Favourite and best end of year music lists are always difficult to compile, and this makes year number 11 for us. On December 17, we mark exactly 10 years since we began this musical, artistic and technological journey and hopefully we’ll be around for another 10 and more. The reason to continue is the same as the reason we started – to promote independently made and released music we love. All lists are intensely subjective and also subject to taste and exposure. To that end, below is a list of 70 albums that didn’t quite make our Top 30 list for 2018 but we think deserve more an honourable mention. It is deliberately not in order (no more ranking) and it is not sorted into genre (no more dividing). And fundamentally, it is far from definitive. Click on the album covers for links to buy. Thank you to all the independent and underground artists and their communities around the world for all their cutting edge efforts often in the face of an unforgiving economic (and social, political and environmental) world.
YOU ARE WHY WE EXIST
FRIDAY
The Top 30 Albums of 2018
MORE THAN HONOURABLE MENTIONS FOR 2018
SARAH DAVACHI (CAN) – GAVE IN REST (Ba Da Bing)
DJ RICHARD (USA) – DIES IRAE XEROX (Dial)
DJ KOZE (GER) – KNOCK KNOCK (Pampa)
GRIVO USA) – ELUDE (Holodeck)
FOXTROTT (CAN) – MEDITATIONS I-II-III
GAZELLE TWIN (ENG) – PASTORAL (Anti-Ghost Moon Ray)
LOW (USA) – DOUBLE NEGATIVE (Sub Pop)
SURGEON (ENG) – LUMINOSITY DEVICE (Dynamic Tension)
DJRUM (ENG) – PORTRAIT WITH FIREWOOD (R&S)
TOTALLY MILD (AUS) – HER (Chapter)
YVES TUMOR (USA) – SAFE IN THE HANDS OF LOVE (Warp)
WE FLOAT (NOR/SWE)- WHAT’S REALLY REAL? (Havtorn)
FUTURE MUSEUMS (USA) – ROSEWATER CEREMONY (Holodeck)
CARSON McHONE (USA) – CAROUSEL (Self Released/Nine Mile)
PRIMAL CODE (ITA) – LA VIA DELLA SETA (Hypnus)
E-SAGGILA (CAN) – DEDICATED TO SUBLIMITY (Bank)
THEM ARE US TOO (USA) – AMENDS (Dais)
THOUSAND FOOT WHALE CLAW (USA) – BLACK HOLE PARTY (Holodeck)
ERIN RAE (USA) – PUTTING ON AIRS (Single Lock)
BLAWAN (ENG) – WET WILL ALWAYS FRY (Ternesc)
BLUSH RESPONSE (AUS) – HEARTS GROW DULL (Self Released)
PREOCCUPATIONS (CAN) – NEW MATERIAL (Jagjaguwar)
LOWTIDE (AUS) – SOUTHERN MIND (Rice Is Nice)
BLOOD ORANGE (ENG/USA) – NEGRO SWAN (Domino)
CHRIS GARNEAU (USA) – YOURS (Creepy Crawler/Rough Trade)
SRSQ (USA) – UNREALITY (Dais)
CAOILFHIONN ROSE (ENG) – AWAKEN (Gondwana)
HATER (SWE) – SIESTA (Fire)
TIM HECKER (USA) – KONOYO (Sunblind)
DONATO DOZZY (ITA) – FILO LOVES THE ACID (Tresor)
STILL CORNERS (USA) – SLOW AIR (Wrecking Light)
TOMBERLIN (USA) – AT WEDDINGS (Saddle Creek)
THE OPHELIAS (USA) – ALMOST (Joyful Noise)
WEN (USA) – EPHEM:ERA (Big Dada)
ENDLESS WHITE 无限白 (CHN) – FLOW WEST INTO YOU
MARTYN (NET) – VOIDS (Ostgut Ton)
INIGO KENNEDY (ENG) – STRATA (T.O.K.E.N. / News)
ICEAGE (DEN) – BEYONDLESS (Matador)
JON HOPKINS (ENG) – SINGULARITY (Domino)
DANIEL AVERY (ENG) – SONG FOR ALPHA (Phantasy Sound / PIAS)
RIVAL CONSOLES (ENG) – PERSONA (Erased Tapes)
THE NEW TIGERS (FIN) – DO XAO (Soliti)
JEFF ROSENSTOCK (USA) POST- (Polyvinyl)
CATS OF TRANSNISTRIA (FIN) – OPIUM (Soliti)
ALEXANDER KOWALSKI (ENG) – CYCLES (Mord)
VIAGRA BOYS (SWE) – STREET WORMS (YEAR 0001)
GAS (GER) – RAUSCH (Kompakt)
GROUPER (USA) – GRID OF POINTS (Yellow Electric)
U.S. GIRLS (USA) – IN A POEM UNLIMITED (4AD)
HOLY (SWE) – ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS (PNKSLM)
MATHS AND PHYSICS CLUB – LIVED HERE BEFORE (Self Released)
THE SHIFTERS (AUS) – HAVE A CUNNING PLAN (Trouble In Mind)
ST. BEAUTY (USA) – RUNNING TO THE SUN (The Wonderland Arts Society)
THE OCEAN PARTY (AUS) – THE ODDFELLOWS’ HALL
HAMMOCK (USA) – UNIVERSALIS (Self Released)
IDLES (ENG) – Joy As An Act Of Resistance (Pod/Partisan)
FOOTY (AUS) – Flora /Fauna (Lost & Lonesome)
LIA MICE (ENG) – THE SAMPLER AS TIME MACHINE (Optimo)
BUZZ KULL (AUS) – NEW KIND OF CROSS (Burning Rose/Funeral Party/Avant!)
THE OCEAN PARTY (AUS) – THE ODDFELLOWS HALL (Spunk!)
KÆLAN MIKLA (ISL) – NOTT EFTIR NOTT (Artoffact)
DEMDIKE STARE (ENG) – PASSION (Modern Love)
CHRISTINE & THE QUEENS – CHRIS (Because)
KIKAGAKU MOYO (JPN) – MASANA TEMPLES (Guruguru Brain)
KORRIDOR (SWE)- END OF CYCLE (Northern Electronics)
TINY DEATHS (USA) – MAGIC (Handwritten)
MARISSA NADLER (USA) – FOR MY CRIMES (Bella Union)
