Top Ten Most Anticipated Albums of 2013

10. Azealia Banks – Broke With Expensive Taste (02/2013, Interscope)

Azealia Banks first made her mark on the music scene with her debut single and YouTube hit “212”. This outspoken Harlem, NY rapper is being compared to Lauryn Hill and promises that her debut album will be “stylish and authentic.”

9. Kid Cudi – Indicud (03/2013, Universal Republic/GOOD Music)

American hip hop recording artist Kid Cudi is known for his genre-bending musical style; blending psychedelia, rock and hip hop. Boasting collaborations with Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Ratatat, expect the overall tone of his third studio album to be “positive and confident.”

8. Sun Kil Moon and The Album Leaf – Perils From the Sea (05/2013, Caldo Verde)

Perils From The Sea is the debut collaboration by The Album Leaf’s multi-instrumentalist Jimmy LaValle and Sun Kil Moon singer Mark Kozelek. This surprising collaboration will feature Kozelek’s narrative songwriting, harmonizing with LaValle’s hypnotic synth soundscape.

7. Lady Gaga – ARTPOP (?/2013, Interscope Records)

Love her or hate her, Lady Gaga has made a huge impact on mainstream music and pop culture. Though very little has been confirmed regarding her third studio album, according to Gaga, ARTPOP will be “very risky” and will allegedly feature some sort of multimedia experience.

6. Christopher Owens – Lysandre (01/2013, Fat Possum Records)

Quoted as being an “intriguing departure from his previous work,” Lysandre is Christopher Owens’ first solo album since leaving indie rock group Girls. With “trumpets and flutes abound,” the album is somewhat of a romantic ‘70s drama. The concept is loosely inspired by a woman Owens met while on tour with Girls.

5. The Knife – Shaking The Habitual (04/2013, Mute)

Swedish electronic duo The Knife have not released a proper studio album since Silent Shout in 2006. Infamously media-shy, they released a teaser video on their official website stating: “Music can be so meaningless. We had to find lust. We asked our friends and lovers to help us.” Expect sexy results.

4. Arcade Fire – Title Unknown (?/2013, Mercury Records)

Following their Grammy award-winning album The Suburbs, Montreal’s Arcade Fire have been hard at work trying to top their incredible achievement. Allegedly working with fellow musician and producer James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) and sampling new tracks for their fans, we can expect a strong release with their new album sometime in 2013.

3. MIA – Matangi (04/2013, Mercury Records)

With the release date for the album pushed back by her record label due to the album sounding “too positive,” the “Bad Girls” singer describes her fourth studio album as “Paul Simon on acid.” With a bit of reworking, we can expect Matangi to sound like an anthology of her previous work.

2. Jamie Lidell – Jamie Lidell (02/2013, Warp)

Produced entirely by Lidell in his Nashville, TN studio, his forthcoming self-titled LP is described as being a “bright burst of kaleidoscopic colour.” Fans can expect the same playful Lidell from his earlier albums. With his newfound stability and creative freedom, this self-titled release is sure to be his most impactful.

1. Villagers – {Awayland} (01/2013, Domino)

Following his Mercury-nominated debut, Becoming a Jackal, Villagers’ Conor O’Brien is releasing his sophomore effort, full of Irish charm. “It takes you on a trip through a musical landscape, as a tribute to your sense of wonder. It travels through space and time and leaves you back for dinner.”