Cults keep a vein of yearning through out their music, being especially prevalent in these recordings, in which the melancholy is no longer veiled behind sixties girl group naivité, making way instead for a more heartfelt desperation, with gleams of glockenspiel as wistful as the vocals, barely making their way through the dark coat of guitar grime and organs. Employing more than a few tricks from the books of Spector and George Morton, the percussion and engineering is exquisite, and the mixing well-defined.
Their self-titled album debut was recently released on Lily Allen’s label.

Cults - Abducted
MP3/320 Mediafire

Cults - You Know What I Mean
MP3/320 Mediafire

One of the songs that I have played the most this past year has been the alluring Change of Heart by Sweden's own El Perro del Mar. Her 2009 release Love is Not Pop deserves more listeners. Also, you need to hear this recent Rakamonie remix crafted by Robyn, breathing new electronic life into an already perfect pop record.

El Perro del Mar - Change of Heart
MP3/320 Mediafire

Jack Tatum made this wonderful dream pop version of the Kate Bush masterpiece under his shoegazing moniker Wild Nothing. I would not dare to suggest that it trumps the original, but as far as covers go, this is excellent.

Wild Nothing - Cloudbusting
MP3/192 Mediafire

Beach House made the world a better place a few weeks ago, when they blessed longing fans with a free copy of the first single from Teen Dream. The album will be out in January. I would recommend getting the WAV.

Beach House - Norway
MP3/320 Mediafire

Joy Orbison - J. Doe
MP3/320 DMCA Takedown

Jose James - Blackmagic (Joy Orbison's Recreation)
MP3/320 DMCA Takedown

Four Tet - Love Cry (Joy Orbison Remix)
MP3/320 DMCA Takedown

Burial - Fostercare from the upcoming compilation Five Years of Hyperdub
MP3/320 Mediafire

Burial & Four Tet - Moth from the Moth/Wolf Club 12" out on Text Records
MP3/320 Mediafire

Miike Snow continues to commission videos and remixes for their self-titled debut. Vince Haycock directed the video for Black & Blue, and my pick from the lot of remixes is this one by dubstep ambassador Caspa.

Miike Snow - Black & Blue (Caspa Remix)
MP3/320 Removed