Top 40 Tracks of 2008 21-40

No preamble. Let’s go…..

 

21. Bryn Christopher: Smilin’

Because we needed another pretty young soul boy with near histrionic vocals. 

22. Martha Wainwright: So Many Friends

Album number 2 not quite as amazing as the first, but she did have some production fairy dust more liberally sprinkled this time.

23. Dizzee Rascal, Calvin Harris and Chrome: Dance Wiv Me

None more English and much greater than the sum of its parts. Boppability guaranteed.

24. Notus feat. Shena: Still In Love With You (Tom Novy Remix)

Another faceless piece of house than somehow leapt off the iPod and became for one glorious five minutes, the most poignant thing I had ever heard. And then I got sober again.

25. Mark Brown feat. Sarah Cracknell; The Journey Continues

Yes, that operatic vocal from the bank ad turned into an amazing/annoying floorfiller with some help from her from Saint Etienne.

26. Sam Sparro: Black And Gold

Dapper Aussie’s standout piece of wonky pop. Great video too which has ‘embedding disabled by request’ [rolls eyes].

27. Steve Mac: Paddy’s Revenge

Utterly demented house track with a vaguely Irish-sounding accordian sample running through it. The crowd went apeshit when I played this at the London gig.

28. Joan As Police Woman: To Be Lonely

Ms Wasser et al returned with more tasteful melancholia. This track tries (too hard?) to be Real Life Pt II. Still great though.

29. Kanye West: Love Lockdown

This is here because I admire enormous hip hop stars who randomly turn to 80s synths and AutoTune to purge their inner demons while dividing their fanbase in two in the process.

30. Sebastien Tellier: Divine

Cheeky devil represented France in the Eurovision with this and – dammit to hell – didn’t win.

 

31. Filo & Peri feat Eric Lumiere: Anthem

Because occasionally I feel a little Clubcore Bangin’ Mental 7.

32. Little Boots: Meddle (Designer Drugs 80s Coke Remix)

And I’m still going. Sounds like Michael Sembello getting into a punch up with Bonnie Tyler.

33. Morgan Page feat. Lissie: The Longest Road (Deadmau5 Remix)

Grammy-nominated remix no less! Classy bitch.

34. Usher: Moving Mountains

When he plaintively sings ‘Just leave me be. Just leave me be’, it sounds like it’s directed at Ne Yo and Akon and whatever other four-letter usurpers that have appeared. Usher still has better tits though.

35. Ashlee Simpson: Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)

Pretend it’s not by Ashlee Simpson, you horrid prejudiced people. It’s pop-bonkers-tastic in a B52s/Ting Tings way (oh shit, I forgot the Ting Tings…)

36. The Killers: Human

Pet Shop Boys meets Johnny Cash.

37. Fleet Foxes: White Winter Hymnal

A good example of the sudden-enough trend of American bands being rather cerebral and literary. And hairy.

38. Kylie Minogue: The One (Freemasons Remix)

Freemasons do a flawless remix. Kylie’s best single in aeons. Lowest chart result yet. Oops.

39. The Drill feat. Firetruck & Antartica: Piano Mano

Utterly ridiculous track that may have been made for people on drugs. KNOCKOUT when the first seemingly interminable build up breaks into a glorious deep farty bass explosion.

40. Moony: I Don’t Know Why (Jerome D’isma-Ae Remix)

I have a soft spot for lovely Monica ‘Moony’ Bragato. Great powerful voice that we first heard on DB Boulevard’s Point Of View and since then she has made at least three fantastic proper song dance tracks. Bless!

 

 

Right, 20 to 11 soon, pop pickers. 

It’s Mix Time: Recessionista

I may be poor but I’m not cheap etc etc…

So everyone has or will be made redundant as a result of securitisation and other made-up things, but we can still dance, right?

We’ve got lots of this year’s critical darlings such as Lykke Li, Santogold and Ladyhawke. All of whom will be forgotten this time next year when we are talking about Empire Of The Sun and Little Boots. We’ve got a groovy proper dancey mid-section. We’ve got some class with the Grammy award nominated Deadmau5 mix of Morgan Page. We’ve got some Kings of Leon (Kings of Leon!!!) for Dr Pat Jones who insisted I play it last time I DJed (and I didn’t ha ha. But it is totally amazing.). Then it all goes to hell in a handbag and Soulwax heavy metal up Kylie, Diplo fucks around with Marlena Shaw and Enda dispenses with time signatures entirely.

And nowhere else will you hear The Undertones being mixed into Ashlee Simpson.

