Tunes I'm currently loving // 2021 // Volume 3

1. ishi vu - This Is Your Life
2. Hello Saferide - Anna
3. ASHS - Don't Call Me
4. Tusse - Voices
5. Destiny - Je Me Casse
6. James Newman - Embers
7. Maite Kelly - Von Mal Zu Mal
8. Daði Freyr - 10 Years
9. Carrie Underwood feat CeCe Winans - Great Is Thy Faithfulness
10. Delta Goodrem - Billionaire
11. Mette - Petrified
12. Loreen - Sötvattentårar
13. june - Something To Lose
14. Lana Del Rey - Dark But Just A Game
15. Sheppard - Animals
16. Molly Burman - Fool Me With Flattery
17. Ella Henderson & Tom Grennan - Let's Go Home Together
18. Danny Saucedo - Dandi Dansa
19. Arvingarna - Tänker Inte Alls Gå Hem
20. Jeangu Macrooy - Birth Of A New Age

Review: Sasha Jay - Reflect (EP)

Just over a year ago, Brighton-based singer-songwriter Sasha Jay released her debut EP, 'Learning By Experience'. She follows that release with another four-track EP, 'Reflect', which lives up to its title by finding Sasha in a reflective mood and really showing the progression she has made in the last year, both in terms of her personal growth and musically. The production and musical experimentation here shows a step up from Sasha's debut EP, introducing more instrumentation, exploring new genres and pursuing a more contemporary yet often mellower sound.

Lyrically Sasha is as strong as ever here, her words being her biggest strong point as an artist as she tells personal stories from the heart, in her unique but always thought-provoking and emotionally-charged way.

The EP kicks off with 'Where Did You Go?', an analytical tale that sees Sasha look at her past and to her family to better understand her present and "where things went all so wrong". Musically the song builds as it goes along while the backing vocals elevate Sasha's heartfelt lead vocal on the chorus.

Next up is a darker track, 'Alone', which draws on a particularly difficult personal experience. You can hear Sasha's anger on this song, particularly on the rapped verses and bridge which are accompanied by almost early Linkin Park style nu-metal piano chords, drums and backing synths.

Sasha sounds moments away from launching into Evanescence style belting here but keeps things restrained as she continues to detail her deepest thoughts: "take away all the bad, make me strong again, I can't carry on this way anymore". This is a powerful song and perhaps also the one with the most commercial potential, to the point you can imagine hearing crowds singing it at a festival.

Released as a single in October, 'Let Go' is the third track on this EP, and marks another musical right turn. The tropical steel pan backing of the verses, the vocal layering and the generally more chilled vibe compared to the previous track highlights Sasha's musical growth and exploration. Her crisp and distinct vocal is at its most controlled but also technically strongest on this song as she sings about the difficulty of having to let somebody go.

As the EP comes to its conclusion on the title track, 'Reflect', it becomes clear that the running order of the collection has been carefully curated to take the listener on a journey. Opening with stirring synths, the song sees Sasha rapping the social commentary of the verses as she also looks back over the last few years of her life and her actions, as well as those of the people around her, questioning whether they are as happy as they might seem on the face of it. "Scrolling screens from social media is now a daily addiction, comparisons of others depicting the perfect life, but what do we really want, is that what we really want, what we see in front of our eyes?".

As Sasha considers what she has achieved at the age of 29, she is cautiously optimistic about the future: "I know deep down that I'm halfway up the mountain, even when I feel like I haven't quite approached it", and ultimately ponders that as a society we tend to reflect more on the negatives of life rather than focusing on the positives. Following a diverting musical switch up in the instrumental middle-eight, the brooding synths return as Sasha closes out the EP. "What do I really want, is that what I really want?" she asks, ending on a question to both leave the listener wanting more and hoping that Sasha finds her answers.

The 'Reflect' EP is available to stream and download now. Listen on Spotify below:

Tunes I'm currently loving // 2021 // Volume 2

1. Charlotte Perrelli - Still Young
2. Dotter - Little Tot
3. Elena Tsagrinou - El Diablo
4. Dua Lipa - We're Good
5. Clara Klingenström - Behöver Inte Dig Idag
6. Solå - Last Lines
7. Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos - Rena Rama Ding Dong
8. TIX - Fallen Angel
9. Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez feat Kathryn Hahn - Agatha All Along
10. Jessica Andersson - Horizon
11. David Scott - Aurora
12. Erika Vikman - Syntisten Pöytä
13. Sofia Källgren - Handen På Hjärtat
14. Lesley Roy - Maps
15. Rita Ora & Imanbek - Bang Bang
16. Joel Corry, Raye & David Guetta - Bed
17. Haim feat Thundercat - 3am
18. Kyle Deutsch X Shona SA - Home
19. The Mamas - In The Middle
20. Eric Saade - Every Minute

Tunes I'm currently loving // 2021 // Volume 1

1. Alba August - Lights
2. Thomas Lemmer & Christoph Sebastian Pabst - Gebirgsbachtürkis
3. KEiiNO - Monument
4. Nothing But Thieves - Impossible (Orchestral Version) [Live At Abbey Road]
5. Tallisker & LA Vision - Somewhere
6. Pale Waves - Easy
7. Olivia Rodrigo - drivers license
8. ATB x Topic x A7S - Your Love (9PM)
9. Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails Over The Country Club
10. Justin Bieber - Anyone
11. Worakls & Rusanda Panfili - Storm
12. Nathan Evans - Wellerman (220 Kid x Billen Ted Remix)
13. Glass Animals - Heat Waves
14. Daði Freyr & ÁSDÍS - Feel The Love
15. Raylee - Hero
16. Josie Proto - Puddles
17. Smith & Thell - Radioactive Rain
18. Lesion X - NEW HORIZONS
19. Clean Bandit feat iann dior - Higher
20. Gwen Stefani - Let Me Reintroduce Myself

Top 100 songs of 2020

1. Pomplamoose feat dodie - Monster
2. Smith & Thell - Goliath
3. Beatrice Egli - Bunt
4. Steps - Something In Your Eyes
5. Midnight Kids feat Annika Wells - Run It
6. Delta Goodrem - Paralyzed
7. Steps - What The Future Holds
8. Dua Lipa - Physical
9. Daði Freyr - Think About Things
10. Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande - Rain On Me
11. Joel Corry feat MNEK - Head & Heart
12. VICTORIA - Tears Getting Sober
13. Delta Goodrem - Keep Climbing
14. Little Mix - Sweet Melody
15. Way Out West - Mindcircus
16. Capulets - Stranger Love
17. The Fizz - The World We Left Behind
18. Delta Goodrem - Let It Rain
19. Deborah Harry - I Want That Man
20. Hayley Ross - Come Back (N-Joi Remix)
21. Diodato - Fai Rumore
22. Steps - To The Beat Of My Heart
23. Dotter - Bulletproof
24. Loods - Gummi
25. The Weeknd - Blinding Lights
26. Linda & Taryn Bornman - Side By Side
27. The Fizz - Winning Ways
28. Patricia Kelly - Medicine
29. Taylor Swift feat HAIM - no body, no crime
30. Ella Henderson - Take Care Of You
31. Erika Vikman - Cicciolina
32. Carola feat Zara Larsson - Säg Mig Var Du Står
33. Ndlovu Youth Choir - We Will Rise
34. Alex The Astronaut - Split The Sky
35. Dua Lipa - Love Again
36. Dua Lipa - Levitating
37. BTS - Dynamite
38. Mason - Alive
39. SACHI feat Naïka - Enchanté
40. Ava Max - Kings & Queens
41. The Weeknd - In Your Eyes
42. Dua Lipa - Break My Heart
43. Lady Gaga - Stupid Love
44. beabadoobee - Care
45. Little Mix - Break Up Song
46. Little Big - UNO
47. Nanne - Carpool Karaoke
48. Agnes - Fingers Crossed
49. Midnight Kids feat Lisa Goe - Break Away
50. Lady Gaga - Babylon
51. Anna Bergendahl - Kingdom Come
52. Paul Woolford, Diplo & Kareen Lomax - Looking For Me
53. Julie Bergan with Seeb - Kiss Somebody
54. Delta Goodrem - Back In 84
55. Alex Metric & TCTS feat VÖK - Undone (Chambray Remix)
56. Patricia Kelly - One More Year
57. Kylie Minogue - Magic
58. Katy Perry - Daisies
59. Natalie Shay - Naked
60. The Mamas - Let It Be
61. Kylie Minogue - Say Something
62. Minimalistix - A Forest
63. Becky Hill - Space
64. PS1 feat Alex Hosking - Fake Friends
65. Seeb x Julie Bergan - Don't You Wanna Play?
66. Delta Goodrem - Solid Gold
67. Matt Maeson - Hallucinogenics (Seeb Remix)
68. Helene Fischer & Peter Maffay - Nessaja
69. Joslin - Fall
70. Noonie Bao - Pyramids
71. Montaigne - Don't Break Me
72. Roddy Ricch - The Box
73. Simmy feat Sino Msolo - Ngihamba Nawe
74. Special-K - Quest To Impress
75. Julia - SEXTO
76. Real Lies - Boss Trick
77. Kylie Minogue - Dance Floor Darling
78. Steps - Heartbreak in This City
79. BEN & TAN - YES
80. dodie - Cool Girl
81. Master KG feat Nomcebo Zikode - Jerusalema
82. Eden - Feker Libi
83. Danky Cigale & Vincent Price feat Inka - Super Dancer
84. Zanda Zakuza feat Mr Brown - I Believe (Afrosoul Mix)
85. Doja Cat - Say So
86. Will Ferrell & My Marianne - Husavik (My Hometown)
87. Beatrice Egli - Mini Schwiiz, Mini Heimat
88. Michael Schulte - For A Second
89. H & Claire - Don't Give Up (Don't Let Go)
90. Donna Lewis - Agenais
91. Lady Gaga - Alice
92. Sheppard - Somebody Like You
93. Matthias Schweighöfer - Lauf
94. Kita Alexander - Against The Water
95. Ed Sheeran - Afterglow
96. EVERGLOW - LA DI DA
97. Kate Miller-Heidke - Deluded
98. Sara Bareilles - Little Voice
99. Kylie Minogue - Celebrate You
100. Powfu feat beabadoobee - death bed (coffee for your head) 

