Listening To: Daydreaming Part 2

Way back in April I posted a Daydreaming playlist which received a really wonderful response from listeners. The original Daydreaming was just a small compilation from a much larger (142 tracks) playlist I have on my iTunes. Because you all loved the first installment so much I decided to work on a second, which is meant to pick up where the last playlist left off. Unfortunately three of the integral tracks aren't on Grooveshark and cannot be uploaded so it's not exactly how I wanted it. Regardless, it continues the in the same dreamy and mellow vein as the last playlist did. I started with some quiet pieces that highlighted guitar accompaniment, and then transitioned into songs backed by piano. While Daydreaming 1 was dominated by male vocalists I decided to use Daydreaming 2 to explore some of my favourite songstresses. Fear not: you'll still find some excellent Bon Iver, The National, and Beach House, but you'll also get a taste of Bat for Lashes, Florence and the Machine, Cat Power, Dido, and Neko Case.

I don't always get to give my playlists the individual attention they deserve, but for Daydreaming I go the extra mile. I challenge you not to fall in love.

Listening To: Rory Charles

Yesterday after spending a good four hours at the hair salon (I'll get to that later) I was wandering about downtown Hamburg when I passed a large crowd around a street performer.  I paused to listen, and as it turned out I really liked what I heard.  The performer is a guy named Rory Charles, who is from Manchester, England.  His sound is a little like Bon Iver and a lot like Fleet Foxes.  It's folksy with liberal use of falsetto.  They were selling CDs so I bought one, and have listened to it a good ten times since yesterday.  It's nice chill music, perfect for the cold autumn weather we've been having here in Germany.  I definitely recommend you check out his website and support his music.  Enjoy!

http://rorycharles.com/

Listening To: Around the World Playlist

Alright, so this (small) project has been on the back-burner for many weeks now... or months, I suppose, since I started it before I left for Europe.  Ideally I would have been able to collect more songs and give it better flow, but I've been so short on time lately that it just wasn't happening.

Basically I wanted to gather a collection of music relating to travel, distance, or European cities.  I kicked things off with an upbeat Euro-club vibe, but after a few tracks things mellow out into a more relaxed vacation feel before taking a slight rise in tempo so as to bring things full circle (the first and last tracks are both called Around the World).

Hopefully one day I'll be able to come back and streamline this, but for the time being, enjoy!

Listening To:

Much like my manicure posts and fashion posts I've been neglecting music as well (though not as badly as the others).  Anyway, in a gesture of reparation I thought I'd pass along a decently-hefty collection of everything I've been listening to for the past little while.

Big Jet Plane (Stern* Disco Edit) - Angus and Julia Stone.  This one was sitting at the top of HypeM's most popular list, which was how I found it.  Sometimes the masses are wrong, but this isn't one of those times.  It's chill and funky, something you won't be able to resist nodding your head to.
http://hypem.com/item/1ensa/Angus+and+Julia+Stone+-+Big+Jet+Plane+%28Stern*+disco+edit%29

Don't Lick the Rainbow (Mike Posner/Daft Punk/Mord Fustang) - Basic Physics.  Mike Posner can be reasonably be depended on for catchy stuff, but what I really loved was how Daft Punk was worked into this - I only wish there were more of the Harder Better Faster Stronger sample.  This is another good one to have on hand for your Friday nights.
http://hypem.com/item/1c5sm/Basic+Physics+-+Don%27t+Lick+the+Rainbow+%28Mike+Posner+%2F%2F+Mord+Fustang+%2F%2F+Daft+Punk%29


Flying Overseas (Soul Clap Efunk Mix) - Theophilus London.  Loved the original, love the remix.  This manages to retain the tropical bliss of its parent track while adding an intriguing beat to keep your attention.
http://hypem.com/item/1cfsx/Theophilus+London+-+Flying+Overseas+%28Soul+Clap+Efunk+Mix%29

I Stand Alone (Ocelot Remix) - Theophilus London.  While the original was pretty good I think I prefer this remix.  Usually I'm not a dubstep fan but this is a definite exception - while it adds the trademark beat it doesn't sacrifice melody like most dubstep does.
http://hypem.com/artist/I%20Stand%20Alone%20%28Ocelot%20Remix%29

