This year in music has been good, I feel. I hear people, and have always heard, actually, banging on about how music is now shit, talking of the past as if it's some unachievable pinnacle that shouldn't even be questioned. I say, 'Why don't you sit in your Nuke bunker, live off corned beef and listen to the Smiths for the rest of your life you boring scumbag?', but they never do listen. I love the history of popular music as much as anyone, just don't tickle its perineum with your nose all the time.
Mercury Prize nominees (and rightful victors, but shush) Foals produced numerous BTOTY candidates, especially their exceptional and epic seven-minuter Spanish Sahara, but Blue Blood, album opener, is going to nick it. If you can find me a groovier bass line produced this year and I will bathe in sulphur, cuz it isn't happening. And I've looked. Hard. It's impressive, also, how they've taken the almost mindless freneticism of Antidotes, condensed it, and created not only dancefloor fodder, but also calming and sombre music to be enjoyed whilst having a nice sit down, maybe with a cool glass of IRN BRU.
2010 has seen the emergence of Trinidadian hip hop artist Nicki Minaj. Minaj's popularity is something of a controversy to some. Her supposed influence on young girls both sides of the Atlantic has garnered attention, some partaking in the love, others looking on with disdain at the new 'idol' for young women. Most negative arguments against her can be quickly rubbished, as far as it seems, Minaj promotes positivity, for women, young girls, and mostly everyone. Not to say she's the second coming of Christ, or Emmeline Pankhurst's 21st Century Brooklyn equivalent, but her vocal and lyrical talents and barmy ice-cream hair are irresistible. An example of this is recent single Right Thru Me. Minaj rhetorically questions her beau, with a Satriani sampled melody chiming in the background.
But enough about the USA, what's been happening over here? Well, Jamie Woon happened, and thank God, really. Woon is a singer songwriter who has played at various jazz festivals, usually on his own with just a guitar. Watching these performances reminds me strongly of Jeff Buckley; a stripped back and solemn stage presence accentuated powerfully by the vocal work. His recent single Night Air, co-produced by Burial, is a truly icy, the sound of a midnight stroll in mid-Winter. His voice is nothing less than sublime, and works perfectly with the bubbling track. Another artist strongly representing these cold Isles is Jessie Ware. Debut single Nervous, produced my SBTRKT, has an unnaturally catchy melody line and chorus, impossible to overlook. Buy now if you already haven't.
Sometimes BTOTY's just slap me in the chops when I'm least expecting them to. I was working on a building site earlier on in the year, stripping wallpaper, carrying bricks on my shoulder, you know, all that man stuff. I was just about to fill up the steamer for an eighth time, when I heard something interesting on the radio. Being the fucking hip labourer that I am, I whipped out my phone and opened Shazam. It turns out the song was When I'm Alone by heavily freckled American singer Lissie. The introduction is what strikes the most. The ebbing guitars and ghost noted snares are quietly moving. Her vocals begin understatedly, but as the song progresses they get more powerful, culminating in a head noddingly righteous chorus. Very promising for the future.
If you're on Twitter, you'll have realised by now that it's pretty fucking boring. I mean, I'll still go on it, but I'm not really sure why. I think it's because in the back of my mind, I hope that someone will say something interesting, or at least post a good link. Most of the time I just go on to see what Wiley is doing, because it's usually something bizarre. Whether it's sitting in the Sun on ustream for hours on end, or hypothetically placing himself in Chipmunk's jungle- themed video (on a hang glider, specifically). When not unleashing his strange-of-conciousness, Wiley is making special music. A prime example of this was his collaboration with garage and 2- step innovator MJ Cole, From The Drop. Again, the song begins, and continues, in a calm, almost simple way, the track punctuated by the sound of jarring metal. Wiley's lyrics and flow are typically on form, clever lines are blended perfectly with the sort of self aggrandisement that made grime bars so special.
There's one tune that really stood out this year, though. When I first heard Wut by Girl Unit, I knew instantly that I loved it, but also had no idea how to categorise it, or even define it really. It begins with bright synths and frenetic percussion, up until the devastating drop. And it is truly devastating, the crashing bass and the desperate cries of 'wut' and 'oh' all blend perfectly to create something very, very special. The whole EP, including Showstoppa and Everytime, is an excellent set of songs to be listened to ad infinitum, without boredom occurring.
So what for 2011? Well, who's to say? The remix of Gil Scott-Heron's album 'We're New Here' by Jamie xx looks very promising, as debut single NY Is Killing Me proves. English singer Adele's second album 21 should also be interesting, as she's proven time again that she's a consistent talent, and one to keep an eye on.
Now go on, enjoy your Christmas and New Years, and for God's sake, whatever you do, don't touch any of my things.
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