I hope the PC mods don't mind, but I'm doing my year-end over by means of a fresh new topic, my other one was a flopsie. I shall be incorporating a compilation of my top 10 albums and top 20 songs of the year and intend to be done with this by the end of the week because we all hate a drag :mansoncheer:

 

 

※※※※※※※※※※ L·C·N·V·L → T·H·E. O·D·Y·S·S·E·Y

 

http://www.musicreview.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Locnville-built.jpg

 

Starting off the top 10 albums we have South African twins LCNVL, with their third studio album 'The Odyssey'. Though not a patch on their debut, they've managed to scrape through here due to 2014 being a really bleak year albumswise. Vocally, the twins are not the most remarkable but they do make up for that with some brilliant electronic, house and dubstep production, some very innovative drops and some A-list female vocalist features. What works in their favour too is that I've seen them live 4 times this year and they have yet to disappoint me live. What works well for this album though is how each track is so unique from the other, from the hot ketalina mess of 'OohGollyOohLawd' to the eery haunting and stunningly sung 'Dreamcatcher' that features Tailor of BJSC fame. To some infectious Calvin Harris-like house ala 'Desperado'. My aim of this countdown is also to introduce some of my favourite South African artist to y'all who I'll hope you'll give a chance. It's always good for one to discover a gem instead of downloading what's in the current UK iTunes chart? Disagree? Oh and my inner Calum Hood can't help but say LCNVL's looks are a factor too :kink:

 

 

'Dreamcatcher' (feat. Tailor)

 

'OohGollyOohLawd'

 

'Keep Dreaming' (feat. Missy Modell)

 

'Desperado' (with Pascal & Pearce)

 

 

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10. LCNVL 'The Odyssey'

v~ artpop act 2

 

will have to check out those LCNVL songs soon if they're along the same lines as the one of theirs u sent to bjsc.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4e/Tove_Lo_-_Queen_of_the_Clouds.png

 

※※※※※※※※※ T·O·V·E L·O → Q·U·E·E·N O·F T·H·E C·L·O·U·D·S

 

 

In at nine we Swedish pop bad gal Tove Lo, as high as ever, she has delivered a very straight-forward polished and slightly dark pop album here. Each song tends to feel unremarkable and underwhelming on their first few listens, but give them a chance and they grow on you like JHDZFFHJDZ!!! Her thoughts on heartbreak and her lyrics have some real genuine meaning and some great perspective in comparison to those clogging the current top 40 charts. She is a very competent artist and has so much potential to put out something better than this; though her whimsical melodies, charismatic tone and straight-to-the-point story-telling will do for now. My inner random.org can't help but feel this is a Natalia Kills 'Perfectionist' 2.0, though a lot more fluffy of course. I am also in the minority who prefer the Hippie Sabotage remix of 'Stay High' if she could go along the lines of that sound more, I'd be as drawn to her as an artist as I hoped I would be.

 

'Not on Drugs'

 

'Timebomb'

 

'Stay High' (Hippie Sabotage Remix)

 

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9. Tove Lo 'Queen of the Clouds'

10. LCNVL 'The Odyssey'

can't wait http://i62.tinypic.com/i7085t.png

 

※※※※※※※※ C·L·E·A·N B·A·N·D·I·T → N·E·W E·Y·E·S

 

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Props to Clean Bandit departing the underground and selling out I guess but their formula of blending minimal electronic string production with 1980s pop and soaring vocals namely 'Telephone Banking' on this record still ticks so many boxes. They really brought some variety to the commercial 2014 dance scene with some on-point pizzicato, to-the-point lyrics, rave piano and string melodies all a hybrid of their own unique sound. They're the type of dance act a casual listener would be able to recognize as opposed to many other that would be deemed 'faceless'. The fact 'Rather Be' smashed as hard as it did speaks all bounds, and the fact they brought out 'Real Love' and it managed to not sound like an exact clone really impressed. The new version of 'A&E' worked even better. Gems like 'Cologne' and the dancehall fusion of 'Come Over' really was one of there aplenty refreshing moments. 'Mozart's House' the big highlight obviously with that lush violin arrangement. A truly classy showing. Chartswise, 'Come Over' peaked at #2 and 'Real Love' at #5 for me.

