James Blake & Brian Eno - Digital Lion

In a year so far tame and occasionally disappointing with decent new releases, James Blake's "Overgrown" is set to be the crowning glory of music in early 2013. "Retrograde" was an instant classic, the sound of Blake's confidence as a singer and songwriter finally shining as bright as his innovation in electronica, and now his collaboration with Brian Eno, "Digital Lion", also from "Overgrown", emerges just as triumphant and impressive as "Retrograde" was. 

Eno can be heard in the shimmering, warm, 70s-flecked pads, but Blake's voice steals the show as it breaks through the fuzzy atmosphere like a ray of sunshine, rather than hiding his gorgeous jazzy croon beneath it. However, once the sub-shattering bass kicks in, and windy percussion begins to eat up the track, you know this is no mere vocal spot. Blake may be more confident in his tunefulness this time around, but he hasn't forgot how to make a dirty noise either.

FOR FANS OF: Boards of Canada, Four Tet, XXYYXX

Mt. Wolf - Life Size Ghosts (Catching Flies Remix)

The scarcely known Mt. Wolf released an ethereal gem in the fall of the year just gone, the haunting "Life Size Ghosts". If you've not heard it, The Original track is a must for anyone who is a fan of hauntingly atmospheric folk.

Featured on their debut EP, Catching Flies' take of the track brings the track into darker territory, without sacrificing any of Mt Wolf's cloud-gazing magic. Earthy, shuffling beats and cut and paste acoustics bring to mind Four Tet, and the transposed vocal still manages to sound organic and heartfelt through the heavy processing. It's eerier, but most definitely as effective as the original.

FOR FANS OF: Four Tet, James Blake, Fleet Foxes