The Top 50 singles of 2021 – 30-21
The countdown continues
30
Telephones – Presents Point Breaks / Beach Breaks 2 (European Carryall)
“When it comes to the Z-axis between lo-fi dance and Balearic music, no-one does it better than Telephones… every blugging beat and slow bassline lands at the right time, from the expository deep licks and star-grabbing synths of ‘Genesis (Swell 1019 Mix)’ to the fingerclicking conch-blows of ‘Summit (Wind Dance Dub)’”
29
Workforce – Moods Ep (Critical)
Heavy, big and bruising, but still loving with plenty of stealth and cunning, this is just another reason Kasra’s Critical label is easily the most underrated in drum and bass.”
28
Chvrches – Good Girls (John Carpenter remix) (Scared Bines)
“Much loved Scottish synth pop gang Chvrches are known for getting weird and wonderful remixers to bring their own interpretations to their albums. For this project, they went big and deiced to ask the legendary composer John Carpenter to continue, and much to the bands delight, he did. He flips ‘Good Girls’ alongside his creative partners Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies into a soaring anthem with sinister and swaggering but crunchy production. Chvrches then return the favour by flipping Carpenter’s ‘Turning The Bones’ into a chilly bit of spacious electronica.”
27
Container – Creamer EP (Drone)
“From that raucous and unarguably loud introduction the record only takes those ideas further. From the staccato high BPMs and whirring loops of ‘Rippler’, to the distorted and dysfunctional ode to electro that is ‘Sniffers’, there’s scarcely a spare moment to collect your thoughts before the next metallic, machine-driven section of industrial sound erupts. Intense enough to make you picture what this would be like in a club or other gig setting, it’s the kind of stuff that would leave you reeling when the chaos finally subsides. More importantly, though, it’s the kind of stuff that brings out the masochist in us all: hazardous, and yet oh-so-compelling, repeatable, and satisfying.”
26
Cygnus – 100 Perfect (Central Processing Unit)
“Don’t mistake that for 100% Dope being some kind of joke record though – it’s as serious as anything released under the Cygnus banner… his personality comes through first and foremost, vocals or not, and gives the music vitality which his surly, knob-twiddling contemporaries struggle to reach.”
25
Cryptobitch – CrPE 017 (Planet Euphorique)
“This is Underground Resistance meets Gossip Girl; embrace the cryptographic revolution, or watch your reputation get tarnished.”
24
Jean-Luc Ponty/Opolopo – In The Fast Lane (Vive La Musique)“
This is a masterpiece if ever there was one, and it would take a brave artist to contemplate covering such an incredible composition. Acutely aware of this, the label turned to one of the deftest production minds operating in today’s electronic music realms, and jazz schooled studio maestro Opolopo steps up with an elegantly formed and suitably contemporary rendition. The essence of the original remains intact, with the tracks key motifs given freedom to roam over crisp, floor-focused beats and club-shaking bass – respectfully re-framing the music for an all-new audience who will surely be inspired to dig deeper into Ponty’s magnificently thick back catalogue as a result.”
23
Black Barrel – Just Keep My Life (Dispatch)
“The nimblest breaks, serene pads, soulful vocals and deep, soul-drenched undertones, this is just what the soulful junglist doctor ordered, with an extra sprinkling of that imperceptible magic stardust to boot.”
22
Galxtc- Life Is A Mirror (Space Grapes)
“Galxtc take us back to the prime era of Brit funk here with a super slick new single for the young Space Grapes label. ‘Life Is A Mirror’ is an eleven minute workout which really uses the long playing time to take you on a trip. It’s got a loose rhythm section with tight drum work, a peppering of percussion and darting synths that are cosmic and funky from the off. Building up a fine head of steam it gets ever more intense and fabulous with various different chapters all taken care of by a range of leads. The dub and version complete this fine maxi single.”
21
Angel Rocket – AM 003 (Accidental Meetings)
“After solo releases on BEAM and Good Morning Tapes, this pair’s wide creative palette owes to their relentless testing of each other’s musical drives, thanks in part to the various oblique strategies they impose during the mixing stage. The resultant sound is a juicy and playful affair through melodic acid, delightful dembow, and dolphin jungle.”