Like every December, we close a year of music with our traditional lists. After the Best Albums and Best EPs and Mixtapes, we’re happy to unveil the songs that made 2019 according to our team. Are these the best releases of the year ? Maybe yes, maybe no. But for sure, they represent what we have loved over the 12 months.

2019 is also the end of a decade and, even if the blog did not exist 10 years ago, we will try to share our favourite tracks of this era during the first quarter of 2020.

Finally, I’d like to mention that HighClouds would not be the same without its team of dedicated writers. People don’t always realize it but running a blog and contributing, even only from time to time, requires a lot of energy on top of your full-time job. So thank you to each of you for this.

And now, here are the 100 tracks of 2019, as well as a huge Spotify playlist to go through our selection and discover some other amazing tracks that almost made the cut this year. Thank you for reading us and see you next decade!

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100. 0171 – “1000 Words”

99. Modern Feelings – “Culture”

98. STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

97. Alina Bea – “King of Nothing”

96. Lowly – “baglaens”

95. Yot Club – “no way !”

94. Helado Negro – “Running”

93. BEA1991 – “Did You Feel Me Slip Away?”

92. Deaton Chris Anthony, Clairo, Coco & Clair Clair – “RACECAR”

91. Sandy – “Signals”

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90. Common Holly – “You Dance”

89. Teen Body – “Validation”

88. SOPHIE, Doss – “Whole New World (Sophie and Doss remix)”

87. Emily Reo – “Ghosting”

86. Barrie – “Darjeeling”

85. Caroline Polachek – “Pang”

84. 박혜진 Park Hye Jin – “I DON’T CARE”

83. Kraków Loves Adana – “Follow The Voice”

82. Jessica Pratt – “Aeroplane”

81. Ariel – “Dream Team”

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80. Spellling – “Under The Sun”

79. MUNYA – “It’s All About You”

78. Von – “Dealer’s Gone”

77. Makthaverskan – “Demands”

76. SASSY 009 – “Maybe in the Summer”

75. Jessie Ware – “Adore You”

74. PAT – “Love Will Find a Way Home”

73. XUXA SANTAMARIA – “Rudos Del Mar”

72. Ascendant Vierge – “Influenceur”

71. Thom Yorke – “Dawn Chorus”

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70. Nilüfer Yanya – “Baby Blu”

69. Saeyers – “Cruise”

68. Quinn Christopher – “Erase Me”

67. The Dawdler – “Sylvie”

66. TR/ST – “Iris”

65. Jai Paul – “He”

64. Maria Somerville – “Brighter Days”

63. Morabeza Tobacco – “Orinoco”

62. Eartheater – “Fontanel”

61. Otha – “Tired and Sick”

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60. Eugenia Post Meridiem – “Anjos”

59. Vagabon – “Water Me Down”

58. Lala Lala, WHY? – “Siren 042”

57. Jackie Mendoza – “De Lejos”

56. Dorian Electra – “Flamboyant”

55. Crack Cloud – “The Next Fix”

54. Chromatics – “You’re No Good”

53. Hana Vu – “Order”

52. Magdalena Bay – “Only If You Want It”

51. Ebhoni – “TGM”

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50. Cherushii, Maria Minerva – “A Day Without You”

49. Maluca – “NYC Baby”

48. Tyler, The Creator – “EARFQUAKE”

47. JPEGMAFIA, Helena Deland – “Free The Frail”

46. Blue Hawaii – “Still I Miss U”

45. Oklou – “Forever”

44. Crumb – “Ghostride”

43. Ariana Grande – “NASA”

42. Weyes Blood – “Movies”

41. Pure Bathing Culture – “All Night”

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40. Beauty Queen – “The Only One”

39. Couch Prints – “Tell U”

38. 070 Shake – “Morrow”

37. JORDANN – “Café Speed”

36. Lizzo – “Juice”

35. 100 gecs – “Money Machine”

34. Hand Habits – “can’t calm down”

33. Jenny Hval – “Ashes to Ashes”

32. (Sandy) Alex G – “Gretel”

31. Arlo Parks – “Super Sad Generation”

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30. Grace Ives – “Anything”

29. Burial – “Claustro”

28. Sharon Van Etten – “Seventeen”

27. pronoun – “stay”

26. Requin Chagrin – “Sémaphore”

25. BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

24. Billie Eilish – “bad guy”

23. Sorry Girls – “One That You Want”

22. Japan, Man – “Stop Staring”

21. Drauve – “Haunted”

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20. Big Thief – “UFOF”

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19. MUNA – “Number One Fan”

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18. Claud – “Easy”

