07/16 - No Batteries Included and No Strings Attached

Savages and savants. I'll have that knowledge and wit with a pinch of love and anger.

A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario

For Phife Dawg of course:

All that and then some; short dark and handsome

Bun B + Killer Mike + Cuz Lightyear - Savage Habits

Anything with Killer Mike on receives a lent ear from me these days. "Me, I'm a warrior and boy, that should worry you" is such a brilliantly simple line. Also really loving the dynamics of this chorus. Let it percolate for a while and you'll find yourself shouting along to whatever it is they actually chant.

Chester Watson - Pharaoh

Someone's been listening to a lot of Doom and Earl Sweatshirt. But no matter if you can keep level with them! This whole album is quite astounding when it comes to both beats and rhymes

Dumb it down so I don't come off a verbal grenadier

Bo Ningen - Nichijyou

Went to the gig of the year. How could it be otherwise when these Japanese madmen are the opening act? A mezmerising show, that still got even better when...

Savages - Adore

...one of the best live bands I've ever seen came on. I bounced around like a pinball in the moshpit, and then Jehnny Beth climbed out into the audience, and stopped with one foot on my left shoulder while singing a verse of Hit Me. By the time they played Adore I was drenched with sweat and swaying on my legs, and then everyone clenched their fists at the crescendo and never mind pretensions... I adored life.

06/16 - The Things That You've Got Coming Will Consume You

An exotic blend of delicious sound mastery.

George Martin - Pepperland

Thanks for picking up the Beatles and helping to open the world of music for me, George. I remember once in my teens, me and my mate were trying to write lyrics to Pepperland and make it into a song of our own. I mean, it's only like an instrumental on one of the most famous records in the world, so noone would call us up on it, right? What a stupid idea. Anyway, RIP, you gentle genious.

Cornelius - Fly

Long time favourite album by Japan's finest.

Anna Meredith - The Vapours

Few things on this album can compare to her masterpiece; Nautilus, but when the orchestral brass starts stabbing a steep ascent at 3:25, this is close to as epic. And every time I listen I find more amazing bits like that (like the subtle drop of the 'untz untz' cymbals at 3:06 for example)

Shye Ben Tzur + Jonny Greenwood + The Rajasthan Express - Roked

Went to the Barbican to see these guys. Musicianship on a whole other level. Singing and drumming that make your jaw drop. This being their headbanging seatclimbing set closer. Also, now I've seen Radiohead 10,2 times. ;)

The Mountain Goats - The Young Thousands

A slightly too triumphant-sounding song about heroin-addicts.

05/16 - You Smell Like Light, Gas, Water, Electricity, Rent

A seductive and happy list.

Camille Yarbrough - Take Yo' Praise

That slinky bassline. That hazed voice. Those devotional lyrics.

Goldfrapp - Pilots

Ice and clouds, shimmer outside
Rain just falls, at magic hour
It's just the sound of you and me
Time twitching
Murmurs of our friendly machine

Animal Collective - We Tigers

Music that sounds like a sugar rush.

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Sunday Candy

Super happy music. The giddiness of childhood. Chance the Rapper seems to have one hell of a grandma.

Kendrick Lamar - 06.23.2014

Kendrick trying out yet another few voices, with an almost unnatural rate of success. The "Cornrow Kennie, he was born with a vision" line was where untitled unmastered. gave me my first chills of pleasure.

04/16 - Forgive The Kids For They Don't Know How To Live

Went home to Sweden for a family-swaddle, away from politics and art. But these songs I've had saved for this list for a while. So there's politics and art.

Arca - En

Enveloped in human and machine breath. Not able to tell the difference. But feeling the warmth from within.

Holly Herndon - Morning Sun

This album grows with every listen. Best voice-obsessed album since Medúlla, and this is one of its most unashamedly gorgeous tracks.

Jenny Hval - Heaven

Another album from last year I'm discovering now. It's fantastic. Razor sharp ruminations on all aspects of contemporary life. I'm definitely not embarrassed to say that I love intellectual, feminist avant garde music.

St. Vincent - Cruel

Realised I hadn't had maybe my favourite St Vincent song on a list yet. The unstoppable, propelling drive of this is incredible. And the icing on the cake is that little xylophone-like riff around the 3 minute mark. Absolute killer.

Sleater-Kinney - No Anthems

Never really listened to Sleater-Kinney back in the heyday, but gave their new album a whirl and got totally stuck on this. Great guitar sound. Great drumming. Hard-hitting chorus.