#25: M-City J.R. - Addicted To My Ex (Taylor Thomas x KGTO Remix)
Of all the remixes in this list, there is no original that I'd be less likely to listen to (save for "All Star," although I certainly did when it came out in 1999). That being said this is one of the top 10 remixes of the year. It combines the loco lyrics that made the original so strange yet alluring, with a brand new ballsy delivery. Whether you have an ex like this or not, you'll certainly be flexing those trap arms when the dope drops screech in. It is absolute madness, especially in the fantastic "aahh" samples.
#24: Caveman - Life Or Just Living (Lil Hank Remix)
(As featured on EFYE) No track in this list invokes as warm a feeling and sure smile as this one. It was my introduction to Lil Hank and while I love "Pupperino" and "A Young Puppo Is Born," it remains my favourite of the bunch. It features Hank's delightful drum delivery and playful warmth that can only come from such a good boy. You can always count on him pick you up at your worst moments, and that's exactly what this track does. It is so supremely buoying that it feels as though you're bounding weightlessly across the Sea of Tranquility. Yet it's not alien at all, it feels just like home.
#23: Sinjin Hawke - Monolith (Overture)
Album openings are tricky. I'm not a fan of innocuous intros that do or say nothing. And dropping the best track right from the get go isn't really appropriate either. Sinjin is able to avoid that issue, while seemingly confronting both flaws, head on. The orchestral warm-up sets up the explosive fire of the album, while giving way to the "Wolves" vocal sample. And while there's still another track from First Opus to come, this was certainly in the conversation for best track on the album. It features all the elements that make First Opus my album of the year. It is big and bold, yet sprightly and spirited. The way the drums and vocals work and play together is utterly intoxicating.
#22: Oliver - Go With It (ft. Chromeo)
Chromeo always stir up something deep inside, but maybe I just better leave the lyrics to them. I too "feel some type of way" when they play next to me, "and I'm not tryna hide it/.../and I'm not gonna fight it." Yes, I absolutely love this, but I suppose we're here for why. It is of course uber funky and fun, combining the electro grooves of Oliver and vivacious vocal play of Chromeo. Each iteration of the synths are strong and self-assured. No matter what kind of day you're having, you'll be strutting when this comes on, any annoyances or aggravations will roll right off your shoulder.
#21: Everything Everything - Night Of The Long Knives
Last summer I had the pleasure of taking in Everything Everything live and was immediately blown away. Jonathan Higgs' potent voice spun circles around my head both in spite of and because of the mystifying lyrics (see "No Reptiles"). This led to their album Get To Heaven becoming one of my all-time favs, I just couldn't get enough. When the follow-up, A Fever Dream, was released I spent the whole day listening to it on repeat, particularly this lead track. It has everything I'd come to love about Everything Everything, and more. Higgs' voice is even more powerful, the drums/guitar/bass even more magnificent, and the lyrics even more mystifying. Just try to play this a couple times without being swept up, joining in the with the singing. This Thanksgiving I was still riding so high on this track that I literally walked around the house all night singing "shame about your neighborhood."
#20: Attlas - Frost
There aren't many artists I trust as much as Attlas. He's always able to craft the most uplifting, inspiring and downright beautiful tracks. I had thought "Ryat" was about as resplendent a track as I could expect (grabbing the 67th position in last year's list). But I was treated to this brilliance during one of the most bitterly cold days of the year. And bless Attlas for this, it made that day one of my best. First off, the title works wonders, invoking the crazily crisp sound design he's becoming known for. But then there's the chords, oh those chords. They've carved out a special place in my heart. Then there's the way they climb, ever so confidently, as though bounding up Everest with the expertise of an Assassin's Creed character. Finally, I have to bow down to the brilliance of the flourishes around the one minute mark. There is just so much going on in this track, and all of it worthy of love and praise.
#19: Michael Jackson - Working Day & Night (Barry & Gibbs Edit)
(As featured on EFYE) I knew I loved this track as soon as the groove kicked in the first time. What I didn't know was how much I'd love and rely on it as the year went on. It was one of the first in a long swing of disco dominating my playlists. The joy and bounce is unmistakable and unavoidable. You've just got to clap your hands along, grab your junk and do your best MJ dance. While dancing like The King is not easy, it sure feels that way when Barry & Gibbs' funk slaps you in the face. And, part of what I like best about disco, it doesn't just hit for little spurts, it sprays you down with nearly 5 nonstop minutes of funk. Literally working its magic all day and night.
