25. M83 - Safe With Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, M83’s mixture of French electronica and My Bloody Valentine-esque feedback saw their sophomore album rightly regarded as one of the best instrumental albums of the last ten years, maybe ever. How on earth were they going to follow it up? Turn those electronics up to 11? Not exactly. Instead, they presented us with “Safe,” a fragile piano ballad complete with abstract lyrics and beguiling melodies, haunting the very depths of one's soul with its beauty. Essential listening for anyone with a heart.(James Ould)
24. Port-Royal- Zombione Over the course of three parts and over twenty minutes, “Zobione” becomes a textbook case in good pacing and development. Little more than an ambient drone at first, the initial part subtly foreshadows the second and patiently develops into a powerful wave. The driving beat of the final piece jolts the listener from the lulling effects of the beginning two, yet it does not come off as too jarring, but rather an appropriate transition back to earlier motifs. Port-Royal excel at creating mellow ambience, but balance atmosphere with melody and rhythm. Forza Italia! (Joseph Sannicandro)
23. Holy Fuck - Tone Bark Jungle Since its inception in 2004, Holy Fuck has been a band that has set out to reinvent the wheel. Originally formed to create electronic music without utilizing the cliched techniques of its peers, the Canadian collective quickly found its niche in the highly experimental world of improvisational electronic rock. "Tone Bark Jungle" bursts out of gates as the lead off track from the band's debut, and it certainly does not disappoint. Holy Fuck instantaneously finds its groove and spellbinds the audience with a tantalizing mix of hypnotic rhythms and lovely melodies. The next six minutes are spent in a deep trance that can only be described as euphoric.(Lee Whitefield)
22. Ellis the Vacuumchild - Peace by Extermination Swedish sextet Ellis the Vacuumchild would almost certainly win “the most bizarre band name of 2005,” should such an accolade exist. Fortunately, their creative streak also extends to their music, as album opener “Peace by Extermination” attests. Infectious guitar and organ riffs are set to an insistent beat, making for a curiously uplifting affair that is quite unlike the music of any other instrumental band out there. Unfortunately, Ellis the Vacuumchild have parted ways since Peace by Extermination, but this will undoubtedly stand as their strongest moment and shine brightly over the years. (Richard White) 21. God is an Astronaut - Suicide by Star There are two distinct halves to “Suicide by Star.” The first is a moody affair, sounding something like up-tempo ambient. Spacey electronics and pounding drums counterbalance each other, lending an air of indecision. Surely the first half must represent some sort of contemplation. The second half is precipitated by suddenly heavier guitars crunching clean-cut chords, and it would seem that our contemplation has come to an end; we have reached a decision. By the end, as the waves of double-base-driven oblivion wash over our battered souls, all we have left is a beautiful sense of nirvanic certainty. If God is indeed an astronaut, then surely this must be His swan song. (Tom Butcher)
20. Below the Sea - Polaroids Below the Sea has paid its dues for years, but the trio finally hit its stride on Blame in on the Past. In an album chock-full of stunning tracks, "Polaroids" somehow rises to the front of the pack. The unassuming track is not much to look at initially - just a few stray guitar notes and light drumming. And so it remains for the better part of two minutes, with only some ambience being added to the mix. But then the main melody hits and we witness what is likely to be the most cathartic and quietest expulsion of tension of the year. Just like that, Below the Sea invert some of post-rock's mightiest structures and leave the audience with jaws on the floor, all in a concise four minutes. Years later, this is a track I still have to listen to on a weekly basis. (Lee Whitefield)
19. Laura - Levodopa Freshman Laura provide a wonderful hit with Levodopa. The short track wastes no time getting to the action, reaching breathtaking heights in under three minutes while incorporating a wide mix of instrumentation to supplement the traditional post-rock build. The denouement unravels effortlessly, now accompanied by sugary guitar melodies that pierce through the ambient noise accumulating in the background. It is a rather impressive performance, to say the least, and would cement Laura as one of Australia biggest and brightest rising stars. (Jordan Volz)
