Best albums of 2012

Initially I was planning on just putting together a top 10 list of what I consider the best albums of 2012 but over time that proved to be immensely difficult. I decided to go with 20 of my favorite albums of 2012. Even that was difficult since I had to leave out a few albums off my list (like Assemblage 23's Bruise, The Birthday Massacre's Hide and Seek, and 9th Evolution's Retro Americana, Caustic's The Man Who Couldn't Stop...sorry guys, great albums though). After numerous revisions, I finally came up with a list I was happy with. 2012 was really a spectacular year for music. I never had so much difficulty writing a best of list as much as I have with this year's best of list. There was so much excellent music that I had heard. Kudos to all the artists whose albums I have put on this list and those who I couldn't find room for :).

20. Timewave: Zero - Grendel

19. III - Shiny Toy Guns

18. Valturi - Sigur Ros

17. Silentium Amoris - William Control

16. Halcyon - Ellie Goulding

15. Universal Blood - Inertia

14. Letting Go - Stray

13. Georgy #11811 - Mari Chrome

12. Chirality - The Frozen Autumn

11. Carry the Fire - Delta Rae

10. Music Box Opera - Delerium

09. Waveform (re-release) - Carved Souls

08. Electronic Saviours 2: Recurrence - Various Artists

07. Not Your Kind of People - Garbage

06. East - Ego Likeness

05. Escape - Future Perfect

04. Utopia - In Strict Confidence

03. Synthetic Movement - CHROM

02. In the Now - Nadina

01. Hearts of the World - Moonlight Cove

2012 was the year for synthpop for me. Never have I heard so many wonderful albums in that genre  in one year. CHROM and Moonlight Cove put out my two favorite synthpop albums of 2012. I would always play them constantly at both home and at work. Their music really struck a huge chord with me. Never have I heard music that heartfelt and sincere especially Hearts of the World by Moonlight Cove.   I do hope people will check the CHROM and Moonlight Cove albums. They are two of this year's overlooked albums in the electro scene IMHO.

Two of my favorite new discoveries were the groups Future Perfect and Mari Chrome. They really lit up my enthusiasm and passion for music.  The US music scene really needs to check these two bands out which is why I love championing their music a lot. 

Industrial music was good this year but not as good as synthpop. I thought Grendel, Inertia, and In Strict Confidence put out the strongest efforts for me. Believe it or not my beloved Hanzel und Gretyl put out one of the weakest albums I have heard this year. Disappointing for me. 

As for non-industrial/synthpop albums are concerned, just loved the debut albums by Delta Rae and Nadina. Their music really took up a lot of airtime at work and at home (and still do). I especially love the Nadina album which for me was even better than the new Delerium album (which I love too). I love Nadina's fusion of traditional Middle Eastern instruments/lyrics set to modern electronic beats. I am looking forward to hearing more music from Nadina. Delta Rae's brand of folk/country/pop/gospel is excellent too. Very catchy and a lot of fun to listen to especially "Bottom of the River". Not the kind of music I usually listen to but I love what I have heard on Carry the Fire.