Best of 2015: Hark’s Top 40 Songs & Artists
In no particular order from what I could remember.
Unknown Artists – A Jazz Thing (Uniile 01)
Didn’t know what song to pick from this EP. No wonder it’s going for £150 online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DPbTl6RK7U
Floating Points – Elaenia
One of the best electronic albums of 2015. My favourite off this silky smooth album.
2814 – 新しい日の誕生/Birth of a New Day
This whole scene really is beautiful. Great things happening in the far east.
Erykah Badu – Hello (Ft. Andre 3000)
Maybe the best song off her mixtape. Andre and Erykah right?
Kendrick Lamar – Alright
Album of the year and one of the best in the last decade. There is ALWAYS hope. Respect Kendrick.
The Internet – Special Affair
Chilled funky RnB from the West Coast.
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
Can’t believe how short the song is. Just a brilliant song.
WSTRN ft. Wretch 32, Chip & Geko – IN2 Remix
London summertime banger. Feel-good chirps riddim.
Sound Stream – Bass Affairs
Grooviest roller I’ve heard all year. One for the euphoric sunset dancers.
OMI – Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)
Worldwide anthem. Got to recognise the simplicity of this song. Trumpet made it really.
t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者 and Hong Kong Express : 愛慕 / 悲哀
Yeah sometimes life is deep. No better way to escape. This will create landscape in your brain.
100 Bars – Sikander Kahlon
Didn’t even know that this existed. Nice to see trap in Punjabi with meaningful lyrics. Had to support.
Social Lovers – Can’t Let It Go
Layers of melancholic sounds will help you float off.
Bryson Tiller – Don’t
This type of RnB will be appreciated more in the future. Mood is everything in this sound.
Disclosure – Holding On ft. Gregory Porter
Great combo and should have been bigger than it deserved. Gregory’s voice though.
Jessy Lanza – You Never Show Your Love ft. DJ Spinn, Taso
This track is a lot more complex than you think. Like a screwed and chopped footwork track.
Hunee – Rare Happiness
Groove house from this top-notch selector on the ones-n-twos.
Archy Marshall – A New Place 2 Drown
Archy captures the current mood in South London with this sound.
Homeshake – I Don’t Wanna
Definitely one of the best for this type of sound and mood.
D’Angelo and The Vanguard – Really Love
My favourite cut off his latest album. Great live as well.
Thundercat – Lone Wolf and Cub
Great energy from this underrated bass master.
Earl Sweatshirt – Solace
Great solo cut from the little genius. However he is awful live.
Jeremih – Planes feat J.Cole
Sexy banger.
Stormzy – Shut Up
TELL MY MAN SHUT UP. Stormzy is growning and it’s great to see mans from the ends making it.
Section Boyz – Lock Arff
Was gonna go with Trapping Ain’t Dead, but this is so London it’s crazy.
Nines – Just Another Day
Road-rap you can bop to in the club. G-funk meets North Weezy.
Jme ft Giggs – Man Don’t Care
Two lyrical dons coming together and make a classic.
Soops (Piff Gang) – Audibles
British purple-haze rap at its finest. Consistency from this reclusive Piff Gang member.
Christian Scott – Perspectives
Taking it to a whole new level which is emotive piece by Christian Scott.
Jeffrey Lewis – Back To Manhattan
Gentrified Lou Reed in summertime New York. Humorous and upbeat-folk.
Anthony Naples – Miles
His sound is unique and he is consistently making hypnotic dance-floor classics
Denzel Curry – Ultimate
The kinda purple rap I DO LIKE! Denzel is different.
Skepta – Shutdown
Could of picked a few bangers still!
Walter Ego – Skepta
Some sort of depressing and empowering house-grime hybrid.
Gully Bop & Stylo G – Who She Want
A cheeky little cross-Atlantic collaboration. Old VS new.
Vybz Kartel – Dancehall
Swear no one in any music has made this many songs from a prison cell.
Mr. Vegas – Thinking Out Loud
A worldwide hit getting the reggae lovers treatment. Rub-a-dub style.
Dam Funk ft Flea – Floating On Air
No one anywhere makes funk like this anymore. To legends in their own right coming together.
Hiatus Kaiyote – Borderline with My Atoms
One of the most underrated bands of recent times.
Kamasi Washington – Clair de Lune
3hrs of quality jazz. No wonder the album is called The Epic!
Drake – Know Yourself
But this song is actually good. Been rolling with woes since birth.