Top 10 Tracks of March 2013.

10

"Ice.Moon"

SZA

GivePopAChance said...

"On new track "Ice.Moon", SZA's gentle, silky tones float over a thick bass drone and menacing trap beat... Equally suggestive and threatening, just like it should be." READ MORE.

9

"Yung Rapunxel"

Azealia Banks

GivePopAChance said...

"Yung Rapunxel" feels like Azealia Banks' true second single, her first real showstopper since she first dropped "212" about a year and a half ago." READ MORE.

8

"Lay Down in Swimming Pools"

MKS (Mutya Keisha Siobhan)

Although the original Sugababes line-up have flaunted clips of a somewhat lacklustre track called "Boys", this reinterpretation of Kendrick Lamar's modern classic "Swimming Pools" feels like the trio's proper, and indeed appropriate comeback. Bringing the Compton anthem to South London, Mutya's husky murmurs, Siobhan's haunting vibrato and Keisha's trademark vocal flourishes fit together better than ever, and the harmonies are spellbinding. 13 years down the line, it feels like the girls, young and ambitious when they began, now world-wise and seasoned, are only finally beginning their career together the way it was meant to be.

7

"We Can Be Ghosts Now" (feat. Shura)

Hiatus

GivePopAChance said...

"...(Shura) opens up her vocal chords just enough to let the gorgeous melody bounce charmingly against Hiatus' warm, glossy backdrop." READ MORE.

6

"Shallows"

Daughter

A fragile, haunting and very impressive debut record from London band Daughter dropped this month, one of the years best records of 2013 so far, one track stands out in particular, album closer "Shallows". Bringing to mind Explosions in the Sky, it has a tender, post-rock touch that eludes many similar acts (and there are many), and singer Elena's tender Romi-esque (xx) voice trembles with emotion but resides itself to defeat when she utters the words "if you leave" as the guitars melancholically arpeggiate her loss. It's a heartbreaking moment, and one that the song revolves around.

5

"Imagine It Was Us"

Jessie Ware

GivePopAChance said...

"...(Julio) Bashmore surrounds Jessie's warm tones with familiar warm synths and an almost european dance beat that ensures the track pushes every guilty pleasure button whilst still being utterly irresistible." READ MORE.

4

"Digital Lion"

James Blake & Brian Eno

GivePopAChance said...

"Eno can be heard in the shimmering, warm, 70s-flecked pads, but Blake's voice steals the show as it breaks through the fuzzy atmosphere like a ray of sunshine, rather than hiding his gorgeous jazzy croon beneath it." READ MORE.

3

"Borderline"

Classixx

GivePopAChance said...

"The new wave synth chords of "Borderline" pulse along purposefully through a typically gorgeous, balearic chord sequence, and the melt-in-your-mouth vocals of Jesse Kivel from the similarly sunny synthpop band Kisses float thoughtfully up into falsetto." READ MORE.

Also check out a more euphorically inclined remix courtesy of London producer lostchild.

2

"3 Days"

Rhye

Rhye's debut record "Woman" is so far my favourite record of 2013. A true frontrunner in the gradually growing 80s soul revival brought about by Julio Bashmore and Jessie Ware et al, Rhye's Mike Milosh (yes, that voice that drew so many comparisons to Sade comes from a man) has a voice that mesmerizes and warms, and the band's arrangements are, whilst on paper cheesy and dated, in reality tasteful and perfectly underplayed. 

"3 Days" comes out as a personal favourite from the record because their choice of arrangement, one they do not even attempt to recreate live (they slow it down to a jazzy shuffle), is one that ticks every cliched 80s chillout box, but comes out with something that suspends any comparison in our minds, and just sounds like Rhye. And that's the sign of a band with a fruitful and much coveted career ahead of them.

1

"Me"

The 1975

For a band so well known for their gutsy, anthemic singles, on their EPs, The 1975 paint from a much more varied palette. For those not willing to give themselves to the band, but only to their popular songs like "Sex" and "Chocolate", are shooting themselves in the feet. On their EPs, The 1975 prove themselves as a thoroughly complex, beautiful act. Their catalogue thus far is practically musically bipolar; the singles show them as rebels, hedonists and teenagers. And then there are songs like "Me".

"Me" is the band's darkest song, lyrically and musically. The words are apologetic, full of self-loathing and disturbingly blunt, but musically synths wail in the distance as bass rumbles quietly in the foreground. The music is beautiful, and every line ends with the shy, residing phrase "don't you mind", but the statements and confessions that precede are harsher. Singer Matthew Healy confesses he's "put you all through hell", "hurt your brother as well" and, most overwhelmingly, "I thought about killing myself". It's heartbreakingly confessional. If "The City", "Sex" and "Chocolate" are the party, "Me" is a hell of a comedown. I don't actually know which I'd prefer, both sound enticing to me.

Classixx - Borderline (feat. Kisses' Jesse Kivel)

A little bit nu disco, a little bit chillwave and a little bit house, the sunkissed, blissed out electronic music that Classixx have been making for years has managed to skip all the genre trends it could've fallen into, and it's for that reason everything they do sounds timeless. Their glorious remix of Phoenix's "Lizstomania" in 2009 is as stunning as it ever was today, and their original material, fairly scarce until the announcement of their debut album, is looking to be as long-life as their modern-day-classic remixes.

