GivePopAChance's Top 20 songs of 2013!

GivePopAChance is proud to present our Top 20 Pop and Pop-adjacent songs of 2013! Thanks for reading! We'll see you in 2014 with a whole load of new music for you to get your turkey-stained teeth into.

- Joe

20 
"ADORE YOU"
MILEY CYRUS

After all the twerking, drug-references, nudity and post-Disney rebelliousness that made up Bangerz' marketing scheme, it's best song was the opening number, a relatively freestyle and surprisingly emotionally raw power ballad, softened with the country edge that Miley will never quite be able to shrug off. The cheap thrills of Bangerz as a whole wear off after one or two listens, but "Adore You" becomes more affecting with each repeat.

19

"WALKING ON AIR"

KATY PERRY

Camp as christmas and Cher-er than Cher, Katy Perry's Prism standout "Walking On Air" fits the term 'guilty pleasure' perfectly. Because there is so much pleasure to be had in the Black Box-esque vocal samples, the shameless 1990 Vogue dance beats and piano hooks, the melodramatic falsetto hook... in fact, who's feeling guilty?

18
"MOVE"
MAUSI

Italo-Londoners Mausi gave us other mini indie-dance joys with "Sol" and "Body Language" over the last year, but the advert-friendly "Move" is their crowning earworm glory. Somehow the band get away with a flailing, slightly hysterical synth hook and a so-play-it's-safe-it's-not-safe chorus to create the underdog party song of the year.

17

"IMAGINE IT WAS US"

JESSIE WARE

Is it genius? No. Is it particularly creative? No. Is it gorgeous? GOD yes. Jessie Ware was sick of moping about men who keep her running even during their wildest moments over mid-tempo 80s soul beats, and decided to pick up the tempo and have some let-your-hair-down fun with cheeky one-off "Imagine it Was Us", and gives us pouty hook upon pouty hook over a gloriously retro Madonna-friendly Julio Bashmore beat. And somehow it ends up more hypnotic than anything on her still incredibly impressive debut album.

16
"HEART ATTACK"
DEMI LOVATO

It's hard not to be impressed with "Heart Attack". It's got it's American #1 ambitions written all over its sleeve (of course it does, it's Demi Lovato), but boy, you've gotta appreciate the effort here. Demi piles on the melodrama as she gradually makes her way up to a chorus the size of China, and her "I put up this facade, but really I'm incredibly insecure" act bizarrely manages to fly... do you know what, it's just really fucking catchy ok? Brings out the ambitious karaoke-r in all of us.

15

"GIRLS"

THE 1975

From the minute The 1975 dropped their debut album, mid album track (now current single) "Girls" pretty much overshadowed everything bar "Chocolate" by being the most ridiculously syrupy and addictive indie song since about 1996. There's something Britpop about these guys, which they would most definitely hate to hear, but they've got the attitude and sneery vocal is down to a T. Those adorable little guitar licks that inundate the song don't hurt either.

14
"NEED U (100%)"
DUKE DUMONT FT. A*M*E

The track that really kicked off mainstream house awareness this year (a #1 single I might add), "Need U" is MNEK-penned club perfection and an unexpected mainstream breakthrough for Duke Dumont. This would be hooky enough to command dancefloors as an instrumental, but A*M*E's Janet Jackson-esque plucky vocal and MNEK's own hypnotic vocal hook (uncredited for most of the year) brings things to an irresistible rave boil.

13

"SAME LOVE"

MACKLEMORE FT. MARY LAMBERT

There's no doubt that Macklemore is awesome - one of the biggest stars of mainstream hip hop and STILL unsigned - but his explicitly gay-marriage support anthem "Same Love" just catapulted him into a new stratosphere of modern day role model. Macklemore doesn't hide behind metaphors, favouring blunt honesty and personal admissions over the subtle hints that other artists would bottle out to, boldly stating "if I was gay, I would think hip hop hates me". There's also no ego involved, no need for approval (see Lady Gaga), and as a result, when Mary Lambert's simple, undramatic chorus comes around, it's a  sudden tearjerker each and every time for those whom the subject matter affects.

