Matthew Ritchie
Coast writer since 2010
Bombay Bicycle Club, A Different Kind of Fix (Island)
British 20-something shoegazers make ambient dance album with rock instrumentation. This is probably the best album you haven't heard of. Expect big things from this young band.
Friendly Fires, Pala (XL)
Friendly Fires are kind of like LCD Soundsystem, except they're young and handsome. Pala has a tropical flair and pop sheen similar to early Duran Duran, but maintains enough subtle nuances to interest even the most stringent audiophile.
Iceage, New Brigade (What's Your Rupture?)
A pretty unlistenable album made by a bunch of jerks from Denmark. Their music has glimmers of early Joy Division incarnation Warsaw, but more abrasive. I like it!
Radiohead, The King of Limbs (XL)
When Kid A came out in 2000, critics labelled it Radiohead's most challenging album. The same can be said of The King of Limbs. This album is good, even though most Radiohead fans don't like it.
Yuck, (Yuck) Instrumentals (Fat Possum)
Last year I saw Pavement play in New York City. Pavement is one of my favourite bands, but given that it's no longer a band, it's good to know someone else is ready to carry the guitar-rock torch.
Coldplay, Mylo Xyloto (Parlophone)
Cut Copy, Zonoscope (Modular)
Drake, Take Care (Young Money)
Fucked Up, David Comes to Life (Matador)
Panda Bear, Tomboy (Paw Tracks)
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Mirror Traffic (Matador)
Matt's favourite album is Point by Japanese art-rockers Cornelius. Because of this, his favourite instrument is an electric guitar, plugged into a Kaoss Pad, run through a Fender Deluxe that his Dad made him. He wishes GoodLife would stop playing dubstep on repeat while he works out.