Here comes part 3! Click back a few posts for parts 1 and 2. There’s a bit more obvious pop this time around, but a couple of tasty semi-obscurities and treats in there too. All good fun. 2009 has been a pretty good year in pop, I’m starting to think…

Numbers 30 to 21 are behind the clicK…

30. Florence and the Machine – Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)

In brief: Multi-layered, slickly produced hyper-emoting pop. By some distance my favourite Florence thing so far.
She say: “I would like to work with T.I. because I fancy him. I’d also like to work with Tom Waits, but I don’t really fancy him; he’s just a f**king genius.”
Best Bit: Around 2.21.
See also: The XX’s sublime refit of her otherwise bothersome You’ve Got The Love

29. Busta Rhymes ft. Estelle – World Go Round

In brief: Rather fab collaboration that sees both parties playing to their strengths. Should have been much bigger.
He say: [On poor reception of his latest record] “Sometimes, the measurement can’t even be measured because it supersedes the level of expectation that you have to possibly measure the way you can have your greatness received.” OK then…
See also: DJ Mehdi remix

28. Little Boots – Remedy

In brief: Even if Little Boots didn’t fully deliver in 2009, she still produced some solid gold moments – this was the best of the bunch.
She say: “The song is about dancing and music being a remedy to some kind of poison in your life. I wanted to write a dark dance pop song a bit like Britney Spears’ Toxic. The lyrics are not really very personal, I was more imagining a situation.”
Best Bit: 2.30 – chorus done dropout-style. Sweet.
See also: Earthquake; Remedy remixed by Crazy Cousinz

27. Yes Giantess – Tuff ‘n’ Stuff

In brief: Embarrassing title conceals alternating silly and subtle classic in the making from The New MGMT.
They say: “We want someone to make us sound like Kylie Minogue records, that is the goal, whoever knows how to do that the best please call us.”
Best Bit: It really takes until 1.33 to figure out that there is greatness hidden among the chest-beating nonsense of the verse.
See also: Not much yet, but their remix of Little Boots’ Earthquake is pretty swish.

26. Tiesto ft. Tegan & Sara – Feel It In My Bones

In brief: Epic stadium-filling trance + emotional indie twins = really very good indeed.
Best Bit: This one’s a sort of gentle build. As you’d expect. So it just gets better.
See also: Knock You Out, with Emily Haines off of Metric

25. Rex the Dog – Bubblicious

In brief: Video of the year? Also incredible, cheerful bosh that really should be all over the charts.
He say: “We like the 80s but we also like the 90s and the right nows. When we play in clubs and parties, lots of things go into the mix, but the emphasis is on the party.”
Best Bit: Around 2mins, where it goes all breaks-y.
See also: Well, there’s another Rex moment coming up later, so I wouldn’t want to spoil the, ahem, surprise. You must literally be unable to bear the suspense.

24. Au Revoir Simone – Another Likely Story

In brief: First of two tracks that are in here because of a remix. In this case, it’s a joyful, bouncy thing by Aeroplane. The original: a lush, classy indiepop beauty.
They say: [On Fame] “I think if you’re right and we’re totally getting famous and I lose my privileges of wearing my pyjamas anonymously in public then I am gonna be really upset!”
Best Bit: In the original, it’s the moment that irrestistibly lovely verse melody first kicks in – around 0.45.
See also: AEROPLANE MIX – it’s seriously great.

23. Zambri – Easier

In brief: Like Gossip cut loose. Funky, tribal verse gives way to a mighty shoutalong chorus. The remix below ramps it up another gear.
Best Bit: Post-chorus action – 1.23.
See also: Definitive remix by Does it Offend You Yeah? is downloadable here

22. Enrique Iglesias ft. Ciara – Takin’ Back My Love

In brief: If you’re going to do emotional pop, do it properly. A blinding RedOne production featuring the king of over-emoting. Brilliant.
Best Bit: Chorus 1 – 0.55.
See also: I’m struggling here to be honest. Can I link to the Ping Pong Song again? I just did.

21. Basement Jaxx – Raindrops

In brief: The best summer song with rain in the title (feel free to challenge!) and, ultimately, classic Jaxx.
They say: “When we started, we had the unfashionable idea of making deep spiritual American-sounding underground house music. European dance music was horrible at the time – it was all about drugs, it sounded like all the producers were on cocaine with hard Nazi beats, and it didn’t enrich the soul.”
Best Bit: When the chorus kicks back in at 2.26
See also: Doorly remix.

