Music journalist Dave Hanratty gets to listen to a hell of a lot of music for a living so we figured that the Hot Press, State and Drowned In Sound scribe would be a good candidate for our My Top Fives series. What did Dave pick as his top tunes of 2013? Read on and find out.

Dave is also the sticksman for Irish band Sights Distorted and you can wrap your ears around their sound here. Dave occasionally tweets about music and his current disappointment at the progress of Manchester United under David Moyes.

Previously: Dan Hegarty | Steven Gannon | Edda Kjarval | Louise Bruton | Leanne Harte | John Barker

TOP FIVE ALBUMS OF 2013 

 

5. Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time

A well-publicised drug bust and super-uncomfortable album artwork should not steal the spotlight from one of the finest pop records of recent memory. 

 

4. Kanye West - Yeezus

So, so close to a perfect album. A couple of duds and some questionable lyrics aside, Yeezus is Kanye at the very top of his game. 

 

3. Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks

Trent Reznor sidesteps a Greatest Hits and delivers NIN's strongest record since With Teeth. 

 

2. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

A gigantic step up. Vampire Weekend always had tunes, now they have songs. 

 

1. 65daysofstatic - Wild Light

The most beautifully-realised narrative of the year and the finest work of 65dos' career.

TOP FIVE SONGS OF 2013

 

5. 'Oblivion' - M83

Though Anthony Gonzalez felt short-changed by his experience working on the Oblivion soundtrack (it's a multi-million dollar Tom Cruise vehicle buddy, you really should have anticipated all those studio notes), the result, like the film, has its moments. The standout, by some distance, is the title track. Bolstered by heart-stopping vocals from Norwegian singer Susanne Sundfør and absolutely huge drums, 'Oblivion' is wonderful, sky-scraping fare. 

 

4. 'Copy of A' - Nine Inch Nails

There's a really nice sense of danger in this track, even though everything is contained in a clever way. One of my most-played of the year, definitely. 

 

3. 'Husbands' - Savages

Painted black and drowned in noir, Savages might be pretentious but sweet jesus they back it up. Their performance at Electric Picnic was a genuine 'I was there' moment (missing out on The Walkmen hurts now, though). 'Husbands' is breathless and brilliant. 

 

2. 'Hannah Hunt' - Vampire Weekend

The kick-in, as 'Hannah Hunt' wistfully ambles to its conclusion, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. 

 

1. 'Black Skinhead' - Kanye West

First time out, it took me two hours to get through Yeezus, because I couldn't stop hitting repeat as 'Black Skinhead' crashed out. It's the most immediate song I've heard in years, maybe ever. I knew then and there that nothing would come close to topping it, not even that stunning realisation in 'Hannah Hunt'. For all Kanye's histrionics (and he's got a point when he says we all beg for rock stars and then subsequently decry them when they dare to materialise), this is three minutes and eight seconds of purity. It's adrenaline, paranoia, ire, arrogance, everything. And it's fucking unstoppable.