Christine and the Queen

This. Much needed. Awesome.

Best 20 Albums of 2014

Here we go again - my personal favorite albums from the past year. As usual, I will not bother with any pretentious explanations. These 20 are simply my favorites. Oh, and I love how so many of these albums have one thing in common: moody faces on the covers. I loathe how one of my favorite artists ever dissapointed me this year; I will not mention who but if you know me, you know. Anyway. I didn't intend to put these in any particular ranking order, but I'll admit that atleast #1 is in fact #1.

1. How to Dress Well - What is this heart?

2. Grouper - Ruins

3. Caribou - Our Love

4. Banks - Goddess

5. FKA twigs - LP1

6. Warpaint - Warpaint

7. Aphex Twin - Syro

8. Tinashe - Aquarius

9. Jessie Ware - Tough Love

10. Sun Glitters - Scattered into Light

11. Lorentz - Kärlekslåtar

12. Perfume Genius - Too Bright

13. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence

14. Kent - Tigerdrottningen

15. Mr Twin Sister - Mr Twin Sister

16. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Sea When Absent 

17. Hundred Waters - The Moon Rang Like a Bell

18. Arca - Xen

19. Brian Eno / Karl Hyde - High Life

20. Ricky Eat Acid - Three Love Songs

Laurel

Sun Glitters

LOVE Sun Glitters sososo much!

Panda Bear

How to Dress Well

How to Dress Well's Tom Krell just unearthed this old track from Total Loss. "Tomb for Anatole" is, of course, as melancholy and f-in magnificent as anything he's given us. Grab your free download here and enjoy with headphones on, please.

Lydia Ainsworth

Listen to Lydia Ainsworth's eerie cover of "Wicked Game"! Might just be the most beautiful rendition of the 80's classic I've heard so far.

Perfume Genius

Purity Ring

Jessie Ware

Mahaut Mondino

Korallreven

Young Ejecta

Ryn Weaver + Cashmere Cat

Tei Shi

Listen to "See Me", the fantastic new single from Tei Shi. She wanted it to sound like "fishies swimming up a stream made of chocolate mousse", and I think she succeeded!

Gazelle Twin

Niia

Niia's 6-track debut EP Generation Blue is out now and might be the best thing I've come across lately. Like a blend of Rhye and Sade to my ears. Enjoy!

Beverly

Wishing you all a calm, cosy weekend with this dreamy track, taken from Beverly's debut full-length Careers from this year.

CHVRCHES

Zane Lowe is re-scoring Drive. A super unnecessary idea, it might seem, as the soundtrack is already amazing?! But maybe CHVRCHES' contribution will change your mind. The fact that BANKS, SBTRKT, Jon Hopkins and many more are contributing, as well, is definitely leaving me excited.

Gymnast

Manchester duo Gymnast's LP Wild Fleet is out now via Brooklyn's Color Station.

Korallreven

Korallreven's new album Second Comin' is out on November 4th.

FKA Twigs

James Blake

Wet

Ryan Hemsworth

Love this video because FORESTS <3

TOPS

Tei Shi

Caribou

Love this video! Caribou's new album Our Love is out now.

Jon Hopkins

Korallreven

Korallreven's Second Coming is out November 4th via Cascine. <3

Eyedress

Låpsley

Ryan Hemsworth

I love just about everything involving Ryan Hemsworth! Here's the first single off his upcoming new record Snow in Newark 7″. Perfect.

Puro Instinct

Los Angeles dream-pop duo Puro Instinct just released this swooning glittery song, as a preview of their new record. Enjoy!

Rosie Lowe

Enjoy Rosie Lowe's new single!

Elliphant + MØ

Korallreven

Korallreven will be releasing their second full-length Second Comin' on November 4th via Cascine. Here's the record's opening track!

M83

Watch the haunting and beautiful video for M83's "In The Cold I'm Standing", taken from Before The Dawn Heals Us, which was recently reissued.

SVĒ

Arca

Kanye/FKA Twigs producer Arca releases his debut LP Xen on November 4 via Mute.

The Radio Dept.

Listen to The Radio Dept.'s new song. And don't vote for fascists on Sunday.

Chelsea Wolfe

Zola Jesus

Grimes

Too much awesome!

Tei Shi

BANKS

*diez*

BANKS' Goddess is out September 9th. SO excited!