18. The Evpatoria Report - Taijin Kyofusho Translated from Japanese, “Taijin Kyofusho” literally means “disorder of fear of interpersonal relationships” – which seems perfectly fitting for this dark, angst-ridden epic from Swiss post-rockers The Evpatoria Report. A sound clip featuring American astronauts is set to a haunting string arrangement, before insistent guitar riffs reach a crushing climax. The band's penchant for space is used wonderfully here, taking the typical earthly foundation of instrumental music and shooting it into the deep, cold recesses of the unknown. (Richard White)
17. Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-la-la Band - God Bless Our Dead Marines “They put angels in the electric chair,” Efrim Menuck croons to open the track, and declares to the world that he's ready to stop hiding behind his instruments and lead his band the way a proper front-man should. “God Bless Our Dead Marines” is one of the most complex compositions the band has attempted, and they succeed across all fronts through a gradual, near-oceanic shifting of melody throughout the mix, adding and subtracting elements from the track with the grace of a mature composer of ambient works. “God Bless Our Dead Marines” is the beauty that you can't help seeing in a disaster; and isn't finding beauty in failure what A Silver Mount Zion has been trying to get us to do all along? (Zach Mills)
16. This Will Destroy You - There Are Some Remedies Worse than the Disease You might not want to mess with Texas, because they might kill you if you look at them the wrong way, but one thing they can do is make some convincing post-rock. This Will Destroy You is from San Marcos, TX, a stone's throw away from Austin, home of the legendary Explosions in the Sky, so it's no surprise that much of the band's debut could be classified as influenced by the neighboring post-rock giant. And, as expected, the result is a brew of cathartic instrumental rock that is hard to top; "There are Some Remedies Worse than the Disease" perhaps takes the cake by working some endearing violin into the mix. Great instrumental rock plus violin is still pretty tough to beat. (Lee Whitefield)
15. Tracer AMC- Paper Machete Tracer AMC has been pretty quiet (dead?) the past few years, but I still find myself deeply infatuated with their work on Islands and Flux and Form. "Paper Machete," in particular, keeps me praying for a new album (sometime soon please!). What the track demonstrates is the band's ability and fearlessness in traveling between the extremes of the instrumental rock spectrum. There are death-defying highs, fragile and irresistible lows, and everything in between. The range within the track is almost unparalleled -- only a few other artists have stepped off the cliff into oblivion with as much success as Tracer AMC. (Jordan Volz)
14. Timeout Drawer - Bursting With Tears, I Commit to Destroying You Able to craft hypnotic background music and bombastic post-rock, here The Timeout Drawer do both. “Bursting with Tears, I Commit to Destroying You ” may begin aggressively, but transitions through several stages without ever looking back or relying on repetition. Despite this, the eight minute-long tune feels cohesive and satisfying, as the quartet has finally learned to balance its strong creative force with its songwriting. Everyone benefits from the Timeout Drawer's new face: the band enjoys the fact that they've created their best work to date, and fans will find no shortage of gems awaiting after "Bursting with Tears, I Commit to Destroying You." (Joseph Sannicandro)
13. Pelican - March to the Sea If post-metal is an easy genre to slag off, we have only the majority of post-metal artists to blame. Seemingly content to chug slow, “brutal” riffs with amps cranked to 11 and guitars in drop D, one begins to wonder if most of these bands have any idea what either half of their genre title means. But for all the dull haze of the post-metal world, a few burning stars do manage to shine through. “March to the Sea,” the finest track off of Pelican’s finest album, does more to advance the genre alone than everything put out in all of 2006 and 2007 put together. Adjectives which come immediately to mind (epic, relentless, awe-inspiring) do not even begin to describe this song. (Tom Butcher)
12. Saxon Shore - This Shameless Moment Right around 2:30, “This Shameless Moment” reaches its peak. This is quite impressive, as many post-rock bands have barely introduced the melody by that point. The highlight of an already stunning album, it is a testament to the band's genius at creating such instantly memorable and epic songs that are trim at the same time. Saxon Shore fuse guitar, bass, drums, and keys with the occasional electronics seamlessly, and get everything right. Without wasting time on needlessly long introductions, or repetitive sections, they instead demonstrate that smart, efficient songwriting and post-rock are not mutually exclusive. (Joseph Sannicandro)