 

'Mozart's House' (feat. Love Ssega)

 

'Real Love' (with Jess Glynne)

 

'Cologne' (feat. Nikki Cislyn & Javeon)

 

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8. Clean Bandit 'New Eyes'

9. Tove Lo 'Queen of the Clouds'

10. LCNVL 'The Odyssey'

Cologne and come over literally changed my view on them as a whole. Rather Be sounded very generic so was pleasantly surprised to hear such refreshing bangerz on there :music:

 

※※※※※※※ C·A·L·V·I·N H·A·R·R·I·S → M·O·T·I·O·N

 

http://cdni.condenast.co.uk/262x393/a_c/CalvinHarris_glamour_17dec14_pr_b_262x393.jpg

 

It's easy to dismiss Calvin as generic EDM makeover, but he is dynamic in his own very many ways, and obviously can sing a note or two and be innovative here and there. Ironically, I am mostly a sucker for his sung tracks, namely 'Summer' and 'Feels So Close' and most of his oldies are of his best. I've always preferred him over Guetta. Though, the album does sway more toward the commercial formulaic chorus and drop type, it works well in many parts. The strings in 'Outside', the treadmill gym joint that is 'Dollar Signs' featuring princess Tinashe who is still to come in this countdown and of course the utterly stellar 'Pray to God' are among my personal highlights. But all praise to 'Summer' which is criminally underrated on here, the song which pretty much defined my months in Cape Town this year, the euphoria it brought upon hearing in a club was pure unforgettable. While on my chart, 'Blame' peaked at #11 and 'Outside' at #15.

 

'Summer'

 

'Dollar Signs' (feat. Tinashe)

 

'Pray to God' (feat. HAIM)

 

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7. Calvin Harris 'Motion'

8. Clean Bandit 'New Eyes'

9. Tove Lo 'Queen of the Clouds'

10. LCNVL 'The Odyssey'

love 'pray to god' but hate everything else about this era sadly ;(

'pray to god' :wub:

 

cant say im a fan of the rest of the record tho, generica

love 'pray to god' but hate everything else about this era sadly ;(

Thanks for posting :)

 

'pray to god' :wub:

 

cant say im a fan of the rest of the record tho, generica

Thanks for posting :)

:hi:

 

YASSS Tove Lo. I wanted this to be a HUGE era for ha but she seems to have screwed up the single releases post-Stay High o. Still a fun album for the most part and the highlights you chose are my faves too (along with 'Talking Body' and 'Run On Love' le remix~)

http://static.raru.co.za/cover/2014/08/07/1836922-m.jpg

 

※※※※※※ R·A·L·F G·U·M → I·N M·Y C·I·T·Y·

 

 

After never being really a fan, Dutch born South African based producer Ralf GUM has won me over BIG TIME with this new record of his. He has an unrivaled signature soulful, organic and afrcocentric sound. And the influences of 70's Disco, Funk, Techno, Samba and Afro-Beat meld together in just the right manner to create something of impeccably lush standard. Quite simply, what you get with "In My City" is the finest in soulful house music this planet has to offer. This is a timeless masterpiece. On my chart, 'Free (Is All I Wanna Be)' peaked at number 14 and 'The Pap' at number 17, both have however sustained very decent chart runs, and the former was a #8 hit in South Africa a few months ago. And a fun fact, Pap is a traditional South African dish:

 

 

'Free (Is All I Wanna Be)' (feat. Portia Monique)

 

'The Pap' (feat. Monique Bingham)

 

k a t h 2 0 1 4 a l b u m s

6. Ralf GUM 'In My City'

7. Calvin Harris 'Motion'

8. Clean Bandit 'New Eyes'

9. Tove Lo 'Queen of the Clouds'

10. LCNVL 'The Odyssey'

 

 

※※※※※ K·I·E·S·Z·A → S·O·U·N·D O·F A W·O·M A·N

 

http://glucosemag.com/glucosemag/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/kiesza-thumb.jpg

 

House-pop princess Kiesza is yet another newbie act to appear in the countdown. It's been no secret that I've been fangirl Kiezsa-kins this year, she is PHENOMENALLY talented in every aspect of a pop artist and criminally underrated. She really brought the 90s back almost single-handedly this year with both her album and its singles, as well as the thematics of the singles' accompanying music video. What this album really brought however was variety. From urban-type All Saints and TLC landscapes to full throttle dance ala 'Hideaway' and 'No Enemiesz' - the latter two being the big standouts. Kiesza also proves herself as a very capable balladeer on the album in an almost singer-songwriter-like sense - 'Piano', 'What Is Love'. Though what benefitted the record the most I feel was the refreshing prduction from Rami Afuni who coincidentally also put out a gorgeous remix of Gaga's 'G.U.Y.' earlier this year. Chartwise this era was very successful for me, 'No Enemiesz' peaked at #2 for many consecutive weeks being stuck behind Marina's 'Froot', while "Giant in My Heart' and 'Hideaway' have attained peaks of #6 and #7 respectively despite both being released much earlier to when my chart began

 

'Hideaway'

 

'No Enemiesz'

 

'Piano'

 

k a t h 2 0 1 4 a l b u m s

5. Kiesza 'Sound of a Woman'

6. Ralf GUM 'In My City'

7. Calvin Harris 'Motion'

8. Clean Bandit 'New Eyes'

9. Tove Lo 'Queen of the Clouds'

10. LCNVL 'The Odyssey'

 

