During the first month of 2019, I was happiest when these tracks were spinning in my Discman.

1. Chaka Khan – “Hello Happiness”

Having trouble feeling optimistic about 2019? Ms. Khan would like four minutes of your time.

2. Steve Gunn – “Vagabond”

This swirling acoustic ramble feels like it could go on forever. It’s almost disappointing when it doesn’t.

3. CupcakKe – “Squidward Nose”

Parental advisory: explicit, hilarious, empowering, compulsively joyful lyrics.

4. Moon Tooth – “Trust”

Prog-metal candy.

5. Weyes Blood – “Andromeda”

What if Karen Carpenter fronted Pink Floyd?

6. Aesop Rock & Tobacco – “Tuesday”

Hearing the epically verbose Aesop Rock break down his personal hygiene fails is like going to a Garbage Pail Kids retrospective at the Met.

7. Sofi Tukker & Zhu – “Mi Rumba”

I used to think I had no need for Right Said Fred-inspired sex bops in my life. Wrong Said Me.

8. Daniel Knox – “Leftovers”

A bitter satire of male entitlement, “Leftovers” marks Daniel Knox as a Randy Newman fan – a surefire way to make this list.

9. Big K.R.I.T. – “Energy”

A silky smooth call to action from the last man standing in the Dirty South.

10. Sharon Van Etten – “Comeback Kid”

Sharon goes Siouxie.

11. James Blake – “I’ll Come Too”

“I wouldn’t do this on my own / But I’m not on my own tonight.” Swoon.