11. Saxon Shore - Amber, Ember, Glow Two minutes and thirty seconds. That's all the time it takes for this track to work its magic. No epic builds, no extended ambience - just straight to the point: wham, bam, pow. This is the perfect post-rock single, the sonic universe in a grain of sand. When the glockenspiel enters at 1:32, we're uplifted; when the tambourine visits, we soar; then the bass quickens our hearts, and when the final drumbeat lands a quarter-minute later, we're satiated. It's a miniature taste of the divine, a transcendental track that rockets towards the heavens and invites the audience into the wondrous world. To this date, "amber, ember, glow" remains Saxon Shore's defining moment, a burst of brilliance whose light still dazzles. (Richard Allen)