I'm sticking with last year's lazy format, both because there's a tiny child around taking up my time and once again I didn't really fall in love with that many albums.
Of course, before we get onto the big list of songs, there were a few long-players that are worthy of mention.
Starting in no particular order, local lads Young Father's Mercury-nommed Heavy Heavy was a return to form, while Unknown Mortal Orchestra's V was merely a continuation of his brilliance.
If we're going roughly by genre, then within the hip-hop-ier side of things, I enjoyed Aesop Rock's Integrated Tech Solutions and the bar-free Action Adventure from DJ Shadow. Also, props to Andre 3000 for finally releasing something, but completely confounding everyone by making it a flute-jazz epic, also with no bars.
Moving on to electronics, I enjoyed probably Laurent Garnier's last record, probably about the same amount as Overmono's first. Sophia Kourtesis' How Music Makes Your Feel Better was one of those albums where it's all really good, but there's not really a standout track (hence her not featuring below), while the magnificently-titled Imagine This is a High Dimensional Space of all Possibilities by James Holden was also a delight from start to finish (but with a couple of favourites).
The new Jungle one was good, but not great, much like SBTRKT's latest. Shout out to Jessie's Ware and Lanza for decent LPs, along with Kelela's triumphant return. The Chemical Brothers, Orbital and Leftfield all had tracks worthy of a mention below, but their albums were pretty poor.
So I think that's me for the intro round-up, so here's your top 50 tracks for 2023:
50. Unkle - Instability: Closer Than You Will Ever Be (Ronin Club remix)
The video's got the vocals, but I prefer the instrumental, which is a soaring slab of atmospheric electronics.
49. Roman Flügel - Lucky Charm
Joining Garden Party, D.I.S.C.O and Mega for a quadrophony of fun, the piano house of Lucky Charm completes Roman’s feel-good-tetralogy on Running Back. At least that's what the PR blurb says.
48. Four Tet - Three Drums
A relatively quiet release schedule for Kieran this year - compared to the last few - with this track being my highlight, mainly due to it harking back to the early days of downtempo noodling.
47. Orbital - The New Abnormal
The best of a pretty bad bunch on the new album, this has all the elements I love about Orbital, arranged in a way that's almost akin to their mid-nineties heyday.
46. Clark - Town Crank
Brooding, building, multi-layered IDM from a man who has become synonymous with such things.
45. Caroline Polachek - Bunny is a Rider (Nikki Nair remix)
I quite liked the original; I really liked this chopped and sped up rework.
44. Fila Brazillia - A Zed and two L's
Not new, but new to me, and rereleased as part of a retrospective record earlier this year, this is a really nice bit of classic 'chill-out' from before that term became passé.
43. Octo Octa - Late Night Love
Almost 12 minutes worth of what sounds a lot like progressive house, but in the best possible way - layering drums and melodies like they used to in the late nineties.
42. Khotin - Unlimited <3
Woozy, wonderful machine music to soothe the soul.
41. Nightmares on Wax - 1More Tune
I got to chat with the man behind the moniker earlier this year, so have a gander here if you want to find out why he's back in the club for these latest set of releases.
40. Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f
Another bit of weird and wonderful electronica to add to this man's ludicrous cannon - plus some suitably trippy visuals from Weirdcore.
39. Nathan Micay - Fangs
Fresh off last year's superlative Industry soundtrack work, Micay is back on Luckyme for yet more beguiling soundscapes.
38. Tiger & Woods - License to Vibe
Just Marco Passarani and Valerio Del Prete doing what they do best.
37. Lone - Waterfall Reverse
In Matt Cutler's own words, he wanted to make something "that plays with familiar dance music tropes - rapid breakbeats, cut up vocals, a big 303 workout - but then flips into something much trippier and more ambient". Job done I'd say.
36. James Heather - In Your Spirit (Mogwai remix)
He flies a bit under the radar, given all the other big names on Ninja Tune, but James has been composing beautiful piano works for yonks. This rework by Glasgow's finest rockers makes for a really special piece.
35. Beck and Phoenix - Odyssey
A happy little pop song by some people who are very good at such things.
34. Kode 9 - Infirmary
It wasn't until I looked him up that I learned Hyperdub founder Code 9 (AKA Steve Goodman) was Scottish. So there you go, along with making excellent music like this, another reason to love him.
33. Lauer - Harmony Unit / Otto Zero / Mercury Retrograde
Not one, not two, but three separate beezers produced within 12 months by a strong contender for my favourite German. Remarkable stuff.
32. Nabihah Iqbal - This World Couldn't See Us
That Hook-y hook and 80s synth line hit me in all the right places. I really enjoyed this one and the rest of her new album earlier this year.
31. Barry Can't Swim - Sunsleeper
A delectable slice of summertime house from the Edinburgh native.
30. Tycho - Time to Run
The press blurb for this one quotes Scott Hansen thusly: "As a competitive runner throughout my early life I would play back loops of songs in my head to cope with the stress of races, focusing on rhythmic elements to help pace myself and stay calm... Time to Run is my attempt to translate these ideas into music." Need I say more?
29. Bibio - S.O.L. (Alan Braxe edit)
It's a wonder someone hasn't thought of giving Bibio's sweet voice and melodies a house re-rub before, but boy am I glad the first person to do so was someone as capable as Alan Braxe.
28. RJD2 and STS - I Excel
Born in Atlanta, STS later moved to Philadelphia, where he bumped into RJ, and the two of them have been making beautiful music together - on and off - ever since. Long may it continue.
