Best of 2015: Albums

There have been so many fantastic albums this year, it’s genuinely been a good year for music. Here are my top 15 albums of 2015, along with a notable song from the album.

Some aligning in this post didn’t work, sorry!

       15. Anthems for Doomed Youth – The Libertines

I was rather nervous when I heard The Libertines would be returning, but, they pulled it off. The Libertines’ Anthems for Doomed Youth restores the band in Brit culture successfully.

14.   My Love Is Cool – Wolf Alice

Each song is unique and each song is produced with care. Wolf Alice’s debut album is refreshing and youthful, seeming intelligent and the band coming across as genuinely passionate about the music they release, with each track on the album being worthy of your time.

13.   Beauty Behind the Madness – The Weeknd

2015 was The Weeknd’s year (for the most part), right? While tracks like The Hills and In The Night stand out a lot, not only on the album but in the music industry for this year, the album felt underwhelming for me. Nevertheless, it is a fantastic album and well-deserving of it’s insane applaud. 

12. Our Own House – MisterWives

(Sorry if the video isn’t aligned, I spent ages in HTML and Compose mode trying to centre it but it just wouldn’t work with me) 

MisterWives’ fresh, dynamic sound appealed to me a lot in spring this year, I swiftly recommended their music to some friends after discovering Hurricane on Spotify. I then discovered their album which released a few months before, I was impressed by the indie pop sound and thoroughly enjoyed how energetic their music was.

    11. Unguarded – Rae Morris

Having been familiar with Rae Morris through her work with Bombay Bicycle Club, I decided to check out her own music. Rae Morris’ Unguarded capitalises on her smooth vocals in the best way possible, the songs are accomplished and the song-writing is immersive and creative which leads to a pleasant listening experience.

10. Pharmacy – Galantis

I first discovered Galantis’ hit Runaway (U & I) back in November whilst looking up music videos for college, I quickly discovered Peanut Butter Jelly and found I had a taste for Galantis’ music. Runaway, a few months later, became a hit worldwide, followed by Peanut Butter Jelly. Having looked into Galantis even more, I pre-ordered their album and enjoyed it thoroughly. It was a nice, albeit insanely entertaining, deviation from everything else that tops the charts nowadays.

9. Wishes – Rhodes

Rhodes is one of my favourite artists to have ’emerged’ in 2015, it’s refreshing to hear something so unique come from somebody so talented, with such a combination being lost so often in the production process. Wishes is a thought-provoking, creative debut album that is so, so appealing and pleasant to listen to. 

       8. Surrender – Hurts

While the album is a lot more energetic and euphoric than it’s predecessors, Hurts’ Surrender still manages to pay tribute to Hurts’ unique and known sound. Every sound is harmonic and every word is sung with passion, additionally adding some fun to Hurts’ often melodramatic sound. The album flows nicely and easily, meaning it’s easy to get lost in the sound.

7.   Get to Heaven – Everything Everything

Get to Heaven is fun, energetic and… slightly bizarre? The pacing of the album is particularly appealing, with tracks like No Reptiles and Distant Past exploring indie pop meeting pop in such an abstract, artistic way that can often become unrecognised when listening to the album. 

6.   Froot – Marina and The Diamonds

Marina and The Diamonds’ third album Froot is a complete deviation from her previous music that works in Froot’s favour, as we hear a much more personal album from Marina. Admittedly, my first impressions weren’t good, however after a few more listens the album grew on me. It’s worth noting that Marina took complete creative control over this album; she produced and wrote the album with as little ‘big-name’ help as possible which is absolutely admirable when you consider the quality of the songs, which progresses throughout the album. Froot is a naturally powerful album, the lyrics are thoughtful and the sound is unique in the current music industry. 

     5.   What Went Down – Foals

This album was one of my most highly anticipated, and it lived up to expectations. What Went Down is an outstanding, must-have album in which Foals embrace their sound and nurture it, becoming slightly more mature in the music they create while maintaining the sound we all know and love.

4.   Chaos and The Calm – James Bay

James Bay’s Chaos and The Calm feels genuine and tender, sounding gentle and compassionate. James Bay thrives on a sense of intimate familiarity in his confessional lyrics and emotionally honest vocals. Chaos and The Calm is poignant and intimate and thus worthy in being one of the best of 2015.