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17. Danny Brown – “Dirty Laundry”

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16. Angel Olsen – “Lark”

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15. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Want You In My Room”

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14. Caroline Polachek – “Door”

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13. Boy Harsher – “LA”

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12. Magdalena Bay – “Venice”

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11. Erika de Casier – “Do My thing”

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10. Men I Trust – “Numb”

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9. Charlotte Adigéry – “Paténipat”

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8. Σtella – “Samba”

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7. GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

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6. Lana Del Rey – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have”

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5. Aldous Harding – “The Barrel”

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4. Big Thief – “Not”

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3. Charli XCX, Christine and the Queens – “Gone”

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2. FKA twigs – “Cellophane”

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1. Clairo – “Bags”

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Firstly, albums are not a thing of the past! Lof of people have claimed that this format was not relevant anymore in the streaming era, but the artists below have proven the contrary this year. Albums remain the best way to fully express an artistic direction and a vision.

Then again, it’s never easy to definitively rank albums so we guess that this list is only a photography of our tastes at this very moment. In one year, it could be totally different…

Finally, if you like any of these releases, and we’re sure you will, don’t forget to support the artists. Streaming is a good start, but it’s unfortunately not enough.

On Friday, we will unveil our Best Tracks of 2019 and you can already check the 20 EPs and Mixtapes that made our year. But for now, here are our 50 favourite albums of the year (you can also browse the entire list with our Spotify playlist at the bottom of the page).

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50. Konradsen – “Saints and Sebastian Stories”

49. Sneaks – “Highway Hypnosis”

48. Tobi Duchampe – “The Saddest Game.”

47. Kelsey Lu – “Blood”

46. PAT – “Love Will Find A Way Home”

45. XUXA SANTAMARIA – “Chancletas D’Oro”

44. Toro y Moi – “Outer Space”

43. The Japanese House – “Good At Falling”

42. Dorian Electra – “Flamboyant”

41. Bodywash – “Comforter”

40. Holly Herndon – “PROTO”

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39. Stella Donelly – “Beware of the Dogs”

38. Black Belt Eagle Scout – “At The Party With My Brown Friends”

37. Carla dal Forno – “Look Up Sharp”

36. Octo Octa – “Resonant Body”

35. TR/ST – “The Destroyer – Part 1”

34. Sharon Van Etten – “Remind Me Tomorrow”

33. Thom Yorke – “Anima”

32. Common Holly – “When I say to you Black Lightning”

31. Jessica Pratt – “Quiet Signs”

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30. Boy Harsher – “Careful”

29. Two People – “First Body”

28. Charli XCX – “Charli”

27. Nilüfer Yanya – “Miss Universe”

26. Yeule – “Serotonin II”

25. Noah – “Thirty”

24. Crumb – “Jinx”

23. Morabeza Tobacco – “Morabeza Tobacco”

22. Tyler, the Creator – “IGOR”

21. Clairo – “Immunity”

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20. Angel Olsen – “All Mirrors”

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19. Aldous Harding – “Designer”

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18. 100 gecs – “1000 gecs”

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17. Danny Brown – “uknowhatimsayin¿”

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16. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Dedicated”

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15. JPEGMAFIA – “All My Friends Are Cornballs”

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14. Sir Babygirl – “Crush on Me”

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13. Chromatics – “Closer To Grey”

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12. Men I Trust – “Oncle Jazz”

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11. FKA twigs – “MAGDALENE”

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10. Lana Del Rey – “Normal Fucking Rockwell!!”

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9. Weyes Blood – “Titanic Rising”

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8. Jenny Hval – “The Practice of Love”

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7. Maria Somerville – “All My People”

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6. Requin Chagrin – “Sémaphore”

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5. Big Thief – “U.F.O.F.”

(It was really not easy to decide and it could have been “Two Hands” as well)

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4. Caroline Polachek – “Pang”

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3. Grace Ives – “2nd”

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2. BEA1991 – “Brand New Adult”

(and artwork of the year)

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1. Erika de Casier – “Essentials”

A few weeks ago, TR/ST released the second part of his double album The Destroyer, on which he sounds more vulnerable than ever before. If these eight new tracks focus on organic and smooth textures, the synth-laden lead single “Iris” remains particularly epic. According to an interview that HighClouds recently had with Robert Alfons, this is actually the track that represents the best this double project (you can stream the track in our Best Tracks of 2019 playlist).

