Hello 2009, Goodbye 2008 Top 10 List!

Happy New Year! Never sure when to say this in a post, cause it isn’t really the new year yet. Preemptive anyways, I’ll probably repeat myself on the next post.

I decided to stick with the same theme as last year’s top list. Basically from the tracks I’ve posted, mostly the remixes. So don’t cry that I didn’t post about some random group or band I’ve never heard of or I’ve heard way too much on the radio cause that isn’t the point! I stuck with a vague criteria as how much the tracks influenced this year’s scene (both electro and blogosphere), how well they were accepted by listeners and how much I liked it myself. One thing that I thought I missed but just couldn’t put it in was Justice’s Planisphere which was amazing when it came out. It’ll have to do without being in this list. I did get some great suggestions from you guys about which tracks to choose, thanks for that. Was really hoping that Hype Machine wouldn’t re-aggregate the tracks, oh well.

10. Friendly Fires – Paris (Aeroplane Remix ft. Au Revoir Simone)

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I must’ve listened to this track a million times this year, completely different from what you’re used to if you listen to any of the music in this blog. Au Revoir Simone has a completely different personality when they’re in remixes, this one by Aeroplane of Friendly Fires. I’m not sure how they did it, just call Au Revoir Simone and ask them if they want to do a remix with you? Fantastic track, this one is for me.

9. Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl (MR GASPAR Remix)

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The guilty pleasure is back, it was definitely my summer song thanks to MR GASPAR. Otherwise I would’ve completely ignored Katy Perry like I would’ve any other “top 20″ radio hit list. Not for any pretentious means, but man those top 20 pop lists are addictive and definitely shameful. I recently heard Katy Perry’s Hot N’ Cold and well, let’s just say I didn’t not like it. A tad glad that my full out Katy Perry phase is over with and long gone… I think.

8. Kanye West – Homecoming (DiscoTech Remix)

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Yes and yes. This track was fantastic, definitely a late contender against the other tracks from this year. Was a tiny bit strange though not completely unexpected that they used beats from the original track as the additional beats. Didn’t hear too much from DiscoTech, more that I didn’t really find out about them until very late, but a great mix of Kanye West.  The chorus could’ve been longer, but I thoroughly enjoyed this track.

7. Little Boots – Stuck on Repeat (Fake Blood Remix)

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Amazing track. Can leave this year without mentioning Little Boots or Fake Blood. Though I’ve been reading a lot of comparisons between her and Kylie, I don’t hear it. Love the contribution Fake Blood made to this track, very surprised no one else opted to remix this track. Anyways, it was a great mix though their genres weren’t too different. It works well.

6. Pnau ft. Ladyhawke – Embrace (Fred Falke & Miami Horror Remix)

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One of my favorite underrated remixes from this year. It didn’t get much attention around, but that retro sound is perfect. Fred Falke and Miami Horror know how to please my ears. None of them are small names, not sure what happened. After listening to Ladyhawke, I could understand how she was quite the influence in this track intensified by Fred Falke and Miami Horror. Haven’t paid much attention to Pnau though, I’m definitely giving them some in the new year to come.

5. Ben Mono – Jesus Was A B-Boy (Moulinex Remix)

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Alright, you’re probably thinking to yourself why the hell did he choose this track? I’ve never even heard of it! Do you know how hard I laugh when I listen to this track? Especially when I rediscover this track at least once a month at 4am. Moulinex has that unique retro electro sound which I can’t get enough of, on top of that hilarious lyrics from Ben Mono. So yes, this is definitely one of those “influenced me” tracks.

4. MSTRKRFT – Bounce feat. NORE

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It would’ve been pretty hard going out and not hearing this song being played at a club or electro hipster bar. Dirty, club, ghetto. Everything I don’t post on this blog, but this is for sure an exception. MSTRKRFT outdid themselves this time, is this the path they’re taking now? I had a hard time choosing between the original track and The Bloody Beetroots remix of it, but I decided to stick with the first one.

3. The Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy, Hey Girl (Soulwax Remix)

The Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy, Hey Girl (Soulwax Remix)
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Alright, initially I put the Soulwax remix of Justice but someone brought it to my attention that it was actually from 2007! I was going to leave it but noticed that it was definitely at #3 on the list so it couldn’t stay. Luckily, I had another track to replace it at the same number, another Soulwax remix this year which was their remix of The Chemical Brothers Hey Boy, Hey Girl. Old track, new remix. This remix actually refreshed my love for The Chemical Brothers, whom I haven’t really listened to in a long time. Was huge towards the end of the summer and I definitely heard it a lot on the radio. Really couldn’t get enough of this track, reminded me of… Europe.

2. MGMT – Kids (Soulwax Remix)

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Oh Soulwax, what would we have done without you? I actually had a very hard time choosing which Soulwax remixes I liked from this year, they made so many, but their remix of MGMT‘s Kids wins. This one was pretty big back when it first came up, it was totally sampled for other remixes and mash-ups as well. The Twelves and Soulwax are pretty similar at least in the way they make and play their remixes live. They bring electro shows up from a DJ standing infront of two turntables or a laptop to an actual performance. They released a documentary POTWND a couple months ago, I think it just helps solidify how big they really are.

1. Black Kids – I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You (The Twelves Remix)

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If I had to define the electro scene in 2008, it’d have to be with this track. The twitchy synth sounds matches perfectly to the Black Kids, though sadly I can’t particularly say that the Black Kids made it as big as this track. The Black Kids kind of got the shaft, but The Twelves definitely gained more popularity this year, I heard this track almost too many times on electronic radio stations and mixes. You couldn’t go through this year without hearing them. But seriously, leave Brazil for a bit cause we could really use those retro sounding synth beats up here. Muchos love.