Jai Paul: “Jasmine”
WHAT: The new single from the mysterious, mercurial vocalist, who (dare I say?) reminds me a little of Prince.
WHERE: London, UK
WHY: While he continues to keep us waiting for a debut, there is no doubting Jai Paul’s original, alluring sound. When he decides to finally release an album, it’s going to be one of the buzziest in years.
Nite Jewel: “Visions”
WHAT: Ramona Gonzalez’s sparse, melliflous take on the Stevie Wonder classic.
WHERE: Los Angeles, CA
WHY: One of the few covers on the list, this song was simply too beautiful to ignore. Though it isn’t on One Second of Love, the group’s second LP remains one of the most underrated albums of the year.
The-Dream: “ROC (Roc Your Body)”
WHAT: A classic Terius Nash boner jam.
WHERE: Atlanta, GA
WHY: It was a disappointing year for fans of The-Dream. A new album was promised, but all we got was a repackaged version of his 2011 masterclass, 1977. Still, this, along with a few other brilliant singles, offer high hopes for 2013.
Perfume Genius: “Hood”
WHAT: The touching lead single from Mike “Perfume Genius” Hadreas cathartic second LP, Put Your Back N 2 It.
WHERE: Seattle, WA
WHY: While he is undoubtedly an important voice in music, Hadreas’ new record is honestly a little heavy for me. That said, I love it in small doses, like its beautiful first single.
Cassie: “King of Hearts” (Richard X Remix)
WHAT: Dance producer Richard X’s scintillating remix of Bad Boy signee, Cassie’s finest hour.
WHERE: NYC
WHY: Thus far, Cassie has yet to fulfill the promise that many had for her. It’s been nearly seven years since her Ryan Leslie-assisted breakthrough, and hopefully this irresistible single will help get her career back on track.
Miguel: “Adorn”
WHAT: One of the top 5 pop singles of the year, Miguel’s breakout devotional finally took him from cult hero to household name.
WHERE: Los Angeles, CA
WHY: I don’t feel a need to say a lot about this song, as it was fucking everywhere this year. Just a great pop track from an absolute force of nature.
Chromatics: “Kill For Love”
WHAT: The maiden single from the new-wave group’s incredible fourth album of the same name.
WHERE: Portland, OR
WHY: No hyperbole, I could have easily chosen five or six singles from the Johnny Jewel-driven masterpiece. One of the albums of the year.
Karma Kid: “It’s Always”
WHAT: The punchy single from emerging 18 year-old future garage producer Sam “Karma Kid” Knowles.
WHERE: Matlock, Derbyshire, UK
WHY: Featuring a cracking combination of a brilliant vocal sample and a dope synth line, “It’s Always” is a perfect example of where dance music is (and should be) going and why so many of us are so excited about it.
Meek Mill + Rick Ross: “Black Magic”
WHAT: One of the lead tracks from Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group’s collaborative LP, Self Made, Vol. 2.
WHERE: Philadelphia, PA + Miami, FL
WHY: Though both artists released underwhelming studio albums, they both scored brilliant mixtapes and were key cogs on Self Made. “Black Magic” is a reminder of how devastating both MCs can be when they are in their garish, lustrous wheelhouses.
Saint Lou Lou: “Maybe You” (CFCF Remix)
WHAT: The producer a la mode puts his celestial spin on the mournful-yet-alluring single from Swedish/Australian twin sisters, Elektra and Miranda Kilbey.
WHERE: Stockholm/Sydney (SLL) + Montreal, QC
WHY: Saint Lou Lou’s nostalgic, debut single inspired a slew of worthy remixes, but nothing quite matches CFCF’s gentle take on the original. Get swept away.
Alt-J: “Tesselate”
WHAT: The standout from the Mercury Prize Winner’s consistently interesting debut album, An Awesome Wave.
WHERE: Leeds, UK
WHY: For such a young band, their level of craft and attention to detail is impressive. Though the American press mostly shunned it, An Awesome Wave is an original debut from a group with a huge future.
