7
CHVRCHES
When “The Mother We Share” exploded on the scene in late 2012, there was very little to know about the outfit that delivered the synth-pop gem (and 31st best track of that year). Luckily, Chvrches took that initial promise of their exquisite debut single and extrapolated it to fit the context of a full length near masterpiece. The Bones Of What You Believe bounces with the type of jubilant electronica unrivaled by anyone not named Passion Pit. Lauren Mayberry’s vocals are equally sweet and bitter, and you’re never sure if you should console her, or run far, far away.
Must here: the life-affirming, soul-cleansing “Tether,” as well as the predatorial “Gun.”
6
DARKSIDE
The Darkside project, involving minimalist electronica artist Nico Jaar and guitarist Dave Harrington has been kicking around for a couple years now, but 2013 was the year where the duo officially put their name on the map. It all started with their exquisite reworking of Daft Punk’s epic Random Access Memories, and concluded with them releasing the phenomenal Psychic, an LP of all original material that makes their moniker, which alludes to the Pink Floyd classic, more than deserved.
Must hear: Dave Harrington’s masterful blues guitar work on “Paper Trails,” as well as the sprawling, hypnotic opening “Golden Arrow.”
5
CHARLI XCX
After Icona Pop rode Charli XCX’s songwriting contributions to “I Love It” to mainstream success, it seemed like a no brainer that True Romance would become the latest underground pop album to crossover to mainstream success. Such a destiny did not wait for Romance, but that is by no fault of the artist born Charlotte Aitchison. From the opening “Nuclear Seasons,” it is apparent that while she may be swimming in the deep waters of pop music, she only borrows from the best while adding enough of her own personal spin to not be a faceless casualty of pop music’s tendencies to treat assimilation as an admirable goal.
Must hear: the Gold Panda-sampling “You (Ha Ha Ha),” as well as the immensely pleasurable “What I Like.”
4
HAIM
SoCal sisters’ Danielle, Este, and Alana Haim (rhymes with ‘rhyme’) kicked the year off the best way possible, with BBC announcing them to be winners of their annual Sound of… award for the 2013 calendar year. While not necessarily a confirmation of upcoming global success (after all, The Bravery, Mika, and Little Boots have all won the top prize as well) there are certainly far worse harbingers for your upcoming musical career. And luckily for Haim, their win translated more to the likes of the successes of previous winners 50 Cent, Adele, and Ellie Goulding. It’s not easy delivering when the bar is set so high, but Haim made it all look so very effortless, and pretty damn fun.
Must hear: the sprightly, Omar Little-endorsed “The Wire,” as well as the buoyant title-track.
The only cover to make the top 10, Holy Ghost! more than earned it with their perfectly timed cover of Drake’s standout single, “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” Not only performed with a complete respect to the original, HG! adds some 70s-era dance funk that coincides nicely with 2013′s nostalgic tint, courtesy of some of the year’s biggest singles (i.e. “Suit & Tie,” “Get Lucky,” & “Blurred Lines”).
“Shabba” was already one of the year’s best singles even before A$AP Ferg went and got the man himself on the remix. “Eight gold chains like / Sha-Shabba Ranks,” rapped Ferg on the original, with the face of the Mob itself, A$AP Rocky. With Shabba Ranks jumping on board for the remix, it acts both as a ringing endorsement of A$AP Ferg as well as a reminder as to why artists like Ferg look up to and respect the dancehall legend.
1 | DISCLOSURE (FEAT. ALUNAGEORGE)
White Noise Hudson Mohawke Remix
The last thing anyone would think when listening to Disclosure’s collaboration with AlunaGeorge on “White Noise” would be, “This sure could use a remix!” But that’s exactly what Hudson Mohawke, he of TNGHT and Yeezus fame, did, and in the process delivering the year’s best remix. It’s a breathtaking display of what a great remixer can do for a song, and when the song reaches for and takes over the stratosphere around the three-minute mark, there is little to do but listen in awe at three budding talents reaching the apex together.