12

"GET LUCKY"

DAFT PUNK

It feels like a cliche to even feature the year's biggest song, but "Get Lucky" is just too damn good to leave off. When a song as simple and instantly memorable as the chilled and funky "Get Lucky" is overplayed as much as it undoubtedly was this year, you know it's a winner when you just don't get sick of it. And you just sing, deliriously happy, over and over...

"we're up all night to get lucky, we're up all night to get lucky, we're up all night to get lucky, we're up all night to get lucky, we're up all night to get lucky...."

11

"WAKE ME UP"

AVICII

In 2013 Avicii recognized a fusion that had not yet been attempted by the commercial dance elite, or the underground for that matter. On paper a Country-EDM hybrid sets off alarm bells of post-"Cotton Eye Joe" novelty music distress, and sadly a lot of Avicii's True record is an unwelcome rally to line dance at a rave. However, he got it right just once, and judging on how huge "Wake Me Up" was this summer, once was enough. The fact is, however he managed it, Avicii's summer smash hit manages to capture the most joyful elements of both Country and Progressive House and combine them to create a track that is warm and friendly one minute and euphoric and exhilarating the next. 

10
"HEY NOW"
LONDON GRAMMAR

London Grammar's 2013 journey reminds me very much of Hurts' 2010 one. Beginning with a single spectacular song (in Hurts' case "Wonderful Life" and for London Grammar - "Hey Now") and swiftly getting swept up in the hype with some equally impressive follow up songs and a debut album before you know it. But much like Hurts' before them, although London Grammar might be consistently strong and lived up to the hype as much as anyone could've hoped, nothing quite matches the magic of hearing Hannah Reid's earthshatteringly stunning voice uttering the words "Hey Now" for the first time. It's still their sparsest, most cryptic and most heartbreaking song.

9

"YOU AND ME"

DISCLOSURE FT. ELIZA DOOLITTLE

On paper, the most bizarre feature spot of the year turned out to be one of the biggest revelations (although Ms Doolittle's solo output continues to be sorely dull), with Eliza penning what essentially has become modern house's "We Found Love". Although Disclosure's beats are reliably funky, Eliza's the star here, with her unusual phrases (particularly the memorably odd opening line) riding a gorgeous, silky melody that steals the show.

8

"FALLING"

HAIM

"The new Fleetwood Mac" wouldn't even be an understatement with Haim, who bring the funk, the soul, the class, the hooks, and the whole damn package to the table, the most deserving BBC Sound of... winners in a long time. "Falling" just pips the rest of the output for sheer unashamed hookiness, complete with Michael Jackson yelps and speedy melismatic verses that get into your bloodstream and get you thoroughly addicted.

7

"TREASURE"

BRUNO MARS

It would so EASY to hate Bruno Mars, with his cheesy grin and even cheesier music, but taking off your muso-hat (and you should, it's Christmas), you'll find it's just as easy to love him. Every hook in the 70s funk of "Treasure" is a killer, laced with an unadulterated joy and a level of catchiness that knows no bounds. Bruno, there's not a thing that we would change - we think you're amazing. Just the way you are.

6

"HIGH SOCIETY"

BETTY WHO

If you don't know Betty Who by now, get to know. The Aussie synthpop hipster-princess is cut from the same genius-pop cloth as Robyn, and that's not a comparison we make lightly. On "High Society", the 21 year old Betty Who celebrates living life as if you're rich, when you really aren't, and manages to sound so much more endearing and likeable than a lot of her young synthpop peers (naming no names Chloe Howl). Effortlessly and infectiously happy and kinda beautiful. 

5

"DO WHAT U WANT"

LADY GAGA FT. R KELLY

ARTPOP is, on the whole, not a particularly surprising record. If Zedd had produced Born This Way, ARTPOP would've probably been the result. However, as far back as I can remember in modern pop, there has never been a song so TOTALLY GOBSMACKINGLY HEADS AND SHOULDERS BETTER than everything else on an album than "Do What U Want" is when compared to the rest of ARTPOP. 

