in no particular order, except #1 is definitely my top record of the year: Cinematic Orchestra: Every Day: Amazing disc, every time I try to describe it it ends up sounding less good than it really is, but here's an attempt. Imagine Gil Evans arranging for Portishead, but with Fontella Bass on vocals (she's actually on the record). Downtempo groove jazz/electronica, but done so much better than most of the genre, one of the very few records ever without a single note out of place. My wife loves this record, so I must have heard it a few hundred times this year, and I still like it a lot. Joni Mitchell: Travelogue: I just got this, but it hasn't left my player for the last week. Beautiful stuff, in particular, the arrangement and her performance of Woodstock (not exactly a song that I thought would still have relevance today) is worth the price in itself. Tabla Beat Science: Live in San Francisco at Stern Grove. OK, so I'm an unrepentant Laswell apologist, but this set just burns from beginning to end. DJ Spooky: Optometry. Another jazz meets electronics project, and possibly the best thing Spooky's done thus far. Tim Berne: Science Friction: I haven't ordered Open Coma yet, which is why it didn't make my list, but this quartet set (w/Ducret/Taborn/Rainey) just flat out rocks! Taborn in particular sounds great here, once again he and Jamie Saft top my list of interesting new keyboardists. Amon Tobin: Out from Out Where: Tobin is still exploring the same territory, drum 'n bass constructed out of jazz and exotica records from the 50's/60's, but just keeps getting better.The Nutcracker suite even makes an appearance here, in case you're looking for new seasonal music. Blackalicious: Blazing Arrow: In a just world, this would have topped the hip-hop charts, it's smart. positive without being preachy, funny and has Gil Scott Heron at least sounding coherent. I sell a copy of this almost every time I play it in the store, one of the few discs that both the hip hop kids and their parents dig. Replicant Rumba Rockers: A Rather Interesting Mix: One of the hundred or so Burnt Friedman/Atom Heart related discs this year, I swear, these guys are almost as productive as Laswell in his prime. This disc takes on Latin pop, and the quality of the sampling/collaging approaches Amon Tobin, but with a sense of humor, just the right balance of cheese and seriousness. Best read of the year: The Mixerman/Bitch Slap chronicles: http://www.prosoundweb.com/recording/mm/week1/mm.php. I don't care if it's fact or fiction, everyone ever involved in the production of a record, hell, anyone who ever *listened* to a record, needs to read this.