When I'm out of love, I turn and I run

 

 

41. Troye Sivan - LOST BOY

42. Hurts - Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us

43. Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean?

44. Kendrick Lamar - The Blacker the Berry

45. Little Mix - Black Magic

 

 

Two of the biggest hits of the year feature now, first the obviously massive 'Black Magic' from Little Mix who seem to be going from strength to strength recently. Although the album this is taken from doesn't quite match the previous one, everything about their singles releases has been perfect and it all began with this piece of delightful pop. The music video made it properly connect, a quirky homage to Sabrina the Teenage Witch and showcasing all the wonderful personalities of the band <3 The other from Bieber is the surprise smash of the year, not because of the song itself but the artist - where did this turn around come from? Not complaining, I've always willed him to do well. Kendrick is back with one of the most important songs of the year, it took a while to hit me but when you let the lyrics and message of the song soak in, it's the sweetest most real form of justice a song can deliver. Hurts' MUST BE A SINGLE AT SOME POINT is next and narrowly misses out on the all important top 40. A huge anthem with rousing chorus and perfectly showcasing the new direction they've taken with this album. It works splendidly. And finally, 'LOST BOY' from Troye I have chosen as the song to feature in video form here.. not only is it probably the most recent song to impact me and this countdown but it's one to watch out for in the new year. Could have been much higher had it had more time to wow me. A glorious, tropical infused delight with such warming lyrics of hope and loss and individualism. So relatable and so damn needed.

Hi Haus,

 

41. Troye Sivan - LOST BOY

44. Kendrick Lamar - The Blacker the Berry

45. Little Mix - Black Magic

 

Troye Sivan is the surpise album of the year for me I love it sadly it got cut off to be album to chart in the Top 40 EOY for my album :(

 

Kendrick does well at creating songs about social and cultral issues which is why I personally feel like he is the rapper of the moment, praying he gets some grammy awards, he deserves them :heart:

 

Little Mix Black Magic is a pop banger thats all to say really :lol:

Black Magic is incredible, one of the best pop tracks this year :heart:

'Black Magic' and 'What Do You Mean?' are both pop perfection and have been a soundtrack to my drunken antics this year.

Black Magic decimates my life *.*

I don't see the light I saw in you before

 

 

19. Autre Ne Veut - Age of Transparency

 

Switch Hitter / Get Out / World War Pt. 2

 

20. Grimes- Art Angel

 

Flesh Without Blood / Venus Fly / Kill V. Main

 

 

Grimes who I have never been really huge on like a lot of people on here, impressed me with this. Right from the artwork, to the song titles, to the lyrics, it's a warped, bloody, yet strangely angelic collection. Songs that ooze exuberance and excess but listening to them is never a task and they instead flow and glide with heavenly grace. It's an interesting album.. i'm not sure I enjoy it more than what i've placed below it, but I can recognise the art within it and appreciate the extent to which the artist is laying bare throughout it. Very fun at times, dark at others but definitely rewarding.

 

And now to an artist that has had an EOY #1 and has had a huge impact on me in the past. Autre's hotly anticipated return wasn't all guns blazing like I thought it might have been. Instead it was prickly, oddly alluring songs and videos and disturbing imagery. It does not start well. 'On and On' the humongous song from a few years back is here reprised but the life is sucked out of it. The album does go on from there to show off the pain and emotive nature of the artist and does have incredible peaks through 'Switch Hitter' and 'Get Out'. It's an accomplished album which tries to ride on the tail coats of the debut but still tries to spark new excitement and wonder. And it's harsh for me to compare it to 'Anxiety' which took hold of me too hard to let go.

Skin covered in dirt, covered in dirt, covered in dirt

 

 

36. Wynter Gordon - Bleeding Out

37. Kacy Hill – Experience

38. M.I.A. - Borders

39. Until the Ribbon Breaks - Orca

40. Kitty - ♡ LAST MINUTE ♡

 

 

Getting into serious territory now. The first real essential Haus jam comes from Kitty who still has a few more to come within the top 40 too. '♡ LAST MINUTE ♡' is the second weakest song on the album but still is life-changing. An absolute boogie jam but under that is the wondrous lyricism of the poised kitty and the poisonous lover. It might take a while to grab you, but when it does, it's as undeniable as her other material. Catchy, jazzy, frantic and essential.

