Here’s a quick review of the year so far. We’ve each chosen our two favourite songs of the first half of 2013, and they’re presented here in no particular order.
The Knife – A Tooth For An Eye
A wordly musical knowledge, and a lifetime of anger, pleasure and rhythmic principles condensed into an exciting, lean, and elegant 4:35. – Bernholz
__________________
Colin Stetson – To See More Light
Like Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’, it starts off with a sinister, patient patter of gradual, psycholgically affecting horror, and becomes something grander and more sublime. A slow reveal, the raw, arpeggiating sax seeps into the subconsious unravelling a deep, hypnotising complexity. – Bernholz
__________________
Anna Meredith – Orlok
Anna Meredith’s last EP, Black Prince Fury, was one of my favourite releases of 2012. Anna is a self-deprecating but fiercely talented composer, with a brilliant sense of humour. ‘Orlok’, from her new (forthcoming) EP Jet Black Raider (Moshi Moshi) continues her series of playful, 8-bit cinemascapes. – Gazelle Twin
__________________
Sharaya J – Banji
I caught wind of Sharaya’s debut via Kode9 who shared it on twitter saying ‘so good’… which it is. Surprised it’s not been such a hit. – Gazelle Twin
__________________
His Electro Blue Voice – Kidult
Italy’s His Electro Blue Voice open the recent Sub Pop 1000 compilation with a glorious wave of guitar panic. I can’t wait for their debut album coming soon on the same label. – Great Pagans
__________________
Mykki Blanco – Wavvy
Only amplified by the incredible video, Mykki Blanco’s gender-straddling hip hop hooked me with it’s oppressive atmosphere and jumpy rhythms. – Great Pagans
__________________
Joey Anderson – Press Play
Joey’s already released a lot of interesting, abstract club music this year. This is a good example of his unsettling and weirdly compelling style, and it also has the most beautiful piano line that I’ve heard so far this year. – Acquaintance
__________________
Dark Sky – In Brackets
I just love everything about this. The musicality of it, the warm enveloping chords, the rattling percussion, the unshowy production, and the effortless transitions between rhythms. Definitely a keeper. – Acquaintance
__________________