When I first saw that Kölsch had remixed London Grammar, this was what I was expecting. Instead, I saw a tight four-minute affair, that while good enough to make a list like this, felt entirely underwhelming. Glorious and gargantuan, this is the perfect track to take us into our final tier. It showcases both Hannah Reid's vocals and the original instrumental beautifully while extrapolating on their excellence. As with so much of London Grammar's catalogue, it is best when given time and space to breathe. It's stunning in its simple beauty, standing resolute against the abyss. A tempered touch from Kölsch, this is a masterpiece and yet another example of the power of the extended mix.
While not technically an Afterlife release, I first encountered this epic in a mix of theirs. It's got everything I want from a track like this: big dramatic movement, spellbinding synths, killer sound design and a riveting vocal to tie it all together. The massive movement throughout this seven-minute affair is all too enthralling. Innellea immediately grabs you by the hand and pulls you into his underwater inferno, brandishing you with his scalding sorcery and abysmal black art. It is another one of those epics whose infectiousness leaves you powerless to its unearthly energy and uncanny charm. Just tell me you don't get swept away by those synths...
While there are still house tracks left in this countdown, this is without question one of the greatest iterations of the foundational genre. It reminds listeners of the two producers' legendary statuses, especially as every element in it tickles the senses. The piano, the strings, the diverse drums, the vocals, the bevy of effects; they all combine in crazy infectious fashion, each sparkling and gold-plated. It really is a diamond-clad delivery that hits on every single note. It's no game-changer, it's just a gloriously good time, especially as we're wowed by the barking vocal chops.
Now I could just about copy my blurb for Moonwalk's "Salem" here as they share so much of the same killer quality. However, I find the lead line of this just a touch more enchanting. Both deliver incredible progression and interplay between the drums and the synths, sewing the two together in stunning fashion. The brassy, bubbly design of the lead line toots along with a ton of life, making it my favourite element in a sea of sensory pleasures. And it's a sea I'd happily drift away in.
#21: LeBRON - Waiting
If I were to direct a movie, I'd make sure to include a scene just for this track. It's so magical and moving, you cannot help but feel it in your bones. The twinkling intro tickles you awake with a smile, before beckoning you out of bed with the promise of fluffy pancakes and your favourite flavoured coffee. Better yet, it fills you with warmth and a jitter-free energy that no coffee can. It acts as winged shoes, giving you a weightless repose. One of the most restful and resplendent tracks I've ever come across. Sublime and soulful, divine disco.
This is how I love my Hot Chip. Every time I hear this, I'm reminded of the Hot Chip remix of New Order's "Tutti Frutti." The bleepy, analog life that burst from this electrifying affair is absolutely awesome. There really is little better than a technologically-driven track that has both a soul and a heartbeat. The gritty groove here is more than infectious enough to keep your attention throughout the seven and a half minute delivery, especially as it climaxes at about 5:20. Galloping gorgeously, this is an electric horse I'd ride any day.
I have a feeling this is an edit of some kind, but I cannot confirm that hunch. Regardless, the quality of this funky joint is undeniable, especially as Older lets the groove eat as the track rolls along. The sax lead is all kinds of catchy and only gets better as it goes along. However, the backing elements are just as important to the track's tremendous quality. It's a whole party packed into both a tight and jam-session-like six-minute sensation. While we're getting down to the best of the best, there may not be a track that brought me more smiles or unabashed enjoyment than this. I had a blast every time this came on during my bike rides, while in the shower, doing the laundry or literally any other occasion. Fabulously, funky fun.
Dazzling drums and picturesque piano. I think this may be the most divine production left on this list. It tickles the senses with each euphoric instance of the ivory, especially powerful when syncopated with the drums. The closer we get to the conclusion of this list, the more difficult it becomes for me to find the right words and this one may well prove to be the most mystifying. It's ethereal, almost out of reach in its gossamer glory, so carefully crafted in its clarion cool. While only one of these artists appears again in this list, I fully expect Logic1000 to be here again next year.