11. Mogwai - New Paths to Helicon Pt. 1 Originally recorded as part of a 7” in 1997 – which reached number 2 in John Peel’s Festive Fifty – Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 features a vastly revamped version of Mogwai’s crowd-pleasing masterpiece. An exquisite melody is set to the backdrop of tremeloing guitars, before the band launches into their trademark deafening wall of sound. This fades out, leaving some delicate guitar lines to finish off the track in style...and the path to Helicon sounds quite enjoyable indeed. (Richard White)
10. Oceansize - Music for a Nurse The highlight from the underrated Everyone Into Position, “Music For A Nurse” exhibits Oceansize’s greatest asset: their appreciation of melody. A metal band at heart, capable of thunderous riffs and oppressive heaviness, Oceansize have always held an elegiac ace up their sleeve. The tonal quality of that first echoing guitar ring is near perfect, filtering in and out of the silence that surrounds it and enveloping the listener in bliss. Each new layer, from rising feedback to arpeggiating synth, adds an aching depth that swallows us whole. Do not try and fight it, simply soak in the eight joyful minutes. (James Ould)
9. 65daysofstatic - Radio Protector After three genre-defining and groundbreaking albums, picking a highlight out of the 65daysofstatic oeuvre should be near impossible, but the brilliance of “Radio Protector” stands out like a beacon from their back catalogue. The closing track to One Time For All Time builds on the piano-led rhythms of The Fall of Math’s “Aren’t We All Running,” and takes the word ‘epic’ to a whole new echelon. Delicate piano chiming builds into a gallop, then melts into that breakdown, before a soaring, frantic finale comes crashes down. This is 65daysofstatic at their most urgent, their most destructive, and their most vital. (James Ould)
8 . Explosions in the Sky - Day Six As one of the most eagerly anticipated EPs in Temporary Residence’s Travels in Constants series, Explosions in the Sky’s The Rescue fortunately lived up to expectations. The interesting premise behind this EP is that each of the eight tracks was written and recorded in a single day; “Day 6” is actually two separate songs spliced together, giving it an unorthodox style that inverts the band's typical compositions. Distortion from the first part gives way to some intricate interplay between three guitars, making for possibly the most intriguingly beautiful song that EITS have ever written. (Richard White)
7. Pivot - Artificial Horizon Someone in Pivot is doing his homework. In an album filled with great post-rock/electronic crossover tracks, "Artificial Horizon" stands out as the most memorable. The inclusion of a sample from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazad (19th century type of old school!) certainly does not hurt the band's case, but this really only serves to highlight the brilliant fusion that is otherwise present. Screeching violin soars over complacent keyboard tones, smooth drum patterns, glitched electronics, and effectual guitars to paint the picturesque portrait that is Make Me Love You. It's hard not to fall in love with Pivot's style, as evidenced here. Smart and sexy, it's simply irresistible. (Jordan Volz)
6. Sigur Rós - Hoppipola While Takk… is full of wonderful songs (the stirring climax of “Glosoli,” the memorable lead riff of “Saeglopur,” the melancholy beauty of “Heysatan,” to name but a few ) “Hoppipolla” most fully encompasses the record. With its lyrics extolling the childish wonder of jumping in a puddle, large arrangements, and brilliantly simple melodies, “Hoppipolla” is Sigur Ros’ most perfect realization of grandiose pop. Four albums into its career, Sigur Rós' sound hasn't grown tired, and they have continued to make excellent music like "Hoppipolla" that will live on for generations. (Joseph Sannicandro)
5. The Samuel Jackson Five - Michael Collins Autograph No top tracks of 2005 list would be complete without an offering from the year's top release, Easily Misunderstood. On a release with such a variety of consistently excellent material, choosing the “best” one is no easy task, but we've (finally!) chosen “Michael Collins Autograph” as the stand-out from the release for a few reasons. First, it demonstrates The Samuel Jackson Five's skill at creating music that can function at any level of energy and still be effective. The track moves from an easy, almost languid pace to a frightfully energetic one casually, and both levels are executed with a similar level of precision. It also demonstrates most effectively the band's mastery of melody – in particular, how to keep melody fresh. Bringing together everything we love about The Samuel Jackson Five into one tight little package, "Michael Collins Autograph" is one of the best tracks of the year. (Zach Mills)