After Party - The Lonely Island feat. Santigold.  Okay, so I won't lie, I love pretty much everything The Lonely Island comes out with.  Motherlover? Yep.  3 Way (The Golden Rule)? It was practically on repeat.  Jack Sparrow? It's on my iPod.  After Party, much like the others, is ridiculous and humorous but also super catchy, which is a pretty rad combination (pardon the '90s slang).  Enjoy!
http://hypem.com/artist/The%20Lonely%20Island%20ft.%20Santigold


Midnight Life - The White Panda.  I won't shy away from saying that The White Panda's most recent album disappointed me.  I reminisce about the days when they released infectious hits like Golden Encore, What Lonely Girls Do, and Hold On to My Momma.  However, Midnight Life hearkens back to the days of their more brilliant combos, when they somehow made awesome music even more awesome by mixing it with other awesome music.  Excuse the over-sell.
http://hypem.com/item/1ea7n/The+White+Panda+-+Midnight+Life

Club Paradise - Drake.  Ahhhh Canadian Pride!  Good ol' Wheelchair Jimmy has done it again and come out with an intelligent piece of work that you'll want to keep close.  The background melody is chill, the harmonies are slightly intoxicating, and his singing in the chorus is the perfect way to tie it all together.  Drake, you rep Canada well!
http://hypem.com/item/1e9e8/Drake+-+Club+Paradise

Slow John (Lil Wayne & Com Truise) - The Hood Internet.  Quite frankly 99% of Lil John's lyrics offend me, but occasionally I'll overlook that.  The Hood Internet put out a few new tracks a few weeks back, all of which I enjoyed.
http://hypem.com/item/1br61/The+Hood+Internet+-+Slow+John+%28Lil+Wayne+x+Com+Truise%29

Bass Like TV (Dev & The So So Glos) - The Hood Internet.  This one's a bit of an unapologetic party-girl anthem.  The more power to ya.
http://hypem.com/item/1dz4s/The+Hood+Internet+-+Bass+Like+TV+%28Dev+x+The+So+So+Glos%29


World of Swimsuits (The Cool Kids & Ford & Lopatin) - The Hood Internet.  Maybe it's because of the oh-so-subtle '80s vibe this track has going, but of the three from The Hood Internet it's my favourite.  Try not to dance along, I challenge you.
http://hypem.com/item/1dz4v/The+Hood+Internet+-+World+Of+Swimsuits+%28The+Cool+Kids+x+Ford+&+Lopatin%29

Australia (Peter Bjorn and John Remix) - The Shins.  So I gather that The Shins were real big back in '07 around when I was graduating from high school, but apparently I totally missed that boat.  Regardless, this remix is a major improvement on the original.  It is catchier than herpes, and waaaay more fun.
http://hypem.com/item/1140v/The+Shins+-+Australia+%28Peter+Bjorn+&+John+Remix%29

Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO.  Okay, so this is yet another track that I'm waaaay behind the bandwagon on, but on the off chance you haven't jammed to this already I hope you enjoy it now:
http://hypem.com/item/1cs5h/LMFAO+-+Party+Rock+Anthem

Drive Motion Picture Soundtrack - Cliff Martinez.  I haven't had a chance to see Drive yet as it won't even be released here until early 2012, but I've heard very positive things.  I have, however, checked out its soundtrack, which is a work of brilliance.  I've already posted on Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx's Nightcall, which kicks off Drive's soundtrack in excellent style.  The sampled music is expertly selected, and followed by a score which leaves absolutely nothing to be desired.  If you're at all a fan of film scores this is a keeper.  You can buy it off Amazon or iTunes, or if you're cheap you can find the tracks on Grooveshark.

Listening To: Material Girl Playlist

I know what you're thinking - "TWO in ONE day?!".  Yep, that's dedication.  Or boredom, you decide.  Anyway, it's no secret that we live in an exceptionally consumerist and narcissistic society.  This has resulted in quite the array of self-congratulatory songs all about money, buying things, and being materialistic to the max.  I perused my iTunes library and dug up everything that label-dropped, celebrated celebrity, or touted materialistic values and created this, my Ode to Commercialism.  Considering the subject matter it's decidedly upbeat, with lots of fun and dance-worthy material.  Gotta make spending fun, right?  Alright, that's enough from me: enjoy it!

Listening To: Waiting... Playlist

Time has a funny way of becoming infinitely slower when you're excited for something.  While my departure for Germany is approaching, it seems to be doing so at a rate comparable to the speed of a dead slug in midsummer.  So, in characteristic fashion I've put together a playlist that draws on the themes of waiting, time, tedium, and anticipation.  Oh, and I have good news!  I finally worked out my playlist difficulties, so you no longer have to follow the links.  Enjoy!

