Colder, Again (side A)

In 2002, slick commercial rock acts like LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture updated post-punk aesthetics with a cleanliness reminiscent of Radiohead or Massive Attack to score sizable hits and lasting careers.  Their work, however, lacked the dark austerity that gave power to the canonical post-punk bands that they loosely aped.  In comparison, on 2003's Again, Colder combined the darkness of post-punk with an even more extreme austerity that referenced then-contemporary minimal techno.  While less friendly than his hitmaking peers, his songwriting and vocal performances are both fantastically executed, and the rhythm programs rivaling acts like M15 and Jetone, who focused solely on the programming.  Again also sounds beautiful and clean but never sterile, and a particularly great vinyl cut helps the quality really shine.  The simple but impressive package, designed by Colder's Marc Nguyen Tan, fits the music and his overall vision seamlessly.