Districts at Sapphire Metropolis - Blogs

[msb]: 2011

ogryn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:43:38 GMT

Been meaning to do a catch-up of last year, as I've been lax of late. Soooo *drum-roll* here's some highlights of what poked my musical noggin last year

Metronomy - The Look
If one band were criminally overlooked in the "Best British Breakthough" category of the Brits, Metronomy would be it. Here, it proves you can make something incredibly compelling with very little. Look how little Anna Prior hits that kick drum. But then it ends with a delicious keyboard break. If 2011 was one song, this would be it for me.

Elbow - The Birds
2011 brought both new Coldplay and Elbow albums, both of which in previous years would have ended up high in my end of year charts. This time, not so much. They just didn't really click with me, but there was the odd good track, such as the slow build album opener.

Saturdays - All Fired Up
2011 was a depressing year for pop. Over-run with bland or dumb indistinguishable R&B-lite. However there were a few gems, this being one.

Turin Brakes - Ascension Day
This cover of the Talk Talk song Ascension Day (from the brilliant Laughing Stock) strips down an already bare original, yet makes it more accessible. A trick they repeated later in the year by covering Chim-Chim-Cheree.

The Horrors - Still Life
Proving that bands can keep getting better, this was the lead track from The Horrors' third. Channelling Simple Minds through some warped psychedelic feedback this was a perfect soundtrack to the end of summer.

Florence + The Machine - What The Water Gave Me
Florence returned with an album slightly more restrained than her debut, yet still distinctively her. Proof that not all women in music are a dumb pair of boobs.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Everybody's On The Run
So Noel launches a solo career with an album that every track could have been a single. It's like he'd been saving them up for years! The choice here is track number one, an epic string and choir soaked ditty which delivers up what most people were looking for in solo Noel.

Justice - Audio Video Disco
The sophomore effort from the french duo introduced a slightly different dynamic from their debut, swapping gritty noise for polished prog vibes. Good job it's just as easy to bounce around a room to though.

The Naked And Famous- Punching In A Dream
If "Still Life" capture the end of summer, this definitely captured the rest of it (well, maybe shared with Foster The People).

Nero - Me And You
OK, this was technically 2010 but was played enough in 2011 to warrant a mention, being the year that dubstep went overground. Plus the fact it sounds like they're saying "Disco Stu" from the Simpsons helps...

Tyler The Creator - Yonkers
Rap wasn't all watered down in 2011. This track is raw and gritty with a video to match. Shame Tyler acted like a proper tool as the music is better than that.

Frank Ocean - Swim Good
Although part of the same collective as Tyler, Frank Ocean hits some pretty smooth vibes here.

Lana Del Rey - Video Games
Sneaking this one in the middle, as the hype has drowned out what a brilliant song it is.

Los Campesinos! - By Your Hand
The most joyous, yet depressing song of the year. The keyboard riff is the cherry on top.

Laura Marling - I Was Just a Card
It's a song that isn't a song. There's no chorus as such, no middle 8, yet the voice is what pulls it together.

M83 - Midnight City
M83's synthscapes have been one of the best kept secrets for quite a few years now, but it seems with Midnight City he's getting the exposure he deserves. The key hook of the beep-de-deep-doooooo will be etched in your brain forever more.

Kanye West- All of the Lights
A song that'll probably be remembered more for Rhianna's boobs than anything, however that's a discredit to Kanye. The staccato blasts of horn built one of the most interesting HipHop records of the year

Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires
I'll end with Snow Patrol trying something a little different than the big anthem on their 6th album. Tense and claustrophobic built around the frantic struming of a mandolin, it builds and builds to a multi-vocal release at the end.

MSB: Emmy The Great, Foster The People, Two Door Cinema Club

ogryn — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:47:09 GMT

A trio of summery tunes that fit together like Strawberries & Cream

Emmy The Great - Iris

Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks

Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work

MSB: Metronomy, Limp Bizkit, WhoMadeWho

ogryn — Mon, 30 May 2011 14:09:31 GMT

Metronomy - The Look

Not related to the Roxette song! Such a simple organ riff, but it is such an earworm! Have I mentioned before that girl drummers are amazing? :lookaroun

Limp Bizkit - Shotgun

It's like they haven't been away. Obviously it's entirely personal whether you think that's a good thing or not. I won't say either way :D

WhoMadeWho - Every Minute Alone

One uncovered from the BUG Music Videos I went to last. Danish Electro Rock song with a classy video. (especially at the 3:25 mark! :lol )

MSB: Kill It Kid, The Go! Team, Living Sisters

ogryn — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:14:25 GMT

Been a while since one of these :)

Kill It Kid - Prey On Me

Blues Rocker

The Go! Team - Apollo Throwdown

Pots and Pans Rocker

Living Sisters - How Are You Doing?

