Favourite albums of 2012 (that weren't released in 2012)

If there's going to be a list of ten albums that I loved in 2012 then I also have to list those that were not released in the calender year but had my aural attention just as much (if not more so) than contemporary releases. Here they are...

Boris, Akuma no Uta

Akuma no Uta is probably one seriously heavy rock albums to be cultivated. The first track, Introdcution, is not as furious as the majority of the album, slowly droning it's way into a frenetic rock 'n' roll accompanied by shouting that seems to be giving the amplifier a hard time as it might be about to explode.
But there's soon a lull in the fast paced, face melting rock, whenever the soft starter Naki Kyoku comes on. I like that during Naki Kyoku if you listen closely you can hear fiddling around by the band as each instrument is readied for inclusion, the album rocks on until the final (and title) track sounds like it will be much like the first, but it soon transforms into and ends in glorious heavy rock, as it should. 

Glenn Branca, The Ascension

Four guitars, bass and drums is all that's needed for Glenn Branca to curate and craft one of the most brilliant peices of music. Each instrument builds, knocks down then re-builds a wall of sound that somehow isn't as dence as you might think, it certianly isn't a bad thing, mind you.
Also for some reason I'm stunned at how much The Ascension feels ahead of it's time. I don't mean it's more suited in 2012 than 1981, it could be 50 more years until it "fits in" with the time. But like I said, I'm impressed at it's recording date - I just can't seem put my finger on why. To me The Ascension blends abrasive and jarring composition along with healing swells of sound - to put it simply, it's sublime.

Iva Bittová & Vladimir Václavek, Bilé Inferno 

Bilé Inferno is what you want to put on if you every wondered what Eastern European folk would sound like when it's close to it's finest. Both Bittová and Václavek share vocals and string contributions, mixing together effortlessly. It's a joy to attentively listen to this collaboration. Both Iva and Vladimir have a chemistry that I think has to be one of the most attractive qualities of Bilé Inferno, it's easy to pick up on and the fact it translates so well through the music, it's a testament to the talent of both Bittová and Václavek. If you ever needed an introduction to either of these artists, you could do worse than to kill two birds with one stone by seeking out Bilé Inferno. 

Le Orme, Ad Gloriam

Le Orme's debut Ad Gloriam is a soup of all things psychedelic and progressive. The enchanting backup vocals compliment Aldo Tagliapietra's lead efforts very well and there's enough there to satisfy anyone who holds an appreciation for the psych-sound of the 60's. Le Orme experiment with structure and sound throughout so it's not exactly an atypical peice of psychedelia.
I guarantee with the spread of iPhones across the globe, if you play the opener, Introduzione, in a public place it'll prompt those around you to check their phone as it uses the same default tone most iPhone users rely on. Getting lost in the wide instrumentation heard in Ad Gloriam is also wonderful too, so get psyched and have a listen. 

Magma, Mëkanïk Destruktïw Kömmandöh

The vocals MDK has to offer are incredibly theatrical but absolutely impossible to understand. MDK has mostly the same structure throughout but it meanders into insanity at times as is evident in Nebëhr Gudahtt, when Stella Vander is screaming fantastically and making noises most indecipherable. It's exciting and refuses to be quiet, get to know Magma and their music by starting with MDK. 

Mazzy Star, She Hangs Brightly

Mazzy's Star 1990 debut is the first time anybody got to hear Hope Sandoval's oh so seductive vocal stylings and ever since many have fallen in love with them. She Hangs Brightly is a nice mix of dream pop, blues, slow psych' rock and shoegaze, maybe that doesn't lead to a consistent listen that would appease those honing in on a genre-specific album. But it's not eclectic to the point it where feels like an audible Jackson Pollock, it's a concentrated mix of melodies that seems to work for listeners that have both broad and narrow taste. 

Naked City, Torture Garden

If I had to take one Naked City album with me to a desert island, it would have to be Toture Garden. The record itself is noted as being somewhat of a life changer for Claudia Heuermann who upon listening and becomming obsessed, set out to make a film (or two) about John Zorn, the captian of the Naked City ship. It's basically a compilation album taking minitures from the self titled debut and what would end up on the follow-up to Torture Garden, Grand Guignol. It's fast, it's loud and it will repel most people within the listening vicinity. 
It runs in at 26 minutes with 42 songs, it's also probably the easiest way to get aquainted with the Naked City sound. The only separation between each track is the 3-4 second silence once each composition is finished, so you can easily loose track of which song you're on and hear it as one peice of music. 

Novos Baianos, Acabou Chorare

Novos Baianos' Acabou Chorare is quientessential bossa nova and everything put on tape is spot on from vocals, guitar, drums, cavaquinho to bongos add to the sound greatly. It's laden with infectious grooves that make you want to dance, it also makes practicing arte suave all the more fun so I highly reccomend that combination, though dancing will easily suffice.
The vocals are shared among Baby Consuelo, Moraes Moreira and Paulinho Boca de Cantor and each of the three are unique, the interchange between backing vocals and lead are particularly catchy and enjoyable. You'll learn the words quite easily which may even lead you to understanding some Brazilian Portuguese, what's not to like?

Talk Talk, Laughing Stock

Laughing Stock is one of those albums that grabbed me within seconds of the first song. Now adimittedly my musical intuition is faulty at times, hearing the first song on an album then feeling certian that the rest of it will kill me (in a good way) is a seldom occurance. But I felt that about Laughing Stock, I was familiar with the hits Living In Another World and It's My Life, never would I have guessed they would end up carving out a much more unique sound.
The evolution and gradual movement towards the music they were meant to create is something to be relished. Laughing Stock is the last Talk Talk album and it serves as a perfectly polar opposite bookend to their synthpop beginnings. The six tracks were surely early signs of things to come in terms of instrumental music niches such as post-rock. Mark Hollis and co's swan song is one you must hear. 

Yo La Tengo, Summer Sun

Summer Sun is a light album, it's got sweetness and smoothness throughout and some of my favourite tracks by Yo La Tengo are on here such as Season of the Shark and Today is the Day (both of which are reason enough to give this album a full listen incase you ever needed some sort of invitation).
Maybe it's not the most celebrated work of Yo La Tengo, but I think everyone can find meaning inside a peice of music. Each person's findings will often be different and unique to themselves and Summer Sun meant a lot to me this year.