Dear Friends, my family...
This comes with a
story:
I started making playlists not for me but for others, someone
special, that someone I would like to remember me by, or simply the joy of
sharing music with people that has less free time, less ability to find new
music or people that has less age and want the little music knowledge one can
have in a few years more of active Internet surfing... I kind of
liked to see it as my little contribution to people giving them the superficial
things that truly matter in life, such little thing like that little love song
that tells the story you were eager to hear, or that makes the political
statement or that song that's just perfect for right now.
Time passed and I
started sharing a little bit more than a mixtape, one of my best friends (with whom I
shared, talked, knew new stuff and breathe passion for music) started giving me
a purpose: why don't I start reviewing the music I get in one year and sharing
it. That was the story behind Subwaywalk and that was the beginning of my
little theme mixtapes for
my friends and my annual list of the best songs. The only thing I wanted every
new years eve was the recognition of this good friend telling me if he loved
it, and also all my playlists were
directly or indirectly directed to him...This year my friend passed away and he
no longer can say if he liked the playlist or
not but all the music I listen will always have him in some way awaiting his
reply...all music
will sound like him and all my playlists will
still be dedicated to him forever...one thing he liked to tell people was
"Never lose your coolness" and I hope that in time I never lose my
cool and keep finding his voice in every feedback and every album I come across
every year.
No matter the
reasons that made my year sucked, personally I've been through a lot of good
things and bad, I mastered my thesis on one hand and got shot by robbers a few
months ago on the other hand. For one reason or another all the people I know
have been through a lot too, my playlist is
full of that feeling of hopelessness or grief, but if one thing I have started
to learn is to enjoy the little things, live every day like it can be the last,
try to be happy and do things that can take me there and try to be above the
situation keeping my cool...It's a hard thing to do, at least for me, but we'll
always have music and 2011 was an amazing example of how a terrible year can
have the best soundtrack.
One thing I can
tell about 2011 is that the harder the year is, the better the music can get,
maybe the reason is not because the music itself, but because all that one can
project to music in difficult times, I'm the kind of people that tend to rely
on music sometimes as an escape, sometimes the opposite, but music is always a
safe place, sanctuary. This year my best of 2011 is that soundtrack, sometimes
it can get a little sad, but also can have a lot of heart, hope, swag and
coolness. I really hope you start 2012 remembering 2011 and all that it gave
and took...In the end nature is wise and everything someday will make sense,
the exercise of retrospection can be hard sometimes
but with "The Best Of 2011" it will always leave a smile on your face
(no matter if there's a tear in your eye)...
The cover art
tells that story, sometimes life can knock you down, but if you don't get up,
might as well convert it to a beautiful picture ;-)
I really wish a
very Happy New Year to all of you, blessings, hugs, and remember that good
things come for those who wait...
Dedicated to my friend Luis Carlos, I miss him terribly, but I'll keep
my cool
For more detail on what you're about to download, check out the detailed list...
