THE SINGLES OF 2011.

We're knee deep in list season, and with our Sound of 2012 list hitting the streets last week, it's time to take one final look back at 2011 before diving headfirst into the new year. Singles have always been our preferred music format, so as is tradition, we present to you our Top Singles of 2011 list. As per usual, only requirements are that they had to have been released in 2011 (either as a single or on an album) and that they can't have been released through Neon Gold (a heartbreaker given "Manners" and "Dreamers" alone accounted for probably 50% of our iTunes plays this year, but the show must go on). Streams and downloads (where permitted) available via Soundcloud.

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I DON'T THINK Y'ALL HEARD ME.

It's been a minute since we put out our first batch of Neon Gold TV videos from Reptar - sorry, we've been busy - but now we've got two more for y'all and some seriously great content lined up for the new year. This time around, ANR are in the hotseat, kindling the fire in our hearts with a live version of their "It's Around You" single we put out in August HERE.

But we've summoned you here today to talk about their stunning rendition of Kelis and Andre 3000's "Millionaire". In what is both a bold undertaking and a true homage, ANR strip down the money suit and put it in a tumble dryer, ruffling up the prim and proper original and giving it some character. As everything comes into focus, the hangover cure of a guitar-laden lead-in fills the room and MJ's reverb-drenched vocals are around you like a warm embrace. They cash in the reality check of a string section just as MJ starts spitting Dre's words of wisdom over Brian's winter-coated harmonies that beckons a voice-stretching, hard-hitting denouement. Catch the NGTV session above, and grab the breathtaking proper studio mp3 exclusively below.

MP3: "Millionaire" - ANR [exclusive]

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NEON GOLD PRESENTS: THE SOUND OF 2012

We've got some issues with the role the BBC's Sound of... lists have come to play in the current music climate, but still we love lists too much to sit idly by and not contribute our own for the year to come. As per usual, we're following the rules and regulations of the BBC's list, but going one step further than years past and excluding our own Neon Gold (or Beyond Gold) acts from inclusion (sorry fam). And so on we go then, 15 reasons not to end it all in 2012.


AZEALIA BANKS // In May 2009 we wrote the following: "New girl on the block Azealia Banks hasn't even finished high school and she's already the hottest new lady MC in the game. With rhymes like a sailor and major league flow, the 17 year old is a hip hop sensation just waiting to happen and it's only a matter of time before major labels are beating down her door, checkbooks in hand. Wake up A&R's, the next big thing is calling." It took a long minute, but 18 months later those last words have never been more true. The first true superstar of 2012 is ready to take the throne.

STREAM: "212" - Azealia Banks



MADEON // A little over a year ago Starsmith hit us up to tell us about an unknown 16 year old French kid who'd sent him tracks for production advice that was incredibly special. And well, he pretty much nailed it. Barely 12 months later, Madeon's being hailed as the future of electronic music and has every major label in the game falling all over themselves to win his hand. His "Pop Culture" live mash up video (and its accompanying 7+ million views) has a lot to do with this, but while it's a genius marketing tool, it's hardly the reason he's the future. He's the future because even at only 17 years old, he's already garnering (justified) comparisons to Daft Punk, and if the tracks we've heard behind closed doors are any indication, it's time to pass the torch.

STREAM: "Shuriken" - Madeon



WALK THE MOON // Most likely to do a Foster in 2012, Walk The Moon are hardly the coolest band in the world, nor do they come from anywhere near that same vaguely hipster place Foster The People did, but at the end of the day, that's not what matters. Massive songs are, and Walk The Moon have those in spades. From their quintessential anthem "Anna Sun" to newer smashes like "Next In Line", the Ohio four-piece have the arena-ready live show to match, are already cultivating a rabid fan base and are going to be omnipresent in 2012, whether you like it or not.

