Insure? Sure

Hearing a brilliant remix of an unlikely track is encouraging. There are a few songs which are just crying out for remixes, and I wish I had the patience, talent and Ableton to do this. In the meantime, I'll settle for gems like this.

[via my good friend Steph]

2009 in musics

I wanted to do a neat list compiling my favourite releases of this year. However, having bought one full album this year: Florence and the Machine's Lungs (twice), I am in no position to make a comprehensive list of anything apart from the ways in which I contribute to the demise of the record industry as we know it. But I'm going to give it a go, because this is my blog and I'm allowed to put whatever I want here. I could even write 'tinky' over and over again. Or start impersonating the writing style of one Charlie Brooker...hm. Anyway.

Best Album:

Florence and the Machine - Lungs

Best 'Grower':

Cheryl Cole - Fight for This Love

Best Music Video:

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance

(La Roux - I'm Not Your Toy gets an honourable mention)

Best Remix:

The Police - Message in a Bottle (Fresh Direct Remix)

Best Comeback:

Peaches - Talk To Me////Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll

Most overplayed remix*:

La Roux - In For the Kill (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix)

Most overplayed song*:

Major Lazer - Pon De Floor ft. Vybz Kartel

Cutest, purest song:

Mumford & Sons - White Blank Page

Best Live Act:

Have remembered now (12/01/10) and there are a few.

La Roux at Exeter Cavern

Fever Ray at Melt

Phoenix at Camp Bestival

Micachu and the Shapes at Field Day

Florence and the Machine at Bestival

putting paid to the fact I really love girls.

Best Change of musical direction:

Shakira - Shewolf

Most frequently seen act:

Erol Alkan

Best place I've played:

The Thatch Party (in-jokes all around)

Band I'd most like to see doing well in 2010:

Chew Lips

Band which will do well in 2010:

The xx

Best TV Talent competition contender:

Danyl Johnson/////RACHEL ADEDEJI

The song which most evokes memories of having no responsibilities:

Deadmau5 ft. Cascada - I Remember (Caspa Remix)

Best fad I've been turned around to liking after realising it is not directly linked to violence:

Dubstep.

*These songs are still bangers.

adaptations - dubstep and burritos

Adaptations come in many shapes and sizes. Today I've chucked my massive Sennheiser headphones on and resultantly looked like a dick for most of the day. I feel I can justify this faux pas by sharing that I have been listening to this on repeat:



The Police's Message in a Bottle is great, but the verses are great because they are all minor and dark. The chorus kind of ruins the song. So it's nice to hear that, in this remix, the whole song is seedy and gross.

--

I also had a dream that I made Cannelloni with Jamie Oliver last night. So today, when buying all of the ingredients, I decided I'd make chili burritos. It's not that exciting, but cooking anything in the oven has previously been disastrous for me:

They were real tasty, quite light, yet hearty AND had ALL of the textures you could ever dream of in a meal: crispy, meaty and carroty. I just used Jamie's recipe for chili con carne. Except, instead of leaving the chili for a WHOLE HOUR, about half an hour in, I put the chili into flour tortillas in a dish then sprinkled loads of grated cheese on top. I chucked it in the over at 160degrees centigrade for about 15 minutes, then grilled it at 190degrees centigrade for about 10 minutes. I served it with salad and squeezed lime on top. Lime and cheese works. It's a powerful dish. After eating I don't feel bogged down, I feel like I can conquer the world.

musics that i shouldn't like that i do like #1

I heard this for the first time coming back from Camp Bestival, two days after seeing Chase&Status for the second time this summer. I can't say they're my favourite act, but I really like what they've done here:



I honestly didn't think I liked dubstep until I went out to Digital in Brighton to the Stone Love night there. It was good fun, especially being that close to the beach at the end of a night out. However, I really could've done with some wobbly-kneed dubstep at the end of the night. The reggae they were blasting out of the suprisingly good soundsystem just wasn't doing the trick.

Another song which is benefitting from the genius juxtaposition of dance music and guitar-led verses is:



I'm not sure if I'm allowed to like it but I really do.