Listening To:

I know, I know.  I promised you playlists and have yet to follow through.  With my departure for Germany looming (flights are booked, July 17 I am OUT OF HERE!) things are exceptionally busy and distracting, and I'm afraid making playlists isn't too high on the priority list.  Be comforted though, soon I'll be updating with all the latest street style and great music news from the good old Fatherland.  Was that politically incorrect?  I don't even know anymore.  Anyway, here we go:

Bon Iver - Bon Iver.  I have been waiting semi-patiently for the latest album from Bon Iver to drop, and he did not disappoint.  Many of you will already have heard Calgary, which was released some weeks back and was totally awesome.  The album retains Bon Iver's signature sound: folksy, mellow, melodic, etcetera.  While I would venture to say he has tweaked his sound just a little, I can't go as far as to say how because I'm not an intensely-trained musician.  So, decide for yourself, but I challenge you not to love it regardless.

Kaputting It Up (Raekwon vs Destroyer) - The Hood Internet.  While I love Bon Iver as much as the next person, I've also been craving some good dance tunes for the summer.  So, while trolling around on HypeM I stumbled across this, which is Hood Internet gooooold.  They've thrown together some vaguely Euro-pop music that could've come straight out of the early '90s with some generic rapping on top: you can never go wrong with that combo.  Anyway, the product is a track you can't help but blast.
http://hypem.com/search/kaputting%20it%20up/1/


Blowin' Money At The Deli (Drake x Birdman x Delorean) - The Hood Internet.  I'll be the first to say it: Drake's Money To Blow has been remixed so many times it makes my head spin, and it's allllmost to the point where I'm sick of the track.  However, in this track it's been laid over some upbeat tunes that do an impressive job of re-vamping the whole sound.  Overall, you don't so much notice the familiarity of the lyrics, but BONUS, it's easier to rap to (yeah I do that).
http://hypem.com/search/blowin%27%20money%20at%20the%20deli/1/

Listening To: Beginners' Classical Playlist

As it turns out, creating my Summer playlists is taking forever, so in the meantime I thought I'd offer up something a little different.

While Western classical music has always been a part of my life, I didn't really take to it until my teens, when a well-put-together album sparked my interest and introduced me to some of the Masters of classical music.  Since then my interest has grown, and I now have a rather large collection (about 500-600 pieces) that encompasses musicians from the medieval era up until the 20th century (while I do love Stravinski I decided to leave him out - he takes some getting used to).  I wanted to offer those of you who are unfamiliar with classical music a selection of my personal favourites in the hopes that it might change your mind.  If, on the other hand, you are a long-time classical music lover, then hopefully I'll be able to introduce you to some new material.

I decided to kick things off with some good ol' church music, then cheated a little by including a piece I became familiar with via my favourite childhood film, Ever After.  I tried to break up the longer Mozart pieces with some arias (songs from operas), and then switched gears into some piano concertos.  If you are an avid film lover then you may recognize: Elgar's "Nimrod" and "Night of the Long Knives" as they appeared in Elizabeth (1998); Schubert's "Piano Trio in E Flat" from The Hunger (1983); "Vide Cor Meum" taken from Hannibal (2001) and Kingdom of Heaven (2005); Wandrers Nachtlied II from New Moon (2009); Richard Wagner's "Liebstod" from Romeo + Juliet (1996); "Figlio Perduto" from The Fall (2006); Puccini's "Tre Sbirri, Una Carozza... Te Deum" as it appeared in 2008's Quantum of Solace; (also) Puccini's La Bohème arias, "O Soave Fanciulla" and "Che Gelida Manina", both of which appeared in 2007's Atonement; and finally, Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2 was used in the Swan Lake scene of Center Stage (2001).  As for "Claire de Lune", it's from pretty much every film ever made (just off the top of my head: Atonement, Ocean's 11, Twilight).

For a final bit of music trivia, you may find "When I am Laid In Earth" from Purcell's opera Dido & Aeneas somewhat familiar.  This is because Elton John used the particular sequence of notes for parts of "Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word".  Just in case you were curious.

Listening To: Holier Than Thou Playlist

You can say what you want about Lady Gaga - love her or hate her - but you can't deny she makes pretty catchy music.  I was recently inspired by her latest hit, "Judas", to make a biblical-themed playlist.  I did my best to create some flow, but I confess the genres of music vary widely.  I spent a good hour or two on hypem just searching things like "Mary Magdalene" and "Apostle", but it was pretty hit and miss so that's why the playlist is on the sparser side.  Anyway, let's kick things off Old Testament style.  Enjoy.

