#25: London Elektricity - Final View From The Rooftops (ft. Cydnei B.)
I still remember the first time I ever heard London Elektricity. A friend showed me "All Hell Is Breaking Loose" and I lost my mind. While it took a touch longer for this track to send me into such a tizzy, I was indeed left in awe. Of course it's incredibly crafted, showing off Tony Colman's exceptional aptitude, but more than that it's immersive, building an uber cool and ridiculously detailed world around you. Its magic is like the scene in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince when Dumbledore rebuilds Slughorn's house.
#24: Peggy Gou - Han Pan
Another year, another incredible couple of tracks from Peggy Gou. While it seems most prefer "Starry Night," once again I'm drawn to the b-side. Really either could make the cut but there's just something about "Han Pan" that tickles my fancy a touch more. The driving quality of its groove, the propulsiveness of its percussion and the gorgeous, almost regal, quality of its overall mixture is truly magical. It's got Gou's genius written all over it, and I for one can't wait for next year's batch of brilliance.
#23: Polaris - Kessel Run
My favourite DnB track of the year, this one is utterly wondrous. Its atmosphere is euphoric, dazzling through its diverse and long list of instruments. It roars and purrs, sprints and spins, floats and flails. It has and does it all. Sax solo? It's got that. Disco strings? That too. Its brilliance is simply unavoidable, uplifting and energizing each listener five minutes at a time.
#22: Dua Lipa - Don't Start Now
Easily my favourite pop track of the year. You know it's good when it gets remixes from the likes of Purple Disco Machine, Dom Dolla and others, yet none come remotely close to the captivating and seamless quality of the original. I had a fight with a friend on NYE when he said there must be a ghost producer (he mentioned Calvin Harris), but whether it's Ian Kirkpatrick alone or not it's one of the best productions of the year. There's endless details and it flows ridiculously well, oh and how about that bass line? My god.
#21: Daphni - Sizzling (ft. Paradise)
Dan Snaith is back in a big way. We've got a couple new Caribou tracks already and there's an album right around the corner. However his Daphni output has been the winner. Growing out of a DJ tool, this one is an instant sensation. Its energy is ridiculous, just like its catchiness. Pressing play is like setting the dance-floor on fire causing each dancer to stomp out the flames in glorious unison. A wicked original from Paradise, Snaith has added the perfect electronic touch and wound up with an unstoppable weapon.
#20: Citizen Kain - Indigo
Speaking of weapons, here's the first of two from Tale Of Us' Afterlife Voyage Mix to make this closing section. An obvious and epic banger, everything about this track screams power. The drums and bass absolutely hammer away, while even the brighter, top end percussive bits deliver a crisp metallic crack. The synths are ridiculously sick, made even better by the banging bottom end. The build is beyond big and with it the drop must be even bigger, and Citizen Kain has certainly delivered. It'll leave your head spinning, jaw agape, while you pick up your teeth with a broken arm. Techno doesn't get much better than this.
#19: The Shapeshifters ft. Kimberly Davis - Life Is A Dancefloor (Club Mix)
Just like "Indigo" above, this was one of my favourite tracks of the year before it was even released. Horse Meat Disco played it at CODA and I was frantically googling the lyrics in order to find out what it was. The quality of the brass is utterly ridiculous. It absolutely rips, just as does Kimberly Davis' voice. It's got an ageless quality to it, captivating through a magical mixture of organic and electronic elements. Spin in ecstasy and shake it to this one for years to come.
#18: KH - Only Human
One of the most anticipated tracks in recent memory. Four Tet had been rinsing this one out in his sets for a while and finally the sampled cleared and the world became a better place. It is a crazy entrancing epic that while its vocals are the bit the wraps you up, it's actually the drums and synths that really stick you. Just like "Sizzling" above it is a DJ tool par excellence, churning up any club or festival stage.
#17: Patrice Bäumel - Puppets
I cannot say where I first heard this, but there's something about this that feels not just familiar, but rather like home. Its flittering percussion is cool, whisking the track away brilliantly. However the way it blends the percussion with the static effects is what really allows the track to lift off. The movement around the lead line is exceptional, making what would be an overly repetitive track into a epic slice of inspired techno.