The track's opening bassline itself smacks you in the fact in a way that every other track on the album tries to, but only "DWUW" actually succeeds in doing, and Gaga's 80s soul vocal is surprisingly convincing, deliriously over the top, but at the same time perfectly pitched. R Kelly's feature spot is ridiculous, and his climactic "we don't give a FUCK" is absurd. It's a track that makes you say, out loud, "...I'm sorry, WHAT?" after you hear it for the first time, and pretty much every subsequent time too. And it's probably the best track she's ever done, and will ever do.

4

"CHOCOLATE"

THE 1975

"Chocolate" represents the heart of what The 1975 stand for - i.e. mild hedonism and aggravation towards authority. Oh and their love of weed. And much like the drug itself, and indeed chocolate (a fun little metaphor), the band's breakthrough single is instantly satisfying and moreish indie pop, worryingly addictive even. The band come may come across as disinterested and trendy hipsters to pop fans, and eager to please crossovers to indie rock fans, but I have a different theory. Watch the video for "Girls" a few positions back - the band want to be taken seriously, but they simply cannot avoid their pop appeal. Poor dears. 

3

"HOLD ON WE'RE GOING HOME"

DRAKE FT. MAJID JORDAN

It's often hard to associate the dreamy-R&B Drake with the rap scene he associates with. "Hold On We're Going Home", a straight up, commercial pop song with a sung vocal from Drake himself, sounds like a signal of intent, a distinct step forward from the tongue in cheek, slightly flat lullabies of "Marvin's Room" into a realm where Drake takes himself seriously as a singer. 

In the past I've been one of those detractors who think of Drake as the worst thing about his own tracks, but on "Hold On", he rises to the challenge and provides something close to a heartfelt vocal. Lyrically it's the most straight forward love song of his career, and the simplicity and vulnerability is endearing, something I thought I'd never call Drake, and the track sounds like the beginning of a new musical journey. I'm sure it won't last long, but for 3 minutes and 47 seconds, Drake becomes someone you could actually trust with your daughter, and your future iTunes library.

2
"ROAR"
KATY PERRY

Katy Perry, the Californian sweetheart who was the most popular pop star on the planet 3 years ago, took a bit of a popularity beating this year, with a string of below par live vocals and a general lack of interest in her message of spiritual progression, which was compromised by a perceived general lack of musical progression. However, most of her critics that I have spoken to simply claim to have not taken an interest in her this time round.

It's understandable, on first listen "Roar" is a dull mid tempo "Teenage Dream" knockoff with absolutely nothing new to say. But as with so many great, great pop songs, it grows and grows on you - Much like the magnificent middle section of the song that builds to a heart stopping final chorus, one that displays a confidence and a genuine unadulterated joy that Katy Perry has never sung with before. 

And that's the point of "Roar" - it's not some now-outdated Russell Brand break up song - it's a statement about Katy Perry as an artist. She's a notoriously dodgy live singer, makes questionable fashion choices and sings songs about drinking and partying like an embarrassing older sister trying to stay hip, but nothing deters her. Katy Perry might seem like a has-been to many of you, but as she says in the bridge: you hold her down, she's gonna get up.

1

"SOMEBODY LOVES YOU"

BETTY WHO

Spencer's home depot gay marriage proposal has been seen currently 11 million people on YouTube. What makes the video extra special is that out of all the famous love songs in  the world he could've chosen, he chose an unknown Australian singer called Betty Who to soundtrack one of the happiest moments of his life. However, once you've heard "Somebody Loves You", you'll realize that this was not some sort of statement of unsigned music support - the track is genuinely that powerful.

Lyrically and musically the song has love at its core, running through every vein, whilst managing to avoid any kind of unwelcome sentiment or insincerity. The song occupies the same 80s synthpop space as Robyn, but where Robyn would favour a smart and street wise approach, Betty Who's honest and uncomplicated approach is impossible to misinterpret, and the joy is dangerous infectious. If any pop song this year, or in recent memory, has expressed love in a purer and more convincing way, then I have not heard it.

