(Photo credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)
Ah, music. It’s what gets us up in the morning and keeps us going all year long. Since our last Spotlight on holiday music we’ve added some new songs to the site, a handful of which our entire staff has highlighted in their “best-of” features. And, to fuel our lists even further, I’ve assembled my own favorite of–what else–free MP3s.
From the dark atmospherics of HTRK to the electronic-pop stylings of Little Dragon, here are my top favorite songs on Mp3.com.
5. HTRK “Synthetik”
The London by way of Berlin and Melbourne art-rock duo (pronounced “Hate Rock”) create dark electronic soul music for beautiful shut-ins. If you like bands like Suicide or Slowdive, then you’ll be completely enamored by HTRK.
4. Little Dragon “Nightlight” (remix)
Little Dragon has got sort of a twisted and charming approach to music, like that of a Fever Ray or Santigold.
(Photo By: Anngie D
3. Emika “Pretend” (Brandt Brauer Frick Rework)
If you swirled together the soft vocals of Portishead‘s Beth Gibbons, added some noticeable influences from Berlin techno, and filtered it through a musical landscape dominated by post-punk and dark wave, you might get something replicable to Emika.
(Ninja Tune)
2. Anika “I Go To Sleep”
If you like elegant, otherworldly music created on vintage electronics, then British psych-pop singer Anika comes highly recommended. Same goes if you’re a fan of the Velvet Underground, The Slits, and Portishead.
(Stones Throw Records)
1. Holy Other “Touch”
Manchester producer Holy Other makes romantic and haunting electronic music reminiscent to the mysterious and much-acclaimed Burial from back in the day. His moody edge contrasted against an obvious knack for gothic atmospherics makes Holy Other clearly one to watch.
Tri Angle Records
________________________________
See more of MP3.com’s Best Of 2011 picks!
Top downloaded Christmas songs