Tallesen

You'll Never Get To Heaven

Analog dream-pop duo You'll Never Get To Heaven just released the EP Adorn. Such a lovely, elegant piece of work! Listen to the title track and opening track "Caught in time, so far away" below, and then go check out the entire EP over here.

Jessie Ware

Cyril Hahn + Rochelle Jordan

Here's the lovely first single from Cyril Hahn's forthcoming EP Voices.

TOPS

Listen to the opening track form TOPS' upcoming new LP Picture you staring.

Sinead Harnett

London-singer Sinead Harnett has, once again, teamed up with Ryan Hemsworth, to turn her summer-breezy single "No other way" into something a little more dark and moody. Me like. The track can be found on Sinead's N.O.W. EP, which is supposed to be out in August.

Saint Pepsi

Saint Pepsi's music has been categorized in genres like future pop, disco pop and vaporwave. For those of you not familiar with the latter, vaporwave is a music genre that emerged in the early 2010's, characterized by its heavy use of samples from the 80's and 90's lounge and smooth jazz. It is said to be a satirical genre, serving as a critique of the yuppie culture of the 80's and a parody of New Age music. Basically, vaporwave - the music genre I've been waiting for all my life?

Enjoy this chill summer jam!

Jessie Ware + Cyril Hahn

Love this!

Jessy Lanza

Here's a new track from the fantastic Jessy Lanza, "You and me", included on Hyperdub 10.2, the second of the UK label's 10th anniversary compilations.

FKA twigs

Enjoy the beautiful first single from FKA twigs' debut album LP1, officially out in August.

Grimes + Blood Diamonds

By now, this should need no description! I say, describe for yourself :D

The Acid

The Acid have once more recruited the talented dance troupe WIFE in production of the video for "Fame". The song will be a part of their debut EP Liminal. Enjoy!

Nao

"So good" and "Back Porch" are two fantastic debut tracks from new London-singer Nao. Yep, I'll be sure to remember her name!

FKA twigs

Directed by Tom Beard and the awesome FKA Twigs (formerly Twigs) herself, here's the video to the remix of one of her first singles, "Ache".

Lemonade

Here's a new up-beat track from Lemonade, taken from the forthcoming LP Minus Tide, out in September. 

Liu Bei

Washed Out

BANKS

I’m the one who had to learn to build a heart made of armor. <3

jj

New gorgeous song from jj. Amazing with your headphones on. <3 The new album V is due to arrive shortly.

Burial

The Knife

:D :D :D

TĀLĀ

The Duchess EP is out June 2 via Aesop.

Austra

Austra's new Habitat EP is out June 17 via Paper Bag/Domino.

Say Lou Lou

Maria Minerva

LOVE this.

Wye Oak

Check out Baltimore duo Wye Oak's synth-dominated new album Shriek, out now on Merge.

Braids

Braids' album Flourish // Perish LP was one of my favorites from last year. Here's a beautiful, dreamy Japan-only-extra track from the album, just now revealed!

BANKS

By now, you should all know how much I love BANKS. So excited about her debut album,Goddess, which is arriving on September 9 via Harvest Records. Enjoy the title track!

Tomas Barfod + Nina Kinert

Here's the first single from Barfod's Love Me LP, out June 10 via Secretly Canadian. His collaborations with Nina Kinert have so far been pure genius, and this single is just further evidence of that.

DIANA

From the album Perpetual Surrender.

Jamie xx

Jacques Greene

IN LOVE.

Ejecta

Classixx

How To Dress Well

MssingNo

Listen to London-producer MssingNo re-work of Brandy's "Right Here". Cannot get enough of it!!! Genius. Delicious. I want to hear this everywhere.

Jensen Sportag

Jensen Sportag's "One Lane Lovers"/"Let the Queen Be The Boss" single is out April 8th via the oh so fantastic Cascine.

BANKS + Ta-Ku

Sick-remix-Saturday! SO good.

CHVRCHES

It's Friday! Let's celebrate with this awesome unofficial, fan-made video for CHVRCHES' "Strong Hand", a bonus track from last year's The Bones Of What You Believe. "This is the best thing I have seen all day", said the band on Twitter, "Maybe ever". Well, it is clearly fantastic!

Jamie xx

Girl/Sleep Sound 12" is out May 5.