27. Hudson Mohawke and Nikki Nair - Demuro
As much as I like his recent work with Tiga, this collab with Nikki Nair has brought far bigger bounties. Everybody raved about the EP's title track, but for me, this one is textbook French Touch revivalism - and I'm very much here for it.
26. DJ Shadow - A Narrow Escape
Lots of good music to choose from on Shadow's return to form - with the no guests policy apparently informed by him instead deriving samples from a couple of hundred 80s radio-rip tapes bought from eBay.
25. Jacques lu Cont - Innervision
Just a loopy little filter disco number from one of the best to ever do it.
24. Lindstrom - Syreen
Not exactly reinventing the wheel, but given that the Skandi-house trend has slowed to a trickle, I'll take what I can get from its leading proponents.
23. Kelela - Contact
Sultry vocals and sparse melodies laid out over a heavy breakbeat make this my favourite cut off her superb second album.
22. Kool Keith and Edan - Rugged Rugged
Two of my favourite lyricists spitting over a golden-age beat and sample - what more could I ask for?
21. Young Fathers - I Saw
Hard to choose just one from such an incendiary album, but this song really caught fire during their gig at the Academy in Glasgow. There's just no band doing it better at the moment; truly mesmerising stuff.
20. Bonobo and Jacques Greene - Fold
My Spotify Wrapped suggested that one of my top genres during 2023 was 'float house' - so maybe this is an example of that?
19. Roisin Murphy and DJ Koze - CooCool
Sadly somewhat overshadowed by her recent trans kids comments, this year's record with Koze was pretty fantastic - with this slinky little number being my standout selection.
18. Leftfield - P.O.L Dub
Leftfield, or should I say Neil Barnes, returned this year after a seven-year stretch without any LPs. It wasn't a bad effort, but the fact that this downtempo album track was my favourite kind of says all you need to know.
17. Aesop Rock and Blockhead - Difficult (instrumental)
These long-time collaborators have produced the goods again, albeit with this version really only displaying Tony Simon's brilliance.
16. Space Dimension Controller - Life Window
Jack Hamill's latest intergalactic venture is another beauty, but at just under four minutes, it's also one of those rare occasions where I'd actually rather a dance floor-focused track was twice as long.
15. Jacques Greene - Believe
Philippe Aubin-Dionne (thanks Wikipedia) is a man who seems to crop up regularly on these lists, such is the quality and quantity of his production output.
14. James Holden - Common Land / Contains Multitudes
The Border Community boss' latest dive deeper into psychedelia is even more of a success than the last, producing genuinely trance-like states. I'm told the new live show is superb too.
13. Django Django and Self Esteem - Complete Me
Given the obvious-ness of the samples, in lesser hands - and without Rebecca Lucy Taylor's voice of honey - this would have been derivative pish, but instead the Django's have pulled off a shiny little rave/pop hit.
12. Avalon Emerson - Sandrail Silhouette
A lovely left turn from the DJ and producer, who - along with quite a few of her peers recently - decided to branch out into being a band. I'd argue she's pulled it off better than many.
11. Weval - Don't Lose Time
Another excellent release from the Dutch duo, who have quickly become artists I will always give a fair hearing.
10. Overmono - Is U
A solid debut album and some well-received live shows have cemented brothers Tom and Ed Russell as top-tier dance music staples. This was my pick of the bountiful bunch they put out this year.
9. Laurent Garnier - Tales from the Real World
I ticked off another career goal earlier this year by speaking to probably my favourite DJ, and thankfully Laurent was every bit as enthusiastic and entertaining as I was hoping for. It's sad he's now on a victory lap, but also sensible to go out on a high - as the final album clearly demonstrates. Here's hoping he can fit Scotland into next year's schedule.
8. SBTRKT and Toro Y Moi - Days Go By
One of several delightful artist hook-ups during 2023, this low-slung soother sounds exactly as good as it looked when it popped up in my inbox.
7. Anz - Clearly Rushing
Hessle bringing the goods as they so often do. I wasn't aware of Anz until this dropped in the summer, but will now be keeping an ear out for more from this clearly talented lady.
6. El Michel's Affair and Black Thought - Protocol
I'm a sucker for anything that features Black Thought's bars, but when the track is by this bunch of brilliant musicians, it's well worthy of the top 10.
5. Everything but the Girl - Nothing Left to Lose
All hail the triumphant return of Tracy Thorn and Ben Watt. What a way to announce your return too - this dubby walloper stayed a playlist favourite throughout the year.
4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - That Life
Officially this is a couple of years old, but it was back on heavy rotation due to being part of the band's brilliant V album. From the first drum and guitar lick it couldn't be anyone else really, they've just got such a gorgeous, unique sound.
3. The Chemical Brothers - No Reason
Not exactly new - I first heard it slay at Connect Festival 2022 - but still the best thing off a decidedly patchy new album. By no means vintage Chems, but still a properly propulsive beat and groove combo.
2. Jungle - Candle Flame
They've only gone and done it again - yet another pop song so good it got dangerously close to over-saturation (not helped by being on the playlist at the gym for most of this year).
1. Thundercat and Tame Impala - No More Lies
Musical partnerships don't get much more perfect than this: smooth synths and groovy basslines, impeccable vibes and beautiful male vocals.
All these, plus another fifty are lovingly sequenced on this annual playlist.