12. Jason Molina: Captain Badass
The top songs, albums and artists influencing an incredible year in music
When Darkside remixed the entirety of Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories this summer, it was clear they were warming up to something much bigger. Producer Nicolas Jaar and multi-instrumentalist Dave Harrington have been concocting a musical experiment since their 2011 EP, and new singles “Golden Arrow” and “Paper Trails” are evidence their work will continue to blur genres and break new ground in electronic music. “Paper Trails” pairs Harrington’s subdued guitar harmonies with low vocals and Jaar’s characteristic minimal rhythms to create a hypnotic space-age spiritual sound. The duo played a rooftop Boiler Room set in Brooklyn this fall, and later played a sold-out show at Fabric in London. Their debut LP Psychic dropped 8 October 2013, through Jaar’s new hybrid label and subscription service Other People, in collaboration with Matador Records.
