Top Tunes 2019

Here’s a compilation of favourite songs I bought in the last year (note not all were released this year). It was a damn fine year in my view, and I certainly splashed out on plenty of vinyl – almost certainly the most I bought in any one year. It felt like I discovered quite a lot of new music, but on closer inspection most purchases were from artists I already owned, not that that’s a bad thing.

My particular favourites from this year are W. H. Lung (simply awesome – saw them live twice – even awesomer), Ólafur Arnalds, Josefin Öhrn and Parquet Courts, and I absolutely love the new Underworld. My obsession with anything resembling a motorik beat continues, although my taste seems to moving back towards electronica from the alt-country preference of more recent years (although chuck in some modern classical for good measure).

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Fifty-odd vinyl records spread out on my floor

Because I keep these compilations to the length of a CD, there are some notable omissions from this list, including new(ish) albums from Gruff Rhys (again), Ride, Broken Social Scene, The Fall, Flamagra, Fröst, Moon Duo and a beautiful classical album from Beth Gibbons.

The Best Songs I Bought in 2019, Ever

  1. Second Death Of My Face by W. H. Lung from the album Incidental Music
  2. Everything For You by Lambchop from the album This (Is What I Wanted To Tell You)
  3. I Am a Very Rude Person by Thom Yorke from the album Anima
  4. The Spoils by Massive Attack feat. Hope Sandoval from the single The Spoils
  5. Inconsist by Ólafur Arnalds from the album Re:member
  6. Custard Speedtalk by Underworld from the album Drift Series 1 – Sampler Edition
  7. See My Girls by Tindersticks from the album No Treasure But Hope
  8. Left Handed by Ohmme from the album Parts
  9. Viktor Borgia by Stephen Malkmus from the album Groove Denied
  10. Argent by Jane Weaver from the album The Silver Globe
  11. Last Bloom by Floating Points from the album Crush
  12. Wide Awake by Parquet Courts from the album Wide Awake!
  13. Licensed To Drive by Black Mountain from the album Destroyer
  14. Nice Man by Idles from the Meat EP / Meta EP
  15. Panama by the Wedding Present from the single Jump In, The Water’s Fine
  16. Films by Gary Numan from the album The Pleasure Principle
  17. Rechargeable by Snapped Ankles from the album Stunning Luxury
  18. Imagine You by Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation from the album Mirage

You can listen to the playlist on Spotify.