Massive Attack – Paradise Circus by Scottish Friction ←♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Big Boi – Shutterbug (Feat. Cutty) by Scottish Friction ←♥♥♥
Janelle Monae – Tightrope (Feat. Big Boi) by Scottish Friction ←♥♥♥
Grum – Want U by Scottish Friction ←♥♥♥
M.I.A. – Space by Scottish Friction ←♥♥

Preview these tracks and give some ♥♥♥s on Hype Machine!

Add Scottish Friction to your Google Reader!

p.s. I took this photo of my brother playing his first gig (on my Holga of course!)

[UPDATE] I’ve just been informed the Massive Attack song is also the theme tune for Luther.

Photo (via)
Grum – Can’t Shake This Feeling (Ghosts Of Venice Remix) by Ghosts Of Venice
Grum – Cant Shake This Feeling (Aston Shuffle Remix) by TheAstonShuffle
Cant Shake This Feeling (Grum Club Remix) by Heartbeatsheartbeats

The Ghosts Of Venice remix is by far my favourite ←♥♥♥

Give these some ♥s on Hype Machine!

Add Scottish Friction to your Google Reader!

Add Scottish Friction to your Google Reader!

20. Major Lazer – Pon De Floor

To me this song sounds like it should be released in 2015, it’s THAT ahead of its time. As it is, it ended up sending dancefloors into chaotic frenzies whenever it was played in 2009.

Listen: Major Lazer – Pon De Floor ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Major Lazer – Pon De Floor

19. Bibio – Lovers’ Carvings

The first half of this song  I imagine myself cycling along an old cobbled street Hovis-stylee, the sun hot on the back of my neck. The second half, the street turns into a grassy hill and I’m speeding down it, racing my giggling friends who all look like they’ve jumped out of a T-Mobile ad. I’m wearing GAP obvs.

Listen: Bibio – Lovers’ Carvings ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Bibio – Lovers’ Carvings

18. Tiga – Shoes

Why did this song not blow-up chart-wise? I swear to god I was so sure Radio 1 would be playing the shit out this banger. Not Tiga’s fault – I blame marketing. WTF were they thinking. Such a catchy track with funny lyrics that should appeal to Joe Public. Fuck them, Tiga, it’s the sound of your talent.

Listen: Tiga – Shoes ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Tiga – Shoes

17. Wilco – You Never Know

First summer anthem of the list (well it’s my favourite season after all) and out of the stalls runs a fucking camel with a party hat. Yes Wilco are brilliant – I don’t even need to exlain why this song rocks my cocks.

Listen: Wilco – You Never Know ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Wilco – You Never Know

16. Javelin – Lindsay Brohan (12″ Mix)

There’s something missing on the album version of this song, hence why I’ve picked the 12″ Mix as my number 16 track of 2009. I love Javelin because all I can hear when I listen to them is potential.

Listen: Javelin – Lindsay Brohan (12″ Mix) ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Javelin – Lindsay Brohan (12″ Mix)

15. Royksopp – The Girl And The Robot (Feat. Robyn)

One of the best pop songs of 2009. Robyn is absolutely stunning on this track. The melody sounds so familiar to me too but that’s how good Royksopp are I guess. Stop playing mind games on me, fuckers.

Listen: Royksopp – The Girl And The Robot ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Royksopp – The Girl And The Robot

14. Gucci Vump – Sha! Shtil! (L-Vis 1990 Remix)

Hypnotic as hell, I think I played this song about 20 times in a row after the first listen. Starts to worm away at your conscious state after about 2-mins. Cracking remix.

Listen: Gucci Vump – Sha! Shtil! (L-Vis 1990 Remix) ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Gucci Vump – Sha! Shtil! (L-Vis 1990 Remix)

13. Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky

The good bit doesn’t shimmy in until about 3-mins in but this song still makes me have the ‘YES feeling’. Sampling the Grateful Dead was a masterstroke. I’ve heard the song they pinched “What Would I Want? Sky” from and the lyrics are actually “Sky! Whoa, I walk“. My mind boggles at their talent.

Listen: Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky

12. Neon Indian – Deadbeat Summer

Of the songs on this list, this song probably best summarises my life in 2009. I wasn’t a deadbeat (although I did try like hell), but I think the world was. Global recession, climate catastrophes and the death of MJ. Did we care? Did we fuck. We were deadbeats.