Listening To: stuck on repeat

No Health - The New Division.  My sister recently introduced me to electro-pop crooners The New Division, via their album "The Rookie".  I am now certifiably in love, and am combing the internet for their tracks.  They combine my adoration for a relaxed melodic vibe and my love for techno, house, and electronica.  They remind me a little of '80s sensations like Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys.

http://hypem.com/#!/item/19fyy/The+New+Division+-+No+Health

Starfield - The New Division.

http://hypem.com/#!/item/15fwm/The+New+Division+-+Starfield

Walk in the Dark - The New Division.

http://hypem.com/#!/item/1ahte/The+New+Division+-+Walk+In+The+Dark

Armistice (The New Division Italo Mix) - Phoenix.  So while hunting around for stuff by New Division I stumbled across this remix and fell in LOVE.  I already adored Phoenix's album "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix", and this remix takes Armistice to great places.  If you give one track on today's Listening To a listen, make it this one.

http://hypem.com/#!/item/1a58g/Phoenix+-+Armistice+%28The+New+Division+Italo+Mix%29

Lisztomania (Feat Jane Hanley) - Edwin Van Cleef.  Continuing the theme of Phoenix tracks, this cover by Edwin Van Cleef is a winner.  Very upbeat and danceable.  I'll be filing it away for the summertime.  Enjoy!

http://hypem.com/#!/item/1aw3v/Edwin+Van+Cleef+-+Lisztomania+%28feat.+Jane+Hanley%29,+Phoenix+Cover

Black and Yellow (T-Pain Remix) - Dirty.  If you like the original, you'll like the remix.  I refuse to be embarrassed by my enduring appreciation of T-Pain.

http://hypem.com/#!/item/16ps2/Black+and+Yellow+%28T-Pain+Remix%29+-+Dirty

Helena Beat - Foster the People.  I actually caught this one on a television show and found it so catchy I had to hunt it down by googling the lyrics.  It's kind of an Indie-pop, very danceable, lots of fun.

http://hypem.com/#!/item/180pe/Foster+The+People+-+Helena+Beat

The Sun - The Naked and Famous.  Another track picked up off TV.  This one's less dance-like and more brooding, for lack of a better word.  Definitely a good one.  It's a lot like Blind by Mega Bass, if you're at all familiar with that one (it was on the Daydreaming Playlist).

http://hypem.com/#!/item/15270/The+Naked+And+Famous+-+The+Sun

Set Fire To the Rain - Adele.  I recently bought Adele's newest album, "21", which I'd heard good things about.  There are definitely songs that stand out more than others, and one of those was Set Fire to the Rain.  It's one of those power-ballad types that she just nails every time.

Listening To:

I Wanna Go - Britney Spears.  With her latest album, Femme Fatale, out just a few weeks ago, many of you will already be familiar with Hold it Against Me and Till The World Ends.  While both of these were fun enough, I'm more interested in I Wanna Go, which I challenge you to listen to without dancing.  I haven't bought her whole album (I want to make sure there are at least a few more good tracks first), but if the rest of it is like this then I probably will soon.  Rock on!

Listening To: Rainy Days Playlist

Today it rained... much like every other day ten months out of the year.  After twenty-two years of mostly rain, I've compiled a good list of songs that are perfect for these days.  The playlist is quite similar to Daydreaming, but with a slightly different tempo and a less-Indie feel to it.  If you liked Daydreaming you'll probably like this one too.  If you happen to be lucky enough to be living somewhere it didn't pour today, you can always pretend it did by playing Rainy Mood in the background.  Hope this makes the weather a little more endurable!

Listening To: Danse Macabre Playlist

After getting such positive feedback on the last playlist I posted I decided I may as well throw up another one.  "Danse Macabre" is perhaps a little exaggerated, but the tone is decidedly darker than Daydreaming was: it's kind of a love it or hate it type of collection.  Some of the material is fairly well known (Smashing Pumpkins, Interpol, Bat for Lashes) and some may be less familiar (She Wants Revenge, Blonde Redhead, Tomandandy, Bauhaus).  Anyway, if you're in the right mood then give it a shot, this one's much shorter topping out at only sixteen tracks.  I'm sorry to say Grooveshark didn't have the version of The Beginning is the End is the Beginning (you may recognize it from 2007's Watchmen trailer) so I've had to post that as a YouTube video.  Fun fact about Bela Lugosi is Dead: I picked that one up from the incredibly cheesy '80s vampire flick The Hunger (with David Bowie, Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve), which you should definitely watch.

