Saturday, December 31, 2016

New Years Eve Album of the Week/Year MixTape


It's New Years Eve and tomorrow you will unlock the second half of my BEST songs of 200, what will number 1 be? All will be revealed tomorrow evening ahead of a fresh new feature record in 2017.

2016 has been a weird and wonderful year for music, massive albums were not that frequent, Beyonce dropping "surprise" albums became a norm and it was again the year of the feat. The Featuring tracks.

Flume had one of the biggest years in music, he cleaned up at the 2016 ARIA Awards, he probably should have beat D.D Dumbo for the J Award and Never Be Like You was a global hit, his breakthrough global single.

Today/or tonight if your looking for a soundtrack to the four minute fireworks display that Clover insists on in Sydney, here it is:








Monday, December 26, 2016

Part One - The 200 BEST songs of 2016 {200-101}


101 - Drake - Fake Love

102 - Beyonce - Freedom {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}


103 - Hayden James - Just A Lover
104 - Kiira - Feels

105 - Radiohead - Daydreaming


106 - Flume - Heater 
107 - Matt Corby - Soothe Lady Wine
108 - Duke Dumont - Be Here 
109 - Allday - Sides {Feat. NYNE}
110 - Tove Lo - Cool Girl 
111 - Drapht - Mexico {Feat. Dune Rats}
112 - Tkay Maidza - Tennies
113 - Catfish & The Bottlemen - 7 
114 - Dope Lemon - Marinade 
115 - Schoolboy Q - Whatever You Want {Feat. Candice Pillay} 
116 - Tkay Maidza - Carry On {Feat. Killer Mike}
117 - Glass Animals - Youth 
118 - Emma Louise - West End Kids
119 - Thundamentals - Never Say Never
120 - Frank Ocean - Pink + White 
121 - Rufus - Say A Prayer For Me
122 - Dro Carey - Queensberry Rules {Feat. KUCKA} 
123 - AlunaGeorge - I Remember {Feat. Flume} 
124 - Drapht - All Love
125 - Thundamentals - Think About It {Ft. Peta & The Wolves} 
126 - Nicole Millar - Tremble 
127 - L D R U - Next To You {Feat. Savoi} 
128 - Justice - Alakazam !
129 - Two Door Cinema Club - Bad Decisions 
130 - Big Scary - Lone Bird 
131 - Bon Iver - 33 "God" 
132 - Highasakite - Someone Who'll Get It 
133 - The Preatures - I Know A Girl 
134 - Maggie Rogers - Dog Years
135 - Paces - 1993 (No Chill) {Feat. Jess Kent} 
136 - Beyonce - Six Inch {Feat. The Weeknd}
137 - The Weeknd - Party Monster
138 - Paul Dempsey - Morningless
139 - Golden Features - Wolfie {Ft. Julia Stone} 
140 - Frank Ocean - Ivy 
141 - Dope Lemon - Uptown Folks
142 - Solange - Don't Touch My Hair {Feat. Sampha}
143 - Banks - This is Not About Us
144 - Jagwar Ma - Ordinary
145 - Birds of Tokyo - Empire 
146 - Vince Staples - Smile
147 - Montaigne - Till it Kills Me
148 - What So Not & Burns - Trust 
149 - Airling - Move Me
150 - Justice - Safe And Sound 
151 - D.D Dumbo - Brother 
152 - Matt Corby - Wrong Man
153 - TA-KU & Wafia - Love Somebody 
154 - DMA'S - Too Soon 
155 - Sticky Fingers - Outcast At Last 
156 - Emily Foster - Black Smoke
157 - The Last Shadow Puppets - Miracle Aligner
158 - Slumberjack - Open Fire {Feat. Daniel Johns} 
159 - Remi - For Good {Feat. Sampa The Great} 
160 - Gang Of Youths - Native Tongue 
161 - GTA - Little Bit of This {Feat. Vince Staples}
162 - Jax Jones - House Work {Ft. Mike Dunn & MNEK} 
163 - The Avalanches - Frankie Sinatra 
164 - Flume - Numb & Getting Colder {Feat. Kucka}
165 - Hermitude - Vibration 
166 - Thomston X Wafia - Window Seat 
167 - Birdz - Black Lives Matter 
168 - Lisa Mitchell - The Boys 
169 - Ladyhawke - Let it Roll
170 - Katy B x Four Tet x Floating Points - Calm Down
171 - Calvin Harris - My Way
172 - Motez - Down Like This {Feat. Tkay Maidza}
173 - Hellions - Quality Of Life
174 - Lion Babe - Impossible
175 - NAO - Get To Know Ya 
176 - Radiohead - Desert Island Disk
177 - A.B. Original - I C U {Feat. Thelma Plum}
178 - Ngaiire - House On A Rock
179 - Kaytranada - Together {Feat. AlunaGeorge/GoldLink} 
180 - K. Flay - Blood In The Cut 
181 - Action Bronson, Mark Ronson & Dan Auerbach - Standing In The Rain
182 - The Naked & Famoud - Higher 
183 - George Maple - Sticks & Horses {Feat. GoldLink}
184 - Paul Dempsey - Idiot Oracle
185 - Young Franco - Drop Your Love {Feat. Dirty Radio} 
186 - Justice - Randy
187 - Danny Brown - Really Doe {Ft. Kendrick Lamar/Ab-Soul/Earl Sweatshirt} 
188 - Elk Road - Hanging By A Thread {Ft. Natalie Foster}
189 - Cassius - Action {Feat. Cat Power/Mike D} 
190 - Emma Louise - Talk Baby Talk 
191 - Solange - Cranes in the Sky
192 - Kanye West - No More Parties In L.A. {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
193 - Tourist - Run  
194 - Gretta Ray - Unwind
195 - Urthboy - Second Heartbeat {Feat. Sampa The Great/Okenyo}
196 - Rufus - Be With You
197 - Christine & The Queens - Tilted
198 - Kaytranada - Glowed Up {Feat. Anderson Paak.}
199 - George Maple - Lover
200 - Kimbra- Sweet Relief