There’s now a video to go with the track, which was directed by Muted Widows, a collective consisting of Nedda Afsari, Michael Zumaya, and Michael Linn. About the dystopian visuals, they commented:

[su_quote]We wanted a feeling of warmth and tenderness, but also ones of loneliness, which I think is essential for anyone who wants to go down a path of self-realization and consciousness expansion. We really strived to [show] the energy that comes with that loneliness, but it’s never negative.[/su_quote]

[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onYEDDY6VX4&feature=youtu.be”]

When I found out that I would have the chance to have a call with Robert Alfons, the brain behind TR/ST, I can honestly say that I almost peed myself out of excitement. There’s something about his music that just resonates with myself and a lot of other people in some weird but satisfactory way. Either it makes me want to dance like no one’s watching, like with “Bicep” from The Destroyer – Part I, or it finds a way to connect with my deepest emotional vulnerabilities, like with his latest single “cor”, from the upcoming The Destroyer – Part 2. And with this double project, The Destroyer, we see TR/ST reaching a sound that’s more organic, emotional and vulnerable than ever before.

Let’s rewind. Robert met Maya Postepski in 2009, forming TR/ST in early 2010. A bit after the release of their debut album TRST, Maya decided to leave the band to focus on Austra and her solo project Princess Century, letting Robert as the core member of the project. “I’m so grateful,” Robert says, reflecting on the last ten years. “Thinking about all the personal growth and personal exploration, I can only thank all the different people that sort of came in and have been a part of my life. All the people with whom I collaborated, all the fans that come to me and pour their souls, either by listening to my records or coming to my live shows. It’s crazy and I will be forever thankful for these past years.”

Unlike the previous two releases, TRST in 2012 and Joyland in 2014, his new project The Destroyer comes as a two-part album. Part 1, released in April 2019, sees a small shift in sound. It is still industrial, dark, gloomy and sweaty but also hints at a sonic expansion compared to his previous releases. Robert said that if he had to sum up Part 1 in a word, it would be “desire”. Part 2, however, takes this shift to a whole new level: more melodic, more vulnerable, more intimate than any of his previous releases. A new approach that he sums up with the word “shame”.

Nevertheless, his initial idea was quite different: “When I started to create The Destroyer it wasn’t my plan to release it in 2 different parts. I created the record as my creative process and the stories that I wanted to tell. It was only towards the end, when I started to assemble a tracklist, that I started to realise how the songs had different vibes and aesthetics. I think it could have been quite overwhelming to put them all out there at once and because the stories are different. Then, I tried out this kind of setup and it just seemed way more effective,” he explained.

Out of curiosity, I asked Robert which song from this project would be the one that reflects him the most. “Maybe ‘Iris’,” he said after some thoughts. “There are so many different elements in “The Destroyer” and through this whole project and, for me, this song does a nice job of touching on all of these different things. It’s at the same time very heavy but also very beautiful and emotional.”

I still wondered, why the need for a change of sound? “I think they both sort of follow the same trajectory,” Robert answered. “I think that it was sort of the blueprint from the beginning. I have grown so much as a person and as an artist these past years that I am very happy that I was able to develop my sounds in the same way. It has just been flowing quite naturally.”

The Destroyer also sees the return of Maya Postepski as a collaborator. They worked together on 7 tracks across the project, and Robert couldn’t be happier: “She is so incredibly talented, and I think that we have a really special connection. We have a lot of fun making music together and it felt like a shame not to continue to do that. And, at the end of the day, every situation is tricky and I think we found a solution that works for both of us.” Actually, Robert doesn’t exclude the possibility of renewing the experience: “I hope that we collaborate in the future, for sure. She is such a brilliant artist, and she is also so busy with all her projects. She’s producing and she’s been doing some musical direction, she is touring and she’s doing her own solo album. The amount of work that she has been putting out is just fantastic.” The Destroyer also sees the return of frequent collaborator David Taylor (The Prodigy, Björk) who had already mixed both TRST and Joyland, as well as the addition of a fresh face with Lars Stalfors (HEALTH, Alice Glass) as a co-producer.

TR/ST by Corinne Schavione

As if putting a double LP out wasn’t enough, Robert is embarking on his second North American/European tour of 2019, starting in San Diego and ending in Amsterdam (dates below + don’t miss him in Brussels at the Botanique). On stage, he’ll be joined again by Lia Braswell and Esther Blue on drums and keyboards, respectively, “two artists who are on top of their game and with whom I have so much fun touring with that it is just amazing to perform with them, at this point,” he said. In terms of what to expect, Robert added: “I just I think that a lot of the “The Destroyer – Part 2” is not as intense and into hard beats and dance music as the previous universe where the band has existed. Therefore, on a sonic level, I’m super excited about presenting that and being able to play this kind of songs live.”

