Music is a very important aspect of my life. So much so that creating a "best of" list was actually harder than I thought. In 2013, there was actually a ton of incredible music that was released. As corny as it sounds, I do look at music as my personal soundtrack and my radio show Eavesdrop Radio is a way I can orchestrate a soundtrack for listeners. Music is able to set my mood and provide ambiance to my surroundings. I take selecting music very serious. So instead of limiting myself to a Top 10 List I decided to reflect on the projects that really moved me throughout the year. Of course I was drawn to production and writing but there were so many other things that caught my attention. Some of the releases had some stunning artwork and that is what initial pulled me to the release and then the music was a bonus. Some were presented in the non-traditional format or the packaging was unique. Then of course several on this list were released on vinyl, which I have a sensitive spot for. Others were released by independent artist or independent record labels, like my own (shameless plug, if I didn't like it I wouldn't release it, right?). Nevertheless, they all had incredible music that I connected with in some way. I’m sure I missed some but here is what I came up with.

* There are three bonus listings that are mix cds I was given this year that stayed in rotation.

Francy Boland - Playing With the Trio [Rearward]
Bonobo - The North Borders (Ninja Tune)
Bosq - Bosq Y Orchestra De Madera [Ubiquity]
Classixx - Hanging Gardens [Innovative Leisure]
Columbia Nights - Dawn | Dusk (The Remixes) [Record Breakin' Music]
Damu The Fundgemunk - How It Should Sound [Redefinition Records]
Dandy Teru - Adventures [Ubiquity]
DJ Day - Land of 1000 Chances [Piecelock70]
Digs Duke - Offering For Anxious [Brownswood]
Disclosure - Settle [Island]
The Electric Peanut Butter Company - Trans Atlantic Psych Classics [Ubiquity]
Elements of Life - Eclipse [Fania]
Jukka Eskola - Orquesta Bossa [Schema]
Extra Medium - Extra Medium (EP) [Record Breakin' Music]
Fatnice - It's Nice to Meet You [Welcome to Soulville]
The Foreign Exchange - Love in Flying Colors [The Foreign Exchange Music]
Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge - Twelve Reasons to Die [Soul Temple]
The Greg Foat Group - Girl & Robot With Flowers [Jazzman]
Hiatus Kaiyote - Tawk Tomahawk [Music on Vinyl]
Inc. - No World [4AD]
The Internet - Feel Good [Odd Future Records]
Jose James - No Beginning No End [Blue Note]
Valerie June - Pushing Against a Stone [Sunday Best]
K-Def - One Man Band [Redefinition Records]
Kev Brown - Songs Without Words [Redefinition Records]
Kon - On my Way [BBE]
Lady - Lady [Truth & Soul]
Eric Lau - One of Many [Kilawatt Music Limited]
Lord Echo - Curiosities [Bastard Jazz]
Marc Mac - Message from Soulville [Omniverse]
Ross McHenry - Distant Oceans [First World]
Medline - People Make the World Go Round [Melting Pot Music]
Eska Mtungwazi – Gatekeeper (EP) [Earthling]
Angeline Morrison - Are You Ready Cat? [Freestyle]
Eska Mtungwazi – Gatekeeper (EP) [Earthling]
Laura Mvula - Sing to the Moon [Sony]
My Neighbor Is - Hot Cakes, Cold Drinks, & Scrambled Eggs [Cold Busted]
Myron & E with the Soul Investigators - Broadway [Stones Throw]
Oddisee - The Beauty In All [Mello Music Group]
Ohmega Watts - Pieces of a Dream - [Mellow Orange]
Omar - The Man [Freestyle]
Quadron - Avalanche [Epic]
William Onyeabor - Who is William Onyeabor? [Luaka Bop]
Eddie Palmieri - Is Doin' It In The Park (EP) [Global Rhythm Group]
Gregory Porter - Liquid Spirit [Decca]
Quantic & Nidia Gongora - Muevelo Negro [Tru Thoughts]
Purple Snow - Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound [Numero]
Rhye - Woman [Polydor]
Alice Russell - To Dust [Tru Thoughts]
Sango - North [Soulection]
Soia - Mood Swings [Record Breakin' Music]
Soundsci - Soundational [Ubiquity]
Spinnerty - Gestures [Record Breakin' Music]
The Stuyvesants - Refined [Stuyvesants]
Dj Sun - One Hundred [Soular Productions]
Sweater Funk presents K-Maxx - (EP) [Sound Boutique Music]
Ta-ku - Songs to Break Up To [HW&W Recordings]
Tall Black Guy - 8 Miles to Moenart [First World]
Thundercat - Apocalypse [Brainfeeder]
Tiny Hearts - Stay (EP) [Dirty Tech]
Ty - Kick Snare and an Idea [Tru Thoughts / Record Breakin' Music]
Zo! - Manmade [The Foreign Exchange Music]

Mix Cds:

Aloha Got Soul - Hawaiian Salt [Aloha Got Soul / Fitted]
lil' dave & Personify - Gotcha Covered [Illvibe / Personify]
Skeme Richards - Behind the Red Door [Hot Peas and Butta]

#keepdiggin