STREAM: "Anna Sun" - Walk The Moon



GOTYE // He survives the Neon Gold clause disqualifying artists we've worked with because a) you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who actually considers Gotye a Neon Gold artist and b) it was on an entirely different album cycle over two years ago that we released his Learnalilgivinanlovin' 7". We could go on with the excuses but frankly, after preaching for five years to anyone who would listen that Gotye was the future of music, we're just thrilled that it's finally happening. Sure, Universal Republic could drop the ball on this (though they've got Communion/Island there to right the ship in the UK), but you needn't look further than his just announced and sold-out-in-seconds NYC/LA dates to see that Gotye's time has finally arrived in this country.

STREAM: "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye



ST. LUCIA // HeavyRoc has done it again. After bringing Alex Winston to the masses last year, The Knocks returned in 2011 to do the same for their latest adopted family member, launching St. Lucia into the stratosphere on the back of untouchable tracks like "All Eyes On You" and "We Got It Wrong". Hailing from Brooklyn by way of Liverpool and South Africa, St. Lucia's global upbringing is reflected in the unique nature of his tropical electronic pop, which sounds as if its simultaneously from nowhere and everywhere at once, futuristic nostalgia pop from another time and place. With an immaculate debut EP lined up for release in early 2012, he's about to be all over your stereo and we look forward to watching him reign supreme in the months to come.

STREAM: "We Got It Wrong" - St. Lucia



ELECTRIC GUEST // Our favorite album of 2011 wasn't in fact released this year, as Electric Guest prepare their incredible debut record for release on Downtown in the first half of 2012. From the same management team that brought you Foster The People, Electric Guest are an LA two-piece fronted by Asa Taccone - younger brother of The Lonely Island and SNL's Jorma Taccone and co-writer of a little Emmy-winning number called "Dick In A Box" - whose tracks soundtracked our summer on repeat before blowing us away at CMJ this October. Taccone, not unlike his brother, is a natural star and born frontman, and with a nigh-on flawless Dangermouse-produced LP featuring surefire smashes like "This Head That I Hold" and "Awake" (sadly recently removed from Soundcloud) waiting in the wings, big things lie ahead for this lot in the year to come.

STREAM: "Troubleman" - Electric Guest



REPTAR // One of the most unique and exciting bands to emerge from the US in years, Reptar had a banner year in 2011 on the strength of their phenomenal debut Oblangle Fizz EP and their insane live show. Frontman Graham Ulicny is one of the best performers we've seen at this level in ages, coming off like like Isaac Brock fronting Passion Pit, an expert in his very own brand of furious pop music. Hallmark anthems "Houseboat Babies" and "Stuck In My Id" were already two of this years biggest indie partystarters, and with a debut album promising more of the same in 2012, you can bet we'll be keeping a close eye on this lot as they ready what is perhaps our most hotly anticipated release of next year.

STREAM: "Houseboat Babies" - Reptar



CHARLI XCX // She's been kicking around for a long minute now, but it seems like 17 year old Charli XCX is finally ready to seize the spotlight. Coming off like the perfect combination of Gwen Stefani and Marina ("Nuclear Seasons" is "Radioactive" could have been if it traded the club for the apocalypse), Charli had a massive 2011 that saw rapturous critical acclaim (even Pitchfork got involved) for her singles "Stay Away" and the AMAZING "Nuclear Seasons, as well as a show-stealing vocal turn on Alex Metric's "End of the World".

STREAM: "Nuclear Seasons" - Charli XCX



NIKI & THE DOVE // From the same team that brought you Icona Pop come their countrymen Niki & The Dove, The Knife to Icona's Robyn in Sweden's 2012 pop landscape. With arresting, otherworldly vocals and a downright hypnotic live show, the mysterious duo trade the club for the forest as they write some of the most compelling pop music around. Big things ahead.

STREAM: "The Drummer" - Niki & The Dove



CLOCK OPERA // Sure, he made our list last year, but with his debut album finally ready for release in early 2012, we'd be remiss not to give him the shine here once again. It may be a long road to the top for these guys (let's call it the Metronomy route), but we've said it once and we'll say it again, this band is going to change people.

