So we find ourselves at the end of another year, left to sort through and make sense of 365 days worth of music, and when doing so to look back on the year itself, to remember the things and times those sounds are attached to. 2010 was a year of stratification, of artists running as hard as they could in opposite directions, with genres, themes, styles, and even methods of release becoming as overwhelming as they were varied.

People were poking and prodding at the edges of what was “allowed,” off in their own little journeys with keyboards and software. But 2011 is different. It felt different. We are experiencing, to borrow some nomenclature from (believe it or not) Craig Finn, a “unified scene.” Though the opening salvo came in 2010 (that being My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a rubric of intent both in its content and personnel), 2011 was host to the full realization of that morose and opulent mission statement.

Though as potentially full of personal cheer as any year, politically, existentially, and communally, 2011 was not the greatest orbit on record. In sadness and futility, however, people often find each other. A relationship can be built off of one common trait, even if that trait is fear or despair. Luckily, within a community born of such things you can also find hope, even if it’s just a validation that you’re not crazy, and not alone.

Egyptrixx

Though artists still made music that drew from every corner of the audial universe, it seems none of the truly successful records of this year were trapped in their own insular world. They were personal, certainly, sometimes bracingly so. But in those private statements was an outreach for community, and an attempt to capture the special kinds of both sorrow for the immediate and hope for the imagined that defined 2011.

We were given woozy, inebriated confessionals: the inevitable hangover from the consequence free faux-grandeur of rap and pop of years past. We were given bleak futurism in electronic music, a vision of sounds we recognize ripped apart and refigured to reflect the anxious unknowability of the road ahead. And we were given fight songs, irony free statements of “yes, this sucks, and we can probably change it if we really try.” Most of all, however, I think we were really given music for our time, music that (while not bereft of appropriation of old styles) is frankly aware of its place in history and eager to give that place a sound and feeling.

Now, in what I’m sure is a relief to you, we can begin with some albums that we really liked, but just skirted the edge of our Top 50. I’ll mention a few in particular (to give a quick summary more than to highlight any one more than the next) and you can find the rest of our honorable mentions after the jump. Our top 50 will be coming out over the next two days, as to be followed by our favorite songs, EPs and even our most disappointing albums of 2011.

Main Attrakionz

Let me start by highlighting the mixtapes/albums that we were very pleased to release this year. We felt strange about including them in our Top 50 (I know we did it last year), but don’t ever doubt that our offices were filled with the sounds of Main Attrakionz‘ 808s & Dark Grapes II, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire’s Lost In Translation, Stalley’s Lincoln Way Nights, and the rest… we just decided to exercise a little humility on our part. since they’ve received accolades on so many other lists.

Speaking of rap, there was also the Queens rap revivalism of Action Bronson (Dr. Lecter), who dangerously took the vocal stylings of Ghostface and then ended up sounding more vital than the Killer had in years. Then there was the continued adventures of the Based God, an even deeper look at the hyper-emotive phantasmagory of Lil’ B (I’m Gay).

But not even that covers the gamut of rap that was released this year, lest we forget the terrifying militarism of Zack Hill’s project Death Grips (Ex Military). There was electronic music as hypnotic and pretty as The Field’s Looping State of Mind, and pulverizing black metal as presented by Blut Aus Nord (777 Sect(s)). We felt like dancing to Azari & III’s debut album, warmed to the growth of witch house in Ritualz (Ghetto Ass Witch), and found a very surprising song of the summer from SpaceGhostPurrp (BLVCKLVNDRVDIX).

Sun Araw

Sun Araw’s Ancient Romans was deemed in our review “a freak-out album with the capability of throwing an entire empire of gluttons and peasants down a tunnel of hallucinatory deconstruction and drippy, mystic visions,” a praising as strange and intriguing as you’ll find this year. Perhaps only matched by Galactic Melt making the reviewer feeling like they were stuntin’ through the time stream with Com Truise in a Delorean.

Egyptrixx continued the Night Slugs label’s increasingly impressive track record, playing fast and loose with pitch n’ bend over his anxious Bible Eyes. Crystal Stilts’ In Love With Oblivion let “the basement-stoned, noise pop drift up to mix with what’s cooking in the band’s garages above,” refining and evolving the work they’d done on past LP’s

Teams Dxys Xff brought a refreshing warmth to the Amdiscs roster, churning out massive and imposing tracks that still managed to evoke the sexier side of his native Miami. Police Academy 6 came basically out of nowhere on a strange name and a prayer, and then dropped a debut LP that took the sounds of chillwave and adapted them to “the type of sounds you’d expect to find as the soundtrack to a late ’80s film.”

Teams

Omar Souleyman, the swagged out sheikh, dropped a live record that reminded us why he’s such a huge star in his native Syria. We were pleasantly surprised with Xander Harris’ ability to revive the sweet and synthy sounds of John Carpenter soundtracks, though if we’re talking about horror, the experimental brutality of Krallice’s Diatoma was worth writing home about.

There was so much great music this year, we just couldn’t include all of it on the top 50. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t like all these albums very much indeed. And needless to say, you should listen to and get your hands (or iTunes) on all of these great releases from the past year. Full list, in no particular order, after the jump. Tomorrow we start our countdown of the top 50.

Best of the Bloglin 2011: The Top 50 Albums (Honorable Mentions)

• Police Academy 6 – S/T [AMDISCS]

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• Crystal Stilts – In Love With Oblivian [Slumberland]

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• Cut Hands – Afro Noise Vol. 1 [Very Friendly/Susan Lawly]

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• Action Bronson – Dr. Lecter [Self-Released]

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• Krallice – Diatoma [Profound Lore]

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• †‡† (Ritualz) – Ghetto Ass Witch [Self-Released]

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• Egyptrixx – Bible Eyes [Night Slugs]

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• Dream Affair – Endless Days [Avant!]

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• Omar Souleyman – Haflat Gharbia: The Western Concerts [Sublime Frequencies]

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• SpaceGhostPurrp – BLVCKLVNDRVDIX [Self-Released]

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• Blut Aus Nord – 777 Sect(s) [Candlelight]

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• The Field – Looping State of Mind [Kompakt]

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• Prurient – Bermuda Drain [Hydra Head]

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• Cult of Youth – S/T [Sacred Bones]

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• Amen Dunes – Through Donkey Jaw [Sacred Bones]

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• Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise [Circus Company]

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• Sun Araw – Roman Holiday [Sun Ark/Drag City]

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• Azari & III – S/T [Loose Lips]

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• Com Truise – Galactic Melt [Ghostly]

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• Xander Harris – Urban Gothic [Not Not Fun]

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• Teams – Dxys Xff [AMDISCS]

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• Lil’ B – I’m Gay [Based World]

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• Thundercat – The Golden Age of Apocalypse [Brainfeeder]

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• Death Grips – Ex Military [Self-Released]

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• Andy Stott – We Stay Together [Modern Love]

- Whole Milk