ILM's Top 77 Tracks of 2014

just find her so boring

Robyn <3

First time I've bothered listening to this collaboration. Would have been interesting pairing like 10 years ago, no? The fact that it's called 'Do It Again' as well.

That Robyn & Röyksopp tune was kinda-generic-though-eminently-uplifting, but the video was quite something! It's rare to see such well-made, conceptually inspired music videos in this era!

anaconda is awes

tijoux best new discovery so far, the second verse in partic goes very hard

good kisser is great. i think maura originally posted this but it's unfortunate that usher had to cash in on the blurred lines train when he already had an amazing retro pharrel feature under his belt all the way back in 2012 with twisted

"khona" placed at #188 last year

"jaiye jaiye" at precisely 400 places below that.

― prolego, Monday, January 19, 2015 1:20 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol/smh

I wonder what RÖYKSOPP bring to the table here. It's been a long time since Melody A.M.

i'm anti-robyn but i find it more baffling that people would get excited about röyksopp, who have always been extremely dull producers! that's why i didn't check it out - apart from having assumed they'd constantly been collaborating over the years - and "do it again" is pretty much the kind of uninvolving thin pastichey pop i'd've expected, but this "monument" is actually pretty nice

Do It Again is the only song from the collaborative EP that sounds like stock Robyn solo. Everything else blends their styles far better.

i relistened to "good kisser" and i get what people love about the drums but i feel like his singing doesn't gel with them - he's singing really loudly and clumsily for that arrangement, it doesn't fit

The Royksopp album was really dull but they have made some great moments. Junior from 2009 is a brilliant album. They should have gone further in that big pop direction.

I like Robyn a lot but I totally see why ppl wouldn't

I voted for monument it's great

Fully accept that Do It Again was generic R+R but there's nothing wrong with comfort food.

Monument (TIE version) >>>>> Monument

i never got hooked on "good kisser" but i love it when i hear it

robyn/rokysopp: oh i actually know this one from the radio, i have enjoyed it although giving it a closer listen now there's one level of synths (the one that's kind of aggressively vamping through the first chorus) that could be excised. good generic pop house chorus. i can see why people who have extracurricular interest in this stuff could find it boring but it does it for me

lex, you might like this Beenie Man track that uses the "Good Kisser" drums?

I love the really subtle saxophone portions of the EP version of Monument.

i relistened to "good kisser" and i get what people love about the drums but i feel like his singing doesn't gel with them - he's singing really loudly and clumsily for that arrangement, it doesn't fit

― lex pretend, Monday, January 19, 2015 1:26 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the vocals are perfectly suited to the track imo, couldn't imagine how else you could make that beat work. the transition to the 'the devil is a lie' part gives it the propulsion it needs, the piano chord, mmm so perfect

i liked 'the girl and the robot' from several years back but i haven't gotten into any other r&r tracks i've heard

http://i.imgur.com/Ym4RBkn.jpg

66 SHAKIRA "Empire" [230 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/QapfTGTXbxc

the beenie man track rob posted is p much exactly how a vocal should go with that beat imo

"Empire" is too low, but I'm glad it placed.

the best part of this Shakira track is when she harmonizes with the guitar.

Did maura vote this year?

YES

nno

"empire"'s chorus melody reminds me directly of a my chemical romance song and a level from super mario 64

obv the greatest song ever

I can't stand her voice on this

i had no idea shakira released new music this year!!!! this is good!

"Empire" was the first of my votes to place, it's just gorgeously over-the-top! And I just love how she phrases "and the stars make love to the universe".

i like this.

That Royksopp and Robyn track is just so unbelievably rote, like there were literally dozens if not hundreds of tracks in that vein clogging up MP3 blogs in 05-06. Like surely everyone who likes that sort of stuff has so many records like that already? And the lyrics... it seems to underestimate its audience to an almost insulting degree.

Yeah, that Beanie Man track is terrific.

Lol this was unexpected

Had no idea this Shakira song was so popular. Was the album any good?

Empire was on my long list but didn't make the cut. Belting track!

really enjoying the images so far btw. Usher looks so pleased to be at #70

this shakira is amazing, perfect "should have been a hit" pop jam u can depend on ilx for catching for you

Yeah but conversely I spent too much time on ilx last year so why am I just now knowing about this smh ilx

I'm with crut, this is the first thing so far I really dislike.

so glad that the Reverend has discovered Ninos Du Brasil

― some kind of terrible IDM with guitars (sleeve), Monday, January 19, 2015 7:18 AM Bookmark

yeah, this is totally aimed at me.

love "empire". it sounded especially great following that rihanna duet, which was such an ungainly attempt at a hit.

I got over my thing about Shakira's voice a number of years ago, so it doesn't even phase me now.

http://i.imgur.com/xsg1fr0.jpg

74 NINOS DU BRASIL "Sombra da Lua" [210 points, 6 votes]
http://youtu.be/VO5BOLIV2S4

― gr8080, Monday, January 19, 2015 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Awesome how the video is based on Limite. I always wanted to catch a screening of it.

I was wondering about where the footage was from. Looks like an interesting film.

So far Usher is the only thing I voted for. It was way high on my ballot and I'm shocked it's so low here. Like it's the type of thing I would expect to do better here than on P&J? It some how manages to pull this balancing act of being very minimalist while still being ridiculously crammed with hooks, like every beat and vocal tic in the song is pitched for maximum impact. Tuomas otm about the drums-as-hook.

It was such an anthem for me and my gf this summer, like we'd be walking around Brooklyn and one of us would randomly break out singing it or even just the beat to each other. Also DJing, it's been my favorite song recently to slow things back down at the end of the night after faster stuff. People hear that first bass/drum beat and instantly know what it is. Easily my favorite song he's done since Confessions.

Shakira track sounds like a poor stab at a little earthquakes era tori amos outtake; I am not feeling this. sorta discards what makes shakira special amongst the grandiose production; why you wanna put a yodeller on and then drown her out with all kinda sci-fi marching music. Was this on a soundtrack for hunger games or interstellar or something?

Do It Again/Monument were big for me this year, generally while jogging. I prefer Monument over DIA but perfectly happy to have this here.

Tchelete is def one of the tracks I only caught through ILX which is as good a reason to stay plugged into this forum as any. this also reminds me I need to get caught up on the early returns of the afrobeats 2015 thread.

That beenie man take over the "beng beng riddim" is excellent; would take that over Usher seven days a week

"do it again" <<<<<< "monument" which i voted for (highly) [also ep version is far preferable to the inevitable end version]

i like "empire", nice 2 see it place

TS: "and the stars make love to the universe / and you touch me / and I'm like / WOOOOOOOOOAHHOOOOOOOO" vs "she looks so perfect standing there / in my american apparel underwear / and I know now / that I'm so down"

i think monument may still place

http://i.imgur.com/L1wH2cr.jpg

65 ST. VINCENT "Prince Johnny" [230 points, 8 votes]
http://youtu.be/idllxjHbX7w

[also ep version is far preferable to the inevitable end version]

hi-five