13. Pusher Love Girl - Justin Timberlake
Acting somewhat as a thematic successor to Ke$ha's Your Love Is My Drug (which contains one of the finest lyrics ever to feature in popular music; "I like your beard"), JT waxed lyrical about the intoxicating effect of love. Pusher Love Girl is split in two parts; the first is all polished R&B, swirly strings, and gorgeous vocals. The second half is a bit grittier; not quite as challenging as Ten Crack Commandments, but perhaps at the level of drug-related realness reached by EastEnders when Phil was on crack. Aww, remember CrackPhil? He was a good laugh! Anyway, the second part is basically a list of various narcotics interspersed with "I'm just a juh-juh-juh-juh-junkie for your love.". Ironically I did become quite hooked on this song! And meth...
12. Get Lucky - Daft Punk
I won't front, I was initially underwhelmed. I didn't get the collective jizz over this jazz. However, it grew on me, and once the 'OMG THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER RECORDED' hysteria died down, there was adequate breathing space to appreciate Get Lucky for what it is; beautifully crafted, nostalgic, and fun.
11. White Noise - Disclosure
In the context of spring anthems, this was the Robin to Need U (100%)'s Batman (see no.7). Quite the formidable team. I actually heard both on the same day, while having a gander at the Majestic Casual YouTube playlist. It was a fucking insanely good day for music. The opening bars of White Noise transport me directly to Clearwater Beach in May, when my only concerns in life were deciding where to go for dinner and maybe applying a bit more sun cream. A banging tune forever linked with brilliant memories.
10. Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell
I know what some of you may be thinking; feminism and Blurred Lines don't mix, you massive hypocrite. However, unless the Cronbach's alpha value of your whole life is >0.9, let's not get on a consistency hype, yeah?* Anyway, chronic and unforgivable hypocrisy aside, this has been my dancing jam since the summer. It's a rehash of Marvin Gaye's Got To Give It Up (one of my all-time favourites) for sure, and let's be real; Pharrell contributes nothing aside from 'hey hey hey' and 'errbody get up', but it's probably OK because Get Lucky also happened. You're doing alright, Williams. I'm not sure what the purpose of T.I. is either, other than a slightly awkward interlude where nobody knows the lyrics and we're just strutting about on the dance floor waiting for another "good giiirrrlll' bit (212 would be a worthy transplant into his section - someone make that happen!). Yes, I've struggled to come to terms with the message in this song. However, if I've managed to reach a stage where I'm at peace with other people enjoying the work of Pitbull, the universe can forgive me for throwing shapes to this.
9. When I Was Your Man - Bruno Mars
Pass me the mofo-ing tissues, comrade. This gorgeous little tune is perfect for the aftermath of bad decisions; the sort of decisions that bring about a desire to kick oneself in the face. The release of this song coincided with a bit of a face-kicky interlude in my life, and I spent many a tearful ride in Coops singing (murdering) it. This song also calmed me down while I was driving over the fucking Sunshine Skyway bridge in Florida earlier in the year (thanks, Bruno!). The lyrics are lovely, the tune is beautiful, and there's sincere emotion in every line.
8. Don't Save Me / The Wire - Haim
Oh, Haim. Wonderful Haim. Sometimes I really wish I was a Haim, or at least that I had two sisters with whom I could make a band called West, and we'd have lovely long hair and impeccable dress sense. Alas, that is but a pipe dream. However, we do have the real Haim, and I love them. Don't Save Me snuck in at the tail end of 2012 (so I'm counting it in 2013; what you gon' do?), and carried me through a brilliant winter in which I really hit my stride recovery-wise. The Wire was a continuation of that; on tricky days I blasted it out of Coops and briefly became a Haim to join in with 'I just know I know I know I know that you're gonna be OK anyway'. Power music!
7. Need U (100%) - Duke Dumont feat. A*M*E
The first time I heard this became number one of about a hundred plays that day. It's infectiously catchy, like rabies or something. Is rabies catchy? So like, this would be the rabid dog of 90s-inspired throwback house tunes, and I will play the unwitting tourist in unfamiliar lands, metaphorically foaming at the mouth as the glorious music engulfs my major organs. Yeah. Meanwhile, back in the real world, this was my spring anthem, and brings back wonderful memories of getting on a hype about my then upcoming trip to Florida. Lovely.
6. Diane Young - Vampire Weekend
YES EZRA! YEZRA! The return of one of my favourite bands was a glorious affair indeed. Diane Young is fast and silly and a witty and wonderful and contains the lyric "Irish and proud, baby, naturally. But you've got the luck of a Kennedy.". LOVE.
5. Antenna - Fuse ODG
SHE DEY DO ME LIKE ANTENNA! I don't even know what that means. No one knows what it means, but it's provocative. It gets the people GOING. Correct. Similarly to Blurred Lines, this little diamond served me well as a party jam in 2013. I first heard it the day after I returned from Florida, and it was the perfect antidote to jet lag plus post-holiday sulking. Since then, I've gone cray to it at Curry&Dancing1 (I think? Or did I imagine it in some kind of amazing daydream?), when it was one of the handful of songs I actually knew at Moonlighting, in Sheffield, and at the Christmas party, as well as any public space where myself and the song have had an interaction, much to the consternation of eyewitnesses. Special mention to AFRICAN LADY (you know that you drive me crazy).
4. Bound 2 - Kanye West
From the first few bars (b-b-b-b-bound to fallin' in love), it's a winner. And when the UH-HUH HONEY drops, I've pretty much entered a trance. Bound 2 showcases the best of Yeezy; he's selected brilliant samples and written some sick rhymes**, kinda like the good old days, as well as throwing in a dash of his recent creative crayness for good measure. Yeezus isn't a great album (soz Uncle Kanye), but Bound 2 is certainly the best thing to emerge from it. I also have sweet memories of getting this in errbody's head in Sheffield!
3. Nirvana - Sam Smith
As heavenly as the title suggests, Nirvana is a deliciously smooth ode to euphoric love. The intricate guitar work and Smith's velvety vocals are incredibly reminiscent of Stevie Wonder and Jeff Beck collaborations in the early 70s, particularly Looking For Another Pure Love from Stevie's Talking Book (1972). Nirvana deserves far more attention than it has received to date; I sincerely hope that 2014 will be Smith's year, and it will be a retrospective hit.
2. Strong - London Grammar
My friend Anwar introduced me to London Grammar; the first time I heard Strong was while cruising in her motor, and I was hooked from the start. It's just so fucking good. Similarly to The XX and Frank Ocean, London Grammar's music taps into the emotional core of me. In this song, when galdem drops "I've never been so wrong" in that beautiful, haunting voice, Jeeesus; it's goosebumps for breakfast, lunch, and dindins. Strong makes me want to read Wuthering Heights and take moody photographs and write poetry. Potentially whilst wearing something in lace with wild curls and smoky eyes. If you haven't heard this song, listen immediately! It's genuinely awesome.
1. Royals - Lorde
Everything about Royals is exquisite; the disconnect between the complexity of the beat and the simplicity of its instruments, the clever and insightful lyrics, and Lorde's gorgeous, captivating vocals. Oh, and she was FIFTEEN when she wrote it. I could barely write my own name at that age. Royals would be a masterpiece of a debut at any age, but I can't get my head around something so good being created by someone so young. Brilliant.
Peace. Out.!
*That is the geekiest sass I have ever presented to the world. Proud day.
**Sorry, young folk. That was as painful for me as it was for you. One day you too will experience the potent shame of irrelevance. EMOJI CRYFACE.
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