Aphera Music

I’m on spring break which means it’s wayyyy too late for this but here we go…

My 10 Favorite Songs of 2011 (in no order)

Jacques Greene – “Another Girl”
This song is perfect.

Joy Orbison – “Video Games” Lana del Rey RMX
Wow Lana del Rey… Not that her music or personality wows me in any way but how does she exist? I do love this remix of her song “Video Games” by Joy Orbison. Really great.

The Stepkids – “La La”
Nothing to say about this song. Just listen for the awesomeness of the catchiest wordless chorus ever.

Radiohead – “Separator”
This song is a serious top contender for the most beautiful song Radiohead has ever written. I’d go as far as to say it’s one of the prettiest songs I’ve ever heard.

SBTRKT – “Pharoahs”
One of the best pop electronica/dance songs ever.

SBTRKT – “Hold On”
There’s an emotion captured in this song which really resonates with me. That and Sampha’s vocals hit it real good… I mean realllll goood.

Julio Bashmore – “Well Wishers”
Is there nothing groovier than this?

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks – “Tigers”
Perfect summer pop

James Blake – “Unluck”
A delicate blend of a post dubstep sound palette mixed with brilliant songwriting.

This is a live version, primarily because I couldn’t find the album version anywhere on youtube but this is pretty good anyway.

Radiohead – “Bloom”
My brother called this “future music” and I’d probably have to agree. So fresh it’s not even here yet.

Honorable Mentions:
Wilco – “Art of Almost”

Thundercat – “For Love I Come”

Shabazz Palaces – “Are You… Can You… Were You? (Felt)”

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Producer Julio Bashmore’s as of yet unreleased track “Well Wishers”. I heard this along with the track by the Portico Quartet called “City of Glass” which I’ve uploaded to the player. It is also unreleased as of yet. Dig it.

The Bashmore track is just a really slick groove and I’ve had on repeat for a while now. The Portico Quartet song is a really cool song in that it was recorded 100% live. This is incredible because as you can notice it’s heavily electronic. It’s a quartet too, not your mom and dad’s string quartet though. The idea of four guys getting together to collaborate and perform electronic music of this nature excites me as the standard four piece rock band format falls apart around us. It’s a new direction and example of the synergy that small intimate “bands” can achieve. So dig it.

ps sorry about all the talking during the beginning of the track. I ripped it from Gilles Peterson’s radio show about a week ago.

Lastly, a new James Blake song for y’all.