And usually that’s not just with one listen. It’s with multiple listens – over and over - everywhere you go. You start making up situations in your daily life so you can mention the song to a friend or quote its lyrics on Twitter. You sneak it into mixtapes for friends and in multiple playlists. You get really fucking upset when people rubbish it or clearly haven’t watched the video for it even though you’ve posted it on their Facebook wall, like, a thousand times this week.

So having said that, my Top 10 songs of 2012 are actually pretty obvious to people who know me. Unlike the albums of the year countdown where there were a few outer-pop forays, this countdown is a no-brainer.

Before we get to the Top 10 songs of 2012, here’s a quick recap of my other songs of the year:

#30 – ‘Scream’ by Usher
#29 – ‘Like a Girl in Love’ by Elen Levon
#28 – ‘Radioactive’ by Rita Ora
#27 – ‘Guilt Trip’ by John Rowley
#26 – ‘Wanna See U Dance (La La La)’ by Kat DeLuna
#25 – ‘Candy’ by Robbie Williams
#24 – ‘Do It Like That (Fred Falke Remix)’ by Ricki-Lee
#23 – ‘Closer’ by Tegan and Sara
#22 – ‘This Kiss’ by Carly Rae Jepsen
#21 – ‘Boys’ by Abelard
#20 – ‘Don’t Fail Me Now’ by Melanie Amaro
#19 – ‘Get Along’ by Guy Sebastian
#18 – ‘No Shame’ by Sarah De Bono
#17 – ‘I Heart You’ by Toni Braxton
#16 – ‘Fantastic Baby’ by Big Bang
#15 – ‘Gang Bang’ by Madonna
#14 – ‘I Found You’ by The Wanted
#13 – ‘Automatic’ by Nicki Minaj
#12 – ‘Starring Role’ by Marina and the Diamonds
#11 – ‘Home Run’ by Misha B

- #10 -
Pink
‘Blow Me (One Last Kiss)’

I don’t know where you hail from but here in Australia, it is considered un-Australian to not like Pink. The feisty yet down-to-earth American pop rocker is pretty much an honorary Aussie, given how much she tours here and how many tons of records she sells. However – as with any artist who has achieved ubiquity in the press, TV and radios – you grow tired of seeing Pink everywhere. ‘Blow Me (One Last Kiss)’ and its accompanying album The Truth About Love came at a point where I literally couldn’t handle any more Alecia Moore.

But there’s something about ‘Blow Me’ that just knocks me over every time I hear it. I know on paper it sounds like every other massive Pink uptempo we’ve heard in recent times. Producer Greg Kurstin, who has never written or produced for Pink before, totally nailed it – bringing out her signature raging vocals, can’t-fuck-with-me attitude, and this massive hook served over searing hot rock beats.

What separates ‘Blow Me’ from Pink‘s other recent uptempos – like ‘Raise Your Glass’ and ‘So What?’ – is that she’s actually pissed off and fed up with love. And she does this so fucking well. There’s this raw, trembling energy flowing through the song that reminded me of the sensation you get after you explode at someone. It’s a complex mix of anger, feeling vulnerable and a little defensive.

It’s a total meltdown moment when you hear Pink scream over head-banging beats and duelling guitars and synths: “I think I’ve finally had enough. I think I maybe think too much. I think this might be it for us. Blow me one last kiss!”

I love that the lyrics are also really visual and metaphorical, “White knuckles and sweaty palms from hanging on too tight… tie a knot in the rope, trying to hold, trying to hold but there’s nothing to grasp so I let it go!” Let’s not forget about the “sick Whiskey dick” part too.

- #9 -
The Presets
‘Ghosts (Hermitude Trapped in Heaven Remix)’

I would like to thank Aussie hip hop maestros Hermitude for getting me properly obsessed and initiated into the world of trap. I find it strange that I’ve snuck into this hybrid hip hop/house style through an Aussie band when there are countless mixtapes and seminal records out there marked by T.I. and 2 Chainz that are probably closer to the core of the genre.

Hermitude‘s remix of The Presets‘ single ‘Ghosts’ outranks the original version in my books because I think it does what a really great remix is supposed to – it takes only the strongest, the most essential parts of the song, and regenerates it in a new light. This trap-style remix picks up elements like Julian Hamilton‘s wailings and comical ‘huh‘s, chops and changes it then fit them in with a fierce perforating beat.

As I’ve mentioned throughout this year’s albums and songs countdown, I’ve just been really inspired by a range of musical styles that I’ve never really come across before. Trap music is definitely one of them, and I’ve decided that if I can’t teach myself to make this kind of music, I wanna at least learn to dance to it like these hot mofos.

- #8 -
Conor Maynard
‘Can’t Say No’

Look. I do my best to keep up with what the children are listening to these days, not out of some vain hope of retaining my youth – I’m a gaysian. I am always gonna look at least seven years younger than my birth certificate – but because I never wanna lose sight of true pop. I think teeny bopper music and young pop idols are the heart of popular music, and you can’t be a legitimate music critic or pop music blogger if you turn up your nose at that.

Having said that, I have vehemently resisted Justin Bieber and Cody Simpson‘s music for the longest time and this year, the walls finally came down. I allowed myself into the fangurly Tumblr blogs and immersed myself in their tunes, listening wide-eyed and dreamily as if Biebz and Codez were singing to me and no other girl in the world. I mean, when I was growing up I didn’t allow myself to have such an intimate connection with male pop singers, so I’m really making up for it now.

19-year old British munchkin Conor Maynard quickly rose to be the king of my fantasies new pop persuasion the second I heard his debut single ‘Can’t Say No’. There was something criminally sexy about the way his breathy vocals caressed your ears and the way your hips just wanna ride to that crisp, urban electro beat.

“They send my rocket to the sky, I want them. Should I go for them? I’m like, Houston. I think we got a problem.” Lord Jesus. I mean, the kid is singing about being tempted by fine females everywhere he goes even though he knows he’s got a girl waiting for him at home. It’s not necessarily something I can directly relate to but I still feel like it is a rather universal song for all men. Because, fellas, let’s be real – whether you’re young or mature, taken or single, gay, straight or licking on both sides, you’re thinking about sex all the time.

‘Can’t Say No’ taps into that carnal, sexual energy. It speaks to the tireless wandering eye and that age old temptation to do something about it. Whether it’s the girls in the club, or the cute guy on Grindr who is like 600 metres away, or just Justin fucking Bieber –  you know you’ve thought about it.

- #7 -
Little Mix
‘Wings’

It was a very cruel seven-month wait for Little Mix to finally debut ‘Wings’ – their proper, official first single. By this stage I was ready to take a fork to my kidneys because the anticipation itself was gonna end me anyway. I’ve been a fan of the UK X Factor-spawned girl group since they entered the live shows and repeatedly slayed your faves week after week until they eventually claimed the crown.

‘Wings’ was well worth the wait because it delivered precisely what we required from Little Mix: an infectious uptempo that was vibrant, fresh and vocally on-point. It was crucial that the girls, who were so often praised for their ability to harmonise like a seasoned girl band, didn’t lose that feature in their music. To be honest, it was what separated them from the pack, really.

There are so many songs recorded by girl bands lately that don’t actually emphasise any sense of togetherness or some form of collective identity. The focus has somewhat shifted from harmonies to giving members more solo lines and time to shine in their respective sections of the song. So thank fuck Little Mix came correct with ‘Wings’.

British production team TMS (who has delivered for the likes of Dappy and Professor Green) crafted a summery track with sassy horns, marching band drums and hand claps to boot. With all that energy already teeming from the music, it was easy to see why the girls clocked it as the perfect foundation to write an empowering anthem for a new generation – mixing in motherly advice with familiar, rosy metaphors about taking flight.

“Mama told me not to waste my life, she said spread your wings my little butterfly. Don’t let what they say keep you up at night. And if they give you sh**, then they can walk on by!” - Now tell me, what little girl or fabulous little boy wouldn’t wanna strut to the playground to that?

- #6 -
Nelly Furtado
‘Parking Lot’

Hectic, carefree, and positively drippin’ with swagu: this is the fresh Nelly Furtado jam you want quaking the speakers at your house parties. I have to admit, I thought this song was too much to deal with the first time I heard it. It was one thing to handle the blaring horns when you’re nursing a hangover, but it’s another when you’re trying to make sense of Furtado‘s laissez-faire spoken word verses that resemble that of MIA‘s.

Eventually, after about two listens the following week, I gave in and it became tradition for me to cue this song as the first track through my headphones every time I left the house. There’s so much colour and confidence in the beats, you can’t help but walk a little differently when you hear that groove – kinda like the walk you do after you’ve just picked up at a bar.

‘Parking Lot’ was written by Furtado as some kind of nostalgic review of her hometown and y’know, the thing all young people who grew up in suburbia did to past time: hang out at random spots like the parking lot or drive around with their mates blasting music at deafening levels.

Sonically, the irresistible groove just moves you. I am infatuated with that ferocious stomp-stompstomp-clap beat, which recalls Gwen Stefani‘s ‘Hollaback Girl’, but I also can’t get enough of the sweet sing-along “Na na na na na! Ley! Ley!” section that calls for a touch of Hula dance moves. There’s even a touch of doo-wop in the verse at the very end with marching band beats, further emphasising Furtado‘s ability to cohesively amalgamate different musical ideas in her songs.

- #5 -
2NE1
‘I Love You’

One of my favourite K-pop acts 2NE1 pretty much turned the party with ‘I Love You’, which is alarmingly their only Korean single this year. I’m just gagged because their second mini album (featuring ‘I Am The Best’ and ‘Ugly’) is still everything to me.

What I really love about ‘I Love You’ is that it doesn’t sound like a typical 2NE1 single. In the same way that ‘Call The Shots’ signalled a defining new direction for Girls Aloud, ‘I Love You’ did just that for 2NE1. We’ve heard the awesome foursome spit fire on fierce electronic hip hop and reggae fusion tracks for the past three years, so it’s a delightful to see them step out with an alluring intergalactic dance ballad for a change.

Structurally, they’ve jam packed like five different hooks into this song. It’s impossible to pick a favourite part as you’re trekking along because every section that follows seem to be better than the last one. CL starts you off with a sultry English spoken word intro and the first verse built on crescendoing synths, before you know it in comes the simple ethereal chorus resounding “I love you, oooooh-oooooh-ooooh”, which you only ever hear twice in this song.

Verse two and the middle eight are completely different experiences altogether, with Dara and CL leading the way with their sassy rap verses that feel like familiar landmarks of the 2NE1 sound. Just like it was with the girls’ fierce 2010 single ‘Can’t Nobody’, the very last verse in ‘I Love You’ is an absolutely dynamite hi-energy section that always feels too criminally brief. There you have screaming synths and pulsating dance beats competing with the girls’ final promises of “I love you everyday, don’t get away, take me away! I love you everyday, in every way, let’s holiday!”. Perfection.

- #4 -
Cheryl
‘Call My Name’

In the last 12 months, it’s been really interesting surveying people I come across about their knowledge of Cheryl Cole. I find that most young Australians do have some vague to beginners’-level understanding of the Geordie pop goddess thanks to her fervent appearance in women’s magazines and fashion blogs. However, start asking them about their favourite Cheryl song and you’re either greeted with cricket sounds or strained guesses, which usually lead to them trying to describe to you what she was wearing/doing in a particular music video. At this point, as a Chezza Soldier, it is your duty to quickly (and correctly) identify the song for your mate and put them out of their misery with a swift back hand to the face for not knowing better.

‘Just go home and look up ‘Call My Name’. It’s produced by Calvin Harris.’ That’s usually my quick fix recommendation. I say this because ‘Call My Name’ is the best Cheryl single to date. It is everything you want in a present-time dance/pop song: it sounds current and it manoeuvres beautifully across both club and daytime radio realms.

‘Call My Name’ was birthed from the fertile production loins of Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, who popped out ‘We Found Love’ for Rihanna, and although comparisons are rife with the aforementioned RiRi smash – this song sounds like something designed for a popstar.

The lyrics are tinged with infatuation and I love that it captures, in the simplest manner, how hypersensitised one gets when one is in love. “How’d you think I feel when you call my name? You got me confused by the way I change.” – It sums it up so beautifully and effectively.

One could also say the song holds personal relevance for Cheryl given that this is the first single she launched as just “Cheryl”. For the past six years she has been known as “Cheryl Cole”, taking the surname of her now ex-husband Ashley Cole. Even though they were separated not long after she launched her solo career, Cheryl kept the surname, but with the arrival of ‘Call My Name’ and her third album, finally came the switch to ditch it. It was time people said her name and got to know Cheryl.

- #3 -
Scissor Sisters
‘Let’s Have a Kiki’

I can’t think of another song in 2012 that I have referenced more than ‘Let’s Have a Kiki’. If you were caught out in the rain, you weren’t just drenched, hunty. You was a “drowned, harassed rat”. If you were throwing a party or just organising a little get together involving fun music and friends, you was having a “kiki”. If you were gonna serve, you were also gonna “work and turn and huh-huh-honey”.

The arrival of this new Scissor Sisters cult classic couldn’t have been more timely. In a post-Rupaul’s Drag Race world where American drag lexicon is so readily traded and applied in every street corner and venue with smoke machines, we needed an anthem like this.

We needed an anthem that celebrated the camaraderie amongst our fiercest friends, an anthem that injects a heady dose of opulence, drama and downtown New York street cool.

I’ve always been a fan of any SS song that featured Ana Matronic‘s sassy spoken word verses and ‘Kiki’ let’s you have it in mothertrucking proportions in a freestyle-fashion over 90s house beats that sound fabulously fashioned for the ball.

- #2 -
Samantha Jade
‘What You’ve Done to Me’

I think there might’ve been a few clutching of pearls and startled reactions when Australians heard Samantha Jade‘s X Factor winning single: ‘What You’ve Done To Me’. I felt a collective turning of heads and quietly impressed expressions of, “this is actually pretty fucking good for an X Factor single.”

After years of being let down with dud recordings dealt by winners of these TV talent shows, ‘What You’ve Done To Me’ swiftly restored our hopes with its bombastic hook and thumping dance pop beats. It didn’t sound like a song you’d find tucked away in the bowels of some producer’s hard drive, as you often get with songs hurriedly pitched to talent show contestants. This song sounds like something hot you’d immediately rush to Selena Gomez or some other bankable Disney star. I quickly became obsessed with it.

Aussie songwriting and production duo DNA co-wrote ‘What You’ve Done To Me’ with Tania Doko (ex-Bachelor Girl) and Jorgen Elofsson (who has written for Britney, Steps and Agnes). Even though it was a universal pop song about feeling untouchable when you’re in love, I think in some strange way it also reflected Sammi’s fight to be a popstar.

It cuts close to home when you hear the X Factor queen, who was once signed to the same label to Britney, open with: “sometimes you get what you want, sometimes you get what you don’t, sometimes you get nothing at all”. In this context, ‘What You’ve Done To Me’ suddenly becomes the happy ending song for the underdog’s story, whether you’ve been unlucky in love or have struggled to make your dreams come true.

An addictive A-grade pop song delivered by such a promising and well-loved Australian pop princess-in-making, ‘What You’ve Done To Me’ just feels a gold medal moment in our nation’s memory of 2012.

- #1 -
Girls Aloud
‘Something New’

No, duh. How many of you saw this coming? How many of y’all knew the ending before this countdown even began? Girls Aloud‘s all-conquering comeback single ‘Something New’ is officially my most played song of 2012, racking up well over 150 listens in just two months.

