Martin Solveig has been putting out top tier work as a DJ and producer for the better part of the last decade. Since 2002, his star has risen steadily thanks to the his DJ residency at Paris’ famed Les Bains Douche and a stream of hits on the European circuit. It doesn’t hurt to have superstar friends as well, as evidenced by Bob Sinclar’s major spot in the video for “Hello.” With vocals being provided by one-time collaborator Martina Sorbara of Dragonette, “Hello” is an instantly addictive dance hit. A standard boom boom clap intro sets the table before giving way to a stompy piano loop that will surely tattoo itself on your brain. The lyrics are sassy, uncomplicated, and easily committed to memory. It has already peaked at #1 in many countries and will surely receive heavy rotation well into 2011.
I was a sucker for The Sing-Off, which wrapped up its second season in December. While I don’t disagree with Committed taking the crown, The Backbeats were full value all season long. Lead vocalist Joanna Jones wowed me pretty much every time she took the mic. Her lead on the group’s cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” on the show’s finale was something to behold, and was routinely boosted as one of the best if not the best performance of the season. The L.A.-based supergroup put together an amazing arrangement and knocked this one out of the park. The studio version lacks some of the lustre of the live performance, but is still a must have.
I know a lot of people find this song is pretty ridiculous (no pun intended), but I still haven’t gotten sick of it despite how many times I’ve listened to it over the past few months. The beat is downright treacherous, plodding as the stacked cast of emcees lace the track with their stories of “what appalling means to me.” Jay-Z took a little heat for his MC Hammer jab, but I love everything about “So Appalled.” The hook is a like a street credo: “Life can be sometimes ridiculous.” Not just ridiculous, but fucking ridiculous. We all know the saying, “when it rains, it pours.” For all those times when it’s pouring, you can’t help but just give in and admit that life is screwing you large. “One hand in the air, if you don’t really care.”
The Knocks have now appeared on the list a couple of times, and we now focus on one-half of the production duo. B-Roc has gained a modest amount of internet love for a few blend/mash-up albums he’s done in the last couple of years. The most recent, The Transplant II, was a joy to listen to. While it loses steam at certain points, it’s a very strong effort on the whole. Even better, B-Roc released – for free download – an album featuring many of the Transplant II tracks broken up into individual tracks. My favourite is a mashup of D. Gookin’s “Glad I Met You” and B.o.B & Bruno Mars’ “Nothin’ On You.” Listening to it just makes me look forward to the summer and good times.
Something about this song makes me think this is one sketchy party. Yelawolf teams up with chronic law-runner Gucci Mane to have some fun with what sounds like a team of top notch hoes. As far as imagery goes, the crystal-clear vision of a semi-conscious female appears every time the words, “I just wanna partyyy...” separate the rappers’ verses. Whenever this hook drops, my girlfriend always glares at me and says “God, who talks like that?” I definitely haven't shown her the video. It’s no secret that I think Yelawolf is on the verge of huge things in the rap game. “Wanna Party” is the one track that whets my appetite the most when I think about what 2011 could have in store for the Shady signee. Exacting and almost mechanical in his delivery, it seems almost as if there’s no way Yelawolf can’t be the next great white hype.
2010 was a ginormous year for Swedish pop superstar, Robyn. Well-documented was her bolt to fame in the late 90’s with “Show Me Love.” It’s been a few years, and while she’s pretty well fell off the North American radar, she continues to be huge in Europe. As the global music landscape shifts more towards electro/synth-heavy pop, Robyn has been recognized as a leading voice in the genre. Despite this, I’ve chosen to go with the acoustic cut of “Indestructible,” from Body Talk 2. Sometimes masked by the buzzing synths that dominate her music, her voice is actually pretty nice. This version of the song also features some classy string passages, which I’m always a sucker for.
I’ve never met a person who’s heard CBR who didn’t like her. I oozed about her on last year’s countdown, and here I am doing it again. The only difference this time is that I’m highlighting the fabulously up-tempo “Paris Nights, New York Mornings” instead of the heartbreaking “I’d Do It All Again.” The song transitions quickly, as Corinne sings about a blissfully infatuous love. Even as the song picks up pace, it (thankfully) never feels like a full-on headbanger. Instead, it culminates into explosions of colour, once again showcasing the delicate but deliberate nature of Bailey Rae’s artistry.
A relative unknown until the splashy “Feelin’ Myself” dropped early last summer, Nipsey Hussle just might become a name worth remembering. The Lloyd-assisted track didn’t get as much love on the charts as it probably should have, but I found appreciation in it for being oddly uplifting. Considering a lot of the bragging that goes on in rap takes a very different tone, at least “Feelin’ Myself” feels like a “reach for the stars!” lesson in goal-making. Throw this on and give yourself a good look in the mirror. Now puff that chest out and conquer your life. Yeah, I got all that from Nipsey Hussle, accidental life mentor extraordinaire.
Another longlister for BBC’s Sound of 2011 poll, Jai Paul makes this list for his refined work on his single “BTSTU.” Although the track made waves in 2010, word is that he’s actually been shopping it as a demo for years. I would describe “BTSTU” as weird. Paul incorporates a multitude of influences here, from hip-hop to electronica to just plain odd. After a few listens, though, you’ll find yourself clapping to the beat. This is one of the few artists on this list who have virtually no other material of note to compare to... I hope he’s got more of this up his sleeve though.
Everyone love a little disco right? “New Beat” is simply one of the most danceable tracks I heard all of last year. True to his style, though, Toro Y Moi keeps things casual with his dream-like vocals. There will be no rumble at the discotheque as long as this track is spinning, but hearing it almost makes me want to have a dance-off with someone. It’s amusing to me that something sounding so much like it was plucked from the lost crates of a retired roller rink DJ would be called “New Beat,” but it doesn’t really matter what the song is called when it makes you move like this.
