Starting this blog/music journal/experiment in the middle of this year presented a lofty challenge. Could I really pen a review about an album each and every weekday (let alone a positive one) and maintain that regimen week after week, while holding onto some semblance of inspiration that made me want to initiate this project in the first place? The question continued to rattle around in my brain, even up till my 100th review.

Now having just finished my 150th, I guess the takeaway is this: if you want to do something, even if it sends your mind reeling with uncertainties and goes against the grain of everything surrounding you, just try it. Uncertainty is good.

That being said, I’m going to take a short break from album reviews to spend some time listening to holiday music with my family and working on other writing endeavors. Don’t worry, daily reviews will start back up at the beginning of 2016! I wanted to end this year with something a bit different, though. Since I spend so much time talking about albums, here are my top 50 favorite and unordered songs of this year (playlist at bottom):

• Susanne Sundfør – “Slowly” (from Ten Love Songs)
• Hiatus Kaiyote – “Breathing Underwater” (from Choose Your Weapon)
• Kendrick Lamar – “King Kunta” (from To Pimp A Butterfly)
• Lower Dens – “To Die In L.A.” (from Escape From Evil)
• Father John Misty – “When You’re Smiling And Astride Me” (from I Love You, Honeybear)
• The Tallest Man On Earth – “Sagres” (from Dark Bird Is Home)
• My Morning Jacket – “Compound Fracture” (from The Waterfall)
• Hot Chip – “Easy To Get” (from Why Make Sense?)
• Braids – “Taste” (from Deep In The Iris)
• Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “The World Is Crowded” (from Multi-Love)
• Nozinja – “Nwa Baloyi” (from Nozinja Lodge)
• Maribou State – “Raincoats” (from Portraits)
• Domenique Dumont – “Comme Ça” (from Comme Ça)
• Leon Bridges – “Coming Home” (from Coming Home)
• CFCF – “Rain Dance” – (from The Colours Of Life)
• Deradoorian – “Komodo” (from The Expanding Flower Planet)
• Gangrene – “The Man With The Horn” (from You Disgust Me)
• FKA twigs – “Glass & Patron” (from M3LL155X)
• HEALTH – “DARK ENOUGH” (from DEATH MAGIC)
• Beach House – “Sparks” (from Depression Cherry)
• Widowspeak – “My Baby’s Gonna Carry On” (from All Yours)
• Tamaryn – “Last” (from Cranekiss)
• Beirut – “No No No” (from No No No)
• Silkie – “Majik” (from Fractals)
• Botany – “Raw Light Overture” (from Dimming Awe, The Light Is Raw)
• Auscultation – “Promise You’ll Haunt Me” (from L’étreinte Imaginaire)
• Woolfy vs. Projections – “Jackie” (from Stations)
• Benjamin Damage – “Monolith” (from Obsidian)
• Deafheaven – “Baby Blue” (from New Bermuda)
• Empress Of – “Everything Is You” (from Me)
• Darkstar – “Stoke The Fire” (from Foam Island)
• Alex G – “Salt” (from Beach Music)
• Nicole Dollanganger – “Poacher’s Pride” (from Natural Born Losers)
• Neon Indian – “Annie” (from Vega Intl. Night School)
• The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – “January 10th, 2014” (from Harmlessness)
• Pure Bathing Culture – “Pray For Rain” (from Pray For Rain)
• Baio – “Sister Of Pearl” (from The Names)
• Jamie Woon – “Movement” (from Making Time)
• The Japanese House – “Clean” (from Clean)
• Floating Points – “Silhouettes (I, II, III)” (from Elaenia)
• Grimes – “Flesh without Blood” (from Art Angels)
• Oneohtrix Point Never – “Mutant Standard” (from Garden Of Delete)
• DJ Paypal – “Awakening” (from Sold Out)
• Kode9 – “Third Ear Transmission” feat. The Spaceape (from Nothing)
• James Ferraro – “Pollution” (from Skid Row)
• Freddie Gibbs – “Fuckin’ up the Count” (from Shadow of a Doubt)
• f(x) – “4 Walls” (from 4 Walls)
• Triathalon – “It’s You” (from Nothing Bothers Me)
• Erykah Badu – “Phone Down” (from But You Caint Use My Phone)
• Fatima Yamaha – “Love Invaders” (from Imaginary Lines)

– stasi (@stasisphere)