Inside My Membrane

So, let's give you a taste of who i am.

These are my top 10 songs of the moment for Tuesday 12th April.

As of Sunday, i'll be producing a top 10 for the week, every week, but this is just something to let you inside my mind!

10. The View 'Grace'

After a disappointing second album ('Which Bitch?'), in which the bitch really did take over, i don't think anyone was expecting to hear much more from Scotland's saviours of guitar music post-Franz. However, 'Grace' is a welcome return to form, mashing the loudness of 'Wasted Little DJs' with some incredibly catchy lyrics, revolving around an argument with a lady. (Which i feel is always the best subject for a song!).

'I'm a sober boy, and you're a lonely girl.' - Ironic from mass-drug taker Kyle Falconer!

09. Noah and the Whale 'Tonight's The Kind Of Night'

Noah and the Whale are another band that really fell off everybody's radar with the release of their second album 'The First Days of Spring', but again, like The View, they have well and truly returned to form on the new record 'Last Night On Earth', and particularly this summer anthem in the making, 'Tonight's The Kind Of Night'.

They burst onto the scene in early 2008 with the incredibly catchy folk-rock song 'The Shape Of My Heart', and took the radios by storm with the release of 'Five Years Time', catapulting them into the big time. 

However, less than a year later, backing vocalist Laura Marling (more on her very soon!), split with lead vocalist Charlie, and the result was an orchestral-driven second record, focusing on lost relationships and death, without the beautiful tones of Marling backing Charlie's deep voice.

After a two-year break, they are back with an electric guitar (for the first time in their career) and a new assault on the charts. After the success of 'L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.', they had to follow it up with another huge hit, and with 'Tonight...', i feel they've well and truly got that sorted.

08. Foo Fighters 'Rope (Deadmau5 remix)'

Foo Fighters, arguably the biggest rock band in the world.

Deadmau5, undeniably the greatest DJ on the earth.

Put them together, and you get this incredible dub of the Foo's first single from forthcoming album 'Wasting Light'.

The way Joel takes the vocals from 'Rope' and completely refigures the instrumental section just blows my mind every time i hear it.

07. Yuck 'Get Away'

The first i heard of Yuck was back in 2007 when Cajun Dance Party played a 'new song from our next album' called 'Georgia'. Three years later, and CDP have split, with three of the five members forming Yuck and releasing their first single 'Georgia / Rubber'.

It was a big underground hit, regularly on the turntables of many an indie DJ, however never really broke through into the big time.

2011 hits, and the BBC's annual 'Sound Of...' poll is released, and there they are, perched mid table amongst the likes of Jessie J, James Blake and Katy B.

This is undoubtedly their breakthrough hit after being added to Radio 1's B-List, and being bigged up by F-Cot and Zane almost every breath.

'Get Away' is unfortunately the poppiest thing Yuck has done, and will probably be their first and last big smash, but hey ho, everyone deserves their 15 minutes.

06. Panic! At The Disco 'The Ballad Of Mona Lisa'

Anyone who knows me well enough will know that i'm a massive fan of this band, and have been since day one, however i'm slightly disappointed that they haven't continued their infatuation for Sgt.Pepper-era Beatles, showcased on sophomore record 'Pretty.Odd'.

But i suppose i'm in the minority of fans wanting to hear a 'Folking Around Pt.2', as the majority would much prefer a 'Lying Is The Most Fun...' sequel.

Despite my reservations, this is Panic! doing what they do best. Creating a pop song with so many twists and turns, it'd fall off the hi-fi if it could.

05. LMFAO 'Party Rock Anthem'

LMFAO, in my opinion are one of the most under rated hiphop/dance acts in the world. They have been the production group of so many hits over the past couple of years. Most notably for Chuckie's hit 'Let The Bass Kick In Miami Girl', which was originally LMFAO's track 'Miami Bitch'. 

However, i think 2011 is their time to shine.

They've created a tune ready for dancefloors, fields, car stereos and dancing classes to name a few suitable locations.

The money moment for me is the drop into 'Everyday I'm Shufflin....', followed by a craaaaazy beat!

04. Katy B 'Broken Record'

I'm sorry Sian, but i'm slowly falling in love with this lady. Absolutely everything i've heard from her so far has been absolutely incredible. 

One of the first dance records i bought was The Count and Sinden's 'MEGAMEGAMEGA', and my standout track on there was a song called 'Hold Me', featuring a girl with an immense voice called Baby Katy.

And the next i heard from her was her collaborations with Magnetic Man, ('Perfect Stranger' and 'Crossover') and since then i have been dying with excitement to hear her solo stuff.

So obviously when i heard 'Katy On A Mission', i nearly jizzed.

This was the sound of dubstep, fused with trance, with a distinct bit of bubblegum pop, designed to bring dubstep to the masses slowly but gently. 

03. Travis Barker feat. Cypress Hill 'The Beat Goes On'

The highlight from Travis' long awaited debut album 'Give A Drummer Some', is this collaboration with old-school hip hop superstars Cypress Hill. I saw both of these artists at Leeds 2010, as rumours were just beginning to circulate about their collaboration, and i was one of many hoping for a live performance of this track. We didn't get it, but we did get a hint. Eric Bobo was wearing a t-shirt with the slogan 'CAN A DRUMMER GET SOME?'. 8 months later, and it all makes sense.

02. Wretch 32 feat. Example (with a touch of The Stone Roses) 'Unorthodox (Distance Remix)'

Wretro Boy has freshened up the UK grime scene, with a touch of class recently, and has done exactly what Dizzee Rascal didn't.

32 has hit the mainstream, with an element of pop, but is still 100% grime.

(Unlike the Rascal, who unashamedly wore a Shark suit, repeated 'Bonkers' over and over... and over.. then collaborated with James Corden and Shakira, before erm, disappearing.)

But yeah, Wretch 32 had a big job following up the smash that was 'Traktor', but you can't really go wrong when you've got a sample of one of the biggest british songs of all time, and a rapper/singer (Example) who's career has only ever been on the up since the release of his mixtape 'The Credit Munch'.

When you throw in dubstep DJ 'Distance', you've got a ready made dancefloor smash.

01. The Strokes 'Macchu Picchu'

The Strokes are back.

They have an album called 'Angles'.

You must get it.

I have no other words to describe my incredible love for this band.

Never heard?

Here's what you need to know:

Get To Know The Strokes