I’ve tried to slap myself out of this trance in time to finish the Top 10, because the song is still so fresh and is somewhat of a current obsession, I didn’t want it to affect my judgement. But for real, I just can’t think of any other song I would put above ‘Something New’ in 2012.

My #1 song of the year always goes to the song I imagine would take me back to memories and experiences unique to that particular year. The joy and hysteria I experienced when I first heard ‘Something New’ ranks as one of the most memorable music experiences I’ve had this year.

Girls Aloud is one of my favourite artists of all time and here we  have their first single in three years.  It wasn’t a fucking disappointment, like it was with the Spice Girls‘ comeback single ‘Headlines (Friendship whatever-the-fuck)’. This was a completely fan-serving outing. The girls hooked up with Xenomania once again, the driving force behind their success and sound, and delivered a high energy floor-filler that complements the sentiment surrounding their 10 year anniversary. This song embodies both nostalgia and excitement for the future.

There were elements of the good old bonkers Xenomania lyrics mingled with an assertive reminder of the girls’ place in pop, and how they famously trumped One True Voice 10 years ago to claim their first UK #1: “‘Cause we’re the leaders of the pack! Boy, you better watch your back.”

There’s also the old multiple-hook structure and rapid tandem singing of verses that has become so signature of Girls Aloud material. Both Nadine and Cheryl sound practically indistinguishable from each other as they fire off adrenalin-fuelled lines in the chorus. Just like it was in ‘The Promise’, Sarah is back moonlighting a distinct second verse. Kimberley slips comfortably between her bratty, spoken word rap verses and the enormous sung chorus. Nicola also held her own in ‘Something New’ – given that she has traditionally been dealt the softer, more atmospheric sections to sing, there’s actually very little opportunity in this song for her to resume that role, which I sense suited her just fine because she did mention during the recording of her solo album that she was tired of playing that part.

Y’know what? 10 or even eight years ago, I wouldn’t have thought that Girls Aloud would be such a big part of my life or could be so seminal in teaching me about pop music. Their decade-long discography is a schizophonic collage of sounds, referencing over 50 years of pop, often juxtaposing several styles in the space of one three-minute song. The approach to writing and creating multiple-hook intensive songs is inspiring. And with ‘Something New’ I can only hope that their legacy lives on in one way or another – whether it’s with the band’s future material or a regeneration of such an approach to making pop music that is adopted by a new wave of up-and-coming artists, perhaps, like myself.

Footnotes:

Check out Feed Limmy’s Songs of 2012: #30 – #21 and #20 – #11.

2012 has been a really special year for me and one I’ll probably look back on as the year I chose to be happy. I’ve never consciously thought about happiness as being something I choose to attain or achieve for myself. I had always expected for happiness to simply happen as a reaction to something.

I’ve had the pleasure of travelling overseas by myself for the first time this year, I’ve met and hung out with some awesome people in London, Paris, Brisbane and here back home in Melbourne. Making the move to breakfast radio and receiving a broadcasting award from the station after five years on air was such a surprise and delightful moment of validation. I felt my confidence come back to me, not as it was before I lost it, but in a new and slightly more bulletproof form. I was excited by change, I was opening myself to new experiences and beneath all these experiences, the music never stopped.

Although it has been a year of playlists and tailoring my own listening experiences, I’ve been really inspired by a handful of artists who have come through with really good albums. These Top 10 albums of 2012 have all inspired me and my personal exploration as a songwriter and artist (it still feels weird for me to refer to myself as a singer even though I know I can sing. I am not ready for the pressure of being a ‘singer’). There are glossy pop albums here, creative projects that opened me up to new styles and influences, and grand singer/songwriter albums.

As much as I love blogging about music, I’m really excited to explore the possibilities of being an artist myself and that’s pretty much what I’m gonna focus my time and energy on in the new year. Friends, you gotta follow your bliss.

Before we launch into the Top 10 albums of 2012, here’s a quick recap of the other notable albums of the year:

#30 – Timomatic by Timomatic
#29 – Human Condition: Pt. 1 Doleo (EP) by Wynter Gordon
#28 – Overexposed by Maroon 5
#27 – Is Your Love Big Enough? by Lianne La Havas
#26 – Return to Paradise by Sam Sparro
#25 – Bodyparts by Dragonette
#24 – 1991 (EP) by Azealia Banks
#23 – DNA by Little Mix
#22 – Armageddon by Guy Sebastian
#21 – Two Eleven by Brandy
#20 – Push and Shove by No Doubt
#19 – Make Me Believe in Hope by Bright Light Bright Light
#18 – Origin of Love by Mika
#17 – My Head is an Animal by Of Monsters and Men
#16 – Django Django by Django Django
#15 – Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys
#14 – Glassheart by Leona Lewis
#13 – Idea of Happiness by Van She
#12 - Heal by Loreen
#11 – True (EP) by Solange

- #10 -
Paloma Faith
Fall to Grace

British soul siren Paloma Faith blew me away with her impressive sophomore Fall to Grace. I was very much a fan of her debut Do You Want The Truth or Something Beautiful? but this collection of songs just feel richer and more cinematic. I immediately wrapped it around my ears when it was released at the break of winter here and kept my insides toasty when her warm dulcet tones.

Fall to Grace unfolds with great confidence, bearing a series of love-bruised ballads that all shimmer with a touch of old glamour. The windswept first single ‘Picking Up The Pieces’ aches from the get go with an earnest opening like, “do you think of her when you’re with me?”. It is pure musical theatre dramatics, sparing no heartstrings at the orchestral chorus.

The stunning ‘Black and Blue’ is a gospel-infused number calling for empathy for your fellow fallen man and womankind. “I know people who use chatrooms as confessionals. I know down and outs who once were, once they were professionals. Wipe it off your sleeve, your superiority. Don’t roll your eyes, my sweet.”

Having said that, Fall to Grace is not all theatrical and severe in practice. ‘Blood Sweat and Tears’ is a stomping nouveau disco/soul blend that glitters with a slight nod to Giorgio Moroder. Behind the smoke and strobes lies a really life-affirming song about perseverance and faithfulness. Elsewhere, ‘Freedom’ hears stern piano chords kick about with 90s hip hop beats that feel like they might’ve been ripped from a Reebok commercial.

The album’s key producer Nellee Hooper (who has brought to life monumental records for Björk and even arranged the score and soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann‘s Romeo + Juliet) was instrumental in maintaining some kind of coherence in all these different and rich soundscapes. In Hooper, I believe Paloma Faith has found a musical soulmate of boundless potential. Fingers crossed they hook up again for her next opus.

Album highlights: ‘Black and Blue’, ‘Picking Up The Pieces’ and ‘Blood Sweat and Tears’.

- #9 -
Missy Higgins
The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle

I wasn’t sure where to place myself as a Missy Higgins fan. Is fan too strong a word? How about interested spectator? I don’t tend to fangurl over Melissa‘s work or keep it on repeat as much as I do with anything Ricki-Lee puts out, but in my head there’s a steady acknowledgement that this woman knows how to do good organic pop that never seem go out of fashion.

The ARIA award-winning singer songwriter seized the nation with her debut album The Sound of White, which gave us the unforgettable modern Aussie pop staple: ‘The Special Two’. However after a five year hiatus, bringing a lot of soul searching and a tentative career change, I wasn’t sure how a recharged Missy Higgins was going to reconnect with her fans and interested spectators.

The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle just greeted me like a long lost friend the minute I let it into my home. There’s the familiarity and warmth in Missy‘s voice that you forgot. There’s her way of telling stories in song that become infused with your own memories and experiences, which you’ll replay in your mind for years to come.

The new album carries new stories of Missy‘s journey in the last five years which she can’t wait to fill you in on. The opener ‘Set Me on Free’ is a free-flowing melodic pop song about writers block. ‘Everyone’s Waiting’ hears her open up about life in the limelight and its asphyxiating pressures.

Sonically, I’m quite impressed with Missy’s sensible forays into a bit of country, folk and blues. ’Temporary Love’ is a full-bodied and kinda sexy pop song with a massive chorus surrounded by a uplifting strings, guitars, keys and percussion – it’s every inch a crowd pleaser at gigs. Elsewhere, ‘Watering Hole’ gives you blues, hand-claps and soul realness like Memphis meets Albury/Wodonga.

The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle is a confident and personable body of work from a faithful favourite.

Album highlights: ‘Set Me on Fire’, ‘Everyone’s Waiting’ and ‘Temporary Love’.

- #8 -
Ricki-Lee
Fear and Freedom

It had been some five years since we last had an album from Ricki-Lee. So, round about the same leave of absence as Missy Higgins but here’s the deal, unlike the aforementioned Higgins, our fierce former-Idol popstar has never had a truly defining album to call her own – until now.

Fear and Freedom is hands down Ricki-Lee‘s best and strongest body of work to date. She has never had a more cohesive album and one that is so evidently ready for the international market. The shimmering European-style dance/pop productions are perfect backdrops for Coulter’s signature big vocals, which come charging at the gates with anthemic lyrics to fulfill the album’s liberating themes.

The beauty about Fear and Freedom as a “dance music-style” album is that, its approach is still completely that of a pedigree pop album. You get a sense that each track was crafted with lyrics and radio-friendly melodies as a priority – unlike a lot of Top 40 dance-inflected hits these days, which are clearly driven by nothing but the beat.

In fact, half of the collaborators on this album are not typically associated with crafting club floor fillers. Vince Pizzinga, who co-wrote and produced the stunning ‘I Feel Love’ and ‘On The Floor’, is better known for working with Delta Goodrem on piano-laden gems like ‘Innocent Eyes’.

Elsewhere Sydney-bred DJ and producer Hook N Sling (aka Anthony Maniscalco) hems the brazen, fist-pumping ‘Burn It Down’ and ‘World Disappears’, a throbbing Ibiza-ready cut. Both are addictive landmarks on this record that reflect the wig-snatching worldwide quality set by ‘Raining Diamonds’, which is pretty much one of my favourite songs of all time.

All in all, Fear and Freedom is an uplifting and immediate pop album that injects Ricki-Lee‘s megawatt energy to its listeners in ways we’ve never experienced before. Vibrant, triumphant and genuine – in a lot of ways, it reminds me of the great nods I gave when I first heard RuPaul‘s Glamazon album, which was one of my Top 10 albums of 2011.

Album highlights: ‘Raining Diamonds’, ‘Burn It Down’, ‘World Disappears’.

- #7 -
Conor Maynard
Contrast

I think my favourite part of this album is the ability to fold your Conor Maynard album booklet in three different ways to display three different cover arts. But on a serious note, this is the most enjoyment I’ve gotten out of a solo male pop artist in a long time. Because, y’know, sex with Nick Carter happened so long ago I’ve kinda forgotten?

British teen sensation Conor Maynard‘s debut Contrast is a confident first step into the big league. The project calls on some pop heavyweights like The Invisible Men (hitmakers behind Jessie J), Ne-Yo, Stargate (bank-breaking hit producer for Rihanna) and Pharrell to name a few, but despite all the A-list assistance he could get, the kid still co-wrote like 10 out of the 12 songs here. I think his involvement’s been key to why Contrast is bearing such believable and vital sounding “boy-next-door” records.

There’s a certain teen boy cheekiness rendered over a majority of these tracks that is destructively sexy. If the 19-year old’s smooth and breathy vocals over contemporary urban pop beats isn’t enough to drive you from the groins of Bieber over to Brighton, some of these choice songs will.

‘Can’t Say No’ – the album’s lead single – is a cool, girl-chasing number that’s still kinda innocent in the way he coos, “some girls are naughty, some girls are sweet. One thing they got in common is they all got a hold on me…”. Elsewhere, ‘Another One’ is cocky-as-fuck in a way that makes you wanna roll your eyes but still smile a little at the scrotum-grabbing lyrics about bagging another girl while your mates are “still searching the floor”.

Polished productions, songs that tip-toe the tightrope between sweet and sexual, and a very confident vocal performance: Conor Maynard‘s Contrast stacks up well as one of the best debut pop albums I’ve heard all year.

Album highlights: ‘Can’t Say No’, ‘Turn Around’ and ‘Lift Off’.

- #6 -
The 2 Bears
Be Strong

You are now looking at one of my favourite EDM albums of the year. Come give it a bear hug. London-based duo The 2 Bears (made up of Joe Goddard from Hot Chip and Raf Rundell) has fashioned what slowly dawned on me to be the coolest house music album I’ve heard, possibly ever.

In a pop field so asphyxiated with dance music of late, I often struggle to sustain my enthusiasm for the genre after swimming through miles and miles of Calvin Harris and David Guetta-style singles. Subconsciously, my personal quest slowly turned to exploring different streams of dance music and dipping into more alternative house or “indietronica”. In came offerings from the likes of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Flume, Azari & III, and these guys.

The 2 Bears brought a refreshing amalgamation of 90s house, hip hop and a much-welcomed spanking of soul. Be Strong is just a really inviting, sweet and enjoyable house album that glows with heart-warming optimism. It’s divided in two parts: the front-end delivers uplifting house, and that’s compulsory listening as far as I’m concerned, while the second half explores more intriguing downbeat electronica, which may or may not be what you’re here for.

Hunty, “if you pay 10 dollars to get in the ball”, you better work it out to stompers like ‘Bear Hug’ and ‘Be Strong’. Stylistically, they are both exceptional homages to house music and its deep roots in gay club history. The latter actually serves as a bit of an anthem for me now. I mean listen to this, “some people say that music sets you free but all my life the music has imprisoned me, keeps me awake in the night and in the morn… give the music all your lovin’!”

Album highlights: ’Be Strong’, ‘Bear Hug’ and ‘Work’.

- #5 -
Emeli Sandé
Our Version of Events

When you are already one of the industry’s most sought-after singer/songwriters of the moment, everyone’s gonna expect for you to bring fire and brimstone on your own album. You don’t wanna do a Ne-Yo and fail on that front.

Emeli Sandé thankfully delivered with Our Version of Events, a meticulous collection of well-crafted piano-based ballads with nods to gospel and a dash of drum and bass. Every effort has been made to showcase the quality of Sandé’s songs and her emotive vocal performance here. Each track spills over with emotions so rich you can’t help but be moved by what she is sharing with you.

I remember hearing ‘My Kind of Love’ on the radio when I was in London – now, by this stage I have already had the album for about five months – but for some reason it just hit me with a fresh meaning that morning as I was sitting on the other side of the world on my brother’s birthday, so desperate to trade anything just to give him a hug.

‘Read All About It (Part III)’ – Sandé’s solo re-writing of her UK #1 collabo with Professor Green – is another monumental track on Our Version of Events. It totally takes a life of its own, outside what you know of the original. “Let’s get the TV and the radio to play our tune again. It’s ’bout time we got some airplay for our version of events… yeah we’re all wonderful, wonderful people so when did we all get so fearful? And now we’re finally, finally finding our voices just take a chance, come help me sing this.” I love the semi-political tone in this, suddenly it’s about empowering a generation to speak up. It is in these songs that you realise how skilled the Scottish singer is at capturing themes of struggle, quiet strength, heartbreak and loyalty.

Album highlights: ’Read All About It Part III’, ‘My Kind of Love’, ‘Clown’ and ‘Heaven’.

- #4 -
Marina and the Diamonds
Electra Heart

Welcome to the marvellous, murky and multi-faceted stylings of Marina Diamandis‘ work. The Welsh singer/songwriter swapped out of her darker, more organic indie stylings to embrace a glossier synthetic pop sound for Electra Heart – and all the sudden, she’s a revelation.

