TOP 30
- WHOOP-SZO* Warrior Down (You’ve Changed)
- SAMPA THE GREAT The Return (Ninja Tune)
- WHIT DICKEY / TAO QUARTETS Peace Planet/Box of Light (AUM Fidelity)
- FOG BLUES & BRASS BAND* Into the Fog (Self-Released)
- THE GOOD LOVELIES* Evergreen (Self-Released)
- GORDON GRDINA QUARTET* Cooper’s Park (Songlines)
- SAM WEBER* Everything Comes True (Sonic Unyon)
- KATHERINE PENFOLD* Sweetest Thing (Justin Time)
- ADRIAN RASO* Gypsybilly King (Asphalt Tango)
- STEPHEN FEARING* The Unconquerable Past (Fear and Loathing Music)
- LAND OF KUSH* Sand Enigma (Constellation)
- LEELA GILDAY* North Star Calling (Self-Released)
- MATANA ROBERTS* Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis (Constellation)
- ICE CREAM* FED UP (Self-Released)
- SUDAN ARCHIVES Athena (Stones Throw)
- INNES WILSON* The Heart That Holds This Up (Out Of Sound)
- LITTLE SCREAM* Speed Queen (Merge)
- MAPPE OF* The Isle Of Ailynn (Paper Bag)
- ACID ARAB Jdid (Crammed Discs)
- CARTEL MADRAS* Age Of The Goonda (Royal Mountain)
- BECK Hyperspace (Capitol)
- VARIOUS Shapes: Diamonds (Tru Thoughts)
- ERI YAMAMOTO TRIO & CHORAL CHAMELEON Goshu Ondo Suite (AUM Fidelity)
- EVANGELINE GENTLE* Evangeline Gentle (Coax)
- TINARIWEN Amadjar (Anti-)
- MOUNT EERIE Lost Wisdom Pt. 2 (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
- NECKING* Cut Your Teeth (Mint)
- SAFIA NOLIN* Reprises Vol. 2 (Bonsound)
- ZACHARY LUCKY* Midwestern (Self-Released)
- SEBASTIAN Thirst (Ed Banger)
Electronic
- ACID ARAB Jdid (Crammed Discs)
- VARIOUS Shapes: Diamonds (Tru Thoughts)
- SEBASTIAN Thirst (Ed Banger)
- DIRTY BIRD Significant Other (MENACE)
- SILLA + RISE* Galactic Gala (Self-Released)
- GALCHER LUSTWERK Information (Ghostly International)
- JACQUES GREENE* Dawn Chorus (Arts & Crafts)
- DJ SHADOW Our Pathetic Age (Mass Appeal)
- NORTEC COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: BOSTICH + FUSSIBLE Greatest Hits (Nacional)
- PICK A PIPER* Sight (Tin Angel)
Hip Hop
- SAMPA THE GREAT The Return (Ninja Tune)
- CARTEL MADRAS* Age Of The Goonda (Royal Mountain)
- DAYDA BANKS* We Should Go to Japan (1124250 Records DK)
- YUGEN BLAKROK Anima Mysterium (IOT)
- DJ PNUTZ The Breakmaker (Self-Released)
- TONGUE HELMET* Psychotropic Ape (Urbnet)
- DJ SHADOW Our Pathetic Age (Mass Appeal)
- AC PEER Shakespeer (FiveSe7en)
- BROTHER ALI Secrets & Escapes (Rhymesayers)
- JOELL ORTIZ Monday (Mello Music Group)
International
- ACID ARAB Jdid (Crammed Discs)
- TINARIWEN Amadjar (Anti-)
- THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA* Chaos Theories (Do Right!)
- KONGO DIA NTOTILA 360° (Pussyfoot)
- THE GOOD ONES Rwanda, You Should Be Loved (Anti-)
- PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND A Tuba To Cuba (Sub Pop)
- AL QAHWA* Cairo Moon (Self-Released)
- LEE ‘SCRATCH’ PERRY Rootz Reggae Dub (Megawave)
- ALEX CUBA* Sublime (Caracol)
- VARIOUS Sound Portraits from Bulgaria (Smithsonian Folkways)
Jazz & Experimental
- WHIT DICKEY / TAO QUARTETS Peace Planet/Box of Light (AUM Fidelity)
- FOG BLUES & BRASS BAND* Into the Fog (Self-Released)
- GORDON GRDINA QUARTET* Cooper’s Park (Songlines)
- LAND OF KUSH* Sand Enigma (Constellation)
- MATANA ROBERTS* Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis (Constellation)
- ERI YAMAMOTO TRIO & CHORAL CHAMELEON Goshu Ondo Suite (AUM Fidelity)
- THE DOPOLARIANS Garden Party (Mahakala)
- NICK FRASER , CHRIS DAVIS & TONY MALABY* Zoning (Astral Spirits)
- DAVID S. WARE NEW QUARTET Théâtre Garonne, 2008 (AUM Fidelity)
- JUNIUS PAUL Ism (International Anthem)
Loud
- WHOOP-SZO* Warrior Down (You’ve Changed)
- NECKING* Cut Your Teeth (Mint)
- OPETH In Cauda Venenum (English Version) (Nuclear Blast)
- CATTLE DECAPITATION Death Atlas (Metal Blade)
- BIRMANI* EP2 (Cuchabata)
- ZAUM* Divination (Listenable)
- NILE Vile Nilonic Rites (Nuclear Blast)
- EX-SOFTESS* Hollow Ritual (Thankless)
- SCIMITAR* Shadows of Man (Self-Released)
- BARONESS Gold & Grey (Abraxan Hymns)
Folk/Roots/Blues
- THE GOOD LOVELIES* Evergreen (Self-Released)
- STEPHEN FEARING* The Unconquerable Past (Fear and Loathing Music)
- LEELA GILDAY* North Star Calling (Self-Released)
- MOUNT EERIE Lost Wisdom Pt. 2 (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
- SAFIA NOLIN* Reprises Vol. 2 (Bonsound)
- ZACHARY LUCKY* Midwestern (Self-Released)
- CATHERINE MACLELLAN* Coyote (Self-Released)
- BRUCE COCKBURN* Crowing Ignites (True North)
- JESSICA RHAYE AND THE RAMSHACKLE PARADE* Just Like A Woman – Songs of Bob Dylan (Self-Released)
- AMY BLANDING* Down the Line (Good Egg Records)