Gina’s Top Songs of the Year: Numbers 13 – 9

13.
“Learning” – Jordan Rakei

Our Album of the Year is “The Loop” by Jordan Rakei. Three songs from his best LP to date are among our favorites. “Learning” with its amazing background choir and “As”-like ending (yes, as in Stevie Wonder), is still absolutely cracking. Just this one drum beat behind the groove towards the end is worth the trip.

12.
“Journey” – Bondax feat. Kareem Ali and Mysie

George Townsend and Adam Kaye, known as Bondax, put out their first vinyl release this year called “Journey”. The British electronic music duo really knows which buttons to press. The album features Eno Williams and Andreya Triana. The title track, which features the singer Mysie, was treated to a remix by New York native Kareem Ali. The DJ and producer, who also worked with artists such as John Beltran this year and who is now based in Phoenix, has come up with a totally hypnotique, repetitive groove which really saved our winter when it came out in late February. It is very far away from the original and it still hits all the right spots.

11.
“Like You” – Turbojazz & Rona Ray

Another highly infectious dance track here from Milano-based Tommaso Garofalo, known as Turbojazz. The DJ and recording artist has his own label, Last Forever Records, and released his first full-length album “Whateverism” last year. Please do yourself a favor and check this one out too. It’s a house and deep house masterwork. In early February, Turbojazz delivered “Like You”, a monumental house track with absorbing lead vocals from the wonderful Rona Ray, the Kaliningrad-born singer who is one of the hottest tickets this year for various house music releases. Another piece which enlightened our cold and grey February days and which still resonates up to this day.

10.
“No Lie” – Lalah Hathaway, Michael McDonald

Lalah Hathaway came back on track this year with her pretty satisfying “Vantablack” album (except for some songs which include raps by MC Lyte, Common, and Phonte which we just don’t care about), which earned her a Grammy nomination. And I think her work with Phil Beaudreau, one third of the LA-based group Catpack which we saw in early November at the “Rockit” Festival in Groningen, has really enhanced her album. It received a nomination for Best R&B Album and for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “No Lie”, where she is supported by the great Michael McDonald. Even though this is not your typical duet, Michael’s force can be felt throughout the track which was written and produced by Phil and Lalah and ranks among her best songs ever I think. The way she easily floats through the song with her warm and thick voice and the wonderful lyrics simply make this tune irresistible. The album came out in the middle of summer and almost went unnoticed when I suddenly came upon this gem.

09.
“Why Do You Keep Calling Me” – Sy Smith

Hailed as the underground soul queen, singer, producer, and songwriter Sy Smith was a pivotal part of the so-called nu soul scene from the start. The 46-year old singer from LA released her debut album “Psykosoul” back in 1999. Too bad I couldn’t make it to her London debut earlier in the year. But her new album “Until We Meet Again”, which came out in late January, was (and still is) so hot that I couldn’t wait for the vinyl version to appear a few months later. One of the best of the year and one of the few with a five-paw rating! And the album is played on a regular basis in the Gina household ever since it made its way from California to Berlin. I think this is one of her best vocal performances (Sy has put out a total of six records). And please also listen to the swell string arrangement by the great Gina Kronstadt who I admire, and the smashing Rhodes solo by Dre King is nothing less than to die for. The LP comes with a beautiful four-page lyrics and credits sheet by the way.