PUYL Favorite Remix: Poliça - Tiff (Doc McKinney Remix)

Poliça made a song called "Tiff" with Justin Vernon this year. Doc McKinney, known for producing haunting tracks for The Weeknd, remixed the track. I can't say enough good things about it, yet at the same time, I don't want to say too much. When I first heard it in July, I knew I was hearing quite possibly the best remix if not song of the year. The replays continue to pile up, and it doesn't get old. Despite being released during the summer, these northern midwest artists manage to instill a bleak and somber tone, and the remixed instrumental complements that perfectly.

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PUYL Favorite Remix: James Blake - Life Round Here (Remix) (ft. Chance The Rapper)

Sometimes a remix doesn't require a drastic change from the original. James Blake recruited the young Chicago phenom, Chance The Rapper for a new twist on his own song, "Life Round Here". Blake stripped the drums away in the intro to make room for Chano to ease his way into the track before it opens into a raucous rap verse. Chance includes various musings concerning his recent travels and his life in general. "Life Round Here" is a fitting place for these two to join each other; both have garnered a great deal of acclaim in the past year, and are undoubtedly seeing their lives change in amazing ways.

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PUYL Favorite Remix: Dirty Projectors - The Socialites (Joe Goddard Remix)

Remixes provide many opportunities for musicians beyond simply twisting around someone else's song. Rising stars can gain a foothold by remixing a better known artist, and established artists can flex their creativity outside the bounds of their current fame.

Since I already wrote about one of my favorite remixes of the year, I was forced to dig for another to include on this list. I was more than happy to call up this remix of "The Socialites" by Dirty Projectors.  Joe Goddard, of Hot Chip, spins the dream-like original into a more focused and introspective sounding piece. Amber Coffman's angelic vocals remain untouched; Goddard is wisely aware that they can thrive in any setting. He takes great care to gently use an already great track to form another beautiful song.

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As a side note, we were saddened to learn today about the confirmed passing of Belgian singer The Child Of Lov. He released his excellent self titled debut earlier this year under an imprint of Dirty Projector's Domino Records. Take a listen to a couple of his songs below.

PUYL Favorite Cover Song: Purity Ring - Grammy

Purity Ring, one of my favorite new artists from last year, makes an appearance this year in the excellent cover songs department. A day after the 2013 Grammy Awards, the duo released their version of a 2010 deep cut from the venerable Soulja Boy Tell 'Em. The original features Ester Dean singing the beseeching chorus line and the young rapper expounding on why his contributions to music warrant the industry's most famous award. Megan and Corin molded that rough clay into what may be a more convincing finished product.

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Download: Purity Ring - Grammy (right click, Save link as...)

PUYL Favorite Cover Song: Anna Lunoe & AC Slater - All Night

Continuing with the cool covers, I've got this infectious version of J. Cole's "Power Trip". DJ AC Slater (not who you're thinking) pumped pulsing synths into a much more danceable beat than the original, and Anna Lunoe handled the vocals. She chose to stick with the sung lines, but drew lyrics from both J. Cole and his featured guest, Miguel. The result is an enlivened track that deftly demonstrates how one song can inspire and influence the creation of another.

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PUYL FAVORITES & Cover Song: Elli Ingram - Poetic Justice

It’s that time of year again, when I finally share all the music that I neglected to post during the past twelve months under the guise of it being some carefully curated Best Of list. In reality, I’ve simply spent the last couple days scouring through the gigs upon gigs of music I downloaded this year, trying to find all the gems that I’ve been hoarding in my treasure hard drive. 2013 was another good year by my musical tastes. Many highly anticipated debut albums were released, surprise newcomers made their mark, and old favorites continued to impress.

I’m actually not a fan of year end lists; what does the end of the year signify in terms of music? Not much. Artists are constantly churning out content. For me, the best songs are the ones that engage me early on, AND still have meaning when I revisit them. Some songs are timeless works of art that can be appreciated even after countless listens. Others may take me back to what was going on in my life when the track came out, and have meaning for me in that way. It might take more than a year to truly define a favorite, so don’t be surprised if November and December releases don’t make as many appearances; there was certainly no lag in quality then.

I’m starting off with some awesome covers from 2013. Hip-hop songs naturally yield the best covers. The rhyme schemes can be reworked to fit any melody and they usually have a sung hook which can also be incorporated however the covering artist sees fit.

Elli Ingram put her spin on “Poetic Justice” by Kendrick Lamar. She closely matches the Janet Jackson sample, then branches off to cover the rapped parts as well.

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