Best Albums of 2011

Ellen Lovelidge

Nostalgia, Ultra – Frank Ocean

The OFWGKTA member voted “most likely to succeed,” Frank Ocean’s free mixtape showcased his sultry R&B voice and led to cameos on big industry albums like Watch the Throne.

Thursday – The Weeknd

R&B took over this year and reinvented itself by laying the bass on thick. Newcomer The Weeknd released two free mixtapes this year while remaining somewhat mysterious, a factor that added to his already deep ballads.

Heartbreak presents Moombahsoul II – Various Artists

This year, the house and reggaeton-hybrid of moombahton took over with 108bpm syncopated beats. David Heartbreak released three Moombahsoul compilations but the second one tugged at the heartstrings the most while shining light on some of the boutique genre’s greatest producers.

Rubba Band Business 2 – Juicy J & Lex Luger

Three 6 Mafia’s Juicy J teamed up with one of 2011’s hottest hip hop producers to deliver syrup-infused raw Southern hip hop with catchy lyrics and dripped out beats.

Take Care – Drake

When this album was released, several songs had been steady on the charts for months but Drake added creative samples and quick one-liners to leave listeners pleased while also confused why he insists on being a rapper and not an R&B singer.

Ashley Smith

21 – Adele

Soulful. Assertive. Captivating. She’s a true talent and the album simply speaks for itself.

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

The album is timeless with Vernon’s beautiful falsetto and almost eerie stillness. From “Calgary” to “Perth” and “Towers,” every song is just as epic as the one before, showcasing a true talent of our generation.

It’s all trueJunior Boys

The Canadian indie-electro duo does it again, bringing us a funky, synth-pop style that is sure to make listeners bop their head in breezy delight.

Angles – The Strokes

In their first album since 2006, these New York rock legends come back with a jangly, breezy album filled with a big sound and catchy melodies.

Shangri-la – Yacht

The album combines feminine, imaginative vocals with electric and synth-pop beats that can’t help but make you feel a little out of this world, in the best way possible. <!–nextpage–>

Paloma Ortiz

Fatty Folders – Roman Flügel

Fatty Folders shimmers with organic and inorganic elements and perfectly placed hooks, making it a great example of Roman Flügel’s strong points as a tech-house producer.

Galactic Melt – Com Truise

Com Truise revamped 80s nostalgia with the way he handled each synth melody and intricate beat on Galactic Melt.

Wordplay for Working Bees – Lucy

Stroboscopic Artefacts has been one of my favorite labels this year, and labelhead Lucy’s Wordplay for Working Bees flows effortlessly through ambient dub and hard-hitting techno creating an eerie atmosphere.

Ghost People – Martyn

Martyn has great judgment when it comes to picking out the best elements in a style, and Ghost People wanders into many different territories, from house to drum & bass, without being too much.

Re:ECM – Ricardo Villalobos and Max Loderbauer

Ricardo Villalobos became popular in the 2000s with his take on leftfield minimal techno. In this collaboration with Max Loderbauer, he strays away from dance music entirely to make jazz-fueled avant-garde—and I think that’s pretty damn cool.

Chris Crowley

Circuital – My Morning Jacket

Album of the year, band of the year, live show of the year? Yes, My Morning Jacket takes it all.

Girls Father, Son, Holy Ghost! – Girls

Incredible album from San Francisco’s rising indie stars Girls who are helping put the spotlight on the emerging SF Bay Area music scene.

Zonoscope Cut Copy

If this album didn’t initially grab you early in 2011, all you needed was a dose of Cut Copy live, like Treasure Island Saturday night, to become a believer. Zonoscope is the year’s finest dance record.

Carrion Crawler/The Dream – Thee Oh Sees

Thee Oh Sees prove that the quantity vs. quality debate doesn’t apply to them because every they give you both. Thee Oh Sees are another band putting San Francisco’s garage rock and psych scene on the map.

James Blake – James Blake

James Blake had a hell of a year, and the release of this album is what put the wheels in motion.

What are your favorite albums from 2011?

Comments

  1. KENDRICK LAMAR “SECTION 80”

  2. “From Frank Ocean’s new-school R&B to indie rockers RYE Oak, our team of music/clubs writers share their favorite releases of 2011.”

    When did Wye oak change their name?

  3. You guys should make and link to a Spotify playlist :)

Comments are closed.