This feels like a pop album after my own heart, really. It’s like an episode of The Simpsons. Electra Heart has depth and layers of enjoyment to benefit mainstream pop music listeners of all levels. You can take away the irresistibly fun uptempos like ‘Primadonna’ and ‘Bubblegum Bitch’ and just fucking gorge on its sugary melodies and feisty lyrics, or you can save a piece of it later for a deeper reading. ‘Primadonna’ is a flamboyant and totally mocking sketch of a needy, attention-seeking queen, which I’m sure can be further explored as commentary on pop culture and superficiality.

What I really like to dissect in Electra Heart is, of course, the more confronting and raw break up tracks. Stunners like ‘Starring Role’ shine a spotlight on the awkward and prickly awareness you get when you realise you love someone more than they love you, and the negotiations made between your pride and desperation. “You don’t love me. Big fucking deal. I’ll never tell you how I feel.”

Elsewhere, the dark ‘Power and Control’ pins down power struggles and egos in a relationship, conveyed in an emotive vocal performance that hears Marina go from trembling her voice to nerve-raising taunts. ”Think you’re funny, think you’re smart? Think you’re gonna break my heart? Yeah, you may be good looking but you’re not a piece of art.”

Despite the initial uproar in Marina pursuing a more straight-up pop direction, I think this switch has done her art a tremendous service. To be able to showcase her A-grade songwriting abilities in an accessible backdrop of trendy, electro pop beats is going to pitch her music to a larger audience than possible if she had stuck with a more abstract and stripped-back style. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, obviously. But I just think there’s something to be said about an artist who isn’t afraid to embrace pop, and isn’t afraid to challenge herself by making quality music that is still super accessible. Judging by my tone, I think it’s safe to say that I view Electra Heart as something of what 0304 was to Jewel.

Album highlights: ‘Primadonna’, ‘Bubblegum Bitch’, ‘Power and Control’ and ‘Starring Role’.

- #3 -
Flume
Flume

I’m not gonna lie. My jaw slackened a little when I started playing Flume‘s breakthrough album the day it came out. The 21-year old Sydneysider first caught my ear when his single ‘Sleepless’ (featuring Jezzabell Doran) starting doing rounds on the blogosphere and before you know it, I started seeing this album race up the iTunes chart based on pre-orders alone. This dude was gonna blow up big and real quick too.

Flume is a precise and enjoyable 50-minute body of work, treating listeners to a rich, textured collage of syncopated synths, atmospheric sounds, hip hop beats, and chopped-looped-distorted vocals.

‘On Top’ (featuring T.Shirt), the album’s sole hip hop track, is probably one of my favourites. It’s great to hear no-bullshit rap about ambition rendered over grinding mechanical synths and a traditional 90s hip hop beat. Elsewhere, ‘Insane’ (featuring Moon Holiday) hears waify vocals, pitched up and pitched down, traversing a dreamy soundscape of intergalactic synths.

I feel so out of my element commenting on this body of work because I haven’t traditionally immersed myself in this kind of EDM. This year was probably the first year I really started exploring these different styles of electronica and bask in tracks that don’t necessarily always have lyrics, melodies, song structures or even vocals. It kinda opens you up to discover that there’s emotionality, beauty and colour in the chord progressions, beat patterns, loops and samples.

Even though I am kinda excusing my lack of knowledge of this genre in this Flume review, I must say – on a production level – I am so impressed with what Flume has created. To me, it’s a very special piece of art and I think every music fan needs to have that one album that’s a little abstract, a little out of their scope, to explore and immerse in every now and then.

Album highlights: ‘Sleepless’, ‘On Top’ and ‘Insane’.

- #2 - 
Lana Del Rey
Born to Die

What is 2012 without Lana Del Rey? The American singer/songwriter and self-described “gangsta Nancy Sinatra” carves a bewitching persona in pop unlike any other we’ve seen for as long as I can remember.

Through her cinematic album Born To Die and her always chic Old Hollywood glamour appearance, Lana Del Rey singlehandedly made melancholia stylish, alluring and intoxicating.

Born to Die is a gloriously produced and dramatic body of work, drawing inspiration from 60s music, blues, hip hop and modern day “indie” pop. The project’s core producer Emile Haynie – who has crafted acclaimed records for Eminem and Kanye West – brings an element of grittiness to the orchestral backdrop, creating a modern sound that complements Del Rey’s songs and vocals.

My personal favourite example of said style is displayed on the glorious ‘Off To The Races’. Here you’re treated to a combination of edgy and hedonistic spoken word rap verses with a cooing Marilyn Monroe-esque chorus. “Light of my life, fire of my loins. Be a good baby, do what I want. Light of my life, fire of my loins. Gimme dem gold coins, gimme dem coins.”

I think what’s also interesting about a lot of the tracks on Born to Die is how they eerily reflect – and appeal to – the self-destructive, sad and desperately clingy aspects of our personality. Okay, maybe that’s just me. Songs like ‘Blue Jeans’ hit the mark, depicting a desperate and all-consuming love: “I will love you ’til the end of time. I would wait a million years. Promise that you’ll remember that you’re mine. Baby, can you see through the tears? Love you more than those bitches before. Say you’ll remember. Say you’ll remember.”

‘This is What Makes Us Girls’ is another nostalgic gem, serving a story of a wild child with some frank commentary on friendship in female groups: “This is what makes us girls, we don’t stick together ’cause we put love first…” I honestly wish Del Rey had written more songs like this. Y’know, songs that draw on her childhood and given a glimpse into another story, another chapter of hurt (as sadistic and voyeuristic as that sounds).

Album highlights: ‘Video Games’, ‘Off to The Races’, ‘Summertime Sadness’ and ‘This is What Makes Us Girls’.

- #1 -
Nelly Furtado
The Spirit Indestructible

I know this is probably not your first, second, third or fifth pick for album of the year but for me – when it comes to personal style, edginess and creative approach – there’s all these albums in 2012, and then there’s The Spirit Indestructible.

Nelly Furtado‘s comeback album stood out from the pack and inspired me more so than any other body of work I heard this year. It’s funny because it didn’t strike me at all as number one album of the year material when I first heard it. I went through a cycle of trying to understand it, feeling frustrated with it, then becoming addicted to a different track every time I heard the album.

The Spirit Indestructible is a challenging album. I mean, there’s actually not a lot of radio-ready hits here. In fact, if you look over your shoulder and see the other two Top 3 albums – they all probably share the same trait. Quite a sharp contrast from last year’s Top 3.

At risk of sounding like an indulgent wanker, I think I’ve kinda gone off the rails on this one and started to obsess with the micro details in the production, her songwriting, and how she chose to sing certain sections, to really care that there’s not many “hit single” materials.

I love that there’s a bit of a careless abandon to this album. I love Furtado’s magpie-like approach to collecting different musical styles across genres and ages – throwing together elements of folk, hip hop, dance, world music, 80s rock, pop balladry and more.

I love that this album can sound so slick and precise, yet so casual, raw and unfinished in parts. I love that there’s a earthy core to it. That these songs are all centred around stories, memories and a certain fondness.

Furtado brought to the table real personality, depth and variety in The Spirit Indestructible. I think I’ll forever be gagged and surprised that she teamed up with mega-commercial American producer Darkchild to create this opus, which is possibly the most left-of-centre album he has ever produced. I mean, this is the man who has worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Spice Girls, Brandy and Destiny’s Child.

The project’s first single ‘Big Hoops (Bigger The Better)’ descends like a storm – we’re talking ominous synths, slick hip hop swag, staccatoed percussion, and a mean drum ‘n’ bass breakdown. Lyrically, the 33-year old artist wrote ‘Big Hoops’ as a homage to her 14-year old self and her budding passion for hip hop music at the time. There are lines recalling her putting on her big hoop earrings, going out dancing with her mates, and expressing herself through the beats.

“Tonight it’s the jam, I’ll be there ’til dawn. I’m going down, I got my big hoops on. Pant legs so wide, I got my backpack on. I’m gonna hear my favourite song.” You gotta admire the innocence and childlike storytelling quality to the lyrics (and Furtado’s delivery), and how it sets ‘Big Hoops’ apart from all the other dance/club songs out at the moment.

‘Waiting for The Night’ is another stunner. Here’s a Middle Eastern-influenced nocturnal number that is tender, sensual and tribal all at the same time. ’Spirit Indestructible’ is written from a worldly woman’s perspective on life and the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity. It’s a peculiar universal jam with a big heart. And who could get over that breakbeat section with her oddly chanting the vowels (of all things)?

The guitar-driven ‘Bucket List’ is another instant favourite with its sentimental reflection of all the things Furtado wants to check off in life – not forgetting being with the one she has always loved. “Climb a mountain, swim the seven seas. Get your body to look like Hercules. Jump out an airplane with a parachute… I’d trade in my wildest dreams for you forever.”

I could go on forever because no two songs sound a like here but you’re best to discover it for yourself and pick a favourite.

Album highlights: ‘Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)’, ‘Parking Lot’, ‘Waiting for The Night’ and ‘Bucket List’.

Footnotes:

Check out Feed Limmy’s Albums of 2012: #30 – #21 and #20 – #11.

I’ve tried really hard to suppress my delight in some of these songs because I know in my head, they’re probably non-events to the majority of you “discerning pop music listeners” but  under very inexplicable circumstances I’ve come to thoroughly enjoy the likes of Toni Braxton‘s barely-known dance single ‘I Heart You’ and even Melanie Amaro‘s saccharine uptempo ‘Don’t Fail Me Now’.

Not just enjoy. But I’ve kept each of these songs on repeat in all sorts of places – when I’m up in the gym, strutting down supermarket aisles, roaming the streets of Paris by myself. Everywhere.

Here are the tracks that reign in my Top 20 this year:

- #20 -
Melanie Amaro
‘Don’t Fail Me Now’

You know what this song sounds like? A lot of money. The inaugural US X Factor winner Melanie Amaro and her $5 million recording contract bought her some studio time with super producer Darkchild, who has been in a bit of a creative wilderness of late but managed to still issue the girl with a proper blockbuster pop stomper.

‘Don’t Fail Me Now’ is such an eager-to-please record with its inspirational themes, youthful dance-inflected sound and powerhouse vocals. Contrary to the general preference for Melanie to stick to dated power ballads, I think she really should soldier on making music that’s appropriate to her age.

This track is clearly designed to be a vibrant little anthem for your cardio workout. I might have accidentally – and very exasperatedly – sung out loud “I’ve walked the longest road, so don’t fail me now feet don’t fail me now” on the treadmill. With people around.

As much as I love ‘Don’t Fail Me Now’ for the moments it gives – I must confess, I do find the traditional pop structure it adheres to religiously to be a hindrance. One must take stock of the pivotal moments in this far-stretching pop opus and do everything to make them more readily accessible. Note: the crescendoing synths and racing drums which emulate Rihanna‘s ‘We Found Love’ is tremendous. See also: the bridge where she wails, “counting down I’m almost next to you! Help me now I don’t know what to do!”  So having said that, do we really need a verse two and accompanying chorus?

Well, the short answer is ‘yes’ because bitch, ain’t nobody got time for a running track that only lasts for 2:54. Get back up and sweat it out.

- #19 -
Guy Sebastian
‘Get Along’

I don’t know if you know but I really do love me some Guy Sebastian. I think he’s one of the best Aussie pop princes this country has ever produced. Nine years deep in the game and ex-Aussie Idol champ is still turning out industrial-strength singles that seem to get better and better as he progresses.

His latest offering ‘Get Along’ is arguably the best songwriting showcase in any Guy single. It’s emotive, humanitarian pop at its finest. This is his ‘Earth Song’. Hearing the pleading tone in Guy’s voice as he canvassed the hefty topic of religious wars almost brought a tear to my eye. “Dear god, dear soul, dear Mary, Mohammed – can we all just get along?”

The piano-based ballad, which Guy co-wroter with producer Ian Barter, slots in nicely with the other emotive themes in his Armageddon album, which is one of my Top 30 albums of 2012.

- #18 -
Sarah De Bono
‘No Shame’

The redhead vixen from The Voice Australia had me stunned and gagged when I heard ‘No Shame’. How did the chick who came fourth in the competition and barely earned an acknowledging nod from me the entire time, end up with such a tremendous pop song?

‘No Shame’ is an explosive coming-of-age spunky pop rock song that exudes confidence. De Bono serves an impressive range of attitude here, taking you from an explosive wailing hook to pouty verses and even a sassy spoken word rap breakdown (“you can’t mess with the original, that one’s me! Extraordinary, visionary – yep, that’s me!”).

I fucking love that Cameron Adams, music journo extraordinaire from the Herald Sun, labelled ‘No Shame’ as a “one-woman Girls Aloud” song.

The track is quality Swedish pop import, co-penned by Nicole Morier who was also behind several of Britney‘s Femme Fatale tracks, and co-produced by De Bono herself. For a year that saw the tragic (but probably timely) major label axing of Vanessa Amorosi, I think we should all be thankful for young Sarah filling the space with something this.

- #17 -
Toni Braxton
‘I Heart You’

When somebody told me Toni Braxton had gone in a “dance” direction for her new single, I clutched my rosary beads and prayed, “Lord. Have mercy on this poor, bankrupt ho.” What I wasn’t expecting, though, was for the Lord to perform a miracle – not on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Charts – but on my heart.

‘I Heart You’ thankfully turned out to be more like “high society club soul” than some alcopop-guzzling Steve Aoki/Lil Jon’ bullshit. You’re greeted at the intro by Toni’s silken vocals, which lay self-caressing on a soft cotton candy pink layer of dreamy synths. She is cooing her fantasies like it was some Mills and Boon script (“Sitting here, thinking of you with the candle lit fantasising. I feel your lips, your tender kiss is just oooh, oooh, ooooooh…”)

Before you know it, comes a quick grunt of “what am I gonna do?” and suddenly the beat drops and you’re whisked up to club heaven, raptured in Toni’s tale of longing for a taken man. The middle eight where she goes “I think I’m gonna DANCE!” may seem like a frivolous little detour from the lovelorn narrative she’s spinning but it’s actually one of the simplest and most effective moments in the entire song.

- #16 -
Big Bang
‘Fantastic Baby’

I remember putting together my Top 30 Songs and Albums list last year and seeing K-pop peppered all over from top to tail. But this year, I think I’ve taken a bit of a back seat with the genre even though it has never been more accessible here in Australia since Psy‘s ‘Gangnam Style’ became a multi-platinum selling #1 smash.

K-pop boy band supremo Big Bang caught my ear and had be shuffling (badly) to their hi-energy single ‘Fantastic Baby’. To me, this sounds like the perfect Korean pop answer to LMFAO‘s ‘Sexy and I Know It’. The song is a king hit of noisy synths, furious rap verses, and an uplifting pre-chorus that sets up every chorus to be a real event when the beat drops.

Like, um, “Wow. Fantastic baby!”

- #15 -
Madonna
‘Gang Bang’

The one true killer in Madonna‘s patchy MDNA album, ‘Gang Bang’ sounds like a Tarantino-grade cult classic squeezed into a 5:27 club track.

‘Gang Bang’ hears ye olde pop veteran snarl some rather violent lyrics over underground club beats, giving you ominous lines like, “Like a bitch out of order, like a bat out of hell. Like a fish out of water, I’m scared can’t you tell?”

Vocally, it’s a pretty amazing performance from Madonna in the sense that she is utterly convincing as a cold blooded killer driven to the brink of insanity. It’s the way she sings in a deeper voice, the icy whispers and monologue.

The arresting dubstep breakdown, which melds machine gun firings into the mix, adds more drama to the track, breaking it from the drudging techno pace it so dutifully kept for a good three minutes, 18 seconds.

