Everyone has been asking me what's the best album of the year, well its a tough choice to just come up with one. So I've compiled a list of 21 albums that I think are worthy of such praise as an album of the year. So, in no particular order, here are Neoloop's choice album's that have been continually entertaining throughout 2009. It's been another good year for new music, from the dancehall mayhem of Major Laser to the dynamic hip hop of Q-Tip and Mos def, from the freaky folk of Devendra Banhart to the folktronica of Biblo, and the Psychodellic rhythms of Neon Indian and Beyond the Wizards Sleeve. Moody and epic albums from Dirty Projectors and Atlas Sound soundtracked some great late night listening. Summer tunes in the car with the top down provided by Animal Collective, Little Dragon, Pheonix, Empire of the Sun, Miike Snow and DJ Vadim. We danced in a daze to Fuck Buttons, Matias Aguayo and The Juan MacLean and came home and chilled out to The Meanderthals and The XX. 

Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do

Top tunes: Hold the Line, Can't Stop Now, Pod De Floor.

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Top Tunes: Stillness is the Move, No Intention, Remade Horizon

Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms

Top Tunes: Deadbeat Summer, Terminally Chill, Psychic Chasms

Devendra Banhart - What Will We Be

Top Tunes: Angelika, 16th & Valencia Roxy Music, Rats

Matias Aguayo - Ay Ay Ay

Top Tunes: Rollerskate, Koro Koro, Juanita

Altas Sound - logos

Top Tunes: Walkabout, Quick Canal, Washington School

Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue

Top Tunes: Jealous Roses, Ambivalence Avenue, Haikuesque (When She Laughs)

Little Dragons - Machine Dreams

Top Tunes: Blinking Pigs, Runabout, My Step

Meanderthals - Desire Lines

Top Tunes: Androemda (Prelude To The Future), 1-800-288-Slam, Desire Lines

The XX - XX

Top Tunes: Crystalised, Islands, Heart Skipped A Beat

Miike Snow - Miike Snow

Top Tunes: Animal, Song for No One, Black & Blue

Yacht - See the mystery lights

Top Tunes: The Afterlife, I'm In Love With A Ripper, Summer Song

Mos Def - The Ecstatic

Top Tunes: Supermagic, Quiet Dog, Auditorium

Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Top Tunes: Move, Won't Trade, Manwomanboogie

DJ Vadim - U Can't Lurn Imaginashun

Top Tunes: You Are Yours, Tu He Ma Ne Toddy, Under Your Hat

Blakroc - Blakroc

Top Tunes: Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo), On The Vista, Hope Your Happy

The Juan Maclean - The Future Will come

Top tunes: The Future Will Come, One Day, Happy House

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Top tunes: Listomania, Rome, Countdown (Sick For The Big Sun)

Beyond the Wizards Sleeve - Re-Animations Vol.1

Top Tunes: Battle Scars, Ulysses, The Bears Are Coming

Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport

Top Tunes: Olympians, Surf Solar, Space Mountain

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Top Tunes: Brother Sport, My Girls, Summertime Clothes

Empire of the Sun - Walking On A Dream 

Further albums that came close… The Dead Weather, Wild Beasts - Two Dancers, Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle, Grizzley Bear - Veckatimest, Fever Ray, Passion Pitt - Manners, Noah and the Whale - The First Days of Spring, Radiokijada - Quema!, Air - Love 2, Freelance Whales - Weathervanes, Ian Brown - My Way, KiD CuDi - Man On The Moon, Nirvana - Live at Reading, The Antlers - Hospice, Yuksek - Away From The Sea, Sunset Rubdown -  Dragonslayer, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - Fruit, Health - Get Color, Real Estate - Real Estate, Annie - Don't Stop, Bat For Lashes - Two Suns, Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul, Simian Mobile Disco - Temporary Pleasure, Wilco - Wilco, The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules, Soul Savers - Broken, Röyksopp - Junior, Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics - Inspiration Information, Martyn - Great Lengths, Lamb of God - Wrath, Kleerup - Kleerup, In Flagranti - Brash & Vulgar, A HAwk And A Hacksaw - Délivrance, Coeur De Pirate - Coeur De Pirate, Cassettes Won't listen - Into The Hillside, The BPA - I Think We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat, Ralph Myerz - Ralphorama.