#16: Flume ft. London Grammar - Let You Know (Robin Hannibal Rework)
Seeing Flume and London Grammar on the same track was a trip, just as was the original. However cool that combination was it just felt like a miss to me. But then came the remixes. I have to give props to Ross From Friends and Nathan C, both of whose remixes were brilliant, but truly on a level of his own is Robin Hannibal. It is magical, magnificent and majestic, cruising uber cool through its newfound funky delivery. Hannah Reid is as awesome as ever, floating fantasically atop the sublime strings.
#15: Theo Kottis - Turning Around
There aren't many tracks that can wrap me up more than this. The mixture of elements is awesome, especially the way Kottis has woven them together. You could play the air drums the whole time or try your hand at the trumpet and you wouldn't be bored. Both are just so ridiculously fun. There aren't many tracks whose lyrics mirror its energy and power the same way. It's nearly impossible to listen to this without feeling as though you're spinning.
#14: Francis Overcast - Tired (Dr Packer Vocal Mix)
Peak Dr Packer power. The percussion and synths are on point but nothing beats the godly bass groove, glinting guitar, heavenly horns or the way they all flow with the vocals. Like "Turning Around" above, there's no way you can listen to this one and be tired, it is just too good not to tap your toes or find your way to the dance floor. Each drum fill and horn hit pushes you an inch further to the floor until you find your self in the middle spinning around in ecstasy.
#13: Octavian ft. Theophilus London - Feel It (Prospa Remix)
A subtle, yet supremely satisfying slice of break-beat brilliance. The drum work leads and delightfully so, mixing magically with the swirling, sensational atmosphere. As is always the case for me, the lyrics come second if not third or fourth, but the way Prospa have played them out and woven them around their new bed is intoxicating. It is electrifying, energizing and ridiculously catchy, or simply put: par for the course when it comes to Prospa.
#12: Ae:ther - Arteon (Dealing With God)
An over the top, techno epic that thrives through thoughtful and artfully crafted sounds and progression. It's the kind of track that leaves you in awe after just one listen and has you coming back for more, each time asking what the f that was and where you can find more like it. A singularly sensational slice of Afterlife's seemingly always inspired ethos. Techno with a twang.
#11: Imogen Heap - The Quiet
As we move closer to the top of this list, each track relies more and more upon thoughtful and effectively crafted production. Here we're obviously led by Imogen Heap's breathtaking vocals but it would be nothing without the brilliant backing track, which would be breathtaking in its own right. It is momentous and incredibly moving, delicate and truly divine.
#10: Psychemagik - Triumph Of The Gods (ft. Renate Staal Nygård)
I see great similarities between this and "Final View From The Rooftops." Both boast an exceptionally detailed soundscape with genius growth and interplay in their countless instruments. They both also feature awesome, ethereal vocal performances that showcase the celestial quality of the overall craft-work. This one marches along with incredible majesty, still sweeping me off my feet with each listen.
#9: The Vision ft. Andreya Triana - Heaven (Nightmares On Wax Remix)
Pressing play on this is like opening the door to one of the coolest jazz clubs and seeing the whole floor swinging. Its energy is intoxicating, fantastically full, so much so that it even seems to have its own scent. Leaning on the lush quality of the original, Nightmares On Wax somehow manages to magnify its majesty through his even more playful additions. Expansive and ever so serene, it's a bed I don't ever want to leave.
#8: Prospa - Intended
Just as with their previous appearances in this countdown, Prospa deliver a dope drum bed for their awesome atmosphere to thrive upon. Spinning and growing, its mystical energy is beyond alluring. It imbues its listeners with the freedom of choice, shirking the shackles of fate and determinism. Like the top track in this list, it is the positive spirit and uplifting energy that makes this track not just a catchy, captivating affair but one of the best, most brilliant songs of the year.
#7: Pete Heller's Big Love - Big Love (David Penn Remix)
There was a lot of hype around this and fittingly so. It truly is an all-timer. David Penn has done a brilliant job with what was already an intoxicating track. It bounds beautifully, slowly growing more and more gorgeous, sublime step by sublime step. It's got an undeniably euphoric quality, mixing the piano and synths to create a fabulous fever pitch as the crowd is captivated in its cordial quality. A big year for Defected, encapsulated in this enormous enrapturing record.