Album of the year for 2016 & the winner is......


What a year it has been for Sydney boy FLUME, his album SKIN has features easily one of the biggest anthems for 2016, Never Be Like You featuring the amazing Kai (Toronto, Canada local) and his sold out tour across Australian venues was an achievement most local acts can only ever dream of.  Flume's second record SKIN is my Album of the Year for 2016!


2016 has been a difficult year for the album, it's been a great year for singles but the full length album seemed to be a hard one to nail. That said both FLUME and SIA respectively nailed their 2016 releases.

Both are Australian acts who have excelled locally and abroad, both have Grammy nominations and both albums sold gold (meaning just over 35,000 copies) locally.

FLUME has had an incredible year and his scoop at the Aria Awards last month proved he is top of the Australian pops (well maybe Dance Scene) and an artist for the future. He even managed to plug his passion for KEEP SYDNEY OPEN.

 

His companion EP to Skin is not only reinforcement that 2017 will continue to be exciting for FLUME.

Featuring guests like Vic Mensa, Kucka, Vince Staples, Tove Lo and Kai this album not only concretes Flume's place in the music world but helps launch other artists to his existing (and ever growing) fan base.

This album has been an incredible achievement and I am so happy to say the album of the year for 2016 is homegrown and super local for me as a Sydneysider.

Some other notable mentions are of course Sia's brilliant This is Acting, Beyonce's landmark record Lemonade, AlunaGeorge's terrific pop release I Remember and The Weeknd snuck in late in the year proving he truly is a Starboy.

What will 2017 bring for music and will I even have an album of the year next year or just stick to my 200 best singles?

Time will tell but with the xx preparing a new album to arrive next month and Sampha set to drop a record in February I may be wrong the full length album is not dead.

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Tomorrow - Album of the Year PLUS some of the BEST songs of 2016...


Tomorrow around 9:30am (Australian Boxing Day time) I will publish which album has done enough to be this years Album of 2016.

Will it be SIA?

- Three times Grammy nominated (two from This is Acting, one for songwriting commitments)
- Six times ARIA nominated, one win, she was however robbed on a few
- Three blockbuster hit singles from the record (one featured on a re-release)
- Worldwide the record has sold well over 300,000 copies
- Came in at number 9 at the end of year Canadian Albums chart and number 22 in the USA

Or will it be FLUME?

