I continue to review last year's music, and there's a lot of good stuff. This week you'll hear tracks from RJD2, Vampire Weekend, and Gorillaz. They're real but they look like cartoons; Snoop Dog performs with them (he's somewhat more real, but barely).

My surprise discovery for 2010 is Emancipator. You'll appreciate their smooth, ambient style, but with more sophisticated arrangements and melodies than most ambient artists.

The surprise new artist of 2010 was Jimi Hendrix, whose long forgotten "Valleys of Neptune" was finally released.

Andy Mac's "Intercranial, etc" has already premiered the latest discovery of new/old Jimi Hendrix tracks from Jimi's 1969 Electric Ladyland recording session that are (for logistical and legal reasons) just now being heard in the light of day. The album features some new versions of old songs and a few that have never been heard. Warning: these are rough demos of final versions that would never be made, so understand that the vocals are more than rough and the arrangements are sketchy. Nonetheless, you will not have heard these sounds before.

But new music has also been released in 2010 that is new in every sense of the word.

The second CD from Vampire Weekend (left) called "Contra" is more consistent--though with perhaps fewer highs--than their premiere 2008 self-titled CD. This release shows that they have much to say musically and lyrically. Hailing from NYC, they show a Paul Simon-like depth to their lyrics, a similar sparce (but stronger) vocal style, and a freshness to their performance and arrangements. "Horchata" is a gem.