January 10, 20178 yr Author http://i.imgur.com/8t0xCyk.png 20. Kazaky - 'Milk-Choc' (N DNTN) 19. FAUN and Santiano - 'Tanz Mit Mir' (Séyetana) 18. Sagi Abitbul and Guy Haliva - 'Stanga' (Bøtanikkä) 17. The Shanghai Restoration Project - 'The Wandering Songstress (feat. Zhang Le)' (Persephonia) 16. The Swiss - 'Kiss To Kiss (Amtrac Remix)' (N DNTN) 15. Kids Of The Apocalypse - 'Better Life (feat. Wes Period)' (Terra Avium) 14. Essaie Pas - 'Le Port Du Masque Est De Riguer' (Terra Avium) 13. ECCA VANDAL - 'Father Hu$$la' (Deandria) 12. Imany - 'Don't Be So Shy (Filatov & Karas Remix)' (Dobago) 11. Kontrust - 'Sock 'N' Doll' (What) Let's get into the exquisite quality of the top 20! At #20 we have the first of two appearances for N DNTN in this section, with their first entry of 2016 'Milk-Choc' kicking things off. We 'only' gave this entry 11 points, but BJSC 81 was of extraordinary quality (easily our favourite contest of last year) so our entire top 5 of that edition has landed in the top 20 here! N DNTN had a successful 2016 from the word go as this entry did well enough to make the top 10 (9th, the best entries from Ukranian acts finish at this position x). This song from synthpop dance boyband Kazaky is simply electric and grew in my affections even more since the contest. There were a couple of spells last year where I would just listen to this on repeat as it's such an instant pick-me-up, because the whole feel of the song is so ebullient and camp. I love the accents of the vocalists, the lyrics are playful (I would pick a lyrical highlight here but there are so many! The entire bridge and chorus are so good) and to top it off the video is iconic. A true pleasure of a song. Next up at #19 is a song that finished one place lower than 'Milk-Choc' in the contest. 10th place... hmm, who could it be. Oh that's right, none other than serial 10th place finishers Séyetana! They blew us away with medieval German folk entry 'Tanz Mit Mir' in BJSC 83. This is every bit as amazing as that description sounds. It was something a little bit different and a switch-up that definitely paid off. Even though I don't know that much German (one of those exceptions is that the the title in English is 'Dance With Me' - direct response in another language to 'Yo Quiero Bailar' ('I want to dance') tbh x), I can sense so much JOY from this, it feels like a celebration that I am happy to join along with. Very infectious and catchy (it's pretty easy to quickly pick this up phonetically and sing along!) and backed by some interesting instrumentation - looking at the instrumental credentials of the band is quite something. One member plays a range of fabulous sounding things (the tar, riq, davul, panriqello, darabukka, timbau and caxixi) - slay me. Bravo Séyetana for sending this eclectic smash At #18 is a long-serving nation whose name had a makeover this year with some swish diacritics. They had a lot of success this year as 3 of their entries were in the TBO final - and their most successful entry was my favourite by far. It's of course Bøtanikkä with Sagi Abitbul and Guy Haliva's 'Stanga'! This was entered to BJSC 89 and it was one of the first entries I came across when making the recaps. It was instantly love at first listen and my immediate favourite! There was Bulgarian entry fever this edition but this stood out as the best of the trio in that final for me. It's very energetic and I was always going to love it when it is reminiscent of 'Free Tibet' in the way that it builds. Plus it just has the same type of feel anyway with ethnic vocals coupled with banging production. A complete jam that doesn't fizzle out too quickly and just gets better as it goes along. So glad that it made the top 5! Next, back to another from our favourite contest of the year BJSC 81 with another appearance from Persephonia. This was a surprise but very welcome success as it smashed all the way to the top 10. This is a modern spin on a very old Chinese song from the 1930s which is apparently quite the classic over there. This is an absolutely beautiful love song (the lyrics probably-not-entirely-accurately translated to English sound sweet and poetic) and the the vocalist has such a delicate and blissful voice. The production also injects a lovely flavour to it. This really is magical to the ears and was a fabulous song to be Persephonia's biggest hit of the year <3 Back to N DNTN now for #16! 