Top Five EPs of 2010

As the internet continues its dominance of modern life, the concept of 'longevity' is fading - people want a quick thrill, and they want it now. As such, the EP is seeing something of a resurgence, and 2010 saw a collection of very fine examples - here are the top five, as voted for by you:

5) The Samps – The Samps
As the side-project of one of Ariel Pink's guitarists, big things were expected of The Samps, and they do not disappoint. Yes, we have the weird pop of Ariel Pink - this album sounds like the theme to an 80s cop movie, and that's no bad thing - but I also got a sense that these guys have been listening to as much Flying Lotus as they have their freak folk sensei.


4) British Sea Power – Zeus
To be honest, I'm pretty neutral when it comes to British Sea Power - I don't love them, I don't hate them, I just don't get them. Consequently, I've not even bothered to listen to this album; however, I've been reliably informed by friends who have that it's BSP at their very best.




3) James Blake – CMYK
Released while in his final year at the prestigious Goldsmiths in London (notable albumni include Blur and Damien Hirst), James Blake's second EP managed to seem fresh in a year that was aleady full of interesting and original electronic releases.




2) Tennis – BaltimoreA husband-and-wife dream team making summer pop songs. Imagine a more mature Best Coast and you'd be pretty much spot on.






1) James Blake – Klavierwerke
Could it have been anything else? This EP has dominated the ever-growing electronic scene this year, and shows a new direction for James Blake. Much more minimal and down-tempo that CMYK, Klavierwerke also introduces the prominent use of vocals, which sound like an auto-tuned Antony Hegarty, much to the album's credit.