3.   25 – Adele

      

Adele’s long-awaited, surprise, return was huge; and, while perhaps slightly overhyped, was stupidly excellent. My particular favourites on the album are Water Under The Bridge, Remedy and When We Were Young. 25 is full of heart-wrenching, stylistically-different songs that perhaps show a lighter, reflective perspective from Adele that deviates from two previous albums full of sad songs crafted to make you want to cry.

2.   Communion – Years + Years

Years & Years’ Communion is a masterpiece, shining in the light of a new wave of popular music. The music feels authentic and personal, despite the dancefloor-filling sounds that accompanies it (which in this case, is a good thing). Going track-by-track, it’s difficult to find one that isn’t underwhelming, because each song is unique in it’s own way that it’s difficult to compare. 

Honourable mentions

Blue Neighbourhood – Troye Sivan, Caracal – Disclosure, The Way Back Up – Prides, True Colors – Zedd, A Head Full of Dreams – Coldplay, Wilder Mind – Mumford & Sons

1.   How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful – Florence + the Machine

Florence’s return to the music industry is the best thing that could have happened in 2015, I could not have been any more excited than I was for this album. Florence’s new rock/pop sound is intriguing and worthy of attention and praise. How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is a force to be reckoned with, the album flowing so easily. I’d recommend listening to this on vinyl, also, it’s even more stunning than you’d expect. The emotional depth and charismatic sound is worth noting, with Florence now being much less reliant on operatics to convey a powerful message that also makes you want to jump around and dance.

Best Of 2015: Songs

So many brilliant songs have been released this year, here’s my top 25 tracks, along with a Spotify playlist at the end so you can listen to them all!

25. I Wanna Get Lost With You – Stereophonics
24. Trip Switch – Nothing But Thieves
23. Emily – San Fermin
22. Magnets – Disclosure feat. Lorde
21. Beat Of My Drum – Powers
20. Gunga Din – The Libertines
19. Peanut Butter Jelly – Galantis
18. Hurt Me – Låpsley
17. Alive – Sia
16. Wings – Hurts
15. Adventure of A Lifetime – Coldplay
14. Let It All Go – Rhodes & Birdy
13. Believe – Mumford and Sons
12. Lean On – Major Lazer, MØ and DJ Snake
11. Let It Go – James Bay

10. Run Away With Me – Carly Rae Jepsen

This is the pop song of 2015, surprisingly to say the least. I must confess, I’m not a huge Carly Rae Jepsen fan, but I’ve been trying to ‘broaden my horizons’ in my music interests because limiting yourself to a specific genre to define your character is boring (but that’s a topic for another time, but I also briefly wrote about it here). ‘Run Away With Me’ excels in it’s nostalgic pop sound, relying on the ‘heat of the moment’ and a complete outburst of joy and love to formulate a fun, free-feeling song.

9. Weathered – Jack Garratt

Brit Awards’ 2016 Critics’ Choice winner Jack Garratt has had a brilliant year. I first heard Weathered on Clara Amfo’s show on BBC Radio One and fell in love. It’s unique sound and nostalgic feel is one I hadn’t heard a lot of lately, so this song really is special. Garratt’s unique creation process is also one to look into, it’s very interesting.

8. Regret – Everything Everything

Everything Everything have been one of my favourites for 2015, I love the feel of their music. True ‘vibes’ as all the cool people would say.  Admittedly, when I first came across Everything Everything’s music in 2014 I was more than confused, overwhelmed by their sound, but they grew on me and I quickly became infatuated with their sound.

7. The Hills – The Weeknd

How could I not have had The Weeknd on this? While I do struggle with the vocals at times (not that they’re bad, just perhaps a bit too screechy at times for my taste, hence the lack of Justin Bieber), The Hills is intense, sultry and confident in the best possible way. Besides, how bizarre is that hair?

6. Someone New – Hozier

Don’t be fooled by the sound of this song, the story is actually quite sad and honest. Hozier’s a genius, and his album is most definitely worth a glance, this song being a mere glimpse of the album’s musical integrity and strength. Someone New is easy to reflect on, even if, like myself, you struggle to relate to the message. It gives you something to think about, which music is all about.