'Kiss To Kiss (Amtrac Remix)' was such a gorgeous entry. The loopy "you're my one and only" has got to be one of the cutest things I've ever heard in a song. I am more than happy to listen to a song mostly comprising of that for 7 minutes as a sucker for sweetness. But the other lyrics are delightful as well of course. This remix was a good move also as I find that the Amtrac production suits the song way more than the original, it feels chilled rather than the more bold original which I think matches the lyrics far better. A simply beautiful and intimate bit of dance that suits my tastes really well. Next, kicking off the top 15 is Terra Avium with 'Better Life'. This song was my 18 in the contest I co-hosted so g'won Terra Avium for getting host top mark honours. This was Kids Of The Apocalypse's second appearance in BJSC after the wonderful 'Empire', sadly this couldn't quite replicate the top 2 success of that but still did decently nevertheless. The group were a bit mysterious, going AWOL for a while and not revealing all that much about themselves. So it was great to see some more music from them surfacing in 2016, as 'Empire' was a strong taster of it for me. Back to 'Better Life', and it's a pretty haunting song with thought-provoking lyrics. The video appears to show that the world is corrupt by evil organisations and that this group of people with powers can bring about a better life. A pretty interesting concept. I also love the contrasting tones of the moody chorus and more upbeat verses. This group show some definite promise from the two songs I now know from them. Must check out the other KOTA songs that are out there. Next up at #14 we have some more Terra Avium! This is the second DNQ of theirs to feature in this countdown, so clearly the BJSC masses were making a couple of bad decisions in terms of entries from this country. I sadly was unable to help this in the other semi but I thought it would be safe anyway! Boo. Anyway, this appeals to me SO much as it is like a French version of a Kraftwerk song (a great act, 'The Model' is one of my favourite songs ever) with the dark 80s synthpop feel to it. Those synths are just glorious. J'adore the commanding male vocals and the soft female ones too, and how it keeps switching between the two for a splendid contrast. A huge shame that this didn't really get justice in Rejects but at least it has top 15 recognition here! From one standout DNQ to another... we have the first of three appearances from Deandria! Indeed, all Deandria appearances are in the top 15 :o So when they impress me, they do it in a big way. 'Father Hu$$la' lands here at #13, a song from BJSC 83 which we found to be the strongest of the year in terms of DNQs. We were annoyingly in the other semi of this contest so could not help it out. If we had been able to then it would have been a surefire 12! This song sounds huge and makes a big statement about being young ~ that you think you know everything about your family but then grow up to realise that you didn't really know them at all. Not particularly something that I relate to, but what I like about this so much is her incredibly fierce delivery, I am drawn in from the word go with the whispered 'Hu$$la' at the start. Her delivery especially shines in the final chorus which is a bit higher pitched and feels all the more passionate as a result. It's loud and hard to turn away from as it is so gripping. A bit reminiscent of Deandria's entry 'Calm Down' by LOLAWOLF last year - big and bold and backed by some fantastic production to boot. Dobago are next up at #12! They joined the contest in late 2015 with the striking debut of 'Johnny G (The Guidetti Song)' which I was immediately on board with, and now 'Don't Be So Shy' has surpassed that as my favourite Dobago entry to date! This was a smash in BJSC but also around Europe - getting to #1 in Austria, Germany, Poland and Russia. Sadly it failed to chart in the UK Top 40 which was just not on tbh. Anyway, I really love Imany's striking vocal on this and Filatov & Karas are promising producers who already have a strong specific sound (I am aware of 'Tell It To My Heart' by them which is also brilliant). This is a pretty ~steamy~ and intimate song, with lots of talk about taking off clothes and hearts racing and whatnot. Not overtly sexual though, it feels just right and is a pleasure to listen to. A really exciting dance song that would have got my 18 in some other contests, but had to settle for 'just' 13 in the incredible BJSC 81. Next, we conclude this section with What at #11. They debuted with the insanely good Diablo Swing Orchestra last year (in my EOY top 3 for 2015!) and have so far just had the one additional entry. They clearly need to send MORE though if they have almost appeared in my EOY top 10 for two years in a row. The thing I love about What is that they send stuff that is just so brilliantly out there. Their debut was a DNQ but thankfully BJSC embraced 'Sock 'N' Doll' a lot more as it was a top 10! This is a very attention-grabbing pop-rock song (that even has a bit of a reggae switch up at the 3 minute mark!) ~ from the shouty "who says?" parts to the video actually containing sock puppets. Quite possibly the best music video in BJSC this year, certainly very memorable anyway. The chorus is unbelievably catchy and is actually quite reminiscent of Sean Kingston's 'Fire Burning'. Kontrust and Sean Kingston are worlds apart in sound but that melody is pretty bang on! This was my introduction to Kontrust and what an introduction it was *.* Every single second of this bonkers song is so infectious and it stood out for absolutely miles. Come back to us What!