#18: Hercules & Love Affair - Omnion (Joe Goddard Remix)
There may be no more sneakily strong track on this list. Upon a first play I enjoyed it but was not wowed. A couple months later when it came on my shuffle on the subway home, I became stunned, wholeheartedly under its spell; I had to replay it the whole ride home. Sharon Van Etten's voice wound around my ears, with a siren-like skill, all the while Joe's beat bumped along below. And the beat is one thing, but the way its bolstered with the piquing percussion is another thing entirely. While there are some epic tracks in this list, I'm not sure any is able to conjure such sublime and consistent progression. The slow and sneaky sweeps string you along the 8 minute masterpiece making it feel like a mere minute.
#17: HAIM - Ready For You
By far my most played track on this list; maybe it's because of the LinnDrum, most used in the 80s, and popularized by Prince. I love HAIM, and this being their funkiest track to date its no wonder you're seeing it this high on the list. As Danielle said in their album breakdown on Pitchfork (here), there's a lot of percussion and its anything but simple. Somehow they've made it work, and boy does it ever inspire energy and ecstasy. A co-sign from Este, calling it her favourite track on the album, is all I needed to confirm this as one of the best tracks of the year. I just need to see them doing it live, then I'll be able to die happy.
#16: Grandtheft & Delaney Jane - Easy Go (Pham Remix)
To have two versions of the same track in this list certainly says something (you'll soon notice it's not the only one). Grandtheft and Delaney Jane's original clearly laid the foundations for these fantastic remixes. And while Hunter Siegel's is strong, there's just something so mystifying about Pham's phantasmagorical remix. Eight months and dozens of plays after its release I still struggle to properly label this licentious lead. It is scrubby, wilted, tilted, lilted and some kind of filtered. It's fast and slow, high and low, hot and cold. It is everything and also nothing, because I don't think that it would do as well without the delirium inducing drum set. Like his remix of "Dear Neighbor" in last year's list, Pham has once again crafted one of the most creative tracks of the year.
#15: Sinjin Hawke - Onset
(As featured on EFYE) As I said in my Album Of The Year post (here), this track leads us into the final flourish of First Opus. And flourish it does. After first writing about it eight months ago, its only got more alluring. I still cannot quite wrap my head around all of the elements Sinjin's strung together here. When I think I have, it immediately escapes me. It is like a Zen Koan. It is and it is not. It's bigger and more destructive than a giant wielding a massive maul, yet as shrewd and skillful as a samurai. There really is nothing I like more about music than the mystique tracks like this hold.
#14: Mura Masa - All Around The World (ft. Desiigner)
Once again going back to my Album Of The Year post (here), I didn't get this track right away, but after having heard the live version in his Coachella set, I finally understood its raw appeal. Desiigner's ad libs are awesome, and some of his lines even better. I don't think I'll ever get over the line "engine farted," and man is it fun to sing along with not just that, but the track as a whole. And of course Mura Masa's musical craftsmanship is bar none. It glides along effortlessly, growing in its greatness, through perfect percussion and one hell of a fantastic flute, both of which suit Desiigner well.
#13: Jessie Ware - Your Domino
To say I was excited for new Jessie Ware this year would be one hell of an understatement. That being said I felt this album kind of fell flat for me, but measuring it against the majesty of the previous two is unfair. However there were several standout tracks, with this Stint production towering above the rest. The claps, the synths, the guitar, the bass, the drums, and of course Jessie's voice are all so sublime. The emotion in her voice is always so stunning, and incredibly graceful. However the crowning jewel in this genius affair is the fantastic drum fills that fly the track further into my heart.
#12: Kölsch - In Bottles (ft. Aurora)
As soon as you uncap this track, its magic immediately sweeps you off your feet. Aurora's aura is undeniable, with a genie-like quality. All our wildest wishes have been granted with this masterwork. It bubbles away brewing an unparalleled beauty, that both tickles the senses and warms our soul. Kölsch had quite the year, with the massive "Grey" and an onslaught of remixes, but the playful potency of this potable production is almost more than we can handle or even deserve. As we work our way into the atmospheric heights of this list we're treated to tracks that will last a lifetime, and this is without a doubt one of the best examples of such transcendence.
