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1.  Mark Foster, A-Trak, Kimbra – Warrior
2.  2NE1 – Clap Your Hands
3.  Alphabeat – Vacation

4.  Drake – Take Care
5.  Imperial Teen – Runaway
6.   Jared Again (Beards.org) – Grow you Beard!
7.  Swedish House Mafia – Greyhound
8.  Studio Killers – Eros and Apollo

9.  Imperial Teen – Yoo Hoo
10.  Yacht – Le Goudron
11.  Morgan Page – Body Work ft. Tegan and Sara
12.  Perfume – Spring of Life
13.  Queen of Hearts – Neon
14.  Rye Rye – Boom Boom

15.  The Magnetic Fields – Andrew In Drag
16.  Santigold – Disparate Youth
17.  Nicki Minaj – Starships
18.  Jee Day – Aura Go
19.  Hey Willpower – Double Fantasy
20.  Nicki Minaj – Beez In The Trap

21.  Tom Of Finland Clothing Fall 1998
22.  SHOWstudio – Daphne Guinness – Fashion Fetish
23.  Rihanna – Where Have  You Been
24.  William – Love You Like A Big Schlong
25.  RuPaul – Glamazon

The other day I was thinking about musical influences and what makes me so attracted to them.  While I was thinking about this, listening to my digital music library on shuffle, a song by Kate Bush came on, and it then struck me!  Though I came across Kate Bush sometime around mid 2002 (Yes I know I was a late bloomer!), I realized how her musical talent, creativity, and continuous determination to challenge mainstream sounds in music, greatly influenced what sounds I am now currently attracted to.

“But why Kate Bush?” some may ask, well for one, she is a sound that many people don’t really hear, let alone lyrics and songs that are sometimes obscure, yet fall so easily on the ears.  Her hymns, as I like to call them have a rhythm and tone to them that put me in a trance, something that is a little more subliminal, but taking me to a place that many musicians cannot take me to.

I believe music is presented to us as an auditory expression through words and sounds.  Some of us get it, some of us don’t, which is fine, but for me, lyrics have never really been a huge strong point, verses the intent and emotion behind the vocals and sound.  You can tell when someone is into it but also when it resonates something within us.  I’m not telling you how you should listen to music, but maybe a way that pop cultures music doesn’t necessarily do for us.

Pop music has become a consumerist experience, take it in and enjoy for the moment it exists, and the dump away after it’s finished.  If you think about it, how many pop songs do you remember from last year?  I constantly look over the Billboard Hot 100 charts from year to year, barely remembering songs from that year that were big hits, only to see them become “One Hit Wonders” later on.  Artists now strive to have hit singles rather than a great selling album.   Very few seem to achieve this, and I want to particularly focus on female singers within our culture.  It’s given many female artists have hit singles, but never have a well selling albums.  Yes there are some (Adele, Lady Gaga etc), but not many that I can remember.   I think one current artist that seems to stick in my head is Florence + The Machine, and her well selling album Lungs has been on the Billboard 200 for over a year, yet many only know of one or two of her songs.

The lack and interest to explore an album has brought some upset to me, but I digress!  I want to bring it back to Kate Bush, and how you can scan all her albums and listen to the whole album in it’s full entirety.   But as well, her albums have not sold well anywhere (I’m talking doing diamond, or that level of status), yet many people I know, all agree and enjoy her work.  With that, I’d like to spread some more of my love of her to everyone.  Her influence on the music industry has been HUGE.  There is even a freakin’ documentary on her!

There are many other musicians out there who have produced sounds similar to hers, taking on this persona of free spirit, producing sounds that are anti-pop culture, which have a form of experimentation and fluidity to their sounds.  I think the biggest artist that I’d first off mention would be Bat For Lashes.  She has been around for a while, and though her voice and production of her music is different, there is an abstract yet omniscient vibe to her sounds and inspirations.  She as well has produced a documentary on her works, which goes through the mind of what I’d like to call “creative genius” in their works.  Both mystical and purely subconscious, I’d say that Natasha Khan creates her music out of her pure center, her genuine form of what we are as humans.  We tend to push our true selves so far behind what we are projected to be.  Ironically I state all of this because the other day I took a psychology test, so see what others perceive me to be, verses what I perceive myself to be.  I’m still awaiting the results, but it was funny to check off more things that others have thought I was, rather than how I see myself.  Again side tracked, but I’d like to say that the essence of “what is Bat for Lashes” is one of these purest forms.