January 10, 20178 yr Author Top 10: Aeroche x1 Cumulonimbia x1 Deandria x2 FKA FKA FKA π x1 FSR Rontvia x1 Persephonia x1 Quintessa x1 Syndare x1 Trifoski x1
January 10, 20178 yr Jade, three songs in the top 15 is amazing and I was a bit shocked to see I'm the only one to have two in the top 10 :mellow: Additionally, you just taught me some of the meaning of the lyrics to 'Father Hu$$la' haha! I was always trying to figure out what those lyrics meant, it does feel like a big "statement song". hype for the next 2
January 10, 20178 yr Author RISE QUEENA POLYNA COME AWN HOLOGRAM Slay me with this capitalised rooting for faves *.* Jade, three songs in the top 15 is amazing and I was a bit shocked to see I'm the only one to have two in the top 10 :mellow: Additionally, you just taught me some of the meaning of the lyrics to 'Father Hu$$la' haha! I was always trying to figure out what those lyrics meant, it does feel like a big "statement song". hype for the next 2 I can understand why that would be a shock but you definitely brought it last year, I really like your taste in music as you know *.* And haha it's good that these paragraphs have been a bit educational, who doesn't love finding things out about BJSC songs tbh x Yeah it really does, a brilliant one at that <3
January 10, 20178 yr I had thought I wouldn't have any left, had forgotten about your love for Tanz Mit Mir! Brilliant description of it, a joyful entry and one I'm very proud of. I knew FAUN were talented but I hadn't really picked up on how many different instruments they play - I've learnt something! It must be their modus operandi of going into folk culture to make their songs, they must pick up all sorts of unusual instruments. LOVE The Wandering Songstress, Better Life, Father Hu$$la and Sock N Doll out of the top 20, the rest is good but all of those are among my highlights of the year and you're so right on the way the build makes Father Hu$$la just so glorious to listen through, underrated gem for sure.
January 11, 20178 yr Author I had thought I wouldn't have any left, had forgotten about your love for Tanz Mit Mir! Brilliant description of it, a joyful entry and one I'm very proud of. I knew FAUN were talented but I hadn't really picked up on how many different instruments they play - I've learnt something! It must be their modus operandi of going into folk culture to make their songs, they must pick up all sorts of unusual instruments. LOVE The Wandering Songstress, Better Life, Father Hu$$la and Sock N Doll out of the top 20, the rest is good but all of those are among my highlights of the year and you're so right on the way the build makes Father Hu$$la just so glorious to listen through, underrated gem for sure. Haha! I suppose that contest was a while ago, so fair enough. Thank you, I'm glad that you enjoyed the write-up :heart: I should really check out more FAUN songs after loving this one so much. I was also very surprised by how many instruments they all played :o that increased the appeal even more. Yay for you appreciating all of those songs also *.* Especially 'Father Hu$$la' as it is indeed so underrated </3 I can understand why it could be a bit grating to some as it's quite loud and bold, but it really is so amazing.
January 13, 20178 yr Author Stanga :wub: Thanks Jade for the lovely paragraph ❤ No problemo Addy :wub: Shall aim to conclude this over the weekend. Have felt too sleep deprived to write anything decent over the past few days and have an essay to do tonight.
January 14, 20178 yr Author http://i.imgur.com/8t0xCyk.png Let's get into the top 10 :o 10. La Femme - 'Sphynx' (Trifoski) Trifoski have sent many strong entries this year... but it is 'Sphynx' that we have deemed their crème de la crème and worthy of a top 10 position. Bré knew of this song beforehand and predicted that I would like it a lot - and he was so right because this is so up my street in every way. The main thing that draws me to 'Sphynx' is the amazing synths that dominate the song. You can actually hear slight Middle-Eastern tinges in places which makes it all the more interesting. La Femme comprises of 9 members - so there's a lot of input into the stellar production. As already touched upon, I do love the French language as well and the delivery here is super sweet so I am definitely on board with the vocals too. The kaleidoscopic video is also a real visual treat (though a bit NSFW kids) ~ very artsy and impressive. La Femme state Kraftwerk amongst their influences, so I guess this has a similar appeal as the Essaie Pas song just a few places ago. I was expecting this to be one of those gems that wouldn't get appreciated enough in the final, so I was very happy to be proven wrong when it finished as high as 14th! A hypnotic and synthtastic beauty. 09. Øfdream - 'Thelema' (Persephonia) The struggle was REAL when trying to decide who to give my 18 to in BJSC 88. The battle of two entries from France. 