MixTape

The Friday Playlist

2009-11-20T14:38:39Z

This week's Spotify playlist is compiled by Matilda Egere-Cooper, who writes about music for The Independent. She describes her playlist an "eclectic mix of underground neo-soul from the nineties to the noughties."

Here's the tracklist. Enjoy

Aya – Sean
Dwele – Love Ultra
Corinne Bailey Rae – Breathless
Tye Tribbett & G.A. – Mighty Long Way
Maxwell – Stop The World
Eric Roberson – Pretty Girl
Janelle Monae – Lettin' Go
Q-Tip – Barely In Love
Raphael Saadiq – Skyy, Can You Feel Me
Res – Ice King
Bilal – Love Poems
India.Arie – Yellow
Erykah Badu – Other Side Of The Game

Click here to listen to the playlist on Spotify (free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

Martha Wainwright does Edith Piaf

2009-11-19T17:05:39Z

Martha Wainwright channelled Edith Piaf’s charm and then some as she performed her interpretations of Piaf’s lesser-known songs at the Pigalle Club last Sunday. ‘I approached these songs as a singer, but Piaf comes out of the songs as they were written especially for her,’ said Wainwright. Admitting to having been daunted by the material, Wainwright, who has been a fan of the French chanteuse since childhood, gave a wonderfully evocative performance. She sounded less growly and softer than the original, but looked completely transformed by the music. Accompanied by a piano, a double bass and an electric guitar, Wainwright sounded both feisty and vulnerable. She may not have been channelling the spirit of Piaf to a tee, but what came out was a vision of old Parisian streetwalkers, sailors drinking absinth and a smoky, rowdy and raunchy bygone age.

Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris. Martha Wainwright's Piaf Record is out now.

The Friday Playlist - Navigator/Reveal Records special edition

2009-11-13T13:59:33Z

This week's Friday playlist goes a little off piste, from our usual diet of Spotify music, Navigator and Reveal Records present a compilation of 30 tracks of the finest new music around, all free to download. Download the whole album below, or listen to, read about and download individual tracks on this page. The track descriptions have been written by Tom Rose, who's in charge of both Navigator and Reveal Records.

1. I Love The Sun / Jon Redfern
2. Love Has Left The Room / A Camp
3. Tin Drum / Dead Air
4. Nothing I Can Do / Gramercy Arms (featuring Sarah Silverman)
5. Harvest Gypsies / Kris Drever
6. Red Flowers / Mascott
7. Fever Dream / Nels Andrews
8. The Ride / Joan As Police Woman
9. Call America / Madam
10. Dont Worry / Jon Redfern & Becky Unthank
11. Muddy Water / Boo Hewerdine
12. Sand In My Shoes / Dean Owens
13. Whispering Grass / Heidi Talbot
14. Into The Blue / Kris Drever,John McCusker ,Roddy Woomble
15. 23A / The Martin Green Machine
16. Roll Her Down The Bay / Bellowhead
17. The Gardener / Rachael McShane
18. Albion / Chris Wood
19. Beads & Feathers / Sandy Wright (exclusive track from the forthcoming album)
20. Ghosts / Angel Brothers
21. People Like Me / Alyth
22. Will I See Thee More / John McCusker's Under One Sky (feat. Jim Causley)
23. Sea / Aidan O'Rourke
24. Tears Of The Sun / Inge Thomson & Martin Green (exclusive track from the forthcoming album)
25. The Rains It Rains / Spiers And Boden
26. The New Deserter /Faustus
27. I Am The Song / Mawkin:Causley
28. Under Their Breath / Jon Boden
29. Horizontigo / Lau
30. Hard Earth / Kris Drever (exclusive track from his forthcoming album)

To download the whole compilation, right-click here and click "Save target/link as"

The Friday Playlist - Black Cab Sessions edition

2009-10-30T12:33:20Z

This week's Spotify playlist is brought to you courtesy of the nice people at Black Cab Sessions, purveyors of the finest musical performances to be found in the back of a black cab anywhere in London.

Here's the tracklist. Enjoy.

