Over the last couple of days, we’ve looked at the tracks that we ranked 25 – 11 in our list of favourites for the year (previous posts can be found by clicking these links, 25 – 21, 20 – 16, 15 – 11) and now it’s Top 10 time.
We’re not going to bother reminding you of the rules at this stage, if you’ve been with us for the other posts you will already know them and if you are only just joining us, we bet you’d rather just get to the songs yeah?
Ok then, here they are, our favourite tracks of the year, places 10 – 6.
#10 Brooke Annibale – “Tragically Beautiful”
Taken from the sublime Words In Your Eyes EP, Brooke Annibale’s “Tragically Beautiful” was, to start with, just one of six wonderful tunes that we loved. Then, bit by bit, like a gradual frost creeping silently across the fields and countryside, we suddenly found ourselves consumed, covered entirely by the fragile, pristine and picturesque loveliness that is “Tragically Beautiful”. It is delicate and evocative; it swoops, soars and glides effortlessly across the winter sky as the clouds turn pink with the sun. Heartfelt and poignant, Annibale’s lyrics and winters breath vocals hang in the air, resonating with the listener before dissipating into a swirl of guitar and strings.
#9 Pawws – “Slow Love”
We’ve not exactly been shy about declaring our love for Pawws and for the immensely poptacular “Slow Love”. It is a glorious tune, everything that good pop should be and then some. If skittles let you “taste the rainbow” then “Slow Love” makes you “see, hear, feel, and surf the rainbow”. With influences from the likes of Robyn, Annie and Kylie it’s a spin around during the chorus piece of electro-pop fantasticness. Lucy Taylor’s beautifully sweet and heartfelt vocals blend perfectly with its full on grooveability.
#8 Empress Of – “Hat Trick”
We may have been alone in this, but one thing we took from Empress Of’s “Hat Trick” was how damn sexy it sounded. Just listen as Lorely gets all sweet, sultry and breathy and sings, “Lay my cards on the table / Tell me my future / Tell me I’ll make it move”. See what we mean? Sexy. Wrapped around her seductive tones is an addictive track of swirling beauty that draws you in, Siren like, for play after play after play. Bookended by twinkling, almost shrill, synths the beat and melody swoon and sway along like cavorting partners, clinging to each other in the low light of a slow dance. It is a gloriously misty piece of electro-pop and one we couldn’t get enough of since its release.
#7 Public Service Broadcasting – “Night Mail”
Built around words from the 1936 documentary film of the same name, and the W.H. Auden poem, also of the same name, “Night Mail” is a prime example of what makes Public Service Broadcasting so damn special and why we love them so much. It’s how they use these samples and create and arrange music to complement and enhance it, rather than just sit underneath it. Auden’s poem itself clatters along with the rhythm, tempo and cadence of a steam train charging through the countryside so it is only right that “Night Mail” does the same. It moves relentlessly, excitingly forwards with majestic, rolling scenery all around it. It’s fantastic and as the conductor yells “now” and the train whistle blares out, guitars and drums meet in a perfect storm of controlled energy and ambition as the track steams along.
#6 Avec Sans – “Shiver”
Back when we originally posted Avec Sans’ “Shiver” we rather succinctly stated that it was “fucking fantastic”. We could easily just say the same and leave it at that, but you deserve more and so does the song. It’s just a superb piece of light, dazzling electro pop that teases and tingles. If it was a weapon it would be deadly because it is not a giant in your face kaboom, it’s subtle and delicate and it gets under your skin, into your head as you open yourself up to accept it willingly. It’s so glorious and catchy; it’s a proper earworm tune. If they could find a way to weaponise it, this would be how Avec Sans took over the world. We don’t think anyone would mind too much though.
We’re almost there, come back tomorrow morning to find out who made the Top 5 and which track is our absolute favourite of the year.
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