'Sphynx' was tough competition for this song, but ultimately 'Thelema' came out on top by a very small margin. So naturally that is emulated here with them being back-to-back! In my eyes, 'Thelema' is one of the most underrated finalists of recent times. It was pretty saddening to watch it floundering in the final results (with my help just about keeping it afloat) until it thankfully got a surge of big points towards the end. #31 was still not enough for it though. This song appeals to me in a big way as it reminds me of 'WVFFLIFE (CHVRN Remix)', my favourite of my own 2016 entries, a lot. That witchy sound crossed with trap is just a match made in heaven and I need to see way more of it in the competition. I could easily see this being the backing track to a swag hip-hop song. Though I think it's great as it is in largely instrumental form. There are small teases of words here ("yeahhh...") that just help to make a tremendous instrumental heightened. Soooo good. Perhaps 'Ninth Gate' also by Øfdream would have done better for Persephonia, but for me this was definitely the better of the two so we were pleased that it got unleashed. 08. DJDS - 'In The Flames' (Syndare) Syndare were sadly a nation that we had snubbed for almost a year. But they finally broke into our points in the best way possible, by receiving the full 18 from us! Now that's how to do it in style. We simply could not resist this and it soon went on replay multiple times! It is all about the production, that electronic sound with a phenomenal bassline is infectious. The choppy vocals are a very welcome addition too! They are pretty much indecipherable for most of the song (minus "in the flames"!) but they soon inject a bit of emotion into proceedings when we are introduced to the less choppy parts ("Call my name when I need you... will you be there, will you be true?"). There's not much going on in the video, but it manages to be cool anyway due to the dark and mysterious location. This duo sound really promising in terms of both sound and... marketing tactics! Yes, you can actually get this song as a free download if you purchase one of their 'In The Flames' candles. Nothing short of brilliant, I want one. Anyway, this is easily one of the most interesting and addictive house songs that I've heard in ages. The production and vocals both build wonderfully, they slowly creep up on you. This is how to do standout dance! 07. NZCA Lines - 'Two Hearts' (Cumulonimbia) Cumulonimbia started off their year in BJSC on a high. In fact, on an extreme high as they received my 18 for the first time! There was no way that I could deny this top points, despite such strong competition, when it was almost never off repeat for me in January. I fell in love with everything about this straight away - the slinky synth production, the emotional male and female delivery (there's something about the desperation of the chorus that grabs me so much) and the science fiction themes of the lyrics. Plus the bridge is almost identical to that of Disclosure feat. AlunaGeorge's 'White Noise' and I absolutely adore that song. The video didn't match up to the song as much as I hoped, however it was simple but effective all the same as I did like the black background being lit up by bold colours. The song is a little bit Hot Chip in sound and one of the members is actually a drummer for them, so that makes sense. This was accessible enough to thankfully give Cumulonimbia their biggest hit of the year in amongst quite a few DNQs! So hooray, my favourite Cumulonimbia entry of the year is matched with the general BuzzJack opinion. This is a really gripping, delightful example of synth pop. 06. LUH - '$ORO' (FKA FKA FKA π) '$ORO' was my first taste of LUH (or Lost Under Heaven) and it was quite the bold introduction. I remember listening to the Spotify playlist for this contest and this song immediately grabbed me more than anything else - I instantly listened to it again. Then I felt compelled to go and check out the video, which left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it taught me exactly what the thought-provoking lyrics were but it also killed my eyes half way through with the flashing lights. Down with strobe lights [2] following on from 'Fix My Life' earlier. Anyway, '$ORO' is an anti-capitalism anthem which is close to my heart as a former passionate Sociology student, and someone still very interested in the way our society works even if I've ceased studying it. So the lyrics are some of the strongest in BJSC this year. The delivery of these lyrics was quite divisive but I was of course in favour of them. They are extremely passionate, almost as if they are howling in despair. The autotune is by no means a detriment also which is refreshing. However, the best part of the song is the final couple of minutes when the vocals disappear, as that production is astonishing. Don't get me wrong, the booming production is good throughout, but I am blown away every time when what we have known of the song so far just crumbles away and turns into this HUGE chaotic noise that still manages to communicate the song perfectly - it doesn't sound disconnected at all. What an insane climax to the song. I'm glad the BJSC masses took to it so much - it would have been a top 10 hit if it wasn't for deduction! 