4. This is Your Captain Speaking - Gathering Pieces This is Your Captain Speaking embody the adage "slow and steady wins the race." Our introduction to the band isn't a one or two minute throw away, but rather an eighteen minute track and the centerpiece of their spectacular Storyboard. Gathering Pieces is a minimal affair, akin to Labradford covering Dirty Three, with little more than guitar textures keeping us entertained for a third of an hour. And how! Few tracks contain the hypnotizing power of Gathering Pieces. Try as I may, every time I put on this track I'll be sucked into the Australian trio's shimmering world of flawless instrumentals and emerge hours later with a deep appreciation for This is Your Captain Speaking's debut. This is subtlety at its best; Gathering Pieces is post-rock at its finest. (Jordan Volz)
3. upcdowncleftcrightcabc+start - Silent Fire upcdowncleftcrightcabc+start's ...and the Battle is Won is a triumph of post-rock craftsmanship and execution, and nowhere is this more evident than in the glorious “Silent Fire.” This track could be taken as the crowning achievement of the neo post-rock aesthetic, bringing together graceful, space-rock tinged guitar work with all of the brutal, cathartic riffage expected from a track that breaks the twenty minute mark. Yet unlike those lazy leviathans of musical excess, “Silent Fire” has all the energy of a furious blaze, consuming all of its fuel before its heat has a chance to dissipate in the least. If someone were to ask me why instrumental music, and post-rock in particular, is important, the first thing I would do would be to expose them to this track – it is an absolutely essential piece. (Zach Mills)
2. Caspian - Quovis/Further Up/Further In Comprised of the first three tracks of Caspian’s first EP, “The Trilogy” will certainly go down in history as one of the best introductions to its craft a band has ever given. Despite featuring three full-fledged songs, the Trilogy is as powerful as is it brief; its runtime is a scant eight minutes and thirty-four seconds. Therefore, not having time for foreplay, Quovis decides instead to go straight for the knock-out punch. By the time we regain consciousness “Further Up” has already begun, giving us a (slight) chance to catch our breath. When the onslaught on “Further In” approaches, we know we shall never truly recover. But would we ever want to? “The Trilogy” is post-rock as it should be – relentless innovation, powerful music, and zero bullshit. (Tom Butcher)
1. From Monument to Masses - Deafening From Monument to Masses have the extremely rare and utterly devastating combination of unrestrained originality and technical prowess. Nothing shows this better than Deafening; spearheading a compilation of remixes from a group of respected artists, the track is a gentle reminder of how glorious FMTM sounds all by their lonesome. The trio unearths all the ghosts of post-rock past in just under four minutes, recalling virtually every trick of the trade en route to banging out the year's best track. But no amount of pretty meandering can contain the equally smooth and rockin' finale that awaits. Drummers rarely come with as much style as Francis Chung, Matthew Solberg and Sergio Robledo-Maderazo bring the groove like no one's business, and the combined efforts are almost too good to be true. (Jordan Volz)
With Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, M83’s mixture of French electronica and My Bloody Valentine-esque feedback saw their sophomore album rightly regarded as one of the best instrumental albums of the last ten years, maybe ever. How on earth were they going to follow it up? Turn those electronics up to 11? Not exactly. Instead, they presented us with “Safe,” a fragile piano ballad complete with abstract lyrics and beguiling melodies, haunting the very depths of one's soul with its beauty. Essential listening for anyone with a heart.(James Ould)
Over the course of three parts and over twenty minutes, “Zobione” becomes a textbook case in good pacing and development. Little more than an ambient drone at first, the initial part subtly foreshadows the second and patiently develops into a powerful wave. The driving beat of the final piece jolts the listener from the lulling effects of the beginning two, yet it does not come off as too jarring, but rather an appropriate transition back to earlier motifs. Port-Royal excel at creating mellow ambience, but balance atmosphere with melody and rhythm. Forza Italia! (Joseph Sannicandro) 
Since its inception in 2004, Holy Fuck has been a band that has set out to reinvent the wheel. Originally formed to create electronic music without utilizing the cliched techniques of its peers, the Canadian collective quickly found its niche in the highly experimental world of improvisational electronic rock. "Tone Bark Jungle" bursts out of gates as the lead off track from the band's debut, and it certainly does not disappoint. Holy Fuck instantaneously finds its groove and spellbinds the audience with a tantalizing mix of hypnotic rhythms and lovely melodies. The next six minutes are spent in a deep trance that can only be described as euphoric.(Lee Whitefield) 
