This Is Our Jam: The 2011 Mega Roundup
7. Purity Ring - “Belispeak”
Purity Ring still haven’t released their first full length album, but the tracks they did drop in 2011 were some of the most buzzed-about tunes of the year. While we expect great things from Purity Ring in the near future, the skittering, warped vocals of “Belispeak” will be hard to top.
6. Gang Gang Dance - “Adult Goth”
A song whose title seemed to define the dark musical tones of 2011, “Adult Goth” begins with a groove that meanders between genres even as it creates its own. It’s the music aliens would make after being given a drum set and an electric guitar with no instruction manual.
5. Austra - “Beat and the Pulse”
“Beat and the Pulse” encapsulated a trend among female vocalists in 2011: dark, synth-driven, starkly beautiful, with a singer whose voice dominated the mix (see also: Light Asylum and Zola Jesus). “Beat and the Pulse” was a gothic tour de force by one of the most exciting new singers of the past 12 months.
All music is for sampling purposes only. Please go out and buy the artists' records. If you would like for us to remove a track, please email us at feedback@refinery29.com.
Photo: Via Purity Ring; Via Gang Gang Dance; Via Austra
in NYC