- Two times Grammy nominated
- Eleven times ARIA nominated, eight wins, whilst campaigning to Keep Sydney Open!
- Three hit singles, multiple guests and tracks like Wall Fuck that hit HARD!
- Australian and New Zealand number one album, US Dance number one album and over 35,000 sales Australia wide

Find out tomorrow morning, also tomorrow songs 200 all the way down to 101 will be posted.

In the meantime here is a cut from this weeks sensational feature album from Little Simz, 22 year old London native returns with a triumph of a second record.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Weekend Album of the Week - PLUS..



Monday, my Album of the Year for 2016 will be published, part one of the best songs of 2016 (200 to 101) will be published and a little earlier than last year New Years Day I will publish 100 all the way to 1 for the best songs of 2016.

Next week will be features all week on my Album of the Year for 2016, will it be Flume or Sia? One way or another it's an outstanding Australian album...

Friday, December 23, 2016

Friday Album of the Week


Check out a film of STILL IN WONDERLAND here and there are are loads of Soundcloud clips in previous posts and here is another ahead of the Album of The Year reveal on Monday!

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Dynamic Duo's of 2016 - Summer Music Lists Special - Part Three


20 - The Chemical Brothers
19 - Cassius
18 - The Kills
17 - Sofi Tukker
16 - Daft Punk
15 - Tegan & Sara
14 - Milky Chance
13 - PNAU
12 - Hermitude
11 - Justice
10 - Disclosure
9 - Ta-ku & Wafia
8 - Peking Duk
7 - The Aston Shuffle
6 - NxWorries
5 - Empire of the Sun
4 - Big Scary
3 - Broods
2 - A.B Original
1 - AlunaGeorge 

Friday, December 16, 2016

Fresh Friday Countdown #48 - Friday 16 December 2016


20 - Kid Cudi - Surfin' {Feat. Pharrell Williams}
19 - Golden Features - Wolfie {Feat. Julia Stone}
18 - Calvin Harris - My Way
17 - PON CHO - Frozen {Feat. Paige IV}
16 - Bliss N Eso - Friend Like You {Feat. Lee Fields}
15 - Thundamentals - Think About It {Feat. Peta & The Wolves}
14 - Drake - Fake Love
13 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
12 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
11 - Childish Gambino - Redbone
10 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
9 - Amy Shark - Adore 
8 - PNAU - Chameleon
7 - The xx - On Hold
6 - Milky Chance - Cocoon
5 - Mura Musa - Love$ick {Feat. A$AP Rocky}
4 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
3 - The Weeknd - Feel it Coming {Feat. Daft Punk}
2 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk}

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Female Artists of 2016 - Summer Music Lists Special - Part Two


20 - Sarah Blasko
19 - Nicola Millar
18 - Jess Kent
17 - NAO
16 - Ladyhawke
15 - Tash Sultana
14 - Kiira - Gold
13 - Gretta Ray
12 - Solange
11 - Maggie Rogers
10 - Amy Shark
9 - George Maple
8 - Banks
7 - Montaigne
6 - MO
5 - Vera Blue
4 - Tkay Maidza
3 - Anne-Marie
2 - Beyonce
1 - Sia


Saturday, December 10, 2016

Album of the Year Live: FLUME


Following my Flume Friday post, last night was all about the king of Australian dance music FLUME. The week he received his two grammy nominations and the year he won the ARIA for the Australian record of the year, I got to see Flume with a sell out crowd at Sydney's Superdome!

After winning (along with Album of the Year for Skin) 8 ARIA's this year FLUME is the king of the Australian castle and selling out (or close too) two Superdome's is a stretch for even the most seasoned international bands. I also read somewhere FLUME has sold over 200,000 tickets to concerts this year!

SMH didn't love the gig last night and "live" electronic gigs are tricky, but WTF I loved my FLUME live experience.

Last time I saw the 25 year old Northern Sydney lad was at the Hordern Pav will 5,000 other sweaty up starts and this time he up the anti to around 19,000 badly behaved young rug rats!