Basically just when you thought you had the song figured out, then comes the sweet, aggressive climax and chilling bridge where M says, “I’m going straight to hell… and if I see that bitch in hell, I’m gonna shoot him in the head again. ‘Cause I wanna see him die over and over, and over, and over, and over…”

Definitely the kind of next level, darker stuff I’m interested in seeing more from Madonna.

- #14 -
The Wanted
‘I Found You’

I know and you know that British boyband The Wanted hit jackpot last year with ‘Glad You Came’, which became their biggest single to date, sending airwaves all over the world into a frenzy with its infectious accordion melodies and innuendo-ridden chorus. But y’know what? I actually think they’ve outdone themselves with ‘I Found You’.

The boys’ regular producer Steve Mac constructed this new uptempo based on the same blueprint as ‘Glad You Came’, employing a similar combination of accordion riffs and pulsating dance beats, but just packed in a few more ideas.

For a start, the euphoric falsetto-driven chorus is unlike anything that The Wanted has tried before, or in fact, unlike anything any other male artist was purveying at the moment. Singing the entire chorus in falsetto is very much a statement in itself.

Then comes the larger-than-life middle eight with Nathan Sykes serving some impressive gospel house realness. Shit, was I impressed when I first heard this section. I almost forgot that I was in the middle of a Wanted song. Who is this bitch on the mic? Child, you taking mama to church on this one. ‘I Found You’ – and its multiple moments – is without question one of The Wanted‘s most exciting musical ventures to date.

- #13 -
Nicki Minaj
‘Automatic’

My eyes rolled hard when I saw Nicki Minaj team up with RedOne for a handful of glossy, dance pop songs on her new album. ‘Starships’ is like the ‘California Gurls’ of 2012 for me – saccharine Supré girl pop. I loathe it but I can’t seem to fucking avoid it. They play it everywhere I go.

However, here’s some double standards for your ass. Its sister track on Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – ‘Automatic’ – somehow became my most played Onika Maraj song ever. ‘Automatic’ is just ridiculously catchy and cheesy Europop with its familiar late 90s synth chord progressions and in an almost rare form for Nicki – it’s a completely sung record with the exception of a brief spoken word dubstep breakdown.

‘Automatic’ could’ve been pilfered from any recent Kat DeLuna, Paulina Rubio or Jennifer Lopez record RedOne and/or The Joker had a hand in creating – but I still fucking love it because in terms of vocal performance, Nicki sounds more confident and committed in singing these melodies than she did on ‘Starships’, ‘Pound the Alarm’ or ‘Whip It’.

Supremely catchy pop with no-brainer lyrics about being helplessly enslaved to the music, it’s almost like ‘Automatic’ was written about my relationship with the song itself.

- #12 -
Marina and the Diamonds
‘Starring Role’

It’s been like wall-to-wall uptempos up in here but one particular ballad that stood out for me this year is Marina Diamandis‘ ‘Starring Role’, which was taken from the stellar Electra Heart album.

I absolutely love songwriters who take you there, who is unafraid to get raw and specific about their heartbreak because quite often than not, you’d find that it’s all terribly relatable. ‘Starring Role’ is about feeling the disconnect from the person you want so desperately to love you back and the stages of denial, and the mind games you play.

“Sometimes I ignore you so I feel in control, ’cause really I adore you, and I can’t leave you alone,” Marina sings over icy, softly crackling electro pop beats.

Side bar, you can listen to my interview with Marina and the Diamonds on JOY 94.9‘s Diff’rent Strokes.

- #11 -
Misha B
‘Home Run’

I am so glad Misha B came correct on her debut single ‘Home Run’. This song is precisely everything that is right about 20-year old’s artistic direction before her X Factor mentor Kelendria Trene Rowland misguided her into safe, vanilla territory.

‘Home Run’ is ferocious, fresh, and distinctly British – showcasing Misha‘s gifted ability to deliver powerhouse soulful vocals and rapid-fire rap. Misha had co-written and produced ‘Home Run’ with upcoming young genius MNEK, and I love that the production is as bonkers as it is infectious – there are little quirks peppered all over the track from her giggles to girly gushes. It’s like what Missy Elliott would’ve done.

There’s the moonlit balladey intro where Misha sounds like Jennifer Hudson wailing on top of a grand piano, then before you know it there’s percolating synths and finger snaps bubbling to the surface, and in comes reggae-flavoured verses. It is an experience from start to finish – soulful intro, two verses, an addictive chorus, furious rap breakdown and energetic outro for the final stretch. A++++.

I know I promised this post would drop, like, last Tuesday or something but let’s face it – the five of us that read this countdown could probably wait until now. I had all sorts of things going on this week that kept me occupied, which didn’t involve drinking, strangely enough (I’m making for that right now as we speak).

Let’s get on with the countdown.

- #20 -
No Doubt
Push and Shove

Oh fuck. Didn’t we all have high hopes for No Doubt‘s comeback? Even though I could find no real fault with the singles, for some reason, this isn’t resonating as well as their past albums. Push and Shove sounds like the distilled, grown up No Doubt album that we all knew would probably happen but perhaps, weren’t quite ready to embrace. Coming off two sensationally in-your-face Gwen Stefani solo album and No Doubt‘s own blockbuster Rock Steady, there is an expectation for them to keep up the bonkers pop-ska-rock hybrid. It was what made No Doubt special after all.

Having said that, I don’t think Push and Shove was a complete waste of time. The band reunited with Mark “Spike” Stent, who hemmed their last album, and steered the project in a more live-sounding and mature direction. There are some beautiful mid tempos up in here with dreamy synths, crispy drums and vaguely 80s rock glimmers.

Album highlight ‘Push and Shove’ – the jumping collaboration with Major Lazer and Busy Signal – is king. Clock the utterly resistible with its hyperactive exchange between Gwen and Busy Signal. The strong fusion of reggaeton flavours and headbanging rock is precisely what No Doubt should work on fostering in all their future projects. Elsewhere, the project’s second single ‘Looking Hot’ sees the band return to dishing cheeky, effervescent pop with shimmering synths and ska-rock styles. That breakdown with Gwen erratically blurting “oh… oh, oh, oh!” almost makes up for the general lack of personality in all the other album tracks.

Album highlights: ’Push and Shove’, ‘Looking Hot’ and ‘One More Summer’.

- #19 -
Bright Light Bright Light
Make Me Believe in Hope

I remember hearing ‘Waiting for The Feeling’ a lot when I first started doing breakfast radio this year (which meant we don’t get to pick about 95% of the music we play) and I remember thinking, ‘look – this dude has a nice voice and I kinda like the house pianos up in here but I don’t know if this is next level shit’. After a few weeks of back announcing Bright Light Bright Light on air, I did a bit more research on the London-based independent dance/pop artist and found his album to be pretty decent pop of accomplished standards. Basically, he wasn’t working on Garageband like I was at the time.

Make Me Believe in Hope had the blogosphere spasming with joy over its clean, polished electro pop stylings with meaningful lyrics, which is not to say that it is dull and serious. But rather something you could imagine filling the void left from Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Little Boots‘ last albums. It’s good catchy British pop without the cheese and ostentatious productions. Sonically, although it’s a modern dance pop production, Make Me Believe in Hope gives up nostalgic nods to 80s synth pop and 90s house.

‘Love Part II’ is euphoric in its detailing of finding love again. “You’re not the same as those other waste of space that’s why I have time now for you. You can take these hours and do as you see fit with all my days. And I’ll take your hand and say ‘do what you want with me! And let everybody see that I’m in love again’…” That’s pretty much what I want to say to my future boyfriend after Grindr chat and casual drinks go down well.

Album highlights: ’Waiting for the Feeling’, ‘Disco Moment’ and ‘Cry at Films’.

- #18 -
Mika
Origin of Love

I pretty much wet myself when I heard Mika was teaming up with Nick Littlemore of Pnau for his new album. The Australian dance music producer, who is a well reliable purveyor of dreamy synth pop with elements of 80s nostalgia, is bound to work wonders with Mika‘s vocals and remarkable songwriting abilities. Quality was almost assured on this project, I thought, especially with Greg Wells - who worked on Mika‘s first album – back for the ride.

The Origin of Love is a discerning pop music listener’s album, balancing eager-to-please pop melodies with some slightly abstract tracks. But on the whole, the balance here favours fans of his breakthrough – Life in Cartoon Motion – more than those of his muddled last album.

‘Emily’ – which is the English re-write of Mika‘s French single ‘Elle Me Dit’ – feels like the new era ‘Grace Kelly’ for Mika with confronting and, possibly, self-critical lyrics. “Emily, can’t you write a happy song, get your ass to #1? Emily, are you stuck up? Are you gay? If you are well that’s okay ’cause it doesn’t even matter.”

Elsewhere, you’re treated to the old hyperactive Mika y’all fell in love with years ago in new faves like ‘Popular Song’, a highly quotable ode to the underdogs in high school.

“You were the popular one, the popular chick… standing on a field with your pretty pom-pom, now you’re working at the movies selling popular corn. I could’ve been a mess but I never went wrong, ’cause I’m putting down my stories in a popular song.”

There’s a good deal of maturity in Mika‘s poignant observations of love and its manifestations in every track. Every part, from the life-affirming single ‘Celebrate’ to the minimalist synth-pop ballad ‘Make You Happy’ and piano-based ‘Underwater’ form a fulfilling listening experience.

Album picks: ’Celebrate’, ‘Popular Song’, ‘Elle Me Dit’ and  ’Make You Happy’.

- #17 -
Of Monsters and Men
My Head is an Animal

I’m pleased that Icelandic folk band Of Monsters and Men received the mainstream attention they did with this album and particularly its lead single ‘Little Talks’, because this project really is wonderful.

I haven’t been so drawn to barefoot-and-dreadlocks type campfire music like this since Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros‘ ‘Home’? The beautiful combination of organic vocals – both male and waify female’s – proved to be supremely effective in Of Monsters and Men‘s story-telling tunes.

‘Little Talks’ is without question the most beautiful song on the album. It might be the gin and tonic speaking now but I knew I would love it deeply from the second I heard its opening bars with them horns, tambourines and ‘hey!’ call outs. Its melodies strangely takes me back to the happy tunes I heard in church when I was growing up.

Can I just quickly say that I also love the animal themes in the two opening tracks ‘Dirty Paws’ and ‘King and Lionheart’? I feel like I’m sitting through some adaptation of Aesop’s fables. It really is good mountain climbing music, which I will mental note should I ever decide to embark on such an adventurous activity.

Album highlights: ’Little Talks’, ‘Dirty Paws’ and ‘Mountain Sound’.

- #16 -
Django Django
Django Django

Look. Even I would shoot me a double take for nominating a neo-psychedelic rock band in my Top 30 albums countdown but Django Django really coloured me impress with their self-titled debut. Once again, it’s one of those unreal Spotify discoveries where you go ‘great – I’ll take a break from listening to vintage Whitney and bolt to the complete opposite end of the spectrum’ - and actually find yourself utterly spellbound.

Django Django doesn’t sound like typical psychedelic rock to me (because this is clearly a genre I know so much about). The British band offers a flavoursome fusion of African-influenced rhythms, synths, shimmering guitars and Beach Boys-esque harmonies into one cohesive package.

‘Skies Over Cairo’ – a completely instrumental track – is an immediate favourite with its snake charmer tune and hypnotic percussions. The driving single ‘Default’ is a foot-stomping jam marrying purposeful guitar strums with bleeps, electronic buzzes, and chopped and screwed vocals in the chorus. Elsewhere, ‘Zumm Zumm’ sounds like a Play School ditty as interpreted by a hipster-lauded band. Expect the unexpected with this impressive fusion album.

Album picks: ’Default’, ‘Waveforms’ and ‘Skies Over Cairo’.

- #15 -
Alicia Keys
Girl on Fire

I am not ignorant. I know Alicia Keys tend to craft good albums but have I cared for any one of them bar Diary of Alicia Keys? No, not really. She’s like the overachieving dux in your school who you just golf clap every time she wins an award for “outstanding work” but would never personally invest your attention in finding out any more.

Girl on Fire caught my interest after reading some grandstanding statements from the artist herself saying how she’s embracing a new sound and new attitude. I really wanted to see what the bitch was going on about. Surely this wasn’t about Alicia Keys guzzling Chando all over some crunk track.

The poignant piano-based ballad ‘Brand New Me’ sets the tone for what will follow to be a tender and confident collection of modern soul/R&B jams. “If you notice that I’m different, don’t take it personally. Don’t be mad, it’s just a brand new kind of me,” Keys explains.

‘When It’s All Over’ is an engaging mid-tempo that hears Alicia switch up drum patterns and throw in some muted synths, giving what would otherwise be a tepid mid-tempo more life and innovation than you’d expect. Highlight is actually right at the very end when she gets her baby on the track for a little dialogue. I got so clucky I felt ovaries explode, even though I don’t actually have any in me.

Vocally, it needs to be said that Alicia Keys never disappoints, simply because she just sounds better and better with age – whether she’s belting the house down in the ‘Girl on Fire’ chorus or smoothing it out Sade-style in ‘Listen to Your Heart’, you’re guaranteed an outstanding performance.

Girl on Fire may seem like just another stellar notch in the Grammy-winning artist’s familiar discography but it’s definitely worth investigating if you want to experience quality modern soul.

Album highlights: ‘When It’s All Over’, ‘Girl on Fire’ and ‘Brand New Me’.

- #14 -
Leona Lewis
Glassheart

Well, this has certainly cleared the room. Ain’t nobody got time for Leona Lewis these days. But regardless of your care factor, Glassheart is without doubt, the Hackney diva’s most interesting and eclectic record to date.

In its finest moments, the project captures Leona‘s preference for love-bled songs and renders it to elements of drum ‘n’ bass, trip hop, and alternative pop. All of which are sonic styles the X Factor siren has never dabbled in before.

I recognise that there’s still this strange tension between the aforementioned innovative new styles and the shackles of tired “Leona-format” balladry that we’ve all heard before in her first two albums – but on the whole, Glassheart just feels like one of those bodies of work that tastemakers are likely to pick apart and re-assemble in a way they see fit, much like the approach to Christina Aguilera’s Bionic.

One would give approving nods to standouts like ‘Come Alive’ – a formidable storm of grime and drum ‘n’ bass – that feels like the album’s true opener once you’ve placated Leona’s conservative fans with the single (‘Trouble’) and two dutiful ballads.

Elsewhere in ‘Glassheart’, a sinister cross-pollination of Leona‘s ethereal vocals with aggressive dub step beats hit the lights with blindingly great results. There has never been a more exciting Leona Lewis uptempo created. It legitimately snatches wigs in the hardest way, from the cold and bemoaning verses through to the head-splitting dance breakdown.

Glassheart feels like a worthwhile investment in establishing the singer’s versatility even if it wasn’t a committed effort from start to finish. The overall quality of the songs on this album is the stronger than any of Leona‘s previous releases, which I think more than compensates for her dwindling record sales and general commercial relevance.

Album highlights: ‘Glassheart’, ‘Come Alive’, ‘Lovebird’ and ‘I to You’.

- #13 -
Van She
Idea of Happiness

My pop music living-and-breathing pal Adem, who’s opinion I respect and value, probably swears by this band. I’ve had casual, non-committal encounters with Van She‘s music before but this project – Idea of Happiness – is one I’d happily put a ring on and play during summer for the rest of my twenties. Which is a huge fucking commitment given that this isn’t Nicola Roberts‘ album.

Idea of Happiness is an immaculate collection of sun-stroked dance pop with fluorescent synths and rhythmic patterns that nod to Caribbean music – especially on highlights like ‘Calypso’ and ‘Coconut’. The idyllic island paradise jam ‘Jamaica’ always takes me to a happier place. I distinctly playing it in the middle of winter as I sat on cold concrete slabs outside my work place, thinking, ‘fuck me, it’s like I’m going a holiday through my headphones’ and that’s precisely what Van She has accomplished with this whole album.