05. Ani Glass - 'Y Ddawns' (Quintessa) The top 5 begins with one of the most unique entries that I've ever heard. I am pretty sure that this is the first song that I have ever heard being sung in Welsh! But that was a genius move as it sounds absolutely beautiful and sets it apart from other synth entries. Ani Saunders and Gwenno were former members of The Pipettes, and as much as I like some of their songs ('Pull Shapes' is fab and we actually sent 'Judy' by them for the 'UK Chart Near Misses' spinoff!), this project excites me far more. This may be partially because stunning futuristic synths are present in 'Y Ddawns', but also because of the general darker feel and interesting language choice. 'Y Ddawns' translates to 'The dance' (I swear most of thee foreign entries translate to something about dancing!) and the lyrics, after a bit of searching around before, are about the sounds of Welsh factories ('factory' was one of very few identifiable words here!) being reimagined as beautiful music, but then the machinery comes to rest (perhaps explaining the rather haunting feel of the song with the negative change), separating her and the sound that motivates her. A very intriguing prospect for a song that could be interpreted in a couple of ways, perhaps in terms of societal change and fallen industries as one example. Whatever she is truly singing about, the delivery here is super - ranging from confident and defiant to more breathy and anxious as it progresses. I was so happy that this qualified and it has cemented itself as my favourite Quintessa entry to date. 04. Poison Ivory - 'Alchemy' (Deandria) Here we have the first of two appearances in the top 5, let alone top 10, for Deandria! That's a pretty impressive result. I can remember clearly when this was unveiled as an auto-qualifier during the entry showcase for BJSC 82. The thumbnail looked a bit whacky so I decided to immediately check it out. This was a brilliant decision as I soon became very fond of this entry, and it held up well in the final as it received my 18 points. The nation won with something quite 'safe' in 'Sanctuary' compared to some of their more weird but wonderful entries, so thank god that gave them a chance to AQ so that a fabulous quirky entry from them actually got to qualify! Poison Ivory is a very striking lady with her green hair and zany make-up, and her bold sound matches up perfectly with this aesthetic. The verses of this song are pretty smooth and accessible, but then the chorus is quite out there. She definitely gives us some vocal surprises with a more high-pitched elongated tackling of the words. I could understand why people might possibly find the repetitive nature of the song a bit grating, but I am all for it. It is always stuck in my head for ages. In terms of production, the slightly spooky piano intro is a wonderful start to the song. This a hugely infectious and wild explosion of sound that is brimming with personality. Cool video to match as well. 03. Ortiga - 'Ilumbarada' (FSR Rontvia) The bronze medal this year goes to FSR Rontvia! The nation were a huge force in BJSC back in the day, with the most wins of any nation, until a couple of mostly quiet years. However, they definitely found their successful stride again in 2016 when they qualified in every contest and wracked up multiple top 10 hits! One of those was the absolutely stunning 'Ilumbarada'. Here we have a hugely standout world music entry from the Germany-based Chilean band, that tugs on the heart strings without needing to know a word of what is being sang. It is one of those songs that is quite happy-sad, as while it feels emotional, the chorus also manages to feel completely euphoric at the same time. Especially THAT incredible key change! So yes, happy tears is pretty much the reaction that comes to mind for this. It is quite Enigma in sound which was always going to appeal to me when 'Sadeness (Part I)' is one of my favourite songs of all-time. I just love that ambient and haunting sound. We're so pleased that FSR Rontvia plucked this out of the obscure archives, as despite being from 1990 it sounds absolutely timeless and magical. What a gorgeous and pure collection of voices and blissful production values. Their best entry for sure, it has managed to surpass even '7even'. 