2011 is now over so I can now let you all know which albums released this year have been my favourite!

The SMiLE Sessions by The Beach Boys

No, it’s not an album. But without any doubt it is the best thing to be released this year. Despite ‘not being finished’, the genius of Brian Wilson is more than evident here.

Skying by The Horrors

As far as real albums are concerned, this is number one. Three albums in and The Horrors have created a near perfect album of pop-psychedelia.

SBTRKT by SBTRKT

Taking dubstep and placing pop-sensibilities around it has helped make SBTRKT’s self-titled debut the album of 2011 that you can listen to on a Saturday night and a Sunday morning.

Timez Are Weird These Days by Theophilus London

The best rapper of 2011 is definitely Theophilus London. With his first official album (various mixtapes have been making the rounds online for a while now) London has developed his music by tightening up production and delivering the smartest lyrics in hip-hop this year.

Ritual Union by Little Dragon

The Swedish band’s third album is the most effortless album of the year. Wonderful melodies cascade around playful lyrics and offbeat drums from start to finish without the band ever seeming to try.

Let England Shake by PJ Harvey

When PJ Harvey won the Mercury prize this year, everyone was in agreement: Let England Shake is an incredibly melodic, touching and beautiful album exploring Englishness both past and present. It deserved to win.

Watch The Throne by Jay-Z & Kanye West

Although 46 minutes of ostentation from two of hip-hop’s titans doesn’t exactly sound like a great album to release during an economic downturn, Watch The Throne is a fantastic album demonstrating why Jay-Z and Kanye West really are the kings.

The English Riviera by Metronomy

While this Mercury nominated album sounds otherworldly throughout, it also sounds undoubtedly English. With their third album, Metronomy are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam by Ghostpoet

Another Mercury prize nominee, this is the smartest hip-hop album to come out of the UK this year. Dub/dubstep-influenced beats and sparse soundscapes provide the perfect setting for Ghostpoet’s lyrics on modern life.

Angles by The Strokes

The criticism leveled at this album has been constant: it’s nothing new, it sounds like The Strokes imitating The Strokes, etc, etc.  But sounding like The Strokes isn’t a bad thing and while there’s no ‘Last Nite’-type single to speak of, it’s an assured record that deserved far more attention than it received.

You can listen to all of these records on a Spotify playlist here.

Alternatively, listen to my favourite track from each album in another playlist, here.

Have a great 2012!