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My list is even longer this year. I think Spotify almost doubled my musical intake. I feel like a glutton.


Album of the Year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUpA8R01d50
Tim Hecker Ravedeath, 1972



Favorite Albums

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4AqCrR_nAU
Rustie Glass Swords


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3NjgH-uhgw
Gang Gang Dance Eye Contact


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5UCmF-sKuo
Blue Sky Black Death Noir


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e036l5TFPQU
Stendeck Scintilla


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdw9wJ3Yxs0
Laurel Halo Hour Logic


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h58OAXYyleA
SBTRKT s/t


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdEg4qQQ3LE
Blu Mar Ten Love Is The Devil


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV6TYtxiXGo
Tycho Dive


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auo0Cm37n_4
patten GLAQJO XAACSSO


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETtgQ4VJTyw
Brookes Brothers s/t


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAgNQfm-TTQ
Aes Dana Perimeters


…

I went a bit nuts with my list because last time I was kicking myself later for missing some great albums. I have probably still missed some but at the time of writing this is what my 50 favourite albums of 2011 (in roughly descending order) looks like...


50. Chelsea Wolfe - Apokalypsis
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/69358892.png
YouTube
Love the sound of this one, which starts with hellish screeching that is apparently a Burzum cover(!) and then turns into a pretty damn good dark avant-rock album.

49. Ulver - War of the Roses
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/60799503.jpg
YouTube
Not my favourite of their releases and was underwhelming seeing it for the first time live... but there are still some great moments on this album that have clicked after a few listens.

48. Kryptic Minds - Can't Sleep
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/61226715.png
YouTube
Slightly more chilled end of dubstep that really gets my head bobbing.

…

Here is the full report (incl. last.fm account)!

short summary:

- 8 artists are characteristic (from 251):
these 3 are leading this week:
Carbon Based Lifeforms
Solar Fields
Aes Dana

http://www.skilledtests.com/wiki/images/a/ae/Characteristic_ambient_bands_on_last.fm.png


also in list:
Steve Roach
Stars of the Lid
Helios
Biosphere
Aphex Twin

previously in list:
Autechre
Boards of Canada
Loscil
Tim Hecker

- 12 groups compared
Ambient (1385 members)
Ambient music fans (4476 members)
Minimalism and Ambience (537 members)
New Age and Ambient (2847 members)
Ambient Soundscapes from Space
Dark Ambient
Electro Psy Goa Ambient Dub
Experimental Ambient
Minimal Ambient
Minimal and Ambient Electronic
Space Ambient
@>- Ambient, Experimental and Electronic Music -<@


tag:
ambient

7 times:

Primordial


6 times:

Saxon


5 times:

After All
Eluveitie
Grave
Grave Digger
Sabaton
Serpentcult


4 times:

Agent Steel
Anathema
Destruction
Enslaved
Finntroll
Hollenthon
Iced Earth
Iron Maiden
Killer
Korpiklaani
Legion Of The Damned
Melechesh
Negură Bunget
Overkill
Skyforger
Sodom
Testament
Thurisaz
W.A.S.P.


3 times:

Ancient Rites
Anvil
Behemoth
Belphegor
Exodus
Heidevolk
Helloween
In Solitude
Kamelot
Kampfar
Kreator
Månegarm
Moonsorrow
Napalm Death
Nile
Obituary
Rage
Sear Bliss
Shining
Svartsot
Thyrfing
Torture Squad
Trouble
Týr
Vader
Vicious Rumors
Wapenspraak & Drinkgelag
Warrant


2 times:

Agalloch
Alkerdeel
Amon Amarth
Amorphis
Anacrusis
Anaphylactic Shock
Angel Witch
…