The Key’s Year-End Mania: Helen Leicht’s favorite local music of 2016

Year-End Mania is the Key’s annual survey of the things below the surface that made 2016 incredible. Today, XPN Local’s Helen Leicht shares her favorites to emerge from the scene in 2016.

Here we are, at the end of another year of music, and it’s time to share some of my favorite songs from our amazing local artists.  Remember these are just a few songs, because there are too many to name them all.

Let’s start with Jesse Hale Moore’s “Every Time,” while we’re waiting patiently for the new album. The Stray Birds from Central PA wowed us with “Radio” from their new album Magic Fire. Mondo Cozmo’s “Shine” and  Lily Mae’s “Closer” have both been in my heavy rotation, along with John Flynn’s new album Mercy, co-produced with John Harvey (aka Harvey In the Morning, for you longtime Philadelphia radio listeners).

I was also impressed with the collaboration between Henry H. Houston School and LiveConnection.org, “Dance Like No One’s Watching” produced by Andrew Lipke. There’s also Mutlu’s “Gone Forever” – he has the most amazing voice – and Hezekiah Jones’ “Yeshe & Horus.”

These are just a few of my must-listen-to songs from the Philly music community in 2016; you can hear even more in the playlist below.