5. Mountain At My Gates – Foals

Foals’ return was so so very exciting and the music was better than ever, slightly experimental and slightly more powerfully rhythmic than before in the best possible way known to man. The constant moving beat makes easily draws your attention and makes you listen to the song and the story behind it. Great song.

4. Blue – Marina and the Diamonds

‘Blue’ is jam-packed with fun, nostalgic, electro-pop sounds infused with the whole ‘I know we’ve broken up but I really miss you’ vibes going on in this song. Marina’s ‘Blue’ is charming and reminiscent of olden times in the best of ways. Marina’s an expert at contrasting sound with lyrics (which is a theme in this list) and she perfects it with this song. 

3. Hello – Adele

I know, I know, it’s kind of blasphemy to not have Adele at the top, and while I’m a huge fan of this song and her latest album ’25’, I feel that hype overwhelms quality with this track. Of course, it is a fantastic song, and her raw vocals and the lyrics are superb, hence why it’s ranked so highly, however I do feel as if the hype and excitement over Adele’s return was slightly overbearing at times. Nevertheless, this is a brilliant song. 

2. Ship To Wreck – Florence + the Machine

There’s a reason why this song is nominated for a Grammy, it’s because it’s just so darn good. Florence’s killer vocals shine in this upbeat and fluid song which entrances you from the first listen. The raw emotion heard can be tremendously moving if you’re not too busy shimmying away to the track, indicating a slight sophistication which is refreshing and unique to the ear.

1. King – Years & Years

When deciding on my best song of 2015, I took some time to think about the song that had the biggest impact on my life. I remember discovering Years & Years’ ‘King’ while browsing Buzzfeed in Sixth Form, I came across an article about the music video so I decided to take a watch. I became obsessed. I specifically remember walking home from town one day in January and I had Years & Years playing on repeat for the entire walk. I’m still as obsessed as I was when this came out, and actually, this song has perhaps formed a few friendships for me which is why it’s special. The song itself is superbly produced, the chorus is catchy as hell and the verses flow easily to connect the entire song. This will remain one of my favourite songs for a long, long time. 

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That’s all for now. Tomorrow will be ‘Best of 2015: Films’ so be sure to check back for that!

Bye!

My November Soundtrack

Hello! Welcome to ‘My November Soundtrack’, a monthly feature on Totally Culture where I list 10 songs I’d been listening to that month, some old, some new. Let’s get started. I think this might be my favourite soundtrack so far, particular favourites being Zibra, Andrew McMahon and Billie Marten.

I don’t really recall how I came across this song, I heard it before the album came out and thought it was epic, in a tender yet powerful way. Basically, Ellie Goulding-style. Powerful enough to evoke emotion but tender enough to listen in any situation. 

I first heard this on Radio 1 (it’s actually a good source for music, the majority of this playlist comes from the radio station). While I have no idea what Fetty Wap is saying (seriously, it’s just inaudible to me), the chorus is catchy and seriously feel-good. It’s just a fun song to listen to, the video is insanely good too!

Again, I discovered this on Radio One. I’ve quickly become a huge Billie Marten fan, and this song is the perfect reason why. It’s incredibly moving and gentle, and Billie’s vocals are on point. I love the story behind it, and the video itself is visually stunning, and just as moving as the song itself. It reminds me of Virginia Woolf, my favourite author, which makes my love for the song a lot stronger.

To put it simply, Avicii simply makes good music. It’s infectious, once you hear one of his songs you have to listen to more. I love the revised sound on this, going back to his country/dance blend in the best possible way. 

Guess where I discovered this song… Radio One, yes. I used to be obsessed with Eliza and The Bear’s song ‘Friends’, but I hadn’t heard ‘Lion’s Heart’ yet, so upon hearing this I quickly became just as obsessed. It makes me feel slightly nostalgic, reminding me of 2013 for some reason. It’s just a nice, feel-good song, Eliza and The Bear always manage to make fantastic music. 

You may be surprised to know I didn’t discover this from Radio One, because, of course, it’s the song from that John Lewis advert. Aurora was previously on my October soundtrack, with ‘Murder Song (5,4,3,2,1)’, and it’s nice to have some consistency. Aurora’s cover of the Oasis song is nice and gentle, and when combined with the John Lewis advert it’s very moving. 

