Rather than operate as a music news source, Electronic Beats operates as a music information source.

We want to share with you; we want you to know what we’re hearing, what’s reverberating our cochleas and sending broader vibrations throughout our bodies, and by extension our audio-addled souls. Down with that? Welcome to Editors’ Choice.

Lisa Blanning (Online Editor)

Kanye East for Pussy Riot – “I Know That Pussy Riot Ain’t Free”

A surprisingly bangin’ track using the vocals of Kanye to highlight the fact that two members of Pussy Riot are still behind bars. Part of a larger effort by Female Pressure for the Pussy Riot Support Fund.

Louise Brailey (Deputy Online Editor)

Todd Terje – “Spiral”

And the prize for the most seasonably inappropriate record goes to… No really, it appears our man Todd Terje never really left the Strandbar last summer. Despite the unchecked nostalgia that this is aiming for, there’s something slightly knowing about the Roland synths and the gated drum fills (about seven minutes in). Still, what did you expect from the ‘tached Norwegian? That debut can’t come soon enough.

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Moritz Gayard (Online Duty Editor)

Egyptrixx – Music To… DRONE Out To

Yesterday was a pretty foggy day here in Berlin and walking to the office while listening to these drone-y sounds gave me sort of an extraordinary experience. Try it.

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Daniel Jones (Contributing Editor)

OVRJYD – “Love Me”

Justin hasn’t sounded this good since NIKE7UP got his hands on yung Bieb’s pre-pomp puss. These sorts of total-reformat edits are the only way this kind of music is bearable to me, but sometimes I wonder about the people who are so in love with the originals and I imagine what it would be like if NIKE7UP started making remixes again. Maybe he would become famous, and all the original versions of these songs would fall out of favor and fade, and Bieber would only be heard pitched way, way up or way, way down. Possibly refracted into a multitude of audible ranges. NIKE7UP should start making remixes again.

BlackBlackGold – Getting Colder (Mix for FRAGILE)

Just in case you need another reason to celebrate the season!

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A.J. Samuels (Senior Print Editor)

Planningtorock – “Human Drama” (Paula Temple “Gender’s Just a Lie” remix)

After a long hiatus, Paula Temple returned to form this year with her excellent Colonized EP. She’s now brought her hardness to Planningtorock’s  “Human Drama” off the forthcoming album All Love’s Legal.

Havoc – 13 

Prodigy – Albert Einstein

You don’t have to find Jesus, Prodigy will still leave you holy (his own words). This year saw both Mobb Deep members release solo albums which, while not perfect, certainly had their moments. Havoc mostly did his own production while Prodigy once again went to the Alchemist. Cool. But enough with the solo records, please give me what I need.

 HTRK – “Give It Up”

Really looking forward to this whole album.

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Jannik Schäfer (Social Media Editor)

Busta Rhymes & Q-Tip – The Abstract & The Dragon Mixtape

The highly anticipated collaborative mixtape from two of hip-hop’s greatest dropped yesterday and it’s kind of what you would expect. A couple of unreleased tracks, a lot of classics and a lovely underlying vibe. There’s a skit that sounds as though Q-Tip is still down about what happened with ATCQ but trying to look ahead. Sadly, there are also a couple of YMCMB-infested tracks with awful DJ-shouting that remind me of the side of Busta Rhymes that I never liked. You know, the one that made tracks with the likes of Linkin Park, T-Pain or J-Biebs. On the other hand, it’s that same Busta that brings out the good in Lil’ Wayne or Nikki Minaj.

Madlib – “Hold the Organ” (from Rock Konducta Vol. 1)

Madlib is gradually releasing tracks off his latest Beat Konducta instrumental series release titled Rock Konducta Vol. 1. The final product consisting of Volumes 1 and 2 is set to be released in spring and draws from various underground rock scenes from the sixties through the eighties like krautrock, Spanish prog and so on. The first preview, “Black Widow“, was not so far up my alley but this one got me all excited!

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Read previous editions of Editors’ Choice here.

Published December 13, 2013.