URY Music’s Featured Favourites: Carrie Morrison
As she prepares to leave her role as Lead Digital Librarian, Carrie Morrison looks back on all her favourite tracks that she and the team have received for review.
Taking on the role of Lead Digital Librarian for URY Music has meant that I have been sent many tracks to consider for our weekly Top 10. The variety of genres we have managed to cover in the last 6 months has ranged from mainstream pop to death metal. But, personally, I have loved promoting new artists that may not be getting as much media attention.
Alas, though, as I am leaving university, I cannot continue the role in September, but I felt compelled to promote (for the last time!) the ten tracks that I have adored ever since receiving them in my inbox.
Before we begin, I should note that this Top 10 is reflective of my taste in music, hence why there are mostly pop songs in here!
Now, without further ado, let’s do the countdown:
10. Love Don’t Come Easy — Anjelo Disons
Aged twelve, and armed with his guitar, Anjelo began his journey busking in the streets of South London. He has been supporting artists in concert like Bridget Kelly and stateside spoken word artist, Alyssia Harris.
I adore the gentle nature of this track. Combining the somewhat simplistic lyrics with Disons charismatic vocal tone, this peaceful song puts me in a very relaxed mood.
9. Feel on Me — GHOSTED ft. JHart
GHOSTED are perhaps most well known for their alternative guise, TMS. The production and songwriting trio have five UK #1 singles and eleven UK Top 10 singles to their name, and their tracks collectively have over one billion streams whilst boasting artist collaborations such as G- Eazy, Maroon 5, Years & Years, Little Mix, Sigma, Birdy, and many more.
As soon as I heard this track, I instantly saved it to my Spotify library. The production is astoundingly impactful and the melody is so darn catchy.
8. Another Lifetime — Nao
‘Another Lifetime’ is Nao’s first single after two years, and follows the release of her debut album, For All We Know. Her sound has been described as soul combined with electronic music, funk, and R&B. In response, Nao coined the affenctionate term “wonky funk” to sum her sound up more succinctly.
Nao’s voice embodies soul and power and her delivery reflects that. I think that is what makes this song so memorable for me. Her riffs are effortless and flow in tandem with the emotions of the song, rather than merely being used to impress listeners with a display of vocal talent. It is truly impeccable.
7. So Rude — ORKID
Swedish newcomer, Matilda Melin, better known under the stage name ORKID, first gained attention with ‘So Rude’. Upon its release it was featured on thirteen Spotify playlists, both in the US and UK. This newer single sees her write alongside chart-topping Lucas Nord.
If you need a badass track to strut down the street to, this bop is the one for you. The production elements are playfully fierce, and ORKID’s voice showcases exactly why she will continue to make a name for herself in the industry.
6. Back in the Water (Mark McCabe Remix) — HAEVN
HAEVN immediately attracted the attention of two major car brands who went on to use their music in advertising campaigns. Meanwhile, during the 1990s, McCabe presented the drivetime show on a pirate radio station in Dublin.
When I received this remix, only the original version was available to the public, but I felt that this remix truly did a fantastic job of heightening its atmospheric sense. The flowing melodies and percussion almost make me feel immersed in water every time I listen to it. Thankfully, this remix is now available to listen to, so go and check it out!
5. You Don’t Walk Away From Love — Peace
This track comes from Peace’s latest album, Kindness is the New Rock and Roll, which received generally positive reviews upon release, gaining a score of 8/10 from NME, 8/10 from The Independent, and a positive write-up from DIY who stated that Harry Koisser was “the ideal frontperson: a heady mix of swaggering bombast, fashionable loucheness and your mate down the local spewing inspirational Tumblr quotes at closing time.”
I have a playlist on my phone called ‘Waterloo Road Vibes’, a reference to the show and its featuring of indie-pop/indie-rock tracks near the beginning of every episode (those familiar with the show might know this). This is the perfect track for that playlist. I created it as a way of inspiring a gentle, yet cheerful, vibe about my day, and this wonderfully charming and emotive track does exactly that.
4. Sniper — Folly Rae
Folly Rae has been highly tipped by BBC Introducing, having been featured on two of the annual Summer Playlists by the BBC team. She featured in the Glastonbury lineup last year, with Gareth Lloyd (BBC Introducing in Beds, Herts & Bucks) commenting that ‘“With a mesmerising voice and an amazing skill for writing captivating lyrics, Folly Rae is truly one to make an appointment to see at Glastonbury 2017.”
Again, need a badass track to jam to? This one is another to check out. I remember working in the URY station when the Music team played it for the first time, and if you listen to the show on Mixcloud you can hear me whooping… slightly…
3. Agenda — Emma Blackery
Emma Blackery gained a great deal of popularity when her EP, Magnetised, was featured at the press conference for the iPhone X. That means Blackery’s next big release is timed perfectly for Apple, as her debut album, Villains, is set to be released on the 31st August this year.
I was lucky enough to interview Emma (which was awesome!), and know that she is an incredibly chilled out yet self-assured person, unafraid to speak her mind. I think that might be why I love ‘Agenda’ so much. Whilst it was difficult to pick a favourite between this song and another of hers, ‘Dirt’, ‘Agenda’ embodies such a confidence, the kind I aspire to have. I highly recommend you check out all of her discography, and listen to just how much she’s developed as an artist over the years.
2. This Is America — Childish Gambino
Since its release, the music video for this politically charged track has had over 340 million views on YouTube, and over 180 million streams on Spotify. The music video addresses numerous issues, but mostly concerns itself with those of American judicial racism and gun control.
Though it disappoints me that people have taken to making memes out of the video, something Gambino is supposedly criticising in his work, I find the video so powerful and poignant.
At the moment, however, I am realising that the more I listen to the track by itself, the more I seem to notice the intense themes Childish Gambino is addressing. If you have not checked out this track, I highly recommend it, and that you do so, if for any reason at all, just for its use of symbolism and iconography. It is a truly incredible indictment of popular American attitudes towards gun violence and police brutality.
1. Screwed — Janelle Monáe ft. Zoë Kravitz
When it comes to Monáe’s style, her signature look is her striking tuxedo. She commented saying: “I bathe in it, I swim in it, and I could be buried in it. A tux is such a standard uniform, it’s so classy and it’s a lifestyle I enjoy. The tux keeps me balanced.” The style is clearly working, as the album this track is from, Dirty Computer, received widespread critical acclaim upon release, and peaked at number six on the US Billboard 200.
Whilst I know that I selected ‘America’ for the Top 10 the week this album was released, this track has grown on me over time. The guitar alone makes me want to jive, but Monáe has balanced the fun with a more glamourous style that shines through in the track’s production and melody. Her lyrics, meanwhile, convey a sense that this life lacks substance, and intimate the exploitation of sex and sexual freedom in order to achieve fame. Dirty Computer, in general, is fantastic, and I highly suggest you jam to it throughout the summer.
I will certainly miss doing this job, as it has kept me up-to-date with new music and helped me find new friends along the way. However, I am still not done yet! I will be choosing my favourites until Autumn term begins, so keep an eye out on our Twitter for more bangers to jam to throughout the Summer holidays!
Looking back on all the tracks I have collected in the past five months, I realised that it was hard to choose a Top 10. So, I decided to create a playlist of even more favourites, including the tracks mentioned in this post. Catch it down below.
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