A lockdown countdown - funky: The Lost Years (2015-19)

20. RATIONALE - Losing Sleep
2017


I love it cause: Rationale has such a distinct, emotional voice, and it's very UK R&B which we don't get enough of these days. It does hark back to the Roachfords and Omars and Seals of the 90s, but it has more of an 80s sound production wise. His self titled debut album was amazing. Very rousing, gospel-tinged chorus and powerful lyrics. Pop and singer-songwriter genres have really blurred the lines in recent years and I liked that a lot - this has depth, but is still very very catchy.
 
19. LEON ELSE - The City Don't Care
2017


I love it cause: you may not find a song that captures the 80s pastiche movement more than this song. From the opening electronic bassline, the moody electronic piano, the drum machine, the synths, the echoey vocals, many an artist has tried to evoke the 80s movie soundtrack sound the last few years but this is a winner. Plus you have nu-disco mainstay Oliver on feature duties, just to give it that extra oomph. It was either @Superstylin' or @Ill Advised who submitted it to ASFM (apologies both of them tend to choose songs I like) and I think it did very well. Up until that point I thought I was the only person who knew this track. Was the soundtrack to many a wander though Manhattan at night looking up at the stars. I can very specifically see the tops of the skyscrapers on 6th Avenue when this comes on. Aaah.
 
18. H.E.R. - Hard Place
2017


I love it cause: sometimes you just want a soulful ballad with simple, classic melody and lyrics, just like it used to be in the old days (ie 80s and 90s). This is so amazingly catchy, particularly the hauntingly beautiful chorus, but it's down to the talents of H.E.R. and the way she delivers the vocal and leans on those chord changes. I've made a big deal out of the rise of neo soul again in the last 3 or so years, particularly the success (critically at least) of the women, with Jorja Smith, Ari Lennox and H.E.R. leading the charge. This isn't as cool and edgy as some of the music that has made her famous, but I just LOVE this. Curious what my soul brothers @dUb @Whatevar @Loufoque and @KindaCool make of this.
 
17. NIIA - Last Night In Los Feliz
2017



I love it cause: it's a beautiful marriage of west coast folk and neo soul. Niia has sometimes been compared to Lana Del Rey, and you can definitely hear it on this track. Her music does tend to be more diverse and R&B-leaning than Lana, but they both share that unmistakable California sound. She has a stunning voice and his beautifully restrained on this track, I absolutely adore her delivery here, but she's also able to let loose, as evidenced by her more famous track "Sideline", a duet with Jazmine Sullivan, which is incredible. Her debut album I is brilliant and she has a new EP out soon. This is my favourite track of hers to date. Would be interested to know what Lana loon @POP! makes of this.
 
16. JANELLE MONÁE - Make Me Feel
2018


I love it cause: it's such a MONSTER of a track. An anthem of anthems. File this at the top of the pile of "songs that should have been massive". In any other era it would have been, because when this was out it certainly caused a big stir, but she's not a singles artist. Artist she indeed is though, signposting her queer status with a modern funk anthem that would have made Prince blush. Launched the successful Dirty Computer era and the album and tour were both incredible. Pimped her out to a lot of people in 2018 and she made a few new fans thanks to me. I think everyone knows this track already so I'll leave it there, but suffice to say I LOVE THIS.
 
15. BICEP - Glue
2017



I love it cause: it's quite possibly the most important dance song of the last decade. Nothing more to say on this that hasn't already been said on moopy.
 
funky said:
19. LEON ELSE - The City Don't Care
2017


I love it cause: you may not find a song that captures the 80s pastiche movement more than this song. From the opening electronic bassline, the moody electronic piano, the drum machine, the synths, the echoey vocals, many an artist has tried to evoke the 80s movie soundtrack sound the last few years but this is a winner. Plus you have nu-disco mainstay Oliver on feature duties, just to give it that extra oomph. It was either @Superstylin' or @Ill Advised who submitted it to ASFM (apologies both of them tend to choose songs I like) and I think it did very well. Up until that point I thought I was the only person who knew this track. Was the soundtrack to many a wander though Manhattan at night looking up at the stars. I can very specifically see the tops of the skyscrapers on 6th Avenue when this comes on. Aaah.
Click to expand...