The Hot Chipsters are back! Always good news. One Life Stand sees them on relatively subdued form, and for my money taking a step away from the pop and towards the weird. It’s still gorgeous, though. And lends itself nicely to slightly more boshed up remixes. I’ll dig one out at some point. Yes.

Anyway, the video can be found behind the click…

Welcome to Part 2! If you missed Part 1 – you can find it here.

Familiar names start cropping up in the top 40, as one would expect, but among the Dizzee Rascal and the Groove Armada, there’s plenty of new stuff, some older new stuff, and maybe the odd thing you haven’t heard. So give it a click below and have a look.

40. The Secret History – It’s Not The End of the World, Jonah

In brief: Tail-end of ‘08 track sneaks its way onto list by virtue of being ace. Smiths-indebted singalong indiepop, but there are also some lush Fleetwood Mac noises in here too.
They say: “I’ve lost some things, and regrets… I’ve had a few. Then again, too few to mention. But seriously, much art is lamentation. And this certainly is.”
Fact: Singer Lisa Ronson is the actual daughter of Bowie axeman Mick Ronson.
Best Bit: Guitar sounds in verse (eg 0.30)
See also: The rest of the excellent Desolation Town EP, mostly streaming on their MySpace

39. Chew Lips – Salt Air

In brief: Kitsune-beloved east-Londoners with a thankfully distinctive take on the dreaded 80s revival.
They say: “The album will very much be the record of 2010. As a body of work it’s going to differentiate us from a lot of the people we’ve been unfairly compared to – it’s future classic pop.”
See also: Plastician remix

38. Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed

In brief: Much-hyped and all of that, but if ever a song did what it said on the tin, this is it. Wide-eyed, occasionally fidgety but ultimately gorgeous music.
She say: “I only listen to Bon Iver really.” (!)
Best Bit: 1.53 – DROP out.
See also: Starsmith & Ellie’s take on Passion Pit’s Sleepyhead.

37. Bike for Three! – All There Is To Say About Love

In brief: Highlight of a rather special collaboration that layers Buck 65’s laid-back rapping on top of some wonderfully bibbly electro.
They say: “The way we made this record was really new for me. Joelle would see a piece of music to completion. And then almost as if she was saying ‘this is my gift to you,’ she’d send me these amazing songs via email. Then it would be up to me to add the lyrics.”
Best Bit: The dreamy intro.
See also: The album More Heart Than Brains.

36. Groove Armada – I Won’t Kneel

In brief: Classy 80s Stevie Nicks chorus action from pop stalwarts’ upcoming “darker” album Black Light.
They say: “I think even people who’ve hated everything we’ve ever made before could absolutely love this record. I’m incredibly proud of it.”
Best Bit: Chorus kicks in at 0.50.
See also: Bloody Beetroots remix which ditches the dark and ups the dance.

35. Felix da Housecat – We All Wanna Be Prince

In brief: Princely (ahem) return to form for the king of electro.
He say: “The dude I am singing about is the Prince about 1978-1991. We all wanna be Prince, that Prince, at least I did.”
Best Bit: Deliciously understated semi-chorus, 0.46.
See also: Slightly shinier remix from Grey Ghost & Deth Hertz.

34. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than The Stars

In brief: Sparkling pick of an exceptional bunch of indiepop gems. Hard not to love.
They say: “Well it was just like for us, what’s the highest thing possible. Higher than the buildings, higher than the clouds, then we figured out that it was higher than the stars, and we just went with that.”
Best Bit: That spine-tingly intro.
See also: Everything else they’ve done. Oh, and here’s another excuse for me to mention Saint Etienne.

33. Delorean – Deli

In brief: Sun-drenched electronic pop from the Basque country via Barcelona.
They say: “We don’t like clubs where people are too aware of themselves. Our parties are more loose. You can just dance and bounce and hug your friends.”
Best Bit: MASSIVE drop out around the 3 minute mark.
Fact: The EP that this came from is called Ayrton Senna. Kudos!
See also: Their remix of the Mystery Jets’ Half in Love With Elizabeth from last year is pretty nice.

32. Vitalic – Poison Lips

In brief: Unsettlingly powerful, dark, deep electro highlight of a triumphant return from electro’s man of the decade.
He say: “Electro Rock was everywhere and I had a stomach ache from it. I’m happy I changed direction. I may make some new rock stuff later, but not now. I am a musician, I’d like to be able to make a Polka, a fanfare, a rock song, a minimal track, a disco song, a movie soundtrack, zouk, punk or whatever.”
Best Bit: I like the bit around 1.47ish. Why? Why.
See also: The album Flashmob.

