Way back in 1940 Bing Crosby dreamed of a White Christmas. We British seem to wish for just that every year. Noel Edmonds dusts off his elf hats and dons repulsively gruesome glittered make-up, heaps of turkeys are stuffed and sold off extortionately and we all slump grotesquely in front of countless BBC specials, sleeping off a port-induced coma and drinking to forget gym membership renewals and the grim reality that falls anywhere outside of the season of true excess. Yet as soon as half a dozen flakes finally fall, the country falls into utter disarray, as the few planes that manage to board a single passenger slip off the ends of deserted runways and Morrisons run out of tinned tomatoes. Holed up in the hub that is a dishevelled bedroom the soundtrack to the shock of snow solders together heart-warmers, heart-wrenchers and a globule of hallucinogenic down-tempo dubstep.
Brooklynites whisk up a woozy dream drooling at the prospect of the inevitable flood of remixes set to follow. Dramatic drums and pained pianos haunt and intermingle with haunting vocal hooks that cascade as emphatically as silent snowstorms.
2. Doubt, Delphic
Bonafide hard-hitting heavyweight gauntlet from hotly-tipped Mancunian musical mercenaries Delphic. Undeniably the first force behind the domino effect that'll sweep through the sheened pages of NME for the foreseeable future.
3. Malibu, Hole
Whilst the Redknapps swan about on distant beaches for patronising-as-Paxman Thomas Cook ads, mentally floating away to Malibu seems all but hallowed. And with the reformation hitting these shores next month there's never been a more opportune moment to dig Celebrity Skin out of the dark.
4. Romance Is Dead, Paloma Faith
Playful (see Noel Fielding's inundated inbox) pixie Paloma's plea for romance is the sultry stomp Amy would trade bottles of Absinthe and Absolut for, injected with husky strains, twinkling eyes and flittering eye lashes.
5. Cinema Italiano, Kate Hudson
Drawn from the deranged silver screen depiction of Broadway spectacular Nine, Cinema Italiano is as artificially "Italiano" as Maraschino cherries yet it's as catchy as a Christmas time cold sore. And it's the only vaguely decent appearance Kate Hudson's put in since, well, ever.
6. Together In Electric Dreams, The Human League
Twinkling faux-sleigh bells last seen slapped onto Slade, sci-fi guitars stolen from Journey and driving bass as pounding as Clarkson banging on about what a ponce Shakespeare must have been for riding a horse-drawn carriage Together In Electric Dreams is the greatest hit omitted from recent eighties-infused Grand Theft Auto soundtracks. Shame really.
7. Warm Heart of Africa, The Very Best (feat. Ezra Koenig)
Radioclit's vaguely Christmassey chords infect the soothing southeast African croons of Esau Mwamwaya on the greatest song Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig will ever wail. And there's not a single mention of any cousins.
8. Tunic (Song for Karen), Sonic Youth
The backburner of Sonic Youth's seminal Goo flaunts post-punk PJ Harvey was born to rival. Maybe not the most coherent of recordings yet at 20 years old, it stands resolute.
9. Hyph Mngo, Joy Orbison
Choice slab from BBC-lauded dubstep demon Pete O'Grady. Clueless as to the pronunciation/ song relevance or meaning, cue Burial comparisons. Minus the pretense. Hails from Croydon after all...
10. Bleed Victoria, Sketches
As reverberating guitars jangle and jolt into one another, Leeds' finest secrete silky songsmithery on recent single Bleed Victoria as a sketch becomes a vivid portrait of perfect indie pop. Heap on the hype and believe.
