1. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

"Yeah, yeah, I know. If you know me personally, you would have seen this coming a mile away. But come on! It's new Radiohead. What can possibly be bad about it? Well, a few things. While it's not as evocative and thorough as its older siblings, The King of Limbs still has enough originality and the rhythmic punchiness to keep Radiohead several steps ahead of their competition. They are masterclass songwriters who are almost at the top of their game. One gripe is that the album is notably less memorable than previous Radiohead albums, but considering I've listened to it about 100 times more than any other album this year, coupled with the fact that it has had the greatest impact on my music, I would give The King of Limbs top honors (this is the part where I pretend my opinion matters to Radiohead in order to raise my admittedly low self-esteem)."

2. Lana Del Ray - Video Games EP

"A rich, soulful voice and a unique sound to boot. Granted, this EP only features two tracks but they offer plenty. There's just something hauntingly beautiful about her style. 'Hollywood Sadcore' is what Lana coined her music and it really feels that way. There's no denying she will skyrocket to fame soon. At least I can brag that I knew her before the cool kids ruin her for everyone else!"

3. James Blake - James Blake

"The first time I heard James Blake, I shrugged his music off like a bad commercial. I wasn't quite sure what to make of this eerie, almost uncomfortable concoction of dubstep and pop/R&B. Several listens later and I was a believer. It keeps you engaged especially when you're not sure what's going on or where the track is headed next. And aside from being sonically well-versed, it also helps that he has an amazing voice."

4. Justice - Audio, Video, Disco

"Deliberately veering away from their more dance-oriented fare, Justice's "Audio, Video, Disco" came out of nowhere. What blew me away the most wasn't the fact that they completely did away with the unique style they've spent years honing, it was how comfortable the French duo can get when placed in unfamiliar (to us, at least) territory. This ode to 1970s rock is a bold move for a group so well-regarded for their zippier dance floor tracks."

5. Skrillex - Bangarang EP

"While I personally believe Skrillex should seriously consider evolving his style beyond his typical (and often times repetitive) song structure and differentiate himself further from the onslaught of dubstep producers he helped pave the way for, I still find myself humming or beatboxing some of his trademark crazy bass lines (some of which make me jealous). It's not his most original outing, but it does the job."

1. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

2. Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History

3. Jamiroquai - Rock Dust Light Star

4. The Strokes - Angles

5. Bonobo - Black Sands

5. Siriusmo - Mosaik

5. Air - Le Voyage Dans La Lune

5. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (2011 Remaster)

5. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

5. Caribou - Swim