HYPE

Tokyo Police Club's second album, Champ, surprisingly does not suck. One of the few 2010 sophomores that not only didn't disappoint, but really caught me by surprise. Check out Bambi, that riff is ridonkulous. To think I wasn't even going to bother with this album makes me glad I second guessed myself.

Bambi - Tokyo Police Club

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Babara, We Are Scientists' third album, on the other hand; did suck. Big time. Check out Jack & Ginger, it's not as infuriating as the rest of the album.


Jack & Ginger - We Are Scientists

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Thunderheist are breaking up, I'd hardly call myself a true fan, but from what I've heard of theirs, this is a pretty sad announcement. This is their swan song.


Drive In - Thunderheist

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Everything Everything have a new song out, called Schoolin'. It's got the same sort of sound as the rest of their work, in fact, i'm beginning to suspect they are one-trick-ponies. Prove me wrong in August, Everything Everything.


Schoolin' - Everything Everything

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Elite Gymnastics is awesome. It's "Post-Chillwave", and if you never got on the Chillwave bandwagon to begin with then too fucking bad, progress waits for no man.

Is This On Me? - Elite Gymnastics

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Matt & Kim cooked up this infectious song a while ago but I'm late in discovering this one. It's called Daylight, and the keyboard at the start is rad.

Daylight - Matt & Kim

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Underworld were responsible for that massive club hit Born Slippy .NUXX (.NUXX was the version with vocals you iTunes tagging savages; make the correction now) way back when. You may remember it from the closing scene of Trainspotting, or maybe not, but if you youtube it or something you'll have one of those "Ohhhh, this song!" moments. This is their new song and it's really catchy, reminds me a lot of the Skins Theme by Segal, which is a great thing.

Scribble - Underworld

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Tame Impala show that even something as insulting as Midnight Juggernauts' sophomore, The Crystal Axis, is not without its silver lining.


Vital Signs - Tame Impala

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TOP 100 SONGS OF THE 2000's (89-80)

The 2000's are really one of the best eras to be in musically. Of course both the very wise and the very ignorant will argue against this statement, but no other point in time before this has it been both so easy to create music and share it with the world, and so possible to have it sound like whatever the hell takes your fancy.

I've always described the 2000's as an amalgamation of all of the best parts that have come before it. Whether it's fashion, design or music, all of it cuts and pastes from trends of the 60's, 70's, 80's and (thankfully least of all) the 90's. However due to the wonderful power of hindsight, we can trim off all those ugly fads that took the world by storm when we knew no better, and what we're left with is the best of the best.

And what better way to celebrate the versatility of this great time we live in (creatively at least), than to count down the top 100 songs of the 2000's.

100 - 90

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NUMBER 89


Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

Gnarls Barkley, the combination of Cee-Loo Green and Danger Mouse, has been one of the most successful projects of the 2000's so far. Crazy, their breakthrough single, served to characterise their unique sound, a modern spin on Soul and Funk, infused with a strong instrumental focus. Crazy took the world by storm, catapulting Gnarls Barkley into stardom. The music video is well worth a look as well for anyone with even a passing interest in graphic design or motion graphics.

NUMBER 88


How Near How Far - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead seem to receive consistent 10/10s from Pitchfork Media when it comes to album reviews. I never really understood what the draw was for a lot of their work, most of it came across to me as noisy, unrefined and entirely too long. That all changed when I heard How Near How Far, I really couldn't get enough of it and many years on it's still of those tracks I never skip when party shuffle throws it my way.

NUMBER 87


A-Punk - Vampire Weekend

Angular, brash, and strangely tribal, A-Punk is definitely the strongest song in Vampire Weekend's repertoire, and their most popular song to date. The upbeat tempo and fast-paced delivery of the lyrics achieves that rare quality of being a rock song that possesses real danceability. At only just over 2 minutes long, A-Punk is a kinetic and shortlived, but ultimately memorable affair.