- Joe Copplestone, 27.12.13

PARTY TRACKS OF THE WEEK! - Lady Gaga, Azealia Banks, Disclosure

LADY GAGA - APPLAUSE (EMPIRE OF THE SUN REMIX)


Although Empire Of The Sun are cheating somewhat by taking their track "Old Flavours", chucking the "Applause" acapella over the top and calling it a "remix", there's no denying the mash-up is genius. Taking the mood down a notch from the Hi-NRG original, to a more groove-led nu disco mould, the Aussie synthpoppers turns the track from hysterical into hypnotic.

AZEALIA BANKS - COUNT CONTESSA


If Lone was the only producer Azealia Banks ever worked with, I would be happy. Her funky, choppy flow and his joyous Balearic house beats combine to make a truly inspiring sound that works wonders for Banks. If "Liquorice" and "Count Contessa" are anything to go by, Lone and Banks are a match made in heaven, or at the very least on a blissful sun-kissed beach.

DISCLOSURE ft. LONDON GRAMMAR - HELP ME LOSE MY MIND (PAUL WOOLFORD REMIX)


Although the track plays the role of 'album comedown' track on Disclosure's Settle, Paul Woolford's jittery chicago house take on "Help Me Lose My Mind" transforms it into an epic early 90s anthem. London Grammar's Hannah Reid sounds even more glorious on an out-and-out house track, and Woolford's confusing flurry of piano chords and bee-sting bass notes certainly helped me to lose my mind.

GIG REVIEW: London Grammar @ Rough Trade East, London, 10-09-13

As one year ends and another begins, after all the End-Of-Year lists have circulated and the big breakthrough acts of the year before have been noted and shelved, impatient music fans such as myself are already looking for that big band, artist or track that's going to define the year that follows. As 2013 dawned, all of 7 days passed before a band called London Grammar had a song going viral so quickly it made our heads spin. It was a sparse and beautiful song that took the internet's breath away, and the song was called "Hey Now".

Cut forward 9 months, universal acclaim and a handful of EPs, and this very band have already created a simple but gorgeous debut album. My friend accompanying me to this exclusive and very small Rough Trade mini-gig commented just how quickly the record had come around. But, in a world where hype for a record raises expectations to the point where a band is destined to disappoint no matter what, The Grammars have the right idea.

Because the fame and success has clearly had no chance to hit them - and judging by the performance tonight, thank god. The band shuffle on stage unfashionably on time just after 7pm, with shy, modest looks on their faces, and they converse with the crowd as if they would converse with guests at a friend's wedding. It's the self-deprecating comments and awkward personal admissions of singer Hannah Reid that make the siren calls when she opens her mouth all the more enchanting.

The band as a whole are humble and largely still onstage as they make their way through a half hour set of their best known material, but because of what the three can do together, they still manage to exude extraordinary stage presence. Not even the crackly, bass-heavy speaker system of the record store can detract from the raw beauty of London Grammar's music.

The tracks take on a life of their own in a live environment, and benefit from being based around the simplest of arrangements. "Hey Now" becomes an extended free-space for the track's simple but haunting motifs, and "Darling..." and "Metal & Dust" triple in size, becoming bonafide indie rock anthems that wouldn't shame U2 on an arena stage. Dot skips from drums to keyboards to drum machines, and Dan's guitaring is loose and with feeling, as Hannah lets her truly phenomenal, deep voice soar through the tinny halls of Rough Trade.

The crowd is quiet but supportive and uncharacteristically warm for a London crowd. The applause is genuine, enthusiastic and unforced; there's a genuine feel of support and love for the band, rare for one so young. Before "Strong", probably "Hey Now"'s biggest contender for London Grammar's signature tune, Hannah sweetly requests the audience sings along, and jokingly lampoons them afterwards for not doing so. But what she doesn't realize is, that the audience was just too damn in awe to do anything to drown out what was coming from the band themselves.

