Koodoz Design

Prior to compiling this list, I honestly thought I’d struggle to find 10 worthy albums. From what I can remember, it didn’t really seem like a stellar year of music (to me). However, once I started flicking through my playlists, it soon became evident that we have, in fact, been spoilt. Either I wasn’t paying attention, or all of these great albums snuck up on me.

Well, without further ado, it’s time to reveal my ‘Top 10 Albums of 2009′ (plus another ten or so worthy runners-up).

1. The Temper Trap – Conditions

Summary: ‘Conditions’ displays The Temper Trap’s ability to combine their influences into an original sound that bridges the gap between credible indie & mainstream hooks. (Source: Sputnik Music)

Track Listing:
1. Love Lost
2. Rest
3. Sweet Disposition
4. Down River
5. Soldier On
6. Fader
7. Fools
8. Resurrection
9. Science Of Fear
10. Drum Song

Label: Liberation Music
Genre: Rock

The other day, I managed to catch the last few moments of a wonderfully sampled piece of music that instantly conjured up childhood memories of a Disney favourite. At first I thought it might have been the work of DJ Dexter from The Avalanches or possibly even Japan’s Cornelius. Quick to discover what the song was, I rushed home and searched my little heart out, to discover the sublime audio delight I had just heard was an audio remix of the original Alice In Wonderland movie sampled and mixed by an Australian lad named Pogo. Read on!

Luuuving this little ditty by Mumford & Sons at the moment, and I’m fairly certain I’m not the only one who thinks so. Currently on Triple J, their debut single Little Lion Man is getting bucket loads of airtime and BBC Radio 1’s, DJ Zane Lowe recently dubbed the single as the “Hottest Record in the World”. If you haven’t heard the song, check it out here.

This truly exciting, yet humble quartet from London have created an amazingly refreshing and energetic brand of folk – BBC placing them within the Top 15 bands as a Sound of 2009. Read on!

Firstly, I just wanna make it clear that I have, in fact, known about this band for quite some time and have been listening to this album and Silversun Pickups’ other releases solidly since their release. So, for all you negative nancies who are quick to judge me on my tardiness… give me a break! I’ve been busy with stuff, dognamit ;) Read on!

Music + Internet = Awesome. If either of these two elements ceased to exist… I’d probably have to join them.

The need to sift through independent music blogs, ‘muso’ reviews and myspace pages to discover new music has, of late, become something of an obsession. An addiction, if you will, to find the next big thing in music, that impossibly impossible amalgamation of hybrid genres and that ‘Charlie finds the golden ticket’ moment you get when you hear the lobe-tingling voice of an untapped artist for the first time. That, for me, is the thrill of the chase. Read on!

I have to admit, I feel like I’ve been living under a very large suburban rock. I mean, how on earth have I managed to miss all of the buzz and hype surrounding this fantastically enigmatic band that derive from my own hometown?

Sadly, I’ve been so slow off the mark in discovering this band, that I think Nova FM has beat me to it. Oh dear. I really do need to pick up the slack.

I guess I’ve been relying on the Internet for all my new music/media needs for so long – it seems I’ve forgotten that I live in one of the coolest and most accessible cities in the world to discover new music. Read on!

Driving home from my evening swim the other night, I was completely taken back by the incredibly sullen song playing on Triple J. Being a real sucker for the sombre side of music – favourite bands including Radiohead, The Cure, The Smiths, Interpol, Shearwater, Bon Iver etc, etc… You get the picture – I had to know who this band was and get my wrinkly, chlorine smelling mitts on a copy of their album, EP, single… whatever I could get.