There are other lists of many artists, but I feel many seem to go unknown in the realm of pop culture, but Ladyhawke would but another example.  Living with Asperger syndrome, I believe this has allowed her to focus on her music, in almost an obsessive way, being detailed oriented and concentrating on the sounds and lyrics of her work.  Another artist who I’d like to mention would be Niki & The Dove, hailing from Sweden (I always seem to gravitate to musicians from here), producing an Electro pop sound, but with strong undertones of Kate’s influence on her work.  It seems the sounds that I enjoy all seem to be Non-American, maybe it’s because their cultures seem to thrive or strive in a way to have a more authentic and laid back lifestyle, or maybe they just have more funding in the arts.  Either way, we are still given a touch and influence from Kate Bush, passed down to these individuals here.

So what to do with this rant that I present to you, well, I would say, step out of your boundaries for once, listen, and maybe take something with you, but also, maybe we should all try to be ourselves more, and be less guarded.  Maybe me being a “gay” man has allowed for me to challenged this concepts of norm, opening up my own perceptions of the world being able to be honest and trust to myself.  I leave you with a video I made while in Berlin, looking at myself, and my insecurities with living abroad for an extended play, and yes, it’s me and Kate Bush, what I’d like to call, together as one.

The Young Professionals are made up of Ivri Lider (one of Israel’s biggest selling musicians) and Johnny Goldshtein (Israeli producer\composer), residing in beautiful Tel Aviv.  Their work initially started out as a long distance collaboration, building on moments in their personal lives, building together this album, which is a narrative of the typical work day then transitioning into the night.  The album itself has a huge transition and builds up into a more dance sound as the album progresses.  Using a vast array of cultural and experimental sounds TYP plays on the combination of both Pop and Electro.

The concept behind TYP is that they are more than musicians, they are a collaborative, engaging with other creative people, building beyond just the music, be it design, style, fashion, TYP engages all forms of creativity to keep their audience stimulated on all ends, creating a network, of what they call, the young professionals.

My personal favorite on the album is D.I.S.C.O, featuring Tel Aviv’s famous dancer and entertaining Uriel Yekutiel, this song brings both flair and a great sound to the dance floor.  Totally worth checking out, and of course blasting at your next party!

Recently signed to Polydor France, TYP is gaining popularity quite rapidly, and we are lucky enough to share our love to you at Fur And Gold.  DJ Taffy nominated TYP’s latest album as TOP album of the year, that’s got to mean something right!  Expect to hear some songs of their great album this upcoming Friday!  Grab a free copy, and a few lucky winners will receive a signed copy by the band!

Cuddle up to some sweetie you have, sip some tea, and rest your head on a furry chest…

1. Tenderfoot – The Desperate Kingdom of Love
2. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
3. Birdy – Skinny Love
4. Mary J. Blige – Mr. Wrong (Feat. Drake)
5. Rihanna – Drunk on Love
6. Zhane – Sending My Love
7. Young Galaxy – The Sun’s Coming Up And My Plane’s Going Down
8. Woodpigeon – An Entanglement of Weeds
9. The Sound of Arrows – Ruins of Rome
10. Sia – Breathe Me
11. Robyn – Hang With Me (Acoustic)
12. Regina Spektor – Samson
13. Red House Painters – Grace Cathedral Park
14. The National – Daughters Of The Soho Riots

