Learnt this year

2008 turned out a bunch of really good releases, with a lot of artists getting their act together after long absenses. With the new year ringing in somewhat of an electro hangover, acts like Broken Social Scene (complete with Feist and her fiance Kevin Drew) proved the major drawcards at events such as the ever growing Laneway Festival way back in Febuary.

By April, and with the electro bubble close to bursting, long time french stalwarts such as Fred Falke and the ever-interesting M83 continued to fly their country's flag with a spattering of outstanding remixes- most of which had started to take a decidely more discofied turn: eschewing the club-centric monotomy of the year before. Sebastian rocked up to the party as well, but an increasingly wayward sound marked by engine noises and an attempt at death metal-like impunity saw his new tracks miss the mark. His remixes started popping up again, but although half-decent, interest had begun to wane in the Ed Banger crew.

Cut Copy and the Presets returned, and although commendably succesfull it seemed a bit of the 2005-era magic had been cheapened by an avalanche of pretenders in the time passed. Nonetheless, both produced great records. Across the atlantic, DFA shared production credits here, and from their own roster spearheaded a disco revival with artists such as Holy! Ghost, Hot Chip and The Juan Maclean. Antony Hegarty even made an appearance with Hercules and Love Affair (currently in town for Nevereverland).

All the while, Diplo reigned over everything, with a hand in everything from the year's biggest hit (M.I.A's clash-sampling anthem Paper Planes) to the meteoric rise of his former partner's American lookalike Santogold and her welcome foray into the combined worlds of reggae, hip hop and so-called "art rock".

Bands like Passion Pit, and Brisbane lads BMX made seemingly impossibly fun music with whatever intstruments they could find, in a Go! Team-esque cacophony of found instruments, garage rehearsals and laptop noises. From a simmilar, but much more folky vein bands like Port O'Brien and Melbourne's The Temper Trap went back to basics with a number of entertaining -whimsical even- releases.

TV on the Radio, Roots Manuva and Beck all released strong albums. Around August, so too did Kings Of Leon, but perhaps a little early for the festive season with several songs that sounded like christmas carols. Bloc Party released a much stronger album than 2006's A Weeked in the City- and while some fans wondered if the Silent Alarm heroes had lost the plot, it was more safe to say that the new, electronicaly influenced Bloc Party was instead here to stay. All the while, remix fever simmered on the online forums set up by Kanye West and Radiohead.

But perhaps the real winners of 2008 were again, the Australians. Especially noteworthy are Sydney's Mercy Arms, who released hands down the best album of the year after a long consolidation since many of us first heard of them as the support for the Strokes 2006 tour. Across the ditch, Ladyhawke released her debut album- a colourful, retro take on modern pop music, and bands like Auckland's The Coshercot Honey's (now curiously renamed as the Brain Slaves) hinted at their old-time rock and roll potential.

All the while, rumours of the long awaited new Avalanches album intensified with assurances of Modular bosses that the album was en route for a new-year arrival. If we are to believe the brilliant collective's crazily waning myspace bulletins, then this could well be the case. If so, then next year is set to open with a bang and, fingers crossed, to take up where this one left off.