The XX: Infinity
Noah and the Whale: The First Days of Spring
Sunset Rubdown: Shut Up I'm Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings
Alele Diane: Lady Divine
Patrick Watson: The Great Escape
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson: Buriedfed
Louis Armstrong: Gone Fishing
MIA: Bamboo Banger
Bob Marley: My Cup
Paul Simon: Hearts and Bones

Click here to listen to the playlist on Spotify (free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist - Kitsune edition

2009-10-23T11:21:11Z

This week's Spotify playlist is compiled by the good folks at Kitsune, the Parisian electronic label. They're about to release their eight 'Maison' compilation - the "Chic and Nice Issue" - charting the best of new and forward-thinking electronic and arty pop music. To mark the occasion they've put together a mixtape of tunes that have appeared on their Maison compilations thus far. Here's a tracklist. Enjoy.

DELPHIC - This Momentary
HEARTSREVOLUTION - Dance Till Dawn
AUTOKRATZ - Always More
DIGITALISM - Zdarlight
KLAXONS - Gravity's Rainbow
LA ROUX - Quicksand
BENI - Maximus
BLOC PARTY - Banquet boys noize remix
MAN WITH GUITAR - Man with Guitar
FISCHERSPOONER - The Best Revenge
SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO - Hustler
CRYSTAL FIGHTERS - I Love London

Click here to listen to the playlist on Spotify (free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The torture playlist

2009-10-22T16:22:18Z

As reported today, a coalition of musicians have put in a freedom of information request to release information relating to the use of loud-music during interrogation of inmates at Guantanamo Bay. Former detainees alleged that music by artists ranging from Britney Spears to Rage Against the Machine were played at ear splitting level as part of attempts to break suspects' resolve. Now musicians want to know if music they created was used as an instrument of torture.

So in the best possible taste, we have compiled a brief playlist of the potential offending music. Please add your suggestions below.

"....Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears
"Killing In The Name" - Rage Against The Machine
"Everybody Hurts" - REM
"Don't Gimme No Lip" - Pearl Jam
"Which Side Are You On" - Billy Bragg
"Somewhat Damaged" - Nine Inch Nails
"I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman" - Britney Spears
"Every Day Is The Exactly The Same" - Nine Inch Nails
"Alive" - Pearl Jam
"Hurt" - Nine Inch Nails
"Mutilation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery" - Marilyn Manson
"Losing My Religion" - REM
"Airline To Heaven" - Billy Bragg
"Tragedy" - Bee Gees
"Burning Flag" - Marilyn Manson
"Know Your Enemy" - Rage Against The Machine
"Barney - The Song" - Barney

Click here to listen to the playlist on Spotify

Exclusive preview: Rihanna's new single 'Russian Roulette'

2009-10-20T16:26:32Z

For one day only: click on the link below to preview Rihanna's new single "Russian Roulette"

Free music - Russian Roulette

The Friday Playlist

2009-10-16T14:17:50Z

This week's Spotify playlist is compiled by Matilda Battersby, who works on the website here at The Independent. It's a fairly laid back affair all told. Here's the tracklisting. Enjoy:

1. "At The Chime Of A City Clock" by Nick Drake
2. "Leftovers" by Johnny Flynn
3. "Express Yourself" by Madonna
4. "Roll Away Your Stone" by Mumford & Sons
5. "Sad Lisa" by Cat Stevens
6. "Dream Brother" by Jeff Buckley
7. "Night Terror" by Laura Marling
8. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones
9. "Second Lover" by Noah and the Whale
10. "Brothers In Arms" by Dire Straits
11. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Minuscule Hey
12. "Lady Of The Sea" by Seth Lakeman
13. "Roll Her Down The Bay" by Bellowhead
14. "Too Much Too Young" by The Specials

Click here to listen on Spotify (free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist - Hockey edition

2009-10-09T13:51:01Z

Not only are Hockey the finest band named after a sport we've come across (No, they're not the only ones), their new album Mind Chaos is definitive proof that as old as the concept of new wave may be, it's younger exponents are sounding as fresh as ever. Currently promoting the album with performances in the US and the UK, they took the time to put together a quick Spotify playlist for the delight of Independent readers.

