New Order - i've got a feeling, 2013

"This song starts so poorly that it was quite some time before I didn’t immediately fast-forward it, and eventually discover that – yet again – there was half a good song in I’ve Got A Feeling*; buried as it is in the chorus. But first you have to get past the intro, which is a big ask."

Editors - a ton of love acoustic, 2013

"adoration is exactly the emotion evoked by such deliciously addictive pop moments as the lead single, "A Ton of Love," which brings to mind the passionate, soulful rock of U2 and Echo & the Bunnymen."

The Embassy - i-d, 2013

"In the small but massively influential so-called Swedish Balearic scene that emerged at the start of the last decade, Gothenburg duo the Embassy – Fredrik Lindson and Torbjörn Håkansson – were unwittingly cast as pioneers. Similarly minded bands such as Studio, the Tough Alliance and Air France all emerged in the wake of the Embassy's excellent 2002 debut Futile Crimes, with both the Tough Alliance and Studio naming their respective record labels after the Embassy's songs. As befits their sound – lush, laid-back and gorgeously hazy – the duo don't seem to be in any urgent rush to cement their status at the forefront of any sort of scene, having not released an album since 2005's critically acclaimed Tacking."

Editors - nothing live acoustic, 2013

"The album was mostly recorded live. Regarding the sound of the album, lead singer Tom Smith stated that it "[has] a foot in that alt rock/Americana world" and that it feels "untouchable at times". Lyrically, the album focuses on "love songs... that don't adhere to the traditional love song type".[4] Smith explained, "If I ever find myself writing something too straightforward, I try to twist it, so it ends up odd and baffling."

Junip - your life your call, 2013

“Your Life Your Call” sounds like a dance hit with the volume turned down, pushing the rhythm to the forefront while González’s nylon string guitar colors the edges. It’s these kinds of surprising combinations that will make it hard for González to ever leave Junip again."

Editors - hyena acoustic, 2013

"Yes, their music as a whole drips with idealistic loss, but here we're presented with an anthemic distinguishing quality."

Shout Out Louds - circles, 2013

"I’ve got my big hair on, my fluorescent spandex ensemble, and my rubber bracelets. The year is 2013, but when I listen to Shout Out Louds it’s the 1980’s all over again and that makes me very happy. I am going to get on my 80’s kick and I’m going to enjoy it. It is so refreshing, uplifting, a soaring feeling of “ahhhhhh” to hear good old straightforward pop-rock music, with beats and a melody, it’s that simple. Shout Out Louds are a new wave blend of Boy George, The Cure, and The Thompson Twins and I couldn’t love it more."

Concorde - floating there, 2013

"The EP features synth-heavy, electro-pop arrangements with a melancholic yet danceable vibe, blending vintage synths and tropical guitar sounds."

New Order - i'll stay with you, 2013

"For me its the best song on the album; much better (and cohesive) than Hellbent, a great opening shot for an LP that was unfortunately unable to sustain the quality, and a worthy inclusion on the 2016 remaster / reissue of Singles (even though it was never issued as a single, but then again neither was Turn). Opening with a cool (but brief) electronic intro, the song quickly morphs into what is effectively a classic New Order rock workout rich with melody, hooks, and sonic balance. Bernard does a really nice job with his vocal performance, particularly on his atypical scales in the choruses. The middle instrumental break is terrific; featuring all the key riffs and a great additional bridge into the final chorus. All in all its one of the top drawer New Order rock tracks of the period. That there was ever a possibility in those dark days that it might have been truly ‘lost’ would have been a great shame."

Junip - line of fire, 2013

"The end is very dramatic, as he sings: "Step back from the line of fire" about 8 times, but with the strings going for it, more harmonies, more drums and the Moog thing, and it's just very lovely really, a nice atmosphere. After the 8 times, there's an instrumental until the end which is very soothing."

John Murry - things we lost in the fire, 2013

"Things We Lost in the Fire" is a track from John Murry's debut solo album, The Graceless Age, released in 2012 (UK) and 2013 (US/Australia). The song, clocking in at 6:12, is a haunting, introspective piece blending gothic country and folk elements, reflecting Murry’s struggles with substance abuse and personal loss."

Lullatone - race against the sunset, 2013

"Race Against the Sunset" is a song by Lullatone, a Nagoya, Japan-based music group known for their whimsical "pajama-pop" style, blending twee pop, indie pop, and electronica. Released on June 11, 2013, as part of the Summer Songs - EP, the track is 2:48 long and features a playful, lo-fi sound with ukulele and piano, often described as catchy and fun to sing along to."

Public Service Broadcasting - late night final, 2013

"Inform - Educate - Entertain is the first album by alternative British group Public Service Broadcasting. It features samples from the British Film Institute (BFI) and The National Archives (UK) and features themes from the first expedition of Mount Everest, the invention of colour television, road safety, fashion, the creation of the Spitfire plane and Thomas Woodrooffe's 1937 radio broadcast at the Spithead Review."

John McKeag - if cover, 2013

John McKeag · IF (Pink Floyd cover)

 

"I was born. Then I did some stuff. I'm still doing some stuff. I hope to do stuff for some time longer but Tomorrow Never Knows...."

Bear's Den - isaac, 2013

"I believe Bear’s Den is so amazing because after listening to their songs on repeat for a few days, as one does when they discover new music that they love, I started finding connections between a few of their songs. Their songs are a bit ambiguous so I could just be making up connections and shaping them to fit with the music but if not, this band has managed to tell a complete story through at least four different songs which is so cool."

Bear's Den - agape, 2013

"The opening title track tells of the horror of contemplating life without this 'agape'."

Beach Fossils - birthday, 2013

"The New York City dream pop band's second album sees them introduce a darker, more socially aware edge, though it trades their former instrumental rigidity for amiable, mid-fi college rock jangle."

William Fitzsimmons - took acoustic live, 2013

"This version of “Took” was recorded live at the Hotel Café in Los Angeles and Fitzsimmons conveys these dark sentiments in gentle fashion – but despite the song’s tenderness, the brutality of it all still comes across."

The National - don't swallow the cap, 2013

"Don't Swallow the Cap" is a song by American indie rock band The National. Written by band members Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, and Bryce Dessner, it appears as the third track on the band's sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me. "Don't Swallow the Cap" was released to United States modern rock radio as the album's second overall single on April 22, 2013."

The Mary Onettes - can't stop the aching, 2013

"He can make things sound huge and dramatic (as on the title track and the elegiac "How It All Ends"), but he and the band shine when they pull things back and underplay the emotion, as on "Years" and "Can't Stop the Aching."