I discovered this song while watching Supergirl (it’s a really good show, by the way), as soon as I heard the song I paused the show and started searching for it. It’s a really fun and uplifting song, and it’s quickly become a solid favourite for November. It makes me feel very nostalgic, circa-2012/2013, reminding me of my friends and all the outings we’d have back then before we all grew up and went seperate ways. This song is my new obsession, it makes me very happy.

Jamie Lawson is signed to Ed Sheeran’s label, and you can definitely tell that the two are connected from simply listening to the song. It’s brilliant. Guess where I first heard it? Radio One. Thanks Clara Amfo. It’s a solid debut, and the video is heartbreaking.

I’m just going to say it… Radio One. This is an epic song, similar to the Andrew McMahon song as it reminds me of 2012/2013 and my pals. It’s a fun and quirky song, it’s my favourite type of music, and the lyrics are great. Fab stuff. The video is so good, it makes me very happy. 

This was difficult because, of course, Adele’s album only just came out. This has quickly become one of my favourite songs from Adele, and it’s unexplainable because it’s so moving yet so uplifting at the same time. It’s slightly deceptive, but it’s brilliant. 

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That’s all for now. It’s December, so expect to see some Christmas-themed posts, as well as the usual throughout the month as we head into the new year.

See you soon!

Bye!

Totally Culture

Curtis

Adele ’25’ Review

Hello. It’s me, I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to read… my review of ADELE’S NEW ALBUM. YES YES YES!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/YQHsXMglC9A?feature=player_embedded

‘Hello’ is, of course, the best known track from the album, but in the context of the album’s narrative it’s an intense and moving introduction to the next stage of Adele’s life and musical career. It sets the theme, this being reflection on relationships and the past in general, yet successfully re-establishes place in the music industry. The track itself is truly emotive and powerful, although the opening lines are tender and careful which provides a nice contrast when that develops into the aforementioned emotional power of the song. I do believe that ‘Hello’ will remain one of Adele’s most popular songs for years to come, and rightly so, as it’s a brilliant song. 

‘Send My Love (To Your New Lover)’ manages to combine sass and strength in the best possible way. Upon first hearing the track, I wasn’t too sure if it worked. After a few more listens, I warmed to it. I was surprised at the musical direction, the initial indecisiveness being that I was expecting ballad after ballad on this album, yet ‘Send My Love’ is upbeat and fresh. This works in the songs favour, while it could have easily been a ballad, it seems Adele wanted to show strength in this song, and does so successfully by adding some funk and sass. It’s a great song, and could very easily be successful, however I feel it may take a few listeners some time to warm to it. 

‘I Miss You’ also surprised me, in a sense that it’s sultriness was completely unexpected. I genuinely thought I had somehow started listening to a Beyoncé song instead of Adele until the vocals kicked in. Yet, again, Adele manages to give an abundance of emotion and sense of connection in this song, or perhaps a desire for connection in the case of this song.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/DDWKuo3gXMQ?feature=player_embedded

Check that high note though, because ‘When We Were Young’ is one of the most touching and magnificent songs Adele has released. Adele has a way of intriguing you with a simple 5 seconds of introduction, and with this song especially you know that it’s going to be that Adele song that makes you tear up. This is the epitome of reflection in this album, focusing on the glamorisation of young relationships, when actually, it’s broken and painful to experience. Adele’s vocals are at an all time high in this song, and it’s easy to disregard the emotion she puts into this song. Take some time to listen to the lyrics, listen to her voice. It’s awe-inspiring.

When I first heard ‘Remedy’, this was the song that got to me the most. The story Adele tells in the song is heart-breaking, it resonates with everyone. “When the pain cuts you deep, when the night keeps you from sleeping, just look and you will see I will be your remedy”. How vulnerable are those lyrics? She’s giving her time to help somebody, she wants to ‘cure them’. It’s something we all experience. The song itself is wonderfully produced, a simple piano, no backing vocals, a stripped-back Adele song that still manages to be poignant and contemplative. Adele really hits the mark with this song.