The new wave synth chords of "Borderline" pulse along purposefully through a typically gorgeous, balearic chord sequence, and the melt-in-your-mouth vocals of Jesse Kivel from the similarly sunny synthpop band Kisses float thoughtfully up into falsetto. It could indeed, by all means, burst into a huge dance anthem at any point, but it doesn't. The percussion never rises above a sparse kick drum pattern, some tastefully placed clicks and the occasionally tom drum roll, that hints at a beat that never kicks in. On first listen this baffles, but on subsequent listens, the perpetual build-up is actually comforting and rather beautiful.

Their long-awaited debut album, "Hanging Gardens", is due May 14th.

FOR FANS OF: Krystal Klear, Cut Copy, Toro Y Moi

TOP 50 OF 2011: #30 - #21

We continue to scale the heights of 2011's musical talent...


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#30
"Live Those Days Tonight"
Friendly Fires


The first single from the mindblowing "Pala" most definately showcased Friendly Fires 2.0: clubbier, more epic and 10x BIGGER than their debut. Scaling the heights of "Jump in the Pool" but whilst the band partied during the verses and took a breather during the chorus of that song, Ed Macfarlane and crew go from hook to hook in "Live...", huge tribal drumming and a 90s rave vibe ensuring that this was Friendly Fires as you had never heard them before.



#29
"Into the Valley" (feat. Karl Dixon) (Julio Bashmore Mix)
Classixx

First remix of the list, and continuing with the rave mood, this is a simple but stunningly effective mix that drags Classixx's 80s pastiche "Into the Valley" into the 90s, simply with a funky 3 chord piano motif, and that's all it needs. Euphoric and quite beautiful.



#28
"Fast Challenges"
Chad Valley

The first track we heard off Chad Valley's second EP was definately still chillwave, but it's clear that mastermind Hugo wants to be taken seriously on the dancefloor, and when that beat kicks in at 1.15, and not to mention when the chords hit at 1.32, it's impossible not to be drawn in. The weird beauty of his self-titled EP is still very much alive, but this is by any standards a huge track, and Hugo's voice soars above it. Hell it needs to, the house chords just get bigger and bigger as the track goes on, melodies flying around at all angles. If this is Chad Valley's direction from now on, bring on his full length in 2012.



#27
"Give it All Back"
Noah and the Whale

"Give it All Back" is Charlie Fink's frank and touching account of (we assume) the band's youthful beginnings. Someone described this as a mix of "Summer of '69" and LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends". This is a freakishly accurate depiction, with it's youthful charm and shamelessly uplifting and anthemic melody, it's the nostalgia anthem of 2012.



#26
"Til Death" (Denzal Park Mix)
Wynter Gordon

The original "Til Death" was a pretty tepid affair, which makes this remix all the more surprising. A stoic verse suddenly breaks into what has to be the biggest pop chorus of the year, complete with lightning strike walls of synth. When Wynter cries "TAKE MY LIFE!" it's as exhilarating on the 100th listen as the first. And I would know, it's at the top of my iTunes most played list.



#25
"The Wilhelm Scream"
James Blake

The only other track on James Blake's self-titled debut that even slightly resembles the sense of commercial melody of Feist cover (cover!) of "Limit to Your Love", "The Wilhelm Scream" was the obvious choice for a second single. However, radio-friendly tactics aside, the track is the nearest thing on the record that shows us a human side to Mr Blake, and there is an air of desperation in his voice as he (comparatively to the rest of the record) cries "I don't know about my love anymore, all I know is I'm falling, might as well fall in". You can tell that his computer can tell that James is close to breaking out of his robotic façade as the track progresses, when the fader is gradually pushed up until ominous cloud-synth chords have swallowed the track, and Blake's voice, whole. An intriguing, and actually quite emotional, listen.



#24
"Give Up The Ghost"
Radiohead

One listen to the introspective and fragile "King of Limbs" and you can feel yourself growing old with Radiohead. On "Give Up The Ghost", a gathering of background Thoms weakly emplore "don't hurt me" on a loop throughout, and his falsetto has rarely sounded more fearful. But there's no sign of angsty, panicky tenor here, ala "Wolf at the Door", this is resigned fear and gentle pleading, and quite honestly, Radiohead has never sounded more beautiful.



#23
"Need You Now"
Cut Copy

On the opener to Cut Copy's fairly epic 3rd record "Zonoscope", singer Dan Whitford begins with a mumble and ends with a desperate cry of "I know we're going crazy, but I need you now". The track does something similar. Opening with the quiet burble of electronics and pads, the track builds and builds and builds upon a hypnotic groove, until a euphoric climax that will dazzle stargazers everywhere. If Cut Copy were once known for providing hook upon hook, its clear they've learnt a better trick. Sometimes a track's payoff can be good enough to warrant a bit of a build up, and what a, WHAT a build up.



#22
"Midnight City"
M83

The first single from M83's "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming" took the 80s movie soundtrack feel from "Saturdays = Youth" to a whole new level. Vangelis pads abound as usual, but this time, the drums pounded out a dance beat Madonna would have favoured and the track features one of the most distinctive vocal hooks of the year, one that won't leave your head for days, nay months. And that saxophone solo at the end is just a stroke of genius.



#21
"Take Me Over"
Cut Copy

On their last record, "In Ghost Colours", cuts like "Hearts on Fire" and "Lights and Music" were indie rave classics that pummelled you with enough gorgeous hooks to last you until their next record, but this time round, the band wants you to LISTEN a bit more, and appreciate the sheer songcraft and love expressed in their music. "Take Me Over" is given the space to breathe and its carefree, wonderful chorus, with all its little vocal adlibs, is virtually sing-song, caressed by a million spiralling synths and a laid back beat that encourages but doesn't force you to dance. Quite simply, it knows it doesn't need to.




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TOMORROW WE ENTER THE TOP 20. Such fun.