Best albums of 2008: Sterling's picks

Flying Lotus (Credit: Warp Records)

It was a year of drastic juxtapositions. Long-lost pioneers from the last millennium found ways to sound shockingly new and creatively inspired (Portishead, Q-Tip). Simultaneously, a new generation of artists crashed the party with what’s sounding like sonic blueprints for the next generation (Black Milk, MGMT, Vampire Weekend). With genre lines continuing to blur and fresh ideas challenging convention, the new guard is proving a refreshing change from what came before (Radiohead, TV on the Radio), in more ways than one.

In alphabetical order:
 
Black Milk, “Tronic” (Fat Beats)
Like an unholy combination of the RZA and J. Dilla, this burgeoning Detroit hip-hop producer represents the boundless inner-city sci-fi of the Motown underground.

Erykah Badu, “New Amerykah, Part One (4th World War)” (Universal Motown)
Equal parts insane and genius, Badu went digital in a most dramatic fashion, crafting her own “There’s a Riot Goin’ On,” with brilliant beats from Madlib and Sa-Ra.

Flying Lotus, “Los Angeles” (Warp)
Akin to Aphex Twin and Madlib trapped in an elevator together, Steven Ellis’s homage to L.A. is a mind-blowing and time-traveling opus that spans from Sun Ra to Thom Yorke.

M83, “Saturday = Youth” (Mute)
Dreamy recollections of atmospheric teenage drama by way of the big ‘80s, “S = Y” is rife with nods to John Hughes, New Order and earnest high school diary entries.

MGMT, “Oracular Spectacular” (Columbia)
Acid-soaked symphonic pop with a decided liberal arts influence re-imagines "Sgt. Pepper"–era Beatles as millennium pied pipers of the new school of indie expressionism.

Portishead, “Third” (Mercury)
Deliberate, difficult and often downright depressing, Portishead shredded any preconceived notions with this dark-lit epic that’s as beautiful as it is occasionally terrifying.

Q-Tip, “The Renaissance” (Universal Motown)
The golden age hip-hop icon delivers a shockingly stellar and heartfelt album that sonically dwarfed everyone from Lil Wayne to Kanye West.

Radiohead, “In Rainbows” (digital: self-released; physical: ATO)
Officially released on New Year’s Day 2008, Thom Yorke and co.’s quietly grandiose release permeated the year with its subtle grooves, adding some of the best songs to their growing canon, including “House of Cards” and “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi.”

TV on the Radio, “Dear Science” (Interscope)
The Brooklyn art heroes dialed down the din of “Return to Cookie Mountain” to create this minimal and elegant ode to hope in a hopeless world. The world is (finally) listening.

Vampire Weekend, “Vampire Weekend” (XL Recordings)
These buttoned-down collegiate preps survived the class hatred and blog backlash on the strength of brilliantly crafted pop songs that aren’t afraid to wear Ivy League status on their well-pressed sleeves.

Best EP of 2008: Air France, “No Way Down” (Sincerely Yours)
This sunny outfit from Sweden creates dreamy, atmospheric instrumentals that recall early St. Etienne, the Avalanches and Bent getting together to create the perfect soundtrack for a lost weekend in a South American resort town.

Honorable mention:
Deerhunter, “Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.” (Kranky)
Estelle, “Shine” (Atlantic)
Ladyhawke, “Ladyhawke” (Modular)
Lil’ Wayne, “Tha Carter III” (Cash Money/Universal)
Nas, “Untitled” (Def Jam)
N.E.R.D., “Seeing Sounds” (Interscope)
No Age, “Nouns” (Sub Pop)
Of Montreal, “Skeletal Lamping” (Polyvinyl)
Santogold, “Santogold” (Downtown)
The Verve, “Forth” (On Your Own/EMI)