The fattest bassline left on this list; also the funkiest and grooviest. Late Nite Tuff Guy had a couple incredibly infectious releases this year, but I just cannot deny this deliriously dope delivery. Of course, Tom Browne's original is all kinds of awesome from top to bottom, but that doesn't stop LNTG from taking it even further. No sound system is safe from this gargantuan groove or Toni Smith's soulful vocals. It's almost insane how enjoyable each and every element of this edit is. The trumpet tremendous, the bass bewitching, the vocals invigorating, the guitar godly. Bless Tom Browne and bless Late Nite Tuff Guy.
Sitting just outside the top 15 tracks is a cheeky, free edit that still gets me going after first laughing out loud at its dope dualling leads in June. I still remember the first time I heard it. I was, of course, on a bike ride, and as its driving rhythm first met my ears, I could feel myself kicking it into high gear. However, I was not prepared for the fluorescent flurries to come. And when they did come, AND DOUBLED UP, I was powerless to do anything but laugh and wonder who in the world made such a ridiculously resplendent rollout. In fact, as I got to a crossing and had to stop, I opened my iPod and put it on a one-track loop. Now, I can't be sure, but I'm confident I've never made it home so quickly. Like so many of the tracks in the rest of this countdown, the power of this track is unavoidable and undeniable. It is without question one of my favourite weapons of the year, and I'm sorry to hear that the GRIM project is all but over.
Simply put, this is the project I enjoyed most this year. I'm still clamouring for the teased "Time To Time" and "Tear Down These Walls," and I strongly considered including "VSOD (Velvet Sky Of Dreams" in this list. However, the quality of this divine debut and introduction to the hardcore romance of this Love Minus Zero project is just too much to pass up. It's as euphoric and ecstasy-inducing as they come, riding wave after wave of colourful charms and beautiful breaks. It's a gorgeous giddyup that works wonders as an opener or closer. It's a captivating courtship that you do not want to end, and I, for one, am here for the long haul. Catch me crying in the club when "Love Minus Zero" launches me into a sea of ecstasy.
While I'll almost assuredly contradict myself in the next few blurbs, this is not just one of the most fun tracks of the year, it's one of the most fun ever. When I first heard it, Annie Mac did a spin back, and every time I've had the opportunity, I do the same. The first drop, especially in regards to General Levy's vocals, is absolutely insane. I think it's impossible to listen to the section from 0:54 to 1:38 and not be moved. In fact, you may just lose your mind. I know I look like I've lost mine when I groove to this. A bucking DnB bronco, there's no restraint to this whatsoever, and that's exactly the energy I expect at the first party back.
Like Hagan's "Ultra," this too had me in stitches as I first encountered its excellence in Jessy Lanza's Essential Mix. The drum rollout is so incredibly infectious and moving, and of course, it's the key to the killer quality of the track, but it wouldn't rank this highly without DJ Plead's brilliant backing bits. The swirling synths and falling-down-a-spiral-staircase crashes give the track a tornado-like feel; it sucks you in, spins you around and spits you out in a heap of dizzying destruction. Again like "Ultra," I prefer its momentous, ballistic nature in the confines of Jessy Lanza's mix, but I can enjoy this all by itself at any time or place.
#12: Jayda G - Both Of Us
A really special record. There's no shortage of soul as Jayda G jaunts across the keys and beckons us to her side with her whisper-soft vocals. The piano work is perhaps the best of the year, especially as it transcends tempo. It is tender yet tough, bold and beautiful. When this is playing, there's nowhere I'd rather be. It is the feeling of a long-awaited embrace; it is comfortable and calming, relieving and reassuring. It is the definition of a sublime slice.
#11: Bicep - Atlas
Most year-end lists I've seen have tapped "Apricots" instead of this as the Bicep Isles inclusion. However, I have more of an affinity to this, in part because of its brilliantly bleepy ebb and flow. It also came out at the right time. As artists paused their release schedules to account for what they hoped would be a short COVID hiatus, Bicep forged ahead and shared this almighty affair when we needed it most. Imbuing its listeners with energy and strength through its sublime synths and dynamic drums, it is warm and invigorating like the morning sun. It is positivity incarnate, a euphoric fearlessness in the face of unending doubt and despair, especially as more Bicep brilliance awaits with Isles on January 22nd.