 

The next song, from Until the Ribbon Breaks, I dedicate to my dog. Yes my dog. A heartfelt cry to one of the band members who lost their life, but singing through the beauty of Orca a black and white whale of majesty and beauty. My own dog who has battled with a lot in his short life so far is brought out throughout this song and I fail to separate the two when I listen. It fills me with tears whenever I hear it because of how relatable it is to me. It was written from such a personal experience to the band, but the fact it can transcend that and become painfully relatable to others sings wonders and proves how gloriously powerful music can be.

 

M.I.A.'s return to the scene was fantastic, obviously. It was probably the video moreso than the song that I adore but the song was fantastic too. The refrain and repetition throughout the song is never once annoying or useless, but totally needed and ear-worming. Very current very hip very cool very mia~ I need an album from her along this vein in 2016.

 

Kacy Hill next but is that all she has left in the top 40? We'll see. 'Experience' which I sent to BJSC shows the Kanye-protegee for all her mystical and distorted wonder. Lyrically she is the most exciting artist around for me and this song alone goes wonders to proving that. The music video is accomplished, it's the perfect introduction to her as an artist; cute and loveable but reserved, shy and mysterious. Her falsetto throughout the song is the high point, it never once falters and is almost heavenly as she sings of such rabid, earthly, rogue things. The perfect contradiction and makes the song all the more special <3

 

I will always have time for queen of being underrated Wynter Gordan. With the latest EP (JUST GIVE US ANOTHER ALBUM ALREADY :angry:) she went more tribal, more natural than previous albums and once again her musical transformation works, because she is so accomplished that any direction she takes, she can pull off. 'Bleeding Out' the lead single from the EP is a damning plea delivered with wonderful poise.

last minute DID take forever to get to me but it really did <3

Hi Haus,

 

First of all,

 

Grimes :yahoo:

 

36. Wynter Gordon - Bleeding Out

37. Kacy Hill – Experience

38. M.I.A. - Borders

39. Until the Ribbon Breaks - Orca

40. Kitty - ♡ LAST MINUTE ♡

 

I only know of Kacy Hill and MIA although that UTRB track sounds fimilar and need to hear Kitty everyone talks about it :D

Not a whole lot of ReginaFaves here, but some good ones here and there <3

Borders is still growing on me at a daily rate and that video still hits me hard.

What Do You Mean? so low, proving once again I am the bigger Justin stan! :D

 

I thought LOST BOY would be higher even with the recent-ness of it :o A great song though!

You can't keep me in chains, you can't lead me astray

 

 

33. Kacy Hill - Arm's Length

34. Alesso ft. Tove Lo - Heroes (we could be)

35. V V - Shift

 

First up, in her new guise it's former soul-pop, turned dark indie queen V V (Brown). In this album she went more experimental, glitchy pop dance and while it's not quite as convincing as her previous transformation, there are many jams to be found on it, most of all, the lead single 'Shift'. From the second her deep tones kick in, through the glitchy, frenzied chorus you know she's put so much thought and effort into creating the distinct sound. It has many throwbacks and influences including in the video, where she becomes the puppet or the enslaved fighting for what she believes in. I love the ambigious message of the song and the power with which it plows on.

 

Lol, the next song took too long to properly connect with me, but it came when it was played in a club and transcended into a total moment with my mates. It's a simple song yes, with obnoxiously absurd title capitalisation, but in its simplicity is a gloriously uplifting and joyous message. Tove's voice is the highlight surrounded by Alesso's music, beautifully airy and ethereal it makes you forget about your troubles and just get lost in the moment. Splendid stuff, sometimes the most seemingly simple and basic of songs are the most complex, empowering and deep - this is a perfect example of that <3

 

From the EP she released this year, Kacy returns again with 'Arm's Length' which stands out as the most up-beat song but it's still incredibly moving. Her mouse-like voice amidst that soaring instrumentation and the force and sheer will of the beat is one of the most exciting musical moments of the year for me. As she sings of being freed from her chains so too does the music will her to escape. It's an invigorating listen full of desire, self-belief and identity. In the lyrics, she talks of half loves, empty promises, unreachable desires - all feelings of wanting and needing more and that's where I stand with her as an artist, I need so much more from her because she has so much to say.

The leaves they don't change here

 

 

17. Wynter Gordon - Five Needle EP

 

Bleeding Out / Higher / World On Fire

 

18. Miguel - WildHeart

 

Coffee / leaves / waves

 

 

Miguel turned it up SEXY this year (moreso than usual). While 'Kaleidoscope Dream' was full of fantasies and desires, this album was the real grit of his sexuality. A overly charged at times album, explicit and out-there, but maintaining the poise and graceful charm that Miguel so expertly has a grasp on. In moments such as 'the valley' nothing is left to the listener's imagination, whereas in other tracks, such as 'waves' it is a more seedy type of loving. But despite this sexual energy that pervades the album he still manages to include moments of tender beauty, most overtly in 'leaves' which stands out on the album as the moment of complete serenity and peace. It's a fantastic album, not quite up there with the previous one but solid enough.

 

No doubt Wynter Gordon has a 100% hit ratio with me. Her EPs previous to this and the album have been incredibly rich and enjoyable and this continued on that hit streak well. From the off set, songs like 'Bleeding Out' and 'Home' showcase the more tribal, natural sound she has gone for in the album - it is a type of nostalgic, lost-beauty type of nature. Getting lost in jungles, roaming open plains, staring into the sky and losing the day.. all of those feelings and emotions packed into a short, 5 track EP. A very personal EP too, singing of her homes, her struggles (perfectly brought out in 'Higher'), her love. A beautifully constructed album, the artist is always capable of choosing on a sound and direction to take and fully immersing herself in it. It's the trademark of a strong, adaptive artist capable of mixing her sound but remaining real and listenable. I adore her as an artist and even if we only ever get these standalone EPs i'll be content, because she never puts a foot wrong.

Heroes (we could be) is pretty great for a generic dance song I think! Tove Lo's vocals really enhance it for me.

What's this shit all about?

 

 

15. Marina & the Diamonds - FROOT

 

I'm A Ruin / Froot / Savages

 

16. V V - Shift

 

Shift / Lazarus / Fractured

 

 

Two more albums because yolo~ the first from V V is her 3rd one and it couldn't sound more different to the previous two if it tried. Every era she has transformed but made it work. Here she goes experimental, blending pop and dance and her signature graceful, deep, dulcet tones. It's a fun listen, though not as complicated as the previous album. Full of insane moments such as 'Lazarus' and 'Fractured' she takes you on an adventure of harsh sounds and grating music.

 

And next up, an album that didn't really impress me much on first listen at all. Even now when I listen to it, I wonder why i've put it so high up here but I think it's because when it's good, it's near unbeatable. 'I'm A Ruin' which I will go into much more detail on later in the countdown is one of the most heartbreakingly special songs of the year and almost that alone is enough to propel the entire album up in my affections.. almost like the album is a work centred around that song and it all builds and feeds off its energy. But away from that song, there is goodness to be found; the title track is still incredibly fun, and Marina's vocals throughout are incredibly sensitive and alluring. I would rank it last quite firmly in comparison to her other albums but after many months, I have realised I DO have time for this fruitful affair~

Shocked but pleased to see Froot this high. I'm A Ruin really is Marina at her very best and could have easily been huge in the UK if it had had support.

Slay Alesso/Troye :heart:

 

Also Love Miguels and Marina's album :heart:

FROOT didn't really impress me sadly but there are some good songs among it. Definitely a comedown after the incredible Electra Heart though.

Hi Haus

 

I'm not complaining about JBs turnaround either! He's just suddenly releasing all these polished catchy tunes and nobody can help but like them. Glad he's been so successful this era though because the music really is top quality. Sorry is leagues ahead of WDYM though imo!

 

Black Magic is just delightful pop like you say - the album would have to be consistently 10/10 to match it but imo it comes close, I've become a massive fan this era of them, especially because their personalities are beginning to shine through.

 

:D