Loved by some, missed by many – here’s a list of our favorite Mainland albums from 2014. Buoyed by a growing number of livehouses popping up across second and third-tier cities, the rise of online music services like Douban and Xiami, and a new generation that - gasp - is actually paying for music, this year has been an epic year for releases. Last year, we made note of some of 2013's Notable Albums, but this year we're taking the plunge and listing our Top 25. Feel free to send all love and/or complaints to arts@urbanatomy.com (preferably love), or better yet, comment below about what albums you think we missed. For the rest of the list, click here.

10. FM3: Ting Shuo

FM3: 听说 

(self-released) 

Buy the album at Taobao, Bandcamp or iTunes.
Follow FM3 on Douban, Facebook and their official website.

Lauded as pioneers of China’s electronic music scene, the Beijing-Hong Kong based duo of Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian have become more known for the Buddha Machine loop player they created that’s been praised by industrial icons Throbbing Gristle and David Byrne. Written and recorded while touring China last year, their first proper album in a decade is a more classical affair. Cello, Steinway grand piano and a vintage Roland keyboard complement the ambient sounds emitting from the latest incarnation of the Buddha Machine. Over six atmospheric tracks ranging from five to seven-and-a-half minutes, FM3 crafts a moody masterpiece, revealing new layers to a stately sound that The Village Voice has described as “confrontationally tranquil.”

9. V.N.P. Crew: Turn It Up

檸檬精: 吵冤巴 

(Groove Bunny Records) 

Buy the album at Taobao or Bandcamp.
Follow Groove Bunny Records on Douban and Twitter, Petechen on Douban and MC chillteriffic on Douban.

Asian hip hop tends to be too reverential to the old school, but this debut release from the Guangzhou super duo of MC chill terrific and producer Petechen is too irresistible to deny. Dubbing themselves Verbal Nihilism Practice, they specialize in Cantonese boom bap with tuff tracks like ‘OK Karaoke’ and ‘Dim Sum Planet’ showing off a rugged Run-DMC/EPMD charm. It was the first release of the year for Groove Bunny Records, a promising label based out of Jinhua City who’s brought an unforeseen professionalism to the game, while unearthing promising gems like 20-year-old Guangzhou singer Kosma.

8. Wang Wen: 8 Horses

惘闻: 八匹马 

(New Noise) 

Buy the album at Taobao or Bandcamp.
Follow Wang Wen on Douban and Facebook.

It’s been a celebratory 15th year anniversary for China’s original and premier post rock group. They recorded their eighth album in a converted studio built at Echo Library in their hometown of Dalian, allowing visitors to watch as they worked with notable producers like P.K. 14’s Yang Haisong and Toman’s Wouter Vlaeminckx. The result is 8 Horses, another sterling entry to the group’s discography showcasing the graceful grandeur that’s seen them share stages with genre titans Mono and Mogwai across the world. The accompanying national tour packed livehouses across the country. For more, check out our feature on Wang Wen.

7. Sa Dingding: Wonderland

萨顶顶: 幻境 

(Universal) 

Buy the album at Taobao or Amazon.
Follow Sa Dingding on Sina and Facebook.

No VPN? Listen on Xiami.

Nobody encapsulates the artistic possibilities of Mandopop like the world music star. Born in Inner Mongolia, Sa sings in Mandarin, Sanskrit, Tibetan and an emotive self-created language, akin to Sigur Ros’ famed Hopelandic. Prolific in the guzheng and horse-head fiddle, she’s praised as both a traditional folk singer and dance queen, gracing prestigious stages like London’s Royal Albert Hall. For this remix album, she teams up with Shanghai’s bass lord Conrank (who released the excellent Exhale Therapy this year) on nine of 11 tracks for a sonic fusion that retains Sa’s otherworldly ethereal beauty. For more, check out our interview with Conrank.

6. SUBS: yoU aRe yoU

杀不死: 你是你 

(self-released) 

Buy the album at Taobao or Bandcamp.
Follow SUBS on Douban and Facebook.

On their fifth record, the Beijing trio continue to give the finger to labels, financing the record and its accompanying American tour through Kickstarter. Frontwoman Kang Mao continues to prove that she is indeed the Queen of Fucking Everything, growling on tracks like ‘Much’ and ‘Half Orc,’ while the band stretches out musically for the cosmic blues of ‘Apple Seed’ and the bombastic album opener, ‘10,000 Arrows.’ No wonder, a gang of European indie acts got together to record a compilation of SUBS covers as tribute to the band.

For the rest of the list, click here.