FEATURE:
The January Playlist
Vol. 2: Awakening and Resolution
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NOW that January is among us and we are adapting to...
a brand-new year; artists are starting to unveil their new music and offering a taste of what 2017 is all about. Ed Sheeran has, with all the build-up and hype of a war, dropped a couple of songs and whilst not the worst thing you will hear, was (perhaps) not worthy of the sense of hysteria on social media. It is pleasing to see music in general adapt and move on from the strange year of 2016 and promise some gems. Wonderful albums are arriving in the coming weeks so I have collected some songs from them; fresh singles and a few numbers that were missed in previous Playlists. I hope you enjoy the run-down and find something to enjoy. I have collected songs from the five shortlisted acts on BBC's 'Sound of...' poll and a few David Bowie songs - as it is almost one year since his death.
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SOHN – Hard Liquor
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0uxavVdhco&w=560&h=315]
MØ (ft. Snakehips) – Don’t Leave
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8LGMuv6R_s&w=560&h=315]
Sundara Karma – She Said
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRORIKvOR4Y&w=560&h=315]
Thom Hell – Famous
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikue5vd_2QI&w=560&h=315]
Dirty Projectors – Little Bubble
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IG5f50olZA&w=560&h=315]
Jenny Hval – The Great Undressing
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmSGEHsSWIQ&w=560&h=315]
Flo Morrissey and Matthew E. White – Looking for You
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CePMytAyiE&w=560&h=315]
GFOTY – The Argument
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_V3UDO0_-A&w=560&h=315]
Elbow – All Disco
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUOsztgBE-I&w=560&h=315]
Wiley – Speaker Box
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa1glDxNvfk&w=560&h=315]
Afrojack and Jay Karama – Diamonds
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LOSlKMKUP0&w=560&h=315]
Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes – Wild Flowers
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR_zU6ruZMA&w=560&h=315]
Zayn & Taylor Swift - I Don’t Wanna Live Forever
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lw-iUwkXhI&w=560&h=315]
Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello - Bad Things
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpbQ4I3Eidg&w=560&h=315]
Austra – Future Politics
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fiacjVTorc&w=560&h=315]
Georgia – Feel It
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9l-LFNXtp4&w=560&h=315]
Dutch Uncles – Big Balloon
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhb6sDKY7jg&w=560&h=315]
Fickle Friends – Brooklyn
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwG7f_oTLJY&w=560&h=315]
Ed Sheeran – Castle on the Hill
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qp5vcuMIlk&w=560&h=315]
RAY BLK (ft. SG Lewis) – Chill Out
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfpgMkZ8vk8&w=560&h=315]
Rag ‘n’ Bone Man – Skin (BBC ‘Sound of…’ 2017)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIlKKPDppDo&w=560&h=315]
RAYE – I, U, Us
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSQF416kUVc&w=560&h=315]
Jorja Smith – Where Did I Go?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meP1neJrguw&w=560&h=315]
Nadia Rose - Puddy Cat (Live at dscvr ONES TO WATCH 2017)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwm3MuUY6-0&w=560&h=315]
David Bowie – Lazarus
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8&w=560&h=315]
David Bowie – Sound and Vision
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoDamvrfUbQ&w=560&h=315]
David Bowie – Rebel Rebel
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U16Xg_rQZkA&w=560&h=315]
AFI – White Offerings
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC93KhZRxUw&w=560&h=315]
Foxygen – Follow the Leader
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-tZ1gbc2pQ&w=560&h=315]
Big Wreck – Digging In
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDmQqK8vDy0&w=560&h=315]
Joan of Arc - Stranged That Egg Yolk
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVPiNZYbPkc&w=560&h=315]
Kid Koala – The Observable Universe
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDuCTIhvD5w&w=560&h=315]
Mick Harvey - Baby Teeth, Wolfy Teeth (Dents De Lait, Dents De Loup)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh3ziSMOJ5c&w=560&h=315]
The Proper Ornaments – Memories
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u80qi5F2qgY&w=560&h=315]
Code Orange – Forever
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ9JVxQVQy4&w=560&h=315]
Dropkick Murphys – Paying My Way
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljNegCM2LTY&w=560&h=315]
Tycho – Horizon
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v-WX_KsL-Y&w=560&h=315]
Brandon Can’t Dance – Smoke and Drive Around
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MagmOKmhAd0&w=560&h=315]
Gone Is Gone – Echolocation
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBz7_yWqVXo&w=560&h=315]
Colony House – You Know It
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkfBxIH0g0k&w=560&h=315]
Bonobo (feat. Rhye) - Break Apart
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhhkk69CxXc&w=560&h=315]
Egyptrixx – Plastic Pebble
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj-Vk-t6ACM&w=560&h=315]
Japandroids - Near To The Wild Heart of Life
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSkrhQiwFcE&w=560&h=315]
Lauren Alaina - Road Less Traveled
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-NAEvc-b6E&w=560&h=315]
Danny Gokey – Rise
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eUGUC4Ko30&w=560&h=315]
P.O.S. – Lanes
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tDo_IIqTCA&w=560&h=315]
Migos – Fools
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LLhYGxY9Iw&w=560&h=315]
Ty Segall - Orange Color Queen
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85YR4Gl-Qlw&w=560&h=315]
Big Sean – Moves
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyRdD-10Ojo&w=560&h=315]
Quite a varied and solid continuation of January’s music and signs to suggest the rest of this month are going to be full, frank and fantastic. I am not sure whether we will see any sneaky surprise albums come out but you cannot bet against it. I will keep my eyes open but am excited by the prospect and everything this year will provide music lovers. January is a crucial month – artists keen to premiere their music before anyone else – and titans like Elbow are among the first to make a move. Music is that unpredictable beast that can be as kind as it is cruel. Let us forget about the ghosts of 2016 and embrace a year that promises much.