3
SAVAGES
The past couple of years have been strange in terms of the out-of-nowhere attacks on Planned Parenthood and women’s reproductive issues, as if people on the right decided they didn’t have enough pent-up anger already. It was strange indeed to see a country on the verge of allowing marriage equality to all take such monumental steps in the wrong direction in the discussion of women’s rights. These issues extended to Russia, where punk rock provocateurs ***** Riot were sentenced to jail time for speaking out against the country’s oppressive regime. So while it may seem like 2013 would be a strange (and unfortunate) time for the world to need a band like Savages, we certainly did. The band’s fearless energy and natural musical abilities combine in powerful ways to make the band’s debut album not only of the year’s best recordings, but perhaps 2013′s most important.
Must hear: the empowering, frenetic “She Will” and the molten energy of “Strife.”
2
DISCLOSURE
As a debut, Settle is rather risky. Instead of focusing solely on their talents, the brothers Lawrence crafted one of the year’s towering masterpieces with the help of a bevy of their closest friends, a heavy dose of 90s inspired house from guys that probably don’t even remember the Spice Girls as a legitimate thing.
Must hear: Aluna Francis’ undeniable chemistry with the guys on “White Noise,” as well as that track’s flawless remix from Hudson Mohawke.
1
LORDE
I was first introduced to Lorde’s music in early 2013, right after the 16-year old New Zealand superstar in-the-making discreetly released her The Love Club EP onto the interwebs in late 2012. While I personally found the title track to be the most promising from the collection, it was the pop culture critique of “Royals” that resonated with a much larger audience. In an age where it’s not unusual for a band to score a hit with a single released a year or two in the past, Lorde’s ascension occurred at a breakneck speed no one, not even her most ardent supporters, could have reasonably expected.
Must hear: the aforementioned “The Love Club,” which thematically touches on themes similar to equally stunning “White Teeth Teens.”
I'm liking “Supreme" gonna have to check this band out.
Chvrches, Haim, Charli , Lorde, Disclosure - just flawless.
Shabba (Remix) - I'm liking, first time listening.
Music Videos: 10-7 are all great videos and songs.
Thanks for all the kind words! I'll be beginning my list of my favorite songs of the year today, as well as concluding my list of top music videos. Stay tuned!
Before I begin unveiling the Top 100 Songs of 2013, here is a recap of the countdowns I've conducted thus far:
BEST REMIXES
10 Grizzly Bear, "Sleeping Ute" (Nicolas Jaar Remix)
9 Chromatics, "Tick of the Clock" (Visione's The Stroke of Midnight Remix)
8 Haim, "Forever" (Giorgio Moroder Remix)
7 Sh!t Robot feat. Reggie Watts, "We Got a Love" (Paul Woolford Remix)
6 Cat Power, "Manhattan" (Ryan Hemsworth Remix) [feat. Angel Haze]
5 Daft Punk feat. Todd Edwards, "Fragments of Time" (Darkside Remix)
4 Lana Del Rey, "Summertime Sadness" (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)
3 Drake, "Hold On, We're Going Home" (Holy Ghost! Cover)
2 A$AP Ferg, "Shabba" (Remix) [feat. Shabba Ranks, Busta Rhymes, & Migos]
1 Disclosure feat. AlunaGeorge, "White Noise" (Hudson Mohawke Remix)
BEST NEW ARTISTS
10 Postiljonen
9 AlunaGeorge
8 Jagwar Ma
7 Chvrches
6 Darkside
5 Charli XCX
4 Haim
3 Savages
2 Disclosure
1 Lorde
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
10 Solange, "Lovers in the Parking Lot"
9 Fiona Apple, "Hot Knife"
8 Disclosure feat. AlunaGeorge, "White Noise"
7 Blood Orange, "Chamakay"
6 Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Despair"
5 Beach House, "Wishes"
4 The Knife, "A Tooth For an Eye"
3 Miley Cyrus, "We Can't Stop"
2 Bob Dylan, "Like a Rolling Stone"
1 Foals, "Late Night"