The Early Years S/T 4AD
Forged from a collective love for minimal noise and the ambiance of Eno, London’s The Early Years have developed a chaotic garage-gaze sound akin to nothing. Between David Malkinson’s effects-laden guitar setup and his dreary, pop-infused vocals, this trio is first in line for world domination.

VariousThe Roots of DubstepTempa
Like all dubstep comps, particularly those on Tempa, The Roots of Dubstep kills it. Featuring a few established artists you don’t usually hear from, this comp definitely gets at the roots of dub. For those days when you want the more melodic side of the genre, listen to the Menta and Horsepower tracks and be on your way.

DAT PoliticsAre Oui Phony?Tigerbeat6
DAT Politics has come a long way over the years and Are Oui Phony? is strong proof. The band has taken their data-punk sound to new levels with feverishly filtered vocals and chirpy synth leads that could lead a legion of geeked-out party animals from coast to coast. Play this for your friends with sweaters and highwaters and feel the goosebumps.

Various8-Bit Operators: An 8-Bit Tribute to the Music of KraftwerkAstralwerks
Whether or not you cherish 8-bit Atari/NES producers, no one can deny an awesome Kraftwerk cover. This 15-track homage to the analog masters finds a slew of “8-Bit operators” putting in a lot of work to get it right. Unlike many tribute albums, 8-Bit Operators gets it right.

LullatonePlays Pajama Pop Pour VousAudio Dregs
The title says it all. This is very, very cute pop that evokes a morning at breakfast with your special lady or dude friend. Is it possible that high-pitched, whispered Japanese female vocals will ever go out of style? We don’t think so.

Cut CityExit DecadesGSL
Gothenburg, Sweden comes through yet again–this time in the form of Cut City. Even though the whole “we love Joy Division, and it shows” thing has been blown out of proportion, Cut City comes correct with driving rock songs that serve as an ode to the band, rather than some cheap imitation.

Bong-Ra vs. SickboyShotgun Wedding Volume 5Violent Turd
With two tracks clocking in at more than an hour total, SGW5 is breakcore insanity from two of the scene’s best. If machine-gun snares, glitches popping at you from every panned angle, and a whole lot of headache gets you as psyched as it does for us, then Bong-Ra and Sickboy will take you home.

Point LomaForneoAzra
The Nortec Collective’s Bostich is Point Loma. And Point Loma is one of the best offshoots from the Mexican clan since Murcof’s Utopia. Not unlike Murcof, Point Loma utilizes the dark, dubbed-out downtempo that conjures the gnarliest nights in Tijuana.

Chimp BeamsMeninaConcent
Sometimes when the deepest dub and hip-hop converge, massive things happen. In this case, Chimp Beams takes the cake. Featuring nasty basslines and slow-motion rhythms, Menina is the arty answer to traditional dub sounds.

Das BierbebenAlles FaultShitkatapult
By far one the best releases on T. Raumschmere’s Shitkatapult imprint this year, Alles Fault finds Das Bierbeben laying down a profoundly unique blend of gothy electro-post-punk that could light up a club as well as a misanthrope’s barren bedroom. This is gloomy, danceable music at its peak.