Long time-- no blogging, I know-- I'm horrible, schoolwork got the best of me this semester but I've got three posts, I've got an album post coming, and something I haven't done before, which will be my favorite discoveries of 2014, all coming to hopefully make up for my lack of posting lately, but we'll of course start with my favorite songs of 2014, I feel like this list isn't nearly what I'd want it to be, I feel like there is so much more I could include (that's why I always make a general year playlist which includes almost EVERYTHING, I've been listening to throughout the year.) So, let's get started.
20. "Busy Earnin'" - Jungle
I think, all around this is just a great track, and I think I first heard this while watching the music video which totally threw me off when I found out who these guys actually are, but what I think I love the most about this track is that effect in the back that essentially puts you in the mind of a 'jungle'
19. "Lonely Press Play" - Damon Albarn
2014 is a year where I can say I've definitely influenced my sister's music taste. I got her to enjoy my personal favorite band, among others-- but, unfortunately with Damon Albarn I didn't have the same luck. I, however really enjoy this song and maybe my favorite thing about it is the continuously added elements as the song goes on.
18. Can't Stop (feat. Kanye West) - Theophilus London
I'll admit, in 2014 I probably listened to Rap & Hip-Hop the least due to the fact my knowledge of hip-hop is influenced by brother, anything I know I find from him, and as I've heard you can't quite call Theophilus London a rapper. This is one of the few tracks that at least had a rap element in it that I had on repeat this year, which may have something to do with the fact that I've been waiting for Theophilus London to release another LP since 2011.
17. "Hold Back The River" - James Bay
This is someone who is going to be on my discoveries list, but first of all I think James Bay is going to be HUGE in 2015, calling it now, I'll have this page bookmarked so I can see when his debut is out next year. This song, I think I've had it on repeat since before it was officially released, I love James' voice and there's just so much that pulls me in throughout the song. One of my favorites-- obviously.
16. "Cedar Lane" - First Aid Kit
"I'm never looking for you, you find me all the same"
What I like the most about First Aid Kit is that they're from Sweden, and yet have this ability to completely convey such a classic American style, and it's almost as if they constantly become more convincing of it, Cedar Lane is a great example.
15. "Wake Me" - Bleachers
Listening to the whole of Strange Desire, it's not surprising that Taylor Swift pulled Jack Antonoff in to help with her 1989. Bleachers, definitely has the era's sound mastered, without it sounding dated or just blatantly annoying and over done at the same time.
14. "Clouds" - Prince
While it pains me so that Prince has removed his presence from social media, it also doesn't surprise me. I love how Prince enlisted one of my favorite UK Songstress' (if not my favorite) Lianne La Havas (who herself hasn't released anything since 2012) to sing on this makes me love this track all the more.
13. "Kind Of.. Sometimes... Maybe" - Jessie Ware
Speaking of UK songstress', Jessie Ware enlisted Miguel to co-write this and it's brilliant, I feel like the situation is so relateable and real (like all of Tough Love) and it's style is so sensual that it pulls you in for the whole listen, with Miguel being a constant background presence.
12. "Paris" - Little Dragon
I usually have this rule about the length of times I'm able to listen to a song on a consistent basis throughout a year, I usually limit it to a few times a month-- if even, this song however broke that rule, and Nagano's vocals on the line "A part of me drifts away with you and would never return" is what keeps me continually listening.
11. "Slow Motion" - PHOX
With the mention of vocals, I absolutely love Monica Martin's, it has this jazz-y quality that reminds me a bit of Kimbra or Sara Bareilles, and PHOX'S style is just so eclectic, it keeps it interesting, even at the most depressing of moments.
10. "Warm on a Cold Night" - Honne
So I was playing this aloud once and my mother thought this was James Blake, and while I wouldn't say that exactly, I would say that it's got just the right hints of electronica and catchiness, and this is another artist that I'm interested in seeing what they will do in 2015.
9. "At the Bar (Emerald City Blues)" - Parker Millsap
So there's something really interesting about Parker Millsap to me, maybe it's the fact that he's so young and has such an aged sound, aged in the good way of course, and I love the Dorothy concept of the song.
8. "Plain" - Jesse Boykins III
You know, I've never quite heard a song about the mundane, run of the mill type of relationship scenario, be so un... plain. I think in a really intriguing way this song establishes irony through the relation of song theme, and song content.
7. "Dancing in the Dark" - Luke James
Traditional R&B has been letting me down for awhile, it's the genre I'd say I'm probably the most familiar with, and a lot of it is just all the same repetitive nonsense, boring in all honesty. This track right here though reveals a lot of potential for Luke James and creates a lot of excitement for what he could do in the future.
6. "Kicks" - FKA Twigs
Anyone who has the ability to make a song about masturbating sound like a song about longing and just conveying that inability to cope while someone isn't around, is a masterpiece in its own right.
5. "World Restart (feat. Kelala & Ade)" - Kindness
I'm not sure that there's too much wrong that Kindness can do in my book, and "World Restart" is just so overtly positive and just all around feel good & funky, it had to find a placement somewhere on this list.
4. "Prince Johnny" - St. Vincent
I feel like no 2014 music list is going to be complete without a mention of St.Vincent, it was hands down her year, and now is the time where we sit back and enjoy her world domination.
3. "I Forget Where We Were" - Ben Howard
It's going to take me a minute to make everything I'd like to say about this song concise, in 2014 we saw a lot of male artists (specifically from the UK) just completely dominate with artists such as Sam Smith & Ed Sheeran being some of the most talked about, Ben Howard's "I Forget Where We Were" conveys so much and by saying so little, it induces so many emotions, it's just beautiful. He really distinguishes himself through this almost minimalistic style he uses.
2. "The Body Electric" - Hurray For The Riff Raff
It's always nice to see an artist being truly political, while this song was initially inspired by violence against women in murder ballads, HFTRR went even further as to include violence against minorities with the recent events in Ferguson, the song is truly chilling.
1. "Love In High Places" - Kimbra
I hate to say this, but I feel like with Kimbra's The Golden Echo to appreciate it as a whole. you have to genuinely get Kimbra, and it'd genuinely sadden me when I'd see critics just despising the album seemingly because she can't quite be boxed in, she's all over the place. To me, that's the beauty of it, and I feel like "Love In High Places" exemplifies the album as a whole, the soundscape is just incredible and it can create amazing imagery, not to mention the bass by Thundercat, it's transcendental.
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