastful at times, are also surprisingly self-depreciating and sincere. Take Care, the follow up, continues that trend, finding Drake still dealing with becoming successful, rich, and famous, enjoying the trappings of success, but wanting more. Drake is still utilizing producer Noah "40" Shebib, but finds room to use friends The Weeknd and Jamie xx for other tracks. While there are plenty of pounding, dancefloor beats on Take Care, the majority of the album is muted and minimal, focusing on mood and nuance.