A few of my favorite videos from this past year…
♩ Emile Haynie – Falling Apart (feat. Andrew Wyatt & Brian Wilson) [from We Fall]
♩ Jamie xx – Loud Places (feat. Romy) [from In Colour]
♩ Will Butler – Anna [from Policy]
Fantastic solo/side-project from Arcade Fire’s Will Butler. Indie folk rock at it’s best.
♩ Mick Jenkins – Get Up Get Down [from Wave[s]]
♩ Matt and Kim – Hey Now [from New Glow]
♩ Neonderthal – The Ride [single]
“…’Water Slides’ is the single I’ve been waiting for. The Mew I have been missing from my life. Where ‘Satellites’ touched upon a much lighter and uplifting theme, ‘Water Slides’ decides to delve into a much more brooding and somber world. The world where Mew shines. It is in this matter that they warm up my heart the most. I love me some dark undertones in music. I thrive on it. So basically, what I’m trying to say is that this song has been on repeat all day and I’ve shoved it down all of my friends throats already. You guys are next in my shoving! WOOO!” (via The Original D-Rose)
♩ Mew – Water Slides [from + –]
“Sjowgren is a brand-new trio from the Bay area, though their sound, which Bob calls ‘clean, wonderful pop,’ convinced Robin they must be from Sweden. ‘Seventeen’ is a joyful, experimental confection, with lead vocals that reminded both Bob and Robin of The Concretes’ singer Victoria Bergsman.” (via All Songs Considered)
♩ Sjowgren – Seventeen [single]
“I love me some Mas Ysa (aka Thomas Arsenault). You should slap on some headphones for this ambitious track, which features big vocals and a wonderfully textured arrangement.” (via Side One Track One)
♩ Mas Ysa – Look Up [from Seraph]
I’m shocked Telekinesis isn’t more popular…but more than happy to keep the music all to greedy little self. Four LPs strong and still one of the finest crafters of “indie pop.” Michelle Geslani (via Consequence Of Sound) sums up this particular track quite perfectly – “…a rich and sweeping pop number outfitted with synths that soar, groan, and fizzle.”
♩ Telekinesis – Sleep In [from Ad Infinitum]
“Diet Cig’s driving, percussive ‘Dinner Date,’ from the duo’s limited edition 7″ single, is the ideal anthem for any arm-wrestling contest (as the recently released video proves). Don’t be fooled by singer Alex Luciano’s powerful, childlike voice — she’ll bend your wrist and bring you down.” (via All Songs Considered)
♩ Diet Cig – Dinner Date [from Sleep Talk/Dinner Date]
“Ten years from now, when she’s 40, I Want to Grow Up will be the moment Colleen Green made anti-cool en vogue again – like Kurt Cobain singing “I rather be dead than cool” back in 1991.” (via Noisey)
♩ Colleen Green – Deeper Than Love [from I Want to Grow Up]
A few of my favorite covers from this past year…
One of my favorite tracks + one of my new favorite artists. So good.
♩ Torres – Special (Garbage cover)
CHVRCHES took the Bieb’s best track and made it better.
♩ CHVRCHES – What Do You Mean (Justin Bieber cover)
Ryan Adam’s 1989 cover album got all the press, but Screaming Females rendition of Swift’s infectious “Shake It Off” deserves it. Frontwoman Marissa Paternoster’s vocals are one-of-a-kind and she fucking shreds at the 2:54 mark. You’ll either love this or hate it. I for one can’t get enough.
(p.s. If you’ve never checked out The A.V. Club’s Undercover series, what the heck are you waiting for?)
♩ Screaming Females – Shake It Off (Taylor Swift cover)
♩ Chromatics – Girls Just Want to Have Dub (Cyndi Lauper cover) [from Girls Just Want to Have Dub]
A leader in the UK Grime scene for sometime now..Skepta is on the verge of completely blowing up with major cosigns from the likes of Drake. Skepta is a fully formed MC, label head, and producer who seems poised to carve out his name in the world of hip hop.
♩ Skepta – Shutdown [single]
LA’s best kept secret in the hip hop community
♩ Dom Kennedy – Thank You Biggie [from by Dom Kennedy]
It’s crazy to see an artist who has continually been atop the pop charts fooling the mass music listening audience into loving straight up f@$k music. The Weeknd is the modern master of baby making music. This is another vibed out track from the man who redefined today’s R&B landscape; examining fame, drugs, and the music industry as a whole.
♩ The Weeknd – Tell Your Friends [from Beauty Behind The Madness]