Swedish sextet Ellis the Vacuumchild would almost certainly win “the most bizarre band name of 2005,” should such an accolade exist. Fortunately, their creative streak also extends to their music, as album opener “Peace by Extermination” attests. Infectious guitar and organ riffs are set to an insistent beat, making for a curiously uplifting affair that is quite unlike the music of any other instrumental band out there. Unfortunately, Ellis the Vacuumchild have parted ways since Peace by Extermination, but this will undoubtedly stand as their strongest moment and shine brightly over the years. (Richard White) 
There are two distinct halves to “Suicide by Star.” The first is a moody affair, sounding something like up-tempo ambient. Spacey electronics and pounding drums counterbalance each other, lending an air of indecision. Surely the first half must represent some sort of contemplation. The second half is precipitated by suddenly heavier guitars crunching clean-cut chords, and it would seem that our contemplation has come to an end; we have reached a decision. By the end, as the waves of double-base-driven oblivion wash over our battered souls, all we have left is a beautiful sense of nirvanic certainty. If God is indeed an astronaut, then surely this must be His swan song. (Tom Butcher) 
Below the Sea has paid its dues for years, but the trio finally hit its stride on Blame in on the Past. In an album chock-full of stunning tracks, "Polaroids" somehow rises to the front of the pack. The unassuming track is not much to look at initially - just a few stray guitar notes and light drumming. And so it remains for the better part of two minutes, with only some ambience being added to the mix. But then the main melody hits and we witness what is likely to be the most cathartic and quietest expulsion of tension of the year. Just like that, Below the Sea invert some of post-rock's mightiest structures and leave the audience with jaws on the floor, all in a concise four minutes. Years later, this is a track I still have to listen to on a weekly basis. (Lee Whitefield)
Freshman Laura provide a wonderful hit with Levodopa. The short track wastes no time getting to the action, reaching breathtaking heights in under three minutes while incorporating a wide mix of instrumentation to supplement the traditional post-rock build. The denouement unravels effortlessly, now accompanied by sugary guitar melodies that pierce through the ambient noise accumulating in the background. It is a rather impressive performance, to say the least, and would cement Laura as one of Australia biggest and brightest rising stars. (Jordan Volz)
Translated from Japanese, “Taijin Kyofusho” literally means “disorder of fear of interpersonal relationships” – which seems perfectly fitting for this dark, angst-ridden epic from Swiss post-rockers The Evpatoria Report. A sound clip featuring American astronauts is set to a haunting string arrangement, before insistent guitar riffs reach a crushing climax. The band's penchant for space is used wonderfully here, taking the typical earthly foundation of instrumental music and shooting it into the deep, cold recesses of the unknown. (Richard White)
“They put angels in the electric chair,” Efrim Menuck croons to open the track, and declares to the world that he's ready to stop hiding behind his instruments and lead his band the way a proper front-man should. “God Bless Our Dead Marines” is one of the most complex compositions the band has attempted, and they succeed across all fronts through a gradual, near-oceanic shifting of melody throughout the mix, adding and subtracting elements from the track with the grace of a mature composer of ambient works. “God Bless Our Dead Marines” is the beauty that you can't help seeing in a disaster; and isn't finding beauty in failure what A Silver Mount Zion has been trying to get us to do all along? (Zach Mills)
You might not want to mess with Texas, because they might kill you if you look at them the wrong way, but one thing they can do is make some convincing post-rock. This Will Destroy You is from San Marcos, TX, a stone's throw away from Austin, home of the legendary Explosions in the Sky, so it's no surprise that much of the band's debut could be classified as influenced by the neighboring post-rock giant. And, as expected, the result is a brew of cathartic instrumental rock that is hard to top; "There are Some Remedies Worse than the Disease" perhaps takes the cake by working some endearing violin into the mix. Great instrumental rock plus violin is still pretty tough to beat. (Lee Whitefield)
Tracer AMC has been pretty quiet (dead?) the past few years, but I still find myself deeply infatuated with their work on Islands and Flux and Form. "Paper Machete," in particular, keeps me praying for a new album (sometime soon please!). What the track demonstrates is the band's ability and fearlessness in traveling between the extremes of the instrumental rock spectrum. There are death-defying highs, fragile and irresistible lows, and everything in between. The range within the track is almost unparalleled -- only a few other artists have stepped off the cliff into oblivion with as much success as Tracer AMC. (Jordan Volz) 
