Rolling "favorite music of 2012 so far" thread (albums and/or tracks edition)

So far, no order:

E-40 feat. Juicy J & 2 Chainz - They Point
Kendrick Lamar feat. Gunplay - Cartoons & Cereal
Wiley, Flow Dan, Riko & Manga - F'Off
The 2 Bears - Work (Toddla T Remix feat. Trim, Scrufizzer & Trigganom)
Funkystepz x Rihanna - Birthday Cake (Miami Bass Edit)
Azealia Banks - NeedSumLuv
Nicki Minaj - Stupid Hoe
Nicki Minaj feat. Beenie Man - Gun Shot
Cassie - King of Hearts
Footsie feat. Brakeman - On That One
Swindle feat. Footsie & Nadia Suliman - Ignition
Swindle - Pineapple
Preditah - Overdose
Trim - Notice Now (Elsewhere Remix Dub)
Purity Ring - Obadear
Sylver Tongue - Hook You Up
Objekt - Cactus
Pearson Sound - Untitled
Rockwell - Tripwire
Jubei feat. Flow Dan - Say Nothin

This may be premature, but I am liking Elio Villafranca and Arturo Stable's Dos y Mas (jazz, definitely not salsa or trad. Afro-Cuban dance music, though there are certainly connections to the latter).

Also, Tokyo Jihen's Beaucoup de Bruit pour Rien has grown on me a lot, especially in that live version I just linked to, god willing.

albums:
michael pisaro - fields have ears (6)
skogen - ist gefallen in den schnee
squarepusher - ufabulum
ouija boys - fuscia ep
en - already gone

there should be a thread about michael pisaro

ranked favorite albums of 2012, vaguely and hastily... all my fav tracks would come from these as well, i'm sure... couple reissues at the bottom:

Windy and Carl - We Will Always Be
Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
Spiritualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light
John Talabot - ƒin
Eyvind Kang - The Narrow Garden
Om - Advaitic Songs
Julia Holter - Ekstasis
Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II
Mohn - Mohn
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory
Mirrorring - Foreign Body
Ufomammut - Oro: Opus Primum
A Place to Bury Strangers - Worship
Alcest - Les voyages de l'âme
Ambarchi/O'Rourke/Haino - Imikuzushi
The Men - Open Your Heart
Dirty Three - Toward the Low Sun
James Blackshaw - Love Is the Plan, the Plan Is Death
Worm Ouroboros - Come the Thaw
Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction
Fela Kuti - Live in Detroit 1986
v/a - The Minimal Wave Tapes Volume Two

agree with Doran that Neneh Cherry & the Thing "Dream Baby Dream" is pretty much #1 track of the year so far, though-- so so good

standout tracks, what the hell...

Windy and Carl - "Fainting in the Presence of the Lord" (!!!!!) FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCKKKK
Killer Mike - "Reagan"
Spiritualized - "Headin' for the Top Now"
John Talabot - "So Will Be Now..."
Eyvind Kang - "Pure Nothing"
Mohn - Mohn "Ebertplatz 2020"
School of Seven Bells - "Lafaye"

i need to get up on more music released this year. lots of interesting stuff.

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Aufheben
Brother Sun Sister Moon - s/t
Grouper - Violet Replacement
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory
Windy & Carl - We Will Always Be

Dreams Say, View, Create, Shadow Leads - Dustin Wong

wow this is fucking gorgeous!!!

thanks!

1. Dawn Richard - Armor On
2. Ab-Soul - Control System
3. Miguel - Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1-3
4. Le1f - Dark York
5. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
6. Lone - Galaxy Garden
7. Nina Kraviz - s/t
8. Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
9. Nicki Minaj - Roman Reloaded
10. Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions

Good list. Talk to me about that Georgia Anne album.

killer mike is so, so good

rev, i was kinda with you when i heard ab-soul on spotify and i was thinking "so why is this guy playing third fiddle in black hippy?"

I wouldn't even say 3rd-fiddle! Seems like Kendrick (obv), Q, and Jay Rock are all more popular than him. But I think his album is on par (at least) with Section.80. The song where he's talking to his dead girlfriend makes me so ;_;

xp: Madlib-produced and a lot more focused than her usual. Sounds like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXNiy4in46s

ha i always forget jay rock is in black hippy, i guess because he came out way before

A couple of the best songs from the Muldrow aren't on youtube :/

Haven't had much chance to digest the album yet but I just found out about Alori Joh dying a couple of days ago. Really sad

gonna repost my Spotify playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/djperry1973/playlist/7Hi5uKSCgKZM5doRaEIDOz

it contains (in unranked order):

Schoolboy Q - Habits and Contradictions
Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror
Machinedrum - SXLND EP
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory
Trust - TRST
VCMG - SSSS
Dawn Richard - Armor On
Orbital - Wonky
Death Grips - The Money Store
Santigold - Master Of My Make-Believe
Ab-Soul - Control System
Rye Rye - Go! Pop! Bang!

