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SAM SMITH - LAY ME DOWN (ACOUSTIC) I'm tempted to write nothing at all here, just let Sam Smith's mesmerising vocals take you away. 'Latch' gave us a glimpse, but this is pure confirmation of that suspected talent. Acoustic versions can be just an excuse for a stripped back use of a guitar, yet this version actually goes so much further into showcasing what Sam is capable of. Rudimental, Naughty Boy and Pro Green have all stated their admiration of this particular version since its release, and the more people that watch and recognise this talent, the better. An amazing, emotionally fused ballad which is just unable to be listened to just once.

#Sam smith #disclosure #latch #Lay me down

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RAWZ ARTILLA - LOADED (FEAT. NEW MACHINE) "Lethal with the weapon, now they call me Danny Glover" Yeah, lethal sums this track pretty well. With production from New Machine, you know what standard you're going to get, and Rawz Artilla only takes it higher. The video? Wow, as twisted goes, it's heading that way - once you start watching, you can't stop, and when it hits the breakdown and the video picks up pace in terms of lighting, you're only left wanting more.

#Rawz artilla #new machine #loaded

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KAYO KEN - SAY NEVER (FEAT. DANNY WILDER) Racking up near 100 solo tracks, Kings Of The City rapper, Kayo Ken is getting started on releasing these and new tracks in his series entitled '#RealestShitIEverWrote' - firstly with, 'Say Never'. On the track is fellow member of the London KOTC collective, Danny Wilder, and its his voice you hear first, setting that atmosphere in the track, before Kayo Ken arrived and puts across thought provoking and personal lyricism. Stay on the lookout for the next instalments.

