Lady pop rock in the tradition of Those Dancing Days (RIP) including drumming that is irresistible to dancing and heart-on-yr-sleeve vocals that asking the object of affection for it all and absolutely nothing less than that. I love everything about this song, from the backing “if your love is so strong” in the chorus to the basketball filled music video.
HAIM
Don't Save Me
Chief Keef - “3Hunna (feat. Rick Ross)”
This album is thrilling from beginning to end; listening to it feels like something is really happening in the world of music. Young Chop’s beats really bang and Chief Keef forces his guests, from Rick Ross to 50 Cent to play on his level. Watch as he makes the best of the frustrating situation and environment that he comes out of. Finally Rich doesn’t disappoint.
Chief Keef
3Hunna (feat. Rick Ross)
Looking back at 2012, one of the surprises of the year was a new band out of Leeds University, Alt-J. This year, they released their very unique debut album, An Awesome Wave, which won the Mercury Prize! They follow a few big names that won the Prize for their debut albums, namely The xx and the Arctic Monkeys. They definitely don’t sound like anything else I’ve heard, which is probably why critics are giving them their own genre, dubbing them ‘folk-step’.
Alt-J
Fitzpleasure
Big Boi - “Mama Told Me (feat. Kelly Rowland)”
In a day and age when Big Boi is writing records with Little Dragon that are incredibly catchy and fun, you still want to argue with me about whether Public Enemy is allowed to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Big Boi
Mama Told Me (Feat. Kelly Rowland)
Much attention has been paid to the EP’s opening track “Aaliyah”, and while that respect is rightfully earned, the rest of the Danger EP is worth a spin, too. “Light as a Feather” manages to turn a moombahton beat from Diplo that I had once laughed at into a real banger of a pop track. I particularly like “Got Paid”. DJ Zinc’s woozy production is the perfect backdrop to a song about going out and having fun on the weekend. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel of this upcoming week, and I’m bumpin’ along as I try to get stuff done. Katy B is still the one true princess of EDM-pop; I don’t care what anyone has to say about that.
Katy B
Got Paid (feat. Zinc, Wiley)
Lorine Chia’s new mixtape is fantastic, soundtracking one of what I’m sure will be many late night work sessions this week. The real standout is album opener “Crazy Things”, which utilizes an Ellie Goulding sample to turn “Lights”, a song about Goulding’s childhood fear of the dark, into a song about a toxic adult relationship that the singer recognizes is problematic. The vocal gymnastics created by the harmonies and production during the song’s breakdown really mirror the internal back and forth during a difficult breakup.
The mixtape is up for free on her website. Grab it.
Lorine Chia
Crazy Things