02. Vogel - 'Hologram' (Deandria) So close! Deandria don't quite go all the way but at least they have a medal position in this, and hey - they get the title of highest DNQ! You heard right, this absolutely incredible song did not qualify in the latest edition of BJSC. I had it all sewn up as my 18 but then it shockingly didn't make the final. It was heartbreakingly close and probably would have made it if I had been in its semi, argh. A bit of justice was served as it did make it to the Rejects final though - so at least I got to vote for it in some capacity! Anyway, the nation hyped it as something that "Jadakissnia would be proud to send" and this couldn't have been a more spot on description. I would have sent this in a heartbeat if I had come across it myself. Synthwave is my kryptonite and the production here is nothing short of flawless. It's an epic instrumental with some muffled indecipherable vocals that help to heighten it even further. It is extremely energetic and manages to sound both from the 80s but also from the future. That's an amazing sound to conjure up. It feels like it should soundtrack an iconic scene in a sci-fi movie or an action packed game level. I could honestly harp on about how good this is for ages and shall forever mourn that it didn't qualify. It was so close to being my #1, but alas the following song just about pipped it to the post... 01. Polyna - 'Angel (Club Mix)' (Aeroche) So there we have it! Kings of BJSC 2016 Aeroche have not only come out on top for the official BJSC YTD, but they also slay all competition to take the crown in the Jadakissnia 2016 BJSC EOY. I was introduced to this song last summer when it was played on plug.dj, and I was so shocked at how good it was! The nation had actually been sitting on this entry and just weren't entering it. How could they sit on something so strong?! They even offered it to me when unfortunate extenuating circumstances prevented me from entering Koven in BJSC 77, but I just could not accept when I hadn't discovered it myself - it would feel wrong. So THANK THE LORD that the time eventually felt right and Aeroche finally unleashed this absolutely astonishing song on the BJSC masses in BJSC 84. It was the easiest 18 points that I have ever given and thankfully smashed all the way into the top 5. So why do I love this so much? Nicky Romero wasn't really someone I held in high regard before this, but on this occasion provides some top-notch production on the club mix here. It starts off twinkly but then becomes urgent and commanding when the chorus rolls around. Then the breakdown is just heavenly <3 The vocals here sound quite androgynous and are absolutely striking and packed with emotion. The song is about a wingless celestial waiting alone in the clouds and wanting to make the world a better place ("he wants to make us feel true love" / "he wants to make us stop our fights" :heart:). So the closest entry I've found to #spreadonlinekindness (without the online part) - no wonder it appealed so much. x Seriously though, 'Angel' hits me really hard as an inspiring emotional dance song that packs a punch. A really beautiful effort with a cold edge ~ the cherry on top of the cake of a wonderful BJSC year. Bravo Aeroche! - So there we have it! I have actually managed to complete this at a much quicker pace this year. It's been a true pleasure to comment on so many amazing discoveries. Thank you to everyone who has followed this by either reading or commenting, it has all been very much appreciated. Now all that's left to say is... bring on BJSC 2017! - Recap of the whole top 100: 100. SKIES - 'Drone' (Ultraviolenceland) 99. K3 - '10.000 Luchtballonnen' (Yehesi) 98. Sofi de la Torre - 'Colorblind Cruisin' (New Lexico) 97. Ital Tek - 'Cobra' (FKA FKA FKA π) 96. Thomas Bergerson - 'Children Of The Sun (feat. Merethe Soltvedt)' (Avalonia) 95. Ana Mena - 'No Soy Como Tú Crees' (Ultraviolenceland) 94. Ariel Pink - 'Not Enough Violence' (FKA FKA FKA π) 93. Vesala - 'Tequila' (Pupok) 92. TheFatRat - 'Monody (feat. Laura Brehm)' (South Danaelanda) 91. Atella x Frøder - 'Closer To Life' (Altyr Muunilinst) 90. Pixel Fix - 'You Settle Me' (Cor Lupus) 89. Celtic Woman - 'Tír na nÓg (feat. Oonagh)' (New Lexico) 88. MY - 'White Water' (Ramrynia) 87. Catey Shaw - 'The Ransom (Tommy Walker Remix)' (The Actual Republic of Bellamia) 86. Cobi - 'Don't You Cry For Me' (Mulgracia) 85. Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - 'Dance The Way I Feel' (Medhelnia) 84. Color Guard - 'In Your Bones' (Persephonia) 83. Morgxn - 'Love You With The Lights On (Monsieur Adi Remix)' (FARC) 82. Claudia Kane - 'Einstein' (Pupok) 81. Monarchy - 'Dance Like Hell' (Mulgracia) 80. Liv Dawson - 'Still' (Ultraviolenceland) 79. Stupeflip - 'Stupeflip Vite !!!' (Skall) 78. Mount Tyrant - 'One Night' (Flynnonda) 77. Lorn - 'Acid Rain' (Republic of Adonia) 76. Ghost - 'Square Hammer' (Quintessa) 75. Salt Ashes - 'Save It' (FARC) 74. Midnight To Monaco - 'One In A Million' (Usfland) 73. John The Baptiste - 'Socila' (N DNTN) 72. White Night Ghosts - 'Hope' (Bignia-Zaragovina) 71. Dinamo Azari - 'Cyan (feat. S.Y.F. & Fritz Helder)' (FKA FKA FKA π) 70. Sasha - 'Xpander' (Cumulonimbia) 69. Daydreamer - 'Travelling Light' (Terra Avium) 68. Nimmo - 'Dilute This' (Ultraviolenceland) 