Listen: Neon Indian – Deadbeat Summer ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Neon Indian – Deadbeat Summer

11. La Roux – Bulletproof

THE catchiest chorus of the year I swear I even heard the cast of Greggs the bakers singing this when I went in for a sausage roll. More than that though, this is a fucking fantastic song. What a nerve La Roux has to think she can sing “Bulleeeeeeeetproof” and get away with it. If only more songwriters had the confidence to extend a word like that.

Listen: La Roux – Bulletproof ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: La Roux – Bulletproof

10. Lady Gaga – Bad Romance

“Ra Ra Ah Ah Ah, Roma Ro Ma Ma, Ga Ga Ooh La La” She’s a filthy bitch eh, but she’s only gone and nailed the pop single of the 2009 for me. People, we’re in the early (and extremely talented) stages of this bint’s career. Think Prince/Bowie/MJ. Cherish it while it lasts – she’ll soon be seen wearing nout but a merkin to the Grammys 2012, marrying Susan Boyle in 2016 and replacing compare the fucking meercat dot com in 2020. “Seemples Ro Ma Ma“. Or not.

Listen: Lady Gaga – Bad Romance ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Lady Gaga – Bad Romance

9. Tiga – What You Need (Proxy Remix)

If a dance floor ever needed to be quickly turned into a pit of writhing bits, tits & clits then just hit them with this. Out-doing most DJs this year in my opinion, Proxy had a cracking year for his original material as well as his remixes for other people. This Tiga remix is my favourite by a country mile. Proxy got what we need, babe.

Listen: Tiga – What You Need (Proxy Remix) ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Tiga – What You Need (Proxy Remix)

8. Grum – Heartbeats

This song is to blame/thank for one of the most euphoric moments of my life, followed by one of the most hungover days of my life – hence the blame. Yet I’d happily go through a week of hangovers just to experience the pure joy I felt when hearing Grum play this when I saw him a couple of months back.

Listen: Grum – Heartbeats ←♥♥♥♥♥ (Removed By Request)
MP3: Grum – Heartbeats

7. Phoenix – 1901

Forget Lisztomania, lets bring it back to 1901. Why are there less remixes for this song compared to Lisztomania? I’ll tell you – because it’s hard to top perfection – and with a chorus made for kings who could possibly contemplate mashing this up!? Indie discos were lit up with the sound of Phoenix in 2009, and so they should have been.

Listen: Phoenix – 1901 ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Phoenix – 1901

6. Lily Allen – The Fear (Duke Dumont Remix)

“Fuck!” Duke Dumont, along with being a super duper talented DJ also shows to me that he’s got a sense of humour – and I love that. Chopping this song up so much that he’s basically diced potty-mouth Lily Allen into a million pieces and reassembled them – Transformers-stylee - into something bigger and better.

Listen: Lily Allen – The Fear (Duke Dumont Remix) ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Lily Allen – The Fear (Duke Dumont Remix)

5. VEGA – No Reasons

The final summer anthem on this list and one I feel would sound good sound-tracking the End Credits to my life. Just look at the cover of his ‘Well Known Pleasures’ EP. If the camera were to pan around 180-degrees, I imagine it would see a beach full of sun-kissed twenty-somethings dancing their hearts out listening to this song and it would be the best moment of their lives. Now how’s that for hyping a song?

Listen: VEGA – No Reasons ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: VEGA – No Reasons

4. Royksopp – Happy Up Here (Boys Noize Remix)

One of the very first posts on Scottish Friction (back when I was still using blogspot – hi old fans!) was this song. Sounding like a bomb blast stuck on repeat, this track absolutely kills when I’ve heard it on the dancefloor. Absolute genius. Oh and p.s. Royksopp’s album should have probably got an honourable mention in SF’s Best Albums Of 2009.

Listen: Royksopp – Happy Up Here (Boys Noize Remix) ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Royksopp – Happy Up Here (Boys Noize Remix)

3. Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo

Although it takes about a minute and a half to get into it the pay-off is worth it. Gloriously chopped up vocal samples slide alongside soul-beating bass notes. You won’t be disappointed. He should rename himself dub-steppenwolf. That’s not even funny. Definitely one to watch on 2010.

Listen: Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo

2. Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks

So much more complex than they make it sound (seriously, listen again), ‘Two Weeks’ blew me away when I first heard it – and it has held up to repeated listens amazingly. Plinking keys, angelic harmonies and drums that are out of this fucking world (that school bell smashing at the end makes me play air drums every time). This should be played to everyone.

Listen: Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks

1. Florence And The Machine – You Got The Love (The xx remix)

Yeah I know it’s a remix of a cover but it is by far the best version of this song. It’s comparable to when Bob Dylan said that Hendrix’s version of  ’All Along The Watchtower’ was “Jimi’s song”. ‘You Got The Love’ now belongs to The xx as far as I’m concerned – they just perfected an already great song. The stuttery drums, the wayward bassline, the sexy interplay between the kids xx, and as if to add insult to injury they go and chop up Florence + The Arsehole’s vocals to buggery. If I was Candi Staton/Flo now I’d be howling in pain after getting my arse handed to me by a bunch of brilliant 20-year-olds.

Listen: Florence And The Machine – You Got The Love (The xx remix) ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Florence And The Machine – You Got The Love (The xx remix)

Right?! Agree? Disagree? Let me know while I take a fucking week off please! That was a monster post!

Add Scottish Friction to your Google Reader!

Listen: Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (Grum Remix) ←♥♥
Listen: Gonzales – Slow Down (Minitel Rose Fast Dance Remix) ←♥
Listen: Friendly Fires – On Board (Joakim Remix) ←♥♥
MP3: Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (Grum Remix)
MP3: Gonzales – Slow Down (Minitel Rose Fast Dance Remix)
MP3: Friendly Fires – On Board (Joakim Remix)

I’ll probably do a Scottish Friction Top 10 (Songs + Albums) for 2009 next week at some point – so keep your eyes peeled for that.

And if you’ve got time, add Scottish Friction to your Google Reader!

Listen: Joss Stone – Governmentalist (Feat. Nas) ←♥♥♥
Listen: Mayer Hawthorne – Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix) ←♥♥
Listen: Keenhouse – Ari-es (GRUM Remix) ←♥♥♥
Listen: Keenhouse – Ari-es (Quinten 909 Remix) ←♥♥♥
Listen: What Kind of Breeze Do You Blow? – Love of Luxury (Lake Heartbeat’s Lake Luxury Remix) ←♥♥
MP3: Joss Stone – Governmentalist (Feat. Nas)
MP3: Mayer Hawthorne – Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix)
MP3: Keenhouse – Ari-es (GRUM Remix)
MP3: Keenhouse – Ari-es (Quinten 909 Remix)
MP3: What Kind of Breeze Do You Blow? – Love of Luxury (Lake Heartbeat’s Lake Luxury Remix)

If you download one Annie Mac minimix this year, make it GRUMs.

Listen: GRUM – Minimix for Annie Mac (Radio 1) ←♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Listen: Friendly Fires – Skeleton Boy (GRUM Remix)
Listen: Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come (GRUM Remix)
MP3: GRUM – Minimix for Annie Mac (Radio 1)
MP3: Friendly Fires – Skeleton Boy (GRUM Remix)
MP3: Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come (GRUM Remix)

Minimix tracklist in comments section. Genius.

Dalkeith Country Park, Midlothian

This may be old but I don’t care – Edwin Van Cleef rocks my little socks! Thanks TMS! Asian Dan recommended ‘Kyouki’ a couple days ago. You see how close my ears are to the ground ? The Tom Deluxx remix is another stormer! If I were to ever remix a song, I’d hope it would come out sounding like this Shoes remix – man when that beat drops it DROPS! Naaam Sayyyin??! Got that from LA Friendly. I should rename this post ‘Fucking Bangers To Bop To‘, especially after these 4 eardrum grenades! Kish from Futuristic Silence has awesome taste, and knows a tyrannosaurus beat when she hears it. You can thank her, then, for bringing to your attention this John Roman remix of Felix Cartal.