So FLUME has one of two albums of the year this year and honestly after last night SKIN is clearly an instant classic Australian record. After his breakout debut self titled record in 2012 FLUME is now a household name and I was so happy to see him kill it live.

The gig featured all the old hits like "Insane", "Holdin On" (way early in the set) and new favourites like "Say It" and "Smoke & Retribution". "Never Be Like You" is easily one of (if not) the best songs of 2016.

Skin an instant classic record and FLUME easily one of Australia's best exports.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Fresh Friday Countdown #47 - Friday 9 December 2016


20 - Maggie Rogers - Dog Years
19 - Golden Features - Wolfie {Feat. Julia Stone}
18 - Thundamentals - Think About It {Feat. Peta & The Wolves}
17 - Childish Gambino - Redbone
16 - Calvin Harris - My Way
15 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
14 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
13 - Drake - Fake Love
12 - PNAU - Chameleon
11 - The xx - On Hold
10 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
9 - Bliss N Eso - Friend Like You {Feat. Lee Fields}
8 - Amy Shark - Adore 
7 - Sia - Angel by the Wings
6 - Milky Chance - Cocoon
5 - Mura Musa - Love$ick {Feat. A$AP Rocky}
4 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
3 - The Weeknd - Feel it Coming {Feat. Daft Punk}
2 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk}

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Male Artists of 2016 - Summer Music Lists Special - Part One


20 - James Blake 
19 - Nick Murphy (FKA Chet Faker)
18 - Kendrick Lamar 
17 - ZHU 
16 - Kid Cudi 
15 - Nick Littlemore
14 - Childish Gambino 
13 - Kaytranada 
12 - Mac Miller 
11 - Bon Iver 
10 - Skrillex 
9 - Diplo
8 - Frank Ocean 
7 - Matt Corby 
6 - Chance the Rapper 
5 - Anderson Paak 
4 - The Weeknd 
3 - Illy
2 - Drake 

1 - Flume

Friday, December 2, 2016

Fresh Friday Countdown #46 - Friday 2 December 2016


20 - The Weeknd - Party Monster
19 - Tkay Maidza - Stimulation
18 - Kid Cudi - Surfin' {Feat. Pharrell Williams}
17 - Golden Features - Wolfie {Feat. Julia Stone}
16 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
15 - Childish Gambino - Redbone
14 - PNAU - Chameleon
13 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
12 - Calvin Harris - My Way
11 - Amy Shark - Adore 
10 - The xx - On Hold
9 - Drake - Fake Love
8 - Mura Musa - Love$ick {Feat. A$AP Rocky}
7 - Flume - Heater
6 - Milky Chance - Cocoon
5 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
4 - The Weeknd - Feel it Coming {Feat. Daft Punk}
3 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
2 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk}

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Spring Music List #7


Hitz of Spring 2016

20 - Rudimental - Healing {Feat. J Angel}
19 - Drake - Fake Love
18 - Kid Cudi - Surfin' {Feat. Pharrell Williams}
17 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
16 - Rick Ross & Skrillex - Purple Lamborghini
15 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
14 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
13 - Drake - Too Good {Feat. Rihanna}
12 - Mura Musa - Lovesick
11 - Hilltop Hoods - 1955 {Feat. Montaigne & Tom Thum}
10 - Amy Shark - Adore
9 - Calvin Harris - My Way
8 - MO - Final Song
7 - Drake - One Dance {Feat. Wizkid & Kyla}
6 - Sia - Cheap Thrills {Feat. Sean Paul}
5 - Empire of the Sun - High & Low
4 - Anne-Marie - Alarm
3 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
2 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk} 


Friday, November 25, 2016

Fresh Friday Countdown #45 - Friday 25 November 2016


20 - Anne-Marie - Alarm
19 - The Weeknd - Party Monster
18 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
17 - Empire of the Sun - High & Low
16 - PNAU - Chameleon
15 - Thundamentals - Think About It {Feat. Peta & the Wolves}
14 - Kid Cudi - Surfin' {Feat. Pharrell Williams}
13 - Childish Gambino - Redbone
12 - Milky Chance - Cocoon
11 - Calvin Harris - My Way
10 - The xx - On Hold
9 - Amy Shark - Adore 
8 - Drake - Fake Love
7 - The Weeknd - Feel it Coming {Feat. Daft Punk}
6 - Mura Musa - Love$ick {Feat. A$AP Rocky}
5 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
4 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
3 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
2 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk}

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

ARIA's 2016...