 

Recessionista

1. Lights Out (David Rubato Remix) Santogold
2. Paris Is Burning Ladyhawke
3. I’m Good, I’m Gone Lykke Li
4. We Are The People (Ted & Francis Remix) Empire Of The Sun
5. Fuck the Kids (Peaches vs. MGMT vs. Soulwax vs. Yeah Yeah Yeahs) Eve Massacre
6. Paper Planes (Cold Blank Remix) M.I.A.
7. That’s Not My Name (Tom Neville Remix) The Ting Tings
8. Falling Rockets (Original Mix) Cicada
9. Dream On (Warren Clarke Club Mix) Christian Falk feat. Robyn
10. Two Of Hearts Annie
11. Meddle (Designer Drugs 80’s Coke Jam Remix) Little Boots
12. Sex on Fire Kings Of Leon
13. Human The Killers
14. Teenage Kicks The Undertones
15. Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya) Ashlee Simpson
16. California Soul (Diplo/Mad Decent Remix) Marlena Shaw
17. Cant Get You Out Of My Head (Soulwax Kyluss Remix) Kylie Minogue
18. The Longest Road (Deadmau5 Remix)  Morgan Page feat. Lissie

Download Recessionista (320kbpm, 160MB 70mins continuous mix mp3). Just feckin’ do it already.

If that’s all a bit heavy weather, why not get yourself some mince pies, mulled wine and download my gentle seasonal Scarves & Gloves mixes instead?

It’s Mix Time: Drink Canada Dry

I was going to wait til next week to share the new mix so that I could start with “Free at last! Free at last!”, but to hell with it, here it is.

I’m off to Canada for a fortnight from Sat 28th. Good timing, as the day before I will have handed in my 4,000 word assignment for the OU (which is currently at an, ahem, interesting stage…)

We’re starting in the west in Vancouver then making our way across the country taking in various cities and ending up in Toronto. With a bungee jump somewhere in there (and car hire: I have to drive a few hundred kilometres on the wrong side of the road – I’m not sure which is more terrifying!).

Anyway, in celebration of all things Canadian, here is a mix of all of my favourite Céline Dion and Bryan Adams tracks. 

Or, maybe this:

Tracklist

1. Head To Toe (Seamus Haji Big Love Mix) Seamus Haji feat. Doug Lazy
2. When You Touch Me (Original Club Mix) Freemasons feat. Katherine Ellis
3. Pjanoo (Original Mix) Pryda
4. Funk (Robbie Rivera Mix) Matteo Esse
5. I Believe (Cahill Mix) Soultronics feat. Max C.
6. Chase The Sun (A Side Mix) Planet Funk
7. The One (Freemasons Vocal Club Mix) Kylie Minogue
8. In Love With You (Original) Atrium
9. Gotta Let Go (Paul Emanuel Club Mix) A Lee feat. Amanda Wilson
10. The Electric Road Morgan Page vs. Lifelike
11. Give It 2 Me (Paul Oakenfold Remix) Madonna
12. I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Freemasons Mix) Marvin Gaye
13. Young Offender (live) Pet Shop Boys

Download Drink Canada Dry continuous mix 89MB [mediafire link]

It’s Mix Time!: Even More Unacceptable In the 80s

Ok, you know the drill by now. Here’s another mix of 80s-inspired boogie nonsense. The tracks are covers, remixes, have samples from or just sound a bit 80s.

Tracklist

1. Something Good 08 (Van She Tech Mix) Utah Saints
2. Run To You (Red Kult Remix) Bryan Adams
3. Situation (Richard X Remix) Yazoo
4. With or Without You (Dr. Kucho! Rework) U2
5. I Want Your Love (Thomas Gold Remix) Jody Watley
6. I Can’t Wait (7th Heaven Remix) (feat. Kelly Marie) Kurtis Mantronik
7. Love To Love You Baby David Vendetta
8. Running Up That Hill (Datassette Remix) Kate Bush
9. Love Is A Stranger (Kolomboot Remix) Eurythmics
10. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ 2008 (Johnny Vicious Club Remix) Michael Jackson feat. Akon
11. Tuff Ass Disco Thingie Freemasons
12. Ain’t Nothin’ Going On But The Rent (Fonzerelli Remix) 7th Heaven feat. Katherine Ellis
13. Big Fun (Simian Mobile Disco Remix) Inner City
14. You Can’t Always Get What You Want (2008 Soulwax Remix) Rolling Stones

Download Even More Unacceptable in the 80s (mediafire link) (Remastered) 80 mins continuous mix 78MBs

Still available: the first Unacceptable In the 80s.