Holy Ghost! – Holy Ghost!: Holy Ghost! blew any competitors for the best of 2011 out of the water with their self-titled debut full-length Holy Ghost! Comprising of elementary school friends Alex Frankil and Nick Milhiser, the pair was encouraged by James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem/DFA genius) to abandon their hip-hop roots and focus on dance music. AND FOCUS THEY DID. In the past four years this tag team have been the go-to remix crew, pumping out redubbed tracks for Phoenix, Cut Copy, MGMT, Moby and LCD Soundsystem. Holy Ghost! is full of sing-a-long singles that throw you back to the cheesy 80’s club scene and make you never want to come back. The only thing that sucks about this album is that it’s only ten tracks. I needs me some more Holy Ghost!

Honorable Mention

Metronomy – The English Riviera: Metronomy’s The English Riviera was a close second for albums that blew me away this year. The English Riviera is as close to perfection as it gets (barring Holy Ghost!). This British threesome turned foursome makes danceable, quirky, electro-pop gems. The lead single off the album, “The Bay,” has a driving post-punk/disco bass along with lyrics about going to the…. Bay. The mesmerizing keyboards on this track make it one of the best of 2011. And the back-up vocals… OH THE BACK-UP VOCALS! THAT CHORUS! AND THIS IS ONLY ONE TRACK!

Metronomy - The Bay by acrylica

Favorite Song of 2011

“Summer Sinner” by Nicky Blitz: Nicky Blitz (aka Nick Scapa) is an artist you’ll be hearing about in 2012. He is a talented producer, constantly rotating from Miami to NYC to LA, who makes infectiously catchy pop masterpieces. His jet-setting has influenced his unique mesh of electro pop, indie rock, and nu-disco. “Summer Sinner” is all about that three-month window in the summer where you find your seasonal fling. I dare you to listen to 1:40 – 2:53 without OH MY GOD I CAN’T EVEN FINISH THIS I AM DANCING TOO HARD

“Gucci Gucci” by Kreayshawn: This song came out of nowhere and stayed in my head for a good two months. Kreayshawn’s lazy flows are oddly catchy and her thiz-faced aura demanded our attention.

♪AND WE STUNTIN’ LIKE GUCCI GUCCI LOUIS LOUIS FENDI FENDI PRADA

THEM BAYSIDE BITCHES WEAR THAT SHIT SO I DON’T EVEN BOTHA♪

GENIUS! Move over Lady Sovereign, we have a new biggest midget in the game. IT’S KREAYSHAWNN BABYY.

"Winnipeg" by Joywave: Joywave’s 77777 mixtape was an essential grab for 2011. The first track off the album, “Winnipeg,” samples Drake’s “Fireworks” and “Find Your Love,” but it doesn’t matter because this Rochester quintet has made it their own. With just two short verses in the three and a half minutes, alternating from “What Could I Become?” to “Where Could I Go?,” the simplicity of it's lyrics make it all the more powerful. The tremendous crescendo and lead singer’s Dan Armbruster’s haunting falsetto vocals make this track beautifully breathtaking.

Winnipeg by JOYWAVE