SNH EoY - Top Tracks of 2012

Music, and our love of it, is what brings us as a group together - at the moment, technically, only two of us live in London right now (sorry Fallon). This is our first collective series of posts that we've all contributed to; the internet is an awesome beast! Anyway - from all of us, here are our top five tracks of the year - and what a year it's been! 

Duncan: Chromatics – ‘Back From The Grave’ from the album ‘Kill for Love’

Chromatics perfectly toed the line between electro apocalypse and dreamy pop on ‘Kill for Love’ – without a doubt one of the best records of the year – and ‘Back From The Grave’ encapsulates all that was great about their music. I resist calling it a stand out track, because the whole kit and caboodle was mind-blowing. This songs drips with atmosphere and a finely tuned interplay between bleeps and twangs... oh, and when Jewel sings “and babies are born and monsters are born” you could be watching the opening credits of the best 80s time-travel horror film that was never made. Stunning.

James: Tame Impala - 'Elephant' from the album 'Lonerism'

There's something joyous about this track from Tame Impala's Lonerism, also a contender for album of the year. Like fellow pop-progressives Battles and Of Montreal, the refreshing thing about Kevin Parker's experiments is how fun they are. There's nothing po-faced about it, just an instantly catchy melody, head-nodding pulse and gleefully grandiose synthesiser that heists the track mid-way through and won't give it back.

Miranda: How To Dress Well - '& It Was U' from the album 'Total Loss' 

Here comes fun!! 

What a tune! This song has been at the top of my morning wake up playlist since it's release in September. Despite largely shying away from the resurgence of R&B this year* (which those trend ethnographers could smell a mile off), I couldn't help but get drawn into the extraordinary intimacy of this new singer - the guy's had a pretty tumultuous life which he as unabashedly expresses through his blog and in interviews; he gives his songs vulnerability through a raw simplicity that strikes me as a lot more real then say, The XX. Plus, he used to practice his singing/pitch to Michael Jackson song in his car, so for an old MJ obsessive, mega street cred there. once the stomp kicks in, I DARE you not to dance. 

Totally striped down, totally jammin'.... it's a great outlook for the day, neigh, year ahead! 

*Ok, ok I may have tickets to see Jessie Ware in 2013..

Alwin: M83 - 'Midnight City' - from the album 'Hurry Up We're Dreaming' (even though it came out in 2011!)

Easily, and most definitely Midnight City by M83 (yes, even though it came out in 2011!). Crossover hit of the year and my soundtrack to all the fun moments in 2012. It has awesome harmonies in the verse, a screaming monkey for an intro, an acceptable sax solo and its pure fun. 

Sophie: Cloud Nothings - 'Stay Useless' from the album 'Attack on Memory'

Cloud Nothings' epic anthem ‘Stay Useless’ has totally summed up my manic year in its entirety.  I’ve just been far too busy to just stand still, do nothing and just well, stay useless. The propellant dynamic of the song as pretty much caused an opposite effect – listening to this track is like taking twenty hits of espresso in one go and there is no way anyone would chill out after that.  It’s always guaranteed to put a smile on my dial, and for that, it’s a winner.