By Shashank Jejurikar ’13, A&E Editor and Will Bernish ’13, Lighter Fare Editor

1. Portico Quartet – Portico Quartet

London-based jazz group Portico Quartet released their eponymous third album in later January of 2012 to more recognition than they previously garnered, but not nearly as much as they deserve. Incorporating both traditional jazz instruments (such as upright bass and saxophone) and modern, unique sounds (such as the hang and electronic pads), Portico Quartet creates a deep, encapsulating sound that swallows you whole (in a good way).

Portico Quartet showcases masterful drums, looming sax, and an absolutely haunting hang. Each song sounds like a jazz standard that’s dragged through tar muck, which sticks to the instruments giving them a deeper and darker sound, reminiscent more of dark ambient or musique concrète than jazz at times. There’s a pulsating beat on “Lacker Boo,” that goes on for around seven minutes, a technique so minimalistic you’d think Philip Glass or Brian Eno wrote it. I heartily recommend listening to the second track, “Ruins” for an accessible taste of what’s on the rest of this moody and fantastic album.

2. Animal Collective – Centipede Hz

A moderately successful neo-psychedelic outfit from Baltimore, Animal Collective released Centipede Hz after a few pseudo-radio sets DJ’d by different members of the band, all playing songs that displayed the type of production they were using. They wanted a more “live-band” sound, as opposed to their previous album, 2009’s heavily-digital Merriweather Post Pavilion (MPP). Centipede Hz also saw the return of Deakin, the group’s guitarist who was noticeably absent on MPP, and who also finally sang on a track, the punching “Wide Eyed.”

Centipede Hz is a clear blending of the saccharine pop of MPP and the abrasive indie-psych of their earlier work, especially Feels and Strawberry Jam, but without the ambient intros and outros and intermissions present on all of them. It would make a great starting point if one would like to start listening to them; nothing too dissonant, nothing too spacy, and more of a conglomerate of all their albums yet still with a unique sound. And then there are the layers upon layers of sounds – every time I listen to a song from Centipede I hear a new synth track in the background, or a backup vocal harmony, or what have you. Animal Collective created a new masterpiece, a jumble of fun and outrageous sounds, that pleases old fans and invites new ones, yet is also exactly what the band wanted to make.

3. The Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now

Swedish folk singer-songwriter Kristian Mattson kicked off his project, The Tallest Man On Earth, he made a name for himself by playing unadorned but brilliant acoustic guitar and singing rough vocals with powerful lyrics. With his 2012 release, There’s No Leaving Now, Mattson retains his trademark voice. However, the instrumentals on this album depart from the pure rough guitar of his first two LPs and adopt a more band-based approach. Electric guitars, drums, bass, and piano all play big roles on multiple songs. Mattson’s lyrical content is mellower and less dark than it has been in the past, but it still retains its emotional power. All in all, There’s No Leaving Now marks Mattson’s brave and successful departure from his tested formula.

4. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave

Our fourth LP on this list is Alt-J’s An Awesome Wave, which hit shelves in June. Alt-J’s unique style is apparent right off the bat – the Intro song, followed by “Tessellate,” unleash an array of beats, rock bass, and electronic harmonies driven by distorted guitar. All songs on this album are intricately put together; the groovy bass and multiple guitar tracks ebb and flow with the ever-changing and complex drum parts. This cacophony of sound is most evident on songs “Fitzpleasure” – a high energy track which changes pace regularly – and “Taro” – an oriental-sounding song packed with vocal harmonies and innovative instrumentals.

While Alt-J’s instrumentals brilliantly set the tone, it is the vocals of frontman John Newman which set them apart. His nasally crooning voice and odd arrangement of syllables both intrigues and confuses the listener. But though his voice is odd, it complements the mood and form of the music perfectly and feels right in the context of the instruments. And when you can understand them, his lyrics are solid; clever at times, emotional and metaphorical in others. Songs like “Breezeblocks” and “Matilda” show off all facets of Newman’s voice, range, and lyrics. An Awesome Wave is a both unique and innovative indie album, and definitely deserves to be on our list.