Here's the tracklist

1. "The Only Living Boy in New York" - Simon and garfunkel
2. "Breaking Glass" - David Bowie
3. "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" - James Brown
4. "Revelator" - Gillian Welch
5. "Dreams" - Fleetwood Mac
6. "Take My Breath Away" - Berlin
7. "Famous Blue Raincoat" - Leonard Cohen
8. "Paper Planes" - MIA
9. "Flakes" - Mystery Jets
10. "In For The Kill" - La Roux
11. "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" - Fleet Foxes
12. "Planet Health" - Chairlift
13. "Pull Up The Roots" - Talking heads
14. "Do The Strand" - Roxy Music
15. "Jackie" - Scott Walker
16. "Daniel" - Bat For Lashes
17. "Perfect Day" - Lou Reed.

Click here to listen on Spotify (free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist

2009-10-02T10:37:52Z

This week's Spotify playlist is compiled by Charlotte Philby, a writer for the Indy whose name appears all over The Independent Magazine every Saturday. Here's the tracklist - it's not often that Nas' ode to New York would nestle snuggly alongside John McCormack's ode to the Tralee Rose, but sometimes it just feels right.

Enjoy.

1. Devo - "The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surpise"
2. Pharcyde - "Passing Me By"
3. The Cure - "Charlotte Sometimes"
4. Chris Rea - "Road to Hell, Part 2"
5. John McCormack - "The Rose of Tralee"
6. Nas - "NY State of Mind"
7. Kate Bush - "Army Dreamers"
8. Sublime - "Santeria"
9. Red Rat - "Shelly-Ann"
10. Chromeo - "Needy Girl"
11. Slick Rick - "Mona Lisa"
12. Eek a Mouse - "Ganja Smuggling"
13. Jimi Hendrix - "Castles Made of Sand"
14. Crystal Castles - "Untrust Us"
15. La Roux - "In for the Kill - Skream's Let's Get Ravey remix"
16. Leonard Cohen - "Suzanne"
17. Nirvana - "Lithium"
18. David Byrne - "Girls On My Mind"
19. Paul Simon - "50 Ways to Leave a Lover"
20. The Rolling Stones - "Wild Horses"
21. Dolly Parton - Jolene

Click here to listen to Spotify (free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist - Metronomy edition

2009-09-25T11:26:33Z

This week's Spotify playlist is compiled by London-via-Brighton electro twiddlers (is that word? It is now...) Metronomy. Their album Nights Out received some fairly glowing reviews last year and now they're back with a new EP, 'Not Made for Love'. Their playlist is a suitably eclectic affair lurching from The Human League to Michael Nyman to Leonard Cohen to Chicks on Speed and on... Here's the tracklist. Enjoy!

1. The Human League - "Being Boiled"
2. Michael Nyman - "An Eye for Optical Theory"
3. Laurie Anderson - "Sharkey's Day"
4. Timbaland - "I Am Music"
5. Bootsy Collins - "I'd Rather be with You"
6. The Go Go's - "Vacation"
7. Out Kast - "She Lives in my Lap"
8. Foxy - "Get Off"
9. Chicks On Speed - "Chixmachine"
10. Leonard Cohen - "The Partisan"
11. Herman Dune - "Winners Lose"
12. The Flying LIzzards - "Hands 2 Take"
13. The Egyptian Lover - "I Cry (Night After Night)"

Click here to listen on Spotify (free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist

2009-09-18T07:33:27Z

This week's Spotify playlist is an eclectic affair compiled by Piney Gir. Her third album, The Yearling, full of pop, electronica, folk and jazz came out last week. Here's the tracklist. Enjoy:

