In no particular order, I've selected the favorite tracks from 2016's playlists for our fifteenth annual Choice Cuts end-of-year mix.
1. "Never Going Back" -- Caveman Kicked off this year's Choice Cuts mix with a catchy tune by Brooklyn-based Caveman. "Never Going Back," the lead single from their third album, "Otero War," has been accused of sounding too much like War On Drugs' 2014 track "Red Eyes." But I think it sounds just fine on its own.
2. "Rising Water" -- James Vincent McMorrow
Powerful song made even more profound by this video. From McMorrow's third album, "We Move."
3. "Fountain Of Youth" -- Local Natives
"We can do whatever we want!" our local natives, Local Natives, sing. Great performance here, recorded at KCRW's basement studios.
4. "Blood On Me" -- Sampha
Off his new album "Process," U.K. artist Sampha weaves a story of paranoia and action in this complex tune.
5. "Here in Spirit" -- Jim James
A song for our times. Jim James' "Here in Spirit" evokes the Black Lives Matter movement in this video (shot in downtown Los Angeles), but the song also speaks to the power of resistance, and needing to speak up in a time where injustice is all around us:
If you don't speak out
We can't hear it
6. "Conrad" -- SOHN
"I can feel it coming, we can never go back... we're dinosaurs living in denial." Powerful, catchy and thoughtful. A song that alludes to climate change, and one that should haunt you.
7. "Best to You" (feat. Empress Of) -- Blood Orange
Dev Hynes -- the artist known as Blood Orange -- has become a favorite, and he's landed past tracks on my end of year "Choice Cuts" compilation. This year, he hands most of the vocals to Empress Of, and comes back with the marvelous "Best to You."
8. "Mountain At My Gates" -- Foals
This song and video actually came out in 2015, but I only discovered it until 2016 -- and it was enough of a memorable experience to end the year here.
9. "Your Best American Girl" -- Mitski One of my favorite moments in any of this year's Choice Cuts tracks is when Mitski lets it rip on the guitar, midway through this track. She doesn't need to conform to any of your closed-minded expectations!
10. "The Outsiders" -- Kweku Collins
Hailing from Evanston, Kweku Collins is a young talent to keep an eye on. A deeply personal track of discovery as he works his way up in the world -- and killer references to "The Outsiders," the novel. Stay golden.
11. "Adventure of a Lifetime" -- Coldplay
Another elaborate Coldplay video (this one using motion capture) that the Blogger Boys fell in love with. Evan became a huge Coldplay fan in recent years, and I even took him to his first major concert (Coldplay at the Rose Bowl) this summer -- so I had to include this one!
12. "I Have Been to the Mountain" -- Kevin Morby
The video doesn't really do it justice, but Morby's "I Have Been to the Mountain" was inspired by the death of Eric Garner at the hands of the NYPD. "And have you heard the sound/ Of a man stop breathing, pleading?"
13. "Go! (Original Mix)" -- M83 feat. Mai Lan
French singer Mai Lan and guitar legend Steve Vai add the necessary touches to yet another 80s-inspired track from M83.
14. "On Hold" -- The xx
Mix together The xx's signature melancholy with a looped sample from Hall & Oates... add in a moody music video shot in Marfa, Texas... and "On Hold" is pop perfection.
15. "Peace Of What" -- RJD2
From those opening strings to the power of singer Jordan Brown, "Piece of What" has something to say.
16. "Pink + White" (Ft. Beyonce) -- Frank Ocean
Off Frank Ocean's album "Blonde," this song about lost love features a very subtle contribution by Queen Bey.
17. "Every Songbird Says" -- Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop
Songwriters Sam Beam (the man behind Iron & Wine) and Jesca Hoop collaborated on their album "Love Letter for Fire," which features this gem.
18. "Powerful" (feat. Ellie Goulding & Tarrus Riley) -- Major Lazer
Put together two strong voices like Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley, and how could you not call this track "Powerful." Another song that was actually released in 2015, but it became a frequent listen for me in 2016.
19. "What If I Go" -- Mura Masa
British electronic music producer Alex Crossan, who performs as Mura Masa, pulls off a jam featuring Bonzai on vocals.
20. "Worry" (feat. Anderson .Paak) -- Jack Garratt
I'm regretting not putting a separate track by Anderson .Paak on this mix, but I just ran out of room. A compromise: This collaboration between Garratt and .Paak is fire. Above, they perform it live for MTV.
21. "I Need A Forest Fire" (feat. Bon Iver) -- James Blake
The appropriate way to end a 2016 mix: The quiet storm of James Blake and Bon Iver. Burn it all down.
