For the rest of the year, we'll be spotlighting our KEXP DJs Top Albums of 2013, leading up to our 2013 90.3 Top Album Countdown! Vote today for your favorite albums of the year, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a 10 CD pack of the Top Albums of 2013, as voted on by KEXP listeners. Voting ends on Friday, December 13th, so let us know your favorites now, and tune in on Thursday, December 19th to hear if your picks made the list!
Hey hey, DJ Alex here! I host the overnight variety show on Friday nights (technically Saturday mornings) from 1am until 6am, assist the Music Director with reviewing new music, and fill-in on Expansions when they need someone to hop up on the wheels of steel for a three-hour mix of cutting-edge underground electronic beats. As a passionate music lover and a sucker for lists, coming up with a year-end breakdown is always a fun and frustrating ordeal. I always want to include too much! Last year I went in-depth with sharing albums, EPs, and tracks that caught my ear and filled my existence with excitement. This year I’m doing the same, but diving in even deeper. Hopefully this extensive list leads you to discover some artists, albums, or singles that catch your ear, too!
Alex's 2013 Top Ten Albums
rank | artist | album | label |
10 | Ka | The Night's Gambit | Iron Works |
9 | Hammock | Oblivion Hymns | Hammock Music |
8 | Chad Valley | Peace & Understanding | self-released |
7 | Larry Gus | Years Not Living | DFA |
6 | Cock & Swan | Secret Angles | Hush Hush |
5 | Autre Ne Veut | Anxiety | Mexican Summer/Software |
4 | Lapalux | Nostalchic | Brainfeeder |
3 | Drake | Nothing Was The Same | Cash Money/Young Money Entertainment/Universal Republic |
2 | Kanye West | Yeezus | Def Jam |
1 | Classixx | Hanging Gardens | Innovative Leisure |
Honorable Mentions:Bare Mutants – The AfflictionBeacon – The Ways We SeparateBlood Orange – Cupid DeluxeBonobo – The North Borders Chance the Rapper – Acid RapDarkstar – News From NowhereDeptford Goth – Life After DefoDJ Rashad – Double Cup Forest Swords - EngravingsGiraffage - NeedsGold Panda – Half Of Where You Liveinc. – no worldj.Faraday – Beat Tape #1Jai Paul – Leaked DemosJohn Wizards – John WizardsJosé James – No Beginning No EndJulia Holter – Loud City SongJustin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience Pt. 1Kalabrese – Independent DancerKelela – Cut 4 MeKraak & Smaak – Chrome WavesKurt Vile – Wakin On A Pretty DazeKyson – The Water’s WayLetherette - LetheretteMajical Cloudz - ImpersonatorMano Le Tough – Changing DaysModerat - IIMountains - CentraliaNatasha Kmeto - CrisisNils Frahm - SpacesPressed And – Stone CandlesRhye - WomanSax G – Tu Me ManquesShigeto – No Better Time Than NowShortcircles – Between WavesSlow Year – Slow YearSpecial Request – Soul MusicSweatson Klank – You, Me, TemporaryTa-ku – Songs To Break Up ToThe Range – NonfictionTim Hecker - VirginsToro Y Moi – Anything In ReturnVox Mod - SYN-ÆSTHETICWalton – BeyondWilliam Onyeabor – Who Is William Onyeabor?Young Fathers – Tape One / Tape Two
Favorite EPs:Active Child - Rapor EP Bam Spacey - River EP Braxton/Palmer - Creeper EP Burial – Rival Dealer EPCasbah 73 - Stop Where You're Standing EP Cashmere Cat - Wedding Bells EP Chrome Sparks - Sparks EP 813 - Recolor EPFjord Morrison - Old Tendency EP FKA twigs – EP2Isaac Delusion - Early Morning EP Jacques Greene - On Your Side EP Keenya – While Everyone Sleeps EPKid Smpl - Armour EP Koreless - Yugen EP LiL TExAS - Talkin 2 U EP Locked Groove - Heritage EP Maribou State - Truths EP Monkey Wrench - Fatal Attraction EP Nguzunguzu - Skycell EP Placeholder - Under EP Recycle Culture - In Transit EP Romare - Love Songs Part 1 EPRoosevelt - Elliot EP Sampha - Dual EP Shlohmo - Laid Out EP Shy Girls – Timeshare EPSister Crayon - Cynic EP snacs - Meaning Of EP SZA - S EPT. Williams - Feelings Within EP Tender Games - Plastic Surgery EP The Hics - Tangle EP The Phantom - Piano Moods EP Tiny Hearts - Stay EP Tuesday Born - Singing In The Dark EPWet - EP Wishbeard - It's All Gonna Break EP Yumi & The Weather - All We Can EP
Favorite Singles #1-#50:01. Ciara - Body Party02. Drake - Hold On We're Going Home (feat. Majid Jordan)03. Kingdom - Bank Head (feat. Kelela)
04. Sampha – Happens 05. FKA Twigs - Water Me 06. SOPHIE - BIPP
