Another year, another list; so it goes. You're not here for the pre-amble, so I'll keep it brief. Away from the depressing reality of macro 2018, there was a wonderfully mixed bag of bangers to listen to.
So here's my fifty favourite tracks from the last twelve months. As ever, let me know if I've missed something amazing - I love a good recommendation.
50. Max Cooper - Platonic / Hope
More of the same from everyone's favourite Belfast-born computational biologist - intricately layered electronic landscapes full of power and precision.
49. The Kills - List of Demands
You could say the same about Hince and Mosshart - nothing particularly mould-breaking from the indie darlings, but enjoyable nonetheless.
48. The Internet - La Di Da
I wasn't that big a fan of the new album, but this is as good a slinky R&B number as I heard anywhere this year.
47. Patrice Bäumel – Serpent
Exemplary hypnotic tech house courtesy of the big man from Amsterdam.
46. Young Fathers – In My View / Tremolo
Another patchy album from my Boroughmuir brethren, but as ever, more than enough talent on show to warrant all the awards and acclaim.
45. MGMT - One Thing Left to Try
Whatever happened to the ubiquitous-in-the-noughties MGMT? Well they popped up earlier this year to demonstrate they're not dead yet.
44. Krystal Klear - Neutron Dance / Moonshake Miner
2018's other big club earworm, this melody-laden crowd-pleaser should keep Running Back in the black for a few years to come.
43. Homeboy Sandman & Edan - #NeverUseTheInternetAgain
Two of my favourite East Coast rappers combine for an all too relevant examination of the world's favourite content delivery mechanism.
42. Anderson .Paak - Cheers
I'll listen to anything with Q-Tip on it, and thankfully he has pretty good taste when picking guest spots - this being the best cut from Paak's latest, Oxnard.
41. Jimothy Lacoste - Fashion / Subway System / I Can Speak Spanish
I was first alerted to young Timothy Gonzales through Adam Buxton's podcast with Lolly Adefope and initially dismissed his jokes rap. But coming back to his brazen and subsequently banned Subway video and hilarious Fashion lyrics, I can't help but have a grudging respect for the Camden native's confidence.
40. Daniel Avery - Quick Eternity (Four Tet remix)
It pains me to admit that I really didn't enjoy Avery's second album - all a bit too drone-y and ambient for my tastes. Four Tet has sprinkled a bit o chi magic on this one though, elevating it into something beautiful.
39. Space Dimension Controller - Everything Is Better Now
Despite being thirteen and a half minutes long, there's no wasted time in this welcome return of Jack Hamill's fertile musical mind.
38. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake (Danny Krivit re-edit)
The disco don gives his fellow New Yorkers a classic extended edit.
37. Washed Out - Chimes / Don't Wanna
Some bonus b-side treats on the re-release of 2009's High Times album.
36. Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel
My favourite song taken from Dirty Computer, dripping in posthumous Prince vibes and stripped back seduction.
35. Pusha T - The Games We Play
Drake who? King Push took back the crown with ease, favouring quality over quantity on Daytona.
34. Dr Octagon - Flying Waterbed
Much like the anticipated return of Deletion 3030 a few years back, Dan the Automator bringing back Dr Octagon bore mixed results.
33. Jungle - House In LA / Krystal Klear remix of Beat 54
The one song I can attest to on this list having actually seen it played live this year - a sublime high point on a pretty average second album.
32. Everything Is Recorded - Show Love
The combination of Syd and Sampha's voices was never going to be bad was it? Fair play to XL boss Richard Russell for flexing his A&R muscle to get them and a bunch of other talented bods in the studio for his pet project.
31. David Byrne - Everybody's Coming To My House
One more wonderful thing to add to Dave's incredible body of work. What a silly man I am to have not caught him touring American Utopia this year.
30. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Major League Chemicals / Hunnybee
The latest LP was no Multi-Love, but these two tracks show Ruban Nielson has still got a lot to offer.
29. Django Django - Marble Skies
The pick of the bunch from a slightly underwhelming third album.
28. Peach - Silky
The ever-enterprising Midland started off his new emerging talent-focused sub-label, Intergraded, with this peach - pun definitely intended - a shimmering, synth-laden and remarkably assured production debut.
27. Erol Alkan - Silver Echoes / Spectrum
A couple of club cuts from the Phantasy boss, showing he's still got it.
26. Cut Chemist, Chali 2na and Hymnal - Work My Mind
The closest you're getting to a Jurassic 5 reunion this year - lovely to hear Cut Chemist's making beats for the idiosyncratic voice of Chali 2na again.
25. Matrix – Get Out (Detroit Swindle remix)
Taken from the Kerri Chandler remixed album, this encapsulates everything I love about proper US deep house.
