Top 20 Albums of 2014 (PART 2)

10. Ben Howard - I Forgot Where We Were

The singer-songwriter has been getting lots of recognition already with his debut album and winning BRIT awards, and we weren’t expecting a follow-up that drifts away from the acoustic guitar and lovelorn lyrics that fans admired. There’s darker beauty shown, with his echoing electric guitar notes, ambient atmosphere and a mournful voice layered with shadow harmonies. It’s darker, richer and stranger than his previous album but it’s much more ambiguously potent.

Check out: I Forgot Where We Were, She Treats Me Well, Small Things

9. Catfish and the Bottlemen - The Balcony

They may seem like another indie band that came out of nowhere this year, but with their debut effort they have shown a lot of promise. Every track takes you to a nostalgic trip back to 2004 when Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party reached their best potential. It’s filled with loud anthemic choruses, youthful energy and some relatable lyrics that today’s generation will admire. They’re already conquering with touring around the UK at the moment and it won’t be long till they become the next big thing next year.

Check out: Cocoon, Kathleen, Homesick

8. PVRIS - White Noise

Another female-led act that has put something new to the table for the alternative rock genre, the Boston trio delivers a dark and dreamy album bursting with beat-driven guitar that almost sounds trashy fusing with electronic elements, synth-laden grooves atmospheric textures and thanks to vocalist Lynn Gvnn’s brooding, aggressive style energy, the album is edgy and sleek but passionate and soon enough they will be at the same heights as where Paramore are now.

Check out: Mirrors, St. Patrick, My House

7. Crosses – Crosses

Chino Moreno has been pretty busy for the past few years with Deftones and his side project Palms, but that doesn’t stop him continue being more flexible. Now with another side project called Crosses, this time it’s a lot darker and has more of industrial rock-esque style that has the likes of Nine Inch Nails, and the creepy synths and groovy bass complements Moreno’s blissful vocals. Another great effort from one of the most talented and hardworking musicians in the music business at the moment.

Check out: Telepathy, The Epilogue

6. Marmozets - The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets

Years of hard work has finally paid off for the Yorkshire quintet; after a few EPs and touring all over the UK, and what an aggressive debut effort they have released. They still retain their math-rock skills; offbeat time signatures and some killer riffs, there is a lot of catchiness through their tracks without being too radio-friendly, and thanks to Becca’s soaring screams, every track is a perfect ingredient for an impressive debut.

Check out: Move Shake and Hide, Particle, Hit The Wave

5. Broods – Evergreen

The New Zealand duos are other hidden gems that deserve more recognition. Already getting positive reviews from their EPs, they finally released their debut album and it is atmospheric at best. Vocalist Georgia Nott takes it to the next level with her vocal layering and harmonies that just sounds idyllic and affecting, while the music production is top class, with its bass-driving beats and choral synths. It’s a striking indie pop album that Lorde and MS MR fans will admire.

Check out: L.A.F, Everytime, Mother & Father

4. Alt-J - This Is All Yours

After a lot of critical praise from their debut effort two years ago, there were high expectations with this follow up and it was succeeded. There is so much magic conveyed through these tracks, filled with monastic chanting, diffusive synths, elastic vocals, it has a holistic atmosphere that is almost autumnal and apocalyptic at the same time. And there’s enough hidden gems that seems out of place in the album but are definitely an addictive tune.

Check out: Every Other Freckle, Left Hand Free, Hunger of the Pine

3. Warpaint – Warpaint

It’s been a long wait but the American indie-rock group is back with their eponymous second album, and when they commented they were jamming and free-flowing during the process with this album, shows how their creativity is ingenious and visionary. There is so much experimentation heard in every track, it’s richer in atmosphere and synthetic ambiance that it results in a curious mixture of pleasant and uneasy. They yield and enjoyable, haunting deluge of whispered expressive damage and spatial exploration, and this drives them forward as masters of their talent.

Check out: Love Is To Die, Disco//Very, Feeling Alright

2. Royal Blood - Royal Blood

These Brighton duo rockers came out of nowhere last year, slowly building up their reputation by supporting famous bands this year, and for creating such an impressive debut. Every track is addictive, energetic and groovy that familiarises the rock genre and can be compared with other contemporary rock acts like The White Stripes and Death From Above 1979 but has enough pop appeal for the mainstream audience. God knows what kind of stuff they will have in store for us in the future, but it’s undeniable that this album is a defining album of the rock genre for today’s generation, and it will get a lot of repetitive listens. It’s simple yet brilliant.

Check out: Loose Change, Figure It Out, Little Monster

1. Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World

After their breakup and reunion over the past decade, the Canadian duos are back with a strong follow up album. Before the Brighton duo Royal Blood introduced us with the bass guitar and drums act, the noisy Toronto duo were crafting a fast and heavy noise in 2004 that no one has really never heard before and that would become a cult hit and it has impacted on the decade of music that followed. Now back, the pounding trash bass lines and weighty beats that made their debut effort great is still there and merging them with some in your face synths emerged these layers of creativity. While the lyrics not only deal with the digital age but also adolescence and sexual politics, the album is almost a middle-finger to the technology and the new mainstream music today. It’s a destructively fun record, and they deserve more recognition for their primitive power of their music.

Check out: Virgins, Always On, Trainwreck 1979

What was your favourite album this year? let me know in the comments below!