Sweet Harmonies Not Rocker :lol

MSB: Jessie J, The Wombats, Noah & The Whale

ogryn — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:44:42 GMT

Jessie J - Price Tag f/ B.O.B

She has won lots of the sound of year type lists.

The Wombats - Jump Into The Fog

Noah & The Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N

Great comeback (was thinking they'd be a one-hit wonder!).

MSB: Cage The Elephant, Yasmin, Elbow

ogryn — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:24:38 GMT

Cage The Elephant -

Yasmin - On My Own

:lookaroun

Elbow - Neat Little Rows

Sounds a bit more experimental than the previous wide-eyed pop album, and more like something off their debut.

MSB: Adele, Nero, Patrick Wolf

ogryn — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:27:33 GMT

Adele - Rolling In The Deep

Nero - Me & You

Patrick Wolf - Time Of My Life

:goofy

MSB: Magnetic Man, The Streets, James Blake

ogryn — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:36:16 GMT

Magnetic Man feat. John Legend - Getting Nowhere

The Streets - Going Through Hell

James Blake - Limit To Your Love

I think 2011 is really going to be the year of Dubstep hitting (or at the very least) influencing the mainstream.

MSB: Foals, Crystal Castles, Cold War Kids, Tinie Tempah

ogryn — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 21:05:16 GMT

Gentle, Loud, Gentle, Loud. Simple.:king

Foals - Spanish Sahara

Crystal Castles f/ Robert Smith of The Cure

Cold War Kids - Louder Than Ever

Tinie Tempah - Pass Out

MSB: Daft Punk, Prodigy Vs Jay-Z, Rhianna Vs Eminem, Klaxons

ogryn — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 22:07:24 GMT

Klaxons - Twin Flames

The most disturbing, NSFW video you'll see all year.

Jay-Z - 99 Problems (Prodigy Remix)
Free Download! http://media.nme.com.edgesuite.net/a...%20(DIRTY).mp3

Rhianna & Eminem - Love The Way You Lie Pt.2

Slowed down with much more Rhianna than the original

Daft Punk - Derezzed

Best soundtrack in a long long time?

MSB: Editors, Tinchy Stryder, Lykke Li

ogryn — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:31:45 GMT

Editors - Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool

Missed this one when the album came out. Really like it now.

Tinchy Stryder - GAME OVER (FEAT. GIGGS, PROFESSOR GREEN, TINIE TEMPAH, DEVLIN, EXAMPLE & CHIPMONK)

Pretty much every player in UK HipHop at the moment on one track. Window shattering beat.

Lykke Li - Get Some

Yay. She's back with new stuff!

MSB: Mumford & Sons, The Main Drag, The Drums

ogryn — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 12:38:31 GMT

Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man

BANJO!

The Main Drag - A Jagged Gorgeous Winter

The Drums - Let's Go Surfing

MSB: Rose Elinor Dougal, Blood Red Shoes, Mark Ronson

ogryn — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:43:48 GMT

Rose Elinor Dougall - Start/Stop/Synchro

Has a great 60's pop vibe to it.

Blood Red Shoes - Light It Up

Followed by something to rock your socks

Mark Ronson & The Business International - The Bike Song

I'm trying not to repeat artists here, but this is so stupid and ridiculously catchy that I'm going to make an exception (full video here (embedding disabled))

I get a blog??

aliciakatherine — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 20:05:16 GMT

ha
well who knew?

MSB: DJ Shadow, Paul Smith, Clare Maguire

ogryn — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 13:17:29 GMT

Something of a chill-out session this Sunday. Grab a blanket and cup of hot chocolate, light the fireplace and switch the lights off... here we go:

DJ Shadow - I've Been Trying

Paul Smith - Our Lady of Lourdes

Dreamy guitar swooping in and out.

Clare Maguire - Ain't Nobody (Breakage Remix)