I was the same, Akini, re: Camila. I didn't think either song was too special, but then a certain song about a certain Caribbean capital city ended up becoming one of my favourite songs of the year
I normally do lots of 10 to keep this moving, but I was lazy last night so I'll do another 5 and then normal service will resume from the next update!
95. ZEDD | Stay (featuring Alessia Cara)
Here is a song that I have had an interesting relationship with. I started off not too keen on it, then it grew on massively and I couldn't stop playing it, and now I find it quite difficult to listen to it because I heard it too much! Zedd and Alessia come together to release a uptempo song about being unable to let go of a deteriorating relationship. Alessia sounds great vocally on this, and the chorus is just such a catchy ear worm that you can't help but belt along too. I think Zedd's big production really suits Alessia's emotional vocal, and will be interesting to see if Alessia builds on this direction with #AC2
94. ALMA | Chasing Highs
Bright-haired, Finnish pop star, Alma, has been releasing banger after banger and 'Chasing Highs' is possibly her biggest to date. She has mastered the big pop hook, with tropical beats and Alma's distinctive, smokey and powerful vocal. Whilst this has become Alma's biggest song to date, I did expect it to be even bigger as it has such an insatiable chorus that gets lodged in your brain after a few listens, and sounds like worldwide smash hit. Will be interesting to see where Alma goes next in 2018, as there are few Scandinavian (does Finland classify as Scandinavian) pop stars looking to hit in 2018.
93. MIGUEL | Sky Walker (featuring Travis Scott)
Miguel is one of my favourite male artists, and I love how he is so versatile with the genres he has taken on and delivered consistently. Sky Walker feels slightly like Miguel dipping his toes into something slightly more mainstream, with the song following the current trend in trap-influenced hip-hop, however Sky Walker has so many layers to its production which elevates the song from becoming generic. Miguel's delivery is so smooth on this track, and Travis fits well onto the song. After listening to Miguel's latest album "War & Leisure", it's clear that this is just Miguel having fun as its quite different from the rest of the album.
92. LANA DEL REY | Love
This track felt like Lana was offering something for those fans of her debut album, Born To Die. The guitars that replaced the strings, have been replaced with strings again. The song is all about being young and in love, set against the sombre production that Lana is famous for, but with more optimistic and positive lyrics than usual! She sings about mundane activities that the young of today indulge in, but it doesn't matter when you're young and in love! It's quite a lovely sentiment actually, and the track really builds sonically on that optimism as well.
91. JESSIE WARE | Selfish Love
On 'Selfish Love' Jessie documents a tumultuous relationship which you stay in as you can't resist the desires you have, and constantly looking for the upper hand by playing games. The Bossa-Nova influenced production, paired with Jessie's breathy vocals, whisks you away to a old fashioned Spanish telenova. Whilst she asks these questions of her lover doing things she doesn't agree with, she doesn't actually care about the answers as she is so deep into this intense relationship. I feel like Jessie is channeling Sade more than ever on this song, which is no bad thing. Also the visual is one of her best to date, turning from what looks like a upper class couple on holiday to a crime movie!