Listen: Edwin Van Cleef – Overtaken ←♥♥♥♥
Listen: Shinichi Osawa & Nima Tahmasebi – Kyouki ←♥♥♥
Listen: The Shoes – Movin’ In (Feat. Primary 1) (Tom Deluxx Remix) ←♥♥
Listen: Felix Cartal – Skeleton (John Roman Remix) ←♥♥
MP3: Edwin Van Cleef – Overtaken
MP3: Shinichi Osawa & Nima Tahmasebi – Kyouki
MP3: The Shoes – Movin’ In (Feat. Primary 1) (Tom Deluxx Remix)
MP3: Felix Cartal – Skeleton (John Roman Remix)

Dalkeith Country Park, Midlothian

You’d be a Mightyfool not to like this IllStM & Zôl remix. See what I did there. Also, I’m really digging this AC Slater remix. That’s a great name for a DJ eh. I’d be Screech. Panoramix rulez. The Twelves are also yet to disappoint me. Weaving slinky disco basslines into their remixes like they own it.

Listen: Mightyfools – Cops! (IllStM & Zôl Remix)
Listen: Juiceboxxx – 100MPH (AC Slater Remix) ←♥
Listen: Yuksek – So Far Away From The Sea (The Twelves Remix)
MP3: Mightyfools – Cops! (IllStM & Zôl Remix)
MP3: Juiceboxxx – 100MPH (AC Slater Remix)
MP3: Yuksek – So Far Away From The Sea (The Twelves Remix)

The Conservatory (built 1832), Dalkeith Country Park, Midlothian

I actually saw Freeland when I was down in Brighton a few months ago for the Great Escape festival. I’ll be honest – I wasn’t impressed! They came on like Kajagoogoo, but with worse hairdos! HAHA! Joke. GRUM can also do no wrong, his remix of ‘Borderline’ is impressive (altogether now “DO YOU FEEL ME?“) but he really shines on his own track Heartbeats. Heartbeats (like VEGA‘s ‘No Reasons‘) will probably be in my year-end top 10 song list. Lastly, Lifelike is a brutha from another mutha who hasn’t slipped up at all recently. Wind down the end of this post with the 80s-indebted ‘Radio 84′ – fuck me it’s even in the title.

Listen: Freeland – Borderline (GRUM Remix) ←♥♥
Listen: GRUM – Heartbeats (Extended Mix) ←♥♥♥♥♥
Listen: Lifelike – Radio 84 (Lifelike Remix)
MP3: Freeland – Borderline (GRUM Remix)
MP3: GRUM – Heartbeats (Extended Mix)
MP3: Lifelike – Radio 84 (Lifelike Remix)

p.s. look at the size of that fucking chute!! I used to go there (Dalkeith Country Park) as a bairn. Fond memories

You’ve been lost on a desert island for 3 days. You find a radio in an abandoned beach shack, still works. You scan the channels looking for some distant flutter of life beneath the static. You turn the dial until the static subsides… it seems your whole life as been condensed down to those few gut wrenching seconds of silence. And then… a few snare hits. A guitar strum. Hand claps. A walking bass line? And then a voice: “Taking your tiimmmmmeee, to seeeeee, yourseelllllff.” “You’re giving it up.” “Odyssey.” You scan your surroundings beaming through a new veil of optimism. Hell, you don’t even care. Passive optimism. “Grab a coconut,” you tell yourself. “Stay a while.”

Listen: Woolfy – Odyssey ←♥♥♥♥
MP3: Woolfy – Odyssey

Saw this excellent GRUM remix over at LaFriendly. GRUM will be playing Cabaret Voltaire on 4th October. What? Am I going? Why yes. Yes I am.

Listen: Tommy Sparks – Miracle (GRUM Remix) ←♥♥♥
MP3: Tommy Sparks – Miracle (GRUM Remix)

This weekend saw the “largest ever gathering of clan chiefs” in Edinburgh for ‘Gathering 2009‘. Sounds like some sort of techno festival! LOL. Anyway, Prince Charles (known as the Duke Of Rothesay when in Scotland) and that came up to open the festival, which saw over 50,000 people and representatives from over 125 clans (scattered around the world). I always find it fascinating that there’s about 4.5 million Scots in Scotland but at least 25 million more of us settled abroad.

The Gathering 2009, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh

Don’t ask me what clan I’m in. I don’t have a fecking scooby. Anyway, back to what I do know. For instance, this is a banger.

Listen: Aquasky – It Will Knock You Out ←♥♥♥
MP3: Aquasky – It Will Knock You Out

Thanks to Nashville Nights for bringing this one to my earz.