God Kyle S you are an interesting gentleman, thank god FLUME won the BEST POP RELEASE for maybe this years biggest hit with Kai, Never Be Like You. I may or may not have predicted this HERE, Flume unfortunately didn't back it up with the publicly voted Best Video, that went to young up start TROYE SIVAN for Youth. Well done Troye.

Well done to BERNARD FANNING for winning Best Adult Contemporary Album, I actually thought Paul Kelly would win, oh well.



FLUME not surprisingly won Best Dance release again with Never Be Like You. Well done, I also predicted this little win HERE



It was an easy pick selecting the brilliant boys from Brisbane VIOLENT SOHO taking out the Rock Album gong with Waco.



Best Live Act was a little scary with Dave Hughes looking a little worse for wear... Well done though to HILLTOP HOODS who I didn't pick.... I thought Flume might have won, oh well he has already got a few.



Another publicly voted award was handed out by international star Robbie Williams, some chest hair is nice, but not on you sorry Robbie... And the Winner was... TROYE SIVAN, I picked Flume again, oh well Flume can't win everything and Troye is doing well with the publicly voted awards, he must be popular with the online trolls out there.

Matt & Alex will NEVER hand out an award again with them announcing their departure from JJJ. Sad news and there is some BIG changes around the corner for JJJ in 2017. But they announced the winner for the Breakthrough Artist and I thought the DMA's would take this out, however it wasn't too be and MONTAIGNE did a random speech, but whatever she is a talented young thang.



After a solid performance from Illy & the dreamy Vera Blue it was time for Best Group and well done to VIOLENT SOHO for their second gong and it ended up some girls came to collect their award before they stormed the stage!



It was then that time of the night for the almighty dream team CROWDED HOUSE to join the hall of fame. Missy Higgins and 2016 ARIA Award winning Bernard Fanning did a splendid tribute to the group.

Best Female for 2016 went to SIA thank fuck, no disrespect to the other ladies but Sia has really had the best 2016. And like Flume's Keep Sydney Open message it was marriage equality's turn, good on ya Sia.

Next up Best Male.. and I guessed it (again) FLUME, killer year for this amazing young man with only two records out there. What a superstar! And what a surprise, yes I guessed it FLUME and his second album Skin is officially some phone companies Album of the Year!


Good night all..

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Spring Music List #6


20 Dead Set ARIA Legends, ahead of this Wednesday's awards..

20. Drapht
19. Living End
18. Sarah Blasko
17. L D R U 
16. DMA's
15. Bernard Fanning
14. King Kizzard & the Lizzard Wizard
13. Gang of Youths
12. Kate Miller Heidke
11. Matt Corby
10. Montaigne
9.  SAFIA
8. The Avalanches
7. The Amity Affliction
6. Hilltop Hoods
5. Rufus
4. Illy
3. Violent Soho
2. SIA
1. Flume

Friday, November 18, 2016

Fresh Friday Countdown #44 - Friday 18 November 2016


20 - Horrorshow - Push {Feat. Taj Ralph}
19 - Anne-Marie - Alarm
18 - Elk Road - Hanging by a Thread {Feat. Natalie Foster}
17 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
16 - Tash Sultana - Jungle
15 - Empire of the Sun - High & Low
14 - Childish Gambino - Redbone
13 - Thundamentals - Think About It {Feat. Peta & the Wolves}
12 - Kid Cudi - Surfin' {Feat. Pharrell Williams}
11 - Amy Shark - Adore 
10 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
9 - Mura Musa - Love$ick {Feat. A$AP Rocky}
8 - Milky Chance - Cocoon
7 - The xx - On Hold
6 - Drake - Fake Love
5 - Calvin Harris - My Way
4 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
3 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
2 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk}