254. Zero 7 – This World
Posted: September 11, 2013 Filed under: chillout, downtempo | Tags: a song a day, blues, emo, emotive, Rhodes, this world, Zero 7 Leave a comment
Some gorgeous downtempo chilled else from the masters, Zero 7. Heavy bluesy rhodes, lilting beats and a deeply emotive vocal all add up to their traditional emo-euphoric greatness.
253. Hot Natured – Different Sides
Posted: September 10, 2013 Filed under: #hotfor2013, deep house, house | Tags: a song a day, Ali love, deep house, different sides, hot natured, Jamie jones, late night, lee foss, luca c, of the sun, warner, woozy Leave a commentThe Hot Natured album “Different Sides of the Sun” is a surprisingly pleasing cut – good quality songs, tight production and a haunting aspect that lingers around the whole album. Hot Natured are of course, Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Ali Love and Luca C, a fearsome quartet in terms of their presence in the Deep House scene and I’m glad to say it’s a strong effort from the four.
“Different Sides” is a slow, slightly morbid affair, tapping into a late night woozy feel – think more 6am sun rising than 2am Nicky Romero smashing holes in your ear drums. Signed via Warner, it’s a slow seller and whether it penetrates mainstream conciousness is another questions but there’s no doubt you could do worse than sticking the album on and kicking back.
Steaming hot pile of Nature
252. DaVinche feat Kele Le Roc & Remerdee – Frontline
Posted: September 9, 2013 Filed under: grime | Tags: a song a day, big-e-d, d double e, davinche, footsie, frontline, grime, kele le roc, monkey, newham generals, remerdee, staccato Leave a comment
Woefully underrated grime number from one of the finest producers it ever spat out, DaVinche. “Frontline” originally appeared as a Newham Generals track produced by Big-E-D to much fanfare and is still arguably, one of the classic tracks from the genre. This version, spruced up by DaVinche, showed how you can combine the soul of vocals with the edgy staccatos of grime and sometimes morbid sounds; without a market to sell it to, it’ll simply remain a hidden gem.
Davinch the Grinch
251. White Lies – Getting Even
Posted: September 8, 2013 Filed under: #hotfor2013, alt-pop, rock | Tags: #hotfor2013, 2013, a song a day, album, big tv, getting even, jangly, love song, soaring, white lies Leave a comment
From the fantastic “Big TV” album released in 2013, “Getting Even” is a gloriously jangly number, taking a healthy dose of 80s influence mixed with a soaring chorus. A pained love song (it kind of sounds like a girlfriend getting angry after having a dream you’ve cheated on her – we’ve all been there…), it’s sadly an underrated album from the Ealing band – only 12k sales so far is criminal.
If you’re getting uneven…
250. Lana Del Rey – Video Games
Posted: September 7, 2013 Filed under: chillout, pop, Uncategorized | Tags: a song a day, blue jeans, born to die, gangster moll, grit, growl, lana del rey, pop, single, tender, video games Leave a comment
Sometimes lauded but nevertheless hugely talented, Lana Del Rey caused a stir when she dropped this song (and the accompanying video). Her gangster moll shtick can be a bit tiresome but when you dig past the facade, you have a beautifully tender voice, capable of emotive highs and lows and with enough grit and growl to not be packaged with throwback soul singers.
“Video Games” is a genuinely different track, standing out from most modern day pop – it has a genuinely timeless feel that worldwide sales of 2 million plus deserve.
Insert vulnerability here
249. PYLO – Enemies
Posted: September 6, 2013 Filed under: #hotfor2013, rock | Tags: #hotfor2013, a song a day, enemies, guitar, kings of leon, pylo, rock, strings Leave a comment
Bath residents Pylo, having come together in 2012, have enjoyed a surge of popularity on the back of a set of strong singles. “Enemies” is a stand out number, employing surging strings and guitars in the style of a modern day Kings Of Leon (the singer’s warble is frankly, quite similar too). They manage to employ a strong line in epicality and I won’t be the only one looking forward to more from the quintet.
Pylo, not leaning against a pylon
248. Marsha Ambrosius – Hope She Cheats On You (With A Basketball Player)
Posted: September 5, 2013 Filed under: RnB, soul | Tags: a song a day, basketball player, early mornings, floetry, hope she cheats on you, late nights, marsha ambrosius, rap, rnb, soul, us Leave a comment
Floetry’s Marsha Ambrosius dropped her highly regarded solo album “Late Nights & Early Mornings” in 2010, including “Hope She Cheats” as part of the set. One of the rare UK acts that have more success in the States than at home, Marsha has worked with the cream of US urban talent and cemented herself as a go-to girl for soulful choruses and writing – still a strong staple in the US despite the relentless rise of EDM pop.
North London girl done good
247. The Prodigy – Girls
Posted: September 4, 2013 Filed under: breakbeat, electro, electronica | Tags: a song a day, always outnumbered never outgunned, breakbeat, electronica, firestarter, girls, invaders must die, Keith flint, Liam howlett, maxim reality, solo, the prodigy Leave a comment
From their underrated “Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned” album, “Girls” is a breaky pounder, ahead of it’s time, sonically (what else do you expect from Liam Howlett?) Their first album since the legendary “Fat Of The Land” album, it was a departure from the previous format, having been entirely produced by Liam Howlett. With Leeroy having left the group and Keith & Maxim not featuring, it’s ultimately a solo album – Keith tried his own hand as a solo producer around the same time, producing a pretty bad slowed down screwed version of Firestarter.
Thankfully, the group reformed (unofficially, as they’d never broken up) and came through with their “Invaders Must Die” project, cementing them as one of the key electronic groups in the UK.
Three’s a (loud) crowd
246. Plan B – Deepest Shame
Posted: September 3, 2013 Filed under: acoustic, alt-pop, breakbeat, electronica | Tags: a song a day, acoustic, alt-pop, breakbeat, deepest shame, film, ill manors, michelle, plan b, short, talent Leave a comment
From his Ill Manors album, Plan B dropped this emotive soul number, a softer highlight in a no holds barred work soundtracking the film of the same name. The lyrics first appeared on the track “Michelle” from the 2008 short film of the same name, expanded to good effect here. Plan B is one of the few genuine stars we have in the UK who understands and controls the entire artistic process to his own means, and commercial success is the very least he deserves for his tireless endeavours.
There’s no way back from here…
245. Rhythm On The Loose – Break Of Dawn
Posted: September 2, 2013 Filed under: 90s, electronica, rave | Tags: 1995, a song a day, bootleg, break of dawn, dance, electronica, first choice, put no man asunder, rave, rhythm on the loose Leave a comment
One of the original breakbeat rave classics from 1995 with a vocal (originally sampled from First Choice’s “Let No Man Put Asunder”) that has travelled far and wide, appearing on bootlegs for nigh on 20 years.
The artwork of rave champions
A Song A Day 2013 