The Best Albums of 2010: Rob da Bank and Gilles Peterson
Post categories: Best Albums of 2010, Radio 1, album reviews, presenter
|11:33 UK time, Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Just two more sleeps 'til Christmas, you say? Here's two kings of all things musical to guide your ears the way of starry sonic delights - Radio 1's Rob da Bank and Gilles Peterson, with their top five albums of 2010. Pick your own third king from the pair we've got coming up on December 23 and 24 - Stuart Maconie and Zane Lowe. Now, who's brought the frankincense...
Rob da Bank
Everything Everything - Man Alive
Just the most vibrant indie album of the year, with wit, lyricism and beautiful playing.
Read the BBC review and listen to previews
Skream - Outside the Box
In the year that dubstep went mental, Skream finally delivered his second album. Amongst the bangers were plenty of thoughtful soundtracks to many a dubstep dawn. Inspiring.
Read the BBC review and listen to previews
Zola Jesus - Stridulum II
A brave, futuristic record from a very colourful artist brimming with ideas and unexpected symphonies of sound.
Read the BBC review and listen to previews
Magnetic Man - Magnetic Man
Alongside Skream's album, the holy trinity of Artwork, Benga and Skream (again) made a corking bass odyssey with just the right amount of dark and light moments.
Read the BBC review
Caribou - Swim
After beavering away for years as Manitoba and now Caribou, this man delivered the train-spotter's album of the year. Amazing layered electronic indie with a splash of pop.
Read the BBC review and listen to previews
Gilles Peterson
1
Flying Lotus - Cosmograma
His long awaited opus - a majestic, electronic, avant-garde soundclash that will stand tall for years to come.
Read the BBC review and listen to previews
2
Scuba - Triangulation
Another producer-led album - this time coming from the UK via Berlin. Scuba's dubstep-teasing techno comes from the label, Hot Flush, that also brought us Mount Kimbie and Sepalcure. Label of the year, perhaps?
Scuba on BBC Music
3
Aloe Blacc - Good Things
Starting off his career more as rapper than singer, Aloe has taken the prize of new soul singer of the year with arrangements by the Dap Kings (Amy Winehouse, etc), and a huge club hit in I Need a Dollar. He also hosts/MCs LA's coolest party, the Do Over.
read the BBC review and listen to previews
4
Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid
I was disappointed with her debut of two years ago, but with The ArchAndroid the former outcast went supersonic and beautifully left - from Afrobeat to Rotary Connection-style folk. A well-taken risk, and she's incredible live too...
Read the BBC review and listen to previews
5
Finn Peters - Music of the Mind
Finn is one of the UK's most incredible musicians - on Music of the Mind he has made a jazz improv album in which he's worked a 'brain computer interface' with flute and sax - hearing is believing!
Read the BBC review and listen to previews
Comment number 1.
At 11:56 22nd Dec 2010, SteveDave wrote:Surely 3 sleeps til Xmas? Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night? Unless I've missed a day.
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Comment number 2.
At 15:37 22nd Dec 2010, Mike Diver wrote:You're not wrong. I blame the amount of booze in these mince pies. (That, and writing these entries in advance and not counting my days properly.)
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Comment number 3.
At 18:32 22nd Dec 2010, Tbon wrote:The Janelle Monae album is sold out in 3 massive hmvs that I've been to. Obviously a popular choice...
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