STREAM: "Lesson No. 7" - Clock Opera



ARTHUR BEATRICE // Despite not having released a note of music and a penchant for bucking any music industry convention you throw at them, Arthur Beatrice have become perhaps the most sought after unsigned band in the UK. After repeatedly hearing from labels that bands "have to have an online presence" to succeed, they went and set up the genius www.online-presence.info, an online exhibition space for new artists and writers to show their work alongside the band's own material. Then there's their Open Assembly club nights, curated by and featuring the band playing alongside their favorite new artists. It's beautiful to watch a young band actually fostering a scene around themselves, and Arthur Beatrice seem to be doing everything right. Granted, none of that means much of anything if there aren't the songs and live show to match, but rest assured, you won't be disappointed.




FRIENDS // All it took was one listen to Friends' debut single "Friend Crush" for us to track them down by any means possible and get them on our Popshop club night last March, but then they went and blew the doors wide open on follow up single "I'm His Girl", a serious single of the year candidate and one of the most buzzed about tracks of the fall. Still they seem a little too cool for us to be totally comfortable with, but there's no denying the immense promise on display here.

STREAM: "I'm His Girl" - Friends



FOE // We've been singing FOE's praises for a while now, but even we weren't prepared for the dropkick to the jaw that is her debut album Bad Dream Hotline. Massive guitars, genius songwriting and insane production from boyfriend/collaborator Entrepreneurs converge to create an album that stands alone in the music landscape of 2012. It's no-holds-barred rock seen through a demented pop lens, and it's fucking brilliant.

STREAM: "Tyrant Song" - FOE



GROSS MAGIC // Coming out of nowhere with one of the best and most unique tracks of the year on "Sweetest Touch", Gross Magic stands apart from the pack in the race for 2012 supremacy. They've done the right deals in the right places, and with the right luck may well be the act to help carry on the rock revival the UK's been so desperately waiting for.

STREAM: "Sweetest Touch" - Gross Magic



GABRIEL BRUCE // A brooding, original voice in the crowded London singer songwriter scene, Gabriel Bruce is a macabre treasure. Debut single "Sleep Paralysis" is a meditation on the crippling phenomenon of the same name and comes complete with a picture book documenting the condition and the experiences of those affected by it. He's a fascinating talent, and while there's literally no telling where this might go, you better believe we're excited to find out.

STREAM: "Sleep Paralysis" - Gabriel Bruce

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HIDING FROM THE RAINFALL.

More and more, it seems our main man Clock Opera has been predestined to slay remixes like Hercules on a neverending quest for pristine pop glory. While the Blood Orange original by the legendary Dev Hynes is a lush intimate outpouring of love, Clock Opera ticks all the boxes for a flawless groove, taking the original from 1980 to 2080 in a single stride. On the one hand, drizzling synths fall like diamonds on your dashboard, as windshield wiper drums sweep any and all tension aside. On the second hand, Clock Opera's dazzling arrangements take cover under a self-validating umbrella of backing harmonies in the bridge. It's pretty much everything we've come to adore about his meticulousness handiwork, neatly packaged together in what's just another testament to The Clock's status as one of the few untouchable remixers in the game right now.

MP3: "Champagne Coast" (Clock Opera Remix) - Blood Orange

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SLIPPING UNDER COVERS.

Harriet is the brainchild of Alex Casnoff, the lone wolf who cut his teeth playing in LA's wildly revered PAPA and Dawes, already an impressive pedigree in its own right. Over the relentless locomotive piano of debut single "I Slept With All Your Mothers", Casnoff's howling vocals come bursting from your speakers with the emotional intensity of a man at his breaking point. He breaks it down real slow so his half growl, half croon sweet talks its way into your head like the lovechild of Neutral Milk Hotel and Wilco, delivered twenty years late. All in all, it's a full-bodied elixir for the heartbreak of a crashing American Dream, like a Richard Linklater film in song form that ends on a vindicated Oberhofer-esque final note. Look out for Harriet's debut EP Tell The Right Story on January 31st.

MP3: "I Slept With All Your Mothers" - Harriet

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WE'LL BURN THE PICTURES INSTEAD.

