Welcome
back to this, the tepidly-anticipated conclusion to my year's
most-played mixtape of madness. It's the top ten people! In line with
recent attempts to finish an assignment in the wrong number of days,
this one now approaches the subject with memetics in mind or, more
specifically, classic macro-image memes. Sound fun? No, you're right it
doesn't. But prepare for surprise because it (vaguely) is. If nothing
else, it contains pictures. Everyone like pictures. So, cease all
activities thou art engaged in, for the hour of "hammer" is upon us.
10. Pills - St. Vincent
Technically
Masseduction was released at the end of 2017 but, taking in to accoubt
my general slow uptake of things, it totally qualifies. Also, the
album's up for awards in 2019, so must be vaguely relevant. The thing
with "Pills" is it's horribly catchy. Really, really catchy. Like
air-borne diseases. Then, towards the end it goes all
complete-change-of-pace like the piano part of "Layla" but less epic.
Still a little bit epic.
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| Hide the pain Harold |
9. Beautifully Unconventional - Wolf Alice
Not
really sure where this one came from. However, it's pretty pared-back
and simple. It's also only about two minutes long. Reminds me entirely
of The Asteriods Galaxy Tour - Golden Age, which you might remember from
a Heineken advert years ago, or at least some of their other songs. Not
too complex. I want to say that John Peel would like it, although I'm
not entirely sure why. Also not sure why living and breathing is
unconventional. Apparently it is. Still good.
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| Condescending Wonka |
8. Fine Day - Keanu Silva
This
came on the radio and I was like "I love this song, I've not heard this
in years." Yet, it apparently came out in 2018. This suggests to me
that it is a remix of some previous incarnation. Internet searches throw
up literally tons of stuff, but it seems Opus III were rocking this in
the mid-90s. That, in turn, came from a quite-frankly frightening a
cappella song called "It's a fine day" by Jane from 1983. Seriously, she
makes me see dead people. The Keanu Silva version is the best. It has
more sound. Also, it markedly does not contain the line "we will have
salad."
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| Doge |
7. Bedford - Too Many Zooz
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssss!
If you like baritone saxophone, trumpet and The King of Sludge, you are
going to like this. We saw them play Brise Glace, Annecy in November,
so that's very 2018-y. It was awesome. Not entirely sure how people play
brass instruments and dance. It pure instruMentalism. Bedford is an
easy choice, although the "Car Alarm" track they do is also amazing fun.
It's all so high tempo. The one shame is that, towards the end of their
set, they did a number with a drum machine making a filthy bass noise,
and I can't find anything of the like on the internet-web. That was a
tune. Big dirty noise and horns. Boom.
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| Brace Yourself |
6. I-E-A-I-A-I-O - System of a Down
All
the songs that sample the Knight Rider theme tune are awesome. Granted I
can only name this and the bhangra one by Punjabi MC from back in the
day, but still holds true. System of a Down are excellent. Yes, it took
me far too long to find this track. Yes, I'm generally way behind the
curve, or even completely unaware that the curve exists, but this is a
tune. One flag, flaggy but one.
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| Batman Slap |
5. Foundations - Kate Nash
So
this track was a late, late entry. Which makes little sense because
it's quite old. We started watching GLOW recently, which I'm still not
convinced was a worthwhile idea, but we continue. However, it
incidentally has Kate Nash in it, who is a musician that neither of us
really knew. As far as I can tell, this is her stand-out hit. I
discovered this two days before 2019 and have played it lots since then.
I reckon it does what "Marlene on the Wall" or even "Gone 'til
November" do, which is start sparse and keep adding instruments with
every verse, keeping a catchy/easily-singable/naturally-rhythmical
chorus which drives on the narrative. You then end up singing along. It
also has an element of pathos in the ultimate crescendo. I think it's
good and emotive. Others disagree. I will continue to play it ad nauseum
until I'm bored.
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| Distracted Boyfriend |
4. Sticks n' Stones - Jamie T
Actually
follows a similar formula to "Foundations" above. Furthermore it's also
really old and no-one understands that I missed it first time around. I
was probably busy. This may be my most-played track of 2018, just
'cause I stick it on repeat a lot and try to figure out how it works.
