10. James Blake - Retrograde
There isn't much else to say other than James simply owns in this track. Going to be tough for him to ever top this.
9. Woodkid - Iron
Such a refreshing change of pace to the music scene. He specializes in directing music videos so this one isn't even fair. You'll find out later how this isn't even the best track to the album which should be hard to imagine..
8. Mogwai - Remurdered
Don't let the track title fool you, this is one of the more accessible Mogwai tracks to date. Not that they are ever really hard on the ears per se, their lack of lyrics usually limit the number of fans they will obtain. This particular track is a fantastic achievement in musical composition in which they utilize a bit more 'Daft Punk' then post-rock influences in this one and it comes across brilliantly.
7. Julia Holter - Horns Surrounding Me
I see the term 'hauntingly beautiful' thrown around quite a bit but this is a rare case where it is definitely warranted. The combination of her voice, driving cello, and the right amount of saxophone make it the perfect musical cocktail that will shake you to your core.
6. The National - Don't Swallow the Cap
The Album of the Year is almost impossible to pick which tracks are the cream of the crop. This particular one sticks out to me because it's a slight departure for The National which is quite refreshing. All of the underlying instruments are quite uplifting and the lyrics are quite uplifting. The lyrics themselves are open to interpretation (some of them may be negative) but whatever take you have they seem to be trending in a positive direction.
5. Regina Spektor - You've Got Time
Lorde is probably going to OWN the Grammy's, which is fine, but 1:02-1:30 is arguably the best vocal performance of the year. The interlude following this is just as incredible and if you've ever watched "Orange is the New Black" you know that this is the opening track which could not be a more perfect fit for a fantastic show.
4. Foals - Bad Habit
I had not seen the video to this until now, holy smokes. This wasn't what I had envisioned but I guess anything will go well with this track. Not all great songs these days need to necessarily be centered around a main chorus but this is probably the best chorus of the year. The build up into the crescendo that is the final chorus starting at 3:00 is what sets this track apart from the rest.
3. Daft Punk (ft. Panda Bear) - Doin' it Right
The one and only Panda Bear absolutely steals the show with his ridiculous ability to create the perfect pitch/cadence/lyrics to make you get lost within the song. I would relate this to a 4 minute dream where your thoughts wonder to whatever your synapse drive-by shooting in your brain can produce and then when it's all over you are brought back to the sober reality of your mind. Let's just hope that state isn't so bad or else you may need to have this on repeat.
2. The National - Graceless
I had mentioned earlier that the National's "Trouble Will Find Me" is so flawless that it's sort of tough selecting which tracks are the cream of the crop. Well, "Graceless" managed to rise above all of the rest and is one of the best track in their entire catalog. I'm glad they made the video to be as much fun as the song is. The track itself has a sort of vibe to it that just makes you want to have some great times to so that when you listen to it years down the road it acts as a time capsule as to the great times you had while listening to it.
1. Woodkid - The Golden Age
Here is your #1 track of the year. The video does an incredible job encapsulating the theme of the track...the end of childhood. All of the ET and Neverending Story clips do quite a number on me considering those were movies that I watched during my particular childhood. The crescendo that begins at 1:35 is what really sets this track above all the rest this year. Music has an amazing way of capturing the human emotion and triggering it with a few instruments. If it is composed right, it can transcend that into something even greater, and this track manages to achieve just that.
