Song of the Week - 31/01/13 - Jay-Z & Kanye West - "Ni**as In Paris"

Jay-Z & Kanye West - "Niggas In Paris"

Here's an older track from 2011 from the collaborative album Watch the Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West. I have never really been a fan of Kanye West but I do enjoy some Jay-Z stuff so this album was a pleasant surprise for me. I was unsure whether this sort of collaboration would work, but the result was a resounding success. This is a genre of music that I perhaps wouldn't listen to that often but one that is great to listen to when in the right mood. 

The album overall is very well put together with some superb tracks but this song is definitely the stand out track of the album. This is a song that always goes down well when played in a club, amongst almost everyone.

With some great lyrics like this from Kanye West...
"Doctors say I'm the illest because I'm suffering from realness,
Got my niggas in Paris, and they going gorillas"

I also particularly like the Will Ferrell samples from Blades of Glory that I find amusing and oddly fits in quite well with the song.

"No one knows what it means, but it's provocative!"

 ...meaning that sometimes lyrics don't have to make sense for them to be awesome.

Add some repeated lyrics that stick in your head like "That shit Kray", "I'm suffering from realness" and "Don't let me get in my zone" and you're on to a winner!

 

This is probably one of the best songs of 2011 and one that still gets regular air time and a song I still go back to time to time. Definitely a highlight of 2011.

 

 Spotify link - Jay-Z – Ni**as In Paris

[Sources: Wikipedia, NME, Youtube]

Song of the Week - 24/01/13 - Bloc Party - We Are Not Good People

Bloc Party - We Are Not Good People

This is a track from Bloc Party's album of last summer 'Four'. This was an album that I was not overly impressed with after the first listen but one I have gone back to recently and quite enjoyed. It can only be because of the very high standard of Bloc Party's past albums with Silent Alarm and A Weekend in the City (that both went platinum) that this album may be overlooked. When compared to the quality of those past albums this one may  seem substandard but I would say it is still decent and worth a listen.
The album's first single Octopus is another good song from this album but I have gone for the less obvious choice with the final track of the album, We Are Not Good People. (No official video yet as far as I can tell)

Spotify Link Bloc Party – We Are Not Good People

[Sources: Wikipedia, Youtube]

Song of the Week - 17/01/13 - Kavinsky - Protovision

Kavinsky - Protovision

Here's a nice little electro tune from late last year that I have been recently reminded of. I first came across Kavinsky back when I was into the electro stylings of Justice back in 2008 when their debut album † (or Cross) was becoming popular among those in the know. Their music was something completely different to anything else I had encountered before - mainly instrumental electronic music with a few songs with samples or lyrics. There biggest hit was 'We are your Friends (never be alone again)' that is still played fairly regularly at indie themed nights out. At the other end of the spectrum is Justice's instrumental number 'Waters of Nazareth' which on the first listen sounds like your speakers have broken but then goes on to some great electronic beats. This was the type of thing that led me to further explore this French electronic scene and subsequently discover the likes of Daft Punk and Kavinsky.

And there is not much of a better example of the 'coolness' of the genre than Kavinsky with his effortlessly cool retro styling and cartoon character-esque persona. With his trademark black wayfarers and red and white baseball jacket, Kavinsky has created something of a caricature of himself, presenting himself as some sort of 80's graphic novel character.

As if he wasn't cool enough Kavinsky often features the classic Ferrari Testarossa in his videos and artwork which I love, and which really makes you wonder how any man can be that cool (as in pic).

His music is almost all instrumental, with his production style described as being 'visceral' (whatever that means) and with a nod to the classic electronica movie soundtracks and video game music of the 80s. The outcome is pure electronica which is effortlessly cool with its retro charm.

This song 'Protovision' is his new single that has a very sleek music video that features a car chase between Kavinsky's Ferrari Testarossa and a cop's Mustang that would not be out of place in any stereotypical 80s action flick.
Also check out his previous single, Nightcall, which I enjoyed a lot. The song was featured in the opening credits of the film Drive (2011), gaining popularity for Kavinsky, shown by the fact that the song currently has over 27.8 million views on youtube. 