Top 40 albums of 2020

1. Steps - What The Future Holds

2. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia / Club Future Nostalgia

3. Lady Gaga - Chromatica

4. Kylie Minogue - Disco

5. Taylor Swift - folklore

6. Little Mix - Confetti

7. Taylor Swift - evermore

8. Katy Perry - Smile

9. Patricia Kelly - One More Year

10. Kate Miller-Heidke - Child In Reverse

11. Pet Shop Boys - Hotspot

12. Ace Of Base - All That She Wants: The Classic Collection

13. Rina Sawayama - Sawayama

14. Ava Max - Heaven & Hell

15. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated Side B

16. Delta Goodrem - Only Santa Knows

17. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Songs From The Kitchen Disco

18. Zanda Zakuza - Khaya Lam

19. DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ - Charmed

20. Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters

21. Ellie Goulding - Brightest Blue

22. The Fizz - Smoke & Mirrors

23. Midnight Kids - The Lost Youth

24. Julia - Passe... comme tu sais

25. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga (Music From The Netflix Film)

26. Helene Fischer - Die Helene Fischer Show - Meine Schönsten Momente (Vol. 1)

27. Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure?

28. Vanessa Amorosi - The Blacklisted Collection

29. Beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers

30. Mariah Carey - The Rarities

31. Gary Barlow - Music Played By Humans

32. The Kelly Family - 25 Years Later - Live

33. Beatrice Egli - Bunt - Best Of

34. Oonagh - Best Of

35. Annie - Dark Hearts

36. KEiiNO - OKTA

37. Ariana Grande - Positions

38. The Weeknd - After Hours

39. Sara Bareilles - More Love - Songs From Little Voice Season One

40. Disclosure - ENERGY

Tunes I'm currently loving // 2020 // Volume 12

1. Taylor Swift feat HAIM - no body, no crime
2. Helene Fischer & Peter Maffay - Nessaja
3. Ed Sheeran - Afterglow
4. Freebee - Heaven
5. Michelle - Vorbei Vorbei
6. Nora En Pure - Wetlands
7. Nathan Dawe x Little Mix - No Time For Tears
8. DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ - My Baby, I Become Unhinged
9. Taylor Swift - willow
10. Páula, Povoa & Jerge - Primavera
11. Tove Styrke - Bara Du Och Jag
12. Palace Winter feat Jason Lytle - The Deeper End
13. dodie - Rainbow
14. Julian Reim - Euphorie
15. Texas & Wu-Tang Clan - Hi
16. Rae Morris - Heading North For Christmas
17. beabadoobee - Winter Wonderland
18. Cathrin Gram - Kite
19. STAYC - So Bad
20. DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ - Alrighty, Then!