Bibio's Ambivalence Avenue is already one of my album's of 2009. Now before the year is through Bibio releases The Apple and the Tooth, which essentially is a Ambivalence Avenue remix album with a few new tracks. The Lone remix of All the Flowers extends the original tune from an interlude into a whole tune. Always a favourite moment on Ambivalence Avenue it has a back beat and echoing vocals, but never loses that looping riff that makes the tune what it is.

Like this try: Bibio's Ambivalence Avenue

Bibio's place in MySpace

I've no idea what she's singing about, my spanish is a little rusty, but this is a beautiful song. An instant feel good vibe, just add a cuban cigar and a Mojito and your away! My mate Dave has this as his ringtone!

This is a classic tune from the Cuban diva Leyanis López Luque, born in Guantanámo on the 8th of October 1971.

Leyanis place in MySpace

Chilean born, German raised Matias Aguayo new album Ay Ay Ay is taking up a lot of time the Neoloop sound system. Composed mostly of the human voice it make's sounds you've never heard before, an unfamiliar style of music that will define a whole new genre. If any thing it has an almost tribal quality sometimes hinting at the odd african rhythm and chanting. I've previously posted up the single Rollerskate off the the album, this track is magnificent blend of human voice and wind instruments to a pounding tribal beat. Go get the album. Highly Recommended

Buy it on iTunes

How about a quick interval for the funk, some classic 70's shake your booty from The Bar Kays (Mark II). Cool shit, the funk don't get much better than this, plenty of little instrumental breaks, many have been sample over and over. Play it loud!

Originally formed in '66 the band biggest hit was Soul Finger, then most members of the band died in the same plane crash that killed Otis Reading. The funk lived on in Bar Kays second reincarnation.

Buy Bar Kays on iTunes

Real Estates album was only released last month, but with tracks like Beach Comber, Let's rock the beach and Pool Swimmers its all about long hot lazy sunny days and having fun, surf guitars and Hawaiian flowers. Although their are a few somber moments in Black Lake and Fake Blues and even a song about Snow days. In the middle of a cold winters day it brings in a ray of sunshine and you can only but dream about next summer. I'm sure this album will have the longevity to soundtrack your summer holidays in 2010 and beyond, a cracking debut from the New Jersey band.

Bands place in MySpace, Buy it on iTunes

Like this try: Grizzly Bear, Biblo, Freelance Whales

A pounding heavy slab of white noise, yet strangely melodic, distorted sounds crash and collide beating each other up until the most powerful one pushes to the fore until it get smashed away by another creating a captivating chaos. You need to turn the volume up to stun on this one. If you imagine My Bloody Valentine jamming with Giorgio Moroder in a dark heaving disco you come close, The main riff is oddly reminiscent of Sly & the Family Stones' Into My Own Thing (as sampled by Fatboy Slim on Weapon of Choice). Die slow is taken from their 2nd album Get Color, out now. LA's HEALTH are best known in the UK for their collaboration with Crystal Castles on hit dancefloor filler Crimewave, something of a disco departure from their usual brand of ear punishing cacophony. Also available is an album of remixes, HEALTH//DISCO featuring new versions of first their first album. Check out the video for Die Slow, pretty gruesome!

Like this try: No Age, Atlas Sound, Wavves, My Bloody Valentine

Official Site, Bands place in MySpace, Buy all HEALTH albums on iTunes

The longer U wait the more you cry… bouncin' synths and jangley guitars dominated by Simone White's folky vocal swoon. Fol Chen are a group from Los Angeles signed to Asthmatic Kitty records, this is the title track from their second album The Longer U Wait. The original version appears on their debut album Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made.

Like this try: Hot Chip, The XX, Yacht, Simone White

Bands place in MySpace, Simone White's place in MySpace, Buy Fol Chen on iTunes

Psychedelic bongo rock with sitars and guitars from Denmark, sounds like Jesus and Mary Chain remixed by Beyond the Wizards Sleeve. But this is all the work of one man, Tobias Winberg an unsigned from Denmark

Like this try: Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Velvet Underground

Bands place in MySpace

This tune sounds like the bastard love child of Human League's Don't you want me. One day baby your realise I'm the one. Magnificent Electro-punk-pop at it's best, play it loud!!! This track has been remixed on the single release, but I like the original album version best, taken from the album The Future Will Come, out now! RECOMMENDED.