We posted Edwin van Cleef's AMAZING "Listzomania" cover in our All Things Gold preview last week, but it seriously deserves a bit more shine in its own dedicated post as it really is the one. Transcending the remix category and jumping straight to the upper echelons of our favorite tracks of the year, van Cleef procures a stunning vocal from Australia's Jane Elizabeth Hanley, who shines over the British club maestro's summery synth arrangements. Things slow down in the bridge for a minute, only to come racing back when the track bursts through the other side in a shimmering burst of ebullience, like a sun-drenched Coachella headrush or Passion Pit on their (MDM)A-game. Van Cleef makes his US debut this Thursday at U Street Music Hall as the DJ headliner on our last All Things Gold of the year (along with Xaphoon Jones, Monarchy and Xylos), and this is not one you're gonna want to miss. Get your tickets HERE.

DOWNLOAD: "Listzomania" (ft. Jane Elizabeth Hanley) - Edwin van Cleef

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SHINING JUST FOR YOU.

As the year comes to a close we turn an eye towards our most anticipated releases of 2012, and shining at the top of our list is of course none other than our beloved Alex Winston. Out February 28th, it's called King Con (perfect) and it's completely brilliant, at once precious and brazen, darling and devilish. To celebrate, Alex brings us an exclusive premier today in the form of her take on The Black Keys' "Everlasting Love", produced by the one and only Charlie Hugall, with whom she's recorded the lion's share of King Con, alongside collaborations with Bjorn Yttling and The Knocks. Exclusive mp3 below, let it be your everlasting light.

MP3: "Everlasting Light" - Alex Winston [exclusive]

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YOU LOOK JUST LIKE YR MOTHER SAID YOU WOULD.

New kids on the block Swiss Lips hail from Manchester and come off like the perfect midpoint between Polarsets and The Naked & Famous, young'uns with meticulously textured harmonies that immediately seize you by the ear with their striking immediacy and vitality. Lead single "U Got The Power" has been turning heads for a minute now (we hear Lily Allen is a fan), but it's the arguably even stronger "Grow" that's won us over, and we've got the exclusive mp3 premier here for you today.

Diving into the track headfirst, the urgent, hurried vocals of the verse serve to catalyze the sky-scraping chorus, a perfectly formed starburst of ebullience replete with exultant piano chords and snarling guitar licks that grind their teeth in anxious longing. The unfettered oohs are just as powerful as any whistle hook, the perfect soundtrack to crimes of passion and the headless recklessness of youth. And as the synth sirens go off in your head, the driving, lawless bassline picks you up, without hesitation, and lifts you to higher ground. This shit gives you wings.

MP3: "Grow" - Swiss Lips [exclusive]

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PERFECT GIFT FROM ME TO YOU.

Baby Monster are just as insatiable as we are. We premiered their séance of a Wolf Gang remix in early summer, and now they've lent their magic touch to Foster The People on this official remix of "Houdini". With a churning synth line that picks up where the late great LCD Soundsystem left off, the LA duo have really honed their craft to produce an interstellar clap-laden romp that you can see and hear from space, like playing pinball with the planets. The RAC treatment was here to get us through the warmer climes, and now Baby Monster arrive to keep our cockles warm in the winter months with this stellar, stargazing effort. Baby Monster The People, y'all.

MP3: "Houdini" (Baby Monster Remix) - Foster The People [exclusive]

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SO TAKE ME TONIGHT.

Ghost Beach are about to rock you like a natural disaster. Their debut single "Empty Streets" was a comforting sound that kindled something familiar and visceral in our hearts, and although their newest cut "First Time" follows a much different formula, it still has a certain sonic resonance that builds a Portishead-shaped home in your head with reckless precision. Josh Ocean's disaffected vocals lead a supercharged army of swashbuckling synths towards an absolute whirlpool of a breakdown, filled to the brim with a Marty McFly-level solo shred. We have only the highest expectations for Ghost Beach's live debut tonight as they take us tonight for the first time at Popshop. It's all going down at Tammany Hall with an open bar from 8pm-9pm. To gain access to FREE drinks and FREE vibes all night, you know what to do: RSVP@neongoldrecords.com.

