Isoleé - "Schrapnell" (from Wearemonster, 2005, Playhouse): With its ultra-catchy guitar groove, smooth pace, and menagerie of synth waves and whispers, "Schrapnell" may be the most memorable piece of electronic music I've heard in 2005. Isoleé is the alter ego of Germany's Rajko Mueller. Wearemonster is Mueller's second full-length release, following 2000's Rest. Download "Schrapnell" (MP3).

Deadbeat - "Port-Au-Prince" (from New World Observer, 2005, ~scape): Deadbeat (aka Scott Frederick Monteith) creates minimalist, glitchy digital dub, full of deep notes and clever collages. "A master of blurred boundaries," ~scape's Deadbeat bio describes. "Scott's internationally-lauded, irreverent approach to deconstructing genres and mixing musical metaphors continues to shimmer with subtle ingenuity."

Labrador - "In a Blue Balloon" (from In A Blue Balloon single, 2001, Divine Records): From my June 6 post: "Soft trumpet-lines, airy female-voices, flying guitars, and well-considered electronic sounds, blended with Flemming Borbys voice, makes you think of the time when Herb Alpert and Burt Baccharach was young, Brigitte Bardot looked good, and Serge Gainsbourg was alive!" Watch the "In A Blue Balloon" video (Quicktime).

The National - "Abel" (from Alligator, 2005, Beggar's Banquet): The hubbub surrounding that now infamous tour made it easy to forget The National released one of the best albums of 2005. Creating fantasy indie rock battles and condemning hipsters may be fun (I did it and enjoyed it too!), but it's the music, man, that matters. I don't love Alligator as a rally cry against that other band. I love it for Matt Berninger's out of kilter lyrics, the band's sense of drama and atmosphere, and the glorious energy of tracks like "Abel". Watch the "Abel" video (Quicktime).

Russian Futurists - "Paul Simon" (from Our Thickness, 2005, Upper Class): From Pitchfork's 7.8 review of Our Thickness: "[Matthew Adam] Hart's third LP, Our Thickness, is an exuberantly echoing starburst of lo-fi twee-pop gone grand, an opulent boudoir popera for the Taj Mahal." Listen to "Paul Simon" and three other tracks on MySpace.

Eluvium - "An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death" (from An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death, 2004, Temporary Residence Limited): "An entire album of haunting, intimate suites for solo piano,"  Temporary Residence writes. "This album is perhaps even more emotionally gripping than his previous acclaimed work. Recorded in less than two hours using only one microphone and no overdubs, it is completely live, with no editing, mixing, mastering or post-production of any kind on the recording. It is this sparse, naked beauty that makes this record so breathtaking and so addictive. Well, that... and the totally mind-blowing artwork." Download "An Accidental Memory." (MP3).

The Orb - "Hempfire" (recorded by FFWD, from The Orb's Back To Mine, 2003, DMC): FFWD, comprised of Thomas Fehlmann, Robert Fripp, Kris Weston and the Orb's Dr. Alex Patterson, was perhaps the first (and only?) ambient supergroup. The conglomerate released one album, titled FFWD, in 1993. From All Music: "Although a one-off project with no certain plans of reconvening, the album resulting from the few days in the studio spent recording it is a landmark of experimental ambient and surprisingly unlike the various projects its contributors are known for."

Past lists: January | February | March | April