This is one of those tracks that I was referring to when I said I'd contradict myself in the "Have Some Fun" blurb above. Sam Tiba has brought about one of the most infectious drum deliveries I've ever encountered. I'm powerless to its infinite charm, unavoidably flailing (and failing) as I attempt to recreate its dynamism. Honestly, beyond the obvious allure of its drums, I can't really tell you why this is such a great track. The accompanying production is all fine and good, but unlike most of the other tracks in this list, I cannot point to it as doing anything more than support the driving drums, my true love in this track. However, I will say that it's a great atmosphere that the original, and other subsequent remixes, make masterful use of. The original is certainly one of the best/most important tracks of the year and, suffice to say, this is my favourite version.
An absolute masterpiece from the inimitable genius of Jamie xx. That about says it all. It's classic Jamie xx. It's like a spiritual successor to "Gosh," but instead of the epic, slow burn of the soaring lead, this is all action, all the time. And as with so many of the tracks in this year's list, it's almost entirely about the drums (and bass). I like to imagine the whole progression as a trip down a factory's assembly line. All the percussive hits a different machine, doing a different job, attaching pieces here and there, preparing the track for the next part of this rockin' Rube Goldberg machine. But the question remains, what are we making? A gold record? Whatever it is, I want one!
Have I said anything about drums yet? How this track succeeds because of them? Well, listen closely to this one. An almost entirely technologically cast track, the percussion here is anything but automated. Hammer and James Shinra did not just drop a drum loop in a walk away. No, they programmed it (or perhaps played it) to perfect. Just focus on the hi-hat for a minute. Listen to its intricacies. It splashes, it rattles, it simmers, it shimmers! The same can be said for the rest of the percussion. IT'S ALIVE! Of course, it's got to play well with the rest of the production and boy, does it ever. I think I fall further in love with it every time I hear it. If I ever get the chance to go to space, this is what I want playing in my spacesuit. It has such a great exploratory feel, as though it was born out of Sir Patrick Stewart's reading of the Star Trek: The Next Generation intro. Life has indeed been found on "Lunar Seven."
The inclusion of a TSHA original here, especially one from Flowers, proved to be one of the best bets you could make. I've been seeing "Sister" represented more often in these year-end lists, but the acid-laced synth lines here are just too infectious. With a pop sensibility, we're treated to a tight three-minute delivery that will have you doing the same as I am now, constantly reaching for the 'last track' button. It's a bit of a wall of sound, but that wall is beautiful and all too alluring, from the jump to the final kick. The same dazzling and diverse drum qualities that made her remix of Qrion so stunning appear here as the backbone of this track's funky style. After being enamoured with her remix of Prospa last year, and Flowers this year, it's clear that TSHA is deserving of a spot on your radar, as she is one of the scene's most intriguing talents.
When Annie Mac had Jack Garratt on her show to premiere this, I had no knowledge of him. I still know very little, but what I can tell you is that he is immensely talented, and that this track is a great example of that fact. The first point of interest and proof of his undeniable aptitude comes from the fact that he played every single instrument in "Time," even teaching himself the trombone. While there are still a couple tracks that rival it, this is one of the most emotional tracks of the year. While I'm always a music above lyrics type guy, these are quite likely my favourite of the year. But of course, it would follow that the music here is of the highest quality. And indeed it is. It is epic without being overwrought or sappy; it simply flows and grows with an incredible passion and fervour. It is downright rapturous in its final flourish, one that had me marching triumphantly every time I heard it.
The top DnB track of the year, a year in which I'm glad I didn't drive much because I'd almost certainly have a speeding ticket or two thanks to this track. In fact, I'm kind of surprised I didn't get one on my bike. Whenever this came on it was as though I had been injected with NOS. You could also exchange that metaphor with a Mario Kart one as it is like a star, and I'm just crashing into everyone I approach. This is even better because the flashing crash effects play perfectly with the almost purring effects Dr Meaker used throughout his remix. As I listen to this more closely now, I definitely think I'm so partial to this because of its proximity to video games and their sounds effects. But it's not just all cheeky effects one after another. Rather, Dr Meaker has brought his A-game here, flipping Izo FitzRoy's funky offering into an epic complete with strings and a mountain of movement. Next time your day needs a jolt, or you just want to rage for a few minutes, turn to this tremendous offering.
