Top 100 Tracks Of 2019: 100-76

Starting today through Friday (with a break on New Years Day), I'll be revealing my list of the "Top 100 Tracks Of 2019." The following is my disclaimer, as I feel it important to preface this kind of list with some insight into its creation and the methodology behind it. While I spent a lot of time seriously pouring through this year of music, this is not a really a serious endeavour. No one was polled. Sales and streams are irrelevant. This is merely my fun way of sharing the tracks and artists that made my year better, in hopes they do the same for you. The rankings are not scientific or even fair, rather they are simply a reflection of how strongly I felt these tracks and how much praise I felt they deserved.

You'll notice the thread of disco/funk continues from last year, as once again it dominated my consumption. But once again you'll notice I touch on a variety of genres, while sticking to the brand of this blog, which is indeed a reflection of my personal preferences and ideals. There's a lot of pop music, but the list is largely electronic and dance dominant.

Finally, I will once again say that this is by no means an exhaustive list; there are without a doubt exceptional tunes that somehow failed to make the cut. However, onward and, in this case, downward, from tracks 100 to 76 we go. Find the Soundcloud playlist here and Spotify here.

#100: Robotaki - Quasar
As so often seems to be the case I'm called most strongly to the b-side of a release. Here "Quasar" captures my attention with a truly dizzying display of musical craftsmanship. Robotaki rifles off a resplendent mix of electronic and organic instruments that reminds me of both the extraordinary quality of early future bass and the indie rock energy of Erol Alkan, specifically his "Forever Dolphin Love" remix.

#99: High Contrast - Going Up
The first in a long line of DnB tracks in this year's countdown. The consistent quality of High Contrast is on full display here with this crisp, crackling cut. It's both exceedingly beautiful and seemingly simplistic, while somehow still feeling fresh and exciting after a plenitude of plays.

#98: DROELOE - Only Be Me (Duskus Remix)
Immediately heavy on the heart, this one is actually brilliantly buoyant. The swinging nature of the drop is sure to leave you swooning while the whole thing oozes poppy positivity. While a few years ago I would've said bitbird is one of my favourite labels, I can no longer say that. However this mix seems to have found the perfect balance between their sappy saccharine ethos and sharp, catchy synths.

#97: Nelly - Air Force Ones (Klutch Remix)
While I don't often get into tracks primarily for a single sound, this remix and its rattling bass is so banging that I cannot help myself. The drops are stupid dope and the rest of the track is built with enough ear catching punctuations that it deserves recognition in a list like this. It would be a banger with the first drop alone, but a progressive second drop and its sensational use of Nelly make it a can't miss.

#96: Sub Focus - Solar System
With a name like "Solar System" you'd expect some serious magnitude and Sub Focus did not disappoint. This one hurdles along at light-speed and if you go along with it, you're apt to burn up like a supernova. A lot of electronic music has an outer-space, futuristic feel and this is most definitely one of this year's best, most banging examples.

Enlightened Listening for October 4

Three weeks ago I thought I was on the precipice of returning to regular blogging and a new season of Bump In The Hump. However that weekend I spilled on my laptop, and while I'm writing to you from said computer, it is no longer on my lap as I am forced use an external keyboard and mouse while I continue to wait for the replacement part to arrive. That said mountains of music continue to be released, and while I spent most of my week wading through the weeks I missed, I've decided to focus on this Friday's releases via a new edition of Enlightened Listening. Listen below and find a brief blow by blow in the next paragraph.

