Roisin Murphy, who's just released her new album 'Hairless Toys'
When it comes to music (and plenty of other things, actually) I can be annoyingly repetitive. Once I've found a song I like I'll listen to it for days, weeks and sometimes years until I've pretty much made myself sick of it.
After going on a bit of a Spotify/Soundcloud spree recently, I thought I'd share some of the songs I've been abusing the playback function for. So here they are, a selection of the earworms I currently can't get out of my head:
Janet Jackson - No Sleep ft J. Cole
Early noughties gem All For You is almost certainly still my favourite Janet track, but this new single shows (for anyone who was in any doubt) that JJ's still got it. There's a cameo from J. Cole here which is also pretty great and not all that you might expect from a song called 'No Sleep' - "I love diving in your mind and coming out with every diamond I can find."
The Maccabees - Something Like Happiness
I've been a Maccabees fan since their Colour It In days, and I know I'm not the only one who abused the repeat button for the likes of First Love and Toothpaste Kisses back when it was first released - which, scarily, was eight whole years ago now. Last week they released their fourth studio album Marks to Prove it. I've been eagerly anticipating it after listening to first single Something Like Happiness mercilessly on repeat for the past month or so.
Four Tet - Morning Side
This is the most hypnotic song from Four Tet, AKA Kieran Hebden. After being struck down by a bout of writer's block the other day at work, I stuck this on and the words started flowing. It's so chilled and perfect for when you want to block out the world.
Maribou State - Midas
The Guardian once described Maribou State as the "downtempo Disclosure", but they've so far avoided the same fate of becoming the customary backing track fodder for scenes featuring the Eastenders' yoof. Midas isn't as slow and ambient as tracks on their earlier EPs, but it's just as soulful, and actually has something of a retro R&B feel to it, in no small part thanks to vocals from Holly Walker.
Roisin Murphy - Evil Eyes
I can segue pretty nicely here into the final track, since Maribou State's sound has drawn comparisons between the likes of Bonobo, Groove Armada and Moloko – Roisin Murphy's former band. In Evil Eyes, there's still glimmers of Murphy's days as an electro-pop queen, but this is an altogether more understated sound, with its steady, almost menacing beat and dark disco feel.
What have you been listening to lately? Let me know!