MP3: "First Time" - Ghost Beach [exclusive]

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POPSHOP RADIO 012

New York, we love you and we're bringing you downtown. This Thursday, we really pulled out all the stops to end the year with a bang, and we'll hope you'll come out and celebrate with us. For proof of the mayhem in the Lower East Side that has become known as Popshop, above is some footage we managed to salvage from the dark depths of last month's summit. You'll notice some toothy grins, familiar faces, and hands in the air. You'll probably also notice the video converting to 3D halfway, courtesy of the visionaries at Jackpot in the West. All set to St. Lucia? The only thing better would be to experience the magic yourself, which you can and should do tomorrow night at Tammany Hall.

We've got another installment of our Popshop Radio series from The Knocks to whet your appetite before tomorrow's festivities and this might just be our best one to date. Keep your ears peeled for our favorite cuts from Ghost Beach, Emil & Friends, and Xylos and two absolutely massive remixes from Teachers and Xaphoon Jones. Closing out the hit parade is Clock Opera's dream-come-true remix of Feist and, last but certainly not least, the latest single from our newest obsession, Charli XCX. Shall we remind you of the hour-long Absolut open bar and FREE entry ticket with an email to RSVP@neongoldrecords.com? We shall.

1. "Monster (Teachers Remix)" - Kanye West

2. "First Time" - Ghost Beach

3. "Dreamers (Xaphoon Jones Remix)" - Savoir Adore

4. "Crystal Ball" - Emil & Friends

5. "Summer Song" - Xylos

6. "How Come You Never Go There (Clock Opera Remix)" - Feist

7. "Nuclear Seasons" - Charli XCX

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SHOOT THE LIGHTS OUT.

If you're not familiar with the renaissance man that is Ben Bronfman and his latest project Teachers, consider school officially now in session. We wrote about his gold-plated debut single earlier this year and now here's his tribal backbeat remix of Kanye's "Monster", the original of which he co-produced with Mr. West himself (no big deal). It opens up with Ye's familiar vitriol filtered through a tin can telephone, as itchy guitar riffs scratch you in all the hard to reach places and the lethal Ye-Jay-Nicki trifecta lays down life lessons over adrenaline-pumping drums, like Dead Poets Society with a vendetta. This Thursday at Tammany Hall, Teachers will be in the house like a personal tutor, and you really don't wanna miss it. It's F-R-E-E, by the way, so drop everything and make it happen: RSVP@neongoldrecords.com.



DOWNLOAD: "Monster" (Teachers Remix) - Kanye West

ALL THINGS GOLD 005: MONARCHY + E. VAN CLEEF

DC, don't think we forgot about you. In what has become another monthly family tradition, we're teaming up with our All Things Go bros yet again to bring you our last All Things Gold showcase of 2011. This time, we're back with even more international starpower, featuring a double threat of British club maestros hitting the east coast for the first time ever. Headlining live will be Monarchy, taking the Neon Gold stage for the first time in a moment we feel like we've been waiting for our whole lives. Then headlining the night on the decks will be the hotly anticipated US debut of Edwin van Cleef, storming DC with an arsenal of bangers (see: this, this, and this) so dangerous we're just hoping homeland security even lets him into the country.



Rounding out what just might be our strongest bill yet are Xylos live and Xaphoon Jones on the decks, taking this month's Popshop lineup on the road down to DC for an encore performance at All Things Gold. It's all going down at DC's finest venue, U Street Music Hall, Thursday December 8th at 9pm sharp, with $10 tickets available for purchase HERE. You better believe this will be a special one, so come out and join us for an end of the year celebration not soon to be forgotten.



09:30pm: Xylos // STREAM: "X-Ray"



10:30pm: Monarchy // DOWNLOAD: "Gold In The Eternal Fire"



11:00pm: Edwin Van Cleef // DOWNLOAD: "Listzomania" (ft. Jane Elizabeth Hanley)



12:45am: Xaphoon Jones // DOWNLOAD: "Dreamers" (Xaphoon Jones Remix)





Finally, those of you not in DC next week but still desperate to see Monarchy, fear not. You've got the consolation prize of the century coming when Monarchy make their NYC debut at Highline Ballroom on December 10th, with support from none other than our dearly beloved St. Lucia. Tickets are available HERE but, as expected, they're going fast.

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