Dirty Projectors – Gun Has No Trigger

“As a self-confessed Dirty Projectors fanboy, I’ve always admired their musicianship, instrumentation and ability to surprise, and all these things shine through on this track, but there was something new at play too. I would call it structure but that seems somehow unfair (and entirely subjective to the context of a back catalogue that is at times so cerebral that it verges on impenetrable). There’s a directness and simplicity to this track – perhaps not in technical terms, but certainly in terms of ideas – that feels like a picture coming in to focus. Where in the past, Dirty Projectors songs have sometimes felt like an argument between a room full of incredibly clever music students, Gun Has No Trigger (and the album as a whole) feels like it finds freedom in a structure that, whilst formulaic, forces the more surprising and expressive ideas to play together rather than fight each other to be heard.” Dave

Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built

“A difficult decision but this is the song that I have continually returned to over the past year. It’s positive, carefree, from an album called ‘Celebration Rock’, and I happened to see them play it on the Thursday before a certain night in Munich. It was a sign!” Jon

Evening Hymns – Asleep in the Pews

“Spectral Dusk, my undoubted favourite album of the year, isn’t the sort of record that has a standout track or a couple of killer singles – it works best as a cohesive whole. I ended up going for Asleep In The Pews which nicely sums up the overarching themes of family and loss and the confusing and strange process that follows losing someone you love. It’s a song about trying to be okay that should resonate with most. It certainly does with me.” Liam

Lone – Crystal Caverns 1991

“Immaculately produced, incredibly detailed and yet still brimming with furious energy, this is what dance music should aspire to. I’m a little too young to appreciate the nostalgic element of the recent 90s rave revivalism, but I’ve always found a guilty pleasure in the staccato vocal hits and synth stabs, and this track has plenty.” Matt

TNGHT – Higher Ground

“HudMo’s always been a bit of a character and his collaboration with Lunice as TNGHT helped to reaffirm my belief in music as just pure, unadulterated fun. Higher Ground’s the highlight on our EP of the year. Led by a tuba, with a bit of everything else chucked in for good measure, it’s flat out fucking monstrous.” Will

The post Wake the Deaf’s Top Tracks of 2012 appeared first on Various Small Flames.

“People have to talk about something just to keep their voice boxes in working order, so they’ll have good voice boxes in case there’s ever anything really meaningful to say.”

Tracklisting:

1. One – La Dispute

2. Bosnia – Prairies

3. Apex Of Excitement – Ethan M.

4. Giant Zero – Arrange

5. Most Of Us Are Maniacs Through Which The Universe Is Looking At Itself – Bewildered Hallelujah

6. Greywolf – USF

7. Dream. – of Architects

8. Her Favourite Song – Birkwin Jersey

9. Thin City – Matthew A. Wilkinson

10. Witch Dream – Dustin Wong

11. Waterpunches – PhaRo

12. I Felt Like I Understood It – Stupid Loser

13. I Saw A Body Floating Above Jerusalem – Cuddle Formation

14. Phthalo Blue – Lone

15. Black Hole – Man Meets Bear

16. Robot 30931 Feel Existential Despair – Neat Beats

17. Mrs Morris – Charles Spearin

18. Light At The End Of The Tunnel – Cloud Cult

19. Like Totally – Gold Panda

20. Have You Passed Through This Night? – Explosions In The Sky

As usual this mix is meant as a small taster, go out and support the bands by buying music and going to shows.

The post Keeping The Voice Box In Working Order: A Mixtape appeared first on Various Small Flames.