nirvana

Top 100 Songs of 2013 (40-26)

Continuing along with my Top 100 Songs of 2013, here are songs 40-26:

40. Biffy Clyro – The Thaw/Biblical/Opposite/Accident Without Emergency

Biffy Clyro brought the heat on their sprawling double LP, Opposites. All four of the songs listed below are massive. The Biff have continued to expand the scope and reach of their sound with each passing album, and the result here is a record that sees them pushing to be arena-conquerors the world over.

The Thaw:

The change in dynamic that follows the second time Simon Neil utters, “the secrets in the snow, will always come out in the thaw” is a shot of adrenaline to the heart.

Biblical:

Choruses don’t get any bigger than the one in “Biblical”. Deservedly, a massive hit.

Opposite:

“Baby I’m leaving here, you need to be with somebody else…”

Accident Without Emergency:

Two brothers and a bad, bad man rocking their Scots off.

 

39. Jacques Lu Cont f. Alex Metric & Malin – Safe With You

Whether he goes by Jacques Lu Cont, The Thin White Duke, or Stuart Price, he’s a peerless electro/dance/pop wizard. “Safe With You” is one of his finest efforts.

 

38. Tame Impala – Elephant

I missed this in 2012. As I began to hear it on the radio in 2013, it kept burrowing deeper and deeper into my brain. By the second half of the year, “Elephant” was bellowing like a beast. One Youtube comment nailed the song’s appeal bang on: “Elephant” sounds like John Lennon singing over Pink Floyd. But with a modern twist. I love the lyric, “But he feels like an elephant, shaking his big, grey trunk for the hell of it,” and could listen to it over and over. I have.

 

37. ASAP Rocky f. 2 Chainz, Drake, Kendrick Lamar – Fuckin’ Problems

That beat. Man, oh man, that beat. This is as catchy as hip-(p)hop gets. It’s the short and ubiquitous contribution from 2 Chainz. It’s Kendrick Lamar’s verse. Maybe most of all though, it’s Drake’s verse and tag-in on the chorus. From the second the beat drops, the track is reeling in its hook.

 

36. HAIM – The Wire

It’s interesting that HAIM chose to cover Sheryl Crow(‘s “Strong Enough) in 2013 because I think if Crow were still at the fore of pop music in 2013, this is what she’d sound like. The Bangles’ and Fleetwood Mac’s influence is also palpable. I’m of the mind that HAIM were a bit overrated before they released “The Wire”. Since, their success makes sense — this track is fantastic.

 

35. Mariah Carey & Miguel – #Beautiful

Mariah’s best track since 2005’s “We Belong Together”. An interestingly structured pop ditty, as Mariah doesn’t appear in earnest until 1:31 into the track. Not a bad thing, as Miguel’s smooth vocal paves a red carpet of silk for Mariah, who, when she finally does appear, sounds resplendent and invigorated.

 

34. Panic! At The Disco – Far Too Young To Die

The best song on Panic! At The Disco’s super strong and enjoyable LP, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!. Brendon Urie and company have crafted a nice career for themselves, and over their past few records, have proven they have a genuine knack for melody and pop songcraft.

 

33. David Guetta f. Sia – She Wolf (Falling To Pieces)

I can’t get over how moving Sia’s vocal is. The music is the best Guetta’s made in ten years, but it’s the heartbreaking way Sia croons each and every syllable that carries this staggering dance-pop gem above so many of its contemporaries. Sia has magic in her voice, and it’s never been more powerful than it is here.

 

32. Queens Of The Stone Age – My God Is The Sun/I Appear Missing/I Sat By The Ocean

It took me a while to get into QOTSA’s …Like Clockwork, but when I finally did, I fell in love. There just isn’t anyone else making this kind of (rock) music right now. It’s QOTSA’s most cohesive and best sounding album. Josh Homme enlisted several of his friends, Dave Grohl and Alex Turner among them, to help mould this record, and the collaborative nature of the songs is apparent. Homme sounds inspired, and wait for it, like he’s having fun. Recording must’ve been a wild ride. This is vital music.

My God Is The Sun:

I Appear Missing:

I Sat By The Ocean:

 

31. The Dream f. Fabolous – Slow It Down

This is a brilliant mid-tempo pop/r’n’b song. It’s the clever lyric. It’s Fabolous’ sick, no sweat verse. But most of all, it’s the way The Dream pouts, “Enough with the mother f***in’ dance songs, you gotta slow it down…” Radio killa indeed.

