#100. Andy Stott - "Violence"
from the album 'Faith In Strangers' Genre: UK Bass
Ambient Pop, Trap, Ambient Techno Country: UK - Label: Modern Love
Andy Stott has always been characterized for his dreamy Techno productions, but in this track he takes an entirely different route. It is like a mix between, say, Throbbing Gristle and DJ Snake. It is much darker and indeed violent, but it's reaaaaaaaally good and the beat is insane. What more can you ask for?
#99. Yelle - "Complétement Fou"
from the album 'Complétement Fou' Genre: Electropop, French Pop
Dance-Pop, French House, Nu-Disco Country: France - Label: Kemosabe
Our favorite french Electropop band, Yelle, now backed by Dr. Luke, released this as the second single of their third album, and, damn, it is such a great song to dance to! And the last minute with the Justice-ish "drop" is literally everything. The video is amazing, and really fits with the song.
#50. ∆ - 'This Is All Yours' Highlights: "Every Other Freckle", "The Gospel of John Hurt", "Warm Foothills", "Nara" Genre: Art Pop, Indietronica
Folktronica, Indie Pop, Progressive Pop, Dream Pop Country: UK - Label: Infectious You'll like it if you like: Björk, Radiohead, Vampire Weekend, Imogen Heap
∆ or alt-J, are really one of the most divisive bands I've ever heard. And the reaction to their second album, 'This Is All Yours' got even more divisive, and while, yes, this is a step down from their debut, when they are good here, they are amazing. And I mean it. If you don't believe what I'm saying, just listen to "The Gospel of John Hurt". I'm not lying.
#98. Jamie xx - "Sleep Sound" Genre: UK Bass, Future Garage
Deep House, UK Funky, Balearic Beat Country: UK - Label: Young Turks
The xx's beatmaker, Jamie xx, released this song earlier this year as the B-Side for his single "Girl". Nobody really cared for "Girl". But everyone loved this one. Why? The beats, the progression, the melody, everything is just so good. And the video. GODDAMN the video. Best video of the year with a message? Probably. Beyoncé who?
#97. Zola Jesus - "Dangerous Days"
from the album 'Taiga' Genre: Electropop, Synth Pop
Dance-Pop, Art Pop, Dream Pop Country: USA - Label: Mute
"It's a dark, dark day, and it's dangerous to go, and listen what they say..."
Zola Jesus made a shameless Pop song like "Dangerous Days", and while the other "shameless Pop" songs on her album 'Taiga' were average, this standed out from the rest. It is catchy, Zola's vocals are great, the melodies are great and its chorus is probably one of the most explosive of the year. The video is a really obvious iamamiwhoami copy though.
#49. Grouper - 'Ruins' Highlights: "Clearing", "Call Across Rooms", "Holding" Genre: Ambient, Ambient Pop
Dream Pop, Slowcore, Drone Country: USA - Label: Kranky You'll like it if you like: Tim Hecker, Björk's 'Vespertine', Julianna Barwick, Sigur Rós
Just accompanied by piano, Liz Harris, better known by her stage name Grouper, created one of her best albums. Most of the album was created in 2011, except for the closing track, which was made in 2004. The vocal melodies are beautiful and haunting, and the pure-Ambient moments are good as well. Simple, minimal, but incredible.
#96. Yumi Zouma - "The Brae"
from the EP 'Yumi Zouma' Genre: Dream Pop, Indie Pop
Sophisti-Pop, Chillwave, Twee Pop, Synth Pop Country: New Zealand - Label: Cascine
"Go ahead, take that pill, you know that I'm used to it, take your time, see me go, know you're caught and never know..."
Sounding like a mix between Beach House, Rhye and Blood Orange, New Zealandic group Yumi Zouma, who have toured with people like Lorde and Chet Faker, released one of the catchiest, cutest Alternative-Pop songs of 2014. Although it has some... dark, or complicated lyrics, the vocal melody on the chorus is so catchy you won't be able to take it from your head.
#95. Charli XCX - "Break the Rules"
from the album 'SUCKER' Genre: Electropop, Dance-Pop
Pop Rock, Pop Punk, Synth Pop, New Wave Country: UK - Label: Neon Gold
"Never stop it's how we ride, coming up until we die!"
This song is the opposite of "generic". Yeah, it might be poppy compared to Charli's earlier stuff, and the lyrics are kind of stupid, but this the kind of party song this generation needs, the one it's craving for. The "Song 2"-ish bassline in the beginning, and its epic chorus make it worth it.
