The Decade in vinyl.

It's been a decade to remember! In music we saw stars rise and fall, genres invented and reinvented and the rise of women i.e Solange, Sza, Phoebe Bridgers ) the list could go on, across all the land with Beyonce being crowd the queen. The decade saw old gods like Nick Cave and X come back to life bringing with them new Music and reaffirmations of their greatness.

Port of sound prides it's self on bringing all music to the shop making it accessible and hopefully broadening the horizons for many.

Below you'll find our Lovable staffs carefully chosen picks of the decade some with memories attached others with just a short blurb to coax you into them, regardless, we hope you find something new here and as always come by the shop and let us know what you think! 

Thomas Damgaard (executive vice president)

2010: Gorillaz Plastic Beach

With the third Gorillaz album, Damon Albarn delivered on the seemingly impossible task of not just living up to, but exceeding the seminal Demon Days.The production is impeccable across sixteen tracks that range from bouncy and absurd to melancholic and restrained. Moreover, Beach hosts an incredible suite of features including Lou Reed, Little Dragon and Mos Def.

2011: War On Drugs Slave Ambient

Like moving from a 4:3 to 16:9 aspect ratio, this album took War On Drugs' americana revival sound and blew it up to panoramic post-rock proportions. It firmly (or, perhaps, dreamily?) established the unique sound they have continued to perfect since.

2012: Death Grips The Money Store

After their well received Ex-Military EP, the experimental rap outfit continued to hone their ultra-abrasive sound. The result is an album that melds oppressive, industrial beats and the brutal barks of MC Ride into infectious hip-hop with a hardcore spirit.

2013: Deafheaven Sunbather

With their sophmore album, the then relatively unknown SF band crafted a seamless masterpiece that defined the burgeoning "blackgaze" subgenre. It remains a high water mark that few have managed to reach since.

2014: Run The Jewels RTJ2

On their follow-up album as the eponymous duo, Killer Mike and El-P captured lightning on wax a second time. Bombastic, distortion-drenched production lays the foundation for relentlessly witty and inspired verses from two master MCs.

2015: Hiatus Kaiyote Choose Your Weapon

Joyous, delicate, funky and tender (often all at once), Weapon sees the inventive aussie artists challenging and inspiring one another to produce music of exceptional depth, both in terms of technical skill and emotional nuance.

2016: David Bowie Blackstar

The alien's final album somehow managed to encapsulate all that he had been across a 50 year long career. A fitting goodbye.

2017: Ulver The Assassination of Julius Caesar

Ever the shapeshifters, 2017 saw the long running norwegian project return with a style no one expected. Dubbed their "pop album", Caesar blends dark synth pop with the haunting neoclassical ambiance that is the backbone of Ulver's musical identity. 

2018 Loma Loma

Intimate and layered in gossamer thin details, Loma's debut album strikes an intoxicating balance between raw emotion and spectral atmosphere.

2019: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Ghosteen

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' latest album is a staggeringly beautiful traversal of love and grief. The storied goth rockers explore new musical landscapes as they examine the pieces of ourselves we house in others and, in turn, the ways others live in us.

Chris Estrada (2nd chief in command + buyer)

(Top ten since he started working at the shop)

2016: Jamila Woods Heavn

2016: Aesop Rock Impossible Kid

2016: Culture Abuse Peach 

2016: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Skeleton Tree 

2017: Phoebe Bridgers Stranger in The Alps 

2017: Josaleigh Pollett Strangers

2018: Fiddlehead Springtime and Blind

2019: Purple Mountains Purple Mountains

2019: Conmen Get Loose

2019: Duster Stratosphere *reissue* 

Mayra Heredia (social media/promotions manager, Answers all the mean emails)

2011: The Strange Boys Live Music  

In 2010 I hung out in the maze of a studio that was the distillery, where "Live music" was recorded. By that time, I'd been friends with Greg Enlow for a while but the time spent there while this album was recorded cemented our friendship. Attached to each song are cherished memories. This record played endlessly for days, at the shop I worked at and in my room on lazy Sundays with the curtains drawn. It wasn’t just the music that I loved (punk pajamas is a hardcore fav) but the connection to my friend, it provided me with a way to feel close even with him far away. Greg Enlow passed away in 2019, and the record once more become a life line to a long lost friend and a reminder of our time together... It's provided me with a small way to keep hold of him while I mourned his loss.... listen to this on a sunny day, there should be dogs lots of dogs cuz Greg loved dogs.

2011: Timber Timbre Creep On Creepin' On

In 2013 or 14 the date eludes me. I was riding shotgun down the 5 freeway back from San Fransisco. My introduction to this album is soo vivid still, proof of how magical it is. My friend threw it on, while my hand hung lazily out the side window catching the wind as we zipped past the scenery. I just remember thinking this album was so beautiful. Tears (ima sap) welled into my eyes on the title track, it was Dark and hauntingly lovely.. It was the perfect soundtrack as we raced the sun into the night and the landscape changed from light to dark. This album is like fog rolling into the hillside, painting a picture of mysteriousness without being over the top. Ugh It is soo good. Listen to this album if ya wanna visit ghost.

