Listing the best albums released in a given year can't encapsulate the wonderful variety of music circulating the globe and Internets. Listing the best 100 songs by order of preference runs into context problems - hopping from Burial to Bonnie 'Prince' Billy to Body Parts is inadvisable. In an attempt to solve this miniscule problem, this writer has taken to creating annual mixtapes. The tradition, which began with a few dozen songs, has grown in quality and quantity over the years (now requiring 7 CDs worth of songs). Every sound, noise, or hiccup from 2013 may not be on these discs, but here's to hoping that it captures the best of the Year of Our Lord 2013.
Disc 1: Woodland Prelude / Stadt allemande / Cathedrale courante
1. Tiderays - Volcano Choir
2. Is That Enough - Yo La Tengo
3. Local Girl - Neko Case
4. A New Life - Jim James
5. Kindness Be Conceived (feat. Joanna Newsom) - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
6. Peace and Quiet - Waxahatchee
7. Water World - John Thill
8. T.H.M. - Deerhunter
9. Year of the Glad - Marnie Stern
10. City - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
11. Cemetery Gaits - Los Campesinos!
12. Me & You & Jackie Mittoo - Superchunk
13. El Rito - Destroyer
14. Bite My Tongue - King Khan & The Shrines
15. Holy Roller - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
16. This Was It - Marnie Stern
17. Cherry - The Memories
18. Gimme - Beck
19. Green Garden - Laura Mvula
20. Comrade - Volcano Choir
21. Of the Mother Again - Jim James
22. Ya Hey - Vampire Weekend
23. Poems, Prayers, and Promises - Dawn McCarthy & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
2. Is That Enough - Yo La Tengo
3. Local Girl - Neko Case
4. A New Life - Jim James
5. Kindness Be Conceived (feat. Joanna Newsom) - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
6. Peace and Quiet - Waxahatchee
7. Water World - John Thill
8. T.H.M. - Deerhunter
9. Year of the Glad - Marnie Stern
10. City - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
11. Cemetery Gaits - Los Campesinos!
12. Me & You & Jackie Mittoo - Superchunk
13. El Rito - Destroyer
14. Bite My Tongue - King Khan & The Shrines
15. Holy Roller - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
16. This Was It - Marnie Stern
17. Cherry - The Memories
18. Gimme - Beck
19. Green Garden - Laura Mvula
20. Comrade - Volcano Choir
21. Of the Mother Again - Jim James
22. Ya Hey - Vampire Weekend
23. Poems, Prayers, and Promises - Dawn McCarthy & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Disc 2: Gigue de la ferveur