 

Quick aside: The best and most prevalent lyrical theme of 2013 was, without question, Demons…

 

30. Surfer Blood – Demon Dance

The riff at the beginning of the song slays for days. My favourite Soundcloud comment about this song says it’s “as if The Pixies and Weezer had a baby.” The motion is seconded. There are definite Britpop tendencies here as well, and so much more. I can’t count high enough to put on a number on the amount of hooks in this song.

 

29. Wavves – Demon To Lean On

If the previous song was parented by The Pixies + Weezer + a dip and dash of Britpop, this song sounds like the offspring of Weezer + Nirvana + a splash of Green Day. “Demon To Lean On” sounds like an effortless joy of a pop-rock song, as if it were conceived of and sung whilst skateboarding down a steep California street in the summer. A helmet wasn’t needed, just as long as there was a demon to lean on.

 

28.  Imagine Dragons – Demons

The third offering in the Demon Trilogy. I think this is far and away Imagine Dragons’ best song. The more I listened to it, the more I loved it, and the more the many subtle musical strokes (designed to make it hit) became apparent. This song was everywhere in 2013, and I’ve heard it a tonne, yet I’m nowhere near sick of it.

 

27. Foals – My Number/Inhaler

My Number:

Count on Foals to issue a tune with a relatively unorthodox structure and still have it be hellaciously catchy.

Inhaler:

This must be inhaled to be believed. Foals are a force of nature and a fantastic, unique band.

 

26. Shad – Stylin’ f. Saukrates/Love Means f. Eternia/Intro: Lost f. Lisa Lobsinger, Ian Kamau, K-OS

Stylin’:

This is what thoughtful, effortless obliteration of the microphone sounds like. Shad is absolutely on fire here, from his lyrics to his cadence to his apparent ease, comfort, and joy on the mic.

Love Means:

Love means reflections like this. Love is so often conveyed in such banal, superficial ways in popular music. This is not that. Shad’s thoughts on love are deep and considered, as are Eternia’s, who kills it in her time on the track.

Intro: Lost:

There’s something magical about this tune. It’s at once an old soul, yet as fresh (to death) as anything out there now. It’s the first song on, and sets up, Shad’s wildly impressive Flying Colours LP, and it also sums it up: adventurous, original, and razor sharp lyrically.

Top 40 Remixes of 2013 (20-1)

Truism.

Truism.

And here is part 2, my Top 20 Remixes of 2013:

Imagine Dragons – It’s Time (Kat Krazy remix)

Released in the summer of 2012, these two remixes of “It’s Time” are not close enough to 2013 to merit a place on this list, but they’re worth noting because they’re both quite good.

Imagine Dragons – It’s Time (Cherry Cherry Boom Boom Remix)

20. The Vaccines – Do You Want A Man? (John Hill & Rich Costey Remix)

Interesting, trumpet-fueled take on a tune from a triumphant EP.

19. Monarchy – Video Games x The Phoenix Alive

I’m not categorizing this as a mashup since the vocal isn’t Lana Del Rey’s, so here it’ll rest. The “Video Games” vocal works really with with the music of Monarchy’s “The Phoenix Alive”.

18. Haerts – All The Days (Joywave Remix)

The come in at 1:56 is magical.

17. The 1975 – Sex (Liar Remix)

Liar’s remix leaves The 1975’s “Sex” almost unrecognisable, vocally and musically. The sadness of the original is punched in the gut and left for almost-dead.

16. Bridgit Mendler – Hurricane (Bit Error Radio Mix)

Dance-pop wizardry.

15. White Lies – There Goes Our Love Again (Torn Remix)

Slows down the pace but keeps the hooks.

14. The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna (7th Heaven Club Mix)

Bewitching dance-pop, with a shot straight to the medulla oblongata.

13. Boys Noize – Ich R U (Justice Remix)

The robot likes to get funky.

12. Two Door Cinema Club – Next Year (RAC Remix)

RAC are reliable when it comes to remixes. This is one of their best. Possibly even catchier than the original.

11. Natalia Kills – Saturday Night (Lovelife Remix)

Lovelife kill this remix. Natalia’s Gaga drawl is put through the ringer and comes out unbearably fresh.

10. Chvrches – The Mother We Share (Blood Diamonds Remix)

As mentioned in the first list, Mike Tucker has been on fire the past couple years. From his Blood Diamonds’ music (“Grins”, “Ritual”, and “Phone Sex”) to his remixes, he’s putting his signature on a whole bunch of really cool dance music. This might be his best remix to date.

