| Fish's 28 Songs Of 2013 |
| 1 |  | John Newman
Tribute
Love Me Again - The best track to reach #1 in I don't know how long. One of the
biggest choruses you'll have heard all year courtesy of that-guy-that-sung-on-
that-Rudimental-track. Little touches like the brass in the chorus set this even
further aside from typical chart music and just accentuate how fucking huge this
track is, but it's John Newman's vocals which truly power this song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfihYWRWRTQ |
| 2 |  | Danny Brown
Old
Smokin & Drinkin - If I weren't limiting myself to 1 song an album I could easily have
5 or 6 off Old, but this is the pick of the lot. Beat of the year, with Danny Brown's
machine gun squawk on top making this an absolute banger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0rYiIiJusQ |
| 3 |  | Bring Me The Horizon
Sempiternal
Can You Feel My Heart - Can't believe how much Sykes' screams have improved
since 2008's Suicide Season. He straddles that line between singing and strained
screaming perfectly here. Add in the catchy electronics and this is one of the best
tracks they've written yet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJJYpsA5tv8 |
| 4 |  | Drake
Nothing Was The Same
Hold On, We're Going Home - A glorious little tune. Perfectly fine tuned and squeaky
clean in the production department, Drake will take you on a journey through the
nostalgia of late nights with young love on the most r&b he dared go on Nothing
Was The Same. http://youtu.be/GxgqpCdOKak?t=2m33s |
| 5 |  | Lorde
Pure Heroine
Ribs - Darker and subtler than her better known singles. Lorde weaves a complex
and less accessible melody here, but ultimately it's so much more satisfying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qaeoz_7cyE |
| 6 |  | Chvrches
The Bones of What You Believe
Gun - Catchy, cute, immense, etc. The album's packed full of tracks like these, but
Gun edges it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktoaj1IpTbw |
| 7 |  | The Weeknd
Kiss Land
Belong To The World - Kiss Land is still a huge disappointment, a black mark in the
love affair that started when I finally listened to House of Balloons in a small hotel
room in France almost two years ago. Belong to the World isn't anywhere near
one of Tesfaye's best tracks, but there's still something compelling about his pretty
boy voice contrasted with that grimy sample. Frankly, who cares where or not
he was allowed to use it or not? http://youtu.be/lYO77zNhWl4?t=2m20s |
| 8 |  | London Grammar
If You Wait
Strong - One of those tracks that manages to make a slow tempo huge and
uplifting. The video matches it well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6drfp_3823I |
| 9 |  | Goldfrapp
Tales of Us
Alvar - Starts off dark and bare, but slowly builds and rises, til you're starting to
peer into the light. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2eWxkn-Chs |
| 10 |  | Kanye West
Yeezus
Black Skinhead - Kanye kills it here. Beat kills. Song kills. No more analysis needed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=YLx11xq6X7Q |
| 11 |  | The National
Trouble Will Find Me
Humiliation - At first I largely disregarded Humiliation as one of the many of the
meh tracks off Trouble Will Find Me, but it's probably my favourite now. The
carefully crafted instrumentation is a perfect example of how simplicity can be so
powerful. The pitter patter of the percussion, the light piano chords and the
continuous ringing of the guitars, all tied together with Matt Berninger's vocals and
lyrics. The moment when small guitar notes are plucked out at 3:47 gives me chills.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn9W0LfGdtE |
| 12 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
One of Us is the Killer
Prancer - This is the pinnacle of The Dillinger Escape Plan moulding a more
accessible sound out of their normally inaccessible music. A thunderous riff to kick
it off and Puciato's piercing scream somehow forming a hook at 0:55, with a more
polished production than 2010's Option Paralysis. As a whole the album isn't as
good as its predecessor, but this is the kind of track that makes you want to go
into your kitchen and start smashing shit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=X01H4icz5aU |
| 13 | | Parks, Squares and Alleys
Youth (Single)
Youth - One of my favourite tracks of the year comes from an unknown and
otherwise unremarkable teenager in the depths of Eastern Russia. You wouldn't
know it based off this track though. The song is the perfect representation of
nostalgia and longing the cliched title would suggest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O9l0W8qD4M |
| 14 |  | ASAP Rocky
LongLiveA$AP
Wild for the Night - Everyone thought this track would be a joke when they first
saw the tracklist. And it kind of is. But it's such a banger.
