You may have noticed that today is January 10, a date both marking the end of our looking back on 2008 and pointing forward as this is the first installment of a brand new feature on ALL SCANDINAVIAN: The monthly Top 10@10.

Since launching in July we’ve worked hard on building an archive along with reviewing new, great albums from both new and established Scandinavian artists and been rewarded with a steady growing number of readers (that’s you). Thank you!

So, we’ve only been alive just over six months, but here are the 10 albums we think really stood out in 2008. It’s worth noting that no less than six are debuts, a testament to the healthy state of the Scandinavian music scene these years.

Now, without further ado we give you the very first Top 10@10, presenting the Best Albums of 2008:

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THE WINYLS (SF)
Honey And Lime
These Fins cannot claim to be musically groundbreaking, but they sure know how to create three minute pop-rock songs that will go straight to your head and feet. Think The Killers mixed with a distinct sound of Finland, a slight drunkenness and a lot of fun. (Click to read the review)

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TEITUR (FO)
The Singer
Faroese singer/songwriter Teitur went new ways when working with this third full length effort and it proved a good idea as ‘The Singer’ stands out as not only a wonderfully crafted album, but also his best work vocally so far. (Click to read the review)

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THE WONG BOYS (DK)
The Wong Boys
One of the more awaited Danish releases last year The Wong Boys more than lived up the year-long hype that had surrounded them with this debut’s string of great, gritty club-bangers and gloomy downbeat techno, fused with the raw energy of punk-rock. (Click to read the review)

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KATZENJAMMER (NO)
Le Pop
Towards the end of the year girl-groups became somewhat a theme on ALL SCANDINAVIAN. One was Norwegian genre cruisers Katzenjammer who caught us completely with their fun, dark, happy, tight, loose and just really unique universe. (Click to read the review)

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HJALTALÌN (ISL)
Sleepdrunk Seasons
Originally this album was released in 2007, but with a little “extra spice” added in 2008 and a consequent re-release this Icelandic group qualifies with their incredibly varied indierock with catchy pop hooks combined with elements of jazz and classical. (Click to read the review)

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LULU ROUGE (DK)
Bless You
Last year top Danish DJ’s and producers Buda and T.O.M. finally got around to release an album under their common alias, Lulu Rouge. The 10 deep, dark dub tracks are equally fit for grooving in da club, kicking back in the sun or the Sunday morning blues. (Click to read the review)

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UNDERWATER SLEEPING SOCIETY (SF)
The Dead Vegas
This Finnish six-piece impressed us with their third effort, an effective collection of dramatic, bittersweet indierock songs spearheaded by grandiose single ‘Counting Stars’ which is one of the best songs we had the pleasure of lending our ears in 2008. (Click to read the review)

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VOLBEAT (DK)
Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
We simply can’t think of one good reason why Volbeat shouldn’t make it big in both Europe and the big US of A, where they’ll tour later this year. This third effort is hard enough to please the metal crowd, melodic enough please your dad and just plain cool enough to be appreciated by everybody who likes rock‘n’roll. (Click to read the review)

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LYKKE LI (SE)
Youth Novels
With this awesome collection of intricate, eccentric and very personal pop songs young songstress Lykke Li propelled herself into the very top of the new Swedish pop wave and the list of Best Albums Of The Year as heard by ALL SCANDINAVIAN. (Click to read the review)

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CHOIR OF YOUNG BELIEVERS (DK)
This Is For The White In Your Eyes
He was proclaimed Talent of the Year at two major Danish music award events in the beginning of 2008, based on just a four-song EP, so naturally expectations to this full length debut were high. And more than met, as it turned out. The former Lake Placid guitarist/singer Jannis Noya Makrigiannis has simply created a magnum symphonic alt-pop album and all the more impressive is that we’re dealing with a debut. Beautifully melancholic and the best album of 2008. (Click to read the review)