25. James Blake – Limit to your love
James Blake decides to cover a Feist song; on paper this doesn’t make any logical sense! However the post-dubstep electro artist turned it into a mesmerizing masterpiece. What makes the James Blake album stand out is the use of silence within music, you encounter this before the bass reverberations kick in and is truly inspiring, a hit on radio with seconds of pure silence! He broke boundaries with this song and transformed people’s opinions on a genre.
James Blake - Limit To Your Love by TheDropFather
24. Radiohead – Bloom (Blawan Remix)
Lets face it the last Radiohead album wasn’t their finest work, it improved once you saw them live but it didn’t live up to their previous effort (the amazing ‘In Rainbows’). However on their remix album (which again not great) there was this scorcher, Blawan turning album opener ‘Bloom’ into an industrial machine of a song, relentless the song sounds like a pounding machine picking up speed and destroying anything in its way. Nothing quite like when someone remixes a song into something great!
Bloom - Blawan RMX by Radiohead
23. Justice – On’n’On
Justice had the world in their hands when they finished touring ‘+’ they had broken America released one of the finest albums of 2007 and changed the face of electro. The duo returned with ‘Audio, Video, Disco’ this year and on the album was the triumphant return ‘On’n’On’ with the great lyrics “someday the grapes will be wine, someday you will be mine, and so the story goes On’n’On”. They went in a new direction but didn’t shy away from their Parisian roots!
22. Theophilus London – I Stand Alone
Theophilus London finally released his full length LP this year, I was a fan of his previous two mix tapes and wasn’t sure if he would succeed in a decent full length debut. The single ‘I Stand Alone’ filmed mostly in front of a ridiculous green screen worked well with the 80s throwback image that he has brought the world the past few years.
Theophilus London - "I Stand Alone" by TheophilusLondon
21. Cults – Go Outside
There’s nothing like a summer song for the end of the year reviews. Cults ‘Go Outside’ was definitely one of the indie anthems of this summer! The American duo’s album was perfect teen indie pop and this song epitomized the laid back vibe of a summer festival.
Cults - Go Outside by underhisempire2
20. Reptar – Blastoff
Never have I heard so much hype surrounding a band after SXSW, the thing that made it insane was that nobody actually saw Reptar playing at the festival! But with everyone talking about them it meant that this song saw the light of day it deserved, Blastoff appeared on their EP this year and got those that hadn’t seen them talking about them almost as much as those that had.
Blastoff by reptarmusic
19. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX – NY is killing me
Gil Scott-Heron passed away this year; it was a very sad story as he was continuing a much deserved revival. His last album was remixed by Jamie XX and between them they created one of the stranger collaborations of the year. He returned to New York before his death, he had contracted AIDS several years earlier and been previously hospitalized for Pneumonia, he had been fighting drugs (cocaine mainly) for years and been in and out of prison. This track resonates to so many levels of a superb career destroyed by fame and the big apple.
Gil Scott-Heron + Jamie xx - NY Is Killing Me by ilovemylifeasadickhead
18. Ghostpoet – Liiines (xxxy Remix)
Most years the Mercury music throws out a curveball nomination, someone who everyone suddenly deservedly takes notice of. This year it was Ghostpoet and his album ‘Peanut butter blues and melancholy Jam’ which contained the track ‘Liiines’. The album was a gem and this remix was brilliant as it took one of the strongest tracks and built it into a slightly faster amazing version. In all honesty either track could have gone in this spot they are both so good!
Ghostpoet - Liiines (xxxy Remix) by ghostpoet
17. Anna Calvi – Suzanne and I
Another Mercury music nominated album, having been on tour with Anna earlier this year in the US, I was fortunate enough to see her performing live several times, this track was the one that blew me away every time. One of the catchier numbers on the superb album it really was a pleasure to work with such a great artist on her first US tour. Even a 7am radio session still had this track come through strong, a very impressive artist with a lovely song!
Anna Calvi - Suzanne & I by The Maroon Cafe >
16. The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love
I nearly went for ‘How Deep is your love?’ just to put in the ‘Thong song’ chorus similarity but didn’t want to put that in writing on the blog, oh wait! Anyways the title track of their third album is a classic Rapture track, kickass bass and that staccato high pitched guitar that just makes you happy that they managed to continue after it appeared they all left and rejoined the band since the last album, in the end only the bassist left!
The Rapture - In the Grace of Your Love by Cendre
15. Gross Magic – Sweetest Touch
When I first heard Gross Magic’s song I just punched the air in delight! It had that amazing 90s guitar that is barely heard any more! His airy vocals are wicked and the song was just pure ace! Much blogged, much hyped and still awaiting to see him come out to NYC I loved the single and can’t wait to see him live! Hopefully the full length LP will shine in a way this single did!
Gross Magic - Sweetest Touch. by LitePanda
14. Tinariwen – Tenere Taqqim Tossam (feat. Tunde and Kyp from TV on the Radio)
As you know I am a big fan of world music, so when I heard that Tinariwen had recorded a single with 2 of TV on the Radio, I was very ecstatic. However it wasn’t until finally pressing play that I realized quite how good the collaboration had been. The track although retaining the African roots was able to embrace some of NYC’s sound to hopefully open them up to a new demographic.
Tinariwen - Tenere Taqqim Tossam by antirecords
13. Burial, Four Tet, Thom Yorke – Ego
Before we knew there was a Radiohead album on the way this song dropped out of thin air, a very limited 12” run (managed to get 1 copy!) was the finest work that Thom Yorke managed in 2011. Working alongside Burial and Four Tet in this collaboration was a superb move and I hope they make a longer record for the New Year!
Burial, Four Tet & Thom Yorke - Ego/Mirror 12" by Izvinitie
12. Spector – Never Fade Away
Before leaving London I saw Spector supporting Theophilus London, their songs were great and the look was different, Fred had come a long way since Les Incopetents and Ox, eagle… This being his most radio friendly song to date. The track takes you back to the crooners of yesteryear with clap along to boot it was a classic and has been on repeat since I moved out to NYC earlier this year.
Spector - Never Fade Away by Luv Luv Luv
11. Summer Camp – I want you
Jeremy Warmsley formed Summer Camp with Elizabeth Sankley and this teen pop love song is just pure class! Lo-fi electro, great vocals and an amazing buildup this is nothing more than a perfect pop love song!
Summer Camp - I Want You by Posh Magazine
10. Grouplove – Tongue Tied
The most shazamed song of 2011! The track appeared on the iPod Touch and had everyone wandering who it was? The answer was of course Grouplove with their infectious song ‘Tongue Tied’, bouncy bass and a great fun party atmosphere served up in three and a half minutes of fun!
Tongue Tied - Grouplove. (Released: 2011). by EmergencyBroadcastSongs
I will be back on Monday with my top 10 tracks of the year!!!
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