2013's music reign has consisted of the outstanding, the ordinary, the songs we hate that we love (and we danced all night to the best song evER!!!), and some true diamonds rough. As December has returned, I'll look back on some of my favourites from the past 12 months and some emerging new talent to get excited about. Listen to my top 22 songs of the year in THE 2013 MIXTAPE.
favourite albums
7. English Rain // Gabrielle Aplin
- best track: Keep On Walking
- for fans of: Lucy Rose, The Paper Kites, Daughter
- From YouTube sensation, to gold-selling artist; the singer-songwriter sure has come a long way in the past few years, even so in the last 12 months. The legion of sleepy folk ballads from her debut LP, such as 'Panic Cord' and 'Start Of Time', are heartfelt and raw.
- Read the live review //HERE//
6. In Love // Peace
- best track: California Daze
- for fans of: Tribes (RIP), Dog Is Dead, Foals
- I was lucky enough to nab last minute tickets to the newest Brit-rock band on the block on Friday night last week (6th December) and it was such a mad fun time. Peace released their EP 'Delicious' late last year and haven't stopped since. A quirky, truly delicious, for name's sake, debut cited clear influences from all over the place, but the Brummy quartet still managed something powerful and impressive.
- Read the live review //HERE//
5. Night Time, My Time // Sky Ferreira
- best track: You're Not The One
- for fans of: Charli XCX, Joan Jett, Is Tropical
- Could the wait have been any longer for California cool kid Sky Ferreira to release her debut album? After five years of false starts it's here and it's just so good. Her fresh electro-pop-rock effort is unbelievable and proves that right now really is her time. See her supporting a little unknown artist called Miley Cyrus (I know, right? Who even is that?) in the US on the Bangerz tour.
4. Pure Heroine // Lorde
- best track: A World Alone
- for fans of: Ellie Goulding, The xx, Lana Del Rey
- All hail the it-girl of 2013: Lorde's dreamy debut, fueled with familiar teenage themes like boredom and isolation, stormed charts all over the world and proved her to be an unquestionable pop powerhouse. And with a legion of Grammy nominations to her name, it'll be fascinating to see where the next 12 months take her. Long live Lorde!
3. Shangri La // Jake Bugg
- best track: Pine Trees
- for fans of: Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane
- Though it may not be as effortlessly brilliant as his first album, it's tough to follow up your platinum selling debut in a rush release, right? Being the newest release on this list, I guess that proves it isn't for the guy hailed as a "mini Bob Dylan". The new Bugg is a shining example of the new wave of folk-n-roll, and he works it so well.
- read the 'What Doesn't Kill You' review //HERE//
2. The 1975 // The 1975
- best track: Girls
- for fans of: The Neighborhood, Everything Everything, alt-j
- The year's best debut exploded into the music stratosphere in September after a entire year of electric anticipation. They tweaked the expectations of indie pop to produce something thrilling with, surprisingly, unwritten amounts of depth. Delectably laced with 80's influence, alt-rock guitars, and thumping percussion, their debut LP has rocketed to worldwide acclaim. I can't wait to see them at Brixton in January.
- Read the original album review //HERE//
1. Modern Vampires of the City // Vampire Weekend
- best track: Unbelievers
- for fans of: OK Go, fun., The Maccabees
- I don't think I'll ever be able to accurately describe the adoration I have for this album, but I will try: Vampire Weekend are the gift that keep on giving. After two unmistakably individual records, their third was a cliff dive in a different, and completely right, direction. It was almost as if their previous efforts were just there to lead up to something as magnificent as record number three. They bring us an oddly organic sadness through the harmony of 'Hannah Hunt' and 'Step', hand-in-hand with the wildness of 'Diane Young' and 'Unbelievers' as well as the swelling sweetness of 'Everlasting Arms'. Instantly a classic, and something I'll be listening to for the next twenty, thirty, forty years.
- Read the live review //HERE//
favourite songs
6. Dreaming // Smallpools
- from the EP: Smallpools (suspiciously removed from iTunes UK, but luckily you can listen to it here)
- for fans of: The Wombats, Grouplove, Passion Pit
- The soundtrack to my summer were undoubtedly US newbies Smallpools. This sunshine inflamed track from their debut EP is screaming with euphoria. The synths and drums are on a mad one, and are giving pop music a good name. Also, the piano-jacking version is well worth a listen.
- Read the original EP review //HERE//
5. All I Want // Kodaline
- from the album: In A Perfect World
- for fans of: Bastille, Coldplay, Hudson Taylor
- This track alone makes me want to go to a Kodaline gig. Imagine the crowd in their transformation into a choir singing this back to them. Chills, right? Haunting vocals over delicate acoustic chords escalate into a crashing climax, resembling Yellow-era Coldplay. The video is a right tearjerker too, just the sort of thing that makes me cry buckets.
- DOWNLOAD
4. Honeymoon Avenue // Ariana Grande
- from the album: Yours Truly
- for fans of: Demi Lovato, Jessie J, Selena Gomez
- That song that you don't know why you love so much but it's all you can ever listen to? And listening to it leads you to falling even more in love with it? Yep, this one. Ariana Grande may just be another Disney Channel darling but that doesn't change the fact that this song makes me feel all kinds of feelz.
- DOWNLOAD
3. She Changes The Weather // Swim Deep
- from the album: Where the Heaven Are We
- for fans of: Splashh, Wolf Alice, Temples
- Confession: I'm not a massive Swim Deep fan. I won't dive deep into it (pun!pun!pun!) but let's just say I'm generally not impressed. However, there's something about this song and I don't know just what it is; but it's something sensational. Maybe it's, as my friend Laura said, that if someone listened to this and thought of you that'd be a pretty cool thing.
- DOWNLOAD
2. Changing of the Seasons // Two Door Cinema Club
- from the EP: Changing Of The Seasons
- for fans of: Foster The People, San Cisco, Imagine Dragons
- Happy melodies over heartbreaking lyrics will get a song in my good books, and the TDCC lads have perfected that very precise art. When I want to feel weirdly happy, I listen to this song. When I'm in that mood when you're sad and you feel like being sadder so you make a sad playlist, I put this on it. Even my sister said to me the other week, "do you listen to anything other than that?". Evidently I do not. And why blame me? It's probably their best song to date.
- DOWNLOAD
1. Into The Wild // Lewis Watson
- from the EP: The Wild
- for fans of: Ben Howard, Josh Record, Benjamin Francis Leftwich
- One of my favourite artists released one of his best tracks this year: 'Into The Wild' is a bewitching, introspective record which teases the boundaries of acoustic music. His silk-like vocals gently croon the sublime lyrics (we're perfectly intertwined / and if it's quite alright / you could be my way of life), and the choral backing vocals fit magically with the twanging folk guitar. This song is a journey, and reminds his growing audience why he's killing it and is only going to get better ahead of the release of his debut LP in 2014. Cannot. Wait.
- DOWNLOAD
bonus track: unofficial favourite song
Little Black Dress // One Direction
- from the album: Midnight Memories
- for fans of: Oh come on, everyone is really secretly a fan... Right? No? Just me, okay...
- Think everything you know about One Direction. Now think of something on the opposite end of the spectrum. That is, somehow, what this song encompasses. Big arena charged electric guitars go crazy over shouty vocals. Slightly, and weirdly, reminiscent of The Rolling Stones... Well don't knock it 'till you try it.
- DOWNLOAD
favourite new acts for 2014
7. Luke Sital-Singh
- for fans of: Kodaline, Mumford & Sons, Keaton Heston
- listen to: How To Lose Your Life
- The London based singer-songwriter has just released his third EP 'Tornados' packed full with powerful folk inspired tracks. It's just the kind of music you'd love to listen to while in front of a bonfire. He's even recently teamed up with Gabrielle Aplin for a special rendition of 'Nearly Morning' as well as being nominated for the prestigious BBC Sound of 2014 poll.
- twitter link: @lukesitalsingh
6. Nick Wilson
- for fans of: Passenger, Gabrielle Aplin, The Head and the Heart
- listen to: Obsolete
- After seeing him in a support slot for Gabrielle Aplin (live review //here//), I instantly warmed to his honest acoustic style despite some girl's abnormally large hairdo obstructing my view the entire time (hate u hate u fuck u fuck u). If the candid singer/songwriter style is your cup of tea, his debut EP 'Darkest Hour' is calling your name. Also check out his YouTube channel for a brigade of impressive covers.
- twitter link: @uknickwilson
- for fans of: London Grammar, Lorde, Jessie Ware
- listen to: Fragments
- Jaymes Young produces the perfect cocktail of indie beats, electronic chill, piano pop, and anthemic hip-hop. His music is ripe with syrupy mystery, oozing a nebulous enigma that's difficult to pinpoint who exactly he sounds like. You'd think his cover of Haddaway's 'What Is Love' would be tired by now, seeing as it's been covered by just about everyone from Bastille to Eminem, yet the guitar is slick enough to rival the likes of magnetic duo Pale. (This one's for you Millie) Even his cover of Justin Bieber's (yes, really) 'As Long As You Love Me' cover is pure heaven.