It's kind of nostalgic too, even though I only found out about it this
year. Weird, non?
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| Bad luck Brian |
3. Thrift Shop - Macklemore and Lewis
Yeah,
there aren't a lot of 2018 tracks in this top ten. I don't care. This
has such a nice loop and hook. I'm not sure I, or anyone else, should
really like Macklemore and Lewis, but it's so easy too. Just a fun, play
it loud, going-out, party-type track. Oddly, puts me in mind of "Be
Faithful" by Fatman Scoop and Rizzle Kicks; not a lot, but a bit. Better
though.
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| Obi Wan Kenobi |
2. DNA - Kendrick Lamar
The
backing track off this is amazing. I can't think of a song that starts
so instantly awesome and it's all down to that backbeat that's deep, low
and full of delicious hip-hop tradition. Also, it's lyrically
incessant, piling it on until its thick and rich. Like a cake containing
fudge, dark chocolate and liqueur. Then, just as you think you're
getting to the end, it kicks-off in a minimalist way. Great track. Great
album. Sometimes you just need this.
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| Archaic Rap |
1. Oh Hector - NIKO IS, Thirstin Howl III and Colours of the Culture
#1,
or ##1 (hastag number 1). Party track! To be played loud. Found this in
a really round-about way. Was looking into seeing Dub FX, then saw a
video of him with Talib Kweli on a bus going around SXSW with Niko IS
who absolutely killed it. That put me onto this track, and I never
looked back. Got some Brazilian samba (I think, not good at musical
classification) in the background, and some language-flipping going on.
Also, kind-of old-school thing going on. It's amazing. Don't know why
I'm trying to explain it, or any of these songs to be fair. Listen to
them. You will be enriched. Absolute banger.
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| Left Exit 12 Off Ramp |
That's
it. Finished. Not much to add. Perhaps I'll give some "special mentions
to tracks that didn't quite make the list, obituaries-style (ie slow
and black and white). "Wasting My Young Years" - London Grammar.
"Trogdor" - Strong Bad. "23" - Jimmy Eat World. The Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band - PIMP. "Kill Yourself" - Bo Burnham."Habits (Stay
High)" - Tove Lo. "No Roots" - Alice Merton.
That
will do. That's what I listened to a lot in 2018. Also, the memes may
have been fun. I've tried to maintain thematic fidelity even if they're
not that funny.
Happy New 2019 everyone!
Hello all.
I, once again, interrupt the seemingly never-ending review of German motorcycling fun for an end-of-year special. It's around this time (well, usually between Christmas and New Year) that the TV, radio and practically every other media outlet is getting all nostalgic about events that have unfolded in the past year. Jumping on that particular bandwagon, my addition to the oeuvre is this: my top musical listenings of the past 12 months.
Now, there's an important thing to note here. Not all of these tracks actually came out in 2018. This is a chart of what I have been listening too, normally because it's good and new to me. Some of the following are therefore a bit older. However, they are still good. I promise. So without further "Freddy Adu," here are the hits in countdown fashion (may not be hits).
20. Fake ID - Riton feat. Kah-Lo
Got to start with a tune from this year (that's 'tune' with a variable vowel length). Also, got to love the pared back beats and general vocals/lyrics. One for playing in a van. Not sure why. I was tempted to go with Riton/Kah-Lo's earlier "Money," because it's probably had equal playtime this year and has a real Summer vibe. But it was released in 2017, so I went for Fake ID.
19. Vingt sur Vingt - Kacem Wapalek
This is very gentle and melodic hip-hop. Real chill-out shizzle. You've got to love Kacem's lyrical flow and the nigh-on Elysian (again, super-pared back) very-slightly-cut-up classical track in the back. We almost went to see "ce mec" Kacem in Lyon earlier this year, but it didn't quite happen in the end. It's not from 2018, but very few of these songs are. I'm generally a bit slow.
