MD’s Zero Fanfare Top 40 Albums Of 2011

Are they in order, from 1 to 40? Perhaps 40 to 1? Yes, no… who cares. Anyway, 40 thoroughly good albums from the year that isn’t quite over (but let’s be fair, there’s nothing but X Factor afterbirth between now and the New Year).

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Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place
Katy B – On a Mission
Kuedo – Severant
The Horrors – Skying
Polinski – Labyrinths
Ghostpoet – Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam
Com Truise – Galactic Melt
Björk – Biophilia
9th Wonder – The Wonder Years
True Widow – As High as the Highest Heavens…
Wild Beasts – Smother
Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
Dark Dark Dark – Wild Go
Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact
A Winged Victory for the Sullen – A Winged Victory for the Sullen
FaltyDL – You Stand Uncertain
Mastodon – The Hunter
The Men – Leave Home
The Weeknd – House of Balloons
Other Lives – Tamer Animals
Three Trapped Tigers – Route One or Die
Modeselektor – Moneytown
Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
SBTRKT – SBTRKT
Braids – Native Speaker
Rustie – Glass Swords
Dels – Gob
Iceage – New Brigade
Childish Gambino – CAMP
Machinedrum – Room(s)
Martyn – Ghost People
Azari & III – Azari & III
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – We’re New Here
Emika – Emika
Blanck Mass – Blanck Mass
Nils Frahm – Felt
Drake – Take Care
Kode9 & The Spaceape – Black Sun

Note: Esben and the Witch’s Violet Cries is disqualified from this list because they’re terrible, terrible people. Nah. But I do co-manage them. And that sort of nepotism just ain’t cool.

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Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place

Katy B – Broken Record

Kuedo – Scissors

The Horrors – Still Life

Polinski – Stitches