A lockdown countdown - funky: The Lost Years (2015-19)

68. Kaytranada - What You Need (ft Charlotte Day Wilson)
2019


I love it 'cause: it's Kaytranada, and everything he touches is gold. Probably the most important black music producer of the last decade, alongside Dev Hynes. I can see this jazz-neo-funk vibe dominating soul and non commercial R&B for a few years, but I'd love it to eek into mainstream more and mix up the charts a bit, because commercial R&B is so stale right now. Charlotte Day Wilson is a singer to watch. Kaytranada dropped a surprise album last year, and this was my favourite track. @Jark , @ameraal I know you're a fan, what's your take on this one? "Taste", featuring VanJess, was my other choice cut from the album.
 
67. Galimatias - South
2018


I love it 'cause: it's more throwback R&B. Probably the most obscure (and maybe non-moopy) track on the list, I don't even know who Galimatias is, but this track is so sexy. The funky bassline, the mellow falsetto, the sexy production, it sounds like a track from Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite. It's a sex tune, for sure. But also a sunbathing by the pool track too.
 
66. London Grammar - Bones Of Ribbon
2017


I love it 'cause: it's London Grammar at their most epic and most moody. Just in time for their impending new album, this was my SECOND favourite track on a sensational second album, that was ALMOST as good as the debut. I'm so excited for the third outing. I'm also yet to see them live which is needs to be rectified in 2021.
 
from the sublime to the ridiculous :D

65. Fergie - You Already Know (ft Nicki Minaj)
2017


I love it 'cause: of the obvious early 90s production. Like a cross between Salt n Pepa and Betty Boo, it samples the infamous James Brown drum loops and Stax Soul samples that many dance and hip-hop artists were playing with 30 years ago. This was REALLY fun when it came out, an attempt at relaunching the Fergie brand, which didn't QUITE work out. I don't really listen to this any more, but I loved it at the time.
 
64. Haim - Right Now
2017


I love it 'cause: it's a fantastic showcase of the talents of the Haim sisters. This dropped huge in 2017 to launch their second album, and took them to new heights in terms of their status as great pop songwriters and musicians. I'm a HUGE fan of the late 80s rock-pop sound, from Heart to Fleetwood Mac to Roxette to Aerosmith and T'Pau and Belinda Carlisle, and while it's pretty big in 2020 they've been pushing it from the start. Apart from the brilliant live performance style of this video, I love the little production touches on this one - even though it's raw and instrumental, the background synth strings that kick in really evoke that 80s period of anthemic pop. As bass face sister says at the end of the video, "THAT's how you fucking do it!", they know they nailed this video in one take. Respect.
 
funky said:
68. Kaytranada - What You Need (ft Charlotte Day Wilson)
2019


I love it 'cause: it's Kaytranada, and everything he touches is gold. Probably the most important black music producer of the last decade, alongside Dev Hynes. I can see this jazz-neo-funk vibe dominating soul and non commercial R&B for a few years, but I'd love it to eek into mainstream more and mix up the charts a bit, because commercial R&B is so stale right now. Charlotte Day Wilson is a singer to watch. Kaytranada dropped a surprise album last year, and this was my favourite track. @Jark , @ameraal I know you're a fan, what's your take on this one? "Taste", featuring VanJess, was my other choice cut from the album.
Click to expand...

Yes, I looove this track - the best on the album, along with Taste and 10%. Such a sophisticated, shimmery vibe - it sounds like a cocktail party on a terrace overlooking the French Riviera at sunset. He is an immense talent. I don't know too much about Day Wilson but her track Work from a few years back is beautiful.
 
I will check out that Galimatias track because your description has me moist!
 
for some reason playlists never embed hun, it only works for songs and albums :(
 

63. Will Young - All The Songs
2019


I love it 'cause: it's just a very, very catchy pop song and he sounds great. This is RIGHT in his lane. Despite never watching Pop Idol and detesting "Evergreen", I've become a real Will Young fan over the years, in fact every passing album has gotten better than the last one, right up the absolutely brilliant Echoes. The most recent album wasn't quite as good but it was still worth a listen, and produced two great singles, this being the best.
 
62. Pink - Whatever You Want
2017


I love it 'cause: I love a good Pink ballad, I think her introspective songs are her MO. It didn't do too well for her as a single, but during her big comeback on the back of the (really great) "What About Us" I took a listen to the album and this track jumped out massively for me. I'm not a HUGE Pink fan as much as I respect her, as I don't like the punk-pop stuff she's known for, but I have loved a dozen or so of her stuff over the years and this is probably now my favourite (I also really love "Glitter In The Air" and "Nobody Else")
 
61. Oliver - Heart Attack (ft De La Soul)
2018


I love it 'cause: it's a perfect slice of Nu-Disco, and the De La Soul collab is inspired. I've talked about Oliver in @Jark 's nu disco thread, as I discovered them and their album Full Circle last year and it's absolutely brilliant. As good as anything Chromeo and the other nu disco pioneers have produced to date. I heartily recommend the whole album.
 
