Category: Music Reviews

The Best Songs of 2023 – What were your favourite songs of 2023?

We had too many favourites to mention here from the worlds of ambient, balearic lounge, chillout, chillhop, chilled house classical, bar house, deep house, funk, soul, funky club house, indie rock, instrumental, jazz, latin, lounge, mellow pop, nu_jazz, pop, party dance, reggae, R’n’B, rock and world music.

Each of our channels has been reviewed and revised to include the best of each genre as widely acclaimed across the internet.

Here’s a list of best of 2023 lists …you can find all our favourites tunes in our live streaming music channels which you can sample these for free for 7 days by signing up here

https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-songs-2023/

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/04/the-20-best-songs-of-2023

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-2023-1234879541/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/arts/music/best-songs-2023.html

https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-40-biggest-songs-of-2023/

https://ew.com/best-songs-2023-8416464

https://time.com/6340132/best-songs-2023/

https://variety.com/lists/the-best-songs-of-2023/

https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-songs-2023/

https://www.vulture.com/article/best-new-songs-2023.html

Happy New Year! A time to look forward to all the new exciting tunes line up for 2023 and reflect on the greatest songs of 2022. We have scoured the world for the best of the best in every genre. Here’s a summary of some of those retrospectives:

NB:Not all of these feature on Auracle Sound channels as some are explicit and have been filtered out.

Songs / 2022 / United Kingdom
From sources across the web

A selection of hot hits from 2022…another great year for music.

 

 

Lighting up the club, gym and our office!

 

Yumi Zouma, the collaborative long-distance project originally created between friends online, have been self-producing their infectious blend of delicate pop tapestries by way of home recordings since the release of their debut EP in 2014. Composed of vocalist Christie Simpson, bassist / vocalist Josh Burgess, guitarist / multi-instrumentalist Charlie Ryder, and drummer Olivia Campion, Yumi Zouma have returned with Present Tense, the band’s fourth and most comprehensive studio album.

On Present Tense, Yumi Zouma bolster their sonic palette with an arsenal of live drums, grand pianos, orchestral strings, and woodwinds, to develop a sonic confidence that has grown with the release of 2017’s Willowbank and 2020’s Truth or Consequences. Recorded in between Los Angeles, London, Florence, New York and New Zealand, Present Tense effortlessly glides between ballads like “Where The Light Used To Lay”, and bangers like “In The Eyes of Our Love” – arguably one of the most immediate songs the band has ever written. On “Mona Lisa”, the quartet adds to their vast collection of undeniable melodies, with Simpson’s adlibs and harmonies shining bright atop a battery of percussion and saxophones.

Yumi Zouma’s music has been featured in outlets such as Pitchfork, FADER, MTV, and NME, as well as in 2020 year-end lists from the likes of NPR and Under The Radar. Thanks to millions of streams and sold-out tours around the world, the band’s music continues to reach a global audience.

“Yumi Zouma’s chemistry remains undeniable” – NPR

“Three EPs and full-length records in, Yumi Zouma sound fresh as ever” – Paste

“In their own subtle way, Yumi Zouma have become a reliably excellent source of shimmering nostalgia-pop.” -FADER

Ed Sheeran officially returns with his new single ‘Bad Habits’ (available now across all DSPs), which is joined by the Dave Meyers-directed official video.

Spending the last few years out of the spotlight following his record-breaking two-year Divide tour and the arrival of his first daughter, Ed Sheeran marks his official return with the euphoric ‘Bad Habits’. Sheeran is an artist who motors on nonconformity, with today’s release landing as something unexpected yet wholly his; a testament to a forward-thinking artist who continues to push his art into new dimensions. Deploying an up-tempo, summery sonic alongside his treasured guitar, and a track that channels escapist energy, Ed co-wrote and co-produced ‘Bad Habits’ with long-time collaborators, Johnny McDaid (‘Shape of You’) and FRED (No.6 Collaborations Project).
In the accompanying official video – directed by Dave Meyers (Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar) – we see Ed as we’ve never seen him before as he depicts an alter-ego vampire character. Trading his distinct ginger hair for bleached white and his teeth for fangs, the dark-humour narrative serves as a metaphor for ‘bad habits’ as Ed embarks on a wild night out alongside his crew of ghouls before morphing back to his real self the next morning, ginger hair intact, as the sun rises over him. The official video made its global broadcast premiere on MTV Live/MTVU/MTV’s global network of channels today and was also trailed on ViacomCBS Times Square billboard.

Ed Sheeran says – “Feels great to be back with my new single. I wanted the video for Bad Habits to play on the nature of habits in a fantastical way so I decided on vampires. It was mega fun getting into character except for the heights (that wasn’t so fun). Enjoy x”
To celebrate the release, tonight, Ed will be performing live from Ipswich Town’s Portman Road for TikTok’s UEFA Euro 2020 show. Directed by Ed’s long-term collaborator, Emil Nava, and streaming globally on TikTok (@edsheeran) from 9pm BST, the upcoming set will include a host of fan favourites in addition to Ed’s first-ever live performance of ‘Bad Habits’.