Listening To: Daydreaming Playlist

Hey everyone! So the very cool blogger Grayshades recently caught me up on how to post playlists. On that note, you really absolutely must check out his latest Mixtape Monday, which is totally prime. Anyway, seeing as I do a fair bit of music posting anyway, I figured this was probably a good idea. My Daydreaming playlist is probably what I listen to most often. The one on my iTunes is actually significantly longer than this (lots more Bon Iver and Beach House), but I figured I'd keep it short...ish. Plus, it took an unbelievably long time to organize the music so that it had good flow - something I've never bothered to do before. With that in mind I'll just add that it's way better if you listen to it start to finish, but as there are 50+ songs I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't. Anyway, hope you love this stuff as much as I do!

Listening To:

Drones - Jed Whedon and the Willing.  I actually picked this song up from Dollhouse, which if you're on the ball you'll know I just posted a review on.  Jed Whedon is actually Joss Whedon's brother, which probably helped him get his song into the series soundtrack.  Regardless, it's a great track.  It appeals to my love of all things melodic and mellow, and so I've basically had it on repeat for the last day or two.  This one isn't so easy to find anywhere free, so I wound up buying it off iTunes.  In case you'd like a point of reference when I first heard it I thought it was Death Cab for Cutie.  Unfortunately the only full version of the song I can find on youtube has a rather creepy screen shot from the tv series and the sound quality is poor, but try to ignore that and appreciate the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN61p0SdWZQ&feature=related

Listening To:

So every once in a while I'll do a peruse of HypeM's most popular tracks.  Today was one such day, and I came up with some winners.

Money To Divide - The White Panda.  If you're looking for a pump-up track for the gym or something to rock out to before going out, I would recommend this.  It's a great blend of rap and some melodic techno, which if you ask me make the best mash-ups.
http://hypem.com/#!/search/money%20to%20divide/1/

Rolling in the Deep - Mike Posner.  This track is a cover of one of Adele's latest releases, and if you at all liked the original definitely check it out.  It's mellow and has beat and great shower singability.  The combination of Posner and Adele is totally intoxicating.
http://hypem.com/#!/search/rolling%20in%20the%20deep%20mike%20posner/1/

Rooftops - Wiz Khalifa feat. Curren$y.  This one comes from Wiz Khalifa's latest album, Rolling Papers.  As far as I'm concerned he proved his worth in Burn Before Rolling and Black and Yellow, but Rooftops brings to the table something a little more melodic.  If I were to compare it to something else I'd say it's a lot like Lupe Fiasco, another very talented musician.  Give it a listen.
http://hypem.com/#!/search/rooftops%20wiz%20khalifa/1/

Listening To:

So I've already blogged about my love of Bon Iver, but I thought I'd dedicate a special post to Re: Stacks, because I've been listening to it incessantly for the last few days.  It's so perfectly chill.  What with all the rain we've had in my corner of the world it's the perfect song to put on while curled up with a book and a blanket.  If you're not in a good mood, it will put you in one.  Oh, and happy Friday!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePatJIwB-sI

Listening To:

Report on the Floor - Josh Strickland vs. Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull vs. Bruno Mars (mixed by Marc Johnce).  One of the tracks mixed in this mashup, On the Floor by J.Lo and Pitbull, was posted on my facebook newsfeed today, and true to form I hunted it down on Hype Machine where I stumbled across this remix.  I would definitely file it under "guilty pleasure" as reviews of J.Lo's new track have not been kind.  Anyway, let's just say it's infectious... like herpes.  Enjoy!
http://www.mashuptown.com/2011/02/marc-johnce-report-on-the-floor-the-way-you-are-josh-strickland-vs-jennifer-lopez-ft-pitbull-vs-brun.html

Listening To:

The Suburbs - Arcade Fire.  When This album first came out I heard good things about it and got the whole thing.  However, my eclectic musical taste kept me entertained with other genres for quite some time before I was able to really dedicate myself to hearing out The Arcade Fire.  When I finally did, The Suburbs slowly grew on me, to the point where today it's pretty much been on repeat.  Definitely worth a listen, and interesting lyrics too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Euj9f3gdyM