One thing that’s clear about the live shows is how much the audience connects to the message being conveyed, and how much Robert appreciates his fans. In April, after a show at The Steel Yard in London, he spent an hour after the gig with the fans that waited for him and had a personal talk with each of them. “For me it’s just natural,” he detailed. “I’m genuinely moved by people that want to express and talk and share ideas and just, connect. I could go on for hours explaining why this is important to me and to my music but a really simple answer to an obviously complex question is just that it feels right to me on a humanistic level.”

“I think that there is just so much going on in our World and maybe in each person’s personal life so I’m just really trying to be as present as possible with the people who are next to me,” he added. “I just played a show in Mexico City and it was just so beautiful to be in the same room with all of these people and connecting and sharing love. I just feel so grateful and full of love.”

Finally, I asked Robert what he was listening to at the moment: Yves Tumor‘s Safe in the Hands of Love, Brian Eno‘s Thursday Afternoon and everything from Glamorous Monique. “To discover new music, my secret and my most appreciated source is just one of my oldest friends. They just inform me of so much music and have always done that,” he concluded.

Catch TR/ST on his European Tour with the very talented Ela Minus (dates below + tickets) and be ready for The Destroyer – Part 2 next Friday.

20 Nov London – Heaven

21 Nov Brussels – Botanique

23 Nov Bern – Saint Ghetto

24 Nov Paris – Le Trianon

26 Nov Amsterdam – Paradiso Noord

Toronto’s electronic and dark wave musician and producer Robert Alfons, better known as TR/ST, is going to unveil the second installment of The Destroyer in a few months. Following up on the intense lead single “Iris“, the artist has now shared the title track from the project, “Destroyer”. The track is actually not totally new as he already posted a video for it back in 2017. According to the artist, writing this track was a pivotal moment as it “unleashed a whole new direction for the project and really shaped how the rest of the album would be produced”. The track sounds indeed very different from some of his previous offerings as it experiments with dark pop rock balladry. Listen below.

You can now pre-order the album and catch TR/ST on tour in Europe (tickets), including a gig in Brussels.

20 Nov London – Heaven

21 Nov Brussels – Botanique

23 Nov Bern – Saint Ghetto

24 Nov Paris – Le Trianon

26 Nov Amsterdam – Paradiso Noord

Following up on The Destroyer – Part 1 released earlier this year, Toronto’s dark synthpop act TR/ST has announced the second part of the project for this Fall. He has also unveiled the first single off of the 8-track record. Titled “Iris”, the song is described as “a very important moment on the record. swallowing weight of shame, growth of fritillaries, and an ode to an eternal muse”. Listen below.

The artist will also be on tour to promote the record. Check his itinerary below.

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100. CITY FATHER – “Coquette”

99. BILLIE EILISH – “Bellyache”

98. SABRINA CLAUDIO – “Belong To You”

97. PETRA GLYNT – “Fell In A Hole”

96. HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR + SHARON VAN ETTEN – “Omnion”

95. GIRLI – “Hot Mess”

94. THE SOFT MOON – “Burn”

93. J.I.D – “Never”

92. ACE TEE + KWAM.E – “Bist Du Down?”

91. CRALIAS – “Hope You Are”

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90. CHROMATICS – “Shadow”

89. RUN THE JEWELS – “Legend Has It”

88. CARDI B – “Bodak Yellow”

87. YELLOW DAYS – “Hurt In Love”

86. JFDR – “Airbone”

85. SUSANNE SUNDFØR – “Undercover”

84. TOM TRIPP – “Aurelia”

83. SUPERORGANISM – “Something For Your M.I.N.D.”

82. KAN WAKAN – “Still Feather”

81. NILÜFER YANYA – “Baby Luv”

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80. WAKE CHILD – “In The End”

79. JAJA BU – “Sweetness”

78. ALVVAYS – “Dreams Tonite”

77. KIDÄ – “Bone Mother”

76. HÅN – “The Children”

75. ULYSSE – “Mañana”

74. SHY GIRLS – “You Like The Pain Too”

73. GOURMET – “Delicious”

72. SORCHA RICHARDSON – “4AM”

71. MILLIE TURNER – “Underwater”

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70. NABIHAH IQBAL – “Something More”

69. KEDR LIVANSKIY – “Your Name (имя твоё)”

68. MORGXN – “xx”

67. GRIZZLY BEAR – “Mourning Sound”

66. DANIEL CAESAR + KALI UCHIS – “Get You”

65. DILLON – “2.KIND”

64. COUCOU CHLOE + SEGA BODEGA – “Flip U”

63. THE TRP – “Soda”

62. JAY SOM – “The Bus Song”

61. GFOTY – “Tongue”

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60. SELENA GOMEZ -“Bad Liar”