67. Smerz - 'Because' (D'yermak'er) 66. Fallgrapp - 'Vlasy' (Persephonia) 65. Big Black Delta - 'RCVR (feat. Debbie Gibson)' (Fljótavík) 64. Aelyn - 'Give Love A Try' (Pupok) 63. Olga Bell - 'Randomness' (Fljótavík) 62. Pillow Person - 'Go Ahead' (Trifoski) 61. John Rous & Alfie Rhodes - 'Oasis' (N-Lazone) 60. Jody Wisternoff - 'The Bridge (Chicane Rework) (feat. Sian Evans)' (Tartford) 59. The Range - 'Florida' (Pagasa) 58. Digitalism - 'Blitz' (Persephonia) 57. Sofi Tukker - 'Matadora' (Desbuanda) 56. Die Antwoord - 'Banana Brain' (Cadelicia) 55. Raye - 'Shhh' (N DNTN) 54. Parade Of Lights - 'Feeling Electric' (Medhelnia) 53. Princess Chelsea - 'The Cigarette Duet' (Singerpurear) 52. Javiera Mena - 'Otra Era' (Trifoski) 51. U.S. Girls - 'Woman's Work' (Terra Avium) 50. Paul Cronin - 'Now Bad Boy' (#00274E) 49. Plaitum - 'Jagwa' (N DNTN) 48. Oliver - 'Electrify (feat. Scott Mellis)' (Trifoski) 47. Apollo 440 - 'Blackbeat' (Usfland) 46. Sleigh Bells - 'A/B Machines' (Harmonica) 45. Christopher Tin - 'Temen Oblak (feat. Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares)' (Séyetana) 44. LSDXOXO - 'XXX ANGEL DUST XXX' (Desbuanda) 43. BOOTS - 'C.U.R.E.' (Persephonia) 42. Konstantin Sibold - 'Mutter' (Ethanola) 41. Billie Black - 'I Waited For You' (Ethanola) 40. KEYS&CAGES - 'Invisible' (Summericia) 39. Kıtchen - 'Inception (Time)' (Terra Avium) 38. Where's The Beach - 'Tripping The Luv Fantastic' (Suedeonia) 37. Hanna Järver - 'Anekdoter' (Fljótavík) 36. Symphobia - 'I Do I Do' (Avalonia) 35. Hiatus - 'Precious Little' (Terra Avium) 34. Nhato - 'Way Of Life (feat. Sasi)' (Cor Lupus) 33. Dan Deacon - 'Change Your Life (You Can Do It)' (Cumulonimbia) 32. Atlas Genius - 'Stockholm' (Cor Lupus) 31. Kitten - 'Fall On Me' (Fljótavík) 30. Melt Yourself Down - 'Fix My Life' (Trifoski) 29. Bicep - 'Just' (Skall) 28. KING - 'The Greatest' (Pagasa) 27. Wardruna - 'Odal' (Tinnmark) 26. Angels & Airwaves - 'Chasing Shadows' (Mulgracia) 25. Hilight Tribe - 'Free Tibet (Vini Vici Remix)' (Ethanola) 24. Fraunhofer Diffraction - 'Fate' (Aeroche) 23. David Lyme - 'Bye Bye Mi Amor' (Skall) 22. TWRR - 'Water Frozen' (Persephonia) 21. Nightcall - 'Dead V (feat. Dreamhour)' (Yehesi) 20. Kazaky - 'Milk-Choc' (N DNTN) 19. FAUN and Santiano - 'Tanz Mit Mir' (Séyetana) 18. Sagi Abitbul and Guy Haliva - 'Stanga' (Bøtanikkä) 17. The Shanghai Restoration Project - 'The Wandering Songstress (feat. Zhang Le)' (Persephonia) 16. The Swiss - 'Kiss To Kiss (Amtrac Remix)' (N DNTN) 15. Kids Of The Apocalypse - 'Better Life (feat. Wes Period)' (Terra Avium) 14. Essaie Pas - 'Le Port Du Masque Est De Riguer' (Terra Avium) 13. ECCA VANDAL - 'Father Hu$$la' (Deandria) 12. Imany - 'Don't Be So Shy (Filatov & Karas Remix)' (Dobago) 11. Kontrust - 'Sock 'N' Doll' (What) 10. La Femme - 'Sphynx' (Trifoski) 09. Øfdream - 'Thelema' (Persephonia) 08. DJDS - 'In The Flames' (Syndare) 07. NZCA Lines - 'Two Hearts' (Cumulonimbia) 06. LUH - '$ORO' (FKA FKA FKA π) 05. Ani Glass - 'Y Ddawns' (Quintessa) 04. Poison Ivory - 'Alchemy' (Deandria) 03. Ortiga - 'Ilumbarada' (FSR Rontvia) 02. Vogel - 'Hologram' (Deandria) 01. Polyna - 'Angel (Club Mix)' (Aeroche)
January 14, 20178 yr Ah good to see one of my entries appear here! Following this thru I wasn't sure if any would make it but then I remembered you were a fan :) Great to see Free Tibet & Stanga pretty high up. Ilumbarada is my fave of your top 10, your commentary pretty much summed it up to a tee!
January 15, 20178 yr Author Ah good to see one of my entries appear here! Following this thru I wasn't sure if any would make it but then I remembered you were a fan :) Great to see Free Tibet & Stanga pretty high up. Ilumbarada is my fave of your top 10, your commentary pretty much summed it up to a tee! Haha yessss I loved 'Don't Be So Shy' so much *.* 'K'vo Ne Chu' was quite close to making it as well! 'Ilumbarada' really is something so special, it was a joy to write about that one. Glad you feel the same way as me with the commentary! :wub: BITCH! queena polyna forever, great rundown!!!!! :wub: sososososo good. Thanks Lewwleww, glad u enjoyed *.*
January 15, 20178 yr Angel isn't a particular favourite by Aeroche, but excellent top 10 on the whole with Illumbarada, Ani Glass, LUH & La Femme <3 Very pleased to have two entries in your top 15 even if they are right at the bottom :P So glad someone else appreciated Essaie Pas so much, dark French synthpop like that is the best, and yes, I would definitely recommend KOTA's other material, even if there's so little of it, it's so intriguing you'll just want more!
January 15, 20178 yr How lovely :wub: Two in the top 5 + highest DNQ! Great write-ups, thanks Jade! So many other great songs in your countdown as well, 'Sphynx' and 'In the Flames' are both some of my favourites of last year for example, and 'Thelema' has just started to grow on me after I stumbled upon a playlist of Persephonia's entries on YouTube (through Bré's national thread)!
