Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

Each year spawns its own designated club banger, and while "Pass Out" really conquered the nations dance floors in 2009, it transitioned it's way onto mainstream radio rotation in 2010. "Pass Out" felt like the coming to together of, and climax to, a great series of movements in British urban music. A dubby beat, a energetic breakdown and some sharp but largely raucous pop lyricism; "Pass Out" is perfect pop that should endure beyond its brief moment in time, even if the scenes that gave birth to it won't.

Another year another disappointing Mark Ronson record, for whatever reason the superstar pop producer just cannot focus over twelve tracks. No matter, while the LPs may disappointed the singles never do and the Legend Of Zelda tribute "Circuit Breaker" is an 8-bit triumph. Oddly, no one prior to Ronson really took the 8-bit aesthetic into the mainstream. Ronson took the risk, and it paid of handsome, ratcheting up the hype prior to Record Collection's September release.

Le Noise was a remarkable marriage of Daniel Lanois studio sonics and Neil Young's unshakeable blustler. Oddly however, it was the album's most conventional moment "Love & War" that really struct a chord. Part mournful lament, part resilient shrug of the shoulders and part sorrowful shake of the head; "Love & War" found Neil Young in a reflective but ultimately confused state of mind, and the track's lack of a clear conclusion only added to its charm.

Let's face it, N.E.R.D's production hasn't been up to scratch lately. There usually sharp and energetic beats have become flat and cliche, thankfully Daft Punk came to the rescue on "Hypnotize U" giving the track a spotless Eno meets Kraftwerk soundscape for Pharrell to letch over. Oh and boy how he letches, you can practically hear him panting at the back your neck. Sexy, perverse and undeniably cool; "Hypnotize U" is everything a N.E.R.D track should be.

Pink Friday was such a tease. It's been a long time since an album started so promisingly only to go down hill at a cataclysmic rate. "Did It On'em" saw Minaj at the top of her game rocking over a sublime beat that refused to play to expectation. It's not all beat however, Nicky brings her A game as she promises to take a shit on the entire rap game. It's Minaj at her cocky, self assured best, but the question still remains where oh where was this Nicky on the rest of Pink Friday?

On an album of astounding breadth "Your Soul And Mine", Heron's most traditional effort, may just be his best. A slice of ghetto poetry delivered in beautiful voice and with the assuredness of an elder statesman. Richard Russell's production is also deserving of praise as his 21st Century electro-industrial hiss add a real cinematic quality to Scott-Heron's already powerful gravitas.

If you didn't feel just a little bit uncomfortable the first time you watched "Enter The Ninja" then your lying. Or perhaps I should rephrase, if your a man and you didn't feel a little uneasy watching Yo-Landi dancing in their internet (or should that be "interweb") sensation of a video then your definitely a liar. Often dismissed "Enter The Ninja" was actually a sublimely produced work full of humour and oozing with an awkward style that against all the odds still feels fresh after a year of heavy rotation.

Those expecting something more were left disappointed this month when Daft Punk delivered a film soundtrack that sounded, well, like a film soundtrack. However, there were some beautiful moments hidden in the rather spiritless Tron Legacy including the fabulous "...End Titles". A track which burbles and pulsates in classic Sci-Fi fashion before exploding into life with one glorious cinematic flourish. A suitable grandiose finale to a project that has dominated Daft Punk's landscape for far to long. Hopefully they'll get back to doing what they do best sooner rather than later.

Haunting skipping beats, ethereal vocals that always seem to flitter away just as soon as they begin to sink it, sound familiar? Well sadly yes, the haunted hipster shtick has been done to death in the last few years, but thankfully Tom Krell has perfected the art on How To Dress Well's captivating debut. Rather than just a lazy cliche, captivating is the word; "Ready For The World" captures your attention, first, as a curiosity but then as a slippery skipping masterpiece. Simply sublime.