From M.I.A's "Kala" to Radiohead's "In Rainbows" and every musical tidbit in between, XL Recordings has released a cavalcade of music in the last year or so. Obviously, they're real darn excited over at XL, because they've put out a compilation, "08/09", of tracks they've been tinkering with and some they are prepping for release later this year.

Highlights include the oft-overplayed (hello KEXP) Peter Gabriel/Hot Chip collab, who render Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" into a much more enjoyable form than it's original, and the surprising soulfulness of the Raconteurs "Many Shades of Black" with Adele at the vocal helm. Damon Albarn's new endeavour with Jamie Hewlett, Monkey, also has a track on this comp. "Heavenly Peach Banquet" is surprisingly delicate and enchanting, like an emotionally stable Coco Rosie or a more youthful, playful Air.

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2008 was an interesting musical, and personal, year for me. I listened to a lot of indie rock, electronica and went to a shit-ton of shows (one of which was the best I've ever seen, thanks Of Montreal).

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at Nectar

There was nothing shiny about El Guincho, nothing slick or urban European.

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El Guincho takes your rich technicolor dreams and turns them into reality on this album.

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It's pure pleasure in a cookie jar of sound.

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