Duke Dumont

1) One Direction – Infinity

This week, One Direction announced their fifth album ‘Made in the AM’ in addition to the release of this new track. An emotive pop-rock ballad featuring weeping guitars, reverberating vocals and syrupy sweet harmonies, the song features an epic climax.

2) Carly Rae Jepsen- Let’s Get Lost

Funky track in a similar vein to The 1975 featured on Jepsen’s new album ‘Emotion’. An effervescent affair featuring funky guitar riffs, clinking synthesisers, gorgeous layered harmonies and a rogue saxophone solo, it’s a piece of pop perfection.

3) Carly Rae Jepsen – All That

Jepsen continues her 80’s synthpop vibe on this gorgeous slushy ballad. Giggly synthesisers and whimpering bass lines lead the track whilst Carly’s seductive vocals trickle gently atop. The climax is rather powerful too.

4) Ryan Adams – I Wish You Would

Whilst Ryan Adams and Taylor Swift share a musical background which covers country music, the concept of indie singer-songwriter Adams covering Swift’s entire synthpop ‘1989’ album sounded like an awful idea on paper. Amazingly, however, it works beautifully. Adams turns this into a moody acoustic ballad with wailing guitars and his heavy vocals endlessly reverberating.

5) Ryan Adams – Bad Blood

Adams somehow produces a cover better than the original. This alternative rock interpretation works perfectly, rife with various guitars.

6) Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike & Ne-Yo – Higher Place

Moody club track built around gentle piano riffs and the gorgeous contrast between Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike’s bass, low registered vocals and Ne-Yo’s gorgeous higher-toned vocals.

7) Mariah Carey – Dreamlover

Catchy Pop-R&B track which enabled Carey to break into the pop market. It’s all very ’90’s with its fierce drum machine and glittery piano riffs but it’s impossibly catchy and a lovely feel-good track.

8) REM – Man on the Moon

One of alternative-rock band REM’s biggest hits, this track is lyrically a tribute to performer Andy Kaufman.

9) Mumford and Sons – Believe

Upon release, ‘Believe’ marked a musical departure for the band. Best known for their organic, acoustic instrumentation, ‘Believe’ enters a more electric and alternative territory. A gentle, eerie opening develops into a powerful and energetic stadium-rock anthem.

10) Duke Dumont – Ocean Drive

Duke Dumont demonstrates a different side to him as ‘Ocean Drive’ enters a more funky, electropop territory compared to the usual deep-house tracks he produces.

I’d say this is perhaps my most heavily modern weighted playlist yet! I’m just really loving a lot of the current chart music at the moment which is pretty rare for me. Hope you’ll discover some new songs through this playlist and remember to check back every Monday where I’ll post my ten favourite songs of the moment.

1) Gary Barlow – Jump

Beautiful song co-written by Gary with another of my favourite writers – Tim Rice-Oxley from Keane. I’ve always found it a greatly inspiring song but hearing it live and seeing the visuals at Gary’s 02 Arena gig I attended last week made me fall even deeper in love with it.

2) Mr Probz – Waves (Robin Shulz remix)

Love the feel of this track. So chilled out yet so catchy – loving hearing this on Radio One at the moment.

3) Kings of Leon – Temple

Love a bit of Kings of Leon! This reminds me a little of their previous song ‘Supersoaker’ which I also love. Just catchy and fantastic as always.

4) Duke Dumont – I got you

I know this has been around for a while now but I’ve only just sat up and took notice of it! My love for this track grows with every listen – it is SO catchy and so summery. Cannot get enough of this. Best thing about this track is the steel pans!

5) John Mayer – The Age Of Worry

I’ve loved this for ages but only fully paid attention to the lyrics of this track lately. So inspiring.

6) Katy Perry – Birthday

SO glad Katy has decided to release this track as her next single. It’s my favourite from ‘Prism’ – full of cheeky innuendo and so incredibly catchy.

7) Sigma – Nobody to love

I wasn’t sure what to make of this on the first few listens but it’s so damn irresistible. Repetitive but awesomely catchy.

8) Whitney Houston – I have nothing

I watched ‘The Bodyguard’ which happens to be one of my favourite films on Saturday night and so I’ve been going through a Whitney obsession again. This track was kinda overshadowed by ‘I will always love you’ but it’s still my favourite from the soundtrack. Incredible song and as always, Whitney’s voice was flawless.

9) Whitney Houston – I will always love you

Despite its fame I was never really fussed about this song until a couple of years ago. It’s just a beautiful interpretation of an original track by Dolly Parton. Definitely one of the greatest, if not THE greatest pop vocal performance of all time.