More about: 101 Best Tracks of 2019

A year in which Foals released two entire albums could never have been a bad one for music. And it wasn't. In 2019, we had a fuck lot of Very Good LPs land in our ears. But what about the tracks? Gems taken from perfect albums; saving graces taken from bad ones. And of course, those singles from artists who didn't release a full-length in 2019 - or are so new they don't even have one yet. 

We wrote about 101 of them, and why they're our Best Tracks of 2019. Here's part two...

Words by: Shannon Cotton, Jessie Atkinson, Elli Chappelhow, Al Mills, Joe Connell, Grace Almond, Matty Pywell, Dillon Eastoe, Alex Rigotti and Lorenzo Ottone

80. The Growlers - ‘Pulp Of Youth’

Can The Growlers ever do wrong? No. No they cannot. ‘Pulp Of Youth’ is perching on the ends of leathery sofa’s cool as it drifts into your ear holes like a spirit fuelled secret that unquestionably, needs sharing with the world. (AM) 

79. Peggy Gou - ‘Starry Night’

Everyone’s favourite Korean producer Peggy Gou delivered yet again on ’Starry Night’ - a bona-fide house banger that features a trademark tropical beat packed with shimmering keys and a pulsating bassline; complete with an undeniable spoken word hook that worms its way into your frontal lobe. This is Peggy at her best. (JC)

78. The Rhythm Method - ‘Local, Girl’

Against a spangly piano instrumental, The Rhythm Method blast through all of the elements of British pub culture. With lyrics like “I could be so good for you, show you round my favourite Spoons”, ‘Local, Girl’ is the crooning love letter to our local boozer that we all wished we’d written. (GA)

77. The Japanese House - ‘Maybe You’re The Reason’

The long-awaited Japanese House debut didn’t disappoint: Maybe You’re The Reason, the sublime sonic sweetener that pondered relationships as a solution to existential question and as a means of bringing purpose. Gorgeous synthesised ambience has a firm grip throughout, with a plethora of textures perfect for late night transcendence. (MP)

76. Hotel Lux - ‘Tabloid Newspaper’

The latter end of 2019 has seen Hotel Lux come over all Britpop. With Danny Dyer and Stella Artois references aplenty, ‘Tabloid Newspaper’ is a refreshing jaunt that sees the band swap lolloping basslines for jangly guitars, with massive hints that there’s still more to come from the quintet in terms of sonic diversity. (SC)

75. FEET - ‘English Weather’

‘English Weather’ is a groovy track, with fidgety, jangly guitars, topped off with a shed-load of satire. It’s no typical English drizzly day: this track is one of the occasional summer scorchers - yet FEET recommend you still pack an umbrella, just in case. You can almost see the eyes roll back into their heads when they mention “pasty people in the park with their tops off”. (EC)

74. Mystery Jets - ‘Screwdriver’

With their new album cruelly postponed due to illness, Mystery Jets still managed to release one of the most powerful tracks this year. ‘Screwdriver’ has Blaine Harrison riffing harder than ever but the message is of empathy as the Jets take on the far right. “When they go low we go high” is the murmur before a hair raising refrain “Fight them with love!” Watch this space for the protest album of 2020. (DE)

73. Du Blonde - ‘Coffee Machine’

Back for album two, the breathtaking, concise and colloquial songwriting of Du Blonde is best served on album opener ‘Coffee Machine’. Wavering stabs of electric guitar puncture the tired yet eloquent apathy of Beth Jeans Houghton as the story of an exhausted couple climbs to a frustrated scream and crashing guitar denouement. (JA)

72. La Roux - ‘International Woman Of Leisure’ 

Comeback track ‘International Woman of Leisure’ is classic La Roux in its passionate vocals and ingenious use of synth. There's also a distinctly disco element to this new one, particularly in those Nile Rodgers-esque stabs of electric guitar. (JA)