31. Dizzee Rascal ft. Calvin Harris & Chrome – Holiday

In brief: Which track to pick from the omnipresent twosome? Two-for-one value here. Just pure good fun.
He say: “I wanted to make music that would make people get up, move and jump about, instead of stand around and want to fucking kill each other.”
Best Bit: Oh, come on now, no competition. 3.11!
See also: Any of either of their albums really. I have a soft spot for Calvin’s Flashback.

Ah, it’s that time of year again. Love it or hate it (and seemingly this year, mostly, it’s “hate it”) it is LIST TIME. I’m not going to even think about a 2000s list until the start of next year, as I have my usual top 50 of the year to get through first.

This is a personal list, my opinion only, which goes without saying really. There may be some ‘consensus’ choices in there, but they’ll only be in there if I love them. There’s very little objectivity gone into this list. Hopefully there are a few random selections that you might have missed me wittering about earlier in the year – check out some of those.

Click below for the first ten. Next batch will follow next week sometime. Hopefully it’ll be done before Christmas.

50. Tiga – Shoes

In brief: Deliberately hyper-mannered, blank pastiche 80s electro. She/He spoken vocals where the She is (or alternatively, isn’t) Madonna.
He say “I wrote it about my three favourite things in life: shoes, hair and gloves.”
Best bit: 1.11 – “She” says “It’s the sound of my shoes”. Trust me, it’s ace.
See also: Mr Oizo remix

49. Tahiti Boy & the Palmtree Family – 1973

In brief: Rather polite, but charming, head-in-the-clouds French tree-hugging silliness. There’s even talking trees in the video.
They say: “Remember this is no tribute band, no Devendra Banhart hippie shit, no I’m From Barcelona hippie shit either. We’re a regular band.” (Ahem.)
Best bit: 2.33 onwards: the unexpected rifftastic coda that takes a sly dig at what’s come before – “Well, that was 20 years ago…”
See also: Superior remix from Para One

48. The Hundred in the Hands – Dressed in Dresden

In brief: Choppy, buzzy little post-punk/pop gem. Sort of Emily Haines sings a Bangles melody over an old Strokes song type thing.
They say: Not much, yet.
Fact: Signed to Warp and working with Richard X. Exciting.
See also: Jacques Renault’s moodier/sexier reworking, Undressed in Dresden
Best bit: Around 2.04, for no real reason.

47. Air France – Gothenburg Belongs To Me

In brief: They love Saint Etienne, are from Sweden, and make electronic pop music. You can imagine the (exquisite) result for yourself. Or click the Youtube nonvid above.
They say: “I bought my first Saint Etienne record when I was 13. A bully in my class found it in my Walkman and played it to everyone in my class, and for months I was called names. But fuck them, Bob Stanley is one of the few people I really feel have made me a better person.”
Best bit: Too smooth and complete to choose a moment.
See also: Their pleasant take on Saint Etienne’s Spring

46. Crystal Stilts – Love is a Wave

In brief: Indiepop mumbling over a schlocky, rollicking 2 minutes of retro-pop.
They say: “I was asked to describe the sound by an interviewer the other day and said that I had read in a German write-up the phrase “jangle schrammelpop.” I have no idea what that means, but it sounds just about right.”
Best bit: The sound of a song coming to its conclusion dead on the 2 minute mark. Ahh.
See also: Departure.

45. Slow Club – It Doesn’t Have to Be Beautiful

In brief: Joyful, happy-clappy twee skiffle-pop. But also: a song that builds and grows, and with it puts the Sheffield duo a cut above the indiepop swamp.
They say: [On using a chair as a musical instrument] “I just don’t think it’s that weird. It’s just a piece of wood that sounds quite cool.”
Best bit: 1.51, melody turned up to 11
See also: The rather amusing video to Trophy Room

44. Modernaire – Faites Vos Jeux

In brief: Hypnotic mix of chanting and half-rapping over some prehistoric electro noises.
Fact: Singer allegedly called Chesty La Rue. Isn’t that one taken?
Best bit: “Apparently murder is out of fashion/ so I got put away for a crime of passion”
See also: This remix here which adds some rather nice house-y piano chords near the end.

