What Else Is There?

#13. Miike Snow - Black Tin Box (5:33)

There are plenty of reasons why “Black Tin Box” is so good at doing that standy thing to neck hairs — the muffled steel drums, Andrew Wyatt’s filter heavy voice and chilling, wavering theremin synths. However, nothing propels “Black Tin Box” forward more than those drums. They first appear in the background, but as the song progresses they seem to know exactly when to swiftly pop out and drop some contrast into the dark moodscape, just before slinking back into the distance for Lykke Li’s guest spot. It’s not often that percussion winds up being the highlight of a song, but in Miike’s co-opted nursery rhyme, it makes perfect sense.

Best Moment: Right when Lykke’s voice slowly fades upwards at 2:35 and 2:50.

The Album [Happy To You]: 5/10

:: Lykke Li - Youth Knows No Pain ::

While perhaps more known for her tender, breathy voice on songs like “Dance, Dance, Dance” and “Little Bit” from her 2008 debut Youth Novels, I’ve always thought Lykke could have just as much success while getting rowdy. Showing up with an echoing tribal beat and repeated exclamations of “come on get down” on the first track of Wounded Rhymes, Lykke wastes no time in getting our blood moving.