Year In Review: Ten Of The Best Tracks You May Have Missed From 2019

Words: Saam Das

 

Fair to say, 2020 has been a weird one so we've decided to look back a bit further pre-everything-going-to-pot, and highlight some of our top tracks from 2019 that you may have missed. We've gone for a bonanza of bigger names (with an unexpected deference to artists beginning with the letter 'B') as well as lesser known acts like Julietta and Sacred Paws. All great songs, we hope you agree.

10) Julietta - 'Stripes + Squares' (Penguin Prison Remix)

Well known knob twiddler Penguin Prison was on hand here to give Julietta's 'Stripes + Squares' a bouncier makeover. Both versions have a hat-tip to Maggie Rogers' fantastic 'Alaska', capturing a similar sort of folky beat-laden magic, albeit with a dancier twist in this remix's case.

9) Biffy Clyro – 'The Modern Leper' (Frightened Rabbit Cover)

Part of a tenth anniversary celebration of Frightened Rabbit's acclaimed 2008 album 'The Midnight Organ Fight', the covers album was understandably put to one side following the death of Scott Hutchison. Released in July 2019, the eventual 'Tiny Changes' album (see also the charity of the same name) featured covers from Daughter and The Twilight Sad, but few of the tracks were as powerful as the opening effort from Biffy Clyro.

8) talker – 'Keep Me Safe'

Carrying much of the same sort of melancholic melodic energy that saw 'Crash Into Me' by Dave Matthews Band re-popularised by Greta Gerwig's delightful 2017 film, 'Lady Bird', talker's majestic 'Keep Me Safe' is due a similar resurgence. Hopefully it won't take as long!

7) Mitski - 'Let's Get Married' (Bleachers Cover)

Coming from the incredibly limited vinyl-only 'Terrible Thrills' cover series by Bleachers, we're incredibly grateful to Jack Antonoff for giving his blessing for kind souls out there to lovingly share the tracks. Feels ridiculous that one of our YouTube videos has over 375,000 views and deservedly so in this instance - Mitski's wondrous cover of 'Let's Get Married' added an additional warmth to the Bleachers' original.

6) Bombay Bicycle Club – 'Eat Sleep Wake (Nothing But You)'

Speaking of warmth, the return of London outfit Bombay Bicycle Club gave us a warm sense of nostalgia. Having caught them from the very earliest days of them playing in North London pubs well over a decade ago, it was particularly pleasing to see them return with such a brilliant track, in the form of 'Eat Sleep Wake (Nothing But You)'.

5) Benjamin Francis Leftwich – 'Look Ma!'

Perhaps the least heralded track on this list but probably the only one that can claim inspiration from Steven Spielberg's adaptation of JG Ballard's 'Empire Of The Sun'. The wonderfully unique 'Look Ma!' adopted the Welsh lullaby 'Suo Gan' featured in the aforementioned movie, with a sprinkling of percussive magic and BFL's characteristically soothing vocals.

4) Georgia – 'About Work The Dancefloor'

We've been banging on about Georgia Barnes for years and we're super pleased that she's made her big breakthrough, culminated in a Mercury Prize nomination in 2020 for her second album, 'Seeking Thrills'. The spearhead for success could arguably be pinned on this Robyn-esque mega-banger, the somewhat confusingly titled 'About Work The Dancefloor'.

3) Sacred Paws – 'The Conversation'

Initial screeching aside, Glaswegian indie-pop duo Sacred Paws' 'The Conversation' is quite the joy-ride, as reflected in its music video. One of those tracks that mixes uplifting melodies with lyrical angst, but one that has us coming back time and time again.

2) Blanck Mass - 'House Vs House'

Where do we even begin with this seven minute and 41 second-long opus? A dance-industrial mish-mash of epic proportions, utterly engrossing work from Fuck Buttons co-founder Benjamin John Power. Seven minutes in heaven, perhaps.

1) BASTILLE - 'Million Pieces' (Feat. The Chamber Orchestra Of London)

BASTILLE might well have nailed 2019 on its head with their lyrically-on-point Remainer anthem 'Doom Days' but it was this orchestral version of their otherwise electronic-led 'Million Pieces' that soared well and truly above their other material. The track's video (see below) takes us to the recording of the track at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, allowing us a peek at the sheer joy and accomplishment in creating such a wonderful piece of music. [Insert Heart Emoji]

Find more of our favourite things from 2019 here.