**MIXTAPE ALERT** Best of 2011

So it's the end of another year in music and, in my opinion, it's been a goodun'.

A year that featured Peej's astounding second Mercury prize win, Beyonce winning over a cynical Glastonbury crowd with sparkly pants and a whole lotta weave during her headline set and Warpaint's dreamy debut album is a year that should be celebrated and celebrated it will be.

And, yes I know there are slightly bigger music websites like Pitchfork and The Quietus that may be putting together an end of the year review but I believe nothing will top my review because I, dear readers, have Azealia Banks, Sneakpeek and Katy B. Nothing beats that hand.

NB. This mixtape is best enjoyed whilst getting ready for a New Year's Eve party complete with cheap wine and badly applied eye liner.

Tracklisting:
1. 212- Azealia Banks
2. Walk All Over Me- Sneakpeek
3. Bizness- Tune Yards
4. Undertow- Warpaint
5. The Words That Maketh Murder- PJ Harvey
6. My Mistakes- Eleanor Friedberger
7. Gulags For Slags- Suburban Mousewives
8. On a Mission- Katy B
9. Heaven- Emeli Sande
10. White Hot Fantasy- SPF 5000
11. Till The End Of Time- Beyonce
12. I Heard You Say- Vivian Girls
13. Mother Knows Best- Throwing Up
14. I'm Not Stupid- Cat's Eyes

**SONG OF THE MONTH**

I came to this a bit late but good God I love this song. Emeli Sandé, real name Adele Emeli Sandé, is a Glaswegian Aretha in the making and the owner of the powerhouse vocals, and fantastic blonde quiff, that make this song what it is. The Song of the Month this time round has to be 'Heaven' by Ms Sandé.

'Heaven' is a string-drenched club track; the kind that you can dance around to on a Saturday night out and still enjoy when you're lying in bed in your room. It is reminiscent of the essential 90s club track 'Unfinished Symphony' by Massive Attack.

I first heard this song when I was slightly tipsy round a friend's house on Halloween (we were going out after that and other people were drinking. I wasn't a lone drunk). In my drunken haze I knew one thing and one thing only. I needed to remember that song. So I wrote down her name on my phone and when I woke up the next morning looked her up and I've been in awe ever since.

Keep an eye out for Sandé, with her album due out early next year and her latest single 'Daddy' out now she's got her eye on a piece of, 2011 favourite, Adele's very profitable pie.



For more information: www.emelisande.com