a music snob's not so humble opinion of 2010's best records

i wanted to get this out tonight; otherwise, i won't ever (see last year). i'm not gonna comment on everything cos a lot of my choices are a lot of other people's 2010 choices... although i bet the reasons i have for picking these are different.

didn't get a chance to look over my FB archive (i'm only going to post music stuff in tumblr now so i will have a permanent record) so here are, let's say, over a dozen titles, in alphabetical order by band/artist's first name...this time in electronic and non-electronic forms:

Electronic-ish/Dance Music - like
FOUR TET: There is Love in You on Domino
ESKMO: Eskmo on Ninja Tune
GROOVE ARMADA: Black Light on Om Records
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM: This is Happening on Virgin/EMI - ok i know i said i wasn't going to talk about the albums that everyone else listed but i must point out here that if you are pooh- poohing me and everyone else who dug this record, i suggest you go back and listen to it again!
SEI A: White Rainbow on Turbo Recordings
TAKE: Only Mountain-beat music is beautiful... especially when it sounds like Take.

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Five Years of Dirty Bird - just as i thought i was getting over my San Francisco envy of pesto pizza and the Hardkiss Brothers, i discovered the fabulous, most brilliant label Dirtybird Records, fronted by the almighty Claude VonStroke and anchored by the very talented Martin Brothers, Justin and Christian. Dirtybird's brand is what tech-house music should be all about: obscene titles/names (a la VonStroke); carefully crafted production, with sparsely placed, minimal tracks; AND voices or sounds that are tweaked just so it will drive you crazy and running to the dancefloor. listen to Sascha Braemer's "Club Foot" to hear what i'm talking about...it's on the second disc, song #12...and it's totally sick.

NOT Electronic-ish/ NOT Dance Music-like
the ALBUM LEAF: A Chorus of Storytellers on Subpop
BLK JKS: Zol! on Secretly Canadian - forget all this indie-meets-Paul-Simon crap, a la Vampire Weekend. listen to BLK JKS. they have hooks and rhythms, a great voice that requires several listens to understand, far-out guitar and compelling songs that you can't ignore...these guys are the real deal.
DANGER MOUSE and SPARKLEHORSE: Dark Night of the Soul on Capitol - not recommended for communal listening and party situations, but such a freaking perfect record, despite the David Lynch freakout vocals...for solitary drives or rainy days home alone or late nights at the office or quiet moments with your partner or times when you have nothing to say.
PHILIPPE JAROUSSKY: La Dolce Fiamma - Forgotten Castrato Arias on Virgin Classics - gorgeous music of J.C. Bach with Jérémie Rhorer conducting Le Cercle de l'Harmonie

JAMIE LIDELL: Compass on Warp
MENOMENA: Mines on Barsuk
SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS: Disconnect from Desire on Ghostly International/Vagrant - not to be mistaken for Sleigh Bells or Broken Bells!
STEVE MASON: Boys Outside on Domino - seriously, probably the best record of the year for me. [mostly because, there was once a band called the Beta Band, and before i could begin to dislike them, they vanished...poof!...never to be heard from again. and so, this is the record i was waiting for them to release.]
TOUBAB KREWE: TK2 on National Geographic
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Next Stop...Soweto Vol. 1-3 on Strut Records - fantastic deep jazz and abstract funk, straight outta South Africa. for all the unabashed praise i and others give the Luv n Haight label, Strut has been releasing hard-to-find gems and little-heard-before tracks from the vaults.

honourable mentions:
THOMAS ADÉS: Tevot; Violin Concerto; Three Studies from Couperin; Overture, Waltz and Finale from 'Powder Her Face' on EMI Classics - various performers including Simon Rattle and the Berlin Phil.

DAFT PUNK: Tron Legacy soundtrack- most impressive. hope they tour this year.
GOLD PANDA: Lucky Shiner on Spectral/Ghostly International- a fantastic record from an artist (sorry, Matthew Dear fans...) at one of my most favourite labels!
CONAN O'BRIEN: The Minty Theme Song - the less said, the better. otherwise, i'll wake up singing this damn song again and again and again...
UNDERWORLD: Bark on Om Records
DOMINO RECORDS IN GENERAL: i don't want this list to look totally out of balance, but 2010 was such an excellent year for the Domino label. you really have to hand it to them...i mean, there was TRICKY's Mixed Race, CLINIC's Bubblegum, THE FALL's Your Future Our Clutter and CHIEF's Modern Rituals.