Album highlights: ’Jamaica’, ‘Sarah’ and ‘You’re My Rescue’.

- #12 -
Loreen
Heal

Sweden’s dance/pop raven Loreen captured me at first instance with her bewitching interpretative dance performance of the champion Eurovision song, ‘Euphoria’, which swiftly raced up the charts around the world after taking the crown and even became the first non-UK Eurovision song to make the Top 3 in the UK charts since 1987.

The 29-year old’s debut album Heal is an alluring blend of pulsating dance pop that feel more subtle than what one might initially expect from a Eurovision pop purveyor.

In the current pop market that is already fluent in electronic dance music parlance, Heal speaks a language of its own – shrugging off trendy dubstep inflections in favour of a richer soundscape that enhance its emotive lyrics rather than compete with it. Most tracks on the album are smoothened with waves of atmospheric synths and lush orchestral strings, which really complement Loreen‘s own chilled vocal delivery.

Standouts like the tormented ‘My Heart is Refusing Me’ is a showcase of pedigree dance balladry – just like ‘Euphoria’ – it comes complete with a chorus that formulaically expands after periods of restraint verses. Elsewhere, the ethereal ballad ‘Everytime’ harks to the downtempo gems Anggun used to turn out in her prime.

As far as cohesion goes, Heal serves a masterful blend of crowd-pleasing Eurodance in its obvious singles candidates and more distilled, chill out sounds. It’s essentially a cathartic break up album – as the title would suggest – offering salvation for disparate moments, whether you’re throwing on the Louboutins to dance the tears away or simply staying at home with the cat, blogging your feelings on Tumblr.

Album highlights: ’Euphoria’, ‘My Heart is Refusing Me’, ‘Everytime’ and ‘Crying Out Your Name’.

- #11 -
Solange
True (EP)

Nothing warms the cockles of my heart more than hearing people heap praise on Hipster’s-choice Knowles. Solange‘s relevance continues to upgrade with every tentative record she puts out and her latest project – a concise EP of ethereal indie synth pop: True - is the ‘why’ she is cancelling your faves.

The steps Solange took from the funk-laden and vintage chic Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams to this point feels gradual and graceful. In fact, if you take her last album track ‘God Given Name’ and render it as some kind of bridging track between both records – it would make even greater sense.

True carries seven twinkling tracks that all glimmer with a youthful and nostalgic essence. It’s a sentimental experience to hear candid and wide-eyed lyrics about love and break ups projected on late-80s pop grooves.

Standout jam ‘Some Things Never Seem to Fucking Work’ is serving early Madonna realness with frustrated lines, “So baby is that all you got? Tell me if you got some more. I’m thinking of some time off. I’m dreaming of the time that you knew me.”

Elsewhere, the project’s lead single ‘Losing You’ administers straight-forward lyrics and sentiments about a relationship reaching its twilight. “We used to kiss all night but now there’s just no use. I don’t know why I fight it, clearly we are through. Tell me the truth, boy, am I losing you for good?” The beat itself is a musical delight, mixing vibrant African percussions, hand claps and samples over dreamy synths and Solange‘s stylishly reverbed vocals.

I need to see this whole EP soundtracking some arthouse movie about a teen romance set in a trailer park some time in 1987.

EP highlights: ’Some Things Never Seem to Fucking Work’, ‘Losing You’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Down’.

Footnotes:

Take a step back and check out #30 – #21 Songs and Albums of 2012. Next up, Feed Limmy’s Songs of 2012: #20 – #11. Shit’s about to get real.

I think that’s a pretty common conclusion from anyone who’s obsessed with making playlists and generally prefer a customised listening experience. (See also: “meticulous” and “anal” pop music gayz).

Here comes are some choons that made the Top 30 cut this year, starting from #30 to #21:

- #30 -
Usher
‘Scream’

These days, I’m generally in favour of any song I can sing that makes me sound like a voracious top and ‘Scream’ just happens to be one of them. There is no way a power bottom can hear the line “now relax and get on your back” without quivering a little.

We’ve heard Usher swift-foot his way around dance/pop in a number of projects now and this track is just further proof that he generally gets it pretty fucking right. The Max Martin and Shellback-produced floor filler isn’t groundbreaking for anyone who has heard dance pop in the last three years, but the thing about great pop is that, all that shit becomes periphery when you’re faced with an insanely good hook.

A particular highlight in ‘Scream’ for me – and one I always attempt to the best of my abilities without bursting a blood vessel – is that bit where Usher wails in one breath over an escalating dance beat for 15 seconds.

- #29 -
Elen Levon
‘Like A Girl in Love’

Fuck yeah, fairground trance beats. Australian teen pop sensation Elen Levon‘s second single ‘Like A Girl in Love’ should’ve raided the tombs of deceased Rihanna fans who thought ‘Where Have You Been’ was all that.

Former Rogue Traders talent James Ash hemmed a severely poppers o’clock beat that somehow still clicks with Elen‘s very mainstream popstarly appeal. Coming off her breakthrough single ‘Naughty’ – which didn’t really grab me with its AutoTuned vocals and mildly effective hook – it’s so pleasing to hear the girl showcase her abilities in ‘Like A Girl in Love’.

I quite enjoy the way Elen breathes vulnerability into the lines like a trained soapie portraying a lovesick school girl: “I’m the life of the party so can you tell me why I’m letting all the boys walk tonight?” she moans.

It’s an effective step in the right direction and with any luck, the coming year will see more equally strong singles from this promising Aussie pop vixen with more delightful music videos shot in exotic Asian countries.

- #28 -
Rita Ora
‘Radioactive’

“Palms to the sky! We unite!” must be the new “put your hands up”-style club lyric du jour. I completely trust that our Australian indie songbird-turned-top-dollar-hollering pop songwriter Sia will lead the way with this one.

Even though I rarely have time for Rita Ora‘s tepid debut album Ora, I can’t stop jamming to ‘Radioactive’. Everything from the curiously Sia-vocalled chorus to Greg Kurstin‘s sledgehammering beats is kinda life-giving especially when you’re on the treadmill, panting so fucking loud you sound like a Rottweiler in heat.

There’s also a really slick nod to 80s dance in some sections with the “Hey! Take a look at chu!” call outs mixed in, which is a nice subtle touch I can imagine being highlighted in some kind of extended mix.

- #27 -
John Rowley
‘Guilt Trip’

I’ve had the pleasure of randomly discovering loads of very interesting new artists this year and upcoming Sydney singer/songwriter John Rowley is probably one that I’ll cherish for a while. It all started with a very witty press release in my inbox and months later, ‘Guilt Trip’ happened and  from there I just knew that this young man was onto something really special.

I am very fond of melancholy electro pop ballads, and given that 2012 brought me virtually nothing to emote to (no new Robyn and that Pet Shop Boys album was a deluxe meh), I fastened myself to ‘Guilt Trip’ on a lot of lonely public transport trips in the dead of winter.

“‘Cause you’ll send me to space with the look on your face, you’ll put me on a guilt trip. I’ll wave you goodbye, I’m not ready to fly out of your arm’s reach. I’ll stay close enough so that when you give up, you’ll turn and say you’re sorry.”

Take a minute with this song and you’ll find wonderfully observant lyrics about the circular course of guilt trips in a relationship. Check out an interview I did with John a few months ago.

- #26 -
Kat DeLuna
‘Wanna See U Dance (La La La)’

It must be really hard being Kat DeLuna in a post-J.Lo ‘On The Floor’ world, knowing that some entrepreneurial Latina snatched your sound and made a fuck load of dollars with it. The American Idol judge probably bought a new yatch and waterfront property with the coins she made ‘On The Floor’ and Kat‘s still having to buy shampoo and conditioner from the Reject Shop.

But to prove that Ms DeLuna really do mean business, she saw the fuckery going on with RedOne‘s hand in Love? and raised J.Lo one ‘Wanna See U Dance (La La La)’. The eager-to-please Latin dance anthem is every bit as infectious as RedOne‘s past collaborations with Kat - the track swelters with rapid-fire lyrics that namecheck several styles of dance, an unavoidable accordion line, and a decent wallop of bass.

It’s an absolute crying shame that we’ve come to the end of another year and Kat DeLuna remains so sorely underrated, even though she’s been quite consistent with her quality single choices.

- #25 -
Robbie Williams
‘Candy’

Pop’s alpha male Robbie Williams made it back into the A-game with a single that reassuringly delivers the same cheeky swag that endeared him to the world.

After some continent-shifting success reuniting with Take That, Robbie swerved back into his own lane, this time determined to serve a proper hit album and ‘Candy’ just felt like the perfect ambassador for such a mission. It’s such a pity that Australia didn’t give a toss about this one.

The 38-year old popstar may be dishing lyrics about “a girl who thinks she’s great” with a kind of observant musing you’d expect from a seasoned lover who now knows better, but the spark in lines like “she has a hurricane in the back of her throat” conveys everything.

Sonically, I was instantly charmed by ‘Candy”s nursery rhyme-flavoured melodies and brass brushings that recall Mark Ronson at his finest. Co-writer Gary Barlow and producer Jacknife Lee have well and truly outdone themselves here, proving once again that they could well be the key collaborators of Guy Chambers-proportions in this new era of Robbie’s career.

- #24 -
Ricki-Lee
‘Do It Like That (Fred Falke Remix)’

Skulls cracked and minds were blown when Ricki-Lee premiered this “stone cold fox” of a Fred Falke remix of ‘Do It Like That’, the original version followed eventually to become one of the Aussie diva’s most popular hits. However, this remix will always be the definitive take on ‘Do It Like That’ as far as I’m concerned.

Falke took the sassy and highly kinetic number and gave it such an icy electronica spin, it actually sounds more like something you’d pitch to LaRoux or Robyn. This remix arrived at a particularly exciting juncture for Ricki-Lee fans too, given that it was launched in the UK first before Australia, signalling the promising start of a proper international assault for Ms Coulter.

Fingers crossed that 2013 will see one of Australia’s finest pop artists step up another level and take her music to new markets.

- #23 -
Tegan and Sara
‘Closer’

This is the first time Tegan and Sara has made any list of mine, and I hate to be predictable, but of course it was gonna be with ‘Closer’. The Canadian alternative rock twins have undoubtedly stepped out with their most brazenly mainstream single yet.

I completely adore everything about this glossier sound and direction for Tegan and Sara – so much so that I’ve tentatively earmarked their forthcoming album Heartthrob as one of my future faves.

‘Closer’ is such a charming song about crescendoing attraction between two people, you can’t help but feel like you’re being sucked into a tender moment on Dawson’s Creek with this one. The carefree 80s synth rock-fuelled chorus is intended for great summer drives, singing with the windows down.

“I won’t treat you like you’re oh-so-typical!” Thank you Tegan and Sara for not judging me because I typically only love you when you’re sounding this pop.

- #22 -
Carly Rae Jepsen
‘This Kiss’

I’m not trying to be disagreeable or anything, but ‘This Kiss’ is totally better than ‘Call Me Maybe’, despite how iconic the latter is. Look at it this way, ‘This Kiss’ is the ‘Say You’ll Be There’ to ‘Call Me Maybe”s ‘Wannabe’.

The second I heard the joyous opening bars, I knew this song was gonna be essential summer playlist shit. The fluorescent 80s-style production and Carly‘s own sugar-coated vocals just blended so well, but better yet, I really love what ‘This Kiss’ is actually about.

It’s basically a flirtatious song about forbidden love but thankfully done in a playful tone so you can’t help but park your judgement and want her to score with the partnered guy she’s pining for.

“She’s a real sweet girl and you know I got a boy, details we both forgot to mention. And you – are always the way you are, and you always know where I am. We’re taking it too far but I don’t want it to end.” – #Hussyanthem.

- #21 -
Abelard
‘Boys’

Before I met Abelard and discovered his music, I didn’t even know glitterwave was a thing. But it really does show that if you put your heart and soul into making truly special choons – you might as well come up with a fucking fabulous subgenre of your own for it.

Stylistically, ‘Boys’ is one of my favourite songs by the tremendously talented Melbourne-based dreampop artist. It was launched as a double single with Cade. Both guys have done their own versions of ‘Boys’ which are quite different but still very complementary of each other.

From start to end, you’re taken on a lush intergalactic experience, transcending on gravity-defying ambient synths. The layers of looped, filtered vocals end up conveying more of an emotional sound rather than any proper lyrical narrative.

Because I am such a relentless consumer of pop, it’s actually really great to turn to music that is a little abstract from time to time and study beauty of a different style. The introduction of ‘Boys’ has probably opened me up to actively seek out different streams of electronica that I’ve never really desired for before.

And on that note, there should be a few more pleasant surprises and new names in the forthcoming Albums and Songs of 2012 countdown. Yes, child.

Footnotes:

The next lot of Feed Limmy’s Top 30 Albums of 2012: #20 – #11 will drop on 11 December. We shall resume counting down the songs (#20 – #11) next Saturday 15 December.

Even though pop continues to dominate a good deal of my aural persuasion, the last 12 months have left me thirsty for different kind of beats, different styles and characters.

Getting my ass on Spotify and discovering new artists I normally wouldn’t have come across has been really instrumental in broadening my tastes, which was kinda a little mission of mine when I put the blog on hiatus a few months ago.

Well. Now that I’ve cleared the room of all One Direction and Calvin Harris fans. Let’s go check out my Top 30 albums of 2012, starting from #30 to #21 this week:

- #30 -
Timomatic
Timomatic

If Australian pop had a definitive flavour in 2012, Timomatic‘s breakthrough album served it by the bucket loads. The Australia’s Got Talent star’s brilliant partnership with prolific Aussie songwriting/production duo DNA Songs essentially laid out the blueprint for homegrown pop. The energetic dance-infused singles ‘Can You Feel It’, ‘If Looks Could Kill’ and ‘Set It Off’ were of such international standards – you’d mistake them for Taio Cruz or Jason DeRulo platinum-sellers.

Timomatic is everything you could wish for after hearing the singles. We’re talking about a relentless sonic energy of cardio-jamming dance with slick vocal productions and radio-friendly hooks from start to end. It’s the kind of instantly gratifying pop that seizes its listeners from the first hit – no hidden agenda or radical new concepts that would require time and a journey to discover, just straight up unapologetic pop that we’re not ashamed to export.

Album picks: ’Can You Feel It’, ‘Set It Off’ and ‘Rest of Our Lives’.

- #29 -
Wynter Gordon
Human Condition: Pt. 1 Doleo (EP)

2012 presented us with the artistic redefinition of Wynter Gordon. After stopping us dead in the tracks with her flaw-free debut pop album With The Music I Die (which made Feed Limmy‘s Top 10 Albums of 2011), the uber talented and quirky American singer/songwriter decided to expand her musical identity beyond the realms of dance music.

Human Condition: Pt. 1 Doleo propels Wynter fans into a new soundscape, traversing organic musical textures and honest lyrical landmarks that complements the tone set by ‘Still Getting Younger’ and ‘Back to You’, two personal tracks from the aforementioned With The Music I Die.

The project’s key track ‘Stimela’ marries atmospheric synths with crisp African percussion that resonate well with its passionate chorus, sung in Zulu. The track stems from Hugh Masekela‘s anti-apartheid song of the same name and it is absolutely bewitching to the ears right from the very first listen.

Doleo also unveils some spectacular essences of vintage Phil Collins, Kate Bush and even a little Red Hot Chilli Peppers - again, do a double take if you were just guzzling alcopop to her stroblit hit ‘Dirty Talk’.

