1. MIRRORS ‘Ways To An End’Mirrors’
First single for Skint was an infectious counting song, coming across like Kraftwerk covering ‘Senses Working Overtime’. Each unexpected Brighton appearance brought further refinements to their glossy electro pop, and they finished the year supporting, then remixing, synth pioneers OMD. We really, really want their album to come soon. (SH)
2. GLORIA CYCLES ‘If I Wanted To Tell You’
The last song ever played by this sadly missed indie pop band, the emotional performance was precursored with a shout of “Don’t cry!” from a wag in the audience. But this soaring ballad doesn’t need context to draw a tear – the layered, round robin vocals do that on their own. (JK)
3. THE AGITATOR ‘Give Me All That You Got’
After kicking arses and melting eardrums around our fair city and across the country for the whole of 2010, this rebel yell finally showed everyone else what we’ve known for some time. That The Agitator are two drummers, one berserk mouth, and a politically rousing train whose churning, whoopin’, hollerin’ anarcho-pop must surely be the soundtrack to this recession of discontent. (MB)
4. :KINEMA: ‘My Beautiful Machines (Drop Out Orchestra Remix)’
As much as we love :Kinema: and their r’n’b soft synth disco-pop, the two Drop Out Orchestra remixes (which are in fact live cover versions plus samples and studio trickery, and clock in at a combined total of well over 20 minutes) are such a mind-blowathon that we had to plump for them. Don’t agree? May we refer you to Mr Greg Wilson who regularly has them in his set. (MB)
5. THE MISERABLE RICH ‘Let Me Fade’
It’s been knocking around for years but for most made its mark accompanied by Ruth Georgina Barrett’s excellent Oliver Postgate-meets-Brian De Palma video animation. It features the usual sumptuous strings and perfectly arranged backing for James’ beautifully reflective vocal but something just lifts this to a higher level. Sublime. (SC)
6. MUMDANCE ‘Don’t Forget Me Now’
We can’t think of a single other artist who makes both grime and pop tunes that we’d want to listen to. This collaboration with Esser takes indie electro and slams it into world music. It’s the sort of thing that Basement Jaxx take into the top 10 – don’t underestimate this guy, he could do the same. (JK)
7. GRINDERMAN ‘Heathen Child’
We confess that we weren’t blown away with this on first listen – in fact it was the wacky/disturbing video that got column inches from most magazines – but the distorto-blues punk soon drew us into its squalling, swirling apocalypse. Could teach most whippersnappers about how to make a racket. (JK)
8. BURNS ‘YSLM’
It’s been a great year for Burns, SOURCE cover aside. He’s up for a DJmag award (see News), produced Kelis, and worked with the legendary Fred Falke on this cast-iron NYE disco cut-up smash. Classic dance label DeConstruction liked it enough to release it. (JK)
9. SPARROW ‘All Of The Things You Were Hoping For’
Mining the styles of pop, rock and folk, Sparrow aren’t afraid to play up to all three. As much as the guitars dare the vocal harmonies to get in their way, there’s the balance of delicate balladry that this song simply redefines. (NC)
10. CROOKED MOUNTAIN, CROOKED SEA ‘One Hundred Yards Into The Desert’
As loud as it is sharp, conjuring up the likes of Fugazi for their angry reverberations; complicated rhythms are etched into their tracks. (LS)
11. LYREBIRDS ‘Now I Know Why’
12. COLD PUMAS ‘Jela’
13. BLOOD RED SHOES ‘Heartsink’
14. FOXES! ‘Who Killed Rob?’
15. ESBEN & THE WITCH ‘Marching Song’
16. ILLNESS ‘Old Song’
17. THE STARS DOWN TO EARTH ‘The Futurist’
18. THE EIGHTIES MATCHBOX B-LINE DISASTER ‘Mission From God’
19. HIND EAR ‘Coconut’
20. YAAKS ‘HRHRHYTHM’
WORDS BY MATT BARKER, STEVE CLEMENTS, NICK COQUET, STUART HUGGETT,JAMES KENDALL, LYDIA STOCKBRIDGE
