Many of my favourite releases of 2009 already posted (SND, Alva Noto, Simon Scott, Pillowdiver). To those, I would add:
Propagandhi - Supporting Caste (G7 Welcoming Committee)
Mountains - Choral
Pelican - What We All Come To Need (Southern Lord)
Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
Group Bombino - Guitars From Agadez vol. 2
Taylor Deupree - Weather & Worn
Best discoveries of older music in the last year:
Bernard Parmegiani - De Natura Sonorum / La Creation Du Monde
Iannis Xenakis - Electronic Music
Gyorgy Ligeti - Musica Ricercata
Alim Qasimov Ensemble - The Legendary Art of Mugham
Harry Partch - Delusions of the Fury
Hurriganes - Roadrunner