Just about every year, one of these top tracks finds its way into my phone. While I haven't changed my notification effect in a long time (it's still a string riff from "Beulah Loves Dancing"), this has been my ringtone since late September. Specifically, the section starting at the break at 2:45. What a sample these two have picked here, and what a bloody good job they've done surrounding it with breaks. There's little better than when that kind of cheekiness is actually good. The drums? Yeah, they're dope. The synths? Uh, yeah. Spectacular and sublime. The melody? Magic. The progression and playfulness? Perfection. This is one of the best rides, one of the most enjoyable and easy to love tracks I've ever come across.
We've made it to the podium! And this is where I begin to fight off tears as I gush about these three momentous, magical and immensely affecting tracks. Of course, the story with this one makes it that much more emotional as it marks the end of Cassius with the untimely passing of Philippe Zdar. Sometimes the magic of music works in strange ways, and I wager there is no better track to remix on your way out, especially in such a dark, despair-ridden year. This is the kind of track we need; the kind of resolute strength that reminds us of the good this world has to offer. There is no defeat here, especially in this XXL remix, which dances along defiantly. The power of the piano is again front and centre as Zdar and Boombass break out all the stops in this impassioned offering. The duelling piano and acid at the end is the kind of capper that both reminds you of your love for electronic music and causes you to collapse in tears, crying out for clubs to reopen. There really is nothing like an extended instrumental jam, let alone a four-minute fluoro-finale. RIP Zdar. Thank you for everything.
Somehow I managed to miss any discussion around this track. It's a Tiësto side-project, and yet it seems to have gone without any hype. Maybe I'm just in the wrong places, but I would've expected at least some feverish fandom. It certainly is deserving. Perhaps the most moving track of the year, it boasts an incredible melodic foundation that I found with the right system, will shake any building you're in. I haven't had many opportunities to really crank my speaker setup (subwoofer especially), but when I did this summer, it felt like I was landing I rocketship. Some low ends are all kick or just straightforward thumps, but here VER:WEST has crafted one of the most captivating and cool subs in memory. I highly encourage you to find a time and place to crank this with the proper bass. You won't be disappointed. Now, of course, that massively moving foundation is fabulous, but we cannot go without mentioning the mystifyingly magical melodic lead line. It's delicate and vapourous, undeniable ethereal. It shines and flickers like a gas giant going through its final stages of a supernova. Simply put, it is one of the most stunning, spellbinding and sublime pieces I've ever heard - true melodic magic.
We did it! The top of the tops! Was there ever any doubt that this would not take the top spot? Caribou has a knack for timeless tracks. And this certainly fits the bill. It's the kind of track that you can pick up almost immediately, but it's also so intricate and ingenious that after dozens of plays you'll still find new fascinations. Right from the jump, the synths stun, especially as they're combined with the insanely cool and sophisticated vocal chops. And they only get more enrapturing as the track rolls along. The melody ebbs and flows atop the oo's, ah's and bip's, sending your brain into a tizzy trying to make sense of this elaborate rollout. And speaking of the rollout, we haven't addressed the drums yet. While they're not the most unique or inspired, they do their job as well as any track in this list and indeed keep things interesting. The secondary fills and depth that the non-standard kit sounds give the track just add to its overall captivating charm. That said, the thumping fill that takes us into the final round is just so ridiculously effective. Much like in Horse Meat Disco's "Falling Deep In Love" there's just something about that simple, yet striking da-dum-dum that I cannot get enough of. It's just such a great euphoric release. A throw your hands in the air as you brace for the drop on the rollercoaster. While some tracks strut, this one skips, jumps and gambols. And if it were a rollercoaster it would be rife with loop-the-loops and barrel rolls. It is a nonstop funfest and indeed the track of the year.
Note: #'s 57, 52, 45, 44, 40, 8 missing on Soundcloud and #'s 53, 51, 42, 21, 19, 17, 16 missing on Spotify.