‘Water Under The Bridge’ is my favourite song from ’25’. I went for a walk earlier (writing this on the day of release) and had this song on repeat for the entire 40 minutes. The song is epic, production-wise, lyrically, vocally, it’s simply epic. The lyrics are sincerly heart-breaking – “don’t pretend that you don’t want me” being a prime example. The production on ‘Water Under The Bridge’ is deceptive, disguising the sadness of the song behind a fun and hip stylised song. Dare I say it, but this is in fact my favourite Adele song of all time, and easily has potential to become my favourite song in general if I don’t overplay it due to loving it so much. Would it be weird to say that I’m actually thankful for this song, because it really is stunning. 

‘River Lea’ is slightly gospel-like which works in the songs favour, because it makes the song much more easy and comforting to listen to. It’s a fun song, ‘River Lea’ manages to be empowering and defining for Adele in her new artistic direction. It’s definitely a song not to be missed.

Similar to ‘When We Were Young’ and ‘Remedy’, my first impression of this song was that it was going to be a heartbreaking song. Perhaps this song has the potential to be ignored when placed against songs such as ‘Water Under The Bridge’ and ‘Remedy’, but it does deserve recognition for remnants to Adele’s past music.

‘Million Years Ago’ is another stripped-back track on the album, with Adele’s vocals being tender and almost considerate. Similar to ‘Love In The Dark’, my initial thoughts were that this song could be pushed aside for the ‘bigger’ songs on the album, but the reaction to ‘Million Years Ago’ on social media, Twitter especially, has glorified the song, which I found interesting. Perhaps a song doesn’t need huge production to be a hit with the listeners, sometimes it’s nice to sit back and listen to a stripped-back song (it’ll still make you cry though).

While ‘All I Ask’ is another stripped-back song, it stands out on the album because of it’s story. One last night with her lover – “what if I never love again”, perhaps something that resonates strongly with listeners. I wouldn’t know, personally, yet it still gets to me. The heartbreak heard so clearly in Adele’s vocals have a huge impact on the song. 

How do you end an album about reflection and heartbreak? With ‘Sweetest Devotion’ of course, a song about the present. Adele’s found happiness, and you can really hear that in this song. She’s found her sweetest devotion, what Adele says is “the one that I belong to”. ‘Sweetest Devotion’ is a fantastic way to end the album, and a reassuring confirmation from Adele that one can actually find happiness, three albums later. 

To summarise, ’25’ does well with reflecting on the past, the narrative of the album is set clearly from the offset which is pleasant. While some songs can be lost due to the strength of others, when put together the album is powerful and exceeds the high expectations it has had for two long years. Standout songs include ‘Water Under The Bridge’, ‘When We Were Young’ and ‘Remedy’. Welcome back, Adele. 

5 stars

That’s all for now.

Bye!

Totally Culture

Curtis

My October Soundtrack

Welcome to my monthly soundtrack, featuring 10 songs I’ve been listening to during those 30/31 days. Dare I say it’s been a slightly slow-paced month for music, although it would be fair to say it’s been a rather slow year for the music industry (how much Justin Bieber can we take, seriously? Pls Justin just stop). However, mid-October to late October had some really good music. You might have heard of this person called Adele? Yeah, she came back, with a fantastic song. Let’s get started. 

1. Hello – Adele (of course)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/YQHsXMglC9A?feature=player_embedded

This is truly a masterpiece, I first came across that snippet of the single on Twitter and instantly fell in love. As Adele has stated, her upcoming album is a ‘make-up’ album, and we truly get a sense of that in this song. It reflects on the idea of what happens after the breakup, how they’re mending and reflecting on what could’ve been. Simply wanting to say ‘hello’, simply wanting to say ‘sorry’. The sombre tone and real lyrics are what makes this track one of the best of, not only October, but the year. 

2. Alive – Sia

https://www.youtube.com/embed/fhshMjRNhs0?feature=player_embedded

Funnily enough, this song was meant for Adele’s upcoming album 25, but it didn’t make the cut. You can definitely hear Adele’s impact on the song, with her being a co-writer on the track. This is a nice departure from Sia’s 1000 Forms of Fear, yet still manages to stay very Sia. Those high notes though, unachievable for any ordinary human being. Sia proves yet again that you don’t have to twerk and sing about drugs to make a killer song.

