Top 10 Songs of 2014 – #4: “On My Mind” by Tom Misch

8 Dec

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Precocious beat-maker Tom Misch has released a lot of music over the course of his career. Glancing at his Soundcloud page, you’d think he’s been at this for years. He probably has been at this for awhile behind the scenes, but only recently has he created music with lyrics. Why he hid his voice for so long is a mystery, but now that I’ve heard his sultry croon, I’m hooked. Misch’s “On My Mind” is our #4 best song of this year.

Tom Misch is first and foremost a J Dilla inspired producer. He honed his craft, which you can hear listening to the deep cuts from two years ago, and then made an effortless transition to songwriter and singer. “On My Mind” is the perfect merge of these two personas- the record sample is a work of art, but his voice makes me swoon. You’re on my mind, too, Tom.

Recently, Misch has teamed up with Carmody on a new EP, Out to Sea. Carmody is also a singer-songwriter, whose first major endeavor seems to be this release. Like solo Misch tracks, this EP focuses on soothing beats and gorgeous combined harmonies. Carmody balances out Misch’s natural depth, and gives another layer of the music to savor.

Out to Sea is out now. Find more information on Tom Misch’s website, Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, and Bandcamp.

Top 10 Songs of 2014 – #5: “High” by Young Rising Sons

7 Dec

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Back on July 19 I wrote about Young Rising Sons in advance of its debut EP which dropped a few days after (July 22) and met with success. The Red Bank, New Jersey natives had a breakthrough 2014, and “High,” the band’s first single, is the crowning achievement for a year that featured several television appearances and an ongoing U.S. tour with The 1975.

When I wrote about the band back in July, I had this to say about “High,”the #5 song on our top 10 countdown:

“High,” which you may have heard before (it’s been making its rounds), begins with a sweet whistle followed by lead vocalist Andy Tongren’s effortless vocal. What makes this song? Did you get to the Mika-like chorus yet? Tongren’s falsetto is sweet and uplifting. The whistle is a bit Noah and the Whale-esque. The song is just a testament to the band’s efficacy. I can’t stop listening to it.

While that does sum it up, I will add a bit more laudatory comments to the band’s praise repertoire. Look, the song is clearly catchy. It’s actually more than catchy; it’s downright impossible to get out of your head. Seriously. It has been stuck in my head since July. But, aside from this inherent catchiness, it is also a masterful piece of pop. Young Rising Sons combines all necessary components for an effective pop tune. First, it is short, a sub-3 minute ditty that says what it has to say and then ends so the listener can immediately press repeat. Secondly, it features an upbeat, sing-a-long vocal that quite literally makes the listener sing (or hum). Most importantly, though, the song has an infectious hook. And, come on, it features a great whistle as well. It’s just a perfectly constructed song and well deserving of #5 on our countdown.

Check out the band’s website, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Top 10 Songs of 2014 – #6: “Duvan” by Amason

6 Dec

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I would like to whisk us off to Sweden for a moment, where the artist behind our #6 top single of 2014 resides. Amason is a quintet comprised of busy musicians, almost all of them associated with other projects, including Dungen, Idiot Wind, and Miike Snow. They’ve pooled their talents for Amason’s debut EP, but “Duvan” is the first taste we’ve gotten of their upcoming album, Sky City.

This is what indie rock should be. The upbeat tempo drives you through the song, but the lead vocals and notable whoo-hoos from Amanda Bergman are gripping. I also am partial to lyrics that don’t make sense, which I think Amason delivers fairly well here. I get the sense that this is a song about a relationship (aren’t they all?), but specifics are beyond me. Well done.

Amason released an EP last year with five songs that have somehow placated their fan base until now. They released the tracklist for their upcoming LP, and the only duplicate tracks from the EP are “Älgen” and “Went to War,” so I am excited to hear the other 9 new tracks (not including “Duvan”). I have listened to “Duvan” at least 100 times, and I still love it; if the whole album holds up as well as that single does, then Amason may have a top album of 2015 on their hands. For now, though, “Duvan” will have to stick with being a top track of 2014.

Sky City will be out 1/27 on Fairfax Recordings. Find more information on Amason on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud.

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Top Songs of 2014 – #7: “Stolen Dance” by Milky Chance

6 Dec

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We are bending the rules for the next hit. Milky Chance, the eccentric German folk/rock duo, hit it big with its hit “Stole Dance” (our only band/song rhyming couple on the list) in 2013. And when I say big, I mean really big. Seemingly countless charts (usually in the top 10) and 500,000 sales in the United States. While I first heard of this song back in 2013 because if its tremendous popularity around the globe, it didn’t truly take off on U.S. radio stations until 2014, and much of the country first heard of the hit in 2013. That said, “Stolen Dance” is finding its way onto the 2014 chart at #7.

After three years of work on this song, Clemens Rehbein and Philipp Dausch released it in 2013 and it almost immediately found tremendous success; it has eclipsed 90 million YouTube views as I write this. The reason for the success is simple; the song is excellent.

The song, which tells the story of intense loneliness, features music that matches the melancholy lyric. Clemens Rehbein’s voice is drenched in a lagubrious tone that matches the lightly plucked guitar and persistent electronic percussion. The chorus is a bit livelier, but the song is majestic because of its ostensible monotone. In all reality though, Rehbein and Dausch create a song that creates the impression of bedragglement. Yes, that is a partial neologism. Initially the listener thinks the song is eclectic, weird, and tries to run through it to avoid getting poured on, but around a minute into the piece the listener acquiesces and just allows the song to pour over them like an immense rainstorm. In that there is some serious beauty. Well done sirs!

Find out more about the band on its Facebook, Twitter, and Webesite

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Top 10 Songs of 2014 – #8: “Almost Human” by Monarchy

4 Dec

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There are many layers to beautiful music. The songs that truly stand out tend to make their mark with a combination of moving lyrics, memorable vocals, perhaps even an earworm of a hook. But it’s the emotion behind the music that brings us back over and over to gush over how much we love it. Monarchy takes note of this and pulls no punches with the title track of their latest EP, “Almost Human.”

Before you grimace at me for sharing a song that is completely autotuned, internalize those vocals. This is not just a love song, it is an embodiment of what love can do. We expect autotune from Monarchy, being a successful electronic duo, but it has a true purpose here: a song that proclaims to be “almost human” with natural vocals is a lie. With a voice that is convincingly not human, these lyrics gain honesty.

Now revel in the other of the layers of this track. The a capella hums and harmonies alone are enough to stop anyone in their tracks. The lyrics are written like a sappy love letter, but sung as if those feelings would never fade.

“Come be free don’t be afraid anymore
You and me, we’ll cast off our burdens

Now, now we can smile for love
Shine for eternity in our love
All the riches of your heart are mine
No one could better your design
And you, you make me feel almost human

Dark was the road, tires spitting stones at us
Falling down, we’ve been to bed with recklessness

Nothing else matters with you in my world

Nothing else matters with you in my world

Nothing else matters with you in my world…”

As a bonus, you can immerse yourself in a seven-and-a-half minute rendition of “Almost Human,” slowed to 98 BPM. And they took out the spatial electronics in the background, so you don’t miss a single word. Nurture it, download it, cry with it. This is a special piece of music. It stuck with me, and has earned its rightful place as one of the best tracks released this year.

Buy Monarchy’s EP, “Almost Human,” here. Find more info on the duo on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, and YouTube.

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