18. Girls - Joey Purp feat. Chance the Rapper
First of all, this song is hilarious: from the knowing backbeat incorporating random noises to the tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Again, it's pretty lo-fi, which is interesting. Simple drums, simple beats, vocal-led. That's what I seem to like this year. Also, the video is a joy. I generally don't know music videos any more, but this one verges on the surreal.
17. Only Getting Younger - Elliphant feat. Skrillex
Finally, something a little more upbeat. Also contains swearing and dirty, dirty noise. Good old Skrillex. When you want unconscionable post-hardcore dubstep, Skrillex is generally a good go-to. He also does a surprisingly good job at soundtracking kids' films (see Wreck-it Ralph for more details). Again, a bit older than this year, but not to me so literally qualifies.
16. Shotgun - George Ezra
I'm not sure I should like this. I'm not even 100% certain that I do like this. It's sort of everything that I lament about chart music but... it is catchy. Also, there was an end-of-stage-highlights closing credits for the Tour de France this summer where they had done a frankly excellent job in making the music fit the montage. Geraint Thomas was having the ride of his life, the sun was shining, people were celebrating cycling and the great outdoors rather than donning gilets jaunes and setting light to parked cars. It was a simpler time. So, yeah, not sure if I like it really, but it definitely makes me feel something. That's what we should be aiming for, right? Oh, and it's from 2018 too, which is a plus point.
15. 1492 - Counting Crows
Following the above contemporary music, here is something a bit older. I'm not sure where it came from, why I wasn't aware of it earlier or even what it all means, but ooo-eee it's a track alright. Driving drums and guitar, building excitement, singing, it's got it all. At one stage Adam Duritz channels Dave Grohl ("I am the king of everything, I am the king of nothing"). It's a rollicking good rock track. Also love the semi-euphoric, unintentionally-perfect harmonising towards the end. Yes. I don't care that it's ten years old. Yes.
14. Thirteen - Johnny Cash
If the last one was old, then this is ancient. Johnny Cash has been dead since practically the start of the millenium. Back then Will Smith was vaguely regarded as a musical artist. Anyhow, this is a great cover. I think there's some phrase about "being able to sing the phone book and it sounding great" and that sort of applies to Johnny Cash, although I'm not sure "sing" is the right verb. I've also recently got into his version of "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails, but the original is better (well, the original (quiet) version is my favourite, but you get my drift). Anywho, this is exactly the sort of song where you can pretty much ignore Danzig and accept that Cash nailed it.
13. Taki Taki - DJ Snake et al
This is a song from 2018 which I like. I'm not proud of it. I do like saying "taki taki" though. Who doesn't? It makes me think of FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team when they were unstoppable around 2008-onwards. That was technically tiki-taka, but that's association for you. In terms of the music, it's got a pretty Latin vibe and plenty of Spanish lyrics which definitely influence that whole feeling. Apparently it also falls into the musical genre of moombahton, which sounds like some sort of multi-player online game featuring Thai currency.
12. The Louvre - Lorde
Not quite 2018, but 2017's pretty close. Also, I was probably busy/asleep when it came out. It's all a bit The XX-y, and you have to love the "boom boom boom" part followed by some heavy, thundercloud-type bass. It's standard Lorde understated and atmospheric. It's probably the bass I like most. Good. I also liked the "Supercut" track and "Green Light" off the same album, most likely in that order.
11. Yoga - Janelle Monae feat. Jidenna
OK, so if you've read any of this blog, you may remember when we went to Paris to see Janelle Monae. It was good. This wasn't actually a stand-out track at the time (I'd give that to Cold War or Django Jane) but it has settled nicely into my list of regularly-repeated tunes. It's funky. Apparently it's the second best song of 2015 (according to Time) after, wait for it, Years & Years by King. Clearly a slow year for music ("I dreamed you dreamed of me calling out my name" I know it's a dance track but WHAT?!?) Back to "Yoga" though, that's genuinely good, regardless of what Time think.
Part 1 over...
So that's enough of that for the time being. Tune in soon for the continuation of do you remember now that's what I call this year's best top of the pops countdown playlist of 2018 special! It's going to be explosively unpredictable...
