IT'S ALRIGHT IF YOU WANT TO GET USED, THEN GET USED
06 Years & Years ‘Take Shelter’
the bbc sound of... poll is a total poisoned chalice. acts with a few launch/buzz singles to their name that a major label has signed to their roster are all pushed together to form a poll that seems to have no real basis in reality because those that work in the music industry, as ever, have no idea what it is that the general public are looking for. being a part of this poll totally changes the way you look at an act also. you can try and cast even judgment but it's impossible. once you are included within 'sound of x year' you are basically spread across the bbc for forever, with every single playlisted no matter how niche (just see chvrches...). as someone that loves new music, sadly the bbc ruin it because rather than expanding the public's taste, it keeps it boxed in and conservative. it does the very thing it promises not to.
years & years have been something refreshing. pop but soul but a group and totally creating their own sound. 'take shelter' is a pretty much perfect pop moment. the verses are as good as the chorus, the tone is pitch perfect. it is just wonderful. the artwork (as with all of the other releases) is fabulous. i am just saddened that this song, oly, the band as a whole, 'real', the full length lp are going to be inescapable. they are quite clearly going to follow the bastille model in the new year. following all the hype of the 'sound of...' material forthcoming in the near future, they'll release their 'pompeii', be at every festival on the bbc's coverage and be looking more emeli sande than kitsune. they will go down a total bastille path and it sucks to know that already but the bbc make it too easy. the bringer of new music to the masses is the habitual ruiner of new music to the passionate.
still this song is wonderful and closeted lead singer oly is fit. the video is the video:
if only pop wasn't a dirty word and had to be wrapped up in layers upon layers of context...
I saw Olly in an episode of Lewis last night which probably dates from around 2010.
He will always be best remembered for his stalker role in Skins tho.
Author
I LIVE MY LIFE IN SHACKLES BUT I'M BORDERLINE FREE
05 Tove Styrke ‘Borderline’
in many ways tove styrke is incredibly lucky. she does absolutely everything one would except of an alt-pop star: pretty, stylish, unpronounceable name and excellent pop songs to back it up. 'borderline' is a bit of everything apart from the iamspamspamamisink. it ticks all the boxes of perfect pop. beautiful, melodic, engaging, pensive. the moment this song comes on, it cancels everything out, forgets the moment before it and totally commands you to listen. i've played this at drug-fuelled afterparties, to girlfriends over coffee and to my mother as well as many other cliched situations, the results are all the same, people love it and take notice. this is what makes this iteration of tove styrke so fabulous. she is commanding in a totally restrained and elegant fashion. she is ubiquitous to her own musical prerogative.
but enough swan song. back to why tove is lucky: she was nowhere to be seen on the tips lists for 2015. she quietly put out an ep and did some gigs in cool places. and that's it. the head of music at radio 1 already loves this track, recently tweeting about it and therefore should easily secure playlisted status later this year. she's even luckier because she hasn't the sterilising impact of '2015' 'HOT' 'TIPS' being brandished on her profile. she can just APPEAR and be really cool and organic and that makes me happy because those are the qualities that really shine through in her music. it's also fabulous to see how far both swedish pop has percolated into the mainstream zeitgeist but also the fact that the impact RIHANNA has had on popular music is beginning to ripple out....
enough context though, this song perfectly straddles the melting pot of emotions felt throughout youth and the notion of freedom...being both borderline happy and borderline free. obviously it totally resonated with me and i can also dance down properly to it. AMAZING, AMAZING.
to all intents and purposes this has been the perfectly excecuted launch thus far. perfect art, video, remixes, release pattern and the music is perfect too. bravo to whoever is concerned. an amazing reinvention and pretty much my most anticipated full length for 2015
from the same ep 'walking the line' is also a total triumph:
GOOD LUCK TOVE!!
Author
I saw Olly in an episode of Lewis last night which probably dates from around 2010.
He will always be best remembered for his stalker role in Skins tho.
the lad's talents know no bounds. what other artists can boast appearances in 'lewis' and a boutique single release on kitsune?
not even la roux's 'the bill' sergent auckland connection doesn't even come close!
"Borderline" is wonderful I love the ska/reggae vibe.
Author
YOU LIGHT ME UP INSIDE LIKE THE 4TH OF JULY
03 Becky G ‘Shower’
to all intents and purposes this shouldn't be in this countdown, i shouldn't like it but occasionally along comes up a pop song that totally turns things on its head for you. becky g will never make a good popstar, not in the short term anyway but here lies a song beautiful in its simplicity. saccharine in a most proficient way. this song reminds me of a good friend of mine who kept my head up over summer when we would sing this song together and she would get the words totally wrong. it is such a feel-good song and easily one of the best pop moments of the year. divine, divine, DIVINE~~~
Author
I WANT TO BE EVERYTHING AND NOTHING
02 Eternal Death ‘Head’
eternal death hark back to the kind of indie-electronica act that seems to have died. the crystal castles, purity ring, ladytron types that put on a bloody good gig and feed out good energy. here is the act whose album i am most excited for in 2015. a set of stellar singles thus far. 'head' is single of contradictions; ethereal, otherworldly vocals matched to almost metalesque synth backing and it produces something utterly beautiful.
