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Mixtape

Huw Stephens names his Festive Ten
mijbear by James Lawrenson December 29th, 2009

Huw Stephens, the Radio 1 DJ and SWN creator/overseer/organiser has gone and done a Christmas list, and rather nice it is to.

We'll leave the rest of the words to Huw, with his top 10 favouritest festive albums, EPs and tracks.


1) Badd Santa (Stones Throw)

A compilation on one of the finest hip hop labels ever, chosen by Peanut Butter Wolf and full of breaks, beats, rhymes and brilliance. James Pants, Free Design, Scoopy and the 69 Boyz provide highlights but the whole collection is a refreshing listen, and much better (and festive) than the Christmas on Death Row compilations.

2) A Very Cherry Christmas Volume 5 (Cherryade)

Thanks again Cherryade for this uber-indie and ultra lo-fi collection of Christmas tunes. The Lovely Eggs, Das Wanderlust, Tiger MC's and Bobby McGee's are here with festive stupidity and experimentation, while indie superstars The School open up with another melodic beaut. Highlight is courtesy of Shrag's version of Stop the Revelry.

3) Slow Club - Christmas, Thanks for Nothing EP (Moshi Moshi)

The perfect band to write a heartwarming, subtle yet full on festive Xmas EP. Rebecca and Charles sing the most beautiful song ever about television ('Christmas TV'), bring out the shoegaze for a rendition of 'Silent Night' and do the best version of Christmas ('Baby Please Come Home') ever.

4) Lindstrom - Little Drummer Boy (Smalltown Supersound)

Buzzy on the blogs for a while and then, when you bought the Norwegian's album in Rough Trade, you actually got a CD with this 40 minute epic minimal version of 'Little Drummer Boy', (also covered by Dandy Warhols, Sufjan et al). And it's brilliant. I listened to it last week, and it is quite incredible. Although I played the 5 minute version on the radio.

5) Hunks - The Magic of Christmas

Friends Rod and Jen come together to pen a Christmas song with proceeds going to the RSPCA. Then they get various members of Los Campesinos!, Sky Larkin, Slow Club and more to sing and be in the video, and it turns out to be one of the most charming and upbeat new festive tunes of recent years. Happy days.



6) Béla Fleck & the Flecktones - Jingle All The Way (Rounder)

The worlds premier banjo player doing festive songs with an incredible band of backing musicians? Hello. The nice people at Rough Trade played me this and it got me at the first interpretation of Jingle Bells. I still don't know what language it's sung in. It's great.

7) Various Artists - 12 Days Of Christmas (Bubblewrap Collective / Businessman Records)

More from The Loves and the cream of New Welsh Indie. Them Squirrels, Sweet Baboo, Silence ar Sea and The School again make this a delightful new compilation.

8) Kasio Kristmas - Kasio Kristmas (Myspace)

It does what it says on the tin really. Ten festive belters all played by these American Casio enthusiasts to devastating effect. It's almost gabba in place such is the ferocity and harshness of their casio battering. Joyous.

9) Aled Jones vs Hereldeduke

The classic Christmas film with that Christmas song gets all funky thanks to brill producer Hereldeduke. I'm sure I've seen Aled down Rinse recently. And isn't he doing a set at Bloc Weekender 2010?



10) Sufjan Stevens - Songs for Christmas (Rough Trade)

A beautiful box of musical delights, the saviour of the 'what to get my music loving friend for Chrimbo this year' question and a collection of wonderful songs. He's great isn't he, Sufjan?


And after all that festivity, all that remains is to remind you all to listen to Huw Stephens’ "Weird & Wonderful Christmas" on BBC Radio 1, between 4am-6am on Christmas Day. One for the iPlayer?



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