My favorite songs of the year, in no specific order.
Dreams by Alvvays You know that latin saying - nomen est omen. Well, dream-pop track titled Dreams is a paragon of that saying. The greatness of this simple song lies in its dual ability to make up for a perfect sleeping soundtrack, yet to wake you up from the romantic hibernation. If I saw you on the street, would I have you in my dreams tonight? Reality never sounded more dreamy.
Los Ageless by St. Vincent Pop is so prosaic and instructional, it's as If you are listening to audio version of Terms and Agreement. What I appreciate about pop music is that it spurs your lucidity and gives you clear messages. Dress nicely, go to a party, give zero fucks, be happy, walk with confidence, love that boy or a girl, screw him/her for breaking your heart. But there was one pop tune this year that asked an intriguing, almost ambiguous question: How can anybody have you or lose you? Only St.Vincent can pull off injecting such a question into pop format. Let's hope she doesn't inspire other pop artists to be equivocal, cause what will we listen in the gym then?!
Neighbors by Grizzly Bear Instead of me trying to put the artistry of this song into words, better take a look at the video Grizzly Bear have made for it. Big Picture by London Grammar When London Grammar returned with their sophomore effort, I was not expecting to hear a sonic treasure such as Big Picture is. Suitable both for listening during trekk under Himalaya range and after a shift in a local restaurant. Why? Because captivating vocal and meaningful lyrics can punch you with epiphany, whether you were asking for it or not.
He Is The Voice I Hear by The Black Madonna The best thing about house music is that good house music feels like home. The Black Madonna, the rising DJ star from Detroit, delivered lyrics-free knockout He Is The Voice That I Hear, a track that will make any negative voice vanish from your head. Starting as a piano ballade, the track turns into massive club banger and reaches its pinnacle in absolutely mesmerizing crescendo of the main theme.
Smoke Signals by Phoebe Bridgers If you are reading my reviews religiously, you have probably noticed that Phoebe Bridgers was my deity of 2017. This juvenile, yet extremely mature goddess dropped what I consider to be the best indie track of the year. In fact, Smoke Signals is more than just an indie track of the year. It is a reminder that weltschmerz will always be a part of the zeitgeist. Truth by Kamasi Washington Long story short: track of the decade. Immediately stream this masterpiece.
Hello I Have Found You by Sophia Kennedy It's been awhile since a Kennedy has made me feel good. Sophia has nothing in common with the presidential family besides the potential to rule the country (of your Emotional Awareness). Downtempo number with soft beat and cute lyrics stands as a mellow anthem for all the sugar bunnies out there who are in love. Maybe my favorite love song of 2017.
Watching Him Fade Away by Mac DeMarco The prince of retro indie cemented his status of hipster icon. More importantly, his album This Old Dog showed that he is not just a one hit wonder. On the contrary, it spawned the melancholic song of the year. Watching Him Fade Away is deMarco's homage to the father he never truly had. The production is magnificently capturing the paradox of the previous sentence, instantly making you sulk.
Green Light by Lorde Challenging tempo of a traditional pop song demands balls. And If someone has balls to go for the unconventional, it's definitely not Taylor Swift. It's Lorde, the queen of aberrant pop. With Green Light, Lorde had proved that being a millennial means being a good observer. If you listen to Green Light very carefully, you will see tastes, because Lorde has designed it with synesthesia in mind. In my humble opinion, this song represents a herald of how pop music is going to sound in the next couple of years.
