Ahead of his set at Ministry of Sound this New Year’s Eve, Defected A&R and resident DJ Andy Daniell talks us through the 10 records that have impressed him most in 2014.

Todd Terje – Delorean Dynamite
I’m a huge huge Todd Terje fan. His music is just mind-blowing to me, but it also has a fantastic sense of humor. Basically anyone who calls their album It’s Album Time is alright by me… oh and makes a music video that’s basically a car advert for a DeLorean that you could actually buy! This particular track was the first one teased from the new EP and was enough to make me pre-order both the CD and Vinyl versions instantly. As the guitar part comes in about two thirds in you just enter total disco heaven, which is a very nice place to be.


Hercules & Love Affair – Do You Feel The Same?
Andy Butler, the driving force behind Hercules & Love Affair, is someone that we’ve wanted to work with for a very long time. I think I first came across the band via Frankie Knuckles’ incredible remix of ‘Blind’. So when we heard ‘Do You Feel The Same’, which we felt was the standout record from the equally excellent Feast Of The Broken Heart album, we instantly did everything we could to try and sign the record and I’m incredibly happy that we were successful. Although I’ve been appreciating this record for about nine months now I think this is just the beginning for this one. 


Caribou – Can’t Do Without You
Dan Snaith is another musician that, like Andy Butler, I’ve admired for a very long time. His Swim album in 2010 is one of my all-time favorite albums so when ‘Can’t Do Without You’ was teased as the 1st track from the new Our Love album my excitement levels went thought the roof. Thankfully it didn’t disappoint. It’s everything I love about Caribou, incredibly warm sonically, beautiful fragile vocals and full of feeling. It’s the perfect sunrise song. The Tales Of Us & Mano Le Tough remix took things a bit more clubby but it’s all about the original for me. Wonderful record. 


Oliver Dollar & Jimi Jules – Pushing On 
This record has been one hell of a journey. I first heard it as an instrumental at ADE in 2013. We signed it and tried a few different vocals on it but eventually the guys found the amazing Quantic Soul Orchestra sample (which we were thankfully able to clear). We finally put it out in March and from there it just went a bit nuts. It ended up charting at no15 in the UK and was Beatport’s biggest selling record of 2014. Not something we’d quite expected but awesome proof that quality always rises to the top. 


Leon Vynehall – Butterflies
Another producer whose work I hugely admire. I first came across Leon Vynehall with his EPs on AUS back in 2013, but it was really his Music For The Uninvited LP that I really fell in love with his work. But then this record came along at the start of the summer. Sonically it sounds incredible on a system and the rolling piano line and beautifully subtle vocal line just makes me feel like everything is alright with the world. 


Gerd feat. Marcoradi – Still Believe
I was hugely happy to be able to do a record with Gerd on DFTD. He has put out some stunning music on his own 4Lux label, so to tempt him away for a release was very exciting and what a record he delivered. This one was a real pleasure to see bubble and build over the summer in Ibiza. It culminated for me at Space’s Birthday standing on stage as Annie Mac played to a full house outside as planes flew in overhead to the crowd going nuts. Also then again at Privilege for Radio 1 weekend in front of eight thousand people. These were some of my key moments of the summer.


Chasing Kurt – From The Inside (Henrik Schwarz Remix)
“Feel what music, soul and love can do.” Those are the kind of lyrics I can get with. I had signed this wonderful record from Chasing Kurt’s album on Suol(also called From The Inside) back in 2013 but we were working on the remix package and Henrik Schwarz was our dream remixer for this. He doesn’t say yes to many things so when he did I was over the moon, even more so when he delivered the remix. That combination of that vocal and Henrik’s music is just perfection to me. Goosebumps every single time I listen to it!


Floorplan – Never Grow Old (Re-Plant)
Robert Hood is a techno legend. ‘Baby Baby’ and the original version of ‘Never Grow Old’ were firm favorites of mine from his Paradise album, but it was all about the Re-Plant this summer. It’s techno, but with soul and funk. I’ve heard this pretty much everywhere since it came out and it never ever fails to get an amazing reaction. Killer record. 


Spencer K & Matt Sassari  - Isuly (Emanuel Satie Remix)
This became a bit of a Defected secret weapon over the summer during our Ibiza residency at Booom! I think I first heard Kenny Dope playing it and it sent the place crazy. From there the rest of the DJs started picking up on it and there was the same reaction every time. I still think this record has been slept on by a lot of people so we’ve signed it and are working on a new package to showcase it to the people who missed it in 2014. A message of “What It’s All About? Peace, Love, Unity & having fun, House music” is the kind of message I’m keen to spread. 


krankbrother – Thank You Baby
This was a record that although it was on DFTD it took me a little while to wake up to. I must have heard it about twenty times and every time asked what it was. I finally got it through my thick skull that it was krankbrother and since then it’s been a firm favourite of mine and something I’ve played nearly every set of the year. It’s one of those fantastic records that you can play at warm up or peak time and it just works. 


Expect to hear at least a few of these records when Andy Daniell plays Ministry of Sound for Defected In The House this New Year’s Eve alongside Noir, Nick Curly, Sam Divine and more – click for full line-up and tickets