Every year it gets harder to decide my 5 albums. It’s got to a state where I would have felt guilty to leave out a few, so i will include them as notable mentions throughout the week. I have managed to round them all down to seven albums in total. So my notable mentions will be over the next two days and then following that we will get into my favourite five before I finish with my album of the year on new years day.

This year has seen some heavy hitters and more unexpected contenders for my list. But one thing that’s becoming clear is the development of technology and its influence in the music industry.

I’m not just talking about the proliferation of synthesis into the mainstream in the past few years. Technology is shaping the way modern music is being created and developed from every angle in the same way that stereo or the 8 track recorder revolutionised how music was made in the past. Only this time it isn’t just one technological advancement but many that are making the future of music as exiting and fresh as it has ever been.

We can start with the fundamentals, creating music to a standard that would be considered studio grade ten years ago can now be done at a cost open to any enthusiast. Quite simply the bar to low-end technology is increasing at such a rate that even the cheapest equipment is of a standard that takes itself out of the equation and leaves the producer/musician to make music of a “professional quality”. Production terminology such as “lofi” now exist purely as a choice in style rather than an end to a means. Because this barrier has been lowered, anyone can create music no matter how inaccessible or unique and with the wonder of the internet it can be available to anyone who can find it.

The internet is also fundamental in the development of new acts, The entirety of all music recorded is available online if your willing to look hard enough and this allows modern artists and producers to be influenced by Music they simply wouldn’t have had access to in the past.

So were left with artists who have a greater knowledge of the history of music to source from, who can create anything they want on a budget available to them and with a method of distribution that doesn’t require any third-party support. This is the future of music, It may not be as commercially viable as it was in the past and it may be hard to find the stuff you want to hear but I would happily sacrifice that convenience for variety. Over the next week i will highlight the albums that have struck a chord with me the most over the previous year and try to explain why they do.  All the albums I write about are worth your time, So give the articles a read and if you like what you read give them a listen.