Able to craft hypnotic background music and bombastic post-rock, here The Timeout Drawer do both. “Bursting with Tears, I Commit to Destroying You ” may begin aggressively, but transitions through several stages without ever looking back or relying on repetition. Despite this, the eight minute-long tune feels cohesive and satisfying, as the quartet has finally learned to balance its strong creative force with its songwriting. Everyone benefits from the Timeout Drawer's new face: the band enjoys the fact that they've created their best work to date, and fans will find no shortage of gems awaiting after "Bursting with Tears, I Commit to Destroying You." (Joseph Sannicandro)
If post-metal is an easy genre to slag off, we have only the majority of post-metal artists to blame. Seemingly content to chug slow, “brutal” riffs with amps cranked to 11 and guitars in drop D, one begins to wonder if most of these bands have any idea what either half of their genre title means. But for all the dull haze of the post-metal world, a few burning stars do manage to shine through. “March to the Sea,” the finest track off of Pelican’s finest album, does more to advance the genre alone than everything put out in all of 2006 and 2007 put together. Adjectives which come immediately to mind (epic, relentless, awe-inspiring) do not even begin to describe this song. (Tom Butcher) 
Right around 2:30, “This Shameless Moment” reaches its peak. This is quite impressive, as many post-rock bands have barely introduced the melody by that point. The highlight of an already stunning album, it is a testament to the band's genius at creating such instantly memorable and epic songs that are trim at the same time. Saxon Shore fuse guitar, bass, drums, and keys with the occasional electronics seamlessly, and get everything right. Without wasting time on needlessly long introductions, or repetitive sections, they instead demonstrate that smart, efficient songwriting and post-rock are not mutually exclusive. (Joseph Sannicandro) 
Originally recorded as part of a 7” in 1997 – which reached number 2 in John Peel’s Festive Fifty – Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 features a vastly revamped version of Mogwai’s crowd-pleasing masterpiece. An exquisite melody is set to the backdrop of tremeloing guitars, before the band launches into their trademark deafening wall of sound. This fades out, leaving some delicate guitar lines to finish off the track in style...and the path to Helicon sounds quite enjoyable indeed. (Richard White) 
The highlight from the underrated Everyone Into Position, “Music For A Nurse” exhibits Oceansize’s greatest asset: their appreciation of melody. A metal band at heart, capable of thunderous riffs and oppressive heaviness, Oceansize have always held an elegiac ace up their sleeve. The tonal quality of that first echoing guitar ring is near perfect, filtering in and out of the silence that surrounds it and enveloping the listener in bliss. Each new layer, from rising feedback to arpeggiating synth, adds an aching depth that swallows us whole. Do not try and fight it, simply soak in the eight joyful minutes. (James Ould)
After three genre-defining and groundbreaking albums, picking a highlight out of the 65daysofstatic oeuvre should be near impossible, but the brilliance of “Radio Protector” stands out like a beacon from their back catalogue. The closing track to One Time For All Time builds on the piano-led rhythms of The Fall of Math’s “Aren’t We All Running,” and takes the word ‘epic’ to a whole new echelon. Delicate piano chiming builds into a gallop, then melts into that breakdown, before a soaring, frantic finale comes crashes down. This is 65daysofstatic at their most urgent, their most destructive, and their most vital. (James Ould)
As one of the most eagerly anticipated EPs in Temporary Residence’s Travels in Constants series, Explosions in the Sky’s The Rescue fortunately lived up to expectations. The interesting premise behind this EP is that each of the eight tracks was written and recorded in a single day; “Day 6” is actually two separate songs spliced together, giving it an unorthodox style that inverts the band's typical compositions. Distortion from the first part gives way to some intricate interplay between three guitars, making for possibly the most intriguingly beautiful song that EITS have ever written. (Richard White) 
Someone in Pivot is doing his homework. In an album filled with great post-rock/electronic crossover tracks, "Artificial Horizon" stands out as the most memorable. The inclusion of a sample from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazad (19th century type of old school!) certainly does not hurt the band's case, but this really only serves to highlight the brilliant fusion that is otherwise present. Screeching violin soars over complacent keyboard tones, smooth drum patterns, glitched electronics, and effectual guitars to paint the picturesque portrait that is Make Me Love You. It's hard not to fall in love with Pivot's style, as evidenced here. Smart and sexy, it's simply irresistible. (Jordan Volz)