It was me and yes it’s lush as fuck. Glad you’re a fan
 
I love HER, even from my limited knowledge of her. Her talent is so CLEAR. Her and Ella Mai are the best voices around.
 
14. VAULTS - Hurricane
2016


I love it cause: it's so dramatic. Love a bit of epic pop. Should be in a movie (maybe it already is). I wonder how many people know this song? They're semi famous for doing one of the John Lewis Christmas ads a few years ago, then released a fabulous album (including this) then disappeared. Split up now, apparently. The song for me is known for the most EPIC bridge (1:59) where the singer really shows off her chops. It's SPINE TINGLING. Plus it has all the usual strings and echoey beats and such. Would love someone like Celine to have a crack at this, it's almost a shame for such a good pop song to be left to rot. Anyway I LOVE THIS.
 
13. RYAN ADAMS - Shiver And Shake
2017


I love it cause: straight real music alert! Ladsladslads etc. Americana is actually one of my favourite genres. I never really got into Dylan or Young or Petty et al too much, but there's lots of modern artists carrying the torch and I got into Adams in recent years (prior to his cancellation - are we allowed to like him again now? He seems to have quietly started to release music again after issuing an apology for being a control freak in relationships or something). Anyway the Prisoner album was a career best IMO and this the best track. So hauntingly beautiful. I wonder if @Kate or @ButterTart or even our semi real music gay @Tisch would like a bit of Ryan.
 
12. TINASHE ft LITTLE DRAGON - Stuck With Me
2019



I love it cause: it's one of those catchy-as-fuck-it-sits-under-your-skin moments. I don't actually think there's a single song you could compare this to, either. First of all, I'm not so quietly OBSESSED with Little Dragon. Her voice, her lyrics, her originality, I stan. Tinashe is a very talented R&B singer producing music under the restraints of a very shit era for commercial R&B, but her creativity shines through and her albums are littered with interesting, forward thinking tracks like this. This might actually be the best songof 2019. And wasn't even a single! I'm so not in tune with the kids. This has one of the most simple but effective basslines you'll ever hear. I don't normally care for spliced vocals, especially layered over an entire track, but again something about the execution and narrative of this song just makes everything work. Yes, yes yes.
 
11. CHAKA KHAN - Like Sugar
2018


I love it cause: it's just FUNKY :) Queen of Funk went back to her roots for her 12th studio album Hello Happiness and this title track was a bolt out of the blue. It somehow sounds like 1971 and 2021 at the same time. And that VIDEO. I love a good comeback, and while this didn't exactly set the singles chart alight in this fucked up era of singles sales analytics, it did chart, and it did hang around the singles downloads charts for months, and has amassed almost 30m views on YouTube. Not a bad number for a new song from a 70s/80s artist.
 
Hard Place is my favourite song of your top 20 so far. HER's voice is unreal and this is her best song.
 
10. DUKE DUMONT - Ocean Drive
2015


I love it cause: it's one of those songs that just give you all the feels. Modern yet nostalgic. Poppy yet soulful. Dancey yet moody. It has real road trip vibe, and it feels like one of those anthemic songs where everything fits because the lyrics match the mood. This had a really slow chart journey and I remember discovering it really early while still unknown, and even though it sounded nothing like the usual uptempo Duke Dumont stuff, there was something very special about it. The timing in the UK was off and even though it was quite well known it never really set the charts alight, but since then it has amassed over half a billion views on YouTube, and is probably one of the signifying dance tracks of the last decade. I have not tired of this, and the timeless sound certainly pays dividends.
 
