I couldn't think of a tenth album that I've listened to enough to really rate, so it's only nine.

9. "The Ichthyologist" by Giant Squid
I really loved "Metridium Fields" and "The Ichthyologist" isn't quite as good, but it's also a different type of approach. The songs are a little shorter, and I dare say more subdued. I miss the backing vocals of Aurielle Zeitler, but this new girl gives the songs a similar feel.
Favorite song: "Dead Man Slough"

8. "Manafon" by David Sylvian
I'm a little biased here because I love David Sylvian, and would probably praise anything he does. "Manafon" is at the end of the list, though, because I definitely prefer the fuller, richer songs of "Dead Bees on a Cake". "Manafon" is very similar to "Blemish" in that Sylvian's vocals are the main event, only accompanied lightly by the occasional plucked guitar or ambient noise. But it's still very pretty and I'm glad David is still making music.
Favorite Song: "The Rabbit Skinner"

7. "The Bachelor" by Patrick Wolf
Patrick Wolf is always good for a theatrical ride. I'm more a fan of his upbeat numbers, and "The Bachelor" has a lot of them.

6. "Junior" by Röyksopp
It's difficult to be sad while listening to this record. It has a lot more energy than "Melody A.M.", which is the other album I have by them. "Junior" is full of songs that you can't help but dance to. "The Girl and the Robot" is ready for the dance floors of gay bars everywhere, but mostly I just hear it in my living room.
Favorite song: "Tricky Tricky"

5. "Hymn to the Immortal Wind" by MONO
I don't really have much to say about this album, because it's really something you have to listen to. Great, sweeping waves of sorrow and hope, washes of guitars and lovely strings are par for the course for MONO but they've exceeded my expectations.

4. "Two Suns" by Bat for Lashes
This is a fun and beautiful album. I'm normally more a fan of male vocals, but Natasha Khan has stolen my heart. The songs are mostly ballad-esque, but the album has its moments that will make you move.
Favorite song: "Daniel"

3. "Compass" by Assemblage 23
I pretty much love everything that Tom Shear puts out, so it's no surprise that I love "Compass". Tom continues to push himself to keep evolving his sound, but stays true to his format. It's a good balance. It seems like everyone puts VNV Nation at the top of the industrial-pop (or whatever you want to call it) pillar, but in my mind, Assemblage 23 is at the top, hands down.
Favorite song: "Spark"

2. "From Pillar to Post" by Logan Lynn
I first heard of Logan Lynn on dlist.com, a sort of "gay myspace" type of social site, and liked him because he's making music that i'd be making if I had any talent. Fun, sexy songs about how life can suck, but sometimes there are great moments. Apparently he's gone to rehab, and come back with "From Pillar to Post". This seems like one of the rare moments where the music is actually better after the drugs go away, which makes me happy. And yes, it is kind of queer-centered, but anyone can identify with his songs, and certainly anyone can dance to them.
Favorite song: "Feed Me to the Wolves"

1. "Fever Ray" by Fever Ray
Very few things sound like Fever Ray. Karin Dreijer Andersson operates in a different dimension than the rest of us I think. She's half of The Knife, but on her own she creates a strange, dark world full of imagination. It's really unlike anything else I've heard.
Favorite song: "If I Had a Heart"