I seem to now be in a steady routine of mostly ignoring new music from January to November, then digesting it all in one lump in December. This year I’ve been using the ‘Mincer’ technique to get through a thousand or so tracks.
Now it’s 2014, I have 27 tracks left, all seem to be entirely essential, and I’m posting them here in no particular order.

There are linked videos for most of the tracks, a mostly-complete spotify playlist here, and for a limited time only you can download mp3s here.

Here we go, then:

Julia Holter – Maxim’s I

We’re not in any sort of order, but I thought it good to start with what I might have put top if we were.

Janelle Monáe – Dance Apocalyptic

It’s taken me a while to get into Janelle Monáe, but 2013 was the year. Why wasn’t this a huge hit?

Charli XCX – Take My Hand

Apparently my most-listened artist of 2013. Still don’t get the appeal of ‘You (Ha Ha Ha)’ – this is great though. (NB – Duncan, can you hear the witch house in there?)

Pulp – After You

…somewhat inevitably.

Cause4Concern – Headroom (Audio VIP)

A pretty lean year for drum & bass, but here’s some satisfactorily nasty stuff with a reassuringly silly sci-fi dialogue sample at the start.

Petula Clark – Cut Copy Me

Yes, that Petula Clark. I’m as surprised as you are.

Melt-Banana – The Hive

A pop song.

Rudimental ft. John Newman & Alex Clare – Not Giving In

Another pop song.

Vampire Weekend – Step

Once again, I really don’t want to like this as much as I do.

Courtney Barnett – Avant Gardener

Favorite lyrics of the year.

Pusha T – Numbers On The Boards

This wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the bit at 1.31 where it almost goes into another bit, then doesn’t.

Sky Ferreira – You’re Not The One

Downloaded her album on a whim, didn’t like it at first. I was wrong.

Jai Paul – Str8 Outta Mumbai

This wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the bit at 2.22 where the woman’s vocal comes in.

Fred V & Grafix – Goggles

I love the low-budget videos Hospital Records are putting out for seemingly every release now.

Jon Hopkins – Open Eye Signal

This is getting a lot of attention, but I love it for the same reasons I love the track above. Which has a very different listenership.

Grizzly Bear – Will Calls (Marfa Demo)

A demo, a b-side? Really?

Julia Holter – Hello Stranger

Only Julia Holter gets two tracks.

Gerardo Ortiz – Dámaso

I don’t really have any idea what this is.

tricot – おちゃんせんすぅす

Some Japanese girls showing us what math-rock should have sounded like all along.

Tessela – Hackney Parrot

Youtube commenters are not sure if this is “breakbeat house” “post-dubstep junglecore” “UK Bass with amen breaks” “future garage” or “a modern take on hardcore”

Mumdance & Logos – Wut It Do

Shamefully difficult to find a playable link to this.

The Mole – Lockdown Party (Dj Sprinkles Crossfaderama)

Longest thing on here, could listen to it for hours though.

David Bowie – Where Are We Now?

This has been growing on me all year, while everyone else has been going off it.

The Preatures – Is This How You Feel?

Retro can be good.

My Bloody Valentine – New You

Comebacks can be good too (seems to be a theme of 2013)

Kanye West – New Slaves

I am not immune. Love the SNL version, but I missed the sample at 2.47.

Boards of Canada – Reach for the Dead

Still going, still great.

I also liked these tracks, only not quite as much:

Beneath – Duty
Breach – Jack
Charli XCX – So Far Away
Charli XCX – What I Like
Chris Malinchak – So Good to Me
Classixx – All You’re Waiting for
Daft Punk – Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)
Daft Punk – Motherboard
David Bowie – If You Can See Me
dBridge – Move Way (feat. Skeptical)
Demdike Stare – Collision
Dizzee Rascal feat. Robbie Williams – Goin’ Crazy
Dominique A – Rendez-nous la lumière
f(x) – 첫 사랑니 (Rum Pum Pum Pum)
Factory Floor – Fall Back
Fis – DMT Usher
Four Tet – Kool FM (Champion Remix)
Frederic Robinson – Mixed Signals
Frederic Robinson – Theme Park
Fuck Buttons – Brainfreeze
Intocable – Te Amo
Janelle Monáe – Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu)
Kanye West – Black Skinhead
Kowton – TFB
Kurt Vile – Wakin On A Pretty Day
Lady Gaga – Do What U Want (feat. R. Kelly)
M.I.A. – Bad Girls
M.I.A. – Come Walk With Me
Majical Cloudz – Childhood’s End
Miss Kittin – Bassline
Nowakowski – They Get Up
Paramore – Still Into You
Perfect Pussy – I
Pet Shop Boys – Love Is a Bourgeois Construct
Powell – A Band
Sky Ferreira – Boys
T.O.P – Doom Dada
Thundercat – Heartbreaks + Setbacks
Tinie Tempah – Trampoline (feat. 2 Chainz)
tricot – おもてなし
Wiley Feat Chip – Reload
Young Galaxy – Pretty Boy (Peaking Lights Remix)
Youth Lagoon – Mute
Иван Дорн – Невоспитанный
サカナクション – ミュージック

Ok, that’s all. See you this time in 2015.