#48. Wild Beasts - 'Present Tense' Highlights: "Daughters", "Wanderlust", "Sweet Spot", "Mecca" Genre: Art Pop, Synth Pop
Dream Pop, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Synthwave Country: UK - Label: Domino You'll like it if you like: Radiohead, Talking Heads, Grimes, St. Vincent
British Art-Pop group Wild Beasts are more Electronic than ever. And that's a great thing! They've shown traces of this in their previous stuff (including their Lady Gaga remix, which even appeared on her BTW remix album), but this is probably one of their best albums, if not their best. Gets kind of uninteresting near the end though.
#94. MØ - "Don't Wanna Dance"
from the album 'No Mythologies to Follow' Genre: Electropop, Contemporary R&B
Alternative R&B, Indietronica, Dance-Pop, Pop Soul Country: Denmark - Label: RCA
"I'm on my own and I'm crazy for you, got the creeps by the way your body moves..."
While this far from being her best song, MØ shows that, deep inside, she can blow up into a big popstar like her collaborator Charli XCX. The hook on "Don't Wanna Dance" is probably one of the catchiest ones you'll hear in her album (and that's saying a lot!), and her vocals are wonderful.
#93. Haim - "Forever"
from the album 'Days Are Gone' Genre: Indie Pop, Pop Rock
Alternative Dance, New Wave, Indie Rock Country: USA - Label: Columbia
"Forever" shows Haim at their best, catchy hooks, catchy guitar riffs, catchy melodies. Catchy, catchy, catchy. For a while I wasn't able to take it out of my head, and I'm still kinda not able to do so.
#47. Nmesh - 'Dream Sequins' Highlights: "KΞΞP/////THIS/////", "Climbing the Corporate Ladder", "Dream Sequins", "If I Tell You That I'm Happy", ": : : : Más Abajo En La Madriguera Del Conejo: : : :" Genre: Vaporwave, Plunderphonics
Ambient, Sound Collage, Progressive Electronic Country: USA - Label: AMD Discs You'll like it if you like: Daniel Lopatin's works, Saint Pepsi, Boards of Canada
Vaporwave is probably one of the most divisive genres ever, and while I'm not a huuuuuuuuuge fan of it myself, Alex Koenig, a.k.a. Nmesh really found a different, interesting way to approach it - and while he's been making music for about a decade, this is probably his best work. Don't know if people are going to remember the genre in a few years, but it's, no doubt, probably the best the genre has to offer.
#92. Death Grips - "Whatever I Want (**** Who's Watching)"
from the album 'Government Plates' Genre: Industrial Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop, Glitch Hop
Wonky, Hardcore Hip Hop, Electro-Industrial, IDM, Noise Rap Country: USA - Label: Third Worlds
"Hand yourself over, remain calm, I only plan to steal... whatever I want!"
I don't know if, after announcing they were going to break up, they are going to release more music (besides Jenny Death), because, well, they are Death Grips. They, indeed do whatever they want. And this track is six-and-a-half minutes of insanity, structure-less rapping, and totally insane beats.
#91. FKA twigs feat. inc. - "FKA x inc." Genre: Alternative R&B, Art Pop
Downtempo, Glitch Pop, Wonky Country: UK/USA - Label: Young Turks
"I'm never gonna be your saviour..."
I'm not a huge fan of inc., but I am a HUGE fan of FKA twigs, and while this song is certainly not the best she can do, it is, nevertheless, really smooth and sensual, her vocals blend perfectly with the inc. dude's ones, and the production is as detailed as usual. This is the only appearance from inc., but most definitely not the last twigs one!
#46. Porter Robinson - 'Voices' Highlights: "Sea of Voices", "Divinity", "Sad Machine", "Fellow Feeling", "Hear the Bells" Genre: Electropop, Synth Pop, Glitch Pop
Electro House, Dream Pop, Bitpop, Alternative Dance Country: USA - Label: Astralwerks You'll like it if you like: M83, CHVRCHES, Anamanaguchi, iamamiwhoami
I'm glad Porter Robinson decided to stop making chart-filler EDM. I mean he's sort of doing that here as well, but the rhythms and the songs in his debut album are way better - clearly influenced by most post-10's synthpop acts, without doing something that's totally boring or unoriginal, like other artists do. I really hope he keeps making more music like this!