'O Celestial Golfball That Rules The Night... writesCHIRP Radio Best of 2012 (Dave Staples)

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its members’ top albums of 2012. Our next list is from DJ Dave Staples.

1. Airiel - Kid Games (Shelflife Records)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   This local shoegaze outfit's 4-track EP arrived in May and stayed at the top of my iPod agenda until well into Summer. Not guitar-rock shoegaze like Lush or MBV, but more dreamy like Cocteau Twins or Ride (Jeremy Wrenn even sings with a bit of an English accent somehow). Headphones on, smile on, eyes closed, head bobbing like a no-wake-zone buoy. Favorite song : Daydreamer
2. Verma - EXU (Self-Released)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Another local band at the top of the list, Verma are makers of outer-space dense & heavy psyche with a twist of Krautrock. For fans of everything from Wooden Shjips to Hawkwind. I think Drift is my favorite song of the year. Favorite song: Drift
3. Wild Nothing - Nocturne (Captured Tracks)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Gorgeous uptempo dreampop that recalls Twin Sister, Chromatics, maybe Echo & The Bunnymen too. There's superior craftsmanship at work here. Favorite song: This Chain Won't Break
4. Black Marble - A Different Arrangement (Hardly Art)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Ice-cold synth pop never sounded so warm. This electro-goth album sounds like it came directly from the early 80's. The vocals sound like they were recorded through an air duct from across the building with the fan on. I hear the Cure here, I hear a melodic & more hopeful incarnation of Joy Division. So much synth! So much upbeat darkness! Favorite song: A Great Design
5. Opossom - Electric Hawaii (Fire)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Manic paced, high strung & very infectious pop from New Zealand's Kody Nielson (the brother of the brainchild of Unknown Mortal Orchestra). It runs in the family apparently. The album was written, home-recorded and mixed by Kody and Kody alone. I remember dancing around the room when I first heard this album. Favorite song: Getaway Tonight
6. Django Django - Django Django (Ribbon)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Born out of an Edinburgh art school from the younger brother of The Beta Band's programmer (similarities are evident), This album is groovy, catchy, upbeat and unusual. Apparently the name was inspired by one of jazz master Django Reinhardt's tutors who had a stutter. Favorite song: Default
7. Angel Olsen - Half Way Home (Bathetic Records)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Chicago's Angel Olsen's haunting voice seems to crackle with hints of unused power reserves hiding just beneath the surface. She's already slaying me and she's got so much left in the tank! Beautiful, pensive, dark blue Americana. Favorite song: Miranda
8. Cross Record - Be Good (Lay Flat)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Another Chicago artist, Emily Cross is a master of delicate, complex, emotional psychedelia. Multiple layers, instrumentation, textures.. One gets the sense that she doesn't hold back in her songwriting, and her work is quite personal. Slows down my heart rate but raises my blood pressure. Favorite song: Little Orange
9. Dum Dum Girls - End of Daze EP (Sub Pop)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   It's getting harder to keep calling it garage rock. 5 perfect songs produced by The Raveonettes' Sune Rose Wagner, so it's got that 'Wall-of-Fuzz' and retro feel to it. Dum Dum Girls just keeps slowly evolving and getting better. Favorite song: Lord Knows
10. The Amazing - Gentle Stream (Partisan)
    BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
    Sweden's The Amazing (featuring members of Dungen) bring pastel vocals, rhythms & guitars that sometimes rock out and sometimes hypnotize, and a general sense of easy-to-digest mild psychedalia to the table. Keep it in your car for roadtrips or when you've got time to sit down awhile and bathe in it. Bits of Crazy Horse, Junip, Neil Halstead and Nick Drake here and there. Favorite song: International Hair

Honorable Mentions

• Because it was a great year in music, I also dearly loved:
  
  First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
  Thee Oh Sees - Putrifiers II
  Hot Chip - In Our Heads
  Porcelain Raft - Strange Weekend
  Witchcraft - Legend
  Grimes - Visions
  Four Tet - Pink