Top 10 Tracks of June 2013.

10
You & I
Crystal Fighters

In characteristically chirpy form, "You & I" has "festival favourite" written all over it, as much as it sounds like there is moss growing on the instruments. A sunny synth hook lifts the track at its climax and it stays at that level of euphoria for its duration.

9
Music Is Life
Elliphant

Something a bit more commercial from our favourite eccentric rasta-Swedish female rapper. It's a bit Gwen Stefani, a bit Nicki Minaj, very 90s and very catchy. Elliphant is the very definition of an artist - she doesn't limit herself to one style of music, because she's lucky enough that whatever she touches will sound like her. Heir to M.I.A?

8
You Changed (feat. Beyonce & Michelle)
Kelly Rowland

"Ladies y'all wanna do it again?" chirps up Beyonce playfully as the ridiculously fun "You've Changed" kicks in. The answer is resolutely yes, and although the "Love On Top" soul/funk swagger of the song suits Ms Carter the best, hearing the three of them lampoon the same man, as three independent strong black woman, rather than the girls of their DC heyday, serves as a much better swansong than the dull "Nuclear".

7
Pendulum
Pure Bathing Culture

A lot of shoegazey dreampop makes the rounds every summer, but Pure Bathing Culture actually live up to their name. Unafraid to be anthemic, the song vaguely recalls Beach House's emotional last two records, but unlike that band, PBC aren't afraid to drop the melancholy altogether, and "Pendulum"'s tapestry of guitars is nothing less than euphoric.

6
Tongues feat. Kopps
Joywave

Bringing some swagger to a Hot Chip-esque disco sound, Joywave's "Tongues" has a jagged electropop beat and a quirky and instantly recognisable vocal hook that has "advert phenomenon" written all over it. There are only a handful of tracks that can boast "indie classic" before time has passed, but this is one track that instantly declares it's here to stay.

5
Help Me Lose My Mind feat. London Grammar
Disclosure

Say what you like about Disclosure, they've got their finger right on the zeitgeist's pulse. 2013 newcomers London Grammar are absurdly talented songwriters with an absurdly talented singer, Hannah Reid. The band released the time-stands-still-while-it-plays ballad "Hey Now" in January, built up a crazy amount of online and underground hype, but not enough to warrant having "made it" (but enough to suggest they probably will), and lo-and-behold, just 6 months later, men of the moment Disclosure have got that ethereal, haunting voice on the closing track of their record. It's a collaboration that luckily benefits them both. Hannah's voice is always wonderful, goes without saying, but Disclosure drop a silky yet subdued beat and liquid bassline that Ms Reid soars gently above, and the track is amoungst the best of both groups' catalogues.

4
Chasing Shadows
Frankmusik

After his tamer US-friendly sophomore effort, Frankmusik's third record "Between" is a glorious return to crazy. Back are the slightly unhinged Freddie Mercury excursions into ridiculously high falsetto, back are the hypertechnopop beats and burbling synths, and most importantly, back is the fun. Sporting a Passion Pit-esque cutesy vocal sample and probably the most joyous chorus of his since "Confusion Girl", "Did Love" is my personal favourite off the record, BUT the real emotional peak of the record comes with it's opening track, the melodramatic, thunderously over the top power ballad "Chasing Shadows", which is one of the most poignant tracks the man has ever written.

3
American Girl
Bonnie McKee

Singer/songwriter Bonnie McKee's cheesy powerpop anthem "American Girl" sounds a lot like Katy Perry and Ke$ha. And so it should. She's been writing for them for years. "American Girl", free to download by the way, unheard of for a song of this calibre (at least in terms of $$$), is a greatest hits of every hook she has (most likely) been behind over the last 5 years. "I'll never say that I'm sorry, I am an American Girl" she yells at the climax, and knowing how long the 29-year old has been working behind the scenes, it's impossible not to be won over. She's written so many big "Teenage Dream" style songs over the years, she deserves to keep one for herself. And it's a belter. And if that's not enough, check out the cameo-saturated video - she's certainly not short on popstar references.

2
Defeated No More feat. Ed Macfarlane
Disclosure

Something a little experimental but thoroughly brilliant from the Disclosure boys. Friendly Fires' Ed Macfarlane's performance on the slightly slower and lustrous "Defeated No More" is so distinct that the track feels like a full blown Friendly Fires collaboration. It's warm pulsating pads and tropical, soulful vibe meshes with the dance duo's deep house basslines and crisp beats like a match made in Ibiza heaven. The longest track on the album, and appropriately so, as its glorious "Pala" groove gets the time to breathe it deserves.

1
High Society
Betty Who

Hailing from Australia, who seem to be doing pretty well for themselves economically whilst the rest of us weep into our Poundland Rice Krispies, it's no wonder Betty Who sounds so elated. But the dramatic synthpop Ms Who brings overseas is downright infectious, and "High Society" has the euphoric energy to make even the most dreary of us feel high on life. But in fact, it's the burbling basslines taken from Robyn's best shouts, hooks the size of China and a rally for us all to drink "Chardonnay through the day". It's a joyous slice of pop heaven that'll make any europop fan's heart skip a beat, and there's plenty more where that came from on her FREE "The Movement" EP, available to download on her website.