Good bye Lenin Soundtrack.  During my recent stint at summer school I was fortunate enough to take a History in Film class, where we screened Wolfgang Becker's Good bye Lenin (2003).  The movie itself was definitely worth seeing, but I was also drawn in by Yann Tiersen's score.  It's mostly piano, and it's pretty chill.  If you're into soundtracks at all definitely give it a shot.  If you're not into soundtracks then it's a nice way to ease into the genre.  Below I've linked one of my personal favourites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKn9qW0IABw

Beach House.  I'm not going to list any particular song, because I love pretty much everything these two come up with.  If you really want the best of the best, go for Lover of Mine, Turtle Island, Zebra, Norway, Gila, and Master of None.  But I'm not kidding when I say it's all phenomenal.  Very chill, quite Indie.  You're welcome.
Lover of Mine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw5hkqTiAPI
Turtle Island: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVqd5KJVzNA
Zebra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-wfb25WmV4
Norway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHbtR8uO81M
Gila: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFxdDE0k1_Q
Master of None: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2YiUTh9dj4

Bon Iver.  Much like Beach House, Bon Iver isn't a one-song wonder.  I particularly like the sound of his For Emma, Forever Ago album.  Blood Bank, Roslyn (yeah that one's from a Twilight movie), Brackett WI, Wisconsin, and Blindsided are all winners.  If you like what you hear, give Woods a listen - the unaccompanied version that is - because definitely has charm.  If you love everything, I would also recommend Volcano Choir.  I haven't quiet discovered Volcano Choir's relationship to Bon Iver, but I think there's some membership crossover or something.  You get the idea.
Blindsided: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy3lJIxyZ60
Blood Bank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=774mOmdKtZM
Roslyn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXp4gB-bgjs
Brackett WI: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAZAkHT2P2Q
Wisconsin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg1E66px0zU&playnext=1&list=PL0ACF7522DE30B420
Woods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX9bn2QohFk&playnext=1&list=PL0ACF7522DE30B420

Listening To:

For those of you who are in search of some new tunes, these are the songs I currently can't get out of my head.

1. Stereo Hands - The White Panda.  A truly great mashup is one that improves on each of the songs it incorporates.  As Borat might say, great success!
http://www.thewhitepanda.com/music/releases

2. Never Let You Go - Chairlift and Violens.  This is not only a very cool song, but it's a neat concept too.  These guys made what is apparently called a "sgin", a song that is made to synch up to a music video made by someone else, in this case, Justin Bieber.  Being a closet Bieber fan myself, this hit all the right chords for me.  It takes a minute to load, but it's worth it.
http://itp.nyu.edu/~amc630/SGIN/never_let_you_go.mov

3. Blame It - Jamie Foxx featuring T Pain.  Yeah, I know, I'm behind the times on this one.  Regardless, it's ever so catchy, both the original and the Glee version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfjtpp90lu8

4. Your Love - Nicki Minaj.  Many of you will probably have heard of Nicki Minaj, and she is quite the character indeed.  A friend of mine recently saw her on Ellen, and apparently she has some kind of multiple personality thing going on.  However, no one can deny that she is incredibly talented.  It's not easy for female rappers (speaking from 100% experience), and she has something really cool going for her.  If you like what you hear, also check out Super Bass.  A really good example of her style is her appearance on Kanye's Monster, but you'll have to suppress any issues you have with that track's supremely anti-feminist tone before you can really enjoy it.  Update: they seem to have yanked the Monster video from youtube, but if you do some digging I'm sure you can find it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSFyrrhKj1Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5p1plMqGYQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6e0hHCLDqc&feature=fvst

5. Last Friday Night - Katy Perry.  I've already dedicated a full post to this song, so I'll keep this one short.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYo4JOUQnGI

6. We Are the People - Empire of the Sun.  You may be more familiar with Empire of the Sun's hit Walking on a Dream, and We Are the People could be called a variation on a theme.  My love for them was guaranteed upon seeing their album cover - awesome just doesn't quite capture it - and then I saw some of their music videos.  Seeing is believing with these guys.  It's just too cool.  Anyway, if you liked Walking on a Dream, you'll probably like We Are the People.  Also, check out Without You for something a little more chill, and if you've been living under a rock for the last year and a half, definitely give the Wiz Khalifa remix of Walking on a Dream a listen.
We Are the People: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN5X4kGhAtU
Walking on a Dream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eimgRedLkkU
Without You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVarVeryQFo
Walking on a Dream Remix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0K2TsJJkCs