There are no rose coloured glasses worn on this record. The 26-year old singer packs a fuck load of brutal honesty on tracks like ‘Kids’, a song about someone she grew up admiring who lost his way and gave up on himself. “I learned to forgive, let go of the pain. But you’re holding on, holding on to the past. You give guilt trips like no other, left your kids without a mother. You know, you used to be my hero…”

Doleo expresses the breadth of Wynter’s songwriting abilities in a way we haven’t really seen before. Passion, depth, authenticity and growth – these, to me, feel like the cornerstones of why Doleo and hopefully the rest of the Human Condition EPs should be on your watch list.

EP picks: ‘Stimela’, ‘Kids’ and ‘Waiting’.

- #28 -
Maroon 5
Overexposed

Maroon 5 really went all balls to the wall with this, didn’t they? I mean, it’s obviously the band’s poppiest album to date and you gotta admire the commitment here to create an album of radio hits. A-list producers were called in – everyone from Max Martin to Ryan Tedder, Shellback and Benny Blanco had their finger in Adam Levine‘s pie. And a delicious pie, it was.

Overexposed was flavoured to taste with spoonfuls of pop/rock, reggae, funk, disco and dance. The chart-topping single ‘One More Night’ is album’s prime cut of brilliant summery pop. The “oooooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh” bit tends to make us ordinary people without the aid of pitch correction sound like utter fools when we try to sing it. Much like the Bollywood siren wails in Britney‘s ‘Toxic’ dance breakdown, you should never try to sing these sections in company of sober people.

‘Doin’ Dirt’ is a romping nouveau disco track that shimmers with a certain melancholic quality in the verses. I don’t recall ever hearing a sexier Maroon 5 beat, to be honest. Elsewhere the stroblit dance/pop midtempo ‘Love Somebody’ feels like a massive anthem designed for festivals and mass waving of arms. All in all, a thoroughly good value megabucks pop album.

Album picks: ’One More Night’, ‘Doin’ Dirt’, ‘Love Somebody’ and ‘Lucky Strike’.

- #27 -
Lianne La Havas
Is Your Love Big Enough?

I saw this English folk/soul singer songwriter being touted everywhere I went in London: on posters plastered on phone booths, alleyways, HMV, fucking everywhere. Is Your Love Big Enough? was about to drop and Lianne’s word-of-mouth hype was already heating up to skin-moistening levels. Immediate comparisons were made to Adele‘s 19 and Corinne Bailey Rae‘s records, but La Havas totally holds her own with this collection of playful and personable tunes.

‘Age’ – a charming ditty about falling for an older man – is a stand out. “Is it such a problem that he is old? As long as he does whatever he is told. I’m glad that it is just my heart that he stole, and left my dignity alone…” she sings. Elsewhere, the ethereal ‘Au Cinema’ sound precisely like the kind of record you want blaring in your bathroom on a lovely springtime evening as you primp yourself for a date. Barefoot-on-bar-stools ballads like ‘No Room for Doubt’ (with Willy Mason) and the aching ‘Lost & Found’ are endearingly raw exposures that complete the listening experience.

Album picks: ’Age’, ‘Au Cinema’ and ‘Lost & Found’.

- #26 -
Sam Sparro
Return to Paradise

I had such high hopes for this new Sam Sparro album after learning that he was dabbling in disco and 80s pop, but I don’t think my expectations were ever quite rewarded with Return to Paradise. To be honest, I had no real point of reference because the breadth of this project’s musical influence goes beyond anything I had really experienced.

Return to Paradise is one busy attic of styles and influences – arranging relevant pieces of 70s and 80s disco, funk and soul with a forever musing art curator’s approach. While I would’ve preferred a cohesive album of unabashed disco and funk – like what was teased with ‘The Shallow End’ and ‘Closer’ – I came to really love the different musical textures offered on Return to Paradise.

There’s beauty in the light and dark tones on this album – it’s actually quite hard to believe that some tracks sit literally a few minutes from each other, within poking distance, if you will. One minute we see the heavens part and doves ascend into God’s palms in the gospel-lit ‘Let The Love In’ and the next, it’s a bitter monologue in the stunning pop ballad ‘I Wish I Never Met You’ (which was originally written for Erik Hassle).

Album picks: ’Happiness’, ‘Let The Love In’, ‘The Shallow End’ and ‘I Wish I Never Met You’.

- #25 -
Dragonette
Bodyparts

Was this one of those tremendous pop albums that everyone slept on because it dropped in a particularly busy month? I’mma say ‘yeah’. Dragonette‘s third studio album Bodyparts is a cluster of contagious electro pop with renderings of new wave – giving you visions of what a modern day Cyndi Lauper album should sound like.

After filling the bank with two lucrative singles with Martin Solveig, the Canadian band plugged back into their own brand of head banging fluoro pop, which fans have been gagging for since their 2009 release: Fixin’ The Thrill.

Bodyparts definitely feels more like a live band album than Fixin’ The Thrill. There’s irrepressible megawatt energy pulsating through every track, driven by crisp drums and raging synths. Martina’s raspy vocals instantly makes everything cooler and a thousand times more suited to a Tsubi jeans commercial.

The vibrant singles ‘Let It Go’ and ‘Live in The City’ are massive pop numbers that hit you like first dose of caffeine in the morning. Elsewhere, ‘Untouchable’ hears the band switch gears from their typically active lyrical content to something a bit more alluring. “If I could only bring you down to my moral low ground. Your buttons won’t budge and I want you undone. Why don’t you get up and walk away if it’s getting too hot for your cool body.” Do yourselves a favour if you haven’t already absorbed this. Bodyparts is an unmissable project for any fans of summery, infectious pop.

Album picks: ’Let It Go’, ‘Live In The City’, ‘Untouchable’ and ‘Ghost’.

- #24 -
Azealia Banks
1991 (EP)

The 21-year old rapper from Harlem is evidently one of 2012′s primary fresh faces in music, taking her relentless blend of rap and house music all the way from tastemakers’ blogs to fashion houses. Although I did go back and forth deliberating whether I should put up 1991 or the Fantasea mixtape in this utterly self-indulgent countdown, I think we’d all agree that the 1991 EP is a more potent and defining representation of Azealia Banks‘ stamp on 2012.

Banks brought the aesthetics of 90s house music back in vogue with ’1991′ with round after round of rapid-fire scatterbrained rap. Everything about this EP’s execution feels underground, even though her project is being minded by major labels and probably the best in the game.

There’s an immediacy about these records, which you will either appreciate or perceive as being basic. Sometimes it feels like Banks just freestyled her way over a demo-quality dance beat with the barest of post-production work implemented before bouncing it down to iTunes. You race past sung sections on some tracks and wonder if she was merely mumbling the first melody that came to her head in hopes that she’ll further develop it in the next studio session.

The explosive breakthrough single ’212′ packs punchy rap over dirty house beats that recall 2004/2005 trends. Somewhere between the repeated C-bomb droppings and bonkers call-out hook, Azealia manages to impress a desperate desire for fame and validation. “Why you procrastinate girl? You got a lot but you just waste all yourself. They’ll forget your name soon, and won’t nobody be to blame but yourself…”

Only time will tell whether the fierce femmecee will continue to blow up in 2013 after her eagerly anticipated album Broke With Expensive Taste drops.

EP picks: ’1991′ and ’212′ (feat. Lazy Jay). Also recommended from the Fantasea mixtape – ‘Fierce’.

- #23 -
Little Mix
DNA

There’s something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue on this record. I’ll let you sort out amongst yourselves which one the T-Boz collabo falls under.

Last year’s UK X Factor winners - Little Mix - knocked out a colourful pop album that rekindles the love I reserve for early 00s pop/R&B girlbands. With DNA, there’s a return to familiar and innocent themes of friendship, crushes, self-confidence and boy troubles, which were all so well canvassed in the countless bubblegum pop songs I immersed in as a young teenager harbouring an embarrassing bowl cut.

The sassy lead single ‘Wings’ almost much shut down the competition in 2012 for me as far as female pop groups were concerned. The empowering horns-driven rhythmic cut nailed every point I wanted Little Mix to prove with their debut “proper” single. It prominently featured their signature vocal harmonies, it sounded youthful and exuberant, and it didn’t wash out like everything in the Top 40 at the minute.

I’m really proud that the girls took the time to co-write most of these songs themselves, which in turn really helped create a unified feel to every track on DNA – even though they are quite stylistically diverse. The project’s second single ‘DNA’ is the night to ‘Wings” day, a stormy electro pop midtempo that sound like a female accompaniment to Justin Bieber‘s ‘As Long As You Love Me’. There’s also a bit of Spanish guitar-powered pop/R&B in ‘Going Nowhere’, which was co-written with Nicola Roberts. Arguably one of the most effective pop songs on the album after ‘Wings’. Elsewhere, ‘Love Drunk’ mixes Bollywood beats with throbbing electronic synths and a joyous hand-clapping chorus. All in all, DNA is pleasing first outing for a girl band with great potential. Gold star sticker.

Album picks: ’Wings’, ‘Going Nowhere, ‘DNA’ and ‘Stereo Soldier’.

- #22 -
Guy Sebastian
Armageddon

When it comes to the quality of songwriting and vocal performance, this is hands down the best Guy Sebastian album yet. A KFC namecheck tends to earn you this kind of glowing review on Feed Limmy. It’s no surprise to any follower of this Aussie pop prince’s nine-year career that his work just keeps getting stronger and stronger with every release.

Armageddon feels like a mature, universal pop album that would appeal to young and old, broken and fulfilled alike. The emotive political ballad ‘Get Along’ is possibly the best single Sebastian has ever released. I just can’t get over how great his observant lyrics about religious wars are. The hook - “Dear God, dear soul, dear Mary, Mohammed… can we all just get along?” - absolutely rips right through the heart. Have this shit soundtrack some Christiane Amanpour feature on CNN, yo.

Elsewhere, the title track is a colossal midtempo with James Cameron disaster movie theme song etched all over. “This building may crumble but under the rubble there they will find us intertwined. There’s an asteroid approaching… and I’m leaving nothing unsaid, nothing undone, nothing untouched,” Guy sings. Y’all know the keynote single ‘Battle Scars’ (featuring Lupe Fiasco) is already an epic success in Australia and America, so fingers crossed the rest of this era will continue to funnel international interest in Guy‘s work.

Album picks: ’Get Along’,'Armageddon’ and ‘Battle Scars’ (feat. Lupe Fiasco).

- #21 - 
Brandy
Two Eleven

Brandy‘s artistic renewal has to be one of the most exciting events in R&B music this year, as far as I’m concerned. Being the only die-hard B-Rocka stan in my friendship group has been rather trying at times, but I can proudly say that Two Eleven pretty much delivered the goods to all parties concerned: core Brandy fans and core Brandy fans.

The project unabashedly plays to Brandy‘s strengths by showcasing her immaculate vocal runs and multi-tiered harmonies at every turn. The 90s R&B diva has never had a more vocally impressive album and that is saying something given how fucking high she raises the bar every time she puts out a record.

Sonically, Two Eleven delivers an ultra slick fusion of futuristic urban electronic beats with pure grown ass woman soul. It’s a modern combination that is its own identity, that is tailored to Brandy rather than pilfering from familiar flavours of the moment. Album highlight ‘Wildest Dreams’ is a modern-soul single marrying raw emotive lyrics with some crisp, bass-heavy beats. The ice-cool mid-tempo ‘Slower’, which was hemmed by M.I.A.‘s producer Switch, is an immediate winner that hears B-Rocka swiftly manoeuvre between smooth soulful verses to rapid-fire spoken word rap hooks. Elsewhere, the pleading ballad ‘Without You’ comes through with a massive hook that would appeal to any takers of Alicia Keys‘ ‘Girl on Fire’ single.

Album picks: ’Wildest Dreams’, ‘Slower’, ‘Without You’ and ‘Hardly Breathing’.

Footnotes:

Feed Limmy‘s Top 30 Songs of 2012: #30 – #21 will be published on Saturday 8 December. The next instalment, #20 – #11 Albums of 2012 will drop next Tuesday.

Bitch, you should’ve seen me lounging on the beach in an island that was practically deserted on a Monday arvo. I was having a Mariah moment frolicking in the sand, trying to look cute for my Instagram photos. But hey, I am back now and here comes your chart feed – which might cover some things I didn’t get to touch on last week.

This has been a good week for Robbie Williams who scored his first simulatenous UK #1 album-and-single action in 11 years. Elsewhere, the following chart showboaters can’t complain either: Taylor Swift, Calvin Harris, Little Mix, Of Monsters and Men, The Wanted, and to a certain extent, Christina Aguilera. SAY!

- AUSTRALIA -

Swedish House Mafia score their first Aussie #1 single with ‘Don’t You Worry Child’, which has already topped the UK, Scottish and Swedish charts. In very simple terms, this means that ‘Gangnam Style’ is no longer ruling the ARIA charts.

Little Mix has impressively risen to #3 on our singles chart with ‘Wings’. I am so glad that the girls are doing so well in Australia and New Zealand – I hope this inspires a new wave of homegrown girl groups. Seriously, y’all. The sun’s about to set on another dry year for Aussie girl bands. Well, there’s Slinky Minx, I suppose. <cue laughter>

Ke$ha‘s ‘Die Young’ gets a boost up the ARIA charts following her X Factor performance, no doubt the arrival of the video at last will stimulate some interest too. ‘Die Young’ scoots from #10 to #6 this week – if it goes Top 5 next week, it’ll be the glittermonger’s seventh single to hit the spot Down Under.

Of Monsters and Men is also sending my palms to the sky in praise – their breakthrough single ‘Little Talks’ has cracked the ARIA Top 10 this week. The Icelandic band’s album My Head is an Animal managed to peak at #18 here last week but has fallen to #22 this week.

Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj’s ‘Beauty and The Beat’ skips from #25 to a new peak of #12 this week – coincidence? I think not. Our hyperactive X Factor boy band du jour The Collective covered it on the show and their version landed a notable #94 on the ARIA charts, so what do you make of it?

Johnny Ruffo managed his second Top 30 single this week with ‘Take It Home’ taking a monster leap from its dismal #81 debut. The Ruffo continues to be an all round entertainer and Channel 7 media darling – now adding to his TV repertoire a sting on Home and Away.

Cher Lloyd‘s new single ‘Oath’ sticks its head up slightly to #58 on our ARIA chart. All focus is still on the fantastic ‘Want U Back’, which I frankly don’t mind.

Delta Goodrem‘s Child of The Universe keeps a dignified poise, sliding one spot down to #3 in its second week. The constant maddening excitement over Pink‘s 2013 tour saw The Truth About Love over take our Aussie songbird. Delta‘s mellow ‘Wish You Were Here’ drops 10 spots to #26 this week, probably because all her fans are supporting the album instead.

Guy Sebastian‘s very pleasing new album Armageddon has bowed out of the ARIA Top 10 in its fourth week, sinking to #12. I have no doubt the pop prince will continue to sell fervently over the Christmas period – I mean, all his albums have always been released in the October/November period (except his debut, which was obviously rushed out after Idol ended in December). Guy‘s introspective-slightly-political new single ‘Get Along’ is the most added new song on Australian radios this week. Fucking win.

Reece Mastin‘s Beautiful Nightmare spends the second of its third charting week outside the ARIA Top 10 – placing at #13 this week. The 2011 X Factor winner’s barely keeping his third single ‘Rock Star’ in the Top 20 either, but hey, he’s already faring better than his predecessor Altiyan Childs who was largely forgotten by the time his second single turned the corner. Next week will be the finals so it won’t be long before the nation’s next young pop fixation’s named.