59. ELA MINUS – “Juan Sant”

58. EMPRESS OF – “Go To Hell”

57. SHE Major – “Please Don’t”

56. VAGABON – “Cold Appartment”

55. NADINE – “Ultra Pink”

54. SONDER – “Feel”

53. RINA SAWAYAMA – “Alterlife”

52. SEGA BODEGA + SHYGIRL – “CC”

51. GOLDLINK + BRENT FAIYAZ – “Crew”

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50. CRATER – “Unearth”

49. QUAY DASH – “Decline Him”

48. YELLE – “Romeo”

47. GABRIEL GARZÓN-MONTANO – “Fruitflies”

46. WESLEE – “Bathwater”

45. FOREST SWORDS – “The Highest Flood”

44. KENDRICK LAMAR + ZACARI – “LOVE.”

43. ALEX CAMERON + ANGEL OLSEN – “Stranger’s Kiss”

42. SMERZ – “Oh My My”

41. SASSY 009 – “Are You Leaving”

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40. CHARLI XCX – “Roll With Me”

39. TESSA DIXSON – “Prayer”

38. TOMMY GENESIS – “Tommy”

37. SSION – “Comeback”

36. PIXX – “Romance”

35. DANNY L HARLE – “1UL”

34. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM – “american dream”

33. LANA DEL REY – “Love”

32. KING KRULE – “Dum Surfer”

31. SAMPHA – “(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano”

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30. MAKTHAVERSKAN – “Vienna”

29. CCFX – “The One To Wait”

28. KLLO – “Downfall”

27. KELLY LEE OWENS + JENNY HVAL – “Anxi.”

26. BLUE HAWAII – “No One Like You”

25. FEVER RAY – “Wanna Sip”

24. JULIEN BAKER – “Turn Out The Lights”

23. LIL PEEP + LIL TRACY – “witchblades”

22. FAKA – “Uyang’khumbula”

21. TR/ST – “Bicep”

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20. SARO – “Eyelids”

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19. BROCKHAMPTON – “Summer”

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18. TYLER, THE CREATOR + KALI UCHIS – “See You Again”

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17. O-SHiN – “A Revelation”

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16. ionnalee – “SAMARITAN”

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15. Vince Staples – “Crabs In A Bucket”

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14. WWWATER – “My Hands”

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13. Björk – “Blissing Me”

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12. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Cut To The Feeling”

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11. Big Thief – “Mythological Beauty”

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10. SZA – “Drew Barrymore”

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9. Frank Ocean – “Chanel”

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8. Wy – “Bathrooms”

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7. SOPHIE – “It’s Okay To Cry”

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6. Moses Sumney – “Doomed”

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5. Kelela – “Onanon”

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4. Arca – “Desafío”

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3. Lorde – “The Louvre”

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2. Perfume Genius – “Slip Away”

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1. Yaeji – “Raingurl”

Listen to the 100 tracks of 2017 according to the HighClouds‘ staff via Spotify, Youtube and Deezer.

TR/ST is the musical project of Toronto artist Robert Alfons. He already shared a new single earlier this year, “Bicep“, and unveils today another track and video, “Destroyer”. The visuals were choreographed by Ryan Heffington who is also starring for the first time ever. Heffington is notably famous for his work on Sia’s “Chandelier”, amongst others. In a way, TR/ST‘s “Destroyer” can be seen as a continuity of his previous single, which was an illustration of the fight between accepting and refusing shame.

About the video, Ryan Heffington explained:

[su_quote]TR/ST’S thrilling track DESTROYER induced a feeling of uplifting mourning that inspired movements implying a last ditch effort to save a relationship. Joy remembered, self reflection and turmoil manifested in gestures that lie upon Robbie’s ungulating rhythms and vox set upon the backdrop of a familiar location – home for most of us that created this piece – the streets of Silver Lake, LA.[/su_quote]

Watch TR/ST‘s striking Justin Tyler Close-directed video for “Destroyer” via Nowness

[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4SdCVAiZ7c” width=”200″ height=”200″]

About his upcoming new LP, the artist detailed:

[su_quote]this album, written at an isolated farmhouse in rural Canada, is about the journey of a man—essentially a narcissist—fighting with ideas of impurity and worthlessness.” But it is also, he continues, about “expressing our own sexual fantasies.[/su_quote]

Keep things up with TR/ST over Facebook, Twitter, and by visiting his freshly-updated website.