60. Twin Shadow - Saturday (ft Haim)
2018


I love it 'cause: it is epic, sun-soaked, 80s power pop. I wasn't familiar with Twin Shadow and I think they were recommended on YouTube, which makes sense because this sound has been my go-to music for the past couple of years now. The main reason Miley's Midnight Sky is my current favourite song. Haim make a brief but substantial appearance towards the end of the song, and they make everything better. So atmospheric, so nostalgic, so now.
 
A bit late to the party but happy to see Maggie Rogers make an appearance.

I need to dip into the stuff I've not heard.
 
there's a spotify playlist in here somewhere which I will keep adding to... :disco:
 
I really need to check out Twin Shadow more. I just listed to that song again and it's GLORIOUS
 
59. SoMo - First
2017


I love it 'cause: it has that chord structure of late 70s / early 80s RnB ballads that I love, like Michael Jackson and Prince. Smooth and soulful with a smidge of synthwave thrown in. No idea who he is, but he has quite a following on social media, and looking at this video you can see why. The more thirsty among you might enjoy this. So I'm tagging @dUb.
 
58. Ari Lennox - Facetime
2019


I love it 'cause: it's classic neo-soul (contradiction in terms). If neo-soul is making a genuine comeback, Ari Lennox should be at the forefront based on the merits of the Shea Butter Baby album, which was one of the best of last year. Channeling classic Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, I'd be curious if @dUb @Whatevar and @Loufoque like this.
 
57 Nicki Minaj - Chun Li
2018


I love it cause: it's everything Hip-Hop is supposed to be. Hard lyrics, rhythms that penetrate the skin, original, provocative. Nicki is so hit and miss for me - don't like her pop stuff, and don't like the genre-chasing trap stuff she does with Drake and Lil Wayne. But some of her guest appearances and solo tracks HIT HARD. This was the soundtrack to my summer 2018. The Barbie Tingz track is almost equally as sick.
 
funky said:
63. Will Young - All The Songs
2019


I love it 'cause: it's just a very, very catchy pop song and he sounds great. This is RIGHT in his lane. Despite never watching Pop Idol and detesting "Evergreen", I've become a real Will Young fan over the years, in fact every passing album has gotten better than the last one, right up the absolutely brilliant Echoes. The most recent album wasn't quite as good but it was still worth a listen, and produced two great singles, this being the best.
Click to expand...

LOVE this. LOVE him.
 
funky said:
57 Nicki Minaj - Chun Li
2018


I love it cause: it's everything Hip-Hop is supposed to be. Hard lyrics, rhythms that penetrate the skin, original, provocative. Nicki is so hit and miss for me - don't like her pop stuff, and don't like the genre-chasing trap stuff she does with Drake and Lil Wayne. But some of her guest appearances and solo tracks HIT HARD. This was the soundtrack to my summer 2018. The Barbie Tingz track is almost equally as sick.
Click to expand...

Chun-Li faded fast for me but I still LOVE Barbie Tingz. I've almost totally stopped listening to Nicki since she married a rapist and formed a working relationship with a paedo - it's just too difficult to justify. But Queen did have some really great stuff on it. love Miami too.
 
I forgot how much I love "Whatever You Want". I think it would have done far better had it been the second single instead of "Beautiful Trauma".
 
I think it WAS the second single in the UK. But it was one of those situations were it was pushed out too soon after the huge "What About Us", radio still hadn't let go of that, and it just got lost. A real shame.
 
Oh, in the States I seem to remember it came about a YEAR after "What About Us" and with a lazy live video to boot.
 
i'm quite afraid of looking properly at this thread cause it feels like it will suck me in for at least a day and i am a very busy person :evil:

like how did i not know that groove armada song? how???
 
Ha. I haven’t forgotten about it @Jark promises. I’m just having a mare with work. To be continued...
 
back by popular demand...

56. Ekkah - Figure It Out
2014


I love it cause: It so closely harks back to 80s groove you could almost be forgiven for thinking you've stumbled upon a lost classic. When that bassline kicks in, and then the mellow drum machine rhythms, the echoey guitar riffs... Evelyn King, Stephanie Mills, eat your heart out. They've never really taken off, but they remain quite active on spotify and YouTube, with a wealth of recent tracks all of the same vibe. This was one of their first releases, and remains their best IMO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Back
Top Bottom