It has been a real honour to be at such an important gig for the band, their first live gig post-debut release, and witnessing the first step towards a long and successful career. It's nearly always a risky move to predict big things from a band in the long term, but judging on this performance tonight paired with a belter debut, it's a bet I'd be willing to make. What was most exciting about this evening is that this feels like the mere beginning - in 9 months and one album, we've only seen a hint of what this glorious trio can create together.

As great as If You Wait is, it's albums number 3 and 4 I'm most looking forward to.

Setlist

Hey Now

Darling, Are You Gonna Leave Me?

Wasting My Young Years

Interlude

Strong

Metal & Dust

- Joe Copplestone, 11/09/13 (Photograph by Joao Vasconcelos)

Top 10 Tracks of July 2013.

10

Heartbeat Overdrive

Ballet School

"Heartbeat Overdrive", the debut single from Berlin new wavers Ballet School, is a triumphant and glorious track that sounds delirious and atmospheric enough to please shoegazers and funky and danceable enough to please synthpoppers. 

9

Airglow Fires

Lone

Lone brings his gorgeous slightly wonky ethereal sound to the house playground, and judging by it's swanky beats and sleek 90s chords, it's an area he was born to play in.

8
Martial Law
Venkman

The debut single by Midlands newcomers Venkman, "Martial Law", mixes jittery guitars and a fiddly rhythm section with the playful yet disarming dual vocal of band mastermind James Sutton and lead vocalist Kate McQuaide. Yet despite the chaos, the track restrains itself just enough to carry a masterful pop melody and a gorgeous tapestry of vocal and guitar-peggios at its climax.

7
Sinners
Lauren Aquilina

18 year old UK singer/songwriter Lauren Aquilina has a charm that more cryptic and pretentious songwriters could never hope to exhude. On latest single "Sinners", Lauren is lyrically very raw and sometimes charmingly clumsy - "let's be sinners to be saints" - but her earnest, youthful voice makes every awkward rhyming pair sound feasible and even as poignant as intended.

6
Thinking Of You
The Night VI

Melancholic and majestic indie lament from UK's The Night VI. Lying somewhere between the hooks of Haim and the sophisticated post rock tapestries of London Grammar, "Thinking Of You"'s heartbreaking yet incidental refrain "I lay low in my hotel room, thinking of you" is one that's hard to shift from your brain once you've had your heart broken by it.

5
I'll Be Around
Empire Of The Sun

Returning with a lush sophomore album, Empire Of The Sun nearly reach the peak of "Walking On A Dream" for a second time with the ethereal, Balearic "I'll Be Around". Slide guitars swoon and beats humbly shuffle in the background, as Luke Steele conversationally assures "I've made up my mind, I will be around for a while". As long as we get at least one song as gorgeous as this per album, let's hope he's true to his word.

4
Global Concepts
Robert Delong

The bubbly verses of Robert Delong's latest single "Global Concepts" seem relatively tame and full of self doubting questions, but when DeLong vows to "make you fucking dance" all hell breaks loose. An obnoxiously loud Moombahton synth lead squirms like an earthworm on the pavement, and a raw, tribal drum beat pounds until it causes cracks to form.

3
Sober
Elli Ingram

Elli Ingram would seem to tick a suspicious amount of boxes - the seductive brassy vocal stylings of Delilah, the ultra-cool sophistighetto demenour of Lana, and the honest and gritty lyrical flair of Adele - but still manages to come out on top with her own distinct identity. "Sober", and indeed the entire EP that this titular track leads, is light and casually soulful on the surface, with some charming brass licks here and there, but is undercut with dark subby bass and hip hop beats. Expect to hear much more from her in the coming 12 months.

2
Strong
London Grammar

On London Grammar's latest masterpiece (5 and counting) "Strong", singer Hannah Reid's voice carries the track much in the way that it carried the impossibly but blissfully sparse "Hey Now". Whilst "Hey Now" sounded like a distant cry for help, "Strong" picks up where that track left off - yearning and desperate - but is much more confident. "I might seem so strong, I might speak so long, I've never been so wrong" laments Reid, and we feel bit by bit, her and her band are gradually letting us into the flaws in their cautious but perfect world.