The following 9 remixes are on another level from all else in 2013…

9. Nirvana – All Apologies (Sound Remedy Remix)

A tip of the cap to CB for this one (check out her page here: https://soundcloud.com/careblundell). Sound Remedy have a way with remixes that’s utterly unique. Trying to remix Nirvana would spell trouble for almost anyone — not Sound Remedy though. They let the indelible riff of “All Apologies” do the heavy lifting here, augmenting it with a grace that’s rarely heard in the remix game.

8. Lana Del Rey – Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)

Probably the most popular remix of 2013. Not much to say other than it’s a massive banger.

7. London Grammar – Wasting My Young Years (Kids of the Apocalypse Remix)

“Wasting My Young Years” is a gorgeous, heartbreaking song. Musically, it’s relatively sparse since Hannah Reid’s building-levelling vocal is the smasher, so the opportunity to give it a face lift was open for the taking. Kids of the Apocalypse took said opportunity, and did what could end up being their best work. This remix is a heart-pounding, bone-rattling Jaeger of a tune.

6. Vampire Weekend – Ya Hey (Ian Carey Liberated Version)

Ian Carey does something magical to “Ya Hey”, but I can’t quite pin down what it is. It’s not better, louder, or catchier. What is it then? Perhaps the name Carey gave to his remix says it best. Perhaps “Ya Hey” has been “liberated.” What a marvellous accomplishment.

5. Haerts – Wings (Shlohmo Remix)

The more I listen to this remix, the more I fall in love with it. The original is one of the best song’s of the year, and this remix, though much different, is right there with it. The original, with its gorgeous face; the remix, with its scar-marked face. The original, soaring to triumph; the remix, slithering to asylum. The original, a bright open space; the remix, a dark hidden place.

4. Mikky Ekko – Kids (Monsieur Adi Remix)

The poppiest of my favourite remixes of 2013. What Monsieur Adi has done here is make a really good pop song even better. Rarely can that be said of a remix. Wonderful effort on an absurdly catchy track.

3. Sky Ferreira – Everything Is Embarrassing (Krystal Klear Remix)

The original is one of the most ethereal pop songs of the past 10 years. Somehow, this remix retains the delicacy of its source, but pushes the shy wallflower onto the dancefloor, where all of its fears and insecurities melt away. This is a proper, mid-tempo house hammer.

And then there were two… Far and away, these two tracks were the remixes that affected me most in 2013:

2. London Grammar – Wasting My Young Years (Sound Remedy Remix)

Yep, two remixes of the same song appear in my top 7. And while I revere the Kids of the Apocalypse Remix, I’ve something more than adoration for this Sound Remedy Remix. At once, I adore it, I’m saddened by it, I’m completely moved by it. There’s a euphoria in the desperation here, and despite the disparate nature of those two feelings, there is a singularity at play that reigns supreme. It’s unfathomably difficult to conceive of such a thing, let alone achieve it, yet Sound Remedy have done it. Already, “Wasting My Young Years (Sound Remedy Remix)” is one of my favourite remixes of all-time. It’s also one of the best tracks, remix or otherwise, of 2013. Magnificent.

1. Alt-j – Matilda (Johnson Somerset Remix)

If you want to get lost for 7 minutes and 20 seconds, play this track. Hell, you’ll likely be gone for more than that, as the re-orientation process will take some (probably a lot of) time. Beyond the 7:20, there’s the time off work that you’ll need, as this track will force you into a solitary frame of mind in order to evaluate everything from love to space to time. And on top of that, there’s the time spent in the hospital, as on your slow stroll of self-reflection, the outside world became a moot point, though unfortunately, the car that hit you as you vacantly jay-walked across a busy intersection, did not. So yeah, I’m probably underselling it by saying it’s a 7 minute and 20 second commitment. The good news is, whatever trials follow after first hearing this remix, this remix will serve as the solace and the soundtrack.

I’d say this remix is soaring, but it’s more than that. Sometimes it soars, other times, it’s still. Whether soaring, or in a state of stasis, the song sees serenity and sustains it. Whether it’s at one of the several beat drops, or when Joe Newman’s haunting, unforgettable vocal comes in at 2:37, the serenity never ceases. There’s a remarkable peace here that is so elusive to the artistic experience, let alone music, let alone a remix. There’s a gorgeous, glowing sadness to the original “Matilda”, and somehow, by some manner of magic, that sadness is not dismissed, but accepted, resulting in blissful transcendence. This transcendence is what I seek in music; it’s what the best art delivers, and I’ve found it here.

Johnson Somerset, you sir, are a saint. I’ve taken the liberty of beginning the canonization process for you, hope you don’t mind. What you’ve done here, for remixes, for music, for me, I’ll never forget. Transformation, complete. (Until the next one.)