2017: albums of the year

A bumper crop, this year.

Xylouris White – Black Peak

Sonically astonishing, musically exceptional, and not a weak track on the album – special thanks to Arkadiy for turning me on to this one.

Hite – Light Of A Strange Day

Julia Easterlin is the best singer.

James Holden & The Animal Spirits – The Animal Spirits

If this is Holden’s final form, it is a pretty amazing one – landing square on the intersection of techno-synth jams, moroccan folk music, free jazz, and psych freakouts.

Tuarrah – Tuarrah

The best sounding album you’ll hear all year, from the Van Kirk / Marion axis.

Laurel Halo – Dust

Sublime post-techno in all ways.

The most honorable mentions to Wally Badarou’s Echoes, to Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s The Kid, JLin’s colossal Dark Origami, Colleen’s A Flame My Love, A Frequency, and Nidia’s – Nídia é Má, Nídia é Fudida.  Special bonus thanks to Fernando Diaz for ripping all of my tapes from Morocco.