Poppilgrim's Top 10 songs of 2015

I've been extremely tardy when it comes to blogging over the past 12 months. A lack of inspiration, too much other 'life' stuff going on and a good ol' dose of 'cba' really lowered my pop music blogging productivity. I've had a rest and now it's back to b'ness.

This is overdue, but here's the top 10 from what I had planned to be a top 40. That top 40 is redundant now and also too time consuming. So in my baby steps stage here you have it, my top 10 from 2015 and note it's in reverse order so the best is saved for last:

New Single > Little Mix > Black Magic

On 10 July you'll be able to buy the new Little Mix song 'Black Magic'. You should do this because it's brilliant and will no doubt make you feel fulfilled with every listen. As far as reality tv acts go, the Little Mixers are a pretty incredible pop group, their last album Salute was/is an absolute triumph from start to finish. Seriously, it is pop perfection. 

'Black Magic' has a retro pop flavour, the girls' soulful harmonies perfectly executed atop a light and fluffy pop arrangement that could force even the stoniest of faces to crack a smile. If their upcoming fourth album follows this quality we'll all be put under their spell once more.

Little Mix - Salute (Single)

Sugababes 'Freak Like Me' 2

Little Mix unveiled the artwork for their upcoming single Salute last week. It's quite raunchy, for them at least. It's the 3rd single to be lifted from their album of the same name and that album is amazing, fact. Following on from their 'meh' cover of Word Up for charity (got to justify it somehow) last month, they really needed to release something strong to recuperate some credibility. I was quietly hoping for Nothing Feels Like You or Towers, alas what does what I want matter? The title track screams Destiny's Child, from the sirens in the intro to feminist fist pumping chorus about representing all women yada yada.  It's a great intro track to a (surprisingly) superb album but whether it was the best choice for the next single, I'm not so sure. Standing on its own its no Move.

4/5

Little Mix - Little Me

Nobody expected Little Mix's sophomore album to be as incredibly entertaining as it was/is. It sounds like a young, current, new-age Destiny's Child with 4 very talented singers instead of 2. Lead single Move didn't grab people instantly, but once you got a grasp of its unconventional pop structure it became impossible not to love it. Second cut Little Me is a stunning ballad, their most accomplished to date and one of their most beautifully sung songs. It's exhilarating balladry and the most mature the girls have ever sounded, their powerful vocal harmonies soaring above the booming TMS production. A bloody good move for the 2nd single.

4/5

Rated: Little Mix - Salute

There was never any question that Little Mix should have won their turn in the Xfactor. Since then they've had a top 5 album here, a top 5 album in America and at the same time broken the record held by the Spice Girls. In just over a year they've achieved over 3 million record sales and become one of Britain's most popular pop acts. Their music's been great so far, but it's time to grow up a bit.

Following on from their debut album DNA, they're back with sophomore album Salute. This new album has a maturer sound, more confident vocal arrangements and some of the best chorus' you'll hear this year. Lead single 'Move' wasn't love at first listen, more like 3rd. That being said, it's definitely love now. It's a funky pop track with a throbbing bass line, an intricate & unconventional structure and more sass than we've heard from Little Mix before. When you compare this to its competition in the charts, it's the most standout track available at the moment. 

The first thing I thought after playing through Salute for the 1st time was, Destiny's Child. The harmonies are akin to those of the three leading ladies of girl group pop/rnb. Tracks like 'Salute' and 'Nothing Feels Like You' feel like they could have been written for a later stage DC album. The latter starts off with a tribal drum arrangement and synths before exploding into a stunning soul packed chorus, becoming the album's most exciting track after 1 play. It's 'Boy' that really shows a DC influence though, with intricate rapid fire lyrics and a harmonious chorus. It never feels like they're trying to be Beyonce, Kelly & Michelle though. They perform each song with so much confidence it'd be impossible to deny them ownership of this more grown up, fresh identity. 

There's a strong 90s rnb vibe on Salute. 'Competition' is a retro inspired track bursting with sassiness and 'Mr Loverboy' fires you right back in time with its streetwise bouncy production and incredible vocal arrangement. This retro undertone will certainly gain them a more mature fan base - it definitely takes me back and the self assurance levels are sent skyward as the girls confidently sing on 'About the Boy'.

Salute wouldn't be complete without some ballads. The girls' new found maturity coupled with insanely good writing and production makes these some of the best ballads you'll hear for years to come. They sing about relationship breakdowns and emotional hardship on 'These Four Walls', the most stripped moment on Salute, which features an exhilarating finale and an impressive performance from Perry. It's 'Little Me' that really takes things up to the next level though, with a bridge that teases something special is coming and oh shit does it come. 

If you're one of the people who said you'd never listen to a full Little Mix album, then you could have skipped through some of DNA. However, Salute stands out so strikingly from its peer albums it's a real surprise of 2013 and I defy you not to enjoy it. There's not one filler, not one mediocre track. In fact all the tracks deserve at least 4 out of 5. If there was an album that could reestablish the girl group as a necessity of contemporary pop music, Salute is that album.

5/5

Download: Little Me / Move / Nothing Feels Like You / Boy