While Takk… is full of wonderful songs (the stirring climax of “Glosoli,” the memorable lead riff of “Saeglopur,” the melancholy beauty of “Heysatan,” to name but a few ) “Hoppipolla” most fully encompasses the record. With its lyrics extolling the childish wonder of jumping in a puddle, large arrangements, and brilliantly simple melodies, “Hoppipolla” is Sigur Ros’ most perfect realization of grandiose pop. Four albums into its career, Sigur Rós' sound hasn't grown tired, and they have continued to make excellent music like "Hoppipolla" that will live on for generations. (Joseph Sannicandro)
No top tracks of 2005 list would be complete without an offering from the year's top release, Easily Misunderstood. On a release with such a variety of consistently excellent material, choosing the “best” one is no easy task, but we've (finally!) chosen “Michael Collins Autograph” as the stand-out from the release for a few reasons. First, it demonstrates The Samuel Jackson Five's skill at creating music that can function at any level of energy and still be effective. The track moves from an easy, almost languid pace to a frightfully energetic one casually, and both levels are executed with a similar level of precision. It also demonstrates most effectively the band's mastery of melody – in particular, how to keep melody fresh. Bringing together everything we love about The Samuel Jackson Five into one tight little package, "Michael Collins Autograph" is one of the best tracks of the year. (Zach Mills) 
This is Your Captain Speaking embody the adage "slow and steady wins the race." Our introduction to the band isn't a one or two minute throw away, but rather an eighteen minute track and the centerpiece of their spectacular Storyboard. Gathering Pieces is a minimal affair, akin to Labradford covering Dirty Three, with little more than guitar textures keeping us entertained for a third of an hour. And how! Few tracks contain the hypnotizing power of Gathering Pieces. Try as I may, every time I put on this track I'll be sucked into the Australian trio's shimmering world of flawless instrumentals and emerge hours later with a deep appreciation for This is Your Captain Speaking's debut. This is subtlety at its best; Gathering Pieces is post-rock at its finest. (Jordan Volz) 
upcdowncleftcrightcabc+start's ...and the Battle is Won is a triumph of post-rock craftsmanship and execution, and nowhere is this more evident than in the glorious “Silent Fire.” This track could be taken as the crowning achievement of the neo post-rock aesthetic, bringing together graceful, space-rock tinged guitar work with all of the brutal, cathartic riffage expected from a track that breaks the twenty minute mark. Yet unlike those lazy leviathans of musical excess, “Silent Fire” has all the energy of a furious blaze, consuming all of its fuel before its heat has a chance to dissipate in the least. If someone were to ask me why instrumental music, and post-rock in particular, is important, the first thing I would do would be to expose them to this track – it is an absolutely essential piece. (Zach Mills) 
Comprised of the first three tracks of Caspian’s first EP, “The Trilogy” will certainly go down in history as one of the best introductions to its craft a band has ever given. Despite featuring three full-fledged songs, the Trilogy is as powerful as is it brief; its runtime is a scant eight minutes and thirty-four seconds. Therefore, not having time for foreplay, Quovis decides instead to go straight for the knock-out punch. By the time we regain consciousness “Further Up” has already begun, giving us a (slight) chance to catch our breath. When the onslaught on “Further In” approaches, we know we shall never truly recover. But would we ever want to? “The Trilogy” is post-rock as it should be – relentless innovation, powerful music, and zero bullshit. (Tom Butcher) 
From Monument to Masses have the extremely rare and utterly devastating combination of unrestrained originality and technical prowess. Nothing shows this better than Deafening; spearheading a compilation of remixes from a group of respected artists, the track is a gentle reminder of how glorious FMTM sounds all by their lonesome. The trio unearths all the ghosts of post-rock past in just under four minutes, recalling virtually every trick of the trade en route to banging out the year's best track. But no amount of pretty meandering can contain the equally smooth and rockin' finale that awaits. Drummers rarely come with as much style as Francis Chung, Matthew Solberg and Sergio Robledo-Maderazo bring the groove like no one's business, and the combined efforts are almost too good to be true. (Jordan Volz)