Beathearts top selections 2013: Best tracks

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)

Jose James - It's all over your body
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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Daft Punk ft Pharrell - Get Lucky (M's Chic Disco Mix)

As much as I loved Daft Punk back in the day when they dropped those secret white labels on Soma (Da Funk) and Sourcelab (Musique) I must admit I didn't feel their new single Get lucky when it dropped. And that's despite our fascination for Pharrell's projects.

So I was equally sceptical as surprised when one of our regular contributors, DJ M-rock, dropped a rework of the track. He had the same feeling as we did, that the new track lacked something. But instead of whining he did something about it.

M-Rock:

"The thing with the Daft Punk ft Pharrell song is even though I love the risk they’ve taken, and how that vintage disco sound is so familiar, it doesn’t totally knock the room down. And it sounds a bit like it could use some more to really give it that old school feel. I wanted to hear a funky brass band and a section of violinists bending their necks towards their instruments on top. So that’s what I did, I just worked hard at producing it so it sounds old school. People are constantly telling me I made an amazing song actually sound better. They can’t even believe it’s the same song because it feels different."

Indeed! It's all in the details. It's the same track but with that dope live feel that makes the whole difference. Dope!

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Tribute to Adam 'MCA' Yauch (1964-2012)

"I want to say a little something that's long overdue - the disrespect to women has got to be through. 

To all the mothers and sisters and the wives and friends, I want to offer my love and respect to the end"

MCA - Sure shot (1994)

Beastie Boys have been pushing the boundries of hiphop ever since their first rap tune Cocky puss came out in 1983. They started off as a punk band called The young aborigines in 1979. When MCA joined the group in 1981 they changed their name to Beastie Boys (Beings Entering Anarchistic States Towards Internal Excellence). 30 years later they are still one of very few hiphop crews from the 80s that are still active and putting out quality releases.

The stand out album for me is Ill communication (1994). Like much of the leaked D'Angelo material it had that dirty almost demoesque sound with little loops and skits that gave it more of a jam session feel than a finished album. With tracks like Sure shot, Root down, Flute loop, Get it together and of course Spike Jonez video for Sabotage it always get our heads nodding. Below we've added two of the dopest tribute tapes we've found.

First up is Toroto's don of mixtapes M-Rock:

This group was old school when the word old school didn’t exist – messy but banging production, a tonne of samples, sillyness inserted everywhere, and lots of that old 70s funk. I’ve had little sleep over the past few days because I committed to getting this out, so I’m going to depart from paragraphs and go into bullets…brrrrap. Here’s a few highlights of the Beastie Boys:

• Never recorded one record to be mainstream yet were the biggest thing when they came out: Their debut was the first hip hop album ever to go #1 on the Billboard 200.
• MCA was the freshest in the group – his voice was super ill, and although he wasn’t as energetic as Ad Rock, he delivered that cool but rugged voice nicely everytime. The other 2 occasionally annoy me, but on stage, they hold it down better than MCA in my opinion.
• They’re the original hipsters, except it’s not a trend, they’re dressing or acting a certain way, because they are grown kids and really don’t give a **** what ppl think.
• When they did “Get it together” with Q-Tip (whose favourite album is “Paul’s Boutique” btw)., nobody could front on them – that was a DJ Premier level beat with a nasty hook…10/10. Turns out the break is real mooged out on some uptempo Dilla shit.
• Lastly, even though they haven’t been in their prime for a while, it’s sad to see MCA go, and probably take the band with him. When their music is on, it’s fun, it’s conscious, it’s innovative and always classic still. RIP MCA and enjoy the mix.

The second mixtape is from the always reliable Mick Boogie who put this great compilation together a couple of weeks ago when the Beasties were voted into the Rock'n'roll hall of fame.

"It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time… something people have asked me to do for a long time, actually… but I wanted it to mean something. Now, it’s finally the right time.I present to you Grand Royal.  80 minutes of my favorite Beastie Boys rarities, remixes, demos, live versions, out-takes, and more.  If you’re a Beasties fan, I guarantee you find something new and exciting on this mix!"

Download: Mick Boogie - The Beastie Boys tribute mixtape

Hopefully Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz will keep exploring the field of hiphop even though their brother-in-arms has moved on. MCA rest in peace.

Tracklist for the Mick Boogie mixtape:

1.Beastie Boys-Mick Boogie nVMe Intro
2.Beastie Boys - The Skills To Pay The Bills (Explicit) (2009 Digital Remaster)
3.Beastie Boys-The Vibes
4.Beastie Boys-Time To Get Ill Live Remix Version
5.Beastie Boys-Sure Shot Nardone Large Professor Remixes
6.Beastie Boys - Jimmy James (Original Original Version) (2009 Digital Remaster)
7.Beastie Boys-Four Fly Guys Feat Hurricane
8.Beastie Boys-Intergalactic Original 94 Version
9.Beastie Boys - Root Down (Free Zone Mix) (2009 Digital Remaster)
10.Beastie Boys-Get It Together Buck-Wild Remix
11.Beastie Boys-In A World Gone Mad Original Mix
12.Beastie Boys-Negotiation Limerick File Handsome Boy Modeling School Mix
13.Beastie Boys-Alive
14.Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies (Remix)
15.Beastie Boys - Dope Little Song (2009 Digital Remaster)
16.Beastie Boys-Shake Your Rump Madlib Remix
17.Beastie Boys - Stand Together (Live At French's Tavern, Sydney, Australia)
18.Beastie Boys-The Maestro Live Version
19.Beastie Boys-The Sounds Of Science
20.Beastie Boys-Gratitude Live Budokan
21.Beastie Boys - Pass The Mic (Pt. 2, Skills To Pay The Bills) (2009 Digital Remaster)
22.Beastie Boys-Stop That Train 3-Way Mix
23.Beastie Boys-Spam Feat Milk Dee
24.Beastie Boys-So What Cha Want Butt Naked Soul Assassin Remixes
25.Beastie Boys-Sabotage Live Version
26.Beastie Boys - Beastie Revolution
27.Beastie Boys - Honky Rink (2009 Digital Remaster)
28.Beastie Boys-Benny And The Jets Live Feat Biz Markie
29.Beastie Boys-Netty s Girl

Tracklisting for M-Rock's mixtape:
1.M-Rock’s Intro
2.An Open Letter To Nyc
3.Too Many Rappers ft. Nas
4.B-Boys Makin’ With The Freak Freak
5.Stick ‘Em Up w/Hurricane
6.Rock Hard
7.Paul Revere
8.No Sleep Till Brooklyn
9.Make Some Noise
10.Sure Shot
11.Root Down
12.The New Style
13.Let me clear my throat Bpm 103
14.Hey Ladies
15.Hey Ladies (Paul Nice Remix)
16.Shake Your Rump
17.Body Movin’
18.Aquarius (Let The Sunshine In) by Moog Machine and Headless Heroes by Eugene McDaniels
19.Get It Together ft. Q-Tip
20.Danger – Blahzay Blahzay +
21.Drop – The Pharcyde +
22.Three MCs And One DJ (Live at MTV Awards 97′)
23.Intergalactic (Live at MTV Awards 97′)
24.Ch-Check it Out
25.Brass Monkey
26.Fight For Your Right
27.Girls
28.Rhymin & Stealin
29.The New Style
30.Slow And Low
31.Pass The Mic
32.Gratitude
33.Sabotage
34.So What’cha Want
35.So Whatcha Want (Remix) ft. B-Real
36.Ya Don’t Stop – The Beatnuts +
37.Skills To Pay The Bills
38.Jimmy James
39.Alive

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