3. Love Me – The 1975

https://www.youtube.com/embed/TJ5bZuUlftI?feature=player_embedded

Can I make you all hate me by saying that I didn’t really ‘get’ The 1975 the first time round, but their first single from their second album suddenly appealed to me. Love Me of course sounds like it was created to bring back the attention of the fans, but it also got my attention (not being a fan of the first album bar one of two select songs) because it’s slightly different, it’s fun and it’s quirky, it has a really infectious ‘youthful’ feel to it. I think it’s safe to say I’m now a fan. 

4. Rollercoaster – Bleachers (and Charli XCX)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VlL8g-XusDQ?feature=player_embedded

This song makes me feel nostalgic for the 80s, despite me being born in 1997. I’m not entirely sure how that even works, but it’s a thing apparently. This is simply a really, really nice song to listen to. Yet, it makes me want to run around an American high school in a montage set in the 80s. 

5. Wings – Hurts

https://www.youtube.com/embed/PP4y92c0xV4?feature=player_embedded

This is possibly one of my favourite songs from 2015, already, and with Hurts’ newly released album Surrender I found myself having the majority of this list being songs from that album, I refrained and decided to have my absolute favourite from the album on here. For reference; two others that I really like are ‘Rolling Stone’ and ‘Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us’. Wings is a truly beautiful song, the chorus itself is a ‘raise your hands dramatically in the air and sing your heart out’ moment. It’s just a very much cooler and better version of a Westlife song and I definitely appreciate that. The story of the song is another thing, it’s moving yet so very touching, reflective yet makes you want to go outside and hug everyone you see. 

6. Shine A Light – BANNERS

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BANNERS’ Shine A Light is a feel-good, starting off slowly and quietly, quickly becoming a lively yet tender song. First hearing the song, I admired the blend of tender lyrics with the feel-good, anthem-like sound. You could definitely imagine this being sung at Glastonbury on the main stage at night, everybody singing along to the chorus. It’s simply a really great song. 

7. Fashion – The Royal Concept

https://www.youtube.com/embed/gJJjv8sYsiE?feature=player_embedded

I’m only now realising the potential context of this song, I should really listen properly sometimes. But, heck, it’s a good upbeat song. Take this scenario, you’re walking down the street in the early 90’s with your group of friends and you’re being all cool and ‘hip’ (perhaps use My Mad Fat Diary as a reference for this) and this song plays. It’s the ultimate ‘cool kids’ music, right?

8. Murder Song (5,4,3,2,1) – Aurora

https://www.youtube.com/embed/jTwdGRHl5Mw?feature=player_embedded

This is a really, really dark song with a flowy, nice and airy sound to it. I first heard it played by Clara Amfo on BBC Radio 1 and loved it, I looked into the song and read the lyrics and found it to be the perfect contradiction. It’s a beautiful sounding song, but the lyrics are so haunting and, perhaps even scary, that it combines to make a surprising song that’s both tender and heavy. Ever since hearing Aurora, I’ve become slightly obsessed with her work. I’d definitely recommend checking her out. 

9. Seventeen – Sjowgren

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tz_iUQQ2hI4?feature=player_embedded

This is a really cool song, it makes me feel nostalgic and chilled. You know, like, driving down the coast in a super cool convertible with your friends (not like that Friday video by Rebecca Black, imagine it a bit more cooler), hands up in the air, so much excitement and fun. This song makes me feel good about life. 

10. Beat of My Drum – Powers

https://www.youtube.com/embed/N8vq5hmkBEg?feature=player_embedded

This is simply just a feel-good song. I want to shimmy and do all the cool dance stuff when I listen to it. It’s fun, it’s energetic, it’s about doing your own thing (hence the title, beat of my drum). This is truly just a fantastic song that I’ve really enjoyed listening to, heck it was the first of these songs to make it onto my iTunes, usually I listen to music on Spotify unless I really want to commit to a song. Thus, this is a fab song.

 

P.s. there’s a really good remix of this song (The White Panda Remix), which makes me want to dance and shimmy even more than the original (which I thought wasn’t even possible). Check it out below:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/eCCNFMhYbPo?feature=player_embedded

That’s all for now. 

See you soon!

Byeeeee

Totally Culture

Curtis