2012: Dirt Dress DLVNVN

Dirt Dress was one of the first musical groups I watched from their birth as a band through evolution, and into their Death. They were friends, and family at one point or the other. When DLVNVN came out, I put it on my turn table and it gave me chills. That first track lifting the hairs on my neck, arms full of goosebumps. The album was abstract yet familiar, like an acid trip gone well. I’d heard those songs a billion times over sober/not sober, in small clubs in backyards.. but on vinyl it sounded new and alien, the bright orange wax playing tricks in the light.. It was like I’d been listening to their music for years while underwater, this was a light bulb moment for me. From then on I strived to collect everything I loved on vinyl. At the bands final show I was overcome with joy and sadness watching a chapter of my life close. Thank you Jose, Noah and Raymond for providing a gem that I am still in awe with to this very day. Listen to this album and take a trip... 

2013: Ice Age You're Nothing 

This list wouldn't be complete for me with out at least one punk band, Ice Age was really the tail end of my obsession with the genre that had gotten me through my angsty teens and into my 20's. The album really marked the end of an era for me. You're nothing, in particular made the stereo quake with its raw emotional and at times angry energy, something I was still grappling with in my journey into maturity. In the title track "ecstasy" the lyrics {Now my senses are leading me} rang true to me as I navigated the changes in me as a person and in my taste in music. It's a dear reminder of where I came from and an anchor to my youth. Listen to this album when you want to punch thru a wall but would prefer to scream into a pillow.

 2014: Jenny Lewis The Voyager

The Voyager in a lot of ways is Jenny Lewis's diary entry full of ups and downs, and much like a diary it got me through the weird shit that happens when you realize you’re entering the twilight zone in age.. No longer the hot young girl at the rock show… It was mental but I survived it and (spoiler alert} I'm still the hot lady...I love this album so much it's all over the place for lewis but the music is feel good and just a big fuck you to agism in rock and roll. Jenny is the rightful queen of rock and I’m all for her.. Listen to this when your feeling weird cuz your little sister is getting married to your best friend, who played drums for you in high school. 

2014: Sylvan Esso S/T

I love love love this album. Sylvan Esso marked a new step into waters I had previously ignored, dance electronic music. Play it right and H.S.K.T. have had their fair share of plays at parties, gigs and generally all around. Amelia’s vocals are amazing and the chemistry between her and nick is undeniable it's the perfect mix of addicting beats and melodic vocals.. Also nick is a monster on those beats he does it all live! What!! This was the album that changed how I viewed electronic music.. Safe to say I've buckled into the ride and its been a party since then… Listen to this album with christmas lights hanging in the living room and cocktails flowing amongst friends.

2016: Mitski Puberty 2

In 2016, I was going thru some daaark shiiiiit.... Traumatic break up's and some growing pains if I remember correctly, it was a damn mess. I remember playing this record and feeling so seen, “a loving feeling" would make me cry uncontrollably. I can not explain how perfectly this song and this album expressed what i’d been feeling. Mitski is a genius at painting the feeling of wanting.... elegant in musical arrangement yet soo very emotional. Man it's gnarly. The lyrics are literally, every one of us as women, at one point or another waiting, hoping he’ll come up and ask to leave with you. Well not all of us but I can say I've heard her lyrics echoed many times over in my girlfriends stories... I vividly remember not being able to listen to this entire record for months with out tears staining my cheeks from start to finish. Still to this day it moves me in a way I cannot even explain. Listen to this album while you race away from that person you know ain't for you.

2016: Big Thief Masterpiece

Where do I begin with this album?? It deff blew open the door to female vocals for me. It gave folk its balls back with out being aggressive.
AdriAnne Lenker and Buck Meek's are two people that make me believe fate is real these two were meant to make music and you can hear it, if not down right feel the magic between them.... Masterpiece has provided me with a flickering light on many dim nights. It’s songs whispering inspiration and wisdom with each chord. Big Thief has since release a couple more album and solo projects and each is worth owning. Masterpiece, is beautifully written and I swear, if you listen to it on a warm cozy night with the lights turned low, you’ll feel it slip between your ribs and right into your heart.  

2017: Phoebe Bridgers Stranger in the Alps

Prob one of thee single best albums I've ever listened to. I can play it over and over and never tire of it. There's just something so wonderful about Phoebes voice and each song stings in all the right ways. I remember seeing her and just being left breathless at her overall presence. Her shows are nothing less then magical and I'm honestly hooked and lined with anything she gets involved with… Every song on Stranger in the Alps is gorgeous. Im forever grateful to sloppy jane for firing Phoebe as their bassist, having seen it in the flesh they made the right move but more importantly if they hadn't we may never have gotten Phoebe. Listen to this album about 17 times after a break up and watch it just float away.

2018: Jamila Woods Heavn

Jamila's vocals echoed through the hall of mammals in the natural history museum in DTLA in 2018, when I first stumbled onto her. It was my first time seeing her and Hearing the songs off this album and while I didn’t know it yet, her album would be a staple in my home. Heavn sounds playful and bubbly while giving you the tea and taking no prisoners. Jamila's voice lends itself in such a soft lullaby you can't help but fall in love with each new verse just as I did. Listen to this album when you need to feel empowered.