Most of 2011 for me was spent in Berlin, where I focused more on my introverted self, homing in on my love for darker, sadder, more serious sounds.  Not all of it was that serious in tone, my great friend Christo (Grateful Grapefruit) allowed for the both of us to get up and dance around our flat in our underwear, make amazing breakfast goods, and prance around the streets of Berlin.  Upon my arrival back home to Boston, a strong sense of displacement took over me, wanting to feel back “at home” but also missing everything in Berlin.  This mixed with my love for walking, soon empowered me for a good emotional song to power walk to around the city to.  Electronic beats soon took over as a precedence to getting through the day, and overpowered any form of sadness or loneliness that I initially had.  Combining all these intense emotions as well as life changing experiences, 2011 so far has been one of the most beneficial moments in my life, altering the way I look at the world as a whole, how I view relationships, and foremost, my passion and love for music.  I hope this top 10 reflects this, and maybe some of these songs and albums have made your own personal top 10.  Music here was mostly compiled  by Last FM  play counts, and then influenced by over all preference.

Top 10 of 2011

Song of the Year

1. Young Galaxy – We Have Everything
2. Britta Persson – Toast to M
3. William Fitzsimmons – Fade and Then Return
4. The Sound of Arrows – Magic
5. Lady Gaga – Born This Way
6. Vanbot – Lost Without You
7. Robyn – Call Your Girlfriend
8. Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
9. Kimbra – Cameo Lover
10. Rihanna – We Found Love (Featuring Calving Harris)

Honorable Mentions
Austra – Lose It
Ellie Goulding – Lights
Beth Ditto – Open Heart Surgery

Album of the Year

1. William Fitzsimmons – Gold In The Shadow
2. Young Galaxy – Shapeshifting
3. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
4. The Sound of Arrows – Voyage
5. Kimbra – Vows
6. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
7. Rihanna – Talk That Talk
8. Britta Persson – Current Affair Medium Rare
9. Lady GaGa – Born This Way
10. Vanbot – Self Titled

Honorable Mentions
Zola Jesus – Conatus
Ellie Goulding – Lights
Wild Beasts – Smother

Artist of the Year

1. William Fitzsimmons
2. Young Galaxy
3. Rihanna
4. Britta Persson
5. M83
6. Ellie Goulding
7. Lady Gaga
8. Florence + The Machine
9. Bon Iver
10. Adele

Best Pop/Hip Hop/R&B Album of the Year

1. Rihanna – Talk That Talk
2. Lady GaGa – Born This Way
3. Ellie Goulding – Lights
4. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
5. Adele – 21
6. Florrie – Experimental EP
7. Alexis Jordan – Self Titled
8. Drake – Take Care
9. Jennifer Lopez – Love?
10. Beyonce – 4

Best Indie Rock/Pop Album

1. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
2. Young Galaxy – Shapeshifting
3. William Fitzsimmons – Gold in the Shadow
4. Bon Iver – Self Titled
5. Wild Beasts – Smother
6. Tenderfoot – Red Coat (EP)
7. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
8. Metronomy – The English Riviera
9. Feist – Metals
10. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes

Best Electronic Album

1. Zola Jesus – Conatus
2. Austra – Feel it Break
3. M83 – Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
4. Monarchy – Around The Sun
5. The Sound of Arrows – Voyage
6. Junior Boys – It’s all True
7. Oh Land – Self Titled
8. Johan Agebjorn – Casablanca Nights
9. Cut Copy – Zonoscope
10. Beth Ditto – EP

Best Non-American Album

1. Kimbra – Vows
2. M83 – Hurry up, We’re Dreaming
3. The Sound of Arrows – Voyage
4. Britta Persson – Current Affair Medium Rare
5. Vanbot – Self Titled
6. Johan Agebjorn – Casablanca Nights
7. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
8. Yelle – Safari Disco Club
9. The Young Professionals – 09:00 To 17:00
10. Sophie Ellis – Bextor – Make a Scene

Oldies But Goodies (Non 2011 Released) Songs

1. Bat for Lashes – Siren Song (2009)
2. Robyn – Hang With Me (2010)
3. Florence + The Machine – Cosmic Love (2009)
4. Rihanna – Only Girl (In The World) (2010)
5. Katy Perry – Teenage Dream (2010)
6. Everything But the Girl – Time After Time (1992)
7. Zeigeist – Tar Heart (2008)
8. Beach House – Zebra (2010)
9. Selena – If I Could Fall In Love (1995)
10. M83 – Kim & Jessie (2008)