Best Songs of 2019 (Tracks 31-16)

San Cisco slips into foreign territory on the first offering from their fourth LP, yet still manage to find their funk. Beginning with silky strings and a rich vocal presence, the track then charges into a fast paced chorus opener, in the tongue-twisting “your skin on my skin is what’s been missing”. The lush of San Cisco unravels itself throughout the low-fi track, and unrequited love has never felt so addictive and fluid as it has when listening to San Cisco’s gem of a track. 

Silence can swing between gut-wrenching and calming, as Justin Vernon demonstrates on Hey, Ma. Vernon goes head to head with isolation and emptiness, using his naked and confessional vocal to try and find solace in the familiarity and comfort of childhood memories. The song grows to feel personal and intimate, and the desperation to find security in the depths of the unknown becomes striking. Battling the desolate storm of fame and growing up, Bon Iver embodies the hardships wistfully. 

A development from Tame Impala that cues the cheeky head bops everywhere. Kevin Parker commits to psych-rock through his distinctive voice, yet frames it around more fluttery woodwind. Grimly narrating the meaninglessness of Los Angeles, Parker converses about what is it to be teetering between staying and leaving. Tame Impala’s segue to a dance sound is as engrossing as their past, and the lyrical lean towards what it is to be walking a fine line between what you want, and shouldn’t have equally adds an emphatic quality to the track. 

Using music to define what it is to be unconventional, Moses Sumney redefines his path in being unconventional on Virile. Like his past offerings, Sumney exudes mystery, yet like never before, as he reshapes his sound and faces off with grittier composition. His vocal throughout Virile sounds frayed and distant, lingering through the minds of listeners as he steers into thought-provoking social commentary, interrogating the perceptions of strength and masculinity. 

Mahalia and Burna Boy team up to deliver a steamy track peppered with dancehall samples from Beanie Man’s Who Am I. Stacked with references to a love bubbling over the edge, Burna Boy’s verse turns up the heat, and conjoins with Mahalia’s sultry and swift vocal delivery to provide oscillations that are the cornerstone of a successful partnership. 

A short turnaround after the Oxnard album, .Paak quickly shifted his gear on Make It Better. Recruiting sweeping and romantic strings to mend a broken fence with a partner, the track is a transition for Anderson .Paak as he edges toward a ballad-like sound, over his existing punchy R&B style. Standing as more of a transition than a departure is the token of the track, as the soul characteristic of .Paak trickles through the track whilst blending with old school mo-town.  

A hybrid between sugary, arresting vocals from Lykke Li, understated disco sonics, and a penchant for self-destruction by reconnecting with a past lover makes for the alluring track that is Late Night Feelings. Feeling hopeful about a hopeless situation until the mind is warped in fantasy is truly the late night trend of the 21st century. Flickers of hope from the steel drum, and Li’s gliding vocal highlight the push and pull of lust in our darkest moments. 

One of the most gut-punching songs of 2019 goes head-on with the stigmatisation of mental health, and the barrier it has on building, and sustaining relationships. In a plaintive and raw arrangement, Moreton’s lead singer Georgia, and McMorrow’s voice tesselate with one another to create a nuanced heart-warming, and simultaneously heartbreaking track. A true breakthrough for Moreton, See Yourself creates space, and introspection on a hefty, and sensitive subject in mental illness.  

Sorrowing, synthy and conflicting is the most concise summary of Hatchie’s Stay With Me. The swooping synth-pop track feels like a polaroid capturing the most bittersweet of moments. Love is loopy and feels like a never-ending chase, captured by Hatchie’s dread as she sings “no I’m not done/ I’ve come undone”, over a dreamy drum loop and guitar combo. Today, a fade-out on a track feels obsolete, but here, is necessary to build the void Hatchie feels on Stay With Me. 

HAIM drawing away from their pop-rock tendencies and leaning into a jazzier sound is a showcase of well executed evolution. The crooning throughout the track is supported through melodious and peaceful saxophone. Focusing on the connection between lovers, and how synergy leads to support, lyrics “I see it in your face, I’m relief”, highlight the anchoring property of relationships. Injecting the ebullient energy into the otherwise subtle track is chorus lyric, “I’m your summer girl”. 

King Princess has had her breakout without having to shy away from sexuality and compromise her identity. Hit The Back, previously described by the singer as an “anthem for bottoms everywhere”, is sensual and carefree, with the simple ability to finger-click, or hand-clap along to it making it all the more compelling to listen to. The bouncy aura to the track thrusts it into the pop mould, without the usual cookie-cutter approach fabricated for young artists. King Princess’ Hit The Back is unburdened by the conversation of sex, showing the singer’s ability to confidently and shamelessly embed it into her musicianship. 

Centering around CEO of Death Row Records Marion “Suge” Knight, DaBaby raps in homage to the CEO and his feats. The dense flow comes naturally for DaBaby on Suge, as he seeks to follow in the mogul’s footsteps. With a knack for speedy and absurd delivery, the rapper boasts about his rise that has gained him riches, and in the same breath, uses his unbridled flow to intimidate his foes. Bouncing with 808’s, Suge is fierce, filled with the rapper threatening and taking down enemies, and anybody else who threatens to compromise his vision and ascent to the top. 

Following the experimental, chaotic energy on reputation, and speaking out against former label Big Machine Label Group, Taylor Swift reverts back to her specialty in vivid lyricism and poignant storytelling. Soon You’ll Get Better uses alluring song-writing to touch on the gutting uncertainty of recovering from health scares and issues. Carrying the track into our top picks comes as a result of Swift’s helpless sigh in the middle of the final chorus. The Dixie Chicks make an understated feature, with their presence extending to harmonies, yet as Swift sings, “who am I supposed to talk to”, in the bridge, The Dixie Chicks’ power emerges, as they comfort Swift through the delivery of the vulnerable lyrics. 

Carly Rae Jepsen has proven time and time again that she has the tools to spin 80’s disco into the contemporary music landscape. A stop-start synth opening to Julien creates a magnetic draw to Jepsen’s faded, hushed vocals. The sparkling, groovy production sets the tone for Jepsen to settle into a cooler, more haunting side of her voice. Julien’s transition from bridge to chorus is most compelling, reminiscent of a sound submerged underwater, that finally rises to the top, for one final, anthemic chorus. This album opener shows Carly Rae Jepsen as she leaves a legacy of being unabashed by love, and the journey it guides you on. 

Unable to fall into the hands of Justin Bieber and Rihanna, Tyler, the Creator ultimately kept EARFQUAKE for himself. Begging to his lover over sharp production, “Don’t leave/ It’s my fault/ ‘Cause when it all comes crashing down, I’ll need you”. EARFQUAKE sees Tyler makes a forward and desperate attempt to salvage a faltering relationship, squeezing all his might and energy into the final opportunity to profess his dependence on a love interest. Addressing his insecurity without a lover, Tyler, the Creator provides a vocal juxtaposition with his robust, powerful delivery. Adding momentum and fuel to the track is Playboi Carti’s (unintelligible), yet addictive verse. 

Familiar for Lana Del Rey in its sparsity, linearity and vulnerability, hope is a dangerous thing… is tinged with unfamiliarity, being Del Rey’s most unembellished sounding, and confessional piece of work to date. Lana Del Rey portrays her eloquence over piano, courtesy of Jack Antonoff, yet brings a meandering quality to the track, signifying the brutality of the calamitous mind. The track gently reminds that having hope with a dire state of mind can elicit fear of losing the hope and strength that has been slowly building.