Current faves:

Motion Sickness of Time Travel - s/t
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
Dawn Richard - Armor On
Zita Swoon Group - Wait For Me
Poliça - Give You the Ghost
Megafortress - s/t
Sun Araw, M Geddes Grengras and the Congos - FRKWYS 9
Nite Jewel - One Second of Love

Thanks rev, will check that for sure. I've liked her older stuff.

actress, r.i.p.
maga bo, quilombo do futuro
slugabed, time team (about half of it anyway)

also I am totally infatuated with this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu3oEc6CSpc&feature=related

man that Le1f album is so dope.

and I am loving that Georgia Anne Muldrow song

Claro Intelecto LP
Killer Mike LP
DJ Sprinkles & Mark Fell EP
Dream 2 Science Repress on Rush Hour
I:Cube Transpiration EP
Soul 223 EP on Delsin
Enjoying the Vakula Vedomir LP and anticipating his forthcoming Firecracker LP too

yay merchandise

Health - Max Payne 3 soundtrack

Health - Tears is awesome, especially because of how it comes in during the airport sequence.

Still a bunch of things I need to hear but...

Motion Sickness of Time Travel - s/t
Laurel Halo - Quarantine
Sun Araw, M Geddes Gengras and the Congos - FRKWYS 9
Julia Holter - Ekstasis
White Hills - Frying On This Rock
Brackles - Rinse Presents...
Actress - RIP
Shackleton - Music For The Quiet Hour
V/A - Shangaan Shake
Batida - s/t
Led Er Est - The Diver
White Car - Everyday Grace
Richard Youngs - Core To The Brave
Mirroring - Foreign Body
Belbury Poly - The Belbury Tales

now, now - threads LP and the rex or regina EP are by some distance my favourite things this year so far, at least until sulk drop their LP

Dream Continuum - Reworks EP

If reissues count, then Royal Headache.

Oh man that White Hills album cooks

Also enjoying the new Albini-recorded Screaming Females. If you like the sound of rock guitar, you'll probably like this.

2012 has been a disappointing year for me as far as anything goes, music included, but fuck my hat if I'm not a bit addicted to DJ Rashad's 'Teklife Vol.1: Welcome to the Chi' - simply the best introduction anyone can have to the burgeoning footwork scene.

Plenty of people have been getting excited on the dedicated chicago juke thread, but I think it needs wider attention. Whiney's review here not only nails it but also you can stream the whole thing here: http://www.spin.com/spin.com/reviews/dj-rashad-teklife-vol-1-welcome-chi-lit-city

It's crack for the ears... Smo-smo-smo-smosmossmosmosmosmosmo....

I went to all the trouble of making this collage for facebook, so I figured I'd post it here too. These are the 12 albums I probably maybe like the best from the first half of 2012:

http://i.imgur.com/Wj91u.jpg

Niki & The Dove - Instinct
Frankie Rose - Interstellar
Hot Chip - In Our Heads
Chairlift - Something
Chromatics - Kill for Love
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
Oddisee - People Hear What They See
Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth
Mrs. Magician - Strange Heaven
Twin Shadow - Confess
BEAK> - >>
Beat Connection - The Palace Garden

Do we have a "halfway through 2012" thread? Here's my hastily-scribbled top 12 from the first 1/2 of '12:

Georgia Anne Muldrow - Seeds
Nite Jewel - One Second of Love
Tenniscoats - Papa's Ear
John Talabot - Fin
Grimes - Visions
Dawn Richard - Armor On
Julia Holter - Ekstasis
Zita Swoon Group - Wait For Me
Marissa Nadler - The Sister
Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras and the Congos - FRKWYS 9
Peaking Lights - Lucifer
Lee Ranaldo - Between the Times and the Tides

Lots of other things I like well enough and/or haven't made my mind up about yet: Neneh Cherry/Thing, Chromatics, Polica, SVIIB, Motion Sickness of Time Travel, Richard Youngs, Frankie Rose, THEESatisfaction, Sand Circles, Laurel Halo, Lone, Eyvind Kang, Dirty Three, Terje...