Yumi Zouma + Air France

R.I.P Air France. <3

Garden City Movement

Israeli trio Garden City Movement's EP Entertainment is available now, get it as a free download here!

Arthur Beatrice

Lovely.

HAERTS

"Call My Name" is the first track off Haerts' upcoming EP, out later this year. The first few seconds off it immediately made me think of some 80's track. I was like, Maybe Roxette? Ace of Base? Gah. Anyway, I like the song, as I love the idea of an 80's ballad vibe to a modern pop song! If any of you figure out what song I'm thinking about... Let me know. It's bound to keep me awake all night.

Tomas Barfod

Ah, YES. Melancholic electronica, love of my life <3.
Tomas Barfod's Pulsing EP is out now, go check it out.

Camden Cox

Camden Cox is the latest act to be signed to Little Boots' own label On Repeat. Infectious pop with a bit of house-y dance beats. Like!

Allie X

Laurel

Teen Daze

Enjoy this lovely new song, "Tokyo Winter", off Teen Daze's upcoming EP Paradiso, out this month.

SOAK

SOAK is Bridie Monds-Watson and is the first signed artist by Goodbye Records, CHVRCHES' own label. SOAK's already got two EPs behind her, but it's her forthcoming EP Blud (not to mention the CHVRCHES-approved-stamp!) that's bound to make her a name to remember!

BANKS

The fact that she's been described with the words "ghost pop" should explain my obsession with BANKS. Her latest single, "Brain", produced by Shlohmo, has been stuck on my BRAIN for quite a while now.

Cause everything's a game 
Always trying to calculate 
Trying to look smart but not too smart 
To threaten everything they say

Genius. Enjoy the video.



Banks' full-length debut is expected to be out later this year.

Elliphant

Ellinor Olovsdotter, the punky wild child behind the name Elliphant, has basically taken the Swedish music scene by storm the past couple of years. I can't imagine she'd let anything stand in her way, so now we're just waiting for her to take on the rest of the world. Listen to this new, energetic force field of a track "Revolusion", and keep an eye out for her highly anticipated EP Look Like You Love It on April 1st.

Ji Nilsson and Marlene

March 8th. International Women's Day. Let's start the day with this new pop track from Marlene and her musical partner Ji Nilsson. The song is about female friendship and was written in celebration of International Women's Day.

SZA

Taken from the debut album Z, out in April.

Dum Dum Girls

Instead of releasing a typical music video, Dum Dum Girls just released a short film for their track "Are you okay?" from their latest album Too True. And who wrote the story for the short film? Why, none other than American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis. Beyond awesome.

Tei Shi

Happy Friday! Love this song.



The track is from Tei Shi's debut EP Saudade, released back in November last year.

How To Dress Well

Yumi Zouma

Videos to Yumi Zouma's "The Brae" and "A Long Walk Home For Parted Lovers". The band just released their debut EP last month, so go check that out if you're in need of some calming dream-pop.

Beach House

"Saturn Song" is Beach House's lovely contribution to The Space Project, a compilation record that features songs built around the recordings made in space by Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 (!!!). Contributing artists on the record include Porcelain Raft, Spiritualized and Youth Lagoon. The entire compilation will be out April 19th. This is bound to brilliant so make a note of that date.

Shura

Cellar Door Meets Fiction

Cellar Door Meets Fiction is a genius electronic Swedish act consisting of two very talented friends of mine, Marlin Johansson and Sebastian Waechter. In 2010, they released their first EP NeverWhatSoEverLand and this Thursday, March 6th, they'll be releasing their second one, Dead Bird. If you want to catch them live, they'll be doing a release gig at Moriska Paviljongen in Malmö this Saturday. Yes, on International Women's Day! Find out more about this fabulous event here.

Enjoy the video to the first single off the EP. Directed by Eric Persson.

Owen Pallett

Alongside Arcade Fire's Will Butler, Owen Pallett is nominated for an Oscar for his music on the soundtrack to Her. Whether the prize goes to him or not, the nomination is sure to be beneficial for him with the release of his new album In Conflict, out on May 13th. Here's two of the tracks from the album, "The Riverbed" and "On A Path", both of which Brian Eno contributed to.

HAIM

iamamiwhoami

Woman's Hour

Rosie Lowe

I looove Rosie Lowe! <3
This song is off her fabulous EP Right Thing was released back in December of 2013.