I've been a fan of the Juan MacLean since their debut album Less Than Human back in 2005. Since then they have released various tracks and many remixes, now joined by LCD Soundsystem collaborator Nancy Whang. Main member John Maclean's good friend James Murphy of DFA was their sound engineer on tour. Sadly their drummer Jerry Fuchs died in a freak accident, falling down an elevator shaft in a warehouse building in Brooklyn last november.

Bands place in MySpace, Official Site, Buy The Juan MacLean on iTunes

Totally wicked Cassettes Won't Listen (AKA Jason Drake) fast becoming my new favourite band, In To The Hillside is an instrumental album full of cracking tunes, this ones got a great drum and bass vibe with an orchestral disco of floating strings and chopping wonky synths, love this shit! check out CWL MySpace or iTunes page for more stuff including some of his vocal tunes.

Like this try: DJ Shadow, Woofly, In Flagranti

Bands place in MySpace, Buy more CWL stuff on iTunes

Now it's time for a bit mellow ambient pop from San Francisco, Misfortunes Are Cruel is nice easy going little groove taken from the album You Will Never Know Why. Comprised mostly of a man and his machines, San Francisco's Sweet Trip is the genius of Roberto Burgos. Featuring shoegazey beats and electronic experimentation, the vocals of Valerie Reyes add to the band's dynamic allure.

Bands place in MySpace, Buy it on iTunes 

Very much a tune of the year, Garage/dubstep hybrid Hyph Mngo has been filling dance floors all over. Epic atmospheric, intricate drum patterns and soaring samples.

But it on iTunes, Joy place in MySpace

We've had a lot of interest in Matias Aguayo after posting up his excellent track Rollerskate. He has a new album out now Ay Ay Ay which is a cracker.

This is a real nice lush lazy track, as I watch the snow falling outside turning everything brilliant white this is a fitting soundtrack. Freelance Whales formed in 2008, in Queens NYC. Harmonium, banjo, glockenspiel, synthesizers, guitars, bass, drums and waterphone all feature in the mix of their captivating sound. Freelance Whales can be spotted in the streets and humble venues of New York City, their first full-length record, Weathervanes is due for release March next year, but you can get it on download now.

Like this, try: Fleet Foxes, Noah and the Whale, Arcade Fire

Official site, Buy it on iTunes Now

A last minute contender for album of the year, out this week. BlakRoc are basically The Black Keys with a load of guest rappers. It's hard to pull out one stand out track as this changes with every listen. Mos Def and Jim Jones feature on this tune, which I think really picks out the Black Keys style and could have appeared on Attack & Release without the rap. A superb album highly recommended.

Official site, Buy the album on iTunes

Wow what a riff! Portishead come storming in with this dark disco stomper, sounding like a futuristic version of Joe Jackson's Stepping out with Beth Gibbons haunting vocals. Chase The Tear released for Amnesty International organisation. Wicked tune!

Official Site, Portishead on iTunes

On first listen this sounds all over the place, moving from Prog-rock to ballad to electro pop, picking 80's ups synths and Gary Numan on the way, ending up in a cascading electric guitar crash. Produced by Erol Alkan this hyperballad sounds slightly different from anything on their previous record, while still retaining their LOTP unique sound they have moved on in a higher direction to a fresh and interesting place for 2010. A storming return from Late of the Pier, following on from their brilliant debut album Fantasy Black Channel in 2008. This new tune, which is actually quite and old tune. Released this month as a pre-album single, new album due next year. Late of the Pier are a four-piece band from Castle Donington, England.

Bands place in MySpace, Official Site, Buy LOTP on iTunes

Ok it's getting near to Christmas and you can't avoid the usual Christmas compilation crap that gets blasted from every shop on the high street. Here's a tune you don't hear that often at Christmas, Augie Rios recorded this latin pop holiday single back in the late 50's. "Donde Esta Santa Claus" is Spanish for "Where Is Santa Claus?" 