January 15, 20178 yr Jade <3 Actually feel somewhat ~honoured~ that two Desbuanda tracks made your top 60 given your unparalleled love and passion for BJSC and its discoverables! (Hard to believe you were once reluctant to join this thing, right?!) Thinking back, I was probably proudest to send 'Matadora' and 'XXX ANGEL DUST XXX' of all my entries last year, so it's lovely to read your words...and very insightful too - that was the first I'd known of both the existence of the charango in general and 'bring out the milk' :o <333. Makes me love the latter track even more, haha. I know you speak español but the research evident (throughout your paragraphs) is so impressive. Great taste to be found elsewhere too (:kink:). Wonderful seeing 'Ilumbarada', 'Sphynx', 'Better Life', 'Stanga', 'Water Frozen' and 'Free Tibet' in the upper tiers and rightfully praised so highly. Really outstanding effort overall - bet it feels good to have that behind you now! Edited January 15, 20178 yr by Noahspike
January 15, 20178 yr Author Angel isn't a particular favourite by Aeroche, but excellent top 10 on the whole with Illumbarada, Ani Glass, LUH & La Femme <3 Very pleased to have two entries in your top 15 even if they are right at the bottom :P So glad someone else appreciated Essaie Pas so much, dark French synthpop like that is the best, and yes, I would definitely recommend KOTA's other material, even if there's so little of it, it's so intriguing you'll just want more! TY Chez *.* glad you appreciate a fair amount of my top 10, I was hoping this would be the case when our taste is so similar. Essaie Pas was such an underrated entry! Would love to see more dark French synthpop in the contest - it shall have its time eventually! & ooh shall definitely make sure to give the rest of KOTA's material a listen at some point then :o shall not be too time consuming when there's so little of it haha! Looks like it's quality over quantity with them. How lovely :wub: Two in the top 5 + highest DNQ! Great write-ups, thanks Jade! So many other great songs in your countdown as well, 'Sphynx' and 'In the Flames' are both some of my favourites of last year for example, and 'Thelema' has just started to grow on me after I stumbled upon a playlist of Persephonia's entries on YouTube (through Bré's national thread)! Indeed, you slayed me so hard this year so the pressure is on for 2017! :kink: already looks to be good on my end though with you being a fan of 'Headless' :o Yay also for your appreciation of a lot of songs here (why were you not one of the nominees for Best Music Taste tbh?) & 'Thelema' is painfully underrated so I'm really glad that you're feeling it more now! Jade <3 Actually feel somewhat ~honoured~ that two Desbuanda tracks made your top 60 given your unparalleled love and passion for BJSC and its discoverables! (Hard to believe you were once reluctant to join this thing, right?!) Thinking back, I was probably proudest to send 'Matadora' and 'XXX ANGEL DUST XXX' of all my entries last year, so it's lovely to read your words...and very insightful too - that was the first I'd known of both the existence of the charango in general and 'bring out the milk' :o <333. Makes me love the latter track even more, haha. I know you speak español but the research evident (throughout your paragraphs) is so impressive. Great taste to be found elsewhere too (:kink:). Wonderful seeing 'Ilumbarada', 'Sphynx', 'Better Life', 'Stanga', 'Water Frozen' and 'Free Tibet' in the upper tiers and rightfully praised so highly. Really outstanding effort overall - bet it feels good to have that behind you now! Omg a Noah comment *.* <3 Haha yes I do have quite the passion for BJSC and all of the wonderful discoveries that it brings. It really is crazy that I had to be convinced so many times to sign up! But yes, both of your songs here were brilliant so that had to be acknowledged. You should be proud to send them, I always hail those who send standout tracks and they were both something wonderfully different. Glad you appreciated my commentary, that rly means a lot <3 Haha those lyrics were just iconic *.* Yup, I love finding out more about the background of songs just to find any interesting meanings or anecdotes surrounding them. There did turn out to be a few interesting discoveries so the research that went into this was fun to carry out. Yaaaaay at you appreciating those songs and thanks once again for your praise! It indeed is a massive weight off my shoulders (it is fun to compile but a lot of effort went in!) and I'm so glad that I completed it in a more timely manner this year.
January 15, 20178 yr Author BJSC 91 Tearist - 'Headless' fv_5x38tiRA BJSC is back in business for 2017! The semi-finals have been announced in Aeroche and we have been drawn in semi 1 with 'Headless' by Tearist. We sadly missed out on our first opportunity to auto-qualify after our 2nd place finish with 'Earth Not Above' by HÆLOS in BJSC 90, so instead we urge semi 1 voters to embrace this entry! Tearist is an industrial/electronic project of American vocalist Yasmine Kittles and various collaborators! In YouTube comments their usual vibe is compared to Siouxsie and The Banshees and Bat For Lashes, but this song is less of their industrial sound and more electronic. The more industrial original of this (sadly the only version on Spotify) has been changed up to this superior version that we've sent in! It now has a video and appeals to me WAY more with the witchy production. Her voice is incredible and this song shall leave "one eye open and one eye closed" stuck in your head for days. Once you get past the slightly spooky-screamy intro, what we have here is a killer chorus and top notch production. Hope you guys enjoy!
January 15, 20178 yr I really hope semi 1 people support you with this. Like I said in another thread, I've been considering sending it but not sure I would've gotten around to it so I'm glad you've done it! The "one eye open and one eye closed" hook really does get stuck in your head haha. Good luck!
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