1. "Gamma Ray" - Beck
2. "Ringo, I Love You" - Stereo Total
3. "Bonnie and Clyde" - Serge Gainsbourg, Brigitte Bardot
4. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" - Roy Rogers
5. "Viva Las Vegas" - Elvis Presley
6. "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad" - Wanda Jackson
7. "Anyone Else But You" - The Moldy Peaches
8. "Little April Shower" - Disney Studio Chorus
9. "The Lady Is A Tramp" - Ella Fitzgerald
10. "Skokiann (South African Song)" - The Four Lads
11. "Oh What A World" - Rufus Wainwright
12. "Coat of Many Colours" - Dolly Parton
13. "The Village Green Preservation Society" - The Kinks
14. "I'm a Train" - Albert Hammond
15. "Camel Walk" - Southern Culture on the Skids
16. "Jackson" (live) - Johnny Cash, June Carter
17. "Walkin' After Midnight" - Patsy Cline
18. "Friend of the Devil" - Grateful Dead
19. "Queen of Hearts" - Juice Newton
20. "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" - Paul Simon

Click here to listen on Spotify (free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist - our apologies

2009-09-14T09:54:07Z

There seems to have been some link-based issues with last Friday's Spotify playlist, compiled wonderfully by Jon and Andy from Gang of Four. The long and short of is that the link to Spotify didn't work and for that we are truly sorry.

Please try this new link to the playlist and hopefully all shall be fixed.

Bestival 2009

2009-09-13T10:41:28Z

Mix Tape was put to shame this weekend as our home-made Princess Leia mask and some glitter were nothing, I tell you nothing, in comparison to the efforts made by others.

Here is Dr Zoidberg (or James from Welwyn Garden City) sunning himself before delving back into the Big Top tent.

This festival caters for almost every musical taste. The best for us has been Florence and the Machine, with her impossibly long legs and her impressively resonant voice and we loved this foxy lady’s green and gold outfit too. Sadly the main stage suffered from some sound problems – don’t put it on top of a hill, guys – so MGMT and Massive Attack looked nice but sounded, frankly, so-so.

Continuing the outer space theme, the apes opted for a spot of ballroom dancing at the Spiegeltent this afternoon – what planet are they on, eh?

Some other musical highlights for Mix Tape were Brassroots, who did instrumental and very lively covers of everything from the White Stripes to Space Odyssey and also threw in some New Orleans jazz and blues. We got hot and sweaty to Cut A Shine, a barn-dance outfit, which descended into downright mayhem. Brass music was strong this year, the euphoric Orkestra Del Sol, the 10-or-so-storng gypsy troupe, got all the aliens, robots, Barbarellas and flying saucers on their feet. They were, as the whole festival, truly out of this world.

Live from Bestival 2009

2009-09-12T11:16:01Z

Unlike last year’s Bestival, which was a complete washout, this year is a glorious scorcher. No need for wellies, get in!

This is one of the friendliest festivals, where people go all out as it’s one of the last ones of the season. The fancy dress theme is outer space and here’s a taster of what's to come on Sunday:

The Friday Playlist - Gang of Four edition

2009-09-11T13:53:48Z

This week's Spotify playlist was compiled by Jon and Andy from Gang of Four. Jon chose the first eight songs and Andy picked the rest. Here's what they had to say about their selections...

"It's hard to put the music you love into a bag. Today’s list won’t be the same as tomorrow’s. But today, and every day, there is Jimi Hendrix , all time greatest guitarist , taking us to a place beyond language, where every note, chord, squawk and feedback squeal meant something urgent, existential, real. An artist whose take on the US national anthem leaves no doubt that this product of an instant - the pure beautiful sound of metal strings vibrating in a magnetic field - means No! to the Vietnam war (and by extension all unjust wars) and racism and oppression and Yes! to beauty and freedom and the possibility of justice.

Here are artists who carve words into sparkling mountains of and wit and insight; Joni Mitchell’s morose beat memoire with its eccentric phrasing and crazy vocal swoops; Robert Johnson, buddy to Beelzebub, who slept with every woman he minded to and whose music, the fount of all rock and roll, travelled by freight train from the Delta to Chicago to be electrified by Muddy so that middle class Brit white boys like the Stones could entertain the Angels with their louche wall of doped out devilry.

