True to our word at THUMP UK, we've decided to mark the End of Year features run with something a bit different. In our Editor's Note, we said that we'd be "amiss not to engage with the very people who we listen to and see perform every day", so rather than writing our own End of Year record lists, we thought it was only fair to ask the real tastemakers for their favourite releases: the record stores we buy them from.We asked some of the best independent record stores in the UK to tell us about their favourite ten releases of the year; be it what's sold well in-store, what the staff have loved listening to, or both. Today, it's the turn of London-based Phonica Records. John Hughes Daydream - Thriller [Cut Mistake Music]Little known New York label Cut Mistake Music totally blew us away earlier in the year with this mini LP from the mysterious John Hughes Daydream. Like a soundtrack to a 80s-style horror film, it spills out all kinds of sounds from industrial to house, from post-punk to goth; almost sounding like Psyche or Bauhaus in places.Breaker 1 2 - Breakin' [Forbidden Planet]Superb techno side project for Greg Beato on this excellent new Canadian label. Harking back to the blissfully melodic yet somehow still aggressive techno of early Aphex and Rephlex Records. This is a dark weapon of a 12" from the young Miami producer that shows why he is blowing up all over.Lone - Airglow Fireflies [R&S]Huge return from the UK day-glo rave producer. The familiar, sickly sweet, computer game chords and riffs are still present, but the shift in rhythm catapulted this track into one of the most anticipated releases of 2013 for us. For the first time, Lone drops with the same swings and bumps as Theo Parrish, Floating Points and J Dilla; igniting dancefloors from London to Ibiza and beyond. It's been one of our biggest sellers.Even Drones - Two [Even Drones]This shadowy German production team released their first EP in 2012, showing an usually adept hand at making atmospheric house, techno, and even breaks. Their second EP shows yet another side to them, with very thought out and thematic live house hybrids. Classic house chords and vocal samples ebb and flow amongst live keys, bass guitar and drums. It's so accomplished and tasteful, it's hard to believe they're as young and new as they are.Floating Points - Wires [Eglo Records]What Sam Shepherd lacks in quantity of output only serves to take his rare excursions into the stratosphere. This outstanding track sounds like it's taken years to construct and record. Gone are the house beats and electronic treatment, and in their place live orchestration. Starting as a slow soul instrumental, it builds layers of exquisite melody until hitting a truly mesmerising crescendo. It's gonna be hard for him to top this - or we'll be waiting quite a while if he does.Terrekke - Yyyyyyyyyy [L.I.E.S.]L.I.E.S have continued to confound us by releasing so much thought-provoking and varied music in 2013. There are so many high points, but this is one of the best. Terekke takes us further into his hazy smoke-filled deep house world with three beautiful barely-there tracks; distant vocals smudged across this dream-like EP. Like a xeroxed Echocord record, echoing in the deepest of caves.Joy Orbison - Big Room Tech House DJ Tool - TIP! [Nonplus+]One of biggest sellers this year for us at Phonica, and yet another Joy O floor destroyer! Clubbers and DJ's alike couldn't get enough of this monster this year. Peter O'Grady's tried and tested template never fails; the subtlest R&B vocal sample astride an incredibly infectious riff, but this time with a speaker-busting waveform bassline and rolling drums. Game over! Repressed recently and flying off the shelves once again.Sad City - You Will Soon Find That Life Is Wonderful [Phonica Special Editions]This young Scottish artist released a sublime EP last year on Underwater Peoples. It was hard to catagorise in-store, and even harder to describe. We signed him for an EP on our Phonica Special Editions label too, and he delivered a sublime set of gorgeous ambient music. We've never released anything like this before, but it really stands as special release; melancholic, euphoric and beautifully crafted. Surely great things to come from Sad City.
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The Mole - Lockdown Party (Sprinkles' Crossfaderama) [Perlon]DJ Sprinkles has gained critical attention this year after her compilation "Queerifications & Ruins", but she's really wowed us by turning in an absolutely epic version of "The Mole" on the Perlon label. Spread over twelve minutes, you'll hear her expertly stitch together a soul clap-and-chant, DJ crossfader cutting, a certain Mr Fingers bass line, disco drums and a wolf howling!OI - Cover EP [Faces Music]Hailing from Moscow, Ol was a new name to us until this mind-blowing 7" release came along. Usually known for producing forward-thinking bass and hip hop, here he constructs two unhinged house variants. Taking the tempo way up, and utilizing a similar line in rare groove and jazz funk samples that MF Doom is know for, Ol really gets party swinging like Moodymann on amphetamines! Crazy times.
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