Wise Blood - Darlin You're Sweet 8.5/10

Wise Blood is an indie electronic pop project by Chris Laufman from Pittsburgh, USA. This track is taken from his EP called These Wings which was released by Dovecote Records in 2011. This is an electro dance track done in slow motion, a chillout song for a quiet night in at home. For a bedroom lo-fi recording the production quality is high, and Laufman's layered vocals sung in a half-whisper and half-falsetto come across as fully sincere. He describes his love for his partner, and worries that he may not be everything that they need him to be, while also wondering if they are everything that he needs. The sampled backing vocals used during the bridge sound like a full church choir and add considerable volume and atmosphere. This is the standout track from the EP These Wings, and the best track so far from Wise Blood; hopefully he's working on more material that pushes the boundaries of bedroom electro pop the way Darlin You're Sweet does.

Odesza - I Want You 8.9/10

Odesza is an indie electronic duo from Seattle, USA. This track is taken from their debut album Summer's Gone which was self-released in 2012. For a self-released album Summer's Gone has incredibly crisp production and sounds like a major label release. When the transfixing bassline on this track kicks in at 0:32 I feel blown away every time; this begs to be listened to through high-quality headphones to get the full effect of the bass and layers of percussion. The lyrics are essentially indecipherable, but the words aren't really important, it's all about experiencing the dense atmosphere they've created. The entire album Summer's Gone is a solid chill out collection, with tracks that will almost make you feel like dancing while lying on the sofa bobbing your head to the thick bass lines.

Bibio - À tout à l'heure 9.0/10

Bibio is the stage name of Stephen Wilkinson from Wolverhampton, UK. This track is taken from the album Silver Wilkinson released in May 2013 on Warp Records. The theme of dreamy nostalgia runs through this warm and relaxing track, it's the sonic equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate on a winter's day or sunlight melting frost. Apparently most of this song was recorded outdoors in his garden, and the earthy, vibrant tones it emits are a reflection of this. The cryptic lyrics conjure up a nursery rhyme of childhood nostalgia, but Wilkinson's soothing voice becomes merely another instrument used to craft the buoyantly atmospheric mood he's aiming for. This is another track that will likely make my list of the Best of 2013.