71. The Slaughter House Band - ‘I Hate TV But…’

If Iggy Pop took Shame on in a bar brawl, it might sound a bit like this. Blues-heavy but with handfuls of rock and punk thrown in, this first ever single from the Brighton boys debuted in our sessions with Distiller TV and we seriously dig it. (SC)

70. Scalping - ‘Chamber’

Scalping’s ‘Chamber’ finds its place as being both cold and unfeeling yet pulsating and organic. Mechanical and manufactured textures are originally deceptive, as layer on layer of finely tuned dub and techno are amalgamated into a breath-taking spectacle...one that taps into the realms of mind-altering hypnosis. (MP)

69. Perfume Genius - ‘Pop Song’

Perfume Genius has always been painfully-self aware, bitingly sarcastic and sincere. ‘Pop Song’ is an amalgamation of all these qualities: on the surface, its stuttering beat comes off tacky and goofy. This is but a sonic mask for Mike Hadreas’ breathtaking lyrics, an ode to the body: “Our body is stretched, and holding one breath, sharpen the palm, and sever the flesh”. (AR)

68. Pip Blom - ‘Daddy Issues’

This lively, urgent track from the Dutch four piece drills direct to the essence of their sound with unassuming depth. It sounds earnestly effortless and DIY, but never slacks - the sounds are perfectly glued together with razor sharp percussion and passionate power chords. (EC)

67. Inhaler - ‘My Honest Face’

In May we declared that Inhaler were “well-rehearsed in the art of crafting indie ear worms” with “more substance than your average guitar-wielding outfit.” Since then they’ve played some mammoth support slots with the likes of Noel Gallagher, sold out an abundance of tour dates and have racked up over 3 million streams on this very track. It’s effervescent synths and euphoric, surging guitars make it a certified indie banger. (SC)

66. Working Men’s Club - ‘Teeth’

It didn’t take long for Working Men’s Club to shift from 80s indie wannabes to techno explorers. The transition, led by frontman Syd Minsky, has been one of the best things to happen to British music in 2019 and ‘Teeth’ is its outcome. The savage and ridiculously catchy drum machine rhythm matched by haunting vocals shows the Manchester band’s still undisclosed EBM and raving potential. (LO)

65. Twin Atlantic - ‘Novocaine’

Having spent three years tinkering in their home studio and gigging where they want to (how many tours is that with Catfish now?), Twin Atlantic have changed up their sound in their time off. Direct, propulsive and making smart use of new electronics, this is Twin Atlantic rebooted for 2019 and it rips. (DE)

64. The Snuts - ‘All Your Friends’

In frontman Jack Cochrane’s own words, ‘All Your Friends’ comments “on a familiar social stigma around the drug epidemic that nobody seems to want to talk about”. It’s a raw and unflinching track from The Snuts with an explosive chorus tying it all together. (GA)

63. Mura Masa (feat. Slowthai) - ‘Deal Wiv It’

The pair’s second massive collaboration of the year sees Mura Masa’s portraits of youth culture head to Northampton. Slowthai’s disarmingly tongue in cheek vocal delivery and lyricism turns to withering blows on the chorus to the sound of Mura Masa’s laser tight barrage of strobe-like synth. (MP)

62. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - ‘Heartbreaker’

‘Heartbreaker’ is a loud, percussion-heavy song from Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes’ third studio album, End of Suffering. Sharp, heavy beats drive the track forward and keep it lively, with it dropping down to a slower, lullaby, setting up an explosive ending. (GA)

61. Maggie Rogers - ‘Say It’

Maggie Rogers emulates the rush and excitement of having a crush on ‘Say It’. A dreamy first verse sets the scene, leaping into an electronic ballad. It’s dizzy, synthy and melodically captures these heightened feelings, with Rogers singing “I keep replaying in my mind and wondering if you do the same”. (GA)

Catch up with numbers 101 - 81 here. Check back tomorrow to see which tracks have made it to 60 - 41. 

Are we missing something? Tell us who you think should be included in our tracks of the year over on Twitter or Facebook. 

More about: 101 Best Tracks of 2019