2013 was an interesting year indeed. Filled with surprises there are not many expected releases that ended up in our top selections this year. Below we've tried to highlight some of the tracks that touched us the most over the year that passed. We've had heroes that came back, quite a few new acquintances and of course plenty of friends that stayed on top of their game.
HEROES WHO CAME BACK
Bahamadia - Dialed up
There were quite a few musical heroes that surprised us with great new material. Lika Bahamadia who out of nowhere dropped the 11-minute dialed-up joint recorded on here phone (!) Another complete surprise was here collaboration with Swedish underground art/dance collective Melo who released a tune entitled "Hollow" ft. Bahamadia. There has been so much talk about her new album "Here" that we keep our fingers crossed that these two tracks are the warm up for that.
Download/buy: Bahamadia - Dialed up
Q-tip & Busta Rhymes - Thank you
We already listed their "Abstract and the dragon" as the mixtape of the year. The "Thank you" track is one of the reasons they convinced us that they're still on top of their game.
Download: Qtip & Busta Rhymes - Thank you
Peshay - Dirty
Back in the day Peshay (Paul Pesce) was one of the drum'n'bass originators. Peshay (alongside Photek perhaps) was one of those producers that whenever he dropped a new dubplate you knew you could could cop it without listening first. I haven't heard any music from him in years until about a month ago when he dropped an jawdropping track entitled "Dirty". 80's infused funk track that sound like a Dâm-Funk rework of Hashim's classic track "Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)". Absolutely awesome!
Download: Peshay - Dirty
NEW ACQUAINTANCES
Kelela & Jam City - Cherry coffee
LA producer and vocalist released this game changing R'n'B mixtape "Cut 4 me" featured producers about to blow up like Jam City, Kingdom and Nguzunguzu. To quote Factmag who appointed it the 5th best release of the year:
"In the way that the Aaliyah-Timbaland-Missy Elliott axis set a high watermark for r’n’b more than a decade earlier, Kelela and her Night Slugs/Fade to Mind collaborators have re-written the rulebook. While her peers hid behind the haze of post-Weeknd wooziness, shamelessly aped ’90s stylings, or continued down well-worn, rap-facing pathways, Kelela bared her soul with a one-in-a-million vitality and a sound unlike anyone else." No doubt!
Download: Kelela & Jam City - Cut 4 me
Hawk House - Tidal tendencies
First mixtape from this South London crew. The group consists of two emcees (and brothers) Sam, Eman, and vocalist, Demae who brought us
Download: Hawk House - A little more elbow room
Official video: Hawk House - Tidal tendencies
DJ Rashad - Let it go
Probably the footwork release of the year from this Hyperdub artist. His album "Double Cup LP" was not bat but this EP outshone most releases on the scene.
Listen: DJ Rashad - Let it go
FRIENDS THAT STAYED ON TOP
Terry Tester - It's all right
It was no surprise that Danish producer Thomas Månsson featured two of our most listened to releases of the year. The "Mixed ape music"-compilation and his own record "The Short Suite". His Alright track has a unique hypnotic sound that we never grow tired of. A given track for our list of top tunes of the year.
Download: Terry Tester - It's all right
Melo - Save me
First track in years. Hopes of a second album to follow up on his subliminal 2008 release "Off my chest" (Raw Fusion)...
Listen: Melo - Save me
The Good Sin & 10.4 Rog - Tomorrow
One of the most underrated rappers/story tellers, The Good Sin, put out yet another great collab with just as underrated producer 10.4 Rog for the most beautiful rap tune of the year. His "one-release-a-week"-project entitled "Fall Back Season" kicked off the year in style with ten great tunes. We're keeping our fingers crossed they'll kick off 2014 just as strong!
Download: The Good Sin - Fall Back Season
Listen: The good sin & 10.4 Rog - Tomorrow
Panamah
Producer Anders Christensen, guitarist Peter Lützen and lead singer Amalie Stender is the set-up of Danish electronic minimalistic pop trio. Our first encounter was their track "Ikke for sent" as remixed by Boom Clap Bachelors back in 2010. This year their finely tuned "Børn af natten" (Children of the night) kept us humming happily on our way home from a late summer event.
Listen: Panamah - børn af natten
Opolopo & M-Rock
Best edits of the year originated in Stockholm and Toronto...
Download: Kleer - Tonight (Opolopo refix)
Listen/Buy: Daft Punk - Get lucky (M-Rock's bangin' disco mix)
Questlove did his best to keep the hype alive for that third album from D'Angelo. While the world waited for D, Jose James delivered the album and the tunes that D'Angelo couldn't get out. Check his live session for The All Saints Spitalfields Basement Sessions below.
THANK YOU!
That's it. Final post of the year. We can't thank you enough for all the amazing feedback and input we've got from you all this past year. Followers, artists, labels, venues, fellow bloggers, DJs and partners.
If you want to get in touch with new music, ideas, feedback and questions don't hesitate to hit us up right here, on Twitter @beatheartsblog or e-mail: beatheartsblog@gmail.com.
Want more? Don't worry. We'll be back tomorrow with our rundown of our take on the best releases of the year as well as predictions of what to expect from 2014.
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