Words Have Been Such A Waste

Feu Thérèse “Nada” – Sometimes a language barrier can be a good thing. Without understanding the bit of French being sung at the start of this moonlit ballad, the song’s mysterious, romantic quality is intensified considerably. When the piece shifts into a wordless chant, it becomes even more magical, and the gorgeous textures of the bass, keyboards, and percussion take center stage until it all just sort of evaporates into the night. (Click here to buy it from Constellation.)

Poni Hoax “Antibodies (To The Bones edit)” – There are other mixes of “Antibodies,” but this is only one you really need because it retains the basic shape, vocal performance, and rhythm of the original version while trimming out the fat from its arrangement. Without getting clogged up with funk guitar and redundant keyboards, the track comes off as far more spooky and decadent. The spareness suits the throbbing bass line, and the grandeur and elegance of the piano and synthetic strings on the chorus is increased tenfold. (Click here to buy it from Juno.)