1) Jai Paul: “Geneveive”
Jai Paul is probably crazy. There’s no other explanation for his music or his behavior. Insanity courses through “Geneveive” like blood. I can say without any fear of overstating it that this is some of the illest shit I’ve ever heard. The first time I heard it, I couldn’t believe a person had made it. The mix is so schizophrenic it’s practically incomprehensible. The bass is at such low a frequency even excellent speakers have difficulty handling it. Tones twist around and come in and out at a feverish pace and create a sort of kaleidoscope of polyphonic math that’s dizzying enough to give you a seizure. But after spending some time with it, it starts to piece itself together. You realize that it’s not just the work of a meticulous and passionate artist – it’s unforgettable. And despite it’s desperate need of a good mastering, this collection of demos that mysteriously dropped back in April might very well be among the most sonically adventurous records ever made.
Watch “Str8 Outta Mumbai” (via Vimeo) below:
Jai Paul Track 2 Str8 Outta Mumbai
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2) Disclosure: “Confess To Me (Featuring Jessie Ware)”
For my money Disclosure made the record of the year. They took a genre that almost no one likes, house, and created a universally loveable record. “Confess To Me” is the joint on a record full of them. Disclosure got a lot out of their collaborators on Settle but what Jessie Ware pulls off here is pretty transcendent. “I’ll fulfill your desires for ya,” she sings. And it’s a compelling a offer. You’d be a fool not to take her up on it. But something about the way she says it, it’s kind of a scary proposition too.
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3) Darkside: “Paper Trails”
The first time I heard this, I got the very strong impression that it must be what Chris Isaak would sound like on acid. To test the theory I smoked myself into a stupor and reacquainted myself with “Wicked Game.” I was wrong, Darkside sounds nothing like Chris Isaak. Still I must have listened to “Wicked Game” half a dozen times in a row that day – best half hour I wasted all year.
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4) Danny Brown: “Smokin’ and Drinkin’”
There should be no questioning Danny Brown’s reign of the rap game right about now. Old was almost devoid of other rappers – mostly because Brown didn’t need them. He’s got at least 3 or 4 distinct personalities of his own to rap with. But aside from his spittin’ skills what separates Brown from his contemporaries (Kanye) is that he’s capable of honest to goodness self-reflection without devolving into emo-territory (Drake). A cursory listen to this song might sound like he’s glorifying his behavior, but really he’s just scared senseless that it’s going to be his demise (and it just might).
But part of what makes this cut so special is A-Trak’s incredible beat and the extraordinary bass that comes along with it. At the end of the first chorus A-Track let’s you think it’s gonna hit, then he pulls it away like Lucy with a football, and smacks you with it on the two instead of the one. It’s the hardest moment in an undeniably hard song. Old is filled with stuff like that and it’s this sort of attention to detail that’s going to make this record a classic for many years to come.
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5) Britney Spears: “Work Bitch”
Have you ever wondered why you aren’t as successful as you thought you should be? Well, Britney Spears has some bad news for you. On this positively meritorious track, she extolls the only legitimate path to everything from a hot body to Maserati attainment. Honestly, it’s rare for someone as full of shit as Britney Spears is to drop this much truth in 4 minutes. So you’ve got to give it up to her. And just like any other precious thing in the world, there is a proper way to enjoy this song. The first time I heard it it was lip-synched to me at Club Jam by a child of God who’s name escapes me now. But she was a 6 and a half foot tall drag queen dressed like Tina Turner with the biggest muscles I’ve ever seen and when she shook her tits and said, “You better work, Bitch,” it was gospel.
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6) Migos: “Versace” & “Hanna Montana”
I spent two hours stuck in a traffic jam last weekend, listening to U92 in a snowstorm, wishing with all my heart that they’d play something half as ballin’ as Migos. They did not. Make no mistake, Migos are ballin’, so much so that they figurd out a way to spell “niggas” with three dollar signs (NI$$A$). That said, I’m not even going to try to pretend like all of Y.R.N. is great, it isn’t. But these two visionary pieces of music certainly deserve more love than Pitbull and Eminem do in 2013 – that’s for damn sure. I mean how often does a chorus as poetic as, “Versace! Versace! Medusa head on me like Illuminati -Snake!” come down the pike? Not often enough. I’m talking to you, U92! Figure it out – you broke-ass Hot 97 wannabe.