IT'S ALRIGHT IF YOU WANT TO GET USED, THEN GET USED
06 Years & Years ‘Take Shelter’
the bbc sound of... poll is a total poisoned chalice. acts with a few launch/buzz singles to their name that a major label has signed to their roster are all pushed together to form a poll that seems to have no real basis in reality because those that work in the music industry, as ever, have no idea what it is that the general public are looking for. being a part of this poll totally changes the way you look at an act also. you can try and cast even judgment but it's impossible. once you are included within 'sound of x year' you are basically spread across the bbc for forever, with every single playlisted no matter how niche (just see chvrches...). as someone that loves new music, sadly the bbc ruin it because rather than expanding the public's taste, it keeps it boxed in and conservative. it does the very thing it promises not to.
years & years have been something refreshing. pop but soul but a group and totally creating their own sound. 'take shelter' is a pretty much perfect pop moment. the verses are as good as the chorus, the tone is pitch perfect. it is just wonderful. the artwork (as with all of the other releases) is fabulous. i am just saddened that this song, oly, the band as a whole, 'real', the full length lp are going to be inescapable. they are quite clearly going to follow the bastille model in the new year. following all the hype of the 'sound of...' material forthcoming in the near future, they'll release their 'pompeii', be at every festival on the bbc's coverage and be looking more emeli sande than kitsune. they will go down a total bastille path and it sucks to know that already but the bbc make it too easy. the bringer of new music to the masses is the habitual ruiner of new music to the passionate.
still this song is wonderful and closeted lead singer oly is fit. the video is the video:
if only pop wasn't a dirty word and had to be wrapped up in layers upon layers of context...
I saw Olly in an episode of Lewis last night which probably dates from around 2010.
He will always be best remembered for his stalker role in Skins tho.
I LIVE MY LIFE IN SHACKLES BUT I'M BORDERLINE FREE
05 Tove Styrke ‘Borderline’
in many ways tove styrke is incredibly lucky. she does absolutely everything one would except of an alt-pop star: pretty, stylish, unpronounceable name and excellent pop songs to back it up. 'borderline' is a bit of everything apart from the iamspamspamamisink. it ticks all the boxes of perfect pop. beautiful, melodic, engaging, pensive. the moment this song comes on, it cancels everything out, forgets the moment before it and totally commands you to listen. i've played this at drug-fuelled afterparties, to girlfriends over coffee and to my mother as well as many other cliched situations, the results are all the same, people love it and take notice. this is what makes this iteration of tove styrke so fabulous. she is commanding in a totally restrained and elegant fashion. she is ubiquitous to her own musical prerogative.
but enough swan song. back to why tove is lucky: she was nowhere to be seen on the tips lists for 2015. she quietly put out an ep and did some gigs in cool places. and that's it. the head of music at radio 1 already loves this track, recently tweeting about it and therefore should easily secure playlisted status later this year. she's even luckier because she hasn't the sterilising impact of '2015' 'HOT' 'TIPS' being brandished on her profile. she can just APPEAR and be really cool and organic and that makes me happy because those are the qualities that really shine through in her music. it's also fabulous to see how far both swedish pop has percolated into the mainstream zeitgeist but also the fact that the impact RIHANNA has had on popular music is beginning to ripple out....
enough context though, this song perfectly straddles the melting pot of emotions felt throughout youth and the notion of freedom...being both borderline happy and borderline free. obviously it totally resonated with me and i can also dance down properly to it. AMAZING, AMAZING.
to all intents and purposes this has been the perfectly excecuted launch thus far. perfect art, video, remixes, release pattern and the music is perfect too. bravo to whoever is concerned. an amazing reinvention and pretty much my most anticipated full length for 2015
from the same ep 'walking the line' is also a total triumph:
GOOD LUCK TOVE!!
the lad's talents know no bounds. what other artists can boast appearances in 'lewis' and a boutique single release on kitsune?
not even la roux's 'the bill' sergent auckland connection doesn't even come close!
YOU LIGHT ME UP INSIDE LIKE THE 4TH OF JULY
03 Becky G ‘Shower’
to all intents and purposes this shouldn't be in this countdown, i shouldn't like it but occasionally along comes up a pop song that totally turns things on its head for you. becky g will never make a good popstar, not in the short term anyway but here lies a song beautiful in its simplicity. saccharine in a most proficient way. this song reminds me of a good friend of mine who kept my head up over summer when we would sing this song together and she would get the words totally wrong. it is such a feel-good song and easily one of the best pop moments of the year. divine, divine, DIVINE~~~
I WANT TO BE EVERYTHING AND NOTHING
02 Eternal Death ‘Head’
eternal death hark back to the kind of indie-electronica act that seems to have died. the crystal castles, purity ring, ladytron types that put on a bloody good gig and feed out good energy. here is the act whose album i am most excited for in 2015. a set of stellar singles thus far. 'head' is single of contradictions; ethereal, otherworldly vocals matched to almost metalesque synth backing and it produces something utterly beautiful.
can't wait to see them live this year <3