Best Music of 2016

It seems like doing these lists some 6 months after the fact is becoming "a thing" for me, but it definitely has its benefits. I can only absorb so much music over the course of a year and the extra time allows me to parse a bunch of material that would otherwise be left in some liminal space where it's not eligible for "year end" recognition because its release year has already passed. Have I explained myself out o a tardy slip yet? TL DR: sorry I'm late.

2016's music didn't blow me away the way some years do, but there were plenty of strong showings and surprises from new and old artists alike. This year's MVP award goes to Fred Warmsley (Dedekind Cut, ¬ b, Lee Bannon) who ranks very highly on this list, but also has music on here from each of his three monikers. No Piano Stab of the Year award this year, unfortunately. There were some OK stabs, but nothing at the level of previous winners. I did give Lorenzo Senni AotY though, so at least the face tearing dancefloor heartbreak is represented in some form.

The list below has all the details and the YouTube playlist takes one track from each of the entries in turn, starting at #50 and working its way up. I was able to embed most of what I wanted, but in a few cases, such as Dark0's "Luka," I had to find a substitute based on what's available on YouTube. Anyway, please enjoy and celebrate 2016 in music!

1. Lorenzo Senni - Persona EP
2. Underworld - Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future LP
3. Bwana - Capsule’s Pride LP
4. ¬ b - Reflections LP
5. Tim Hecker - Love Streams LP
6. Lone - Levitate LP
7. Leon Vynehall - Rojus (Designed to Dance) LP
8. Dark0 - Oceana EP
9. Taso - Cold Heat Vol 3 EP
10. John Roberts - Plum LP
11. Brian Eno - Reflection LP
12. Various Artists - Furi OST
13. Royksopp - Never Ever
14. James Ferraro - Human Story 3 LP
15. Doc Daneeka - Never Wanna Lose You / Got Me
16. The Field - The Follower LP
17. Konx-on-Pax - Caramel LP
18. Kornel Kovacs - The Bells LP
19. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani - Sunergy LP
20. Dedekind Cut - $uccessor LP
21. Legowelt - Sampling Winter EP
22. Youandewan - There is no Right Time LP
23. Leon Vynehall - Midnight on Rainbow Road
24. Fatima al Qadiri - Brute LP
25. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing Reimagined LP
26. Lindstrom - Windings EP
27. Nosaj Thing - No Reality EP
28. Jubilee - After Hours LP
29. Taso - New Start EP
30. Andy Stott - Too Many Voices LP
31. Ansome - Coffin Dodge EP
32. Patten - Psi LP
33. Jam City - Cowboy EP
34. Especia - Carta LP
35. Floating Points - Kuiper EP
36. Mall Grab - I Just Wanna EP
37. Midland - Blush
38. CFCF - On Vacation LP
39. Antoni Maiovvi - Tusk Wax Seventeen EP
40. Perc & Truss - Leather & Lace EP
41. Thunder Tillman - Jaguar Mirror EP
42. Steve Hauschildt - Strands LP
43. Zomby - Ultra LP
44. Dan Lissvik - Midnight LP
45. Avalanches - Wildflower LP
46. Porter Ricks - Shadow Boat EP
47. DJ Boring - Winona
48. M83 - Junk LP
49. Mick Gordon - DOOM OST
50. Crystal Castles - Amnesty LP