1. Desperation - Body Parts
2. Oh Sheit It's X - Thundercat
3. Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell) - Daft Punk
4. Avocado, Baby - Los Campesinos!
5. Sacrilege - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
6. Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas) - Daft Punk
7. I Won't Be Long - Beck
8. Dream Captain - Deerhunter
9. On Blue Mountain - Foxygen
10. Sugar on Top - The Dirtbombs
11. Diane Young - Vampire Weekend
12. Sun Blows Up Today - The Flaming Lips
13. Touch (feat. Paul Williams) - Daft Punk
14. It's Never Over (Oh Orpheus) - The Arcade Fire
15. Afterlife - The Arcade Fire
16. Supersymmetry - The Arcade Fire
17. Hiders (Edit) - Burial
2. Oh Sheit It's X - Thundercat
3. Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell) - Daft Punk
4. Avocado, Baby - Los Campesinos!
5. Sacrilege - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
6. Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas) - Daft Punk
7. I Won't Be Long - Beck
8. Dream Captain - Deerhunter
9. On Blue Mountain - Foxygen
10. Sugar on Top - The Dirtbombs
11. Diane Young - Vampire Weekend
12. Sun Blows Up Today - The Flaming Lips
13. Touch (feat. Paul Williams) - Daft Punk
14. It's Never Over (Oh Orpheus) - The Arcade Fire
15. Afterlife - The Arcade Fire
16. Supersymmetry - The Arcade Fire
17. Hiders (Edit) - Burial
Disc 3: Polonaise souterraine
1. The Garage - John Thill
2. Paper Trails - Darkside
3. Judge, Jury and Executioner - Atoms for Peace
4. We Disappear - Jon Hopkins
5. The Only Shrine I've Seen - Darkside
6. Contact / Black Skinhead (Edit) - Daft Punk & Kanye West
7. Ingenue - Atoms for Peace
8. Defriended - Beck
9. Foundation - Richard Buckner
10. Heart - Darkside
11. Take a Fall For Me (feat. RZA) - James Blake
12. Come Down to Us (Edit) - Burial
13. Immunity - Jon Hopkins
14. Wedding Song - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2. Paper Trails - Darkside
3. Judge, Jury and Executioner - Atoms for Peace
4. We Disappear - Jon Hopkins
5. The Only Shrine I've Seen - Darkside
6. Contact / Black Skinhead (Edit) - Daft Punk & Kanye West
7. Ingenue - Atoms for Peace
8. Defriended - Beck
9. Foundation - Richard Buckner
10. Heart - Darkside
11. Take a Fall For Me (feat. RZA) - James Blake
12. Come Down to Us (Edit) - Burial
13. Immunity - Jon Hopkins
14. Wedding Song - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Disc 4: Menuet du monde
1. Maria de las nieves - Destroyer
2. Ayo (Goodbye) - The Garifuna Collective
3. Xarit - Baxamaxam
4. Kourna - Rokia Traore
5. Ubou (The World) - The Garifuna Collective
6. Only Now (Bosq Remix) - Warsaw Afrobeat Orchestra
7. Peguele - DJ Mopao
8. Sikey - Rokia Traore
9. Harafin So - Abubakar Sani
10. Friday - From the Sahel Sounds Compilation Music from Saharan Cellphones: Volume 2
11. Waihidjo - Pheno S.
12. Mama - Baxamaxam
13. Lalla - Rokia Traore
14. Diack So - Vieux Farka Toure
15. Ka Moun Ke - Rokia Traore
16. Del monton - Destroyer
17. Jama Ko - Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba
18. Retiou - Baxamaxam
19. Silence
20. Bye Bye - Destroyer (Hidden Track)
2. Ayo (Goodbye) - The Garifuna Collective
3. Xarit - Baxamaxam
4. Kourna - Rokia Traore
5. Ubou (The World) - The Garifuna Collective
6. Only Now (Bosq Remix) - Warsaw Afrobeat Orchestra
7. Peguele - DJ Mopao
8. Sikey - Rokia Traore
9. Harafin So - Abubakar Sani
10. Friday - From the Sahel Sounds Compilation Music from Saharan Cellphones: Volume 2
11. Waihidjo - Pheno S.
12. Mama - Baxamaxam
13. Lalla - Rokia Traore
14. Diack So - Vieux Farka Toure
15. Ka Moun Ke - Rokia Traore
16. Del monton - Destroyer
17. Jama Ko - Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba
18. Retiou - Baxamaxam
19. Silence
20. Bye Bye - Destroyer (Hidden Track)
Disc 5: Bourree vantard - la premiere partie
1. Beware the Stare - Ghostface Killah
2. King Push - Pusha T
3. 36" Chain - Run the Jewels
4. Hit Da Pavement - 7 Days of Funk
5. Take Me Over - Roc Marciano
6. Heavens Cry - Black Milk
7. Monochrome - L'Orange & Stik Figa
8. Jungle - Ka
9. The Return (feat. Freddie Gibbs) - Danny Brown
10. Knighthood - Ka
11. Rock Beast - Czarface
12. 1Train (feat. A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Joey Badass, Yelawolf, Danny Brown & Action Bronson) - Big K.R.I.T.
13. Heaven (Instrumental) - Timbaland & J-Roc
14. Monday's Worst - Black Milk
15. Hold My Liquor - Kanye West
16. Nosetalgia (feat. Kendrick Lamar) - Pusha T
17. Off the Record - Ka
18. Float On (feat. Charli XCX) - Danny Brown
19. Chain Smoker - Chance the Rapper
20. Yeah & Nah - Oddisee
21. Hold On (feat. Rick Ross & Kanye West) - Pusha T
22. Blood on the Leaves - Kanye West
2. King Push - Pusha T
3. 36" Chain - Run the Jewels
4. Hit Da Pavement - 7 Days of Funk
5. Take Me Over - Roc Marciano
6. Heavens Cry - Black Milk
7. Monochrome - L'Orange & Stik Figa
8. Jungle - Ka
9. The Return (feat. Freddie Gibbs) - Danny Brown
10. Knighthood - Ka
11. Rock Beast - Czarface
12. 1Train (feat. A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Joey Badass, Yelawolf, Danny Brown & Action Bronson) - Big K.R.I.T.