Biggest disappointment so far: Trembling Bells and Bonnie "Prince" Billy :(

Peaking Lights - Lucifer

This one's still in the air for me...def need to spend more quality time with it.

I didn't fall in love with it immediately like I did with 936 but it's growing on me.

Here's my "most enjoyed" for the first half of 2012:

Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
Beach House - Bloom
Laurel Halo - Quarantine
Loudon Wainwright III - Older Than My Old Man Now
Django Django - Django Django
Tindersticks - The Something Rain
Saint Etienne - Words And Music By Saint Etienne
Spiro - Kaleidophonica
Cafe Iman Istanbul - Fasl-i Rembetiko
Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
Todd Terje - It's The Arps
Batida - Batida
Dirty Three - Toward The Low Sun
Matt Elliott - The Broken Man
Natalie Duncan - Devil In Me
Carter Tutti Void - Transverse
Patti Smith - Banga
Get The Blessing - OC DC
Bella Hardy - The Dark Peak and The White
NZCA/LINES - NZCA/LINES
Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion
Neneh Cherry & The Thing - The Cherry Thing
Rumer - Boys Don't Cry
VDU - Past Future Sequence
Punch Brothers - Who's Feeling Young Now?
Auntie Flo - Future Rhythm Machine
Bobby Womack - The Bravest Man In The Universe
Usher - Looking 4 Myself
Talabarte - Talabarte
Cornshed Sisters - Tell Tales
THEESatisfaction - awE naturalE
Orbital - Wonky
Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters - Underrated Silence
Robert Glasper - Black Radio

thaT Batida record is amazing

My three favourite albums of the year came out in the last month.

iamamwhoami-Kin
Hot Chip-In Our Heads
Dexys-One Day I'm Going to Soar

1. Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship
2. Hospitality - S/T
3. Sonny and the Sunsets - Longtime Companion
4. Field Music - Plumb
5. Eric Chenaux - Guitar and Voice
6. Death Grips - The Money Store
7. Actress - R.I.P
8. Cupp Cave - Retina Waves
9. BEAK> - >>
10. Christian Cosmos - Enthronement By God As The First-Born of the Dead

Miguel - Art Dealer Chic EPs
Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music (Williams Street)
Leonard Cohen - Old Ways
Kellie Pickler - 100 Proof
Imperial Teen - Feel the Sound
Saint Etienne - Words and Music
R. Kelly - Write Me Back
Usher - Looking 4 Myself (RCA)
Rufus Wainwright - Out of the Game (Decca/Polydor)
Todd Snider - Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables (Aimless0
Beach House - Bloom (Sub Pop)
Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel (Epic)
Lambchop - Mr. M (Merge)
Hot Chip - In Our Heads (Astralwerks)
Sinead O’Connor - How About I Be Me (And You Be You) (One Little Indian)
Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory (Carpark)

JF: You've heard the Twin Shadow album? So psyched for that.

Yeah, I cheated by putting that in there since it doesn't come out until next week (or maybe the week after), but it's really pretty good.

So there are a few places putting up their best of the first six months of 2012 lists or similar:

Quietus Albums Of The Year So Far 2012
http://thequietus.com/articles/09217-quietus-albums-of-the-year-so-far-2012

The 40 Best Albums of 2012... So Far
http://www.spin.com/gallery/40-best-albums-2012-so-far

Pitchfork - 20 overlooked albums
http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8880-overlooked-records-2012/

Any other noteable ones out there?

Complex did this weird list which is mainly rap with occasional incursions from Beach House and Grimes

http://www.complex.com/music/2012/07/the-50-best-songs-of-2012-so-far

Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis (Sound Opinions):

http://www.soundopinions.org/shownotes/2012/062212/shownotes.html

I've bought (and therefore heard in full) exactly ten 'new in 2012' releases thus far. Of which the favourite five are perhaps:

Bertrand Burgalat - Toutes directions
Orbital - Wonky
Todd Terje - It's the Arps EP
Gemma Ray - Island Fire
Belbury Poly - The Belbury Tales

Favourite reissues and the like so far:

V/A - Andy Votel presents Music Minus Music
Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson - The Way Out Record For Children
My Bloody Valentine - EPs and Rarities
Ilaiyaraaja - Fire Star
Todd Rundgren & Utopia - Disco Jets
The Seasons: Drama Workshop w/Radiophonic Music by David Cain
V/A - Disco Discharge: Disco Exotica
F C Judd - Electronics Without Tears