24. Denis Sulta - D.K.Y (But I Do)
Another year, another joyous slice of happy house music from Glasgow's latest prodigal son of the dance. This takes liberally from the source material, but it's so much fun I don't care how simplistic it is.
23. Eris Drew - Hold Me (T4T Embrace remix)
Drew's debut release, a split EP with fellow fabulous female Octo Octa, is a revelation. The Embrace mix of Hold Me is a laid back, lo-fi house gem, while the Goddess mix of Octo's Beam Me Up is a breakbeat sunrise spectacular.
22. Kasper Marott - Keflavik
Not quite at Terje's level yet, but this young Dane is making all the right noises - a saccharine sweet peak time melody monster.
21. Christine and the Queens - Girlfriend (featuring Dâm-Funk)
This is just great pop music - if only more mainstream artists could be this interesting.
20. Wolfram - Automatic Dub
Energetic Italo house for sweaty night spots full of beautiful people.
19. Pushing Movies – Thinking About You (Lauer remix)
More propulsive house music dripping in 80s influences, this time with one of my favourite producers on polishing duties.
18. Modeselektor - Kalif Storch
This weapons-grade banger stands out even among the quality assembled on Gernot and Sebastian's own Modeselektion compilation.
17. Earthboogie – High Minded Man (Gerd Janson remix)
This is what tropical house should sound like - sun-soaked, equatorial-influenced 4/4 to make anywhere and anytime feel like the summer.
16. Dorian Concept – Promises / J Buyers
A couple of choice cuts from The Nature of Imitation album on Brainfeeder.
15. Selling - Keeping Txme
Gold Panda and Jas Shaw from Simian Mobile Disco releasing an album together was an unexpected treat; all the more so because the actual music was so lovely.
14. Jon Hopkins - Emerald Rush
Hard to choose a favourite from such a complete and cohesive album, but this one had the best music video, so...
13. Nils Frahm - Sunson / The Roughest Trade
This guy's compositions are so impressive, I really must see him do it live.
12. Peggy Gou - It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)
Between this and her acid remix of Shakedown 'At Night', Peg's star continued to shine bright this year; an astute signing by Ninja Tune.
11. Ross From Friends - R.A.T.S / Pale Blue Dot
If you can get past his silly moniker, then I'd say this young man has managed to shed his association with last year's lo-fi house fad the most completely by signing with the Ninjas and releasing a really varied and interesting debut LP.
10. Objekt - Lost and Found (Found Mix)
Otherworldly, atmospheric techno from Mixmag's man of the year.
9. Special Request - Make It Real (Gerd Janson & Shan remix)
An ode to the old skool - this rework takes me back to the gurning in a farmers field just off the M25 I never experienced.
8. Bicep - Opal (Four Tet remix)
I'd wager that over the years I've been making these lists, Kieran Hebden has cropped up more times than anyone else; such is his production prowess. Another fine example here, as he stretches Bicep's already lush original into a delicate, slow-mo house burner of the sort he's become known for of late.
7. Lauer - Mirrors / Pythor
In the wrong hands, something like this could sound like the worst excesses of Euro dance, but with big Phil Lauer twiddling the knobs, it's a perfectly-poised piece of Germanic power pop.
6. Childish Gambino - Feels Like Summer
If Donald Glover really is going to give up his musical alter ego, it will be a huge loss to popular music. This track is a good example of why - a delightful slice of simple, sunny and soulful R&B.
5. Âme - Queen of Toys
Starts off sounding a bit like Kraftwerk, then switches to Who's Afraid of Detroit? before finishing back in Innervisions territory - all within five minutes.
4. Chaka Khan - Like Sugar
The lead single from her first album in 11 years, this Switch-produced head-nodder is everything you'd hope for from the queen of funk's triumphant return - with a great video to boot.
3. Lone - Pulsar
An emotional breakbeat number taken from Lone's Ambivert Tools Volume Four on R&S, this encapsulates everything I love about his work.
2. DJ Koze - Pick Up / Seeing Aliens
I almost felt like not including Pick Up in this list, as its saturation has begun a bit of a backlash with me, but this and just about everything else Koze's put out this year have been so expertly crafted it would be a massive dick move to try and be cynical about his success.
1. George Fitzgerald and Bonobo - Outgrown
Bit of a dream combination this one. After seeing the video shared via their social media I must have played it enough times for YouTube to suggest it after anything I watched, and to be fair, I never skipped it when it came on. Two talented musicians at the top of their game, uniting for a glimmering, sumptuous song that would be as at home soundtracking a car advert as it would being blasted out as a DJ's 'one last tune'.
For all these and many more, in handy playlist form, click here.