101. Friendly Fires - Live Those Days Tonight
Album: Pala
Video: Live at Jools Holland
100. Lykke Li - I Know Places
Album: Wounded Rhymes
Video: Live on the Moon
99. Ford & Lopatin - Too Much MIDI (Please Forgive Me)
Album: Channel Pressure
Audio: Hypem
98. A$AP Rocky - Leaf (Feat. Main Attrakionz)
Album: LiveLoveA$AP
Audio: Hypem
97. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Bats In The Attic
Album: Diamond Mine
Video: Video Version
96. Air France - It Feels Good To Be Around You
Album: YOURS172
Audio: Hypem
95. Keep Shelly In Athens - Hauntin' Me
Album: Hauntin' Me EP
Video: Official Music Video
94. The Sandwitches - Summer Of Love
Album: Mrs. Jones' Cookies
Video: Live In a Bathroom
93. Stephen Malkmus and The Jinks - Senator
Album: Mirror Traffic
Video: Official Music Video
92. Ane Brun - Alfonsina Y El Mar
Album: It All Starts With One
91. Death Cab For Cutie - You Are a Turist
Album: Codes and Keys
Video: Official Music Video
90. The Rosebuds - Go Ahead
Album: Loud Planes Fly Low
Audio: Hypem
89. Jan Pawel - Un Paseo Antes De Partir (Con Enrique Alossi)
Album: Demasiado Viejo Para Morir Joven
Audio: Bandcamp
88. Blood Orange - Can We Go Inside Now?
Album: Coastal Grooves
87. WhoMadeWho - All That I Am
Album: Knee Deep
86. White Denim - River to Consider
Album: D
85. Feist - Comfort Me
Album: Metals
Audio: Hypem
84. EMA - California
Album: Past Life Martyred Saints
Video: Official Music Video
83. Apparat - Song Of Los
Album: The Devil's Walk
Video: Official Music Video
82. Wu Lyf - Concrete Gold
Album: Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
Video: Video @OWS
81. Dum Dum Girls - Coming Down
Album: Only In Dreams
Audio: Hypem
80. The Throne - No Church In The Wild (Feat. Frank Ocean)
Album: Watch The Throne
Video: Official Music Video
79. WIN WIN - Interleave (Feat. Alexis Taylor)
Album: WIN WIN
Video: Official Music Video
78. Death Grips - Takyon (Death Yon)
Album: Exmilitary
Video: Official Music Video
77, The Streets - Going Through Hell (Diplo Remix)
Album: Going Through Hell EP
Video: Official Music Video (Album Version)
76. Deerhoof - No One Asked To Dance
Album: Deerhoof vs Evil
Audio: Hypem
75. Akron/Family - Light Emerges
Album: S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT
74. The War On Drugs - Brothers
Album: Slave Ambient
Audio: Hypem
73. Washed Out - Far Away
Album: Within and Without
Video: Live For YoursTruly
72. Wale - Ambition (Feat. Meek Mill & Rick Ross)
Album: Ambition
Video: Lyric Music Video
71. araabMUZIK - Streetz Tonight
Album: Electronic Dream
Video: Official Music Video
70. tUnE-yArDs - Bizness
Album: W H O K I L L
Video: Official Music Video
69. Tapes n' Tapes - Freak Out
Album: Outside
Video: Official Music Video
68. Craft Spells - After The Moment
Album: Idle Labor
Video: Official Music Video
67. Natural Child - Crack Mountain
Album: Natural Child 7"
66. The Drums - Money
Album: Portamento
Video: Official Music Video
65. Cut Copy - Take me Over
Album: Zonoscope
Video: Live at KCRW
64. The Strokes - Machu Picchu
Album: Angles
Audio: Hypem
63. Theophilus London - I Stand Alone
Album: Timez Are Weird These Days
Video: Official Music Video
62. Junior Boys - Banana Riple
Album: It's All True
Video: Official Music Video
61. Mogwai - Hound Of Winter
Album: Earth Division EP
Video: Fan Video
60. Wilco - One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)
Album: The Whole Love
Audio: Hypem
59. Juliana Barwick - Flown
Album: The Magic Place
58. Beirut - Port Of Call
Album: The Rip Tide
Audio: Hypem
57. Villagers - Cecilia & Her Selfhood
Album: Cecilia & Her Selfhood (Single)
Video: Official Music Video
56. Wavves - I Wanna Be Dave Grohl
Album: Life Sux EP
Audio: Hypem
55. Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Album: King Of Limbs
Video: Official Music Video
54. King Krule - The Noose Of Jah City
Album: King Krule EP
Video: Official Music Video
53. TV On The Radio - Will Do
Album: Nine Types Of Light
Video: Official Music Video
52. Fergus & Geronimo - Powerful Lovin'
Album: Unlearn
Video: Live For YoursTruly
51. Kate Bush - Snowflake
Album: 50 Words For Snow
Audio: Hypem
50. Twin Sister - Stop
Album: In Heaven
Video: Live For YoursTruly
49. Neon Indian - Polish Girl
Album: Era Extraña
Video: Official Music Video
48. Frank Ocean - Novocane
Album: Nostalgia / Ultra
Video: Official Music Video
47. Holy Ghost! - Wait And See
Album: Holy Ghost!