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7) Rhye: “3 Days”
The androgynous voice singing on this record is a fellow named Milosh. A man evidently but one who sounds eerily similar to the great and wondrous Sade. That’s no insult either, if I could sing like Sade you better believe I’d be doing it…and constantly. Still Woman sounds a lot like the product of Milosh listening to nothing, but Lover’s Rock for ten years then making an album that’s only about half as funky. Somehow, it’s a decidedly good thing. I’m at a total loss when it comes to explaining how he pulled it off though. But he did … bigtime.
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8) Pusha T: “Numbers On The Boards”
Pusha T has a special place in my heart. Not because he’s the best rapper in the world (though he’s aight), but because he knows quality beats. Hell Hath No Fury is the record that made me love Hip Hop, the one that made me realize that it was a legit art form. And while you’re rolling your eyes at me for being so late to the game, prepare to continue rolling them because the beat on this song is better than anything Kanye did on his own bloated, self-aggrandizing record. I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s encouraging to see that Kanye still occasionally has good sense to drop his string of non-stop bullshit long enough to make bangers like this.
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9) Daft Punk: “The Game Of Love”
I do not mean to start an argument with M. Milner. He didn’t think much of Random Access Memories and his terrific review in this very publication says it “drifts between boring and dull,” (gasp!) he even went on to criticize their lavish robot outfits. (I’ll give him that) But, I still contend this is an excellent record, awkward warts and all. And I couldn’t disagree more about it being boring. Try as you might to ignore Daft Punk, it can’t be done. “Game Of Love” sounds like 70’s porn music, but for robots. Sexy ones. And no, I don’t know what the robot version of 70’s bush is. I’ll leave that to the wonders of your imagination.
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10) Janelle Monae: “Can’t Live Without Your Love”
I can’t prove it. This is just a theory of mine, but I’m pretty sure that Janelle Monae is trying to channel a different R&B superstar on each track on Electric Lady. With that in mind, on “I Can’t Live Without Your Love,” I’m pretty sure it’s Toni Braxton – whom I fucking love. It’s kind of like when your girlfriend puts on a wig and she looks different, but the same and it’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever seen her do.
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11) James Blake: “Life Round Here”
James Blake is a pussy. I’m pretty sure I could take him, and I’m a total pussy. So…that should tell you something. I might have to fight him too. Because this song is so good I want to punch him in his stupid, handsome, doughy-eyed, British face. I used to be a musician before I heard James Blake – then I realized I never was one. You win this time, James. Watch your back.
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12)Beyoncé : “Blow”
After hearing this song I’m guessing Jay-Z has 100 problems now and the sudden discomfort in his jeans is the most pressing of them all. But seriously folks this song is sexy. A little too sexy sometimes. Some of the innuendo makes even a foul bastard like me blush, “can you lick the skittles? It’s the sweetest in the middle.” What the hell does that even mean? I’m not sure I want to know. Because if she’s saying that her special place tastes like skittles, that isn’t normal, and she should probably get that shit checked out.
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13) Mirage: “Let’s Kiss”
If you’ve never heard of Mirage that’s because this is their only song (that i’ve been able to find anyway after 15 exhausting minutes of internet research). In any case I’m guessing this is just Johnny Jewel of the Chromatics doing his thing, and killing it, as per usual. There’s been many a time this year where at the end of this 9 minute epic, I’ve just said “screw it” and started this one all over again and I imagine you will to. But then again I imagine a lot of things that aren’t right, like Beyoncé’s candy coated crotch for instance.
If you’re interested to hear more great tracks from this year check out the full list on Spotify here. And happy new year!