Sweet Valley - Jenova
Like some kind of electronic babel fish, Sweet Valley has quickly burrowed through my ear and deep into my psyche. Simply put, these are some of the most intriguing instrumental sounds I have had the pleasure of hearing over the past year.
Perhaps it is the litany of samples (upwards of 140 according to Sweet Valley themselves) that barely prick your eardrum before disappearing in a maelstrom of other sounds. Maybe it's the Final-Fantasy-VII-esque undertones that get my mind racing with alternate Cloud-based realities.
No matter what the reason Sweet Valley music pulls me in like Scorpion, Jenova is far and away worth a listen. Easily a top five album from 2012.