9. ROISIN MURPHY - Incapable
2019


I love it cause: it's disco pop with a heart. A good year before a huge career comeback, Roisin was dropping singles that harked back much more to her Moloko and early solo days, after a few years of more eclectic, less accessible sounds. Before I even knew her new disco opus was on its way, this stood out an absolute mile. Swooshing Moroder synths and funky guitar licks providing the backdrop for a confessional song about being dead inside, Roisin fused the singer-songwriter and disco genres together beautifully, almost setting the stage for Dua, Kylie, Gaga and Jessie to storm in last year for one of the biggest years of pop to date, with disco at the heart. Fabulous for one of my all time favourite artists to be at the centre of that, just as she found her groove again.
 
8. ST LUCIA - Elevate
2015



I love it cause: it is so totally, unashamedly, unequivocally, undeniably, EIGHTIES. Magically, it does sound like a brand new song, not relying on any samples or tricks to get the sound, but everything about it, the drums, the guitars, the vocals, is a pure, joyful hark back. Elements of Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, ABC, Kajagoogoo, Howard Jones, Squeeze, this one song is like a time capsule of new wave magic. We covered this in the recent synthpop thread and I was surprised to discover that some moopers already knew of St Lucia. They were a revelation for me back in 2015. This song was on top rotation in my playlists for years. And their other work is fab too. Very much recommended for those enjoying the more alternative side of the 80s pop revival.
 
Determined to finish this lockdown countdown before lockdown ends tomorrow :D

7. GALLANT - Bourbon
2016


I love it cause: the nostalgia. Like the last song it's production is rooted firmly in the 80s, the vocal is very Prince, and there is always a bit of a new wave vibe about Gallant -a bit of alt-R&B Dev Hynes style, long before The Weeknd made it normal. His debut album is a revelation and he established himself as a very good songwriter, although I found his follow up album a disappointment (an EP he released this year was a return to form). This song is for me his career best and possible the best pure R&B song of the decade. The lyrics also are just special:

I'm a headless horseman on quilted sand dunes
With my neck wide open, I pray for refuge
'Cause since I've been found I've been living a life in cages
Withering down to the champagne quicksand
Wrestling doubt I've been dragging around for ages
I tried to let it drain but my veins are hopeless
'Cause I loved in cold blood and got used to it
Angels say trust the detox
But I'm shaking I need it like bourbon in my coffee cup

@Ellie you'd like this.
 
6. The 1975 - Somebody Else
2016


I love it cause: it's the pop peak of the genre of the decade. If nu wave really is a thing, then you've got to wonder whether time will be as kind to The 1975 as it deserves to be; these guys were at the forefront of alternative synthpop long before most of the big pop acts had a go. This particular track is probably one of their safer efforts, but sometimes, a great song is a great song. This is as anthem for our times, and although it didn't really set the charts alight, it has somehow emerged over time as their signature tune. I don't know why, but it's certainly my absolute favourite. Because of their penchant for exploring limitless genres of music, I haven't warmed to everything they do, but there's been some real highlights, and I absolutely fucking adore this song. It hasn't left my work/car playlist in 5 years. And I do think this song will be remembered long after many of the retro comeback pop anthems have faded. There's just something about it.
 
5. GEORGE MAPLE - Hero
2017


I love it cause: pop anthems don't care much more anthemic than this. It reminds me of that time in the late 80s through the 90s when producing a rousing, emotional pop chorus was the surefire way to a hit. Alas, George Maple came along 30 years too late. This ticks every box for me, and if there are any other artists out there that produce songs like this that I'm not aware of, I want to know. Reminding me very much of the underground pop comeback of a few years ago, with Foxes, Chvrches, Clare Maguire and a fair few others all producing great power pop like this, this is the pinnacle for me. I was going to submit this to ASFM but I found a fair few people had mentioned it on moopy before so I didn't. This is exactly what ASFM is meant to be about - sharing great pop songs with music fans. I hope everyone has heard this already! @Jark @Ag @POP! @RJN @BoysForSeles @Iguana @Tisch @KindaCool and everyone else...
 