1
Wake Me Up
Avicii

If you were searching for this year's definitive dance anthem, you could do a lot worse than to stop your search here. Dropping the huge slamming chords in favour of happy-go-lucky strumming and deliriously cheery country melodies, "Wake Me Up" is where EDM meets Country, and the risk couldn't have paid off more perfectly. Aloe Blacc's voice is totally reinvented as a tool of country crooning, for which it couldn't be more suited.

London Grammar - Strong

In 2013, London Grammar provide a rare brand of unpretentious and unaffected atmospheric rock. It's a sound that has a timeless quality, one that distances itself effortlessly from the two-a-penny atmo-folk and alt. indie crowds. And the best thing is that, 5 songs down the line, there are no duffs - each one is an emotional knockout.

Of course this is heavily down to the phenomenal voice of Hannah Reid, which cannot be praised enough. Even bringing a heart and soul to a Disclosure track last month (a difficult feat - as great as the boys are, emotion is not their forte), Reid's voice carries "Strong" much in the way that it carried the impossibly but blissfully sparse "Hey Now". Whilst "Hey Now" sounded like a distant cry for help, "Strong" picks up where that track left off - yearning and desperate - but is much more confident. "I might seem so strong, I might speak so long, I never been so wrong" laments Reid.

Bit by bit, track by track, London Grammar are getting their message across, gradually breaking out of their withdrawn, mysterious shell. You can hear it in the music - more muscular and textured - in Reid's voice - stronger diction and confident phrasing - and of course, in the words. With each passing track that emerges, the band are gradually beginning to paint a clearer picture of what they are really all about.

FOR FANS OF: Massive Attack, Mt Wolf, Daughter

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.

Jamie Isaac - Softly Draining Seas

In the wake of James Blake's warm, soulful and cautiously vulnerable second record, 18 year old singer/songwriter Jamie Isaac follows eagerly in his footsteps. "Softly Draining Seas" is led by heartbreaking, shimmering piano chords, immersed in distant voiceless wails and gentle pads, as Jamie's milky voice voice soothes and caresses. Whilst James Blake's voice cracks with hidden sorrow and defeated melancholy, the young Jamie Isaac sings with an air of innocence, peacefulness and even a trace of hope. If James Blake is the companion of electronic melancholia, Jamie Isaac is the antidote.

FOR FANS OF: James Blake, London Grammar, Bon Iver

Mt. Wolf - Hypolight

After the otherworldly vibes of Mt. Wolf's last single "Life Size Ghosts", it would have been very easy to assume the band got lucky with that track. Lots of bands immerse gentle folk instrumentation with a tinkerbell voice and a shimmering electronic coat, and although most of this music flatlines uncommunicative and uneventful, every now and again a truly gorgeous tune pokes its head out, and "Life Size Ghosts" was definitely one of those. Yet many bands of this nature find it hard to keep from pulling their head back into their shell, and failing to follow with anything else as memorable.

"Hypolight", however, showcases an altogether more confident size to the group. It's just as ethereal and ticks all the same genre-standard boxes, but whilst many a band in this vein seem content to sing to us from the distance, hoping the all-encompassing reverb carries on the message, when singer Kate Sproule deliriously sings "put another light out", she's standing face to face with you. You can hear life to her voice, a beating heart, and (has hell frozen over?) nuances! And character! It's a vocal performance that could potentially give them the same break and hype that similarly-expressive-exception-to-the-atmo-folk-band rule London Grammar have deservedly enjoyed.

As pianos and guitars mingle in the background, its a joy to hear a voice soar above the musical tapestry, rather than be content to be just another instrument. More steps in this direction, and Mt. Wolf are real contenders.

FOR FANS OF: London Grammar, Bat For Lashes, Mazzy Star

TOP 10 TRACKS OF FEBRUARY 2013.

10
"Attracting Flies"
AlunaGeorge

GivePopAChance said...
"AlunaGeorge continue to elude genres whilst sounding effortlessly cool and current, and the crumbling beats and battering ram synths of "Attracting Flies" are no exception." READ MORE...



9
"So Close"
Kidnap Kid feat. Sinead Harnett

After a stunning yet mysterious debut on Disclosure's "Boiling", Sinead Harnett returns with a similarly subdued tune. The consistently tasteful Kidnap Kid drops subtle and unusual balearic chords, with just enough ambiance to still please his underground house fans, and Sinead's songwriting takes centre stage. Unlike the distant reverb-laden ad libs of "Boiling", the chorus of "So Close" is full of positive energy, uplifting and warm, and unlike on the Disclosure number, Sinead makes the track her own with her lullaby tones.



8
"XTC"
LIZ

GivePopAChance said...
"This will be, without doubt, a cheesy dated mess to many people, but it's an ultimate retro R&B guilty pleasure for me." READ MORE...



7
"Make A Little Room"
Al Lewis

In the wake of Ben Howard's sweep at the Brit's, it bodes well for a lot of folky British singer songwriters, but there are few as deserving as Welsh sweetheart Al Lewis. There are no awkward metaphors, no pretense, just classic, relate-able songwriting. The flecks of country in the upbeat tempo and cutesy female backing vocal only add to the charm of this modest, clean cut love song.



6
"Falling"
Haim

These girls are so 80s pop/rock that many bands would shy away from their gutsy vocal hooks, shamelessly funky basslines and twinkling synth, but their sheer Fleetwood Mac brand of cheese is to be admired if anything. Even the closing hook of "Never look back, never give up" is forgivable  as these girls stand by every overly confident hook they write and pull them off with panache. And god damn it, "Falling" is catchy.



5
"Sloe Gin"
Dream McClean

GivePopAChance said...
"Over a stumbling, drunken beat and head-swirling synth line, Essex rapper Dream McLean woozily tells partially-blacked out tales of "drinking sloe gin too fast"." READ MORE...



4
"London"
Official-O

So much goes on in the gorgeous yet harsh "London", that it's hard to pinpoint one particular sound Official-O, or "the artist known as Ofe" as his website cryptically states, was aiming for. The vocoders are straight from James Blake's debut, but Ofe's voice is from the Alex Clare school of gritty soul. Every sound, including the optimistic, sunny piano chords and thunderous drums and deafening wall of vocals at the climax, all form a perfect soundtrack to the hectic streets of London. And to anyone who's ever lived there, the sound is crazy but beautiful.



3
"Chocolate"
The 1975

The 1975 simply have to be the next big indie band. There's a level of rebelliousness that a lot of the pretty indie boys of 2012/2013 have eschewed in exchange for a more twee sound, and right from their anthemic lead single "The City", The 1975 have been anything but quaint or twee. These boys tell stories of fumblings in the backs of cars, being young and being stupid. "We're never gonna quit it, never gonna quit it no" yelps their (utterly gorgeous) lead singer, and guitars jump around in a gorgeous tapestry. The pulsing drum machine that is exposed towards the end of the song emphasizes the message even more. There's no point of being a mopey indie band when you can be one that lives for the party.



2
"Retrograde"
James Blake

GivePopAChance said...
"New single "Retrograde" is a total relief, a revelation and a triumphant sign that Blake is no mere BBC Sound-of-year flash in the pan. A seemingly complex acrobatic vocal hook becomes somehow unforgettable by the end of the song, and Blake's voice seems confident and utterly heartwarming." READ MORE...



1
"Metal and Dust"
London Grammar

When a track like London Grammar's (already song-of-the-year standard) "Hey Now" comes along, there's no doubt that there is something really special there. The question is, is it the band that's special or just the song? The Naked and Famous released the epic, heartwrenchingly perfect indie anthem "Young Blood" in 2009, but followed it with an album bogged down with almost exclusively uninspiring synth rock = THE SONG. On the other hand 80s goth-pop revivalists Hurts' released their seminal, timeless song "Wonderful Life" around the same time, and followed it with a benchmark album full of timeless songs; just look at "Stay" or "Blood Tears and Gold" = THE BAND.