13. Heaven (Instrumental) - Timbaland & J-Roc
14. Monday's Worst - Black Milk
15. Hold My Liquor - Kanye West
16. Nosetalgia (feat. Kendrick Lamar) - Pusha T
17. Off the Record - Ka
18. Float On (feat. Charli XCX) - Danny Brown
19. Chain Smoker - Chance the Rapper
20. Yeah & Nah - Oddisee
21. Hold On (feat. Rick Ross & Kanye West) - Pusha T
22. Blood on the Leaves - Kanye West
Disc 6: Bourree vantard - la deuxieme partie
1. Good Ass Intro - Chance the Rapper
2. Side A (Old) - Danny Brown
3. Air 'Em Out - Czarface
4. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels
5. Numbers on the Boards - Pusha T
6. 25 Bucks (feat. Purity Ring) - Danny Brown
7. Moochie - Boldy James
8. Juice - Chance the Rapper
9. Chum - Earl Sweatshirt
10. Lost (feat. Noname Gypsy) - Chance the Rapper
11. MasterKey - THEESatisfaction
12. Burgundy (feat. Vince Staples) - Earl Sweatshirt
13. Cocoa Butter Kisses (feat. Vic Mensa & Twista) - Chance the Rapper
14. S.N.I.T.C.H. (feat. Pharrell) - Pusha T
15. Leash on Life (feat. Kevin Gates) - Don Trip & Starlito
16. New Slaves - Kanye West
17. Shine On (feat. Bun B) - Big K.R.I.T.
18. I'm In It (Edit) - Kanye West
19. Pain (feat. Future) - Pusha T
20. King Without a Crown - Big K.R.I.T.
21. Fire (Instrumental) - Darhyl Camper Jr. & Rob Kinelski
22. Control (feat. Big Sean & Jay Electronica) - Kendrick Lamar
23. Intro - Roc Marciano
24. Bound 2 - Kanye West
2. Side A (Old) - Danny Brown
3. Air 'Em Out - Czarface
4. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels
5. Numbers on the Boards - Pusha T
6. 25 Bucks (feat. Purity Ring) - Danny Brown
7. Moochie - Boldy James
8. Juice - Chance the Rapper
9. Chum - Earl Sweatshirt
10. Lost (feat. Noname Gypsy) - Chance the Rapper
11. MasterKey - THEESatisfaction
12. Burgundy (feat. Vince Staples) - Earl Sweatshirt
13. Cocoa Butter Kisses (feat. Vic Mensa & Twista) - Chance the Rapper
14. S.N.I.T.C.H. (feat. Pharrell) - Pusha T
15. Leash on Life (feat. Kevin Gates) - Don Trip & Starlito
16. New Slaves - Kanye West
17. Shine On (feat. Bun B) - Big K.R.I.T.
18. I'm In It (Edit) - Kanye West
19. Pain (feat. Future) - Pusha T
20. King Without a Crown - Big K.R.I.T.
21. Fire (Instrumental) - Darhyl Camper Jr. & Rob Kinelski
22. Control (feat. Big Sean & Jay Electronica) - Kendrick Lamar
23. Intro - Roc Marciano
24. Bound 2 - Kanye West
Disc 7: Passepied de la sortie
1. Like the Morning Dew - Laura Mvula
2. I Should Live in Salt - The National
3. We the Common (For Valerie Bolden) - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
4. Jean's Waving - Amor de Días
5. San Francisco - Foxygen
6. Step - Vampire Weekend
7. Wakin on a Pretty Day - Kurt Vile
8. Seven Sisters - The Shouting Matches
9. Luckiest Man - King Khan & the Shrines
10. Weight - Mikal Cronin
11. The West - Ty Segall
12. Never Run Away - Kurt Vile
13. The Sing - Bill Callahan
14. Calling Cards - Neko Case
15. Exploding - Jim James
16. Small Plane - Bill Callahan
17. Acetate - Volcano Choir
18. Pray for Lil - King Khan & the Shrines
19. Before We Run - Yo La Tengo
20. Royal Quiet Deluxe - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
2. I Should Live in Salt - The National
3. We the Common (For Valerie Bolden) - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
4. Jean's Waving - Amor de Días
5. San Francisco - Foxygen
6. Step - Vampire Weekend
7. Wakin on a Pretty Day - Kurt Vile
8. Seven Sisters - The Shouting Matches
9. Luckiest Man - King Khan & the Shrines
10. Weight - Mikal Cronin
11. The West - Ty Segall
12. Never Run Away - Kurt Vile
13. The Sing - Bill Callahan
14. Calling Cards - Neko Case
15. Exploding - Jim James
16. Small Plane - Bill Callahan
17. Acetate - Volcano Choir
18. Pray for Lil - King Khan & the Shrines
19. Before We Run - Yo La Tengo
20. Royal Quiet Deluxe - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy