Obscure Sound's Best Albums of 2012

Published: December 05, 2012 01:31 Source

# 1

Lonerism by Tame Impala

Album • Jan 01 / 2012 Neo-Psychedelia Psychedelic Rock

# 2

Nocturne by Wild Nothing

Album • Aug 28 / 2012 Dream Pop Indie Pop

# 3

good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar

Album • Jan 01 / 2012 West Coast Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 4

Bloom by Beach House

Album • May 15 / 2012 Dream Pop Indie Pop

# 5

channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean

Album • Jul 10 / 2012 Alternative R&B Contemporary R&B

# 6

Shields by Grizzly Bear

Album • Sep 17 / 2012 Indie Folk Indie Rock

# 7

Allelujah! Dont Bend! Ascend! by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Album • Oct 15 / 2012

# 8

The Seer by Swans

Album • Aug 28 / 2012 Experimental Rock Post-Rock

# 9

Old Ideas by Leonard Cohen

Album • Jan 31 / 2012 Singer-Songwriter

# 10

The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit

Album • Jan 24 / 2012 Folk Pop Indie Folk

# 11

Until The Quiet Comes by Flying Lotus

Album • Oct 01 / 2012 IDM

# 12

2 by Mac DeMarco

Album • Oct 16 / 2012 Jangle Pop Bedroom Pop

# 13

The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do by Fiona Apple

Album • Jun 18 / 2012 Singer-Songwriter Art Pop

# 14

Kaleidoscope Dream by Miguel

Album • Sep 25 / 2012 Alternative R&B

# 15

Mature Themes by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Album • Aug 20 / 2012 Psychedelic Pop Hypnagogic Pop

# 16

How to Live with a Phantom by Shintaro Sakamoto

Album • Jan 01 / 2013 Soft Rock Sophisti-Pop

# 17

Kill for Love by Chromatics

Album • Mar 26 / 2012 Synthpop Dream Pop

# 18

Grand Hotel by The Explorers Club

Album • Apr 16 / 2012 Sunshine Pop Soft Rock

# 19

I Know What Love Isn't by Jens Lekman

Album • Sep 04 / 2012 Chamber Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 20

Do Things by Dent May

Album • Jun 12 / 2012 Sunshine Pop Synthpop

# 21

Confess by Twin Shadow

Album • Jul 09 / 2012 Synthpop New Wave

# 22

Fear Fun by Father John Misty

Album • May 01 / 2012 Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 23

Kindred by Burial

Album • Jul 01 / 2014

# 24

Must Be by Kolapore

Album • Oct 23 / 2012

# 25

Attack On Memory by Cloud Nothings

Album • Jan 24 / 2012 Post-Hardcore Indie Rock Emo

# 26

Forever by Silver Swans

Album • Feb 07 / 2012 Dream Pop Synthpop

# 27

Plumb by Field Music

Album • Apr 02 / 2013 Progressive Pop Art Pop

# 28

Celebration Rock by Japandroids

Album • Jun 05 / 2012 Indie Rock

# 29

Luxury Problems by Andy Stott

Album • Oct 29 / 2012 Dub Techno Ambient Dub

# 30

Bish Bosch by Scott Walker

Album • Dec 03 / 2012 Experimental Post-Industrial

# 31

Trilogy by The Weeknd

Album • Nov 13 / 2012 Alternative R&B

# 32

Devotion by Jessie Ware

Album • Jan 01 / 2012 Alternative R&B

# 33

Centipede Hz by Animal Collective

Album • Sep 04 / 2012 Neo-Psychedelia Indietronica

# 34

Coexist by The xx

Album • Sep 10 / 2012 Dream Pop Ambient Pop Alt-Pop

# 35

Cancer 4 Cure by EL-P

Album • May 22 / 2012

# 36

Interstellar by Frankie Rose

Album • Feb 21 / 2012 Dream Pop Indie Pop

# 37

Children of Desire by Merchandise

Album • Apr 03 / 2012 Shoegaze Post-Punk

# 39

Ekstasis by Julia Holter

Album • Oct 26 / 2012 Art Pop Progressive Pop Baroque Pop

# 40

Waking Season by Caspian

Album • Sep 25 / 2012 Post-Rock

# 41

Visions by Grimes

Album • Feb 21 / 2012 Synthpop

# 42

The Creep is Born by Creeptones

Album • Jul 03 / 2012

# 43

Everything Is Happening by !mindparade

Album • Sep 29 / 2012

# 44

ill Manors (Deluxe Version) by Plan B

Album • Jul 20 / 2012

# 45

Total Loss by How to Dress Well

Album • Sep 18 / 2012 Ambient Pop Alternative R&B

# 46

Gentle Stream by The Amazing

Album • Oct 05 / 2011 Folk Rock Contemporary Folk

# 47

(III) by Crystal Castles

Album • Nov 07 / 2012 Synthpop Witch House

# 48

Be the Void (Deluxe Edition) by Dr. Dog

Album • Feb 07 / 2012

# 49

Inside! Inside! Inside! by Sindie 4

EP • Aug 01 / 2010

# 50

Overgrown Path by Chris Cohen

Album • Sep 25 / 2012 Indie Pop