Folk Rock adds a feel-good flavour to the album charts and bass heavy Dubstep and Punk Funk dominate the Singles selection. Read on for my totally subjective 20 Best Albums and Singles.

Folk and Country influenced Rock reign in my shortlist of the Top 20 Albums of 2008 like it’s 1971 all over again. I guess that as a Gram Parsons and Gene Clark fan I’m kind of susceptible to that sound. The question is, does the new stuff add anything new or is it all retro fluffyness? I feel that the new troubadours add their own twist.

Just listen to the towering harmonies of the Fleet Foxes. Giant Sand could not have made an album like ‘Provision’ in the Seventies - It’s like a Wim Wenders take on what ideal Country Rock should sound like.

Other Folkies and Country pickers on the list include James Jackson Toth, Bonnie Prince Billy, Emiliana Torrini, The Old Believers and - surprisingly - Arthur Russell, otherwise better known for his leftfield Disco tracks.

The Top 20 Singles are split between Dubstep and New Wave inspired Punk Funk. The selection is somewhat more leftfield than the album coverage on tuneraker.com, but then I find that the tracks that really push boundaries usually happen on singles rather than albums.

It’s an exciting, fast-moving scene. There are a good few singles in the Top 20 that only came out in the last couple of weeks, already setting the tone for what’s going to happen in 2009.

The bass heavy Dubstep genre just gets better and better, slowly morphing with Techno and Deep House styles in recent months. No longer just a UK thing, cracking Dubstep sides now come from The Netherlands (Martyn, 2562), Germany (T++) and the US (South3rn).

Dubstep hybrids are definitely the sound for 2009. Just check out veteran Dubstep artist Kode 9’s latest 12″ on Hyperdub. The B-side ‘2Bad’ is a floorshaking House bastard that defies to be categorised.

I found it difficult to bring the selection down to just 20. Labels like long running Dubstep pioneers Hyperdub and the brand new, Bristol-based Apple Pips Recordings issued consistenly good records throughout the year. You could go out and buy their singles blind, practically. Skull Disco is another label that just went from high to high this year.

All albums bar the icy cool ‘Dolores’ by Bohren & Der Club Of Gore - is it Jazz or is it Ambient? - have been previously reviewed on tuneraker.com, just click on the album title to read read the review and to get links to sound samples, downloads and CD/vinyl mailorder!

The singles below are all on vinyl and available through good record stores. I’ve added the respective record label behind each single to make it easier for you to track them down. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail to editor@tuneraker.com if you would like help locating a particular track from the singles list.

Top 20 Albums 2008
1. Fleet Foxes - dito
2. Micah P. Hinson & The Red Empire Orchestra - dito
3. Arthur Russell - ‘Love Is Overtaking Me’
4. Jape - ‘Ritual’
5. Lykke Li - ‘Youth Novels’
6. Emiliana Torrini - ‘Me And Armini’
7. Giant Sand - ‘Provisions’
8. Kieran Hebden/Steve Reid - ‘NYC’
9. Vampire Weekend - dito
10. Actress - ‘Hazyville’
11. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - ‘Dig! Lazarus Dig!’
12. James Jackson Toth - ‘Waiting In Vain’
13. Boris - ‘Smile’
14. Bonnie Prince Billy - ‘Lie Down In The Light’
15. Sigur Ros - ‘Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust’
16. Bohren & Der Club Of Gore - ‘Dolores’
17. Benga - ‘Diary Of An Afro Warrior’
18. Dan Le Sac & Scroobius Pip - ‘Angles’
19. Gang Gang Dance - ‘Saint Dymphna’
20. The Old Believers - ‘Eight Golden Greats’

Top 20 Singles 2008
1. Appleblim & Peverelist - ‘Over Here’ (Skull Disco 12″)
2. Shackleton - ‘Death Is Not Final’ (T++ Remix, Skull Disco 12″)
3. Peverelist - ‘Infinity Is Now’ (Tectonic 12″)
4. Yila feat. Scroobius Pip - ‘Astronaut’ (Sunday Best 7″)
5. Free Blood - ‘Royal Family’ (DFA 12″)
6. Martyn - ‘All I Have Is Memories’ (Apple Pips 12″)
7. Thom Yorke - ‘And It Rained All Night’ (Burial Remix, XL 12″)
8. Yo Majesty - ‘Kryptonite Pussy E.P.’ (Domino US 12″)
9. Claro Intelecto - ‘Untitled’ (Modern Love 046 12″)
10. King Midas Sound - ‘One Ting’ (Dabrye Remix, Hyperdub 12″)
11. Peverelist - ‘Clunk Click Every Trip’ (Punchdrunk 12″)
12. South3rn - ‘Muslim Dub’ (Lo Dubs 12″)
13. Yacht - ‘Summer Song’ (DFA 12″)
14. Ladytron - ‘Ghosts’ (Toxic Avenger Remix, Nettwerk 7″)
15. LV feat Dandelion - ‘CCTV’ (Hyperdub 12″)
16. These New Puritans - ‘Navigate Navigate’ (Loving Hands Remix, Angular 12″)
17. Martyn - ‘Natural Selection’ (Flying Lotus Remix, 3024 12″)
18. Shackleton - ‘El Din (Part One)’ (Mordant Music 10″)
19. T++ - ‘Audio 1995′ (Apple Pips 12″)
20. Tobor Experiment Disco Experience - ‘Disco Moog E.P.’ (Bear Funk 12″)