Sarah Blasko‘s waify I Awake album floats from #9 to #23 in its second week. The critically acclaimed singer/songwriter must need a bit more time to get her mojo back after the success of her strummy lala “Young Divas“-style girl group Seeker Lover Keeper, who enjoyed a successful Top 3 album and tour stint. Let’s face it. She’s no Ricki-Lee.

Kylie‘s classy The Abbey Road Sessions saunters off the ARIA Top 20 to #24 after debuting at #7 last week. Over in the UK, similar story, with the album dropping from #2 to #7. The sound of a thousand gays snapping shut their coin purses have never been louder. Mind you, TABS managed to sell 37,556 copies in its first week in the UK, which doesn’t hold a candle to Aphrodite‘s 2010 opening week sales of 79, 152 copies.

- UK -

Robbie Williams‘ Take The Crown has unsurprisingly entered at #1 this week, living up to its namesake. This is Robbie’s eighth solo chart topper (the only studio album that didn’t go #1 was his last one – 2009′s Reality Killed The Video Star). More interestingly thought, this week is the first time Robbie Williams has had a simultaneous UK #1 album and single since 2001 when Swing When You’re Winning and ‘Somethin’ Stupid’ (featuring Nicole Kidman) co-signed at the top. The 38-year old’s current single ‘Candy’ flopped hard in Australia but managed to become his first UK #1 single in eight years.

Meanwhile in Australia, Take The Crown debuts at a respectable #4 this week – making it the biggest new album in the land – and in the same manner, entering the New Zealand charts at #12. This swift Robbiequake has left the Australian masses feeling somewhat nostalgic – sending his In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010 back into our Top 20.

JLS‘ fourth studio album Evolution debuts at #3 in the UK this week. It’ll be interesting to see if the boys can sustain this one or will it go in the way of so many previous X Factor acts who have dimmed in recent times like Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke etc. Evolution features productions by Justin Bieber‘s producers The Runners and Darkchild.

Calvin Harris‘18 Months album got brutally shoved out of his #1 position, landing at #4 this week behind three new releases. It clocked respectable opening week sales of 52,356 copies to become his second consecutive UK #1 album – outshining 2009′s Ready for The Weekend which crowned with only 36,308 copies.

One of my faves on the new album – ‘Drinking from the Bottle’ (featuring Tinie Tempah) – guzzles its way from #25 to #17 on the singles chart this week. All up, Cal has six singles in the UK Top 100 this week: ‘Sweet Nothing’ (#11), ‘Drinking…’ (#25), ‘We Found Love’ (#78), ‘We’ll Be Coming Home’ (#93), ‘Let’s Go’ (#94) and ‘Feel So Close (#96).

Over in Australia, 18 Months debuts at #5 on our ARIA charts while out in the States, the album sells 16,851 first week copies to enter at #19 on the Billboard 200.

Ne-Yo‘s new album R.E.D. (which stands for Realizing Every Dream) enters at a meek #17 on the UK charts this week. Do people know that the rest of the album’s dead still compared to the vibrant #1 single ‘Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)’?

Matt Cardle‘s second album The Fire flickers to a glimmer in its second week, blowing out from #8 to #28 on the UK charts. How is life as an independent artist treating the old X Factor winner, I wonder? I’m sure it suits his credibility better than his meal allowance.

Leona Lewis‘ Glassheart is showing no sign of redeeming itself, plummeting out of the Top 40 in its fourth week. This would have to be the poorest chart feat of any Leona album in Britain. No shit. Her whimsical new single ‘Fireflies’ will impact before Christmas, but I doubt that’ll raise any more interest in the project.

The Wanted‘s ‘I Found You’ kicks in at #3 this week to become the highest selling new single in the country. The testes-tightening falsetto in this song is everything. I’m starting to round up my Feed Limmy Top 30 Albums and Songs of 2012 now, so don’t be surprised to see this creep in somewhere. Y’all remember how it went down last year, don’t you? Expect a December roll out. For real, for real.

Misha B‘s second single ‘Do You Think of Me’ has thankfully made the UK Top 10, albeit at #9. The dance-oriented track is arguably more mainstream friendly than her last effort and it shows with its Top 20 presence in the UK Airplay charts. But y’know what? I liked Misha better when she was serving some bonkers urban fierceness.

Frankie Cocozza – the so-called “bad boy” who got expelled from X Factor – sees his debut single ‘She Has A Motorcycle’ debut at a dismal #89 this week. He has interestingly hit out at the show, saying he was set up to be the “Pete Doherty” of the series for ratings and how the bullying fiasco unfairly damaged Misha‘s reputation.

- US -

Taylor Swift‘s continues to cancel your faves with Red selling over 1.5 million copies in just two weeks. The album is now 2012′s second biggest seller, already stepping over One Direction‘s Up All Night sales of 1.3 million. It’s still got a whole continent’s worth of sales to go before even remotely entering Adele‘s atmosphere. 21 remains 2012′s bitch with a domineering 4.1 million sales. When Red debuted in the States, it flattened the competition with 1.2 million copies – marking the biggest album sales week in 10 years. Red remains at #1 on our ARIA and New Zealand charts for the third consecutive week. Over in the UK, it leaves the Top 10 after just three weeks.

Rapper Meek Mill‘s Dreams and Nightmares debuts at #2 on the Billboard 200 with 165,000 copies – not bad for a first album. Some might even say it’s triumphant – just like the cameo he made on Mariah’s inspirational single ‘Triumphant’.

Rod Stewart is singlehandedly bringing the joys of Christmas to the Billboard 200 early this year with Merry Christmas, Baby debuting at #3. Of the 88,000 opening week sales, more than 20,000 copies were sold via HSN (Home Shopping Network – fuck, bitch, I feel these Mariah references calling out to me left right and centre tonight. The Lord must be near.) Anyways, back to Rod Stewart‘s wrinkly, bleak old scrotum. He did some exclusive version of the album for HSN and performed on the channel in late October sometime, so this is where the love was coming from.

Brandy‘s jaw-slackening comeback feat with Two Eleven‘s winding down now with the album plummeting to #29 in its third week on the Billboard 200. That’s OK, boo. It has already done Limmy proud by selling over 100,300 copies so far in the States. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Maroon 5‘s ‘One More Night’ and Psy‘s ‘Gangnam Style’ have been locking horns at #1 and #2 positions respectively on the Hot 100 longer than most artists’ careers. Isn’t it time people move on from both? Competitors waiting at the wings include fun.’s ‘Some Nights’ (#3) and Rihanna‘s ‘Diamonds’, which could edge closer to the top after her first televised performance of the song on SNL.

Christina Aguilera‘s ‘Your Body’ drops to #75 on the Hot 100 after seven weeks. The remixes, however, are set for greater things – racing up to #10 on the Dance/Club play charts this week. Say!

Across the Atlantic, the bombastic single has remarkably debuted at #16 in the UK this week – making it her first solo Top 20 entry since ‘Not Myself Tonight’ peaked at #12. Her last attempt was circa Burlesque when she went on X Factor to perform ‘Express’ from the soundtrack, but the racy performance only managed to get the song as far as #75. ’Your Body’ is barely clinging to the New Zealand Top 40 (here we’ve seen the song’s most virile chart performance in any given country) and in Australia, it disappears out of the Top 100 after constipating at #92 last week.

Kelly Clarkson‘s new country single ‘Don’t Rush’ (featuring Vince Gill) creeps in at #97 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The video is expected to premiere on Friday. That’s two Clarko videos in a week – can you take that?

Taryn Manning (ex-Boomkat singer) scores a #1 hit on the Dance/Club play chart with ‘Send Me Your Love’ (featuring Sultan + Ned Shepard). Coming up close behind is David Guetta and Sia’s ‘She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)’, which made a new peak of #2 this week.

- NEW ZEALAND -

One Direction‘s saccharine acoustic pop new single ‘Little Things’ is currently #1 on the New Zealand iTunes Song Chart, so it could well shake up the Kiwi charts next week. Perhaps a double reign with Take Me Home and ‘Little Things’ dominating both album and singles spaces?

Kiwi manband Titanium‘s second single ‘Sky’ is the biggest new entry this week, blowing up at #12. The guys made such an impact with their first single ‘Come On Home’ when it debuted at #1 in September. The single has since been certified platinum in the country.

Brigid Mendler‘s ‘Ready or Not’ returns to the Kiwi Top 20 this week at #15, now certifying gold sales. Our neighbouring nation’s influence must be finally rubbing off because ‘Ready or Not’ has finally cracked our ARIA Top 100 at #53 this week. All the Kiwi pop queens be like.

Kimbra‘s Vows (Deluxe Edition) races from #37 to #8 this week in light of the internationally renown artist claiming five New Zealand music awards. The girl is set to collaborate again with Gotye but she said it probably won’t be another full blown duet. They’re bouncing ideas off each other at the moment, probably something for her own record.

- FUTURE FEED -

Flume‘s self-titled debut album has amazingly overtaken One Direction‘s Take Me Home on the Australian iTunes album chart. The 20-year old Sydney indie electronica artist has been riding the charts pretty fervently based on pre-orders alone but who would’ve thought that he’d get to stepping over 1D? Flume, itself, is a pretty jaw-droppingly awesome album. Could it debut at #2 next week? I still see One Direction taking the top spot purely because they’d own the retail sales.

One Direction‘s sophomore Take Me Home is expected to ravage the charts this time next week, but I’d be surprised to see if it fares better than their first album. Take Me Home is currently Top 3 in 14 countries iTunes.

McFly‘s new single ‘Love Is Easy’ arrive in the UK today and if iTunes chart is anything to go by, it might claim biggest debut on the main singles chart next week. ‘Love Is Easy’ is currently reigning at #5.

Little Mix turn out their second proper single ‘DNA’ this week in the UK. So far, it has already shown up in Ireland’s iTunes Top 10. Aussies are still giving ‘Wings’ proper flight on iTunes, so the momentum of that itself should carry over to a successful local album release next Friday. DNA: The Deluxe Edition is currently #76 on the Aussie iTunes album chart – making it the second biggest pre-order in the digital store, behind Rihanna‘s Unapologetic, which drops this Friday.

Rihanna‘s Unapologetic album arrives in Australia this Friday and worldwide on Monday. This will be the fourth consecutive November where we’ve had a new RiRi album hit shelves. The ennui surrounding this project is unshakable. The general enthusiasm level here is pretty much equivalent to the entire cast and crew of Battleship dragging their feet in the sand.

Christina Aguilera‘s piss-weak new album Lotus blossoms in stores this Friday and worldwide on Monday. There is probably only three songs I’d bother keeping from this tedious collection of throwaway tunes unworthy of a pedigree popstar like Xtina.

Girls Aloud‘s comeback single ‘Something New’ drops in the UK next Monday and – believe it or not – has been issued to Aussie radios today. Run for cover, motherfucker. If this epic pop event doesn’t break some kind of British chart record – at least for 2012 – I don’t know what will. It’s a double whammy of a new Girls Aloud single – their first in three years – and also, a charity single for Children In Need. This will fucking stimulate the British economy and give Nuhdeen enough coins to fund Nadine 3.0.

The young country superstar has made clear she’s a force to be reckoned with on the Australian, UK and New Zealand album charts this week with her newest offering Red debuting straight at #1 in these territories. Check out the damage after the jump.

Elsewhere, it’s been a good week for Brandy, Mika, Labrinth and Emeli Sandé, Kelly Clarkson and – heck – even Girls Aloud is back on the charts.

- AUSTRALIA - 

Taylor Swift‘s Red has expectedly debuted at #1 in Australia and the UK this week. It’s also expected to enter on top of the US Billboard 200 later this week with opening week sales of 1.1 million copies. If Red does indeed sell a million copies, it’ll make Taylor the only female act to ever manage a million first-week album sales twice.

Here in Australia, the American country star’s breakthrough album Fearless also bounds back at #59 while its predecessor 2010′s Speak Now returns at #96.

Over at the singles bar, everything free falls now that the full album’s out. The keynote single ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ tumbles from #15 to #26 in its 11th week, while ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ dips from #10 to #27. Two other album tracks ‘State of Grace’ and ‘Red’ both bow out of the ARIA Top 100, while ‘Everything Has Changed’ (featuring Ed Sheeran) becomes the project’s sole new entry this week at #75.

Up in the UK, Red becomes Taylor Swift‘s first #1 album in the country. This album’s also given her the best run yet on the singles chart with ‘Never’ peaking at #4 and all four promo singles making the Top 40. Having said that, just like it was in Australia, interest in the existing charting singles all wane now the Red is out – with the exception of ‘Everything Has Changed’, which debuts at #50 in the UK.

Reece Mastin‘s debut studio album Beautiful Nightmare enters at #3 in Australia this week, evidently unable to compete with the aforementioned country superstar. Meanwhile his X Factor mentor, Guy Sebastian, sees his new album Armageddon slip alarmingly from #2 to #7 in its second week.

Swedish House Mafia‘s new album Until Now debuts at #12 in Australia this week. Over at the singles bar: ‘Don’t You Worry Child’ makes a chart killing in Australia, blasting to a new peak of #3 this week – making this the EDM trio’s biggest mainstream hit to date. The single has already made #1 in the UK a couple of weeks back.

Angus Stone‘s Broken Brights has astonishingly flown from #75 to #18 on the ARIA charts this week. Elsewhere, Gypsy and The Cat‘s new album The Late Blue debuts at #23. I actually went out and bought their last album just off the strength of what I heard when they opened for Kylie‘s Aphrodite – Les Folies tour.

Bruno Mars scores his fifth Aussie Top 10 hit this week with his new one ‘Locked Out of Heaven’ rising to #10. Although he always attracts radio support, the American singer/songwriter’s last charting excellence here was the twee ‘Marry You’.

Delta Goodrem‘s piano-based ballad ‘Wish You Were Here’ moves up to #5 on our ARIA charts this week, making it her 12th Top 5 single. The hit-and-miss new album Child of The Universe is slated to be the biggest new debut on next week’s chart. Stay tuned for action on the project’s fourth single ‘Hunters and The Wolves’, which sounds like the most blatant of Florence + The Machine rip offs.

Little Mix‘s ‘Wings’ takes off from #34 to #20 in its third week. Now that they’re in the country doing promo galore – don’t be surprised if it goes as far as the Top 10 by this time next week.

Meanwhile, the Mixers’ new single ‘DNA’ bullets from#65 to #41 in its second week on the UK airplay chart. They’ve only got another two weeks before the single drops – can they make enough of an impact by then?

Of Monsters and Men‘s ‘Little Talks’ is inches away from claiming a Top 20 placement in Australia. The stand out strummy la la choon makes a new peak of #23 on our ARIA charts after seven weeks. Meanwhile over in the UK, their new single ‘Mountain Sound’ bullets up the airplay chart to #18.

Cher Lloyd‘s ‘Want U Back’ leaps back into the Top 50 at #41 this week thanks to her promo appearances in the country last week. Meanwhile, her killer Sticks and Stones album bounces from #73 to #51 in its third week – proving to be as wildly tempestuous as her own weekly singles sales. Over in US, Sticks and Stones flounders to #63 after three weeks.

Christina Aguilera‘s ‘Your Body’ stays triumphant by merely not free falling out of the ARIA Top 100. It edges from #63 to #59 this week. Meanwhile in New Zealand, it clamours its way back up to #36 in its third week. Could your faves? Say.

Elen Levon‘s ‘Dancing To The Same Song’ climbs from #96 to #81 in its second week in the Top 100. Three superb singles in and the Sydney teen is still contemplating whether she should do an album yet or not, which is totally fair enough.

