Choice Cuts: Franklin Avenue's Favorite Tracks of 2016, Part 4

In no particular order, I've selected the favorite tracks from 2016's playlists for our fifteenth annual Choice Cuts end-of-year mix. Here's the final group:

16. "Pink + White" (Ft. Beyonce) --  Frank Ocean
Off Frank Ocean's album "Blonde," this song about lost love features a very subtle contribution by Queen Bey.

17. "Every Songbird Says" -- Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop
Songwriters Sam Beam (the man behind Iron & Wine) and Jesca Hoop collaborated on their album "Love Letter for Fire," which features this gem.



18. "Powerful" (feat. Ellie Goulding & Tarrus Riley) -- Major Lazer
Put together two strong voices like Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley, and how could you not call this track "Powerful." Another song that was actually released in 2015, but it became a frequent listen for me in 2016.



19. "What If I Go" -- Mura Masa
British electronic music producer Alex Crossan, who performs as Mura Masa, pulls off a jam featuring Bonzai on vocals.



20. "Worry" (feat. Anderson .Paak) -- Jack Garratt
I'm regretting not putting a separate track by Anderson .Paak on this mix, but I just ran out of room. A compromise: This collaboration between Garratt and .Paak is fire. Above, they perform it live for MTV.



21. "I Need A Forest Fire" (feat. Bon Iver) -- James Blake
The appropriate way to end a 2016 mix: The quiet storm of James Blake and Bon Iver. Burn it all down.

Choice Cuts: Franklin Avenue's Favorite Tracks of 2012, Part 2

Continuing my look at Franklin Avenue's favorite tracks of 2012:



5. Marathon Runner -- Yellow Ostrich

From New York's Yellow Ostrich comes a nice slightly mellow piece of indie rock. "Marathon Runner," a personal track from Yellow Ostrich's Alex Schaaf, is all about chasing something, even though you're not quite sure what it is.



6. Sweet Life -- Frank Ocean

It was Frank Ocean's breakthrough year, and I could have put one of several songs here. But perhaps I was brought in here by Ocean's description of the sweet life in L.A., and its references like "Ladera Heights -- the Black Beverly Hills."



7. Santa Fe -- Beirut

Technically from late 2011, this Beirut tune almost didn't make my best of 2012 list. But I didn't really start listening to this song until this year, and it's just too damn catchy not to include.



8. Here Again -- Quantic & Alice Russell

That groove! That voice! Those drums. That flute! Another near-perfect Latin soul groove from Quantic & Alice Russell with the Combo Bárbaro.

Previously on Franklin Avenue:

Choice Cuts: Franklin Avenue's Favorite Tracks of 2012, Part 1