Angel Haze

You the only person alive who holds the key to
your healin'
So you take it and you run with it
And keep going even when your suns hidden
Because the time we spend in darkness when 
the rain comes
Is where we often find the light soon as the 
pain's done

Let's begin every new week with powerful women in our ears, okay? Okay.

CFCF

A new sultry song from CFCF!
Btw, let's talk about the picture:
Is it a rose? Is it a vagina?
Vagina rose is what it is.

Blouse

Dream-pop Thursday is the best kind of Thursday! Here's the video to "Happy Days", one of the many lovely tracks off Blouse's latest album Imperium.

SOHN

After being busy producing for the likes of awesome artists like Banks and Kwabs, SOHN is now back to doing his solo projects with this brilliant new track, "Artifice". His debut-album Tremors is expected to be released in April.

Woman's Hour

Woman's Hour are a new four-piece pop band from London, highly interesting for anyone who's a fan of dreamy lo-fi sounds (they've been compared to Beach House, for example). With the release of their "Darkest Place"/"Thunder" single last year they became one of the most blogged bands of the year. "Her Ghost", below, is their newest single, and though it's enough ear candy on its own, I'd still recommend you go check out their Soundcloud for a bunch more songs.

Yumi Zouma + Wild Nothing

It's been a shitty Monday, but there are some things that always make at least me feel better. One of them is pizza (!), and another is music. Here, Wild Nothing remixes Yumi Zouma's "A Long Walk Home For Parted Lovers." Enjoy! <3

Chelsea Wolfe

Naomi Pilgrim

The lovely Sweden-via-Barbados newcomer pop star Naomi Pilgrim just released her self-titled 3-track debut EP and it is now available for streaming. Enjoy!

Allie X

If someone posts a bunch of pictures on their tumblr of some of my favorite women ever, like Tori Amos and Kate Bush, I'm bound to stick around for more. So, that's just one of the reasons I'll be keeping my eye on future pop star Allie X from LA. Apart from great taste in female vocalists, she also has a gif/video of herself spinning around with a gigantic syringe in her hand. Oh, not to mention this super catchy debut pop single!

Kelela

Eternal Summers

It's Wednesday. Almost Friday. Dream-pop-punk celebrate with Eternal Summers!

Tomas Barfod + Nina Kinert

Ellie Goulding + Angel Haze

I promise I'm not gonna make this a covers blog, but this one was a must-post. Ellie Goulding teams up with Angel Haze to cover James Blake's "Life Round Here". Love it!

CHVRCHES

Listen to fabulous CHVRCHES do a cover of the classic Bauhaus song "Bela Lugosi's Dead" for the Vampire Academy OST and see what happens when an original goth anthem goes synth pop for the dance floor.

Broods

NZ brother-sister duo Broods have revealed their lovely debut EP. Stream below!

Chromeo

Beat Culture + Psychic Twin + Saint Pepsi

Saint Pepsi take on Beat Culture and Psychic Twin's collaboration "Drifter" and the result is this flawless remix. Beat Culture's Drifter/Shibuya 7" is out now. Go enjoy. Also, it's almost Friday!

BANKS

One of my favorite new-comers, BANKS, is back and this time she's gotten together with the awesome Shlohmo for the production of this new track, "Brain". This girl is going to be huge. Just a heads up.

The Mary Onettes

The first time I listened to The Mary Onettes was back in 2008. It was love at first listen, and I appreciate how true to their sound they've been since then. Their strong new-wave influences are hard to miss, which is, I guess, why I still come back to them. Here's the first track off their upcoming album Portico. The Mary Onettes released their last album, Hit The Waves, about a year ago. Go check that out, if you haven't already.

GEMS

Hear D.C-duo GEMS cover Seal's 1995 single "Don't Cry"!



GEMS released their debut EP Medusa last fall and you can stream it over here.

Poliça

I don't think I need to mention how completely obsessed I am with Polica. They are probably one of the best bands I've ever heard. Ever. This is a new video that strings together two of the tracks from their latest album Shulamith, "I Need $" and "So Leave". Not my favorite tracks off the album, but still fantastic ones, and this crossfade works out perfectly. I think "perfect" pretty much sums up how I feel about them in general. I'll shut up now.