#6: Krystal Klear - Euphoric Dreams
As we near the end of this countdown I'm becoming more and more at a loss for words as 1) I've used them all already and 2) the tracks become more and more indescribable in their quality. So much about a personal connection, this is the magic of music. And a list like this is really about sharing the tracks that strike a chord with you and perhaps, if lucky, a few words which do the same. Obviously a great indication of what this track entails, "Euphoric Dreams" is a telling title. Immediately urging your arms and eyes upwards, Krystal Klear brings beautiful rain down from the heavens. I reference this moment a lot, but the triumphant, finale feel inherent in this track always reminds me of the scene in Beauty And The Beast when the Beast is transformed back into the Prince. A sublime, spinning punch of positivity.
#5: Fleetwood Mac - Big Love (Mighty Mouse Edit)
Any of these top five tracks could take the top spot, so it goes without saying that this is a really special, powerful piece. The original is an exceedingly brilliant song, especially seeing it performed by Lindsay Buckingham. You might think the 12" version with Stevie Nicks would be as good as it could get, but this Mighty Mouse edit is truly a best of version, the epitome of edits. It is clean and crazy strong, allowing Buckingham to flourish both vocally and through his genius guitar work. A divine dance number that always fills my heart and brings a big old smile to my face.
#4: Parcels - Lightenup (Alex Metric Remix)
An immediate and early contender for track of the year. Alex Metric simply cannot be beat when it comes to remixing bands. His productions always do a brilliant job of maintaining the original's ethos while giving it amazing new life. Here that shows itself in the ridiculously funky, fat bass-line. Its sick, house-shaking quality is enough to get it into this list by itself, but when you consider the rest of this epic remix and the sweet satisfaction it delivers (particularly in the drops), it is easily one of the best productions of the year.
#3: Jacques Greene & Cadence Weapon - Night Service
Apart from the top track in this list, this is definitely the coolest. And dare I say the best Jacques Greene track ever? There's a long list of tracks that could qualify but I'd put this up against any. It's got Greene's incredibly immersive club feel both brilliant and brooding. And man, the acid touch in here is ridiculously effective. A shoe-in as an instrumental, Cadence Weapon and his flow come as the cherry on top of one of the most intoxicating, interesting and inspired productions of the year.
#2: Gerry Read - It'll All Be Over (DJ Koze Remix)
My heart is racing not even a minute into this 1) because I know what's coming and 2) because its already so ridiculously beautiful. DJ Koze's genius is once again on full display, dazzling on all levels. I think it'd be cool to hear just the percussion tracks from this because they're so brilliant. It really is the life-force of this track, despite all of the other incredible elements. For a five minute track it feels really short, and certainly calls for countless replays, if only just to relive the drum work in the finale. There's so much exciting energy in the track and you cannot help but feel stronger and more powerful each time it catches its stride as the parts begin to play together. It really doesn't get much better than this, another timeless and ridiculously resplendent record.
#1: Teddy Pendergrass - Life Is A Song Worth Singing (Jamie Jones Remix)
As mentioned above any of these top five tracks could be sitting here in this top spot, so of course I'm full of doubt as I relisten and enjoy each immensely. That said I'm heartened in my choice of this as the top track of the year just as soon as it's started. It's nearly nine minutes of sheer and unadulterated genius. It is Jamie Jones at his finest. The progression is seamless perfection, even with the quick cuts to original Pendergrass. You can marvel at the sick synths, sublime strings, brilliant brass, awesome acid, judicious drum work or even the masterful movement and mixture of elements, but it's the little bits like the treatment of the vocals (particularly the instances of "You" and "Control") that make this such an outright stunner. A positive message, a masterful mix and some of the strongest sounds in any track all year, mix them up through the magic of Jamie Jones and you've got the best track of 2019.
Note: #'s 92, 89, 82, 80, 76, 63, 61, 54, 44, 39, 34, 11 missing on Soundcloud and #'s 97, 88, 5 missing on Spotify.