NUMBER 86


Embrace - PNAU

I think part of the reason Embrace worked so well is that PNAU had the genius idea of crafting a truly awful album around it. After hearing most of the unintelligent, poorly arranged and ultimately jarring LP before reaching the epic dancefloor-filler, we can really come to appreciate how amazing this track really is. Although it has suffered from overplay to the nth degree, Embrace captured everyone's hearts and helped vocalist Pip Brown boost the hype for her upcoming solo project, Ladyhawke.

NUMBER 85


Space And The Woods - Late Of The Pier

The Gary Numan-esque debut single from Late Of The Pier was definitely one of the most interesting releases of 2007. Sounding like a crazy eclectic variation of Numan's Cars, and crafting its character around the highly popular Nu-Rave genre and scene made popular by Klaxons; Space And The Woods ended up being Late Of The Pier at their most restrained. Fantasy Black Channel took the Trippy-Electro-Rave sound established by the song to a whole new level.

NUMBER 84


Half Full Glass Of Wine - Tame Impala

Tame Impala are one of the latest in a series of exceptional talent coming out of Australia at the moment, along with Cut Copy, Van She, The Presets and many others, all of whom appear to by flying the Modular flag. Something about that label knows quality when it hears it, and these guys are no different. Sounding like a psychedelic flashback to the 60's and 70's, Tame Impala really do stand out against most music you will hear these days. Half Full Glass Of Wine is a furious plan hatched against an unfaithful lover, laced with both loathing and longing, concocted from too many nights spent waiting alone.

NUMBER 83


I'm Not Alone - Calvin Harris

Possibly the most inspired Calvin Harris effort to date, I'm Not Alone starts slow and sombre, then explodes into a 90's trance throwback synth line that will have you hooked from the first listen. Sing-along lyrics and catchy instrumental work, rapidly becoming somewhat of a Harris trademark, are definitely here. This is the sort of pop music everyone should be listening to.

NUMBER 82


Believe - The Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers have become a name synonymous with exceptionally crafted electronic music. With an incredibly long resume of superstar collaborations, chart topping hits and nigh universal acclaim, their reputation very much precedes them. Believe is a dark and brooding club track featuring guest vocals from none other than Bloc Party's Kele Okereke. The lyrics repeat over and over until they are drilled into your head in the very best way possible, and it's left up to the viewer whether they want to find the music video hilarious or frightening. All of it makes for a very memorable and intriguing concoction.

NUMBER 81


C'mon C'mon - The Von Bondies

The incredibly addictive and ingeniously short indie hit from The Von Bondies wrenches from you your complete attention for a mere two minutes and thirteen seconds, then leaves as abruptly as it burst forth. And then you hit repeat for the 30th time and the whole process starts all over again. That's the amazing thing about C'mon C'mon, it's like an old childhood friend you haven't seen in days, months or even years, as soon as you meet it again you just pick up right where you left off.

NUMBER 80


Club Foot - Kasabian

In every time capsule buried in 2004 for future generations to uncover, you will find an MP3 of Club Foot. So strong was the opening riff, so riveting the backing vocal chant and so adaptable to any EA Sports video game tracklist was the song that you'd have a better chance winning the lottery than meeting a person who hadn't yet heard it. One of the strongest examples of Indie-Dance/Stadium Rock fusion this decade.


More Tomorrow.

SUNDOWN SYNDROME

Perth Psychedelic rockers Tame Impala are currently in the process of putting together their highly anticipated debut album due out early next year.

But while we wait, they've been kind enough to release the double single Sundown Syndrome / Remember Me. The track drawing everyone in will likely be the former, with Sundown Syndrome featuring the dreamy 60's inspired psychedelia that has really made everyone sit up and take notice of these guys. It's also one of the only tracks in the last...well, ever, that has achieved effective and compelling use of the Kazoo.

Of course that's not to say that the Blueboy cover; Remember Me, will not impress. This song has been a favourite of the band to play during live shows, and it's really quite an interesting rendition.

Buy it from iTunes and decent record stores now.

Download

Sundown Syndrome - Tame Impala
Flow - Tame Impala

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