Secret Peter - Top 10 Albums of 2010

It's that time of year again when everyone starts compiling their best of lists but now the wait is over for Secret Peter's Top 10 Albums of 2010

#1 Caribou - Swim

Back when I first heard this album in April I said it was my album of the year so far, and since then nothing has changed. Dan Snaith infamous for changing musical direction with his outfit Caribou delved into the world of electronic music and came up with a future classic. This LP works on so many levels; on your headphones, on the bus, sat at home or tearing up a grimey dancefloor and that is one of the many reasons that Swim is my album of 2010.

Choice Cut - Sun


#2 Mount Kimbie - Crooks and Lovers

2010 saw the rise of Mount Kimbie. A pair of producers who surfed a sea of praise since releasing their Maybes EP and when it came to their debut album they did not dissapoint. Fusing R'n'B, Hip-Hop, Dubstep and Electronica this duo have created one of the most forward thinking albums of recent times.

Choice Cut - Before I Move Off


#3 Oriol - Night and Day

Oriol for me was the surprise of the year. Hailing from Barcelona and now based in Cambridge this bloke came from nowhere with his 80's Electro/Boogie inspired album. Soaked with lush synths, deep basslines and shuffling percussion Night and Day gave me a bit of sunshine during a somewhat typical damp English Summer.

Choice Cut - Coconut Coast


#4 Glasser - Ring

2010 has seen some amazing debuts from new emerging artists and Ring is certainly one of those. In a similar way to Bat for Lashes and Kate Bush Ms. Cameron Mesirow is not scared to push the boundaries. Using tribal drums and sweeping strings to compliment her haunting voice Ring shows off the talents of a gifted individual who I'm sure has plenty more up her sleeve.

Choice Cut - Home


#5 Four Tet - There Is Love In You

January of this year saw the comeback of one of electronic music's most valued producers Kieran Hebden a.k.a Four Tet. Picking up from where he left off with his Ringer EP back in 2008 Four Tet came back with an offering aimed at the dancefloor. There Is Love In You is packed full of intricate melodies and technological trickery to give an experience not just suited for the dancefloor but for the sofa as well.

Choice Cut - Angel Echoes


#6 Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner

After releasing his You Ep at beginning of 2010 October saw the release of Gold Panda's first full length effort, Lucky Shiner. Splicing Hip-Hop and Electronica with Eastern instruments and samples Lucky Shiner is a great example of two seemingly different worlds coming together to create something new and intriguing.

Choice Cut - Same Dream China


#7 Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me

This year I had the pleasure of seeing this lady live down in London for the first time and I have to say I was spellbound. Have One on Me shows how much Ms. Newsom has matured and grown as a song writer since her Milk Eyed Mender days. With over 3 discs worth of material Have One On Me really shows off the versatility of one of folk music's living greats.

Choice Cut - Baby Birch


#8 Darkstar - North

After abandoning half an albums worth of material and adding vocalist James Buttery, Hyperdub's unlikely heroes Darkstar came to the publics attention with North. Stepping away from the Dubstep/Garage sound which got them recognised, Darkstar created their dark melancholic and haunting take on 80's industrial synth pop to critical acclaim.

Choice Cut - Gold


#9 Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

Dubbed by Flying Lotus as his "Space Opera" Cosmogramma sees Steve Ellison distort his wonky hip-hop sound from his previous releases and take it to a whole new world. Featuring the likes of Thom Yorke, Thundercat and Jazz legend Ravi Coltrane Cosmogramma definitely comes out all guns blazing. Newcomers beware this may scare you away at first but stick with it and you will be converted.

Choice Cut - Do The Astral Plane


#10 Aloe Blacc - Good Things

This year saw Aloe Blacc roll back the years with his Soul inspired album Good Things. Opening with his upbeat hit I Need A Dollar Aloe Blacc takes the tempo down for the rest of his LP harking back to the days of Al Green, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding whilst adding his own modern swagger.

Choice Cut - Loving You Is Killing Me