‘Bad Habits’ is Sheeran’s first official release since 2019’s UK No.1, ‘No.6 Collaborations Project’. A long-play side project that ran independently of his album sequence, it saw Ed join forces with a number of his favourite music artists – a staggering 22 of them, in fact – including Cardi B, Bruno Mars, Camila Cabello, Eminem and Travis Scott. In just a matter of weeks, the project reaped three UK No.1 singles in ‘I Don’t Care’ with Justin Bieber, ‘Beautiful People’ feat. Khalid and ‘Take Me Back To London’ feat. Stormzy.

Last month, Ed topped the bill of Radio 1’s Big Weekend with an exclusive full band performance, filmed at Snape Maltings, Suffolk. During the same month, he was also unveiled as the new shirt sponsor for the men’s and women’s first teams of his beloved Ipswich Town Football Club.

Ed Sheeran is currently recording his new album.

Kings of Convenience are back with a new album, ‘Peace or Love’ and have released the first single ‘Rocky Trail’. At long last lilting lyrics and meet with melodic guitar once again as we are all blissed out with their beautiful music. Sure to feature on our ‘Mellow Pop’ and ‘Lounge’ channels in some form, welcome back Eirik Glambek Bøe and Erlend Øye.

Rocky Trail is available now – https://KingsOfConvenience.lnk.to/Roc… Pre-order the brand new album ‘Peace Or Love’ out June 18th – https://KingsOfConvenience.lnk.to/Pea… Sign up to the Kings of Convenience mailing list – https://KingsOfConvenience.lnk.to/sig… Follow Kings of Convenience Website – https://www.kingsofconvenience.eu/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/kingsofconve… Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kingsofconv… Lyrics: Rocky Trail One more time Let’s say you give me one more time One last chance to speak again Let’s start from what we left unsaid and here we go Brave enough to go climbing a wall so high that no sunlight is seen through winter Brave enough to go traveling around the world without money to eat or sleep for Seeing what you can do with your hands and feet I feel there is no question about it: Almost anything you can imagine Almost any goal You will get there I wish you had been more of a talker Not the kind that is just flapping his lips And not the kind that looks away But learns through his eyes when somebody is watching Maybe you could have told me There was a world on your shoulders that needed lifting Maybe I could have helped you with that The weight is not easy I know But you never know. I thought your shoes were good I thought they would take you to the end of any road I thought your back was strong I should have carried you to the top of the rocky I trail I should have carried you to the top of the rocky trail How am I to know about your problems and your load I am blind to what you show I am waiting to be told I never ask How am I to know about your problems and your load I am blind to what you show I am waiting to be told I never ask #KingsOfConvenience #peaceorlove #rockytrail

A masterpiece with something special about every track one, as David Crosby like choosing your favourite child, an impossible task. All tracks are brilliant examples of Joni Mitchell at her best lovesick lyrics, off tuned guitar, soaring solos and spell binding songwriting full of vivid imagery. This Anniversary Edition Blue 50 features raw outtakes and demos that strip these gems back to their core brilliance.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Joni Mitchell’s masterpiece ‘Blue’, Joni Mitchell Archives is releasing two new collections that offer different perspectives on one of the greatest albums ever made and the inspired period of creativity that made it possible (cont. below) The first, ‘Blue 50 (Demos & Outtakes)’, debuts five unreleased songs from the making of ‘Blue’ that will appear on the upcoming Archives collection.

 Track Listing 1. A Case Of You (Demo) 0:00:00 2. California (Demo) 0:04:00 3. Hunter (Outtake) 0:07:30 4. River (Outtake with French Horns) 0:10:25 5. Urge For Going (Outtake with Strings) 0:14:27 The second, ‘Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971)’, will explore the period leading up to Blue through nearly six hours of unreleased home, studio, and live recordings.

 

This article in The Guardian attempts to pick a favourite, what’s your’s?

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jun/22/joni-mitchell-blue-my-favourite-song-james-taylor-carole-king-graham-nash-david-crosby-kt-tunstall-birdy

As Joni Mitchell’s classic album turns 50th Rhino is due to release the The Reprise Albums (1962 – 1971)

Joni Mitchell probably the best female singer songwriter of our times, her writing is on par with Bob Dylan or the Beatles a bittersweet mix of joy and sadness. The Reprise Albums a definitive collection of her work remastered for this new release. We will be featuring the best pieces in our ‘Classics’, ‘Jukebox Favourites’ and ‘Good Times’ channels.

The Reprise Albums (1968-1971)

Release date:  June 25, 2021

The Reprise Albums (1968-1971)

JONI MITCHELL ARCHIVES SERIES CONTINUES

WITH REMASTERS OF HER FIRST FOUR ALBUMS

IN CELEBRATION OF BLUE’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY

 

The Reprise Albums (1968-1971) Debuts Newly Remastered Versions Of

Song To A Seagull, Clouds, Ladies Of The Canyon, And Blue

 

4-CD, 4-LP, And Digital Versions Available June 25 From Rhino

Following The 50th Anniversary Of Blue On June 22

 

Newly Remastered Version Of “A Case Of You” Available Today Digitally