2016 was been a wild one, across the board. But luckily, the music world has been overall exemplary. After some serious filing down, we were able to sift through the hits, to find our favorite tracks from the past year. Some artists have been around for sometime, and others had their debut year, but at the end of the day, these acts are all doing what they love, which is producing quality music. We hope you enjoy our top tracks and that you all have safe and awesome New Years celebrations -- see you in 2017! Enjoy!

1) "Dog Years" by Maggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers, a Brooklyn based artist who just had the year of her life, is a name to remember. Maggie is probably best known for her song “Alaska”, which by itself could have launched her career, but was only enhanced when it was played for Pharrell in his Masterclass at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute where his reaction was: “I’ve never heard anything that sounds like that. That’s a drug for me.” Fortunately, this gave Maggie an outlet we were all hoping for in bringing her music into our homes. While “Alaska” is brilliant, our favorite song of hers thus far is “Dog Years”. The way she mixes sounds under her unique voice is something refreshing to the music industry. It sounds so raw and genuine when she sings, which is only heightened by her lyrical depth.

2) "Same Drugs" by Chance the Rapper

One’s bound to lead a thoroughly impressive life with the first name Chancelor, and Chance the Rapper’s musical intelligence is nothing shy of greatness. Immediately upon release in May, Chance’s third mixtape, "Coloring Book", gained universal praise stacked with incredible tracks and phenomenal production. The sixth track’s intimacy begins with a sole piano, and grows incrementally by incorporating gospel-inspired vocals, drum beats, strings, and so on. Age effects change, and Chance dances with Wendy in reflecting on the past while realizing the present.

3) “ILYSB” by LANY

“ILYSB” (I Love You So Bad) is beautiful and sure to make you feel cool, nostalgic, and sexy all at the same time. Taking it a step further, LANY released “ILYSB – Stripped”, which is a slower, vocal rendition of the song that the world deserved. Even though LANY released their latest album, “kinda”, more recently than this song, it deserves all the recognition it can get, and more. Not only does LANY put on a killer live show, but their coolness exudes style and lyrical finesse.

4) “Friends” by Francis and the Lights ft. Bon Iver

Released as a single in early July, before “Farewell, Starlite!”’s full-album release in September, Francis and the Lights joined forces with Bon Iver & Kanye West, plus producers such as Rostam Batmanglij, Ariel Rechtshaid and Cashmere Cat (to name a few) to crank out a killer track, “Friends.” The synthetic sounds and whimsical beats really create something. The entire album is gold, but this track is such a powerhouse it’s unfair. Advice: blast this song in the car with windows down (slow-motion-wind-in-your-hair style), or in some real quality earbuds (not the cheap ones).

5) "The Middle" by Wet

“The Middle” exemplifies Wet’s ever-cool aspirational pop music. Earlier this year we were lucky enough to photograph Wet as they mesmerized the crowd with a performance that can only be described as magical (check out our article here). The talent and vocal range of lead singer Kelly Zutrau is a beauty that must be listened to. “The Middle” is one of their most recent songs and captures the essence of emotion in a two-minute time frame. It’s simple depth in the beat and a tempo change between the chorus and bridge of the song, takes you for an addictive ride. Not only should you be listening to “The Middle” but Wet’s entire discography.

6) “Aloha” by Møme ft. Merryn Jeann

The French DJ Møme broke out in huge success with his track “Aloha” featuring the mesmerizing voice of Australia’s vocalist Merryn Jeann. The duo’s roots extend from Nice, FR to Byron Bay, AUS, and their song has covered the globe from pole to pole. If you don’t already know this track, you’re welcome. You should learn something real while listening, and maybe… even a few good dance moves.

7) “Bruce Wayne” by Memorecks & Jenna Pemkowski

Jenna Pemkowski teamed up with producer Memorecks to create a powerhouse album called “Follow”. One song on this album, “Bruce Wayne” stands out instantly. Jenna’s voice flows perfectly over Memorecks’ beat creating a song that is meant to repeat. Guaranteed, the first time you listen to it will not be the last of the day. Memorecks’ already solidifying himself, but keep an eye out for Jenna Pemkowski, as her voice is meant for greatness, with this track as her amazing jumping-off point.

8) “Show Me Love” (Skrillex Remix) by Hundred Waters ft. Chance the Rapper, Moses Sumney, Robin Hannibal

First start with a collaborative feat for the ages, then remix it further by one of EDM’s most recognizable names, and you get this beast of a track. Skrillex’s remix of “Show Me Love” is an ultimate feel good song, and gets any crowd on their feet. From house party, to beach bash, this crew knows how to release a great song, and we know you’ll love it just as much. The beats on the backend, keep me the poppy vocals aloft for a great time.

9) “Tilted” by Christine and the Queens

“Tilted” is as gorgeous as it is unique. Christine and the Queens is a vocal phenomenon who uses her French style and background to dive in and out of multiple languages while creating songs with silky melodies and insanely catchy verses. This track is addictive as hell; it lures in the listener so they can hear the deep-rooted sexuality and pureness within the lyrics.

10) “Someone That Loves You” by HONNE ft. Izzy Bizu

The true beauty of HONNE’s style is that, they’re combining an electronic style of keys, drums and other instruments with emotional lyrics, which in turn produces a deeply sexy sound. And what better way to keep that going, then add Ms. Izzy Bizu into the mix. This trio produces a sultry song which will result in repetition; playing it over, and over, and over again. Make sure to listen to their Late Night Version of the track, and read our piece on the act with shots from a gig in Brooklyn earlier this year!

Every once in a while I feel that if a person is in the right physical place and state of mind, they can reach a truly unique and heightened sense of outward perspective. This feeling of slight euphoria seems like an out of body experience. It allows you to immerse yourself in the surroundings and full heartedly enjoy that specific moment. To us at Scrimshaw, this is the catching lightning in a bottle feeling we are searching with every story and experience. This unique feeling of softness and visceral comfort was felt recently as we watched, listened and photographed the beauty that is the band, Wet.

Wet, is an “aspirational pop” band, who originated in Brooklyn, NY but has taken over the indie airwaves. The band’s melodically clean beats combined with beautiful electric riffs and a front woman who’s voice makes you feel all the feels, is something that everyone needs to experience at least once.

The band consists of Kelly Zutrau, Joe Valle and Marty Sulkow, and together they can actually create more than just music, they can create an experience. Not only does this experience bring about beautiful music, but lyrically, Wet can bring you to your knees, with an emotional magnitude only comparable to your first kiss.

Our viewing, listening, and photographing experience was intimate as Wet connected everyone in the audience through their music. The benefit of any artist engaging on that level with fans is that there is a tendency for the listeners to reciprocate. Wet, releasing two songs, “The Middle” and “Turn Away”, only a week before this concert, was met with the crowd singing every word, leaving the band stunned and ecstatic. Connecting on that level is something most bands dream of, but Wet is not any normal band. Some musicians gather this kind of connection and energy through movement and activity on stage, but Wet fits their ever-cool personality with gorgeous lighting and powerfully comfortable stances, losing themselves in their music.

Here at Scrimshaw we pride ourselves on cultivating a vibe and creating a collective of experiences that people can enjoy. We fully hope that you go out of your way to listen and experience Wet in the fullest. Do yourself a favor and take a moment out of your day to really just clear your mind and immerse yourself in their music and we guarantee you will get something special back in return.