Pop's a wonderful thing : Kylie’s superb brainwashed dancerama, Marvin’s Gaye’s joyous masterpiece and the Beach Boy’s classic confection of rehab miserabilism.

Music was good then and is now. Talent is permanent. Hail The White Stripes & MC5’s mutant grandchildren, The Hives! Kick out the jams and enjoy!"

1. Voodoo Chile (slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix
2. The Last Time I Saw Richard - Joni Mitchell
3. DVNO - Justice
4. One Nation Under a Groove - Funkadelic
5. Death from Above- Smashing Pumpkins
6. Hate to Say I Told You So - The Hives
7. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
8. Cross Road Blues - Robert Johnson
9. Work it - Missy Elliot
10. Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
11. Star Spangled Banner - Jimi Hendrix
12. Honey Bee - Muddy Waters
13. Surf’s Up - Beach boys
14. 7 Nation Army - The White Stripes
15. Can’t Get You Out of My Head - Kylie Minogue

Click here to listen on Spotify (Free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist

2009-08-28T12:57:22Z

This week's playlist was compiled by Mathias Haeussler of The Independent, and looks forward to the forthcoming Bank Holiday. In his words: 'With the last Bank Holiday weekend of August approaching, this week's playlist is set up to prepare you for all eventualities: whereas Side A provides the perfect soundtrack for soaking up the sunshine, Side B is a rather melancholic collection for quiet nights in.'

Bank Holiday Playlist

Side A – Sunshine
1. Supergrass – Mansize Rooster
2. The Thrills – You Can’t Fool Old Friends with Limousines
3. Frank Turner – I Really Don’t Care What You Did On Your Gap Year
4.Athlete – Vehicles and Animals
5. Friska Viljor – We Are Happy Now (La La La)
6. “Weird Al” Yankovic – Polkarama!

Side B – Rain
7. Modest Mouse – World At Large
8. Maria Taylor – Time Lapse Lifeline
9. Ryan Adams – Sylvia Plath
10. The Coral - Liezah
11. Aqualung – Easier to Lie
12. Bright Eyes - Easy/Lucky/Free

Click here to listen on Spotify (Free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist

2009-08-21T17:50:58Z

Our latest Spotify playlist was compiled today by Simon Rice - our web desk sports guru - while not keeping his hawk eyes on the latest developments in the Ashes. The other thing Simon achieved today was a number of nicknames for Stu Broad, with Beanie, Broady, Broadster, Posho, the Blonde Bombshell and the Baby Faced Assasin chief among them; so a great day all round for him.

Here's the tracklist, which Simon himself modestly described as "f***ing awesome. Enjoy.

1. "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
2. "Down in Mexico" - The Coasters
3. "I Wish" - Skeelo
4. "Out of Time" - Blur
5. "She Sells Sanctuary" - The Cult
6. "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One" - The Smiths
7. "This Mess We're In" - PJ Harvey
8. "Wonderwall" - Ryan Adams
9. "The Killing Moon" - Echo and the Bunnymen
10. "Spank Thru'" (live version) - Nirvana
11. "Take It Or Leave It" - The Strokes

Click here to listen on Spotify (free, painless and not-all-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist

2009-08-06T23:18:00Z

This week's Spotify playlist is compiled by Rob Sharp, a feautres writer for The Independent. In the playlist Rob displays his penchant for, among other things, remixes and modern updates on 80s electro pop. After compiling this mix, Rob was moved to enquire, "What ever happend to Tom Vek?" Answers on a postcard...

Here's the tracklist. Enjoy.