#11: Skream - Face Down In The Water
Here we are, the most epic track of the whole year. 10 minutes of pure progressive power. Like "Omnion" above, it's sly and sneaky, building brilliantly through layer and layer of genius. Despite that comparison, there really is no other track like it, save for the other two on this incredible EP. And to think this titanic techno masterpiece came from the displaced (by choice) don of dubstep, Skream. I know he's been doing stuff like this for a while, but it's still amazing that such a tempered track could come from what was once the wildest minds in the game. That being said this is still a wild production, and one that I absolutely love to use to take me on a journey. It is rock steady, slowly teasing and tempting with hallowed horns, wobbling synths and soothing strings, all placed to perfection.
#10: Tiga - Woke (Justin Cudmore Remix)
Tiga is both master of crafting originals rife for remixing, and remixing on his own. Of all the ridiculously good remixes of "Woke," this one had me melting in its arms almost immediately. As far as club tools go there aren't many that can match its level of instant intoxication. The groove line so godly that you have to avert your eyes for fear of getting acid in them. And while it's very much so the same licentious loop for seven minutes straight, the little peaks and valleys, effects and playful percussion, make for a fantastic voyage. The track has become the sea that Tiga throws his phone into, and the ride on its waves is a wickedly wonderful one. Do you think that if I bring my vinyl to the club someone will play it for me? Or do people even use vinyl anymore?
#9: Bullion - Blue Pedro
This list seems to thrive on addicting tracks, and there is no more perfunctory production than this. While being as repetitious as they come, it is also one of the most playful and progressive on this list. The throbbing bass is as buoyant as the vessel this jaunty jig is performed on. Whistling along with the lead line is fantastically fun, while tremendously tiring, so kudos to you if you can keep up without passing out. Although I will say, I'd love to see someone play it on the guitar, as that would be even more extraordinary. My only concern with this track is that playing it too often causes all other tracks to pale in comparison, so as with any addictive substance proceed with caution.
#8: London Grammar - Rooting For You
The most minimal, yet the most majestic track on this list. It is Hannah Reid at her holiest. She stands strong as the most powerful and important instrument in this oh so enveloping emotional masterpiece. The depth, range and character of her voice is beyond belief and while I feel I come close to that while in the shower, I know that is utter idiocy on my part. The only thing that can actually match her vocals are the gripping lyrics, and the way they are wound around the pious production. While this may be an electronic music blog, I simply cannot deny what I believe to be the vocal performance of the year, and one of my favourite tracks of the year, a spot in this list.
#7: Jim-E Stack - Deadstream
You don't have to at me, I realize this track was originally released in early 2016, yet somehow I managed to miss it. When it came up in my stream, it was as part of the EP release and therefore could indeed be considered a 2017 track. Regardless its quality deserves a spot in this list. Again it is one of the most sneakily addictive tracks I've ever come across. I knew I liked it upon first listen, downloaded it, played it several more times. Later on it seemed to keep coming up in my shuffle and because I had always listened to it as part of the EP I wasn't sure which track it was, until it hit that dead space around 2:30. It has succeeds through an incredibly warm atmosphere, slapping snare and glamorous glitzy guitar groove. While I prefer the original, it must be said that the Rostam version with Charli XCX, is just as genius.
#6: Jessie Ware - Alone (Toddla T Remix)
(As featured on EFYE) "Alone" is one of the other standouts from Glasshouse, but in my eyes it cannot hold a candle to this remix. Toddla T has worked some kind of black magic on this. And while I say black magic, it's actually rather pious as Jessie's voice and the harmonies she hits are holier than the heavens themselves, and you'll see this theme of divine dance-worthiness work its way into the following tracks. While there may be a theological feel to the track, Toddla T's only increased the tempestuous appeal of the original, souping up the sexiness. The island-esque drum hands over heaps of heat, making this one of the most sizzling and sexy songs of the year.
