In a stroke of advertising genius, Converse spent some dough to reaffirm their popularity with hipsters by spearheading probably the coolest collaboration in recent memory. When you take an alt-hop icon such as Kid Cudi and mix with the ethereal vocal stylings of Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino, the result is a track that can rock both any kegger or beach bash. As writer and producer on the track, Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij’s contribution is less obvious, but at least he got some shine in the video (which was pretty wicked too).
“Breakfast” first caught my attention for being co-written and produced by Mos Def. By the time Curren$y’s Pilot Talk mixtape dropped in July, the song had been reworked by Ski Beatz (aka DJ Ski, best known for his previous work on early Jay-Z material). Both versions of “Breakfast” are dope, each featuring a swanky trumpet sample. If I had to choose, though, I prefer the Ski version because it’s cleaner. Mighty Mos still makes an appearance on the album version, providing a sung ad lib as the track winds down. Classy all around.
New Zealand isn’t exactly known for its burgeoning indie pop scene, so it was a huge surprise when this fresh-faced quintet exploded all over the internet earlier last year with their mega hit, “Young Blood.” They could be a flash in the pan by the time we look back a year or two from now, but they even got enough attention to be long-listed for BBC’s Sound 2011 poll. The song carries a sense of teenage innocence/naivety, which leads me to believe with near-certainty that it was probably featured on Gossip Girl or 90210 at some point last year. I don’t know why, it just speaks to me on a “you can’t tell me what to do” kind of level. Yeah! Rebelling and shit!
I like this song a lot. Honing in specifically on the percussion, Pharrell’s influence as producer on the track is clear here. As the voice for the duo, Chiddy keeps things in check with his flow and sure delivery. What stops me from liking “The Good Life” even more is the “swelly” chant. When asked what the word means, Chiddy explains it as a word to substitute “swag,” because everyone uses swag and it “sounds corny.” If we’re talking buzz-word overuse, hearing them repeat “swelly” over and over makes the word sound silly and almost bumps it down gimmick status. Focusing on the positive again, Chiddy Bang lands on #66 because of the amount of promise they’ve shown here over the past year and a half. “The Good Life” exemplifies how solid their album could be when it drops later this year.
It’s too bad that Aeroplane’s first studio album will go down as their only one. The project proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, as the once-great remixing tandem cited artistic differences and promptly parted ways last summer. Their name had become synonymous with great electro-dance remixes over the past couple of years. Seeing the popular team grounded for good, the name of the first single, “We Can’t Fly,” drips with irony. Still, the last hurrah is a good one. The rousing gospel section brings the song to a high. As good as it is, the back story puts a damper on the mood.
Even if you don’t know or care who Wiz Khalifa is, no doubt you’ve heard his song. “Black & Yellow” is the unassuming rap song turned unofficial city anthem. I’ve lost count of the number of remixes and freestyles that’ve been done to this beat. Everyone wants a “Black & Yellow” for their city. Everyone wants a fight song for their sports teams like what Wiz has done for the Steelers and Penguins (and I guess the Pirates, if they count). The hook is infectious, simultaneously stirring up wonderment, pride, and aggression. The lyrics aren’t much but boast enough swag so that the song doesn’t sag until the next time we hear “YEAH, UH HUH! YOU KNOW WHAT IT IIIIIS!” A left-field hit, for sure, but one that’ll buy Wiz Khalifa a good nine rap lives.
Girls’ Broken Dreams Club EP was probably one of my favourite smaller releases of the year. Frontman Christopher Owens’ voice has a certain frailty that I adore. Predictably, “Heartbreaker” finds Owens bemoaning a lost love. “There’s a voice in the back of my head that says ‘You’re always going to be alone’,” he whimpers, echoing the very sentiment that that haunts even the most outwardly confident singles out there. Painful music can be very good music, too.
At just under 9-minutes in length, “Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem is definitely one of the longest tracks on this list. I wasn’t that hot on the hit-or-miss This is Happening, but the intro track is a work of art. You’ll miss this if you’re impatient and judge a song by its first 30 seconds (like my brother, which annoys the crap out of me). It takes a 3:07 for the song to hit its stride, but the build-up is masterful. I’ve come to appreciate it more and more upon each listen. “Dance Yrself Clean” plays out like a riding on a wild rollercoaster surrounded by neon lights and fireworks. Honestly, it’s so marvellous I have never bothered to look up what James Murphy is actually singing. I just hope I haven’t been accidentally jamming to lyrics about eating babies or punting small dogs...
As far as the hip-hop landscape was concerned, it’s fair to say this was the Year of Kanye. Ruling social media avenues, innovating controlled leaks of his music, and putting out A-grade music pretty well whenever he felt like it, Mr. West simply dominated the competition on all fronts. The only possible way to go bigger is to unite with Jay-Z for a joint album. “That’s My Bitch” was the first leak off the upcoming Watch The Throne EP set for release sometime this spring. Produced by Q-Tip and also featuring La Roux’s Elly Jackson (and Charlie Wilson, unofficially), the star-studded affair is almost a case of too much awesome going on in one place.
Widely regarded as one of the best rappers alive today, Lupe Fiasco has endured his fair share of label trouble in his bid to put out his third studio album, L.A.S.E.R.S. “Go To Sleep” finds Lupe in top form, even singing his own hooks as he carpet-bombs the proverbial wack emcee. The track is heavy and menacing, featuring a headache-inducing looped bass drop. It’s unclear if “Go To Sleep” will make it to the album, seeing as the track doesn’t show up on any of the unofficial tracklistings anymore. In any case, it’s a must for any Lupe fan. The difference between a lyricist of his ilk and the next dude is like night and day.
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