Video: Official Music Video
46. Shabazz Palaces - Endeavors For Never (The Last Time We Spoke You Said You Were Not Here. I Saw You Though.)
Album: Black Up
45. James Blake - A Case Of You
Album: Enough Thunder EP
Video: Official Music Video
44. The National - Think You Can Wait
Album: Win Win OST
Video: Official Music Video
43. The Weeknd - What You Need
Album: House Of Balloons
Video: Official Music Video
42. Tyler, The Creator - Yonkers
Album: Goblin
Video: Official Music Video
41. Timber Timbre - Bad Ritual
Album: Creep On Creepin On
Video: Official Music Video
40. SebastiAn - Embody
Album: Total
Video: Official Music Video
39: Adele - Someone Like You
Album: 21
Video: Official Music Video
38. The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling
Album: El Camino
Video: Live On Letterman
37. Big K.R.I.T. - Another Naive Individual Glorifying Greed and Encouraging Racism
Album: Return Of 4Eva
36. SBTRKT - Wildfire
Album: SBTRKT
Video: Official Music Video
35. Wye Oak - Civilian
Album: Civilian
Video: Live on a Balcony
34. Young Galaxy - Cover Your Tracks
Album: Shapeshifting
Audio: Hypem
33. Battles - Ice Cream (Feat. Matías Aguayo)
Album: Gloss Drop
Video: Official Music Video
32. Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise
Album: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
Video: Official Music Video
31. Active Child - Playing House (Feat. How To Dress Well)
Album: You Are All I See
Video: Official Music Video
30. KAUF - Relocate
Album: Relocate (Single)
Audio: Hypem
29. Little Dragon - Crtystalfilm
Album: Ritual Union
Audio: Hypem
28. Zoo Kid - Out Getting Ribs
Album: Out Getting Ribs (Single)
Video: Official Music Video
27. The Mountain Goats - Age Of Kings
Album: All Eternal Decks
Audio: Hypem
26. Yuck - Get Away
Album: Yuck
Video: Official Music Video
25. Girls - Vomit
Album: Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Video: Official Music Video
24. The Antlers - Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out
Album: Burst Apart
Video: Official Music Video
23. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - My Terrible Friend
Album: Belong
Audio: Hypem
22. St. Vincent - Year Of The Tiger
Album: Strange Mercy
Video: Live 4AD Session
21. Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
Album: Making Mirrors
Video: Official Music Video
20. Jens Lekman - An Argument With Myself
Album: An Argument With Muself EP
Audio: Hypem
19. Real Estate - It's Real
Album: Days
Video: Official Music Video
18. Kurt Vile - Baby's Arms
Album: Smoke Ring For My Halo
Video: Official Music Video
17. Atlas Sound - Te Amo
Album: Parallaz
Audio: Hypem
16. My Brightest Diamond - I Have Never Loved Sompeone The Way I Love You
Album: All Things Will Unwind
Video: A Take Away Show
15. Gang Gang Dance - MindKilla
Album: Eye Contact
Video: Official Music Video
14. British Sea Power - Who's In Control
Album: Valhalla Dancehall
Video: Official Music Video
13. Mogwai - San Pedro
Album: Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will
Video: Official Music Video
12. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Album: Helplessness Blues
Audio: Hypem
11. The Decemberist - June Hymn
Album: The King Is Dead
Audio: Hypem
10. Smith Westerns - Weekend
Album: Dye It Blonde
Video: Official Music Video
9. PJ Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder
Album: Let England Shake
Video: Official Music Video
8. Nicolas Jaar - Colomb
Album: Space Is Only Noise
Audio: Hypem
7. Tom Waits - Talking At The Same Time
Album: Bad As Me
Audio: Hypem
6. M83 - Midnight City
Album: Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Video: Official Music Video
5. Metronomy - The Bay
Album: The English Riviera
Video: Official Music Video
4. Bon Iver - Holocene
Album: Bon Iver
Video: Official Music Video
3. James Blake - Wilhelms Scream
Album: James Blake
Video: Official Music Video
2. Destroyer - Suicide Demo For Kara Walker
Album: Kaputt
Audio: Hypem
1. Lana Del Rey - Video Games
Album: Video Games EP
Video: Official Music Video
