Tracks of the Year 30-11

More Tracks of the Year. This time 30-11. Top ten will follow early next week as I've got a busy weekend ahead! I'm sure you can't handle the excitement.

30. Ray Mang-Look into My Eyes (buy)

'Look into My Eyes' swirls around with steady handclaps and melodic keys which chuggs around beautifully.  My favourite 12" release on DFA in 2010.

29. Fantastic Man-Look This Way (buy)

This EP was only released last week but it quickly got my attention for it's mix of disco, house and old school sounds from 4 exciting artists. My highlight was Fantastic Man's 'Look this Way' for it's house reworking of the Erykah Badu track. I just love how the beat alternates throughout from deep house and two step.MINT.

28. Sammy Bananas-My Body (download)

Sampling R.Kelly and making a track into a Casio style banger doesn't sound particulary easy. However Sammy Bananas makes many tracks using old R&B/Hip Hop samples into electronic nuggets. He hit gold with 'My Body'. I'm not sure if it even came out this year. But get on it.

27. Kez YM-A Cup of Ocean (Gerd Dub Bounce Remix) (buy)

Gerd slowly slipped back onto many people's radar's in 2010. Admittedly I'd never heard of him, but the middle-aged Dutch man was a big techno head back in the early 90s apparently. Aswell as releasing several 12" with notables remixes by people such as DJ Koze, he also did his fair share of remixes. His rework of Japanese upstart Kez Ym hit the spot as it title suggests, a bouncy house track to get everyone going. 

26.  Surfer Blood-Harmonix (buy)

Surfer Blood scored a big Pitchfork hit in 2009 with 'Swim'. Their album followed in early 2010 and it didn't disappoint with plently of uplifting sunshine harmonies. However with 'Harmonix' they proved they have much more to them than that.

25. T. Williams-Heartbeats (Mosca Remix) (buy)

Another late edition to the list, where UK Funky (what a shite name that is) meets deep house/techno under this remix from Mosca with vocals by jazz singer Terri Walker. I like how this remix attempts to blur what we expect from traditional genres. Put it this way, it would usually take more than a twist of my arm to listen to something called 'UK Funky'.

24. iLIKETRAINS-Progress is a Snake (buy)

The Leeds quartet released this autumn one of the albums of my year, full of soaring tales of regret and disappointment. On 'Progress is a Snake', they lament people's failure to understand the mistakes of human history and their unwillingness to change. Once again they base topics of songs on history and human fallibility. I could have included the majority of this album in the list, but it's best served to listen to the full length in it's entirety.

23. No Age-Glitter (buy)

No age returned in 2010 with 'Glitter' a midtempo track full of screehing feedback and muffled vocals. Sort of what I expected from them. The album is well worth a look.

22. Joey Negro Presents Kola Kube-Why (Hot Toddy Remix) (buy)

 

Anyone reworking a 'classic' must have doubts about how it will all work out. No problems here as Joey Negro and Hot Toddy served up 4 belters on this release on exciting new label Surround Sounds. My favourite was the nice chugging deep rework from Hot Toddy. This will not be going far from my rather thin bag of vinyl in the near future!

21. Alicia Keys-Unthinkable (I'm Ready) (buy)

I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Alicia Keys since her worldwide mega hity 'Fallin'. Whilst the content of each album isn't always to my taste, she is always capable of a wonderful track, such as the excellent beatless B-side 'Dreaming' released last year. Drake co-wrote 'Unthinable, I'm Ready' apparently, which makes it more the surprise how good this track is. A song full of lust that has reached the surface and won't go away.

20. LCD Soundsystem-Home (buy)

LCD's album had many great moments, but my favourite was 'Home'. Sounds of a man tired, at the end of a long road, hoping home is round the corner, where only the future matters.

19. Anton Miller-Can't Hide It (buy)

The house legend returned with the excellent soft deep house of 'Can't Hide It'. It was called upon release 'the true and pure sounds of house music'. What that is, I'm not sure, but it's an excellent track. Probably the DEEPEST I've heard in a long time.

18. The Walkmen-Angela Surf City (buy)

Having a track like 'The Rat' hang over may have it's good sides, but it can also have it's bad, as people will always be expecting you to produce something similar if not better. I think with 'The Rat' it's nigh on impossible as it's one of the best rock songs of the past ten years. However 'Angela Surf City' on their excellent new album, Lisbon certainly has a go. It shudders into life when lead singer Hamilton Leithauser screams "You took the high road, I couldn't find you' which is almost as anthemic as the high points on their biggest hit.

17. Joy Orbison-Ladywell  (buy)

Joy Orbison returned with some what of a surprise with his latest 12" (this time on his own label), two Detriot inspired house tunes, of which 'Ladywell' was a highlight. The 'oohs' on this release is catchy, in a more altogether different way than his big hit of last year, Hyph Mngo. Sold out everywhere on 12". Seek and ye shall find. Probably.

16. Women-Eyesore (buy)

'Eyesore' is the excellent conclusion to Women's 2nd album. Full of now familiar screeching guitars, high pitched melodies, little interludes and a hard hitting end, it's the best Women song to date.

15. Moody-It's 2 Late 4 U & Me (buy)

On his last release, the one real club jam was this 9 minute stormer. I'd like to think he's got other tunes like this still in him (see Shades of Jae, J.A.N. etc), as this was a rework of an earlier tune he's been working on. It's still fucking ace though, and it officially came out this year, so there.

14. Caribou-Odessa (buy)

An excellent start to an excellent album. 2010 was Caribou's year. Hitting us in January, it marked what would be the most successful year to date for the genre-hopping Canadian.

13. Trujillo-Baby Your Still The Same (Social Disco Club Feat. Lucy Walker Sexual Flashback Mix) (buy)

Stringently only releasing records on vinyl is happening less and less now, so it's usually a surprise when a record label insists on doing so. This release was well worth getting wax instead of a shitty disposable mp3. All three tracks are absolute gems, from the tenderness of the original to the balearic ten minute haze of Mark E's remix, it's all good. I decided to go for the 'sexual flashback remix' from social disco club. It gave the track a bit of urgency on the dancefloor (not that it necessarily needed it). Wonderful.

12.  Tracey Thorn-Oh! The Divorces (buy)

A distressing tale of modern woes is sung effortlessly by Tracey Thorn on 'Oh, The Divorces'. Tales of relationship breakdown are a common topic in pop music, however, getting divorced, who gets to keep the children and who gets visitation rights aren't. An album focusing on middle-aged issues, but for all who enjoy Thorn's fantastic voice and songwriting.

11. The Radio Dept.-Heavens On Fire (buy)

The Radio Dept. returned in 2010 after a four year abscene with a new album which was full of angst about the challenges that life throws up. 'Heaven's on Fire' was a lead single and a clear highlight and one of the best pop songs of my year.