1. "Outlined View" - Ms John Soda
2. "Little Bit (CSS remix)" - Lykke Li
3. "Cocoon" - Dan Black
4. "Forever For Her (Four Tet remix)" - Aluminium
5. "Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was" - Radiohead
6. "Flim" - The Bad Plus
7. "Ize of the World" - The Strokes
8. "I Ain't Saying My Goodbyes" - Tom Vek
9. "Trippin' The Lovelight Fantastic" - Erik Truffaz, Ny'a
10. "Numb" - U2
11. "Confusion Girl (Shame Shame Shame) - Frankmusik
12. "Boy From School (live session) - Hot Chip

Click here to listen on Spotify (Free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist

2009-07-31T11:18:23Z

I've compiled this week's Spotify playlist and it's a fairly random collection of songs I've pulled together while rummaging around Spotify. Some are old. Some are new. But there's no theme, no rhyme and no reason. Enjoy.

Here's the tracklisting.

1. "My Maudlin Career" - Camera Obscura
2. "Janglin" - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
3. "Hey You" - The Pharcyde
4. "Take It Easy My Brother Charles" 0 Jorge Ben
5. "Departure" - Crystal Stilts
6. "Mirror's Image" - The Horrors
7. "Oh Yeah" - Can
8. "Game Of Diamonds" - Deerhunter
9. "Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)" - Nas
10. "I Don't Know" - Beastie Boys
11. "Home" - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
12. "Clap Hands" - Tom Waits
13. "Djanfa" Amadou & Mariam
14. "What We Know" - Sonic Youth
15. "That'S That" - Doom
16. "Tram 21" - Electrane
17. "Alarm Chord" - Eslam Jawaad featuring Damon Albarn
17. "The Other Side of Mt Heart Attack" - Liars

Click here to listen on Spotify (Free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Jayhawks: A personal best-of

2009-07-28T17:40:59Z

For tomorrow's paper Simmy Richman has written an appreciation of the cult alt-country band The Jayhawks, who this year embark on a reunion tour and release a greatest hits album. Read the article at independent.co.uk/music.

Leaving aside the band's recent compilation, Music from the North Country, Simmy has put together a little Spotify playlist of his favourite Jayhawks songs, most of which are drawn from their two early-to-mid-nineties albums, Hollywood Town Hall and Tomorrow the Green Grass.

Here's the tracklist:

1. Waiting for the Sun
2. Two Angels
3. Settled Down Like Rain
4. Take Me With You (When You Go)
5. Crowded in the Wings
6. Blue
7. Bad Time
8. Trouble
9. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
10. Stumbling Through the Dark
11. All the Right Reasons.

Click here to listen on Spotify (Free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist - Swede stuff

2009-07-23T23:33:54Z

This week's Spotify playlist is compiled by Stina Backer – the only Swede in the newsroom. She has listed some of the best Swedish tracks from her collection plus a few non-Swede goodies at the end. Enjoy!

1. The Books feat. Jose Gonzales – “Cello Song”

A great cover of one of Nick Drake’s finest songs.

2. Little Dragon – “Scribbled Paper”

This band from Gothenburg sounds like nothing else from Sweden with their mix of jazz, hip-hop and pop.

3. Jan Johansson – “Visa från Utanmyra”

The grandfather of Swedish Jazz who was the first to merge jazz and Swedish folk music.

4. Esbjörn Svensson Trio (EST) – “Behind the Yashmak”

The band’s founder sadly died in a scuba diving accident last year, this is one of his best tracks.

5. Ane Brun – “My lover will go”

She says she cries a bottle of wine over a lost lover and who doesn’t?

6. Laleh – “Invisible (My Song)”

Swedish Iranian artist who switches from Swedish to English and Farsi in a heartbeat.

7. Monica Zetterlund – “Sakta vi gå genom stan”

Sweden’s most famous jazz singer who was most active in the 1960s, this is a homage to Stockholm and reminds me of home.

8. Miss Li – “I heard of a girl”

Very popular in Sweden right now, not to be mixed up with the other Swedish singer Lykke Li.

9. Amanda Jensen – “For the sun”

Runner up in the Swedish version of Pop Idol who became more popular than the winner, sounds like she eats her musli with whiskey.

10. The Ark – “It takes a fool to remain sane”

It’s not new but it is one of the best pop anthems ever written by a Swedish band, Abba included.

11. Juvelen – “Don’t mess”

Scandinavia’s answer to Prince… in a good way.

