We have already ran through half the first year of the 10’s and just before we go on our summer vacation we grab the opportunity to compile the most significant  albums of this period.

The top album for the first half of 2010 for Music is my radar is without a doubt the third release by the Gorillaz that includes various bright contributions like those by Mark E. Smith, Lou Reed, De La Soul, Paul Simonon & Mick Jones etc. Damon Albarn has left his brit pop persona  behind for good and along with Jamie Hewlett and their multi-media project, they have given us three awesome works within 12 years. Plastic beach is the top one. Read more here.

The second album that clearly stands out for 2010 until now, is Congratulations by the MGMT. I couldn't tell how many bands would have the nerve after such a successful debut as Oracular Spectacular, and such a hype, νto release an album like Congratulations. Clearly not commercial, with just 9 songs, and with no intention of selecting a single and above all with most songs having a totally different style than Kids and Time to pretend, their most popular hit singles τους. Ypu can read a full review here.

We have also listened to several good works from the wide electronic area within this year: The second release  by the Yeasayer, Odd blood, clearly stands out, with apparent influences from Talking Heads, Brian Eno and the 80s synth pop, and the passionate performance of Chris Keating as a trademark. One life stand by the Hot Chip is also one of the popular releases. Dance pop, eurodisco and house tempos dominate this more commercial album by the band. The Delphic with Acolyte, although they surely don't originate, are one of the bands to star in the musical things of Britain in the following years. The adorers of New Order have one more reason to melt their cd  down (read also here). The LCD Soundsystem are one of the critics' favorite bands for the zeros, with their first two releases meeting great success, even greater than they deserved. This year they released This is happening. Finally, those who miss the Field Mice and the Pale Fountains will love Clinging to a scheme by the Radio dept.

The third album by the Beach House was a pleasant surprise. The music by the Baltimore band has been characterized as dream pop and we could say that in Teen Dream the Sigur Ros meet the Mercury Rev of All is dream, My Bloody Valentine and the Galaxie 500.

I was impressed by Corinne Bailey Rae who returned to discography, four years after her first album, with the very good The Sea, which forms a complete work you want to listen to over and over again. In several compositions, she brings to mind melodies by the Morcheeba, due to her voice, as well as to the album title, also the title of one of the best songs by the band from London. Take also a look here.

The tenth studio album by the Modfather Paul Weller could not be absent from this list. In Wake up the nation, Kevin Shields from My Bloody Valentine and Bruce Foxton, ex Jam bassist, feature in guitars. This is what the great London band would have sounded like in 2010.

I really enjoyed the fourth album by Sharon Jones & the Dap - Kings from Brooklyn entitled I learned the hard way, which is highly recommended to the fans of the 70s soul-funk.

The second release by the Foals and our co-citizen Yannis Philippakis entitled Total life forever is at least equal to their debut. The National released this year the easiest album in their career, High Violet, which has already become popular.

There have also been several releases by our own people, and to be more specific: Monika due to the unexpected success of Avatar, had many ambitions for Exit and came into her own as she released a second album that was much better and more complete thet the first one and threw it in the face if all her critics. Read more here. My Wet Calvin, after several hand made EPs they gave out at their live shows, this year they released their first full album entitled All great events which is one of the best works by a Greek band in many years. Monsieur Minimal tried Greek lyrics in the EP Pasta Flora, without denying the music style of his debut Lollipop.

In Contra by the Vampire Weekend their influence by modern african tempos are clearer than their first release, while the synths play a more significant part. Ezra Koening's performance is at times reminiscent of Paul Simon. Read more here.

The fifth album by the Massive Attack entitled Heligoland was clearly superior of the previous, 100th Window. The featurings were elite, such as Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the radio, their permanent guest Horace Andy, Martina - ex Tricky muse, popular Hope Sandoval and Damon Albarn.
 
We met the Drums with their really good EP  Summertime last year and the great hype around them. Their first, homonym album contains several pretty songs.

One of the releases we long for next month is Suburbs by the Arcade Fire. To prepare us, came the third, very good released by the Scots Frightened rabbit entitled The winter of mixed drinks. The influence by the great Canadian band is more than clear.

I strongly recommend the Soft Pack from San Diego to the past fans of the Ramones, Mudhoney and Social Distortion.

Next comes the list of the best albums I listened to in 2010 hoping for even better to come!

GORILLAZ – Plastic beach
MGMT – Congratulations
YEASAYER – Odd blood
BEACH HOUSE – Teen dream
CORINNE BAILEY RAE – The sea
PAUL WELLER – Wake up the nation
SHARON JONES & THE DAP - KINGS – I learned the hard way
NATIONAL – High violet
FOALS – Total life forever
HOT CHIP – One life stand
MONIKA – Exit
MY WET CALVIN – All great events
THE DRUMS – The Drums
DELPHIC – Acolyte
MASSIVE ATTACK - Heligoland
VAMPIRE WEEKEND – Contra
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM – This is happening
RADIO DEPT – Clinging to a scheme
FRIGHTENED RABBIT – The winter of mixed drinks
THE SOFT PACK – The Soft Pack
MONSIEUR MINIMAL – Pasta Flora