http://youtu.be/1eWdbMBYlH4?t=1m41s |
| 15 |  | Outfit
Performance
I Want What's Best - Who would've I'd find one of my favourites of the year on
Made In Chelsea? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md_Y8RYdu6Q |
| 16 | | The Story So Far
What You Don't See
Things I Can't Change - Once upon a time the only songs I could love were the
ones built around catchy, power chord driven choruses. I still have some time for
those days. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3ARZTR_Ju8 |
| 17 |  | Still Corners
Strange Pleasures
The Trip - Twinkly guitars, neon synths, smoky female vocals, driving through the
city at night etc etc. If you like Chromatics, Beach House, or any of that kind of
stuff then listen to this album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ll91YBdVE |
| 18 |  | Arcade Fire
Reflektor
Reflektor - This album drags. You'd think this song would too, with its 7-and-a-half
minute run time, but it plays around with its hook quite a bit and towards the end
the song intensifies and the bass punches in and everything. Great song, and it's
always nice to hear a bit of French. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=7E0fVfectDo |
| 19 |  | Burial
Rival Dealer
Rival Dealer - This is effectively two different songs. The first is manic and raw;
you can almost hear sirens screeching around you. The second is ethereal. I love
both. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd3Ch53PxBs |
| 20 |  | Chase and Status
Brand New Machine
Lost & Not Found - A tribute to the 90s that influenced them, Chase & Status
prefer to float you through the air than stuff the beat in your face on this one, but
its subtle hook is what truly drives it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-
w1nmEQ7IM |
| 21 |  | A Day To Remember
Common Courtesy
Violence - I'm one of the few who prefers What Separates Me From You, and found
Common Courtesy a disappointment, but there are still a few of those tracks that
make me want to jump up and bash my head in time to the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6lanUBSwlo |
| 22 | | JMSN
Pllaje
Ada - 2012's Priscilla was heavily Weeknd-influenced, to the point that I could
barely take it seriously, but Plajje is a great little EP that sees JMSN slowly evolve
into his own master. This track is especially good. Will probably review this at some
point. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2Z6c4zeUqI |
| 23 |  | Snowmine
Dialects
Rome - LAMINATE PET ANIMAL was just another of the okay-albums I consumed in
a short period of bandcamp binging in 2011, but this track has really piqued my
interest for their upcoming sophomore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=vZTPYjFuobE |
| 24 |  | Sigur Ros
Kveikur
Hrafntinna - Hard to pick a particular track off this album since it's so consistent.
Brennistein might be the best, or Stormur the most immense, but I think Hrafntinna
best represents what Kveikur is all about. The light ringing of various drums and
cymbals is the base for its immensity and serenity. The percussion drives this
album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_1mE93fHoY |
| 25 |  | Have a Nice Life
The Unnatural World
Defenestration Song - The most I've enjoyed a HANL song since Bloodhail. I can't
get enough of that moment when the mood suddenly darkens, the guitars intensify
and the vocals drop into a deep snarl. Sounds like Joy Division on cocaine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpbAFttP_Io |
| 26 |  | Sadistik
Flowers For My Father
Petrichor - Not really sure why I love his flow so much here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un2wO_v35_I |
| 27 |  | Say Lou Lou
Julian
Julian - Dark, seductive pop. Duo to watch for the future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RteQ47_z7K0 |
| 28 | | Martin Garrix
Animals (Single)
Animals - Such a bizarre drop but it's so fucking good. The middle of the packed
dancefloor at 3am with the strobe light all over you. Biggest club track of 2013, and
I?m not sure the producer is even old enough to have ever been to a club.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCYcHz2k5x0 |
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