- twitter link: @jaymesyng
4. Southern
- for fans of: Jake Bugg, Palma Violets, The Black Keys
- listen to: World Don't Shine
- This genetically gifted (just look at their faces) brother and sister duo are exactly what I'd imagine alt-j to sound like if they went rock. Thom and Lucy Southern's male/female vocal combination gives their edgy noise a polished and contemporary tone as it blends into a bluegrass influence. The Irish siblings are loud, totally in your face, and have the coolest and chillest attitude. After living broke in London, but always clad head-to-toe in Burberry after this session, they released their fiery EP 'Southern' in October and I got completely lost in their sound.
- twitter link: @thisissouthern
3. Saint Raymond
- for fans of: The 1975, Haim, Young Kato
- listen to: Young Blood
- 2013 has seen Saint Raymond sky rocket: he's already supported the likes of small time singer-songwriters like Lewis Watson and Lauren Aquilina after appearing on Reading/Leeds BBC Introducing stage. However he hit the big time with a European support slot for girl power poster girls Haim. He's already had 'Fall At Your Feet' and 'Young Blood', from his January bound EP of the same name, become Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World and he hasn't even released his debut album yet. Expect big things.
- Read the live review //HERE// (which Callum tweeted) (ahhhhhh) (so kl)
- twitter link: @Callum_SR
2. Drowners
- for fans of: Peace, The Vaccines, Skaters
- listen to: Luv, Hold Me Down
- Way back in late 2012/early 2013 (I can't remember exactly), I downloaded a free EP called 'HOME RECORDINGS' from Drowners. I loved it so much; it was a fresh throwback to 80s indie rock that was effortlessly short, sweet, and cool. Plus it was free, which is always a bonus. However they fell off my radar until recently they reemerged to me, as if in a beautiful indie pop dream, with a new single 'Luv, Hold Me Down'. The charming and retro-esque single has already become one of my favourites of the entire year. The NYC based rockers (though lead by small town Welsh frontman Matt Hitt) have opened for none other but Arctic Monkeys in the US and are bringing back Brit-pop with a bang.
- twitter link: @DROWNERSBAND
1. George Ezra
- for fans of: Tom Odell, Marika Hackman, James Vincent McMorrow
- listen to: Benjamin Twine
- Heyyyyyyy seeing as I complied this list about two/three weeks ago and he's been nominated for MTV Brand New for 2014 and earned a coveted place on the BBC Sound of 2014 poll since then means I'm pretty clued up, right? (I will give credit for that to my coolest friend Grace who introduced me to him a couple of months ago. Mwah!) Bristol kid George Ezra's success has only just begun: this year has consisted of an opportunity to perform at legendary Glastonbury as well as being on the road with Tom Odell as part of his Long Way Down tour. His sound is almost indescribable: to call his voice "powerful" would be an understatement - it commands respect and adoration. It's like a 70 year old blues god is trapped in his little white boy body. I can't wait to see him live in March, nor can I wait for him to release more music this year.
- twitter link: @george_ezra
the definitive album of 2013
- best track: Blow (it's pure filth and I'm obsessed)
- for fans of: EVERYONE NEEDS TO EXPERIENCE THIS - WHETHER THAT BE AUDITORY OR VISUALLY! FEAST YOUR EARS OR EYES (BUT PREFERABLY BOTH) IN ANY WAY YOU CAN!
- Beyoncé's visual album is here. But no one saw it coming... 14 songs and 17 videos have already manifested more attention than any other artist could dream to imagine. Released only today with no promotion, no build-up, no warning; Beyoncé's fifth studio album is a firework finale to 2013. There's only 18 days left of the year yet no other album this year, if ever, has generated this amount of talk so quickly. Who else could suddenly release a record with this kind of delivery but still bowl over the entire world? Exactly: no one. Only Queen B has the superstar caliber to pull off a stunt like this, and it's a masterpiece. It's a visual banquet of, what can only be described as, art. (That is, if you ignore the really strange and sorta creepy (plus totally unfair because she's like two or whatever and already more successful than I will ever dream to be) Blue Ivy "collaboration".) Regardless, the indisputable goddess of showbiz is giving girl power a good n proper reboot with pro-feminism messages in all their glittering glory. All hail the queen!
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