- UK -

Emeli Sandé‘s re-release of Our Version of Events sees the album pick up to #2 this week. While she’s unable to cross Taylor Swift’s furious first-week sales, Sandé is proving to be the true overall achiever across several formats.

She’s co-signing on top of the singles chart this week as a feature artist on Labrinth‘s ’Beneath Your Beautiful’, which became his first ever #1 hit. Elsewhere, Sandé‘s feature power also helped rapper Naughty Boy secure a Top 10 entry with ‘Wonder’. He previously featured on her own single ‘Daddy’, which was her lowest charting single from Our Version of Events.

Leona Lewis‘ Glassheart is getting shattered in the worst way – sinking from #3 to #10 in its second week.  The poor Hackney diva struggled in the face of more brazen new releases this week from Taylor Swift (Red – #1), Lawson (Chapman Square – #4), Dappy (Bad Intentions – #6) and Irish TV personality Daniel O’Donnell (Songs from the Movies and More – #7).

Leona‘s current single ‘Trouble’ is hardly taking care of business for her, dropping out from #13 to #25 after just three weeks. It also falls from #19 to #34 on the UK airplay charts after six weeks.

Ellie Goulding‘s Halcyon is almost out of the UK Top 20 after just three weeks, while the lead single ‘Anything Could Happen’ drops to #17. Halcyon‘s in trouble out in the US too, falling from #9 to #26 on the Billboard 200 after just two weeks.

JLS‘ insipid ‘Hottest Girl In The World’ surprised me to be the biggest selling new single in the UK this week – debuting at a respectable #6. Their fanbase must be rock solid. That’s all I can say, because their music just don’t excite me in any way.

Girls Aloud‘s life-changing comeback single ‘Something New’ debuts at a quiet #87 on the UK airplay charts. I mean, granted it only premiered on Capital FM four days before the end of this charting week – you can’t really hold it against them now, can you?

- US -

Brandy‘s Two Eleven has impressively debuted at #3 on the US Billboard 200 with 65,000 first-week sales – making it the bona fide career-affirming comeback nobody counted on. I am so fucking proud – this is her first Top 10 album in over eight years. Two Eleven also became Brandy‘s first #1 R&B album since 2002′s Full Moon. Meanwhile, the hit single ‘Put It Down’ (featuring Chris Brown) climbs to a new peak of #65 on the Hot 100.

As we speak, Two Eleven is dominating two spots in the US iTunes R&B/Soul Albums Top 10 – the deluxe edition crowns at #1 (beating Alicia Keys‘ Girl on Fire, Usher‘s Looking For Myself and Ne-Yo‘s new one R.E.D.) while the standard edition sits at #9. I mean, fuck, the album’s even in the Japanese iTunes R&B/Soul Top 3. Stay pressed.

Mika‘s The Origin of Love has surprisingly made the Top 50 in America, debuting at #47 on the Billboard 200. I didn’t even know he had fans there. The creative pop star’s last studio album 2009′s The Boy Who Knew Too Much - which was generally slept on everywhere else in the world – became his best charting effort, peaked at #19 on the Billboard 200. Mika’ breakthrough album 2007′s Life in Cartoon Motion only managed to go #29 in America.

Taylor Swift‘s final promo single ‘State of Grace’ debuts at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the biggest new single in America this week. Just so you know, she has five hits in the Hot 100 at the minute.

Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj‘s dull ‘Beauty and The Beat’ re-enters the Hot 100 at #71 this week, thanks in no small part to the music video and endless promo on VEVO and YouTube. Could it match the Top 10 status of its predecessors ‘Boyfriend’ and ‘As Long As You Love Me’?

Kelly Clarkson‘s new single ‘Catch My Breath’ debuts at #54 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and #40 on the Australian charts this week. It saddens me a great deal to see her curb the Stronger era after just three singles. I mean, ‘You Love Me’ needed to fucking happen.

Rita Ora‘s ‘RIP’ has risen to #1 on the US Billboard Dance/Club play songs, making it her second American chart topper – albeit at a volatile, flop-infested chart. The anthemic ‘How We Do (Party)’ also made #1 there.

Side bar: last week’s crowning dance/club #1 single Mariah Carey‘s ‘Triumphant’ got escorted out of the Top 10 to #11. Can the lambs deal?

- NEW ZEALAND -

New albums blasting into the New Zealand Top 10 this week include Taylor Swift‘s unbeatable Red (#1), Australian X Factor rocker Reece Mastin‘s Beautiful Nightmare (#2) and surprisingly enough Gary Clark Jr. Blak and Blu (#6) – which only managed to debut at #34 in Australia this week.

One Direction‘s ‘Live While We’re Young’ sink from #8 to #12 in its fourth week on the Kiwi charts. Over in the US, it worryingly falls from #21 to #31 after just three weeks. No wonder they’re moving out with the next single ‘Little Things’ already.

Ke$ha‘s ‘Die Young’ looks set to leave the NZ Top 20 next week, y’all. It has surprisingly clung to the Australian Top 20 for a month now, despite barely coming close to the Top 5 like you would expect for an exciting new Ke$ha release. ‘Die Young’ is perched at #18 in New Zealand and #12 in Australia. Over in the UK, where it’s still got a month before the single arrives, there’s been a slow uptake on the radio airplay chart – ‘Die Young’ reluctantly crawls from #87 to #59 in its second week.

Bridgit Mendler‘s summer smash ‘Ready or Not’ was first embraced in New Zealand, don’t you forget that. The single has been in the Top 40 for seven weeks before it finally cracked the US Billboard Hot 100 last week at #98.

- FUTURE FEED -

Kylie Minogue‘s The Abbey Road Sessions is expected to make a splash somewhere in the Top 20 next week if we’re lucky – her biggest local competition is Delta‘s new album Child of The Universe. It managed to peak in the Australian iTunes album Top 5 on the first day out on Friday. So far in the first 24 hours, the album’s crept in the UK iTunes albums Top 10.

Loreen‘s Heal arrives in the UK this week and dropped in Australia on Friday. So far, Heal has hit the top of the Swedish and Swiss iTunes album charts, while the new single ‘Crying Out Your Name’ make the Swedish iTunes Top 10. Heal has made #1 on the iTunes Dance album charts in at least eight countries.

Robbie Williams‘ comeback single ‘Candy’ finally arrives in the UK this week. The single has struggled to catch on everywhere, so they must be banking everything on a positive reception in his home country.

Thanks to the slow build up, ‘Candy’ has gotten a chance to ease its way up the UK radio airplay charts – peaking at #7 this week after six weeks on the airwaves. Within the first 24 hours on digital shelves, the ‘Candy’ digital EP is already #1 on the UK iTunes album chart and the track #7 on the singles chart.

Robbie‘s long-awaited album Take The Crown arrives in Australia this Friday and the UK next week. It’ll be going up directly against Calvin Harris‘ hit-filled 18 Months album. Let the hunger games begin.

The Wanted‘s ‘I Found You’ is set to drop in the UK next week. If airplay is any indication, it should lead the pack of new releases quite comfortably. The falsetto-abusing club stomper blasts from #30 to #15 on the UK airplay charts.

Lana Del Rey‘s ‘Ride’ races from #70 to #22 on the UK airplay charts in its second week. The actual single is not set to drop until 12 November, though. The same day as Stooshe‘s prosaic cover of TLC‘s ‘Waterfalls’, which scaled the airplay charts to a new peak of #26 this week.

Olly Murs‘ catchy new one ‘Troublemaker’ (featuring Flo Rida) is set to drop in three weeks over in the UK, and it’s already making a bold statement on the airplay charts, zooming from #46 to #36 in its second week. The man can do no wrong over there, can he?

However, if you’ve spent any more than three minutes on this blog, you’ll find that I do rep hard for premiere female vocalists a lot of tastemakers happily dismiss as irrelevant.

Glassheart is Leona Lewis‘ third studio album and – without question – her most eclectic record to date. In its finest moments, the project captures Leona‘s preference for love-bled songs and renders it to elements of drum ‘n’ bass, trip hop, and alternative pop. All of which are sonic styles the X Factor siren has never dabbled in before.

But I’d be wary to label Glassheart as some vigorous artistic overhaul for Leona Lewis because it is sorely inconsistent in parts – and that’s where the struggle I mentioned before comes in. There’s this strange tension between the aforementioned innovative new styles and the shackles of tired “Leona-format” balladry that we’ve all heard before in her first two albums.

Glassheart just feels like one of those bodies of work that tastemakers are likely to pick apart and re-assemble in a way they see fit, much like the approach to Christina Aguilera’s Bionic.

One would give approving nods to standouts like ’Come Alive’ – a formidable storm of grime and drum ‘n’ bass – that feels like the album’s true opener once you’ve placated Leona’s conservative fans with the single (‘Trouble’) and two dutiful ballads.

Elsewhere in ‘Glassheart’, a sinister cross-pollination of Leona‘s ethereal vocals with aggressive dub step beats hit the lights with blindingly great results.

There has never been a more exciting Leona Lewis uptempo created. It legitimately snatches wigs in the hardest way, from the cold and bemoaning verses through to the head-splitting dance breakdown.

However, that walloping bass-heavy breakdown is something of a new addition. If you play back the first performance of ‘Glassheart’ Leona did at G-A-Y a year ago when the album was originally slated to drop, you’ll find it pounding to a more poppers o’clock, Euro-dance production. Just a little bit of trivia you can share with your friends between sips of strawberry daiquiri next time you’re cruising at the bar.

However, not every square inch of Glassheart flares with ostentatious displays of new styles and colours – you would actually need to listen closely to some of these tracks to pick up the subtle flavours in Leona‘s experimentation.

The bittersweet ‘Favourite Scar’ – which samples Tears for Fears‘ ‘Head Over Heels’ – hears the Hackney diva adopt a bossier swag in the verses. The way she dismisses “it don’t matter, it don’t matter, it don’t matter… boy, you better turn up your ste-ree-oh!” sounds like something Rihanna would put down.

Props must be given to the diverse producers and songwriters who collaborated with Leona to make Glassheart sound as vital as it does.

Emeli Sandé – one of the most celebrated breakthrough British artists this year – lends her songwriting abilities to three tracks on the album’s final tracklisting. It’s a stellar collaboration that I never wanna see diminished in any way because these two talents fit each other so damn well.

The most memorable of Sandé’s contributions is ‘I To You’ - a smouldering, strings-soaked James Bond-theme in waiting that casts Leona as a love-imprisoned siren, delivering line after line of intense drama.

“I will stay home with the kids, everyday cleaning up where you live even though I’m educated. ‘Cause you are great, you are big. And I don’t mind givin’ in, givin’ in for free, for free. You are love, you are sin, you’ll always be everything, everything to me… What am I to you?”

My personal appreciation of ‘I To You’ comes hand-in-hand with a relief in hearing Leona deliver a song so capably without the vocal acrobatics and escalation to glass-piercing high notes she is typically known for.

Elsewhere, the album’s next single ‘Fireflies’ is constructed on and driven by an emotive piano melody so stunning in its own right, it almost absorbs the spotlight from everything else happening in the song – including the gospel vocals and Leona‘s crescendoing ad libs.

I mean, there’s a time and place for it, I’m not in favour of stamping out those vocal tricks in Leona‘s repertoire per se, because in the context of the right song it can be so fucking electric.

‘Lovebird’ – which is a textbook example of your standard Leona Lewis/Ryan Tedder ballad – is shining proof that the winning formula is what it is for a reason. I fucking broke down in tears behind the steering wheel when I first heard the massive break up ballad. The lyrical themes of growing apart from someone you love and that guilt-ridden desire to want to be set free felt like it was written about my last relationship.

“But the time went on, the wind has blown, and I have grown. And I started feeling that my wings have been broken. And I can’t believe that I ever want to be set free, but I just can’t stay. So your love bird’s flying away…”

The intensely personal song was of course written about Leona’s own separation from her long-term boyfriend, who she had known since she was 10.

There are some extraordinary songs written on this album that just sound like honest and vulnerable accounts of love’s many kinds of bruises. Although, Leona’s no stranger to singing tortured break up ballads in her six-year discography, they feel chillingly personal this time around.

Glassheart feels like a worthwhile investment in establishing the singer’s versatility even if it wasn’t a committed effort from start to finish. The overall quality of the songs on this album is the stronger than any of Leona‘s previous releases, which I think more than compensates for her dwindling record sales and general commercial relevance.

Footnotes:

Leona Lewis‘ Glassheart debuted at #3 on the UK charts, making it her first album to not enter the British charts at #1. There is no Australian release date confirmed as yet, so I’ve imported by copy of the deluxe edition, y’all.

The project’s proper lead single ‘Trouble’ (remember, she’s pretending that ‘Collide’ never happened) managed to peak at #7, while the album’s title track ’Glassheart’ cracked the UK Dance charts at #27, based on downloads alone in the week the album came out.

Sweden’s dance/pop raven Loreen captured me at first instance with her bewitching interpretative dance performance of the champion Eurovision song, ‘Euphoria’, which swiftly raced up the charts around the world after taking the crown and even became the first non-UK Eurovision song to make the Top 3 in the UK charts since 1987.

I had so little knowledge of the mononymed artist that every move felt like she was deliberately building a mystery. The heavy bangs, the steely gaze, and that icy-yet-pleading vocal performance in ‘Euphoria’ all set the tone for what was to complete my Loreen experience.

The 29-year old’s debut album Heal is an alluring blend of pulsating dance pop that feel more subtle than what one might initially expect from a Eurovision pop purveyor.

In the current pop market that is already fluent in electronic dance music parlance, Heal speaks a language of its own – shrugging off trendy dubstep inflections in favour of a richer soundscape that enhance its emotive lyrics rather than compete with it. Most tracks on the album are smoothened with waves of atmospheric synths and lush orchestral strings, which really complement Loreen‘s own chilled vocal delivery.

Standouts like the tormented ‘My Heart is Refusing Me’ is a showcase of pedigree dance balladry – just like ‘Euphoria’ – it comes complete with a chorus that formulaically expands after periods of restraint verses. If there is any justice, her international label would release this 2011 single now following her mainstream breakthrough.

The splendid ‘Crying Out Your Name’ – with its percolating synths and drum ‘n’ bass beats – is such a relatable self-destructive break up track. It totally got me with its raw flares of frustration and desperation.

“So don’t you ask me where I’m gonna be tonight. Don’t ask me if I’m gonna be alright. I’ll be crying out your name, drink through all this pain tonight. I don’t even want to fight. I know when the battle’s lost… the painful things you did to me. I’ll do them all to someone else. And that is how it’s gonna be – it takes a lot of self-defence.”

The aforementioned three singles – all produced by SeventyEight (who worked on Kerli‘s ‘Zero Gravity) – make sense as the shining ambassadors of Loreen‘s album but they’re not necessarily indicative of its scope.

Elsewhere, the ethereal ballad ‘Everytime’ harks to the downtempo gems Anggun used to turn out in her prime. I mean, this song was almost designed for soundtracking introspective moments when you’re soaking in the bath, contemplating your next move. I appreciate the deliberately stripped back, acoustic setting in the opening recital of verse one before she repeats it over a bed of winding synths and claps.

As far as cohesion goes, Heal serves a masterful blend of crowd-pleasing Eurodance in its obvious singles candidates and more distilled, chill out sounds. It’s essentially a cathartic break up album – as the title would suggest – offering salvation for disparate moments, whether you’re throwing on the Louboutins to dance the tears away or simply staying at home with the cat, blogging your feelings on Tumblr.

Footnotes:

Loreen‘s Heal will be released digitally in Australia on 26 October.