If you know me at all, then this first track might surprise you a bit.

R&B, particularly 90s R&B, might be my least favorite genre of music and I normally wouldn’t feature a track by the likes of 90s R&B/vocal group H-Town.  But if there’s one producer that can make bad music good, it’s UK producer Star Slinger (aka Darren Williams).  Star Slinger put out a lot of top notch remixes this year, including Childish Gambino’s “Freaks and Geeks”, Alex Winston’s “Sister Wife”, and Washed Out’s “Eyes Be Closed”, but his remix of H-Town’s “They Like It Slow” is easily my favorite of the year.  It’s pretty incredible that a song I really don’t care for can be transformed into a legitimate favorite of mine.  Maybe that’s why it’s a Star Slinger Refix, rather than a Remix, but either way, my hat goes off to you, Mr. Williams.

♪ H-Town – They Like It Slow (Star Slinger Refix)

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American trip-hop duo, Phantogram, treated us to one the best EPs of the year, Nightlife.  I pretty much love every single track on the EP, but the single “Don’t Move” is a definite must listen.  NPR sums it up best — “Many bedroom producers adopt a “more is more” approach and stuff a track full of as many sounds as possible without any apparent editorial process, but Phantogram has enough good taste to piece together an array of sounds into an arrangement that makes sense. The duo has been playing to this strength more with each successive release, and it seems likely to help Phantogram endure: The band isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, just searching for new ways to make it spin smoothly.”

♪ Phantogram – Don’t Move (from Nightlife EP)

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Australia’s Cut Copy released Zonoscope this year, the band’s third studio album.  The album’s second single, “Need You Now”, is the album’s standout track (at least in my opinion).  I really love the way it builds and builds and keeps you wanting more.  If it doesn’t draw you in right away, be patient and give it a chance, you won’t regret it.  I should also add that the album’s cover art, created by the late Japanese photo montage artist Tsunehisa Kimura, is amazing.  Definitely my favorite of the year.

♪ Cut Copy – Need You Now (from Zonoscope)

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