Best Of MP3.com 2011: Vol. 5

|

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 […]

(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 [mp3com-artist]HTRK[/mp3com-artist] to the electronic-pop stylings of [mp3com-artist]Little Dragon[/mp3com-artist], 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 [mp3com-artist]Suicide [/mp3com-artist] or [mp3com-artist]Slowdive[/mp3com-artist], then you’ll be completely enamored by HTRK.

[mp3com-download url=” http://files.radio.com/downloads/time-based/htrk.mp3″ artist=”HTRK” song=”Synthetik” email=”optional” year=”2011″ label=”Ghostly International”/]

4. Little Dragon “Nightlight” (remix)

Little Dragon has got sort of a twisted and charming approach to music, like that of a [mp3com-artist] Fever Ray[/mp3com-artist] or [mp3com-artist]Santigold[/mp3com-artist].

(Photo By: Anngie D

[mp3com-download url=”http://files.radio.com/downloads/time-based/little-dragon-nitelight-remix.mp3″ artist=”Little Dragon” song=”Nightlight (Remix)” email=”optional” year=”2011″/]

3. Emika “Pretend” (Brandt Brauer Frick Rework)

If you swirled together the soft vocals of [mp3com-artist]Portishead[/mp3com-artist]’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 [mp3com-artist]Emika[/mp3com-artist].

(Ninja Tune)

[mp3com-download url=”http://files.radio.com/downloads/time-based/emika.mp3″ artist=”Emika” song=”Pretend (Brandt Brauer Frick Rework)” email=”optional” year=”2011″ label=”Ninja Tune”/]

2. Anika “I Go To Sleep”

If you like elegant, otherworldly music created on vintage electronics, then British psych-pop singer [mp3com-artist]Anika [/mp3com-artist] comes highly recommended. Same goes if you’re a fan of the [mp3com-artist]Velvet Underground[/mp3com-artist], [mp3com-artist]The Slits[/mp3com-artist], and [mp3com-artist]Portishead[/mp3com-artist].

(Stones Throw Records)

[mp3com-download url=”http://files.radio.com/downloads/time-based/anika-igotosleep.mp3″ artist=”Anika” song=”I Go To Sleep” email=”optional” year=”2010″ label=”Stones Throw Records”/]

1. Holy Other “Touch”

Manchester producer [mp3com-artist]Holy Other[/mp3com-artist] makes romantic and haunting electronic music reminiscent to the mysterious and much-acclaimed [mp3com-artist]Burial[/mp3com-artist] 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

[mp3com-download url=”http://files.radio.com/downloads/time-based/holyother-touch.mp3 ” artist=”Holy Other” song=”Yr Touch” expiration=”03/31/2012″ email=”none” year=”2010″ label=”TRI ANGLE”/]

________________________________

See more of MP3.com’s Best Of 2011 picks!

Top downloaded holiday songs

Top downloaded Christmas songs

Or if you prefer, Xmas songs

See all MP3.com Spotlight posts

See all Free MP3s of the Day

Visit the MP3.com Facebook page