So, I should be doing the mountain of work that’s in front of me, but I felt it was neccessary to show to the world the music of 2007 that’s enabled me to crank out work this year.

My list is kind of all over the place. Ranging from Metal to Dubstep and a few genres in between.

So here it is, my Top Ten albums….

10) Apparat - Walls
When I first heard Duplex, I quit listening to Autechre completely. Apparat is a German producer that’s put out a ton of great”deconstructivist” beats over the years. As he’s moved up and up in the circuit, his music has gotten a lot softer around the edges. Now, he’s singing over his tracks, which is OK, but not the music I am used to. It’s still a great album and Walls will be one of my favorite albums of all times, it’s just not his best.

9) Trans Am - Sex Change
Trans Am will always be one of my favorite “indie” or rock bands. I imagine this being a CD that I’d let my kids listen to and as they were having their minds blown, I’d be like “OK, time to listen to Red Line, their best album…”

8) M.I.A. - Kala
This chick blows my mind. I remember back in 2004 when Piracy Funds Terrorism came out. Diplo had drobbed a bomb on the bootleg world. I had just moved to NYC and was seeing Hollertronix and Diplo as much as I could. Then I saw MIA at Central Park and knew she’d be a hit. The best thing about her is that she’s tolerable across the board. I have friends who like poppy shit who still find MIA’s music great. I’m not sure if it’s all her sampled beats, or catchy hooks, or the fact that she’s fucking hot, but MIA’s albums are always great. Not to mention my girlfriend sweats her hard.

7) Between the Buried and Me - Colors Open it up!!!!!!!
These guys are what happens when Hardcore kids ACTUALLY know how to play their instruments. Back in NC, we tip our hats off to BTBAM. They’re a local legend. Here in NYC, they sell out venues too and I’ll mosh all night to their breaks. Colors was a major benchmark in their career. Taking notes from Tool and Carcass, they’ve matured their style into the next level. Tommy’s vocals are still brutal when needed and melodic when Paul’s guitar beckons for a cozy pit sing-a-long.

Still, the only band where I’ve seen big dudes moshing one minute and the other minute, they’re holding their buddies and getting teary-eyed.

6) Distance - My Demons
DJ Distance is known for producing Dubstep. The reason I first got turned onto him is he is also known for sampling metal in his beats. Dark riffs and breaks can be found in his first full-length, My Demons. Luca (Drop the Lime) first told me about this album and I’ve been hooked all year on it. Traffic will open a pit up in any sweaty UK club for sure.

5) Dubstep Allstars 5 Mixed by N-Type
Any album that samples Thirteen Ghosts in the opening track and pulls from heavy hitters like Benga and Coki, Skream feat Slaughter Mob, Pinch and Distance gets HEAVY rotation on my iPod. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been riding my bike while listening to this album and when the Benga and Coki track drops, I almost punch a tourist.

4) Matthew Dear - Asa Breed
If you don’t know who Matthew Dear is, pick this album up. I really can’t say anything about it other than it’s ranked above my favorite Dubstep albums of the year…

3) Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Now I know what you’re thinking. I was never a mall-metal kid, I never painted my nails black and I never shopped at Hot Topic. Trent Reznor is, in my opinion, one of the best musicians alive today. He’s the John Bohnam of the day if you will. When you look at his catalog of albums, Year Zero hits hard. It’s nice hearing him angry again and while it’s a highly political album, it doesn’t get preachy.

2) Blaqstarr - King of Roq
Baltimore Club has gotten a lot of publicity in 2007. One of the names you may have heard of is Blaqstarr. Amanda, my girl, is from Baltimore. Every time we go there, we listen to the local Club station. You can’t go five minutes without hearing a Blaqstarr track. His shit is banging. The best part about this album, is you have to buy it from Downtown Locker Room in Bmore, which is where I got my copy. He’s now on Diplo’s label Mad Decent, so expect to hear a lot more from him in ‘08.

1) Burial - Untrue
FUCK THE HATERS. This young kid from the UK has produced the most influential Dubstep Album of 2007. It may be a little too “slow” for some people, but I highly recommend buying it and giving it a whirl. No one knows who this kid is. He never plays live shows and samples Metal Gear solid in his tracks.