4. THE INTERNET & KAYTRANADA - Girl


I love it cause: I love deep moody shit. Easily the trippiest song of the decade, Massive Attack would be proud of this. I particlarly love the jazz vibes underneath this song, and that's because Kaytranada is all over this track. Given R&B took a bit of a general backseat this past decade, I'd still pick Kaytranada and Dev Hynes the two best and most interesting producers of the era. This collab appeared on The Internet's album from that year and although they remain a bit of a hipster hip-hop / R&B outfit, the 36m views on YouTube for this track suggests it had a bit of a breakout. Since then the lead singer Syd has appeared on a number of collabs with Disclosure, Zayn and others, and she's a wonderful pioneer for LGTB+ music as she sings in open pronouns about her relationships - still something quite rare when you think about it, especially in black music and black culture. Anyway, still obsessed with this song. Not sure if it has much of an audience on moopy, but hey. Had to include it.
 
funky said:
6. The 1975 - Somebody Else
2016


I love it cause: it's the pop peak of the genre of the decade. If nu wave really is a thing, then you've got to wonder whether time will be as kind to The 1975 as it deserves to be; these guys were at the forefront of alternative synthpop long before most of the big pop acts had a go. This particular track is probably one of their safer efforts, but sometimes, a great song is a great song. This is as anthem for our times, and although it didn't really set the charts alight, it has somehow emerged over time as their signature tune. I don't know why, but it's certainly my absolute favourite. Because of their penchant for exploring limitless genres of music, I haven't warmed to everything they do, but there's been some real highlights, and I absolutely fucking adore this song. It hasn't left my work/car playlist in 5 years. And I do think this song will be remembered long after many of the retro comeback pop anthems have faded. There's just something about it.
Click to expand...

YES. I love this song very dearly. it's really the quintessential 1975 song in many ways - the way it plays with structure, how the instrumentation builds and the very delicate heartbreak gradually gives way to something punchier (but still melancholy), and that's before that bridge ("fuck that get money") with its postmodern romance lyricism at the fore comes in.

many 1975 songs paint romance as a transactional thing which is presumably because Matty is jaded as fuck, but their best songwriting feels witty and contrasts the absolute sincerity of his vocal. and the vocal on this song, and its dreamy soundscape, are tremendous. it's actually not quite my favourite from this record (that would be A Change of Heart) but it is totally a major classic of the decade.
 
3. PAPER KITES - Electric Indigo
2015


I love it cause: I'm not sure actually, but few songs have gotten under my skin like this has. Paper Kites are primarily an alt-folk band, but they have in recent years incorporated more of a new wave sound, with 80s basslines, drum kits and the likes. File those songs under the same banner as The 1975, and this song in particular has a bit of a Tears For Fears vibe about it. Might be a bit too soft-rock sounding for moopers, but I haven't been able to remove this from my playlist for 6 years now. Some songs just stick. This sticks.
 
funky said:
9. ROISIN MURPHY - Incapable
2019


I love it cause: it's disco pop with a heart. A good year before a huge career comeback, Roisin was dropping singles that harked back much more to her Moloko and early solo days, after a few years of more eclectic, less accessible sounds. Before I even knew her new disco opus was on its way, this stood out an absolute mile. Swooshing Moroder synths and funky guitar licks providing the backdrop for a confessional song about being dead inside, Roisin fused the singer-songwriter and disco genres together beautifully, almost setting the stage for Dua, Kylie, Gaga and Jessie to storm in last year for one of the biggest years of pop to date, with disco at the heart. Fabulous for one of my all time favourite artists to be at the centre of that, just as she found her groove again.
Click to expand...

an absolute monster of a song! I go back and forth with Murphy's Law (which is sublime and feels very autobiographical, but a more straightforward song) but ultimately I'd say Incapable is her best work since the Overpowered era. the confidence of it all! the sexy, pared-back disco strut! the casual confessional nature of the lyrics! the full 7 minute version takes its sweet time.

the Dimitri From Paris remix is absolutely divine too and transports the song to another, giddier space within disco. but no surprise that a track this good is ripe for reinvention.
 
