Perhaps I need a few more tastes (or a few more years) before I can indulge, then.

For now, my best of 2010:

10. Mount Kimbie - Crooks and Lovers



Took a few listens before this really began to catch on with me. Standout track (dance track?) above, but really, this is less about individual cuts per se than it is about enjoying the journey of beats, feedback loops, and incantative vocal samples that are at times challenging but mostly soothing.

9. The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a Scheme



Dreamy gauzy shoegazer vocals over poppy electronic and dub beats at times, lively guitar at others. Easy to dismiss after one or two listens as ear candy but there was enough variation and redeeming moments on the album that kept me coming back.

8. Olafur Arnalds - ...and they have escaped the weight of darkness



Slightly sad piano and string dominant Icelandic instrumental music. Quiet and beautiful.

7. Wild Nothing - Gemini



Another dreamy pop one for me, of course, this one channeling 80s guitar work (Johnny Marr, Peter Hook) for the most part. Damn catchy without being too derivative.

6. Beach House - Teen Dream



Didn't quite care for this one on the first couple of listens but it's easily their best release, with the characteristic drone-like female vocal style paired with more straitforward pop song structures without giving up any of that 'washing over you' feel to their music that defines it (and why it resonates for me). Kudos to Stu for lavishly overpraising it to me, forcing me to give it the additional spins it needed to really gel.

5. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening



Mostly on the strength of four to five tracks like the one above are enough to overlook some of the weaker tracks on the disc as whole.

4. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast



The Pavement-like jangly guitar bits on the track above are just one reason I dig this one. Not really a bad track on an album of power chords and judicious use of distorion.

3. The National - High Violet



This one is good and it's probably their best, and I couldn't really choose the order of the top three so it's here but could easily be #1. Accomplished is probably the best way to describe this album. The songwriting is impeccable. There are no missteps. It's restrained, expansive, poetic, depressing, uplifting and sincere without being preoccupied with being sincere, poetic, expansive, etc. Sorry haters.

2. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest



Consistently puts out interesting work, this may be his most accomplished. Love the sweet harmonies on tracks like this one and that driving immediacy on tracks like 'Revival' and 'Fountain Stairs'. Not a miss.

1. Tame Impala - Inner Speaker



Beatles influenced psychedelia? Check. Early 90s shoegazer? Check. Well put together collection of songs that manages to be groovy and cool without sounding like it's trying to be groovy or cool? Done.

List of stuff I hated or didn't give a crap about to follow...