The Caretaker – A relationship with the sublime

Thundercat – Is It Love

Chad VanGaalen – Peace on the Rise

The Mahotella Queens – Wozani Mahipi

Thanks to our occasional guest titler @whyowhyvonne and the typically nourishing read there, Unmissable.

Dr. Dre Ft. Nikki Grier & Sly – Mr. Prescription

Delia Derbyshire – Land

A post named not to celebrate my freedom from Facebook, no, but for a song in a playlist. Not because it’s the best song, but because it has the word “year” in it, and it’s January 1st, and that’s just how far we can push the envelope round here.

A day like this in a year like this deserves bonus music. So not just one track this Focussed, but a whole playlist. These are all 2010 releases, and another thing they have in common is our love for them.

Crystal Castles – Year Of Silence

Food, Thomas Strønen, Iain Ballamy & Christian Fennesz – Mictyris

Either/Orchestra – Portrait of Lindsey Schust

Tritton Cello Ensemble – Le Phènix_ I. Allegro

Emeralds – Now You See Me

Brooklyn Rider & Kojiro Umezaki – Lullaby from Itsuki

Joe Frawley – About Memory, Part 1

Flying Lotus – Nose Art

Four Tet – Love Cry

Laura Marling – Devil’s Spoke

Stephen Hough – Chopin Mazurka in F minor, Op 63 No 2

Myra Melford – Night

No Age – Skinned

Laura Veirs – July Flame

A Place To Bury Strangers – It Is Nothing

Fanshaw – O’ Sailor

Brooklyn Rider – (Cycles) What Falls Must Rise

Portico Quartet – The Visitor