Reviewing the musical year is a tough assignment for me because my memory is pretty shit for tunes these days. Like most music heads, I consume tons of the stuff, often buying things I've never heard of, but I usually can't remember the names of tunes or artists even with the vinyl sitting on my decks, never mind months later when asked to recall what I've bought over the preceding twelve months. That said, there is one word that stands out for me this year and that is soul. My tastes have always been pretty eclectic. However, soulful black music is my first love and this year has seen a number of huge tunes released that have pushed all the right buttons. So what follows is a review of my highlights of 2008 (sorry if the chronology is fucked, but I've already mentioned my worsening memory; it comes to all [hip hop] dads eventually).

First up was Common's re-work with the mighty Just Blaze of the J Dilla-produced and Bobby Caldwell-sampling classic 'The Light' (those lovely folk at Universal seem to have removed all embedded clips from Youtube unfortunately, but suffice to say it's a true classic). Upon reading the blurb on Fat City, I was immediately dubious. You just don't mess with the really huge tunes, do you? However, 'The Light '08' is basically a brand new tune that pays homage to the original, both musically and lyrically, and (whisper it) might even have managed to surpass it.

However, comparisons such as these are like switching from Cristal to Dom Perignon because this shit is vintage, yo (as we say in Oxton). 'The Light '08' is all about the strings, piano and Marsha Ambrosius' vocal with Common gently gliding over Justin's beats. Tune - and what a way to open the year.

In a similar vein was DJ Day's remix of 'Honey' by Erykah Badu. As I've already written about this sublime little 7" at length, I won't rattle on again about it now, save to say that you should all buy it while it's still available. It's already a classic and vinyl bootlegs don't tend to hang around even when they've been pressed up in decent quantities like this one.

As far as long players are concerned, there were two stand outs for me in 2008. The first was Paul Weller's 22 Dreams. In many ways, Weller exemplifies everything I love about music: his tastes are a broad church, but he's a soul boy at heart, and you can hear at least a hint of that fact in almost everything he's done throughout his entire career. OK, some of the more moribund and middle of the road blandities he was churning out post-Wild Wood might struggle to live up to that claim, but with his latest record, he more than lives up the heights of his best output. Even allowing for the famously unreleased house record he made at the death of The Style Council, 22 Dreams is undoubtedly the most eclectic and experimental thing he's ever done.

It encompasses folk, waltz, spoken word, jazz, rock and almost everything in between - and all with that immaculately attuned ear for the soulful. I could get quite lost in writing about this record - it's that good. However, despite Olly saying there's no upper word limit, I'm not sure he wants ten thousand gushing ones about a single record. Just check it out. If you can't find something you like on it, you clearly have exceptionally narrow tastes.

The other album of the year for me was Q-Tip's The Renaissance. Now this is a record where I did get lost in words. So what follows are some drastically pared down bits of what I originally wrote: The Renaissance feels quite unique - a hip hop record with pop/rock production values. Certainly, hard core hip hop tunes of the likes of his first solo record or the ATCQ back catalogue are largely absent, as is his jazz obsession. However, I love this album now I've got my head around the fact that it's quite a new sound, albeit one that has definite links to his other work. His flows are as fresh and dextrous as ever, but it's musically where it's more challenging. The best tunes remain those that are aimed at the dance floor and street. Highlights include 'Gettin' Up', which is the single of the year for me.

The subsequent 'Official' is a heavy, heavy beat: made for the club but sounding great on the stereo; another sung chorus, but emphatically hip hop.

Along with 'Move' ,those two tunes are the albums stand outs and bear comparison with anything Q-Tip has ever done. Indeed 'Move' is a huge tune that wears the influences of his departed mate very clearly: Dilla-esque production sees it constructed around a short, chopped up loop of 'Dancing Machine' by the Jackson 5. Definitely one for the floor and, as he showed on the likes of 'Breath;e and 'Stop' and 'Vivrant Thing' on Amplified, his flow is infectious on rump shakers such as this. The Renaissance is a great record and Q-Tip is most definitely back. While there are some surprises in store with some of his gestures towards the mainstream, yet again he's released an album worthy of the name: this is a complete record and not just a collection of singles with some filler. He's still kicking it.

Moving away from product to performance for a minute, the event of the year was obviously Jay Z at Glastonbury. The instant I heard his name connected with the festival, I knew he'd rip it up. The simple facts are these: Glastonbury is basically a big party and Jay Z is the best-qualified party rocker around. Certainly, I don't recognise the weird Gallagher description of the festival as being all about guitars and so it proved when Jigga carried the crowd - and the weekend - with him, delivering a greatest hits set that raised the bar for everyone, not just the next hip hop artist to head for Somerset. And if that wasn't enough to tip the balance in his favour, his hilarious/ridiculous "This is what it looks like" interview/showing off sesh with Tim Westwood before he went on stage certainly did. I've never seen so many rock geeks get so upset in my life than I did on the forums over that one. * Makes diamond sign with his hands. *

My gig of the year was The Bays and The Heritage Orchestra at the Liverpool Philharmonic ... Basically, take one orchestra with highly eclectic tastes, add one super tight band that never releases records or rehearses and mix together with loads of techy nerd geekery and two composers. The resulting live composition and performance was truly a thing of wonder, touching all bases from classical to drum and bass, hip hop to acid. I'm not sure if I'd listen to any of it at home, but then that's a moot ponderance as I'll never have the chance anyway. And besides, that misses the point somewhat: this is all about the live experience and an experience is exactly what it was. Unique and fascinating - check it out if you ever get the chance. True musicianship will be in evidence to the rhythm of a neck-snapping beat.

Other highlights of my year include Jazzanova and Raphael Saadiq putting out straight up authentic soul records; the former going for a smooth 70s/early 80s vibe and the latter creating a Motown influenced LP that could have been written 40 years ago. Tunes to check are 'Let Me Show Ya' and Hundred Yard Dash.

The BBC remained prominent in my listening habits this year, with Gilles Peterson's Worldwide show on Radio 1 and Benji B's Deviation on 1Xtra pointing the way to all things soulful and jazzy, both old and new. Both shows can disappear up their own arses a bit, but equally both DJs consistently play amazing records that I don't hear anywhere else. Check out their respective and imminent end of year round ups for a taste of what they're all about.

And while I'm on about sources of new music, I'd be lost without Fat City Records and their excellent charts and online ordering service. For all things beats this side of house, it's the only place to shop (with apologies to the bigger, slicker and somewhat more clinical - but still superb - Juno). The sound files and blurbs for each tune are invaluable and what they don't know about hip hop isn't worth... well, you know the cliche. They have loads of little one-off pressings and bootlegs that come and go in the blink of an eye - a case in point being Sir Jarvis' recent seven, 'Fania Brothers Workout' , which is basically a Latin funk tune with Sylvester's 'Mighty Real' vocal over the top. Fucking ace. That just leaves me the two fantastic tunes I've been hammering over the last couple of weeks to close with: 'Pigeonhole' by PPP feat Coultrane is... well, check it here and tell me it isn't amazing: Likewise the new tune from Kanye's cousin Tony Williams, who's been floating around for years, but has now created this thing of beauty, 'Dreaming of Your Love':

So as you can see, 2008 has been a great musical year for this soul boy. I even liked a couple of pop things such as Estelle's Kanye collaboration. I won't mention the gripes, save to say Geoff Barrow hang your head in shame and please, please, please will someone make a rock record that sounds fresh in 2009? Anyway, I hope you enjoy checking out some of the things I've been into. Peace out (as we say in Oxton).