Monday, January 4, 2016

top singles of 2015




10. 


WTF (WHERE THEY FROM) - Missy Elliott


Fun blip of a party record with Pharrell's propulsive mechanical beats. Not spectacular by Missy standards... but these days, few can reach Missy standards.








9.


HOTLINE BLING - Drake


Drake's heartache is quite acute on this cool, dreamy, bossa nova track.











8.


LET IT HAPPEN - Tame Impala


Epic psychedelic typhoon with a driving swirl of guitars and layered vocals from the Aussie rock band. Was excellent to see live at Radio City!









7.


I'M A RUIN / FORGET - Marina & the Diamonds


I had these catchy, pop-hooked singles on repeat from Marina in '15.














6.


MULTI-LOVE - Unknown Mortal Orchestra


Keyed-off with a baroque-pop piano intro and topped off with an infectious main melody line, Unknown Mortal Orchestra's tune builds into a sun-soaked, fuzzed-drummed embrace.








5.


DELIRIOUS - Susanne Sundfør


I was blown away by Susanne's towering tune (in a similar vein to Hounds of Love-era Kate Bush). Blissfully melodramatic.










4.


CAN'T FEEL MY FACE - The Weeknd


The best thing to happen to mainstream radio this year was The Weeknd's suggestively-lyric-ed MJ throwback.








3.


FEEL YOU - Julia Holter


Gentle strings, oohs and ahhs, stuttering drums and twinkly harpsichords: Holter's song is a crafty swoon.











2.

SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER - Sufjan Stevens


Heartbreakingly beautiful and gentle elegy from Stevens.











1.


DEPRESTON - Courtney Barnett


What was the song that stood out to me the most in '15? Barnett's "Depreston"--a chilly gentrifying house warming party with disarming, concrete image-laden lyrics, a repetitive Dylan-esque melody and Barnett's clear-cutting voice.



1 comment:

  1. You picked a few I hadn't heard of, so I'll be listening to those now. My husband and I randomly quote Hotline Bling to each other all the time. It's a fun song.

    ReplyDelete