#5: Demuir - After The Rain (Original Vocal Mix)
Somehow despite my knowledge of Spacedisco Records, I hadn't really heard much from them until mid to late summer. That was when I found this all too epic disco masterpiece from Toronto's own Demuir. Again here we are finding a sneakily addictive track, that just continues to grow on me. The orchestral strings are sublime, the plucked strings perfect, and the groove utterly engrossing. I didn't think the vocals were really that important, but after listening to the dub version, I came to realize their role in perfect unison with the rest of the sweep-you-off-your-feet disco delight. It warms my heart more than nearly any other track this year, making me feel fantastically good, and causing me to strut spontaneously.
#4: Joe Goddard - Home (Eric Kupper Remix)
While "Home" was one of my early favourites for song of the year, I couldn't help but want more. And when Joe played this version in his disco mix for Annie Mac at Glastonbury (here), I was more than intrigued. It kept all of the magic of the original, while extending it in a more dance friendly manner. The vocals, in their many iterations, are awesome and warm, inviting an easy singalong. The bumping groove stands strong with splashy percussion and strong samples, but nothing beats the horn section. The ecstasy of the interplay between all of these elements, starting at about 5:43, is exactly what the doctor ordered. No matter what you're feeling or where you are, throw this on and the world becomes your oyster.
#3: Cotonete & Dimitri From Paris - Parribean Disco
(As featured on EFYE) I had already started putting together this list when this EP came out, but immediately knew I'd have to find a spot for it, and here it is, opening up the podium. Funky, jazzy and the dopest of disco delights; it's as though each element is played by a master, and each is given their own time to shine in this epic eight minutes. The drums are delivered in such fantastic flourishes. The guitar glides along effortlessly, until it comes to the fore and sings so sexy that Barry White has to come back from the dead just to write a song about it. Then there's the horns which quite frankly, get me horny (sorry). They are supremely suave and smooth-tongued. And of course we can't forget about the piano which is played to perfection, serving every role its asked to a tee. There is no better section of any song this year, than when each of these elements are working together in harmony, as they do in the final section. Also, make sure to check out the b-side "The Hustle Parisian."
There is no recency bias here, in fact it is rather the opposite. This was probably the first track I considered for my track of the year. My March was almost entirely devoted to this track. It is so fat and fantastically groovy. The kind of chiptune-esque bass blurts are mind-blowing and without a doubt my favourite part of this track. That being said there's so much more to love. Mayer Hawthorne's vocals are catchy, while still to this day I struggle to remember the actual lyrics. I just run ahead with reckless abandon, enjoying myself more than a child experiencing its first sugar high. In a year dominated by my dive into disco, it's ironic that I didn't even really realize that this was really the track that started it, because while it may be nu-disco, it doesn't scream that to me. It was just fantastically funky house, but I hear it now, and man do I dig it. Now on my third listen as I write this, I'm stunned by how sublime the synths are and just can't stop smiling. It's this feeling, from tracks like this, that are the reason I'm willing to sit down for four days straight re-listening to, writing about, and professing my love for, my favourite tracks of the year.
#1: Tiga - Woke
While you may not believe me, and in fact I'm not sure I believe it myself, I've convinced myself that I knew that on the first play this was going to be my track of the year. How's that for woke? When I was making this list I always knew that this was going to be number one, but kept trying to make cases for the others. Clearly nothing stuck but the techno genius of Tiga. I could go on and on, dissecting each ingenious section of the progressive powers of Tiga and "Woke," but suffice to say this is techno at its greatest. It never stops moving or playing, whether it's panning, effects, new layers, MJ-esque yelps, a sax solo, whatever; the track keeps killing in its uber infectious groove. The reality is it could be a top ten track as an instrumental alone, but in true Tiga fashion he's got to show off his subversiveness in his own wild and wacky way. The lyrics are poignant in a Black Mirror-eqsue fashion. They also shoot barbs at one of the most "annoying buzzwords" of the year and the self-righteous oafs that consider themselves 'woke.' At its core "Woke is a song about freedom," and is for me "a final act of emancipation," as I've completed this list and am ready to move on to the new year and all the incredible music it brings.
Bless Tiga and all the artists on this list. I don't do this for money, but for passion, and as someone who has little to no musical skill, it brings me joy that electronic music is not only so easily accessible from a listening standpoint but production as well. That's all from me until 2018. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Note: #'s 67, 51, 46, 39, 34, 11, 5 are not on Soundcloud.