Ever since 2001, I’ve engaged in the annual ritual of assembling a two-CD mix of the last year’s best new music. (Kids, let me translate: two 80-minute playlists, both of which fit exactly on the kind of “compact disc” your parents used to listen to.)

This year’s is rather late, but it’s finally done. Here it is:

Reader support helps sustain our work. Donate today to keep our climate news free. All donations DOUBLED!

side one

  1. aloe blacc – i need a dollar
  2. jenny and johnny – big wave
  3. band of horses – compliments
  4. josh ritter – change of time
  5. girl talk – this is the remix
  6. big boi – shutterbugg
  7. gigi – alone at the pier (f rose melberg)
  8. best coast – the end
  9. miniature tigers – rock n’ roll mountain troll
  10. ariel pink’s haunted graffiti – round and round
  11. rogue wave – permalight
  12. the bad plus – super america
  13. mumford & sons – little lion man
  14. the moondoggies – lead me on
  15. the avett brothers – spanish pipedream
  16. the ruby suns – cranberry
  17. yeasayer – madder red
  18. dr. dog – i only wear blue
  19. delta spirit – bushwick blues
  20. the ouija birds – the traveller
  21. fang island – sideswiper

side two

Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.

  1. trampled by turtles – wait so long
  2. arcade fire – sprawl ii (mountains beyond mountains)
  3. black mountain – the hair song
  4. the secret sisters – why baby why
  5. ceelo green – fuck you
  6. sarah jaffe – before you go
  7. sarah harmer – silverado (f neko case)
  8. jesca hoop – four dreams
  9. band of horses – blue beard
  10. the national – bloodbuzz ohio
  11. mountain man – animal tracks
  12. mark ronson – bang bang bang (f q-tip & mndr)
  13. free energy – bang pop
  14. freelance whales – we could be friends
  15. dan reeder – maybe
  16. mimicking birds – pixels
  17. blitzen trapper – the tree (f alela diane)
  18. janelle monae – dance or die (f saul williams)
  19. bad books – you wouldn’t have to ask
  20. rural alberta advantage – don’t haunt this place
  21. ratatat – neckbrace
  22. phosphorescent – hej, me i’m light

More on the mix here.