12. The Knife – “Silent Shout”

By far the best band my cold country ever produced and this is one of their best tracks ever, spooky as hell.

13. Patrick Wolf – “Thickets”

One of the loveliest tracks from his new album The Batchelor .

14. Final Fantasy – “He poos clouds”

How can you not love a song called this? From a great Canadian artist.

15. Sébastien Tellier – “La Ritournelle”

Simply one of the best songs ever written.

Click here to listen on Spotify (Free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist

2009-07-10T09:42:38Z

This week's Spotify playlist is compiled by Chris Maume, Obituaries Editor of The Independent. He offered a few words on each song in his playlist...

1. DAF - "Mein Herz Macht Bum"
German duo in their early-80s pomp show the current wave of electrocuties what synth-pop should be like: dark, dangerous and dirty

2. The Duckworth Lewis Method - "Test Match Special"
Gorgeous paean to cricket from two Irishmen, Neil "Divine Comedy" Hannon and Tom "Pugwash" Walsh. Jolly, laid-back and very, very English. Eat your heart out, Ray Davies

3. Graham Coxon - "Sorrow’s Army"
Blur guitarist channels the spirit of Davey Graham through a Jimmy Page filter in stonking folk-blues work-out.

4. Éusebe Jaojoby - "Un Faible Pour les Filles"
A keening, heartfelt slice of Salegy - Madagascan dance music - from the island's most popular singer. Joyous and uplifting.

5. White Denim - "Let's Talk About It"
Single from last year, a lo-fi scorcher that kicks off like "New Rose" and ends in a riot of seething guitars.

6. The Decemberists - "The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge)"
US alt/folk-rockers sing about shape-shifting demons in a twisted tribute to English folk music.

Click here to listen on Spotify (Free, painless and not-at-all spammy registration required)

The Friday Playlist: British Image revisited

2009-07-02T23:38:47Z

As Blur's reunion reaches an extended crescendo this week with a triumphant Glastonbury gig and their Hyde Park shows, it only seemed right and proper that this week's Spotify playlist would be Britpop thermed. It's been compiled by The Independent's resident Britpop expert, Cat Gordon - if you need someone to recite 14 year-old Pulp lyrics word for word, Gordon is tthe person for the job.

Here it is. Mad for it etc...

1. "Stereotypes" - Blur
2. "Ladykillers" - Lush
3. "Common People" - Pulp
4. "Laid" - James
5. "Great Things" - Echobelly
6. "Slight Return" - The Bluetones
7. "Drop Dead Gorgeous" - Republica
8. "Alright" - Supergrass
9. "Inbetweener" - Sleeper
10. "Good Enough" - Dodgy
11. "Animal Nitrate" - Suede
12. "Female of the Species" - Space
13. "Mulder and Scully" - Catatonia
14. "Sleep" - Marion
15. "Waking Up" - Elastica
16. "Not so Manic Now" - Dubstar
17. "Love is the Law" - The Seahorses
18. "Punka" - Kenickie

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Hot hot heat: a sunshine based playlist

2009-06-30T16:46:43Z

In tomorrow's Life section of the paper, they're running a handy guide on how best to enjoy the exceptionally hot weather we're getting at the moment... to chime with this I was asked to put together a brief playlist of summertime, heat-based tunes (staying largely on the literal side of things). Unfortunately Spotify doesn't carry "Summer Babe" by Pavement, otherwise it would have been leading the charge. But here it is anyway, a summer playlist. Let the sunshine in...

1. "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" - The Fifth Dimension
2. "Hello Sunshine" - Super Furry Animals
3. "Hot In The City" - Billy Idol
4. "Summertime" - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
4. "Heat Wave" - The Hit Crew
5. "Summertime Clothes" - Animal Collective
6. "Talk To Me, Dance With Me" - Hot Hot Heat
7. "Summer In The City" - The Lovin' Spoonful
8. "Who Loves The Sun" - The Velvet Underground
9. "Island In The Sun" - Weezer
10. "Ice Cream Man" - Tom Waits
11. "Summertime" - Nina Simone

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