07. Duke Dumont - Need U (100%) (feat. A*M*E) 08. Blood Orange – Chamakay (feat. Caroline Polachek)09. Rich Homie Quan - Type Of Way10. Justin Timberlake - Strawberry Bubblegum11. T. Williams – Smile (feat. Tendai) 12. Kanye West - Bound 213. Morgan Zarate - Pusher Taker (feat. Roses Gabor)
14. Lapalux – Without You (feat. Kerry Leatham) 15. Kwes. - 3616. Basement Jaxx - What A Difference Your Love Makes17. Pure Bathing Culture - Pendulum18. Toro Y Moi - Say That 19. Karma Kid - In My Arms20. Classixx - All You're Waiting For (feat. Nancy Whang)21. Courtney Barnett - Avant Gardener22. LIZ - XTC23. Autre Ne Veut - Play By Play24. Jamie Lidell - You Naked25. Bruno Mars - Treasure26. Laura Mvula – She27. Disclosure – Help Me Lose My Mind (feat. London Grammar)28. Snakehips - On & On29. Darkside - Paper Trails30. Jackson and His Computer Band - Vista31. Thundercat - Oh Sheit, It's X!32. Seiho - I Feel Rave33. Jamie xx – Untitled34. Future Brown – Wanna Party (feat. Tink)35. Twin Shadow - Old Love / New Love36. John Wizards - Muizenberg37. Para One - Every Little Thing (Remix feat. Cam'ron)38. Mitzi - Modern Life39. Jeremih & Shlohmo - Bo Peep (Do U Right)40. Moderat - Bad Kingdom41. Ikonika - Beach Mode (Keep It Simple) (feat. Jessy Lanza)42. Parquet Courts - Stoned + Starving43. CHRVCHES - The Mother We Share44. James Blake - Retrograde45. Claire – Games46. Daft Punk - Doin' It Right (feat. Panda Bear)47. Migos – Versace (Remix feat. Drake)48. f(x) - Airplane49. Vondelpark - California Analog Dream50. Braxton/Palmer - Creeper Pt. 1 / Creeper Pt. 2
More:Archie Pelago - Avocado RollerAriana Grande - You'll Never KnowA$AP Rocky - Fashion KillaBam Spacey - RiverBaths - Miasma SkyBibio - YouBodhi - CultureBody Language - Just BecauseChants - RU4Real (feat. Ramzi Awn)Chastity Belt - Seattle PartyChesus - SpecialCock & Swan - Animal TotemConnan Mockasin - I Wanna Roll With YouCross My Heart - Wild SideDan Casey - Empty CityDanny Brown – Side B (Dope Song)Darkstar - You Don't Need A WeathermanDelorean - SpiritDJ Rashad - Rollin'813 - ElastiqueFaltyDL - Straight & ArrowFlight Facilities – Standing Still (feat. Micky Green)Friendzone - 8AMFukuyama - Jungle (feat. Ava)Gesaffelstein - HelliforniaGlenn Jackson - SaveGold Panda - RepriseHeterotic - Blue Lights (feat. Gravenhurst)IG88 - A Subtle Separation (feat. Jenni Potts)inc. - The PlaceJ.Alvarez - FormatJacques Greene - On Your Side (feat. How To Dress Well)Jagwar Ma - Come Save MeJosé James - It's All Over Your BodyJulia Holter - Hello StrangerKarl x Johan - Never Leave MeKarma Kid, Friend Within & Yasim - Feeling (So Special)Keep Shelly In Athens - RecollectionKing Midas Sound - Funny LoveLarry Gus - The Night Patrol (A Man Asleep)Les Sins - GrindLil Silva - No Doubt (feat. Rosie Lowe)LiL TExAS - TALKIN 2 ULindsay Lowend - Bar HarborLockah x Taste Tester - U DON'T KNOW MELocked Groove - Dream Within A DreamMain Attrakionz - Summa TimeMaria Minerva - Symbol Of My Pleasure (Form Of My Pain)Mary Onettes, The - YearsMonkey Wrench - Fatal AttractionNobody – Beaches (feat. Baths & Nocando)Nosaj Thing - Try (feat. Toro Y Moi)Okapii - GattuPhosphorescent - Song For ZulaPomrad - PomslapQuadron - Hey LoveRustie - SlasherrSailor & I - Tough LoveSean Kingston - Beat It (feat. Chris Brown & Wiz Khalifa)Shlohmo - Don't Say No (feat. How To Dress Well)Skin Town - The AbyssSOHN - LessonsSpecial Request - ForbiddenSweater Beats + Arnold - Jello DripSylvan Esso - Play It RightSZA - ICE.MOONTensnake - 58 BPMTirzah - I'm Not DancingTodd Terje - Strandbar (Disko Version)Tom Middleton - WYV AUW CHUTouch Sensitive - Pizza GuyVox Mod - Iridescent Asteroid Mists (feat. Palaceer Lazaro)xx, The - TogetherYoung Fathers - I HeardYoung Galaxy - New Summer
DJ Alex is on the air every Saturday morning from 1AM-6AM.
For the rest of the year, we'll be spotlighting our KEXP DJs Top Albums of 2013, leading up to our 2013 90.3 Top Album Countdown! Tune in on Thursday, December 19th for KEXP's One-Day Radio Rally as we countdown the top albums of the year, as voted on by KEXP listeners.
For the rest of the year, we'll be spotlighting our KEXP DJs Top Albums of 2013, leading up to our 2013 90.3 Top Album Countdown! Vote today for your favorite albums of the year, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a 10 CD pack of the Top Albums of 2013, as voted on by KEXP listeners. Votin…