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Ho ho ho... And here you go!

Contrary to what many might think... 2011 hasn't ALL been about homogenised, manufactured pop and doom 'n' gloom for the music industry. It has in fact a glorious year for music across all genres, if you're willing to seek it out. As ever, I've been trawling though it trying to find some real gems and playing tracks all year on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland. Here's a list of 50 of my favourites...

Over 50% of the artists therein are from Scotland or have a strong Scottish connection, the rest are international. Hopefully this list will enlighten and inspire you to make a purchase and support some true artists out there. Some you'll know, some you won't but all are worth your investigation and your time.

Album of the year:

• Remember Remember -The Quickening (Rock Action)

Then, in no particular order:

• Sparrow & The Workshop - Spitting Daggers (Distiller)
• Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - Everything's getting older (Chemikal Underground)
• Rustie - Glass Swords (Warp)
• Conquering Animal Sound - Kammerspiel (Gizeh)
• Mogwai - Hardcore will never die but you will (Rock Action)
• Jonnie Common - Master of None (Red Deer Club)
• Wounded Knee - House Music (Gerry Loves)
• Steve Mason & Dennis Bovell - Ghosts Outside (Double Six / Domino)
• Clean George IV - God Save the Clean (Tenement)
• Copyhaho - Copyhaho (Slow Learner)
• Found - Factorycraft (Chemikal Underground)
• Martin John Henry - The other half of everything (Gargleblast)
• Adam Stafford - Build a harbour immediately (Wiseblood Industries)
• We Were Promised Jetpacks - In the pit of the stomach (Fatcat)
• Bwani Junction - Full Cocked (Aksatak)
• Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls (Bella Union)
• The Moth & The Mirror - Honestly, this world (Olive Grove)
• Jacob Yates & the Pearly Gate Lock Pickers - Luck (Repeater)
• Sons & Daughters - Mirror Mirror (Domino)
• King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine (Domino)
• United Fruit - Fault Lines (U.F.)
• Twin Atlantic - Free (Red Bull)
• Pensioner - Yearlings (Olive Grove)
• Jonny - Jonny (Turnstile)
• Rob St. John - Weald (Song, by Toad)
• Slow Club - Paradise (Moshi Moshi)
• White Denim - D (V2 / Co-Op)
• Washed Out - Within & Without (Weird World / Domino)
• Battles - Gloss Drop (Warp)
• Radiohead - King of Limbs (XL)
• Fair Ohs - Everything is Dancing (Honey High)
• Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo (Turnstile)
• Tuneyards - Whokill (4AD)
• Deerhoof - Deerhoof Vs Evil (ATP)
• Panda Bear - Tomboy (Paw Tracks)
• Josh T Pearson - Last of the country gentlemen (Mute)
• Justice - Audio, Video, Disco (Because)
• Y Niwl - Y Niwl (Aderyn)
• Atlas Sound - Parallax (4AD)
• Bjork - Biophilia (One little Indian)
• F*cked Up - David Comes to Life (Matador)
• Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)
• Honningbarna - La Alarmane Ga (Karma Kosmetix Music)
• My Morning Jacket - Circuital (ATO / V2)
• Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi (Domino)
• Kurt Vile - Smoke ring for my halo (Matador)
• Cerebral Ballzy - Cerebral Ballzy (Cooking Vinyl)
• PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (Island)
• The Phoenix Foundation - Buffalo (Memphis Industries)

There are many more that didn't quite fit into the festive fifty, but are worth checking out... Try Zoey Van Goey, Song of Return, Deadboy Robotics, Black International, Monoganon, Indian Red Lopez, Glasvegas, The View, Nils Frahm, Wild Flag, Cass McCombs, Mastodon, Bon Iver, Blanck Mass and Metronomy for size.

Honorary mentions should go to Dananananaykroyd who made a great 2nd album but split up (aaaaw!) and RM Hubbert, Kid Canaveral & Admiral Fallow who re-released their excellent debuts in 2011.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hogmanay and all the best for 2012!

Cheers,

Vic xxx