Another year’s passed and we’re well underway with a new and yadi-yadi-ya… We won’t bore you with philosophical nothings on time and its inevitable passing, because we should all know that by now. And we got more important stuff on the agenda. What we will say before the important stuff is thank you for reading. It’s truly appreciated.

It’s been an amazing year in Scandinavian music and our excitement is only dulled a little by the bad conscience evoked by looking at the albums still in the to-do pile. Unfortunately we’re not, contrary to popular belief, supermen and time is of the essence, so this is something we’ll have to live and deal with. It shall not, however, prevent us from sharing with you the 20 Best Albums of 2009 as we heard it. Enjoy and all the best wishes for 2010.

20: Dead By April (SE) – Dead By April – READ REVIEW

19: Hogni (FO) – Haré! Haré! – READ REVIEW

18: Negash Ali (DK) – Asmarino – READ REVIEW

17: Vuk (SF) – The Plains – READ REVIEW

16: Ghost:Dog (NO) – First Book Of Samuel – READ REVIEW

15: Turboweekend (DK) – Ghost Of A Chance – READ REVIEW

14: Jenny Wilson (SE) – Hardships! – READ REVIEW

13: Oh No Ono (DK) – Eggs – READ REVIEW

12: Delay Trees (SF) – Soft Construction EP – READ REVIEW

11: Troels Abrahamsen (DK) – WHT – READ REVIEW

Sin Fang Bous (ISL)
Clangour
Seabear frontman Sindri Már Sigfússon kicked off his solo career in 2009 with this beautifully noisy pop debut. (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

I Was A King (NO)
I Was A King
Unreasonably infectious second effort from Norway’s I Was A King, fronted in every way by two minute pop pearl maestro Frode Strømstad. (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

The Bear Quartet (SE)
89
Swedish veterans celebrated their 20 anniversary in 2009 with the release of their excellent fifteenth effort. (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

Mew (DK)
No More Stories…
Instantly appealing, yet eclectic and challenging, and basically just another magnificent album from the Danish rock trio. (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

Rubik (SF)
Dada Bandits
Amazingly complex and still immensely catchy. Finnish quartet Rubik really got to us with this second full length effort. (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

The Psyke Project (DK)
Dead Storm
Quiet, yet oddly disturbing passages and grueling, downright underpants-soilingly scary heaviness. In short, the best metal release of 2009. (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

múm (ISL)
Sing Along To Songs You Don’t Know
A beautifully complex siren pop song that will lure you in, but instead of having you crash on unfriendly shores you’re abundantly rewarded. (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

Kent (SE)
Röd
Along with producer Jon “Joshua” Schumann the Swedish giants went full-on electrorock with this eighth effort in 2009 and it’s amazing. Plain and simple… (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

Jonathan Johansson (SE)
En Hand I Himlen
We said it at least twice last year and we’ll gladly say it again: Johansson’s debut is an exceptional pop album worthy of all the praise bestowed upon it. And then some! (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content

Kellermensch
Kellermensch
That Danish experimental rock outfit Kellermensch take the top slot on this list might not come as a big surprise to regular readers. We love this band in all their demonic uniqueness and in our book no one was above them in 2009. (READ REVIEW)

Alternative content