As always, I like to open with cool cuts and that's what we get with the latest from Goldroom. His dreamy delight leads us into funky fun and eventually acid in Justin Jay's Future Feels EP. Following  that comes a killer four track EP from Oliver Koletzki who offers up awesome, expansive grooves rife with wild sound and a plenitude of percussion. The legendary Eric Prydz then follows with his epic 13-track PRYDA 15 VOL III album, which is of course killer quality, through and through. Turning towards bass house, there's four banging EPs back to back from trusted names like Jack Beats, NuKid, Destructo and CONFESSION. Closing out that ridiculous run is a track BLANSH had sent me in January, and while I've always been a fan of his work, I can honestly say "Way Up" is my favourite. And speaking of favourites, Gesaffelstein is back again and much closer to my favourite Gesaffelstein in the diabolically dark, shiver inducing power punch that we got from 2010-2013. Following the incredible power of NOVO SONIC SYSTEM comes Datassette's Kestrel Manoeuvers In The Dark, a brilliant mind-bending display of synth work. Finally we close with a 15-track deadmau5 remix package featuring the likes of Morgan Page, Pig&Dan, Spencer Brown and a whole host more. Enjoy!

Goldroom - Just Like A Dream (ft. Nikki Segal)

Justin Jay - Future Feels

Oliver Koletzski - We Are All Lost

Pryda - PRYDA 15 VOL III

Jack Beats -  Catch The Spirit

Hooders & Jay Dunham - Shady Business

NuKid - Aftermath

Destructo - Bassface (Remixes)

BLANSH x Schade - Way Up

Gesaffelstein - NOVO SONIC SYSTEM

Datassette - Kestrel Manoeuvers In The Dark

deadmau5 - Here's The Drop!

Enlightened Listening for June 21

For the longest day of the year we've got one of the longest editions of Enlightened Listening, clocking in at over 7 hours with an astounding 81 tracks. It opens with four exceptional albums including two we've been building up to here in Hot Chip's eccentric electronic odyssey A Bath Full Of Ecstasy and Mark Ronson's masterful pop presentation Late Night Feelings. Both share singles that I've been rinsing out like crazy and are instant inclusions in the album of the year conversation. Those two are joined by the final and gut wrenching end of Cassius, Dreems, and Shinichiro Yokota's delightful collection of dance joints I Know You Like It. Those four account for 48 tracks and without question some of the best pieces of music (vocally, lyrically, sonically, melodically, etc) you'll hear all year.

There is no let down following those massive albums however, as The Niceguys follow with a fourpack of uplifting funk from Westwood Recordings. Staying grooving but building towards bigger numbers, Rudimental and The Martinez Brothers combine for a magical piece in Faith Mussa-aided energy in "Sitigawana." Another exceptional collab follows in the fantastical feels of Lane 8 and Yotto's "I / Y."

Even more epic we go as Pryda offers up the kind of extended, intoxicating genius we've grown to expect from one of the world's most trusted names. The lead track "Illumination" is truly inspired, however the other five tracks are no mere tag-alongs as each holds the same Pryda power. 

After what seems like forever we finally have 1) new music from Afterlife and 2) the Ae:ther ID I'd been waiting on since Afterlife Voyage 013. The 20 track compilation once again proves Afterlife is perhaps the pinnacle of top notch techno. Adding another legend to this already epic list, The Chemical Brothers share a sensational dub version of "Eve Of Destruction." Staying dark and bass driven, Poppy comes in next with a desolate and dire number in "Choke." Finally we close the playlist with a trio of takes on Duke Dumont's "Red Light Green Light," which will have you dancing all the way through the weekend. Stream all the new tracks below and find individual released linked after the playlist. Enjoy!


Hot Chip - A Bath Full Of Ecstasy

Cassius - Dreems

Shinichiro Yokota - I Know You Like It

Mark Ronson - Late Night Feelings

The Niceguys - Sunset Avenue

Rudimental & The Martinez Brothers - Sitigawana (ft. Faith Mussa)

Lane 8 & Yotto - I / Y

Pryda - PRYDA 15 VOL I

Various Artists - Realm Of Consciousness Pt. IV

The Chemical Brothers - Eve Of Dubstruction

Poppy - Choke

Duke Dumont ft. Shaun Ross - Red Light Green Light (For Club Play Only, Pt 6 / Remixes)