Sick of endless Christmas carols and seasonal muzak?
Maybe you need to soundtrack your day with the best 25 tracks of 2014 (according to me.)
1 hour and 40 minutes of music that is sure to inspire, invigorate and enhance the end of your year. (No guarantees).
Listen via an evil Spotify embed, or a series of Soundcloud and Youtube clips:
1. Seasons (Waiting On You) - Future Islands
The song of 2014.
2. Jerk Ribs - Kelis
Whether it's milkshakes or jerk ribs, you'll get no complaints from me.
3. Red Eyes - War on Drugs
Thrilling open-road Americana. Enjoy it before it's used to soundtrack some pivotal moment of character development in an indie drama.
4. Rhythm of Devotion - Sisyphus
An unlikely trio of artists deliver a song that defies expectations to become a sneaky earmworm.
5. Cavalier - James Vincent McMorrow
In defiance of pronunciation, McMorrow's sings whole words as single notes to stunning effect.
6. Queen - Perfume Queen
No family is safe.
7. Belly of the Beast - Gazelle Twin
Some glitchy body horror to darken your day.
8. Disco/Very - Warpaint
Awesome beat, awesome vox, OK dance moves.
9. My Desire - Interpol
I didn't know Interpol had another song as good as this in them. Best played loud.
10. Keep on Lying - Jessie Ware
It's a bit cruise ship bossa-nova, a little bit goofy, but all amazing.
11. A Little God In My Hands - Swans
The second best song of the year. A great introduction to the world of Swans, packed into a lean (for them) 7 minutes.
12. Talking Backwards - Real Estate
Fall into the warm embrace of pop perfection.
13. Black and White - Parquet Courts
Urgent slacker rock? I guess it's a thing.
14. Let Me Be Mine - Spoon
The best track from the most consistent band in the world's great new album.
15. Two Weeks - FKA Twigs
A seething combo of nightmares and wet dreams.
16. Blue Moon - Beck
Ranks among the most beautiful things Beck has ever produced.
17. Break Me - Sharon Van Etten
The most heartbreaking track of the year.
18. Forerunner Foray - Shabazz Palaces
Enter the sci-fi fuzz of Shabazz Palaces and never look back.
19. Radio On - Ex Hex
It'll be stuck in your head for days. (That's a good thing).
20. Alexandra - Hamilton Leithauser
Rollicking exuberance from the former Walkman frontman.
21. Hi-Five - Angel Olsen
A shining slice of rockabilly.
22. Flesh War - Total Control
Post punk pleasure.
23. Severed Crossed Fingers - St Vincent
A soaring ode to art as an act of dismemberment.
24. Back Home - Caribou
Do androids dream of kaleidoscopic electro?
25. I Love You All - The Soronprfbs
Their other most likeable song.