 

I really like 'Hideaway' (naturally) but the other singles didn't wow me so i never checked out the album unfortunately. I may give it a chance over the holidays if i remember to. I can never forgive her for the brutal spelling in 'No Enemiesz' though :/

:hi:

 

YASSS Tove Lo. I wanted this to be a HUGE era for ha but she seems to have screwed up the single releases post-Stay High o. Still a fun album for the most part and the highlights you chose are my faves too (along with 'Talking Body' and 'Run On Love' le remix~)

I really like 'Hideaway' (naturally) but the other singles didn't wow me so i never checked out the album unfortunately. I may give it a chance over the holidays if i remember to. I can never forgive her for the brutal spelling in 'No Enemiesz' though :/

'Truth Serum' was quite the flawless beginning and I was very much hyped up for the release of the album, but the new tracks on 'Queen of the Clouds' bar 'Timebomb' and 'Talking Body' were such a let down, tho some are still growing, and she really has the ability to put out a masterpiece and be 'a thing', I stand for everything she does but the era just went downhill quality-wise and hypewise. I get the impression she doesn't care much for some reason?

 

Surprisingly, I think Kiesza's album is very much more up your street than the singles released from it :o

 

xx

http://a1.mzstatic.com/us/r30/Music4/v4/2c/92/58/2c92582c-6acc-f040-b2b8-9d11208a46f6/cover170x170.jpeg

 

※※※※ B·U·C·I·E → P·R·I·N·C·E·S·S O·F H·O·U·S·E (EASY TO LOVE)

 

http://cdn.dstv.com/originalproductions/profiles/Liza%20James_83b9614c-7c40-4271-996f-1101b7aa62c0_361401203607057.jpg

 

Princess of House, Bucie, has the honour of the highest album in my countdown by a South African artist. I really hope on sending her to BJSC in the new year tho am hesitant of possible xenophobia :( Anyway I'll keep this review brief as no one on here would most likely give her a chance :heehee: The album is STUNNING, Soulful afro-house and afro-beat of the highest class. She really deserves her title, and has a phenomenal voice, such precise diction and I utterly love the sass factor she brings to the tables as well as her mixing English up with Sesotho all the time. Timeless, with 3 capital Ts!!1

 

'Angels' (Louie Vega Starring Bucie)

 

'Easy to Love' (feat. Heavy-K)

 

'Not Fade' (DJ Spinner Galactic Soul Remix)

 

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4. Bucie 'Princess of House (Easy to Love)'

5. Kiesza 'Sound of a Woman'

6. Ralf GUM 'In My City'

7. Calvin Harris 'Motion'

8. Clean Bandit 'New Eyes'

9. Tove Lo 'Queen of the Clouds'

10. LCNVL 'The Odyssey'

 

yes calvin love! it's a generic formula but it really damn works, i agree with all your highlights. those strings in outside are just *-* pray to god as well, gosh let this be heard by the public pls...

 

※※※ T·I·N·A·S·H·E → A·Q·U·A·R·I·U·S

 

http://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Tinashe-that-grape-juice-2014-tgj.png

 

Essentially the most eccentric, experimental and coherent album of the year. Tinashe's whispery soul aesthetic and outstanding vocal goes hand in hand with a pendulum of synths and atmospheric production. The best R&B album of recent times? Yes. Beyonce eat your heart out sis, but this girl just has the "it" factor and her music is plain and simple, "cool" and "crossover". Warm, lush, electronics conjured with soft, expansive, luxuriant moods. Tinashe makes almost the entire industry sound like an enterprise dedicated to helping people become great with this record. Aaliyah and Janet teas aplenty but Tinashe has honed a sound here that in a world of justice would be trending and creating waves in both R&B and mainstream, but unfortunately the world does not work this way and instead we have to deal with the helium groaning of Sam Smith on a daily basis. Tinashe has had two very-lengthy chart runners on my chart, '2 On' peaked at number 2 while 'Pretend' bowed at number 5.

 

'2 On' (feat. Schoolboy Q)

 

'Bated Breath'

 

'Bet' (feat. Dev Hynes)

 

'All Hands on Deck'

 

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3. Tinashe 'Aquarius'

4. Bucie 'Princess of House (Easy to Love)'

5. Kiesza 'Sound of a Woman'

6. Ralf GUM 'In My City'

7. Calvin Harris 'Motion'

8. Clean Bandit 'New Eyes'

9. Tove Lo 'Queen of the Clouds'

10. LCNVL 'The Odyssey'

 

I really should listen to that Tinashe album soon; 2 On and All Hands On Deck are both brilliant and her voice is amazingly smooth :heart: