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*.* So much craziness in this section, I don't know where to start.

 

Well, I guess THAT at 18 is a good place to start. I've included all the songs by OMFG as there's very little distinction between them and they are all equal levels of *.* as they all show the daring and different sound to this producer. Female dance producers are rare and particularly ones that make music as bold as this, it'll sound like an overproduced mess to some, but to me that's just the charm. The outright craziness of the tracks, distorted vocals, vocoder everywhere, relentless in-your-face effects and the sense of throwing everything but the ketchen sink and seeing what sticks - and it's so refreshing to see each track embody that in a different sense that it makes for a joyful listen, hence why I can't really separate them and I've massively enjoyed following her this year. They are all highly similar but you do notice throughout the songs that there is slight style changes each time as it 'progresses' and I like that as it kinda contributes to the 'OMFG story', which can be seen in just the title really:

 

Two people:

 

Person 1: Hello

Person 2: I Love You

Person 1 (calmly): Yeah

Person 2 (shakingly): OK

*awkward period of silence where Person 1 looks around and sees an ice cream van*

Person 1: Ice Cream?

Person 2 (shakes head and looks around and sees a pie and mash restaurant): Mashed Potatoes?

Person 1 (smiles and realises his hunger): Wonderful

 

and they lived happily ever after :') I totally didn't steal that from Youtube If you're not familiar, do have a listen to the playlist above (including one I don't know yet) and bask in the wonders of OMFG (warning, it's not for everyone :kink:) which will hopefully continue the craziness into the new year.

 

PHEW, the next song wouldn't be too out of place featuring as an OMFG song in all honesty, yet this somehow, miraculously, went mainstream and made for one of my favourite hits of the year. I should say I wasn't sure about Galantis at first, Runaway wasn't for me, it was dull, formulaic dance pop that did nothing for me, but THIS was something else. Built around a series of random and quotable vocal hooks of varying pitch and an exquisite drop featuring some amazing strings, it's also rather 'throw everything at the ketchen sink' but it works so well and is impossible not to feel great listening to this, indeed it really does have a feel of a classic dance song along the lines of Shapeshifters Lola's Theme and I was thrilled to see the UK buying public take to it and does give me faith that INTERESTING music like this can still do well. I certainly hope Galantis have more gems like this up their sleeve.

Edited January 10, 20169 yr by Chez Wombat

YES Cool in your top 25, one of my absolute faves last year.

 

Peking Duk's High should have been a huge crossover hit, can't believe it went completely under the radar and never blew up here, it's a track everyone should be aware of!

 

Great seeing Peanut Butter Jelly so high, for me definitely better than Runaway.

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These two could be linked from...hmmm, their interesting instrumental I guess? Certainly the case for Waves, the top entry from my favourite country of the year and an absolutely amazing listen even after Halloween. With huge 80s-esque synths jumping up at you right from the start as subtle as the band's name, the in-your-face synths whirl and twist around throughout the track, yet never losing your attention and the epic unsettling mood really does make this the perfect soundtrack for a virtual horror video game where your the protagonist. Essential for all synth and horror junkies really. I really must check out more of their material.

 

Calvin again was trying something very refreshingly different with Pray to God, replacing the standard keyboard synths with dramatic strings and appointing the vocals of the glorious Haim to do the honours. The whole song thanks to a combination of refined, fresh production and the girls' quite desperate vocals and harmonies which sound none too out of place as if it was one of their own songs make the whole song so much more interesting and gradiose than Calvin's typical material, and I was really sure this would be a big breakthrough for Haim so was disappointed that the public didn't take to it and do hope it doesn't put Calvin off from doing more interesting stuff like this in the future (though thankfully the public did take the next great song he did so I will FORGIVE them for this blip). Overall, quality wise, a rather good year for Calvin and I will look out for him in 2016 (as he's still never far away from a chart smash).

Galantis :heart: OMFG :heart: Calvin Harris :heart: Dance With The Dead :heart:

I've not forgotten about this dw, just had a busy week, resuming~

 

-x-

 

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Two uses of the Danish O *.* First up at 14 is something a bit under the radar - an early SuicideSheep discovery and a BJSC entry until I hesitated and was beaten to it. It's a real defiant opening statement for a song - a mysterious electro-orchestral power ballad, instantly captivating by it's dark tone, the vocals are powerful yet restrained and somewhat scared, dwarfed by the soaring synths in the chorus, and wonderfully complementing with the symbolic lyricism of feeling lost, alone and daunted in what it supposed to be the land of the free, home of the brave etc., it's a pure atmospheric and lyrical master stroke, this persisted through their other (very good) material in Afterlife and Between the Devil... which were very good, but not quite as strong as this one, which stayed with me the whole year and one I wish I had taken the chance to send to BJSC.

 

Something a bit more well known next, I always found Major Lazer's (thought this was one person until yesterday lmao) style intriguing though, Pon De Floor and All My Love in particular and his highly electric and refined style was endearing, but I never thought it would reach the charts, and I remember the first time I heard this as Radio 1's track of the day, that it wouldn't go that far, I was glad to have been proved wrong and it's longevity and hearing it on the charts every week gave me joy. If there's something to dislike about this, I'm yet to see it as it's just so fun and enjoyable, which wonderful Eastern vibes as shown by the video and captures the unique style of all artists involved, yet still maintains that and not make them sound like they're all selling out. It's quirky enough to stand out but also accessible enough to make it have wide appeal, it's pretty much the perfect chart hit in my eyes and a surefire modern classic in the making, and I'd been following MØ a while and it was great to see her get more attention (now take to Glass and Pilgrim, UK public plz <3).

Edited January 15, 20169 yr by Chez Wombat

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Two wonderful songs that really shouldn't be missing my top 10, but I unfortunately don't have room. One of my own BJSC gems and one of my favourite discoveries (in fact, I'd say it was THE favourite as it was in my BJSC EOY, but another song just nudged it out in the end for this, blame different days for compiling both lists I guess), they are HOWLING delights :magic: (yep I spotted it)

 

Indian Summer is just the sort of refinely produced, fun, weird and addictive dance song you'd long to find on Youtube electro music channels. It's a real oddity of a song, with looped distorted vocals humming on until it's struck by a HUGE synthy breakdown which brings it to life and turns it into an amazingly weird kind of jam with a hint of ethnic flair in there that enhances it and just keeps you coming back for more. Perfect for a normal summer and indeed the (almost) indian summer we had in December, it's a true gem.

 

Now what is my second favourite BJSC entry of the year and sadly one of my least successful ones (:cry: never forget), the rejects success and indeed the slowly emerging cult following (well by a couple of people anyway) throughout the year did convince me it wasn't a total waste of me sending it, and for such a captivating, beautiful number that's good, as I couldn't face this being ignored. Dubstep is a really underrated genre and has the capability of producing authentic emotional numbers, this of which is no exception. A duet packed with so much power and emotion and enigmatic with it's title and content - it switches seamlessly between the very mysterious, ghostly lyrics of the verses ('this house has walls inside it's walls') and the desperately shrill cry for help from Maigan in the chorus, before the drop comes in which is just so..powerful and hits so hard (and indeed, the production are what makes the Skrux remix slightly superior to the original), my lip wobbles every time it comes in. It did introduce me to the material of Crywolf who has a vast Youtube back catalogue of similar styles of dark, emotional, lyrically incredible dubstep that are clearly personal to him as well, and it just REALLY gets right to you and gives you the feels which so little dance music does, and I wonder how he hasn't got more recognition. I sense I'll be praising some of his other songs a lot in 2016 but I do recommend anyone reading (Bal/Bre, get on it ;o) checks him out and see for yourself the power of his work, it certainly was one of the best finds I found this year <3.

 

-x-

 

Top 10 coming tomorrow yay, gonna attempt to finish this by Sunday~

Edited January 15, 20169 yr by Chez Wombat

Leon On :heart: Still a massive bop :heart:

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So in retrospect, this was a tad loony and I tend to let the songs grow on me throughout the year and thus songs released right at the end of them are at a bit of a disadvantage, well Coldplay are immune to that clearly :heehee: However, this song really did make the last part of the year musically and it was great at a time when my interest in the charts was at al all time low, that a song I love could still do really well and Coldplay still have their selling powers.

 

I don't need to say how much Coldplay have enhanced my life with their music, and one of the many things I love about them is they constantly surprise me with their sound changes. Ghost Stories was very much traditional subtle Coldplay (A Sky Full of Stars aside), and it was nice if nothing particularly standout, this was instantly different to any of that, with a slightly experimental sound echoing that of their Viva La Vida material (their best overall so a good choice), with a disco-esque feel to the main guitar riff and echoing vocals make it sound quite inspired and fresh, a tough feat to achieve for a band so far into their career, and yet having that same trademark anthemic sound they always have and going into a full on stadium sing along by the end, accompanied by a wonderful video and artwork harkening back to the likes of Paradise, and showing their wonderfully quirky imagination which I've always loved. The parent album had enough interesting and fresh about it to make it a really solid listen as well, if it really is their last album (:cry:), they've gone out with a bang <3

That is a lovely lot you've had since I last commented, so much love for Peanut Butter Jelly, every OMFG song, they all have their different charms but they are giving pretty much the same vibe I guess. Ice Cream and Hello and I Love You are the ones I've noticed as standing out but it's all very fun music.

 

Pray To God is some incredible Calvin, best I've seen him do in a long time, Lean On, Crywolf, both pretty amazing songs.

 

And then Adventure Of A Lifetime, it's taken some time to get to me, I may have underrated it in my EOY, because it's very very good Coldplay but I'm hoping others from the album will grow ahead of it to become similarly good or better. I do love how it sounds so different to their past stuff but yet so them, as you say.

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Taking the title of my highest BJSC discovery, thanks popchartfreak <3 (like I said, it was extremely tough seperating this and Jai Paul, I put that at the top of my BJSC EOY, but I compiled this chart on a different day and this just edged it), I don't think I've ever been struck so instantly by something so left field and poetically and musically beautiful and I have very nearly burst in tears when listening to this as it just hits so hard in everything about it. I realised I had heard some stuff by Kishi Bashi before, but I wasn't prepared for this.

 

What's it like? Well, the video is a main part of it's huge emotional pull, showing the heartbreaking story of well, the failed attempt at happiness I suppose you could call it, it is also beautifully animated as a stop motion as well which adds a very artistic feel to it, which is reflected in the music itself, which is no less heartbreaking. Starting with a low key instrumental and vocals but soon building into a falsetto, powerful chorus accompanied by tear-jerking strings, the visuals, lyrics, vocals and instrumental all work in tandem together here (quite a rare feat in music) to make this a truly stunning listen and viewing experience, and more a piece of art than a mere song in how well it all works. It's ambiguity and somewhat avant-garde style throughout is also effective, I don't know the meaning of the lyrics, presumably some kind of religious inner conflict or something, but they seem so poetic and deep that it still enhances the song and works with the video no matter what. It's all so mysterious, yet it works so well and just leaves you really wanting more.

 

I cannot recommend this song enough, a true artistic triumph in every sense, Long live BJSC for bringing these gems into my life <3

Edited January 16, 20169 yr by Chez Wombat

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My favourite BIG chart hit of the year, yay. I'm very glad Years & Years have done so well this year as they are the sort of electro pop act that are commercial but needed the big push into the mainstream and BBC Sound of... did that very well, all their singles are solid, well produced electro pop and this is definitely the shining diamond of them all. It's such a HUGE song that works so well as an opening statement that they are here to stay.

 

The whirring synths are instant and the BIG chorus just sends it sky high, I particularly love the slowly building synths present throughout in the background, which goes to show how finely produced it was. Pop really should be as brilliantly done as this and it has a similar appeal to Leon On (:kink:) in that it sounds quite clearly mainstream and accessable but has identity and doesn't sound basic and watered down for chart success, nor sounding like it was made for radio (which is a GOOD thing as if I was hearing this 100 times a day on Capital, my love for it would've shrunk considerably). It still remains a highlight and was a contender for my overall favourite of the year for a long time, the two singles that followed weren't quite as good, but still very solid electro pop, I really should listen to Communion as I'm sure there's very little to dislike on there.

Edited January 16, 20169 yr by Chez Wombat

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I spent pretty much the whole year pining for this to be a single and in the closing weeks of the year, it finally did yay, of course I've loved it all year so it's a top 10 here, and I'm very glad I can now find a version on Youtube to play as all I had was my album copy to play which totally wasn't downloaded illegally, I'd never do that to Taylor, anyway, Taylor has produced many absolutely fine pop anthems from 1989 but this was the song that probably turned me on to a full on Swifty (well sorta).

 

Out of the Woods is such an epic monster of a pop song, so finely constructed, produced and intense. The moment when it starts with the echoing vocals you know you're in for something big on the way and when that chorus hits...wow, the power shown from just that one repeated line is second to none, and I'd definitely call it the most powerful hook on an album full of them. The video suits it's grandeur very well, however cheesy it is, and I've always been a fan of how strong lyrically it is as well - it has a very strong sense of nostalgia in it, with a sense of looking back but also breaking free, being 'out of the woods', a look back on not only an old romance but a moment where you were no longer in the dark or 'the woods' about yourself and are 'free' so to speak. It could have many meanings attached to it, but for someone who's really changed their style (lol) and seemed a different person, it seems an especially poignant song for her to sing and this really strengthens it (but Gawd, Taylor why did you wait so long to release this? ugh :'().

I am going to pretend I didn't see Peanut Butter Jelly here ^_^ x

 

Lots of love for King, a superb song in so many ways. Olly's vocals are so dreamy and the production is amazing, such a worthy song of becoming their first EVER UK #1 :jameela:

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This happens most years, a quite flash in the pan dance song somehow connects with me in a big way, and this was definitely so in this case. In it's original 2014 version of course, rather than the newly recorded vocals which were done for the UK push as they (quite like a lot of re-recorded dance songs) are a bit crap and take away from the original. I first heard this in BJSC way back in the year before last, and it was always great then but it took me a while to fully appreciate it translation: I'm a commercial whore.

 

Make Me Feel Better is a masterclass in using a sample and how to do great tropical house. The Marvin Gaye sample works excellently with the vocals passing to each voice effortlessly and adding a sense of urgency and activeness to the track, though the best part is the marimba sound which adds a real deep and global feel to the whole thing, plus it's a pretty inspired use of an instrument as well, I can't say I hear marimbas on any other track in the charts, so this definitely made it stand out amongst other songs of it's type and kept it's appeal. It is really an excellent chill out song and really addictive. I wish it had been a bit more successful in the charts, in fact the whole tropical house phase was definitely far too short in general, but this was the peak of greatness that could come out of that genre and remains a fantastic listen, in tropical weather or out of it.

 

-x-

 

This will conclude tomorrow! (I promise ;o) Hype etc.

Edited January 16, 20169 yr by Chez Wombat

This thread <333. I'm sorry I haven't commented until now, Chez, but glad I got in before the final few big ones. :D

 

Going back to the start, I absolutely loved reading you tearing apart those few songs at the start, and felt it was largely deserved (I have an irrational love tolerance for everything Chris Brown produces okay -_-). Also,

So it seems not only that Christ Brown is incapable of producing a good record

...you've a funny way of revering Him by the way. :thinking:

But yeah, I'd consider 'Marvin Gaye'/Charlie Puth in general to be the lowest low of 2015, so that commentary, among others, was like reading my own thoughts!

 

Surprised to see so much overlap between our BJSC standouts of the year too. I adore 'First', 'Make Me A Bird', 'Get Up', 'Don't Wait Up' and 'Habib Galbi' in particular but also love 'You', 'Yours Truly', 'Yoshua Alikuti', 'Running Behind' and 'America'...and that's me being discerning/leaving some good ones out lol.

 

Great job on the most recent essays! You're right that 'Adventure Of A Lifetime' succeeds in feeling fresh yet distinctly Coldplay, and 'King' is a massive highlight of my own - I agree with every word of your piece on it.

 

Biggest shock of the whole thing though was seeing Taylor's masterpiece so high :o:o :o :o:o, beating even my own placing of #11 last year (and you did a way better job than I did of putting its appeal into words)! Funnily enough, I always interpreted it as being about the anxiety of going through a rough patch in a relationship and asking yourself as much as your partner if things are finally good again, which is slightly different to you I think, but I get your interpretation too. GAH, what a beautifully multi-dimensional TRIUMPH of a pop song. :wub:

Edited January 17, 20169 yr by Noahspike

(Also, I'm jealous of your work ethic <_<)

That was intentional as he is the (Anti)-Christ to me :magic: (lol)

 

Thanks for the comment tho <3 I was quite surprised with how much I came to love Out of the Woods too, the lyrics are very open to interpretation and could mean that definitely as you say! (my work ethic isn't that good, I've stalled this way longer than my other countdowns :kink:)

 

(thanks to all others for the comments too <3)

Edited January 17, 20169 yr by Chez Wombat

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I love M83. I love Haim. So this was always a collaboration I was looking forward too and sure enough, it didn't disappoint, at all, becoming one of my favourites of the year. I must admit I never saw the film this stemmed from, Divergent was a pleasant film, but it never really inspired me enough to see the sequel, particularly as it's far from the best YA movie out there. But lest I turn this into a movie review, the soundtrack was fantastic, as most are with YA movies as they all seem to get the best artists on board and create really intense, sinister sounding tracks and this is no exception.

 

It's such a perfect track to soundtrack a movie like Insurgent - 'Holes in the Sky/Pierced by the fire' is such a great lyric that symbolises peace disrupted and anarchy flying. M83's instrumental is a beautifully building number, starting with primarily silent strings and even slowing down to merely a piano hook at one point, but they slowly build as the track becomes more and more intense, with their signature synths and faster strings coming in towards the end, and Haim's vocals fit with this excellently - restrained at first but building in the same way until both instrumental end on high intensity, the lyrics become more and more anarchic as the song progresses and the second time the chorus is repeated, it feels much more like a battle cry than at first, very suitable for film. I've been exploring more of M83's work throughout the year after Un Nouveau Soleil was my number 1 song of the year and have really come to love their style and they are the main artist I'm looking out for new material from, as are Haim. This satisfied me for this year, but more material next year plz guys :'(

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Oasis are an all time favourite band of mine, though I always found that the groups that have formed out of their ashes showed who was the talent/brains behind them all, as Noel Gallagher's own band has released some real quality rock songs, whereas Liam (as much as I loved him in Oasis sometimes) and the rest of Oasis, from what I've heard at least, are a bit in their shadows and living on past glories. So I have more urge to listen to Noel's material to see some of that excellently unique charm that the best Oasis songs had still present. I still haven't checked out this album (in case you haven't figured it out, I'm terrible with listening to albums), but this song showed me that Noel still has a knack for a brilliant song.

 

This bears many similarities to AKA...What a Life, which itself was one of my favourite songs of that year, with it's building and sinister feel and real interesting instrumental, but it's really what Noel does best. A longing, detached feeling comes from this track, as well as a slightly sinister edge due to the stalker-ish lyrics, and a desolate, multi layered rock instrumental surrounds the track which increases it's ambiguous feel which can be felt from just the title. It's such a beautifully engaging track that really doesn't feel like over five and a half minutes as it's gripping and forthright in how it progresses. It harks back to the best of Oasis with a slight twist that doesn't make it sound like a rip-off and more a slight homage than a rip-off, and it's commendable to see how he can still come up with fresh ideas like this so far into his career. The video's very amusing too, showing his sense of humour behind his mask of arrogance/grumpiness that you've often see in him. Oasis may never become a thing again (but please do :() but as long as one of them is still making tunes as good as this, I'll be content~

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So Leave a Trace technically wasn't CHVRCHES' highest entry in this list and indeed a lot of the excitement I had from this comeback came from this quite stunning remix from Eric Prydz. Eric's remixes and productions are always amazing and this one was no exception, mainly as they always do a little bit more than the standard dance remix of a song and make it a great stand-alone song in it's own right.

 

CHVRCHES' Tether was a very solid song from their first album, but one which I didn't hold in especially high regard, listening to it again, though it has a great building feel and great instrumental, and that's what this remix takes to excellent levels as it takes the best part of that original and turns it into an out and out dancefloor smash, that glorious synth line just doesn't let up and it gets better each time I hear it, it also has an air of distinctiveness that are present in Eric Prydz remixes, a bit like Proper Education did to Pink Floyd, in that it keeps a lot of the original in, the synth line and lyrics are familiar as CHVRCHES (well to me at least) and he simply enhance's the instrumental to the best it could be, turning it into something much bigger than it was, and in my opinion, much better. It's a real inspired and excellently done remix which shows the best of Mr Prydz and I just wish it had gotten more attention (and indeed him himself as all his wonderful dance pieces seem to be ignored these days) as it's given me so much joy throughout the year.