Part two...
61. Losing You (Solange Knowles):
penned by the genius Devonte Hynes, “Losing You” is at once playful yet modern in the way Solange phrases it. It reminds one instantly of Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy”…just much better.
62. Sidewalk Safari (Chairlift):
a brilliant pop gem, peppered with lovely reverb on chorus. The duo uses many studio tricks here, including a looping spoken-word section that all works wondrously.
63. Unless You Speak from Your Heart (Porcelain Raft):
a brilliant chillwave track that juxtaposes its flourishes with a captivating chorus.
64. The Neighborhood (Female Robbery):
the strains of trip-hop can be heard within the mix of paranoia and fear. The backing vocals mix in at just the right level.
65. Vowels=Space & Time (Grimes):
when she brings fierceness to vocals to match her beats then that’s when she can trip out into a whole other galaxy…taking us on the ride of a lifetime in her own interpretation of R&B.
66. Weekend In The Dust (David Byrne & St. Vincent):
two critical faves getting together to rock the house isn’t new but the mixture here is remarkable fresh and inviting.
67. Thinking ‘bout You (Frank Ocean):
when he croons, ‘do you think about me still/ or do you not think so far ahead?, it achieves a tender affect. Like The Weeknd, Ocean is leading the new wave R&B school of young men who are looking past R. Kelly-esque frankness to connect to something far more significant: love.
68. Heartbeat (Childish Gambino):
crunching on Kanye West-like synths and reflections on a relationship and its cultural significance, Bambino proves that he’s slowly growing up.
69. Apple of My Eye (Big Boi):
a somewhat subdued affair but beneath its silkiness lies real skill.
70. I Ain’t The Same (Alabama Shakes):
Brittany Howard could wrench soul from an empty bottle or even one she’s just drained to drown her sorrows in. Simply, she’s untouchable.
71. Manic (Azari & III):
a retro yet totally slamming camp classic, both guys know how to hold the groovy notes at just the right intervals to snap their fierceness into it.
72. Mutual Core (Bjork):
crunching happily away with her apps and voila; a masterpiece!
73. Come to the City (The War on Drugs):
seamless work of art.
74. Liquorice (Azealia Banks):
the vanity track from her EP, it’ll be the track that will give the likes of Missy Elliott nightmares because now they’ll have to dig deeper.
75. Call Me (Kimbra):
a jazzy texture sprinkles throughout Kimbra’s delivery of a standard pop tune. The genius move was to fizzle out the lyrics as well and the result is utterly beautiful.
76. Green (Paul Weller):
surprisingly funky and soulful at the same time, Weller dyes the grays behind his ears and gets to shaking up his middle-aged booty and invites us to as well.
77. Destiny (John Talabot feat. Pional):
Spanish dance producer Talabot clearly believes in the laws of delayed gratification because he presents this track with a slow build into one big great climax.
78. Bodies (Pale Seas):
the heavy guitars flood the senses amid nostalgia…bringing one back to a more innocent time but it’s a modern complexity present.
79. Untitled (Killer Mike feat. Scar):
from the first beat hits, you know a treat awaits you as Killer Mike sets up a lush vanity fair project which Scar adds some lovely soul touches. .
80. Port of Morrow (The Shins):
a quiet, guitar-crunching return from the band. Employing a haze-induced vocal makes wonders occur as well as the dreamy soundscapes.
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