The holiday season is upon us--Halloween has just passed, then comes Thanksgiving, then Christmas and before you know it 2015 will be over and the new year will be upon us! And I don't know about you, but it's around this time when I start to notice the albums that I have been playing again and again all year, or only for the past couple months.

So as we went the rush towards 2016, I thought I'd reflect back on some of the most repeatable albums of the year that always keep you coming back wanting more. And as I have a wide variety of genres that I think are worth repeating (some for partying, some for chilling, and some getting really introspective) I've decided to order the albums in, approximate, order from high energy to low. Let us proceed!

1. Disclosure: "Caracal"

For most young people, this band needs no introduction but if you're not up on the EDM (electronic dance music) scene then Disclosure is a pretty universal place to start. This is the sophomore album of Disclosure, comprised of two DJs, and a mainstay of the popular EDM scene, into which they have brought every sort of genre imaginable with their array of samples and featured artists that range from pop-ballad crooner Sam Smith to up-and-coming pop-R&B singer LION BABE. This album is no different in its impressive list of guest artists, including a follow-up collab with Smith and an opener with R&B's currently rising star The Weeknd (see below for his current album). All-in-all, this album is club hit after club hit and makes a great party or pre-party soundtrack. Basically if you want to party with music that doesn't go old quickly then you'll want to check this out first and foremost.

2. The Weeknd: "Beauty Behind the Madness"

As I just mentioned, The Weeknd (the stage name of Abel Tesfaye) is currently the cool guy of the hip-hop/pop scene, bringing sexy and R&B back into the hip hop world. His third album finds the sweet spot between being able to succeed as a radio hit while remaining substantive musically, with impressive production (that includes producers like Kanye West) that brings hard-hitting but generally slow tempo hooks that suck listeners back in over and over again. This is indicated by the smashing success he has had with singles like "I Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills." And while he sometimes receives flack for his lyrics that paint a picture of alienation filled with sex and drugs, he is often noted for the sexiness of his work, in part, due to the vulnerability of these jams. These talents combined make this record one that not only can be played at a party, but also in more intimate and mellow settings for some some listening with musically inclined friends or significant others.

3. Tanlines: "Highlights"

This is Tanlines' sophomore album, a followup to Mixed Emotions a favorite album of mine that turned them into a favorite band. Tanlines is a duo that specializes in a sort of electronic rock that has poppy dance moments mixed with indie rockability and lyrics. And this album is no different, being wholly danceable and simultaneously super hip, their guitarist plays spin-art designed guitar, and what gets more cool than that? Overall though, this album hits that sweet spot between "summer driving with the windows down music" sort of upbeat and "I could be getting ready for a party and need to get pumped" sort of upbeat. I'll leave you venue decision up to you but highly recommend that if you need some tunes to bump while also seeming really chill then this album is a match.

4. FKA twigs: "M3LL15X"

FKA twigs is one of the most interesting artists in music currently, she got her start as a backup dancer and now makes a very "her" style of music that combines all sorts of genres, most notably R&B vocals with a slightly house, slightly more mellow form of electronic synth backing. Her music is very chewy, but having seen her at both Coachella and FYF Fest this past year she has begun to make it far more accessible (maybe in part due to her growing success and growing crowds). This record is twigs' third EP, which she dropped completely unannounced a week after first mentioning its creation on a Beats 1 radio interview. But not only did she drop the album, she released an accompanying 16-minute music video encompassing nearly the entirety of the very good, very experimental EP. While the music is great, yet dark in classic twigs-fashion, the video is an even deeper (visual) reflection of twigs' style, proving to be supremely darker and weirder. The whole video is really too much to explain, with scenes ranging from a depiction of a human angler fish (you know the one with the light on its head?), twigs as a living sex doll, and a choreographed dance--and that's all before the halfway point! So this album is ideal if you're a fan of twigs, a fan of experimental music in general, interested in watching an art film, or just curious and want to give it a peek and see what you think.

5. Mac DeMarco: "Another One"

Mac DeMarco is millennial hipsters' resident "slacker" rocker, brining together jangly pop-like melodies with indie rock sound and lyrics, a genre he has self-identified as jizz jazz. Combine this with his a IDGAF personality and effortlessly cool outfits and humor and he'll make any hip teen envious, or jump at the chance to meet him--he left his address and the offer to come share a coffee at the end of this mini-LP and got more than a few visitors. While this album is a bit less varied and a bit more down-tempo than much of his previous work, it is that mellow consistency that makes this record so easy to sink into and having playing the background of pretty much everything. It works when you need a little indie rock and it works well when you need something to lull you to sleep. Like all of his other records, it just works; oh, the wondrous universality of soft indie rock!

6. Sufjan Stevens: "Carrie & Lowell"

Don't know how to pronounce his name? That's okay, you're dilemma is referenced on Stevens' seventh album--albeit in a more sensitive light. While this album may be at the bottom of this list it is most definitely number one on my list of most replayed (and I'm not alone as this album has received critical acclaim!). Stevens is another favorite artist of mine and is generally known for his lush instrumentation and vocals. But this record is rather hushed and understated for him, with achingly beautiful guitar and layered vocals and orchestration. The entire record is tinged with a sense of melancholy and mundanity, which is apt considering Stevens wrote the album in response to his mother, Carrie's, death, with Lowell being a reference to his stepfather who helped him co-founded his own record company, Asthmatic Kitty, in the late '90s. Overall, these mellow and relaxing tunes are perfect if you're looking for something to spin while you're trying to fall asleep or need a moment of serenity.