2013: the year in music

2013 was a game-changing year for music. A bold statement, but there has been so many new sounds emerging that I feel this a pivotal period. The “greats” of music produced great albums: Arcade Fire, Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Daft Punk, Kanye West, Foals, MIA, James Blake (and his Grammy nod..eeek!) and the list could go on, but what was so amazing about 2013 was the emergence of some heavy hitting new comers. They’ve all produced stuff before this year, but the fruits of their labour seem to have finally ripened in 2013.

The following are a selection of my 16 personal favourites, split into parts because there are just so many (not sure if I mentioned this in a previous post, but I’m a music junkie) AND here is the link for an accompanying 8tracks playlist with only the choicest of these artists songs (super exciting stuff, click the link and listen to vocal bliss).

PART ONE: The Lyricists

Rap music has at its base an innate need for self-expression. It is a medium by which those who feel powerless can make their voices heard, and can be likened to poetry in a certain respect. The artists I chose for this section are all female (it’s a GREAT time for female rap artists) and use words cleverly and have an insane amount of wit, emotion, truth and power in their lyricism. (Also they all seem to have had some kind of "beef" but I'm not going to focus on that because the good music they make is muy importante!) 

Angel Haze.

From Brooklyn, by way of Detroit, this rapper is bloodthirsty and unapologetic, in the most endearing of ways. She raps with raw fervor and emotion, she isn't trying to be pretty or non-invasive, she doesn't want a condescending pat on the head either, she wants to be up there with the big dogs. It sounds cliché but she spits the truth; exploring her prior sexual abuses and discovering her sexuality in her music. Listen to her cover of Macklemore's "Same Love" or her cover of Eminem's "Cleaning Out My Closet" and you'll know what I mean. Her current single is called Echelon (It's My Way) but the first song of her's I heard was "Werkin' Girls", attached below.

Haze has said she grew up in a cult and didn't hear secular music until she was 16, considering that was only 6 years ago, that's quite impressive. 

**I swear by the BBC Sound of (_whatever year___) Lists and naturally Angel Haze made the shortlist, ranking 3rd. 

Azealia Banks.

She's been on the scene for awhile now, if you don't know her hit-single "212" you're a bloody liar.
I feel like Azealia is the most innovative and explorative amongst these three strong ladies. She takes risks, mixes genres and still manages to maintain a sense of her own lyrical identity.Take YUNG RAPUNXEL contrasted with BBD or 1991, for example; these three songs have immensely different sounds but are all SO full of Azealia's flavour, her clever rhymes and slick delivery. There's a lot of hype around Azealia, most of it warranted and her first album, Broke with Expensive Taste, is hopefully releasing early 2014.
 


Iggy Azalea.

This Aussie is an underdog in so many ways, and that's what makes her so great. She's Australian in a genre of music that tends to favour Americans, she's white in a primarily black-dominated genre and she's a woman (like her two other counterparts) in an industry controlled heavily by men. She left home at the ripe age of 16, moved to Miami and just tried to make her dream a reality, kudos to her for actually making it. She has a tone to her voice that makes her interesting to listen to, she sounds foreign the first few listens, but then her twang grows on you and you realise how important it is for her songs.

PART TWO: The Nostalgic Trip

In music it's always important to look back and take inspiration from the past. Whether it's a musical style or a production method, a lot can be learned from knowing music history. The following two bands are amazing at seamlessly merging oldies-inspired tunes with very modern lyrics, proving that everything always comes back in style. 

HAIM.

This three-sister band hailing from California took the music industry by storm in 2013. Have you ever felt nostalgia for an era that you didn't even live in? Because that's how I feel when I listen to their tunes. A heavy mix of 70s rock and 80s pop influences run rampant all through their debut album, Days Are Gone. One listen to "Forever" and you'd think it was made to be in a John Hughes film, starring Molly Ringwald, naturally. But, at the same time, these girls manage to remain current. Although, Days Are Gone, is, essentially, full of love songs, they look at relationships from many different angle: lost love, apathetic love, forced love and all with amazing toe-tapping beats. 



PEACE. 

These boys from Worcester, England are in a breed of their own. Sometimes they sound like Nirvana, sometimes they sound like the Beatles, sometimes like more recent influences,  Foals or Vampire Weekend but they'll always make you feel like your looking back at the past decades in the most glorious of ways. Praised by NME and BBC Sound of 2013 Nominee, this band is definitely going places. Plus, they're just good fun to listen and dance around in your underwear to. 

PART THREE: The Powerhouse Vocalists

BANKS.

She has a tone to her voice that is haunting, sometimes welcoming, sometimes frigid but she'll always make you feel something. Hands down my favourite new artist of the year. She's refreshing because she mixes what's hot in music right now, synth, heavy bass, edm influences, with SPECTACULAR vocals and an R&B vibe. If you look at the producers of her songs, they're some of the most important artists in the electronic movement at the moment but she brings something entirely different wither her vocals. You may have heard "Waiting Game" in the Victoria's Secret Holiday Ad, but she has an strong list of innovative songs on her London EP. Check out her soundcloud, seriously, you will not regret it.

