2012 was a “thinner” year for me, as I maintained a fairly strong connection to the channels through which I received my music-culture input, while at the same time withdrawing to a place where I spent less time seeking to find, and more time learning to redirect my own creative energies towards building stability for my family. Does this make sense?

There was a time when I bent the majority of my intellectual energy toward the uncovering of new artists and songs. It was hard work, long hours spent deeply absorbed in a world of sounds. I invested inordinate amounts of time just hearing things I never would have had the patience for if I hadn’t believed that there was some value to be discovered within the cacophony of the potentially-sublime creative output of some kids in a bedroom half a world away.

Upon moving to California, I adopted something of a passive attitude about such things. I was determined to remain in the dark about all of the shows I was now missing out on, mere miles away. I did go to a few, mind you, but nowhere near the number I would have gone to, had I not been so committed to pinching every penny we had. I locked up my input streams, and let the music flow to me, and flow it did. In pleasantly manageable quantities, too.

I won a spot on the guest list for Damien Jurado’s show in San Diego, and later I was able to tag along to a VIP hangout with Mutemath. Those were my concert-going activities for 2012. Will 2013 be more eventful? I fully expect it to be so.

Here is my list of top albums from 2012. Someday, an expansion on why Maraqopa was chosen will be due. I chose it very early in the year. Nothing has eclipsed my decision since.

1. Damien Jurado – Maraqopa
2. Grimes – Visions
3. Chromatics – Kill for Love
4. Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
5. elite gymnastics – ruin
6. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
7. Beach House – Bloom
8. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
9. Kent – Jag är inte rädd for mörkret

And a couple of honorable mentions. Why are these two honorables mentioned? Well, for one, Silver & Gold is a compilation of Soof’s past 5 Christmas albums. Also, it is a masterwork of staggering genius. Small Black’s Moon Killer Mixtape was released on 11/11/11 and was missed by yours truly (as a whole). I wound up digging on the title track a heck of a lot in 2012, so, I place this mixtape here as an honorable mention.

1. Sufjan Stevens – Silver & Gold
2. Small Black – Moon Killer Mixtape

I don’t know what to expect from Sufjan, anymore. I just don’t.

Best un-owned (not unheard) albums from 2012. These are albums which I listened to- in this age of Rdio, Spotify, Grooveshark, and Soundcloud- and was highly impressed with, but hitherto have not been so moved as to purchase them. I would like to, though.

1. Purity Ring – Shrines
2. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
3. Jessie Ware – Devotion
4. Liars – WIXIW
5. Chairlift – Something
6. Passion Pit – Gossamer
7. Woods – Bend Beyond
8. Memory Tapes – Grace / Confusion
9. The Fresh & Onlys – Long Slow Dance
10. Crystal Castles – (III)

And finally, here is my list of favorite songs from 2012.

1. Moon Killer – Small Black
2. Genesis – Grimes
3. Cherokee – Cat Power
4. Give It Up – The Big Pink
5. Wildest Moments – Jessie Ware
6. No. 1 Against the Rush – Liars
7. Into the Black – Chromatics
8. Truth – Alexander
9. Darkness – Leonard Cohen
10. Working Titles – Damien Jurado
11. Size Meets The Sound – Woods
12. I’m Not Talking – A.C. Newman
13. Presence of Mind – The Fresh & Onlys
14. Shallow Tears – Light Asylum
15. They’re Talking About Us – Tronics
16. The House That Heaven Built – Japandroids
17. Met Before – Chairlift
18. Obedear – Purity Ring
19. Wishes – Beach House
20. h e r e, i n  h e a v e n  4 & 5 (CFCF Remix) – elite gymnastics
21. All Your Gold – Bat For Lashes
22. Only in My Dreams – Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
23. Fineshrine – Purity Ring
24. Kill for Love – Chromatics
25. The Theory of Relativity – Stars
26. Museum of Flight – Damien Jurado
27. Laura – Bat For Lashes
28. Last Rights – Jeremy Enigk
29. Heaven – The Walkmen
30. Christmas Unicorn – Sufjan Stevens