The Last Six: Best Music at the Mid-Year

June 10, 2012 • Music • by

2012 is over half way through, and as music festivals approach, its important to recognize the best musical pieces of the year. We start with the LP, the medium of choice for the great releases. EPs, mixtapes, and other releases are included in a separate list at the bottom. Every LP or EP on this list has been put into a Spotify playlist, embedded at the bottom. Altogether it is almost a day’s worth of listening, but well worth it to be up to date on all the great musical happenings of the past sixth months.

The Best LPs

Honorable Mentions (alphabetical)

Blunderbuss—Jack White
Hair—Ty Segall & White Fence
Le Voyage Dans La Lune—Air
Mixed Emotions—Tanlines
Nootropics—Lower Dens
Port of Morrow—The Shins
Something—Chairlift
Strange Weekend—Porcelain Raft
Tramp—Sharon Van Etten
TRST—Trust

Top 25

25. Young Man in America—Anaïs Mitchell
24. Maraqopa—Damien Jurado
23. Mr. M—Lambchop
22. WIXIW—Liars
21. Quakers—Quakers
20. Boys & Girls—Alabama Shakes
19. CYRK—Cate Le Bon
18. The Sister—Marissa Nadler
17. ƒIN—John Talabot
16. Put Your Back N 2 It—Perfume Genius
15. The Money Store—Death Grips
14. Bloom—Beach House
13. Open Your Heart—The Men
12. Spooky Action at a Distance—Lotus Plaza
11. Ugly—Screaming Females
10. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light—Spiritualized

9. R.A.P. Music—Killer Mike

8. Heaven—The Walkmen

7. Clear Moon—Mount Eerie

6. Celebration Rock—Japandroids

5. Visions—Grimes

4. Cancer for Cure—El-P

3. Atack on Memory—Cloud Nothings

2. Habits & Contradictions—ScHoolboy Q

1. Kill for Love—The Chromatics

The Best of the Rest

EPs, Mixtapes, & Other Releases

10. Radio EP—St. Vincent
9. Express Yourself EP—Diplo
8. Trap Back—Gucci Mane
7. Instrumental Mixtape 2—Clams Casino
6. The singles from GOOD Music’s upcoming album, “Mercy” and “Cold”—Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, & DJ Khaled
5. 1991 EP—Azealia Banks
4. Blue Chips—Action Bronson w/ Party Supplies
3. Silent Hour/Golden Mile EP—Daniel Rossen
2. Kindred EP—Burial
1. Themes for an Imaginary Film—Symmetry (released late 2011)

  • KellyCogan

    I was hoping to see a little more bop doo-bop and a little less beep de-dop

    • AlyssaG

       @KellyCogan I disagree with you, I think it had a perfect ratio of bopping and beeping, which we all know is 1.6180339887, which colloquially is called phi.

      • KellyCogan

         @AlyssaG I once had a glass of the golden ratio and it gave me indigestion, so I am not satisfied.

    • Tony Russo

       @KellyCogan I think the year’s best music has been more on the beep de-dop side. I expect it to level ought once December roles around.

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