Top Tunes 2021

I’ve just about squeezed this out while it’s still January – my annual compilation of favourite songs from those I bought in the last year (not all were released this year). As a deviation from the electronic pop favourites of last year, I’ve gone a bit post-punk, or whatever the kids are calling it nowadays: Squid; Black Country, New Road; and a cracking new album from Mogwai. But my absolute favourite is Darkside (both albums) and Nicolas Jaar from 2013.

Róisín Murphy gets in again, with a banging remix from her producer Crooked Man. Snapped Ankles make a welcome return and there’s a fab Hot Chip remix of long time favourite Django Django.

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Over fifty vinyl records spread out on my floor

Because I keep these playlists roughly to the length of a CD, there are some notable omissions from this list. Black Midi is one, although I find it a little hard work at the moment. Also a classic oldie from Metronomy, some Seventies jazz funk from Ian Carr’s Nucleus, and a classic album from Love which was largely unknown to me – an omission generously corrected by my good friend Anthony.

The Best Songs I Bought in 2021, Ever

  1. Pearl in the Palm by W. H. Lung from the album Vanities
  2. Teeth by Working Men’s Club from the album Working Men’s Club
  3. Black Widow Spider by Parquet Courts from the album Sympathy For Life
  4. G.S.K. by Squid from the album Bright Green Field
  5. The Limit by DARKSIDE from the album Spiral
  6. Der Rhythmus der Maschinen by Public Service Broadcasting from the album Bright Magic
  7. Push/Pull by bdrmm from the album Bedroom
  8. Ritchie Sacramento by Mogwai from the album As The Love Continues
  9. Hardcore Jealousy by Róisín Murphy from the album Crooked Machine
  10. The Revolution Of Super Visions by Jane Weaver from the album Flock
  11. Athen’s, France by Black Country, New Road from the album For The First Time
  12. Festival by Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes from the album What Kinda Music
  13. Too Many Kids Finding Rain In the Dust by Nicolas Jaar from the album Space Is Only Noise
  14. You’ll Have to Scream Louder by Tindersticks from the album Distractions
  15. All I Ever Need by Caribou from the album Our Love
  16. Illumina by Lamb from the album The Secret Of Letting Go
  17. Emergence in Nature by Hannah Peel from the album Fir Wave
  18. Shared Particles by AK/DK from the album Shared Particles
  19. Rhythm Is Our Business by Snapped Ankles from the album Forest Of Your Problems
  20. Glowing in the Dark (Hot Chip remix) by Django Django from the EP Glowing in the Dark – the Remixes

You can listen to the playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.