Dirty Projectors: BITTE ORCA

The vibrant, warped guitar sounds in the first 24 seconds of Bitte Orca are one of the best introductions to an album this year, and the rest of the album does not disappoint either. Sure, it's certainly easy to classify it as "hipster" music that no one else would really enjoy, but this album is diverse and bold enough to interest almost anyone.

Dan Deacon: BROMST

Dan Deacon's 2007 release Spiderman of the Rings was amusing and fun, but this year's Bromst is sublime. Songs like the nuanced "Woof Woof" maintain the party atmosphere, but pieces like "Surprise Stefani" and "Snookered" are the real treasures: At once charming and resonant, they show just how emotionally powerful electronic music can be.

Mos Def: THE ECSTATIC

If you have not heard a Mos Def album before, now is the perfect opportunity. The Ecstatic is exotic and addictive, with cuts like "History" and "Auditorium" ingraining themselves into your mind after the first listen. The images he paints with his music and words are detailed and thought-provoking, making this an album to listen to often.

Animal Collective: MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION

Six months after its initial release, this record remains so good that it is hard to write about it. Merriweather Post Pavilion is definitely one of the best the band has released and likely the most complete statement they have made. "My Girls" and "Brothersport" may stand out, but each song on this album feels like an adventure on its own.

Grizzly Bear: VECKATIMEST

The folk-tinged, pop-kissed Veckatimest is a fantastic journey, but the small details and choices on the album make it truly spectacular-like the moment when everything but the piano drops out on "Two Weeks" or the subtle guitar parts on "About Face." Grizzly Bear's latest is an album to be dissected and one that almost demands it in its sound.

Tags: BEST OF 2009