As you might have already guessed by my placement of London Grammar at the top of both my January and February lists, you would be very accurate in guessing that London Grammar, two songs in, look like they belong to the latter category  "Metal and Dust" has all the sparkle that made "Hey Now" so spellbinding, the mesmerizing vocal, the sparse, perfect guitar parts, but whilst "Hey Now" was infused with a longing and melancholy, "Metal and Dust" replaces that with a fire and a passion. "We argue we don't fight, stay awake till the middle of the night" chants singer Hannah Reid, and the youth in the band shines through more here than on the drifting loneliness of "Hey Now".

Similarities between "Metal and Dust" and "Unfinished Sympathy" by Massive Attack can be made, but that is no mean feat, and by all means a huge compliment: the busy breakbeat that the track rides on, the majestic strings that envelop it, and not to mention the epic cut and paste vocal loop that cries out towards the end of the track. But once again, as with London Grammar's own "Hey Now", Massive Attack's "Unfinished Sympathy" was a sad song, one that had a lot of emotion wearing it down, whilst "Metal and Dust" soars, totally reinterpreting the sounds it has been influenced by. If London Grammar can demonstrate such maturity, such range and such depth and range of emotion, skill and meaning in just two songs, there can be no other prediction to be made: London Grammar's debut simply must be the album of the year.

TOP 10 SONGS OF JANUARY 2013

10

"Move"

Mausi

A timelessly summery tune straight from the turn of the millennium, mainly thanks to an insanely uplifting, flailing synth lead. Remember Milky's "Just The Way You Are"? It's on par.

9

"No Problems"

Azealia Banks

Whilst Angel Haze's diss to Banks was kind of self-indulgent and overlong, we should be thankful she stirred the pot, because just desserts for Haze are served in the form of "No Problems", in which a rabid hip hop beat courtesy of Machinedrum serves as a platform for Banks at her calmest and most threatening at the same time.

8

"Deathwish"

Bebe Black

The La Roux-esque voice of Benga's "Icon" comes into her own with her debut single. First appearing on the free "Black Lion Sessions" EP last year, the organic and yearning songcraft "Deathwish" is so wonderfully performed by Black that it's hard to imagine it performed by any other singer, no mean feat for an artist's debut single.

7

"Turn Me Out"

Russ Chimes

Euphoric and life-affirming house in the vein of Tensnake, "Coma Cat" for 2013 if you will, this will serve as a highlight for many a summer festival.

6

"You (Ha Ha Ha)"

Charli XCX

GivePopAChance said...

"Taking on a quirky yet more-ish Gold Panda beat, Charli XCX does very little over the top, but it ends up working perfectly... further proof that she is London's answer to Lana Del Rey."

5

"No Strings"

Chloe Howl

GivePopAChance said...

"The warm and fuzzy indie-synthpop of "No Strings" mimics the bassline from "Pumped Up Kicks" but brings it to a teenage house party, where she tells of a typical 17 year old's battle between lust and love."

4

"Life Size Ghosts (Catching Flies Remix)"

Mt Wolf

GivePopAChance said...

"Catching Flies' take of the track brings the track into darker territory, without sacrificing any of Mt Wolf's cloud-gazing magic."

3

"Can't Handle The Truth"

JoJo

JoJo is fast becoming the female Drake, her latest mixtape being an honest, experimental, catagorically-relaxed half hour, ending in this gorgeous and frank ditty to infidelity from the point of view of the cheater. Just as gorgeous as her cover/response to "Marvin's Room".

2

"In My Arms"

Fryars

GivePopAChange said... 

"The main hook of "In My Arms" jumps playfully into the air with Garratt's gentle falsetto, as a piano hook lumbers humbly in the background, with barely-awake house flair."

1

"Hey Now"

London Grammar

GivePopAChance said...

"London newbies London Grammar bring the year's first classic song, a song thats poignancy and beauty is timeless."