Honorable mentions
The Bastard Noise: Rogue Astronaut (Gravity, 1/13/09)
Gutbucket: A Modest Proposal (Cuneiform, 1/20/09)
Ephel Duath: Through My Dog’s Eyes (Earache, 1/26/09)
Jamie Saft: Black Shabbis (Tzadik, 1/27/09)
Harmonic 313: When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence (Warp, 2/2/09)
Irepress: Sol Eye Sea I (Translation Loss, 2/17/09)
Powersolo: Bloodskinbones (Crunchy Frog, 3/3/09)
Soap & Skin: Lovetune for Vacuum (PIAS UK, 3/16/09)
Fever Ray: s/t (Mute, 3/24/09)
Bob Log III: My Shit is Perfect (Birdman, 3/31/09)
JG Thirlwell: The Venture Bros.: The Music of JG Thirlwell (Williams Street, 4/7/09)
Isis: Wavering Radiant (Ipecac, 5/5/09)
Nomo: Invisible Cities (Ubiquity, 5/5/09)
Upsilon Acrux: Radian Futura (Cuneiform, 5/19/09)
Busdriver: Jhelli Beam (Anti-, 6/9/09)
Tortoise: Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey, 6/9/09)
Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy: Spirit Moves (Greenleaf Music, 6/16/09)
Dysrhythmia: Psychic Maps (Relapse, 7/7/09)
Eyedea & Abilities: By the Throat (Rhymesayers, 7/21/09)
Squarepusher: Solo Electric Bass 1 (Warp, 8/17/09)
Cougar: Patriot (Ninja Tune, 9/1/09)
Rodrigo y Gabriela: 11:11 (ATO, 9/8/09)
Polvo: In Prism (Merge, 9/8/09)
End: The Dangerous Class (Hymen, 9/15/09)
Ahleuchatistas: Of the Body Prone (Tzadik, 9/29/09)
Air: Love 2 (Astralwerks, 10/16/09)
Shrinebuilder: s/t (Neurot, 10/20/09)
Ben Frost: By the Throat (Bedroom Community, 11/10/09)
Raise the Red Lantern: s/t (At A Loss, 11/3/09)