2. KIRA - If It Makes You Feel Better
2018


I love it cause: without sounding like a broken record, this is retro pop at its very, very best. The latter half of the decade absolutely spoiled us for evocative, emotional, hipster new wave pop music, and I guess this particular track is about as underground as it gets: I still don't really know who they are, some duo from the UK, who've only released about 4 songs including a strange Shania Twain cover, but the others are all various shades of 17/10, including this, which just CLICKS in all the right ways. The 80s guitar, the synths, the etherial vocal, the melancholic but uplifting chord sequences. So yeah I inducted this into the ASFM hall of fame on my first attempt and I think I finished Top 5 with it, so synth pop ain't dead yet, folks. I'm listening to this now and BY GOLLY it's good. For all those who were introduced to this gem by me, you're welcome.
 
Jark said:
an absolute monster of a song! I go back and forth with Murphy's Law (which is sublime and feels very autobiographical, but a more straightforward song) but ultimately I'd say Incapable is her best work since the Overpowered era. the confidence of it all! the sexy, pared-back disco strut! the casual confessional nature of the lyrics!

the Dimitri From Paris remix is absolutely divine too and transports the song to another, giddier space within disco. but no surprise that a track this good is ripe for reinvention.
Click to expand...

yeah on an album of great tracks, I just can't deny Incapable as the standout. She just got everything right with that track.
 
OK so here goes...

1. BEN KHAN - Youth
2014


I love it cause: well, just listen to it. At the risk of being a bit anti-climatic and picking a song that has made absolutely no dent in the annals of 10s music, I couldn't really pick anything else from a personal list of the past 5 years. As it goes, this song came out before I took a break from moopy, so technically it's disqualified (!), but I actually only discovered it in 2015, via an @ameraal playlist, no less. I definitely have him to thank for a lot of my music this past decade. Anyway, if we're going to talk retro synth pop AGAIN, let's talk about it in the most avant garde fashion. Because Ben Khan is a true innovator - to the point where a lot of his other stuff (and there isn't much) is a bit too heavy or out there for me. This song however - wow. The opening bars, with its echoing electric guitar riffs could give any film trailer a lift, and the kick in at 1:00 is nerve shredding. The lyrics about lost youth probably had some subconsious effect on me as well, but honestly it's just the way he uses synths and rhythms to absolute fucking perfection. More people should hear this song. It's very very special.


Anyway I finished! Despite losing a bit of MOMENTUM along the way. Here's a playlist for anyone still interested:

 
I'm also going to make some time to listen to the stuff I don't know. I already discovered a few great tunes from this list, and funks I'm so here for the enthusiasm and taste displayed throughout. I love this window into what has moved you musically and your write-ups have been fab. 💕

WELL DONE FOR FINISHING. I wonder what the must be like.
 
Very impressed that this was finished... :D

But actually I’ve liked a lot of what I’ve heard and need to check out a lot of this!
 
I've started listening through some of the ones I didn't know already funks, and my favourite discovery so far is The City Don't Care. very smooth. :disco:

I also played Ben Khan and realised i'd played Youth quite a bit back in the day but then forgotten it/him. lovely sensuous production that was maybe a couple of years ahead.
 
Oh no I missed this ending! Congratulations on getting through it @funky! I'm going to listen to the top 50 which I haven't really heard most of yet. Apart from the wonderful KIRA Iguanavision track!
 
Thank you all! The playlist only seems to have 98 songs and I do remember one not being on spotify, so now I have to live the rest of my life wondering what the other missing song is :(

Music can be so cruel sometimes
 
Iguana said:
Another track that's been entered into ASFM!
Click to expand...
maybe I should be playing ASFM. why did nobody ever tag me?

:basil:
troll-trolls.gif
 
anyway i just listened to The City Don't Care again followed by some Poolside tunes of choice and basically thankyou spirit animal @funky for services to mankind
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top Bottom