Sometimes I wish that Kavinsky could be the soundtrack to my life, it would be way cooler that way... 

[Sources: last.fm, Youtube] 

Song of the Week - 10/01/13 - Enter Shikari - Hello Tyrannosaurus, Meet Tyrannicide

Enter Shikari - Hello Tyrannosaurus, Meet Tyrannicide

This week's song of the week is from the British post-hardcore band Enter Shikari.  This may be an old song from their 2012 album 'A Flash Flood Of Colour' but this is a new, interesting video for a song I am was already a fan of.

According to NME, the video's creator, Jonathan Lindley, who was a fan of the band and a "artist/animator/director" volunteered to create the clip. How nice of him. :) The result is an creative and clever music video that is sure to remind people of this decent song.

 

[Sources: NME, Youtube]

My Top Tracks of 2012

Top Tracks of 2012:
(other than those in top 10 albums)

With Youtube Videos and Spotify Links

1) Imagine Dragons - Radioactive

 

2) Deadmau5 - Professional Griefers

3) Devlin ft. Ed Sheeran - Watchtower

 
4) Miles Kane - First of My Kind

5) Peace - Bloodshake

6) Biffy Clyro - Stingin' Belle 

7) Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love

 
8) Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait

9) Two Door Cinema Club - Sleep Alone

10) The Gaslight Anthem - "45"

My Best Albums of 2012

My Top 10 Albums of 2012

The xx – Coexist
  
Top Track - Angels

Fun. - Some Nights
 
Top Track - We Are Young - feat. Janelle Monáe
 

Of Monsters And Men - My Head Is an Animal
 
Best track - Little Talks

Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
 
Top Track -   Video Games

Jack White – Blunderbuss
 
Top Track - Sixteen Saltines

Enter Shikari – A Flash Flood Of Colour
 
Top Track -   Arguing With Thermometers

The Vaccines – Come Of Age
 
Top Track - Bad Mood

The Maccabees – Given To The Wild
 
Top Track -   Pelican

Muse - The 2nd Law
 
Top Track - Supremacy

The Hives - Lex Hives
 
Top Track -   1000 Answers

Ladyhawke -  Anxiety

 

Top Track -  Girl Like Me

Other Notable Albums of the Year:

Peace - EP Delicious
Passion Pit - Gossamer
The Killers - Battle Born
Deadmau5 - > album title goes here <
Two Door Cinema Club - Beacon
The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Mumford & Sons - Babel
Calvin Harris - 18 months


[Sources: Last.fm, Wikipedia, Spotify, Google]

Song of the Week 03/01/13 - Biffy Clyro - Stingin' Belle

First up on the new song of the week blog is Biffy Clyro - Stingin' Belle. This song has been in my head a lot thanks to it being played on Radio 1 all the time! (constantly playing the intro!)

Expect to see more of Biffy Clyro this new year 2013 with the new album Opposites set for release in late January (featuring this song). Interestingly its going to be a double 20 song album with twin discs: The Land at the End of Our Toes and The Sand at the Core of Our Bones. Definitely one to look out for this new year! (more on Opposites here)

This song has been out for some time but is still worthy of song of the week status, it's a great track to start off 2013.  

Mon the Biffy!

Last.fm Listening Stats 2012

My Music of 2012 (according to last.fm)

So I haven't been really into my music this year but here is a quick review of my favourite and most listened to tunes of the past year. If you don't know it already, Last.fm is a clever little website that collects data on your listening habits through your computer and/or iPod with their 'scrobbling' software. Check it out here: last.fm

According to my (somewhat limited) last.fm scrobbling here's my top artists of the last 12 months:

Check out my last.fm profile here

Some of my most played albums of 2012:

My Music Tag Cloud of 2012 from last.fm stats:

Make your own music tag cloud here