43. Manic Street Preachers – Jackie Collins Existential Question Time

In brief: Holy Bible b-side, but somewhat sillier. Even sillier than ‘Revol’.
They say: “It is a good title, isn’t it? The weirdest thing is, I think, lyrics aside, a lot of it is very sweet and very pop. If we’d done it in a different lifetime with different words, who knows, it could have been a gigantic hit single.”
Best bit: “Oh mummy, what’s a Sex Pistol?”, obviously.
See also: OMG there’s a Saint Etienne remix which is basically a cover version: LOOK!

42. Tinchy Stryder ft. Amelle – Never Leave You

In brief: Pseudo-Sugababe (Serial No. 005) joins Tinchy in an endearingly British (tinpot, cheap, but cute) take on an Usher-esque R’n'B power ballad.
He say: Rather a lot of PR-friendly fluff, and nothing very interesting, as far as I can see.
Best bit: 0.01: The preposterous introduction.
See also: All of his other hits. Turn your radio on.

41. Miike Snow – Animal

In brief: “Toxic”-hitmakers done gone formed a band. And made some pretty cool tunes, like this one.
They say: “Animal is a very simple song. Its very simply made. Directing your attention to mans underlying nature and how sometimes things in society just don’t work out to meet your needs.”
Best bit: 2.12, the plinky plonky bit
See also: Fred Falke remix (emphasises the plinky plonky bit); album highlight Song For No-one

Tune in next week for rather a lot of dancefloor-friendly tuneage, with a few morsels of indiepop scattered inbetween. Tasty. EDIT: Here you go – Part 2 is HERE.

It’s been a lively, largely enthusiastic sort of week on the blog, so why not wind down for the music with some loungey Scandinavian indiepop. Although, with this single, it almost seems unfair to continue to tar Sarah Assbring with the indiepop brush.

It’s a step up from previous outings, which while carrying undeniable emotional heft, were uneasy listening at best. There’s a certain unwelcome-round-these-parts defensiveness to an album titled Love is not Pop (why not?), but for those moments when it definitely isn’t, you could do a lot worse than this seriously classy bit of bar-room musico-contemplation.

Brilliant, dirty power-pop formed from the ashes of Be Your Own Pet. Now BYOP were a group I could never really get on with, but this is a much simpler, and indeed funner, sort of fun. Kind of like a scuzzier, less contrived Raveonettes, Naked With You could have been made at any point in the last fifty years, but somehow manages to sound fresh. Excellent, sexy then silly blue-screen video to accompany. Worth a spin.

This one didn’t really grab me at first. I’m not particularly fussed about Beth Ditto, who adds her distinctive but rather samey vocals to this mid-paced electro number. It’s got a certain charm though, that works its way through on multiple listens. Background music-y, but not in a bad way? Really.

So, there we all were, thinking we’d had enough of Lady Gaga for 2009. There’s that brilliant Kid Sister single out there that thoroughly out-Gagas 2009 Gaga. Enough already. No need. And then this arrives. Riding a massive glittery phallus from the future.

It’s hard to remember the last time a single simultaneously made you go ‘you WHAT?’ and ‘oh god YES!’ in the same breath. In fairness it was probably another, lesser, Gaga track. But this one steps it all up by a factor of X. It’s utter insanity. The chanted nonsense that’s a smidge away from irritation but instead falls firmly on the side of brilliance; the mentalist bathHAUS antics of the video; the way she makes ‘love love love’ sound like ‘blah blah blah’; and pretty much everything else about this rather excellent five minutes of gibberish.

I quite like this one.

A strong contender for my single of the year, Melisa Young’s brilliant electro-pop fist-in-the-air banger should rightfully be her big UK crossover track. If the record label ever gets around to releasing it…

It’s taken long enough to get the video together. Worth it? Maybe. Some nice painty-video trickery going on but, in the same way Little Boots’ New In Town vid missed the point of the spangliness of her endeavour, Right Hand Hi’s visuals are a bit too dark and grimey for their own good.

Anyway, one listen and I guarantee it’ll be stuck in your head for the rest of the week. You can get a couple of decent remixes for the princely sum of NOWT over at RCRDLBL, along with a whole bunch of other Kid Sister treats. Get thee there now.

The video, as ever, is after the click…

Not a “real” video as such, but a pretty one regardless and it suits the lovely, lovely track it accompanies perfectly. ‘Still Night, Still Night’ is a downbeat indie-pop gem, and it doesn’t get any better than this. Magical.

Normal service should be resumed next week…