Available on the Christmas Compilation Mambo Santa Mambo

The perfect companion to Sun Airway's track below, A stunning tune from Scandinavian popsters Choir Of Young Believers. Uplifting harmonies soar over bongo rhythms and dramatic soundscapes, absolutely captivating. Released back in February this year and re-released again in September, taken from their album This is for the white in your eyes.

But it iTunes, Bands place in MySpace, Ghostly record label

Sun Airway's Oh, Naoko is blissfully uplifting tune full of texture and layers of lush sounds supporting more soaring harmonies. Philadelphia's Sun Airway's should go far if they make more tunes like this.

Bands place in MySpace, More tunes on their official site here

While deciding my albums of the year I've enjoyed diggin' in the crates and rediscovering albums and tracks from the beginning of the year. I always think that most of these end of year round ups of the best albums tend to feature the later half of the year. April revealed the Super Furry's ninth excellent album Dark Days/Light Years, a whirlwind of colourful and vibrant tunes takes the listener on a psychedelic journey to oblivion. White Socks/Flip Flops is a groovy little stomper, hey hey hey!

Buy it on iTunes, Official Site, Bands place in MySpace

The fabulous Neon Indian gives fellow Brooklynites Au Revoir Simone's tune a real psychedelic make-over, taken from their Another Likely story EP released last month. Neon synth's and pounding beats are pulled through the Indian echo chamber, love this.

But it on iTunes, Au Revoir Simone Official site, Bands place in MySpace

Like this try: Neon Indian, Little Dragon, Ladytron

Loving the new tune from Vampire Weekend. A cracking tune, has all the feel good factor we've come to expect from VW. Looking forward to the  new album Contra is out on 11 January 2010.

Official Site, Vampire Weekend on iTunes

Strange Electronica from Berlin duo Gina V. D'Orio and Annika Line Trost, together they go by the name of Cobra killer. I love this, such typical euro feel, but with a savvy nod to krautrock. Taken from their new album Uppers & Downers, most songs are sung in English but I like the German tunes the best.

Bands place in MySpace, Buy the album on iTunes

Like this try: Stereo Total, Stereolab, Can, Kraftwerk

listening to some old old tunes tonight, this just sounds so good, a classic bit of cheesy french sixties pop.

iTunes have got two of her old albums up there, worth investigating! She also does this in English 7AM.

Buy Jacqueline on iTunes

Flame is an old tune from 2006 by the Irish pop rock quintet, Bell X1, taken from the band's third album Flock. Still a great tune, the Chicken Lips remix gives it a monster groove. 

Bands website, Buy it on iTunes

I'm currently considering my albums of the year and revisiting lots of great stuff. Passion Pits album Manners is a cracking loud pop mash up. I also enjoyed Miike Snow's debut effort of quirky pop gems. Both these band have been remixed to oblivion this year. But this combination of Miike Snow remix of The Passion Pit's The reeling is one of the years great pairings. Whose albums of the year will up here soon, watch this space.

Passion Pits place in MySpace, Miike Snow's place in MySpace, Buy Passion Pit on iTunes

Fantastic expectations, amazing revelations… went to see Ian Brown at Brixton Academy last night, amazing gig with all his hits rounding up with an epic version the Stone Roses classic Fools Gold. His new material sounded really good, Stellify and new single Just Like You standing out the most. Marathon Man suffered from a few sound problem which was a shame. Overall Mr.Brown delivered rip roaring performance, he is real a Legend. Ian's classic tune F.E.A.R is just a lyrical masterpiece, posted here on neoloop for your pleasure although I'm sure you already own this!

For each a road, For everyman a religion, Find everybody and rule, For everything and rumble, Forget everything and remember, For everything a reason, Forgive everybody and remember...

Final eternity arouses reactions, Freeing excellence affects reality, Fallen empires are ruling, Find earth and reef, Fantastic expectations Amazing revelations

Final execution and resurrection, Free expression as revolution, Finding everything and realizing... You got the fear.

Ian's website, Buy Ian Brown on iTunes