Sam Smith. 

You'll know his voice thanks to Disclosure's "Latch, but stick around because he's superb on his own as well. Though,  I find that the sheer magnitude of his voice can only be heard in his live renditions, as some of his mastered tracks are "too done". This Brit has been called Adele's male counterpart and his strong vocals definitely back up this claim. His falsetto is flawless and his crooning makes me melt and I mean, what more can you really ask for.



Tom Odell. 

The U.K. has perfected the art of creating singers that girls on tumblr cry to, Ed Sheeran, James Blunt, James Vincent McMorrow etc, and Tom falls into this wonderful category. Don't get me wrong, just because teen girls love them doesn't make their musical skills any less credible. Odell has released a spectacular first album, all about love and heartbreak, naturally. Another Love is the first of his songs I ever heard and its story of being unable to express any emotion or love after a failed relationship is so moving but also relevant. His voice cuts like a bread knife through soft butter, so effortlessly expansive and controlled and beautiful (and raunchy, when he wants).

Lorde.

Lorde was the golden child of 2013, no argument. For most people, she came out of nowhere near the end of the summer with her smash hit "Royals".  For loyal fans of the kiwi songstress, such as myself, her insanely self-aware, reflective lyrics and looming beats have been on repeat since 2012. At merely 17, she's creating music that contradicts everything that pop music is "supposed" to be. Her debut, Pure Heroine,  received critical praise and solidified her as not just a one hit wonder. She's a new breed, a crossover artist, perfect for those tired of Katy Perry, Rihanna or a comeback-Britney-Spears but not exactly ready to jam to some indie music. One listen and you'll be bewitched. 

 

PART FOUR: The Eclectic Bunch

The Neighbourhood.

With their black and white aesthetic, urban fashion styling and morose, sombre tunes these dudes seem like they'd fit in more in Brooklyn then in their native Californian roots. Even in their most well-known song, "Sweater Weather", Jesse Rutherford (lead vocalist), sings "I hate the beach but I stand, In California with my toes in the sand". They're great live and have so much room to grow but what's really singular about this band is that they created their own space in the music industry. They refuse to compromise their sound or how they present themselves. They also seem like a fun time and hanging out with them would be quite interesting (and they chill with A$AP mob http://instagram.com/p/XLzyG0wAmj/). The new stuff they have coming up is already transcending everything they've done thus far, showing the colossal progressive nature of this band. 




Bastille. 

Another British band, is it obvious that I'm an anglophile? Their debut album, Bad Blood, is full of emotional depth and perfect production but what's most impressive are the cryptic music videos that accompany the songs. They use imagery and symbolism, and everything is a metaphor layered upon metaphor. Pompeii, there most successful single to date has likely reached the ears of most people in North America and the UK, even if you don't recognize the name of this band. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes uplifting, sometimes just rampant amusement, Bad Blood is just as great to listen to on a Saturday night as it is on a Monday morning. 




Passenger. 

Ahhhh, Passenger, his folk-y, high-pitched voice instantly recognizable. What make shim so amazing is not complicated production, amazing bass lines or gimmicks, it's his captivating lyricism. He expresses innate human emotion so purely, retelling stories that we've all gone through, in love, through pain. His video for "Let Her Go" has gone viral with 165 million plus views, it's a fairly simple video of him on tour, but it's the song itself that attracted all those viewers. And I think there's something beautiful in that, seeing as all music videos recently seem like they're vying for most shock factor or best use of strobe lights.

PART FIVE: The Electronic Movement

Disclosure.

These two brothers from Surrey are the most buzzed about in this section, they took the electronic world by storm with, Settle, their groundbreaking first album. Their music can't really be placed under a single genre and ranges from deep house to synthpop. They've been nominated for many awards and topped many best of 2013 lists and here's why: they're fucking amazing. They have an ability of mixing distinct voices with their danceable beats is impeccable. They're a new wave and have made this genre accessible to many other listeners. let's see what their sophmore effort will be like,  they definitely have a lot to live up to. 

**Also there song, "When a Fire Starts to Burn" ranked #5 in Rolling Stones Best Songs of 2013. 
 Also go to their soundcloud, another sure bet that you won't regret. 



Flume.

This Australian is a new electronic god. Everything from his album, the collabs he does, the remixes, EVERYTHING is golden. He has a great sense of soul and rap which he mixes into his tunes and his mastering of the art is evident. There's something about a Flume track that is worlds different then anything else. Take a listen for yourself and try to disagree.



AlunaGeorge 

And more Brits! Because I'm obsessed, and they also make great music. Aluna is the singer, George is the man behind the beat and together they have made some incredibly perfect pop music. They could easily fit on Top 40 radio stations (w/ a bit of edge) but at the same time lend themselves well to remixes by everyone from Baauer to Ta-ku to DJ Snake. There first single, "Attracting Flies"is what got me into the them and if you're smart enough, you will too.

xx kels