#Kayo ken #danny wilder #kings of the city #say never #realest shit I ever wrote

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The Brit Awards 2013: Nominations Last years Critics Choice winner looks set to step up at this years awards. But one particular nomination takes rightful prominence It's that time of year when I get carried away with a certain awards ceremony, The Brits. With growing up watching them it's always been the awards that I've dreamt of being in attendence, so if you're reading 'people who run The Brits' a media pass next year would be much appreciated. Anyway, the nominations were gleefully announced today at an opening ceremony much like the Olympics - well not really. But it had a red carpet with the ever fantastic Paloma Faith on hand to interview some of the UK's biggest musical stars as the entered The Savoy Hotel in London, where it was up to Nick Grimshaw to host the event before James Cordon takes over at The O2 Arena on Wednesday 20th January. Well, here you go. The nominations for The Brit Awards 2013. British Breakthrough Act Nominees Top 5 selected by Voting Academy. Winner identified by public vote promoted by brits.co.uk and BBC Radio 1. • Alt-J (Infectious Music) • Ben Howard (Island / Universal Music) • Jake Bugg (Mercury / Universal Music) • Jessie Ware (Island / PMR / Universal Music) • Rita Ora (Columbia / Roc Nation / Sony Music) British Female Solo Artist Nominees: • Amy Winehouse (Island / Universal Music) • Bat for Lashes (Parlophone / EMI Music) • Emeli Sandé (Virgin / EMI Music) • Jessie Ware (Island / PMR / Universal Music) • Paloma Faith (RCA / Sony Music) British Group Nominees: • Alt-J (Infectious Music) • Mumford & Sons (Gentlemen of The Road / Island / Universal Music) • Muse (Helium 3 / Warner Bros / Warner Music) • One Direction (Syco / Sony Music) • The xx (Young Turks / XL / Beggars) British Live Act Nominees: • Coldplay (Parlophone / EMI Music) • Mumford & Sons (Gentlemen of The Road / Island / Universal Music) • Muse (Helium 3 / Warner Bros / Warner Music) • The Rolling Stones (Polydor / Universal Music) • The Vaccines (Columbia / Sony Music) British Male Solo Artist Nominees: • Ben Howard (Island / Universal Music) • Calvin Harris (Columbia / Sony Music) • Olly Murs (Epic / Sony Music) • Richard Hawley (Parlophone / EMI Music) • Plan B (679 / Atlantic / Warner Music) BRITs Global Success Award The winner of this Award will be announced at the Show on Wednesday 20th February. British Producer of the Year Nominees: In association with The MPG Awards Identified by a panel overseen by MPG. • Damon Albarn • Jake Gosling • Paul Epworth British Single . With Capital FM and iTunes. • Adele ‘Skyfall’ (XL Recordings / XL / Beggars) • Alex Clare ‘Too Close’ (Island / Universal Music) • Coldplay & Rihanna ‘Princess of China’ (Parlophone / EMI Music) • DJ Fresh Ft Rita Ora ‘Hot Right Now’ (Ministry of Sound / Ministry of Sound Group) • Emeli Sandé ‘Next To Me’ (Virgin / EMI Music) • Florence & The Machine ‘Spectrum’ (Island / Universal Music) • James Arthur ‘Impossible’ (Syco Music / Sony Music) • Jessie J ‘Domino’ (Island / Lava / Universal Music) • Labrinth Ft Emeli Sandé ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’ (Syco Music / Sony Music) • Olly Murs Ft Flo Rida ‘Troublemaker’ (Epic / Sony Music) • Rita Ora Ft Tinie Tempah ‘R.I.P.’ (Columbia / Roc Nation / Sony Music) • Rizzle Kicks ‘Mama Do The Hump’ (Island / Universal Music) • Robbie Williams ‘Candy’ (Island / Universal Music) • Rudimental Ft John Newman ‘Feel The Love’ (Asylum / Black Butter / Warner Music) • Stooshe ‘Black Heart’ (Future Cut / Qworks / Warner Bros / Warner Music) Special Recognition Award Winner: War Child UK Critics’ Choice Award : In association with War Child Identified by a panel made up of media music critics. • Tom Odell (Columbia / Sony Music) - Winner • AlunaGeorge (Island / Universal Music) • Laura Mvula (RCA / Sony Music) International Female Solo Artist Nominees: • Alicia Keys (RCA / Sony Music) • Cat Power (Matador / XL / Beggars) • Lana Del Rey (Polydor / Universal Music) • Rihanna (Def Jam / Universal Music) • Taylor Swift (Mercury / Universal Music) International Group Nominees: • Alabama Shakes (Rough Trade / XL / Beggars) • The Black Keys (Nonesuch / Warner Music) • Fun (Atlantic / Fuelled By Ramen / Warner Music) • The Killers (Vertigo / Universal Music) • The Script (Epic / Phonogenic / Sony Music) International Male Solo Artist Nominees: • Bruce Springsteen (Columbia / Sony Music) • Frank Ocean (Def Jam / Universal Music) • Gotye (Island / Universal Music) • Jack White (XL Recordings / XL / Beggars) • Michael Buble (Reprise / Warner Music) Mastercard British Album of the Year Nominees: Supported by The Sun Bizarre Column • Alt-J ‘An Awesome Wave’ (Infectious Music) • Emeli Sandé ‘Our Version Of Events’ (Virgin / EMI Music) • Mumford & Sons ‘Babel’ (Gentlemen of The Road / Island / Universal Music) • Paloma Faith ‘Fall To Grace’ (RCA / Sony Music) • Plan B ‘Ill Manors’ (679 / Atlantic / Warner Music) So, fair play to Emeli, 2012 was definitely a strong year by anyone's starards for her. You couldn't move for hearing her over the summer, especially at The Olympics, which sounds negative on my part. It's not. I don't think you can truly tire of her beautiful voice, and her album 'Our Version Of Events' was outstanding. Obviously last year was dominated by Adele (mainly for flicking the V) and Emeli Sande seems set to reign over this years Brits. (Don't expect V signs...) Personally, I think the nominations are really strong this year. Plan B/ Calvin Harris/ Ben Howard in Best Male, Mumford/ The xx/ alt-J (obviously, it'll be won by One Dirction however), and Coldplay/ Mumford/ Muse in Best Live Act, amongst other strong catagories! (As a side note, how The Script managed to get a nomination is beyond me) Yet, there's one standout nomination that made me check twice, and another look back. I want to thank the Brit Awards incredibly much for nominating Amy Winehouse in Best Female - the first ever posthumous nomination ever. I'm kind of lost for words on it, but I think it's a terrific gesture and should be very much celebrated by music lovers not just across the UK, but worldwide too. Keep Amy's music travelling. In a UK music scene so seemingly dominated by solo female artists, Emeli, Jessie J, Adele, Ellie Goudling, Delilah, you can't help remembering the missing piece is, well, still missing.

#The brits #brit awards 2013 #amy Winehouse #emeli sande #adele #calvin harris #plan b #ben Howard

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"Happy New Year, and that..." Thought you all deserved to have this brought to your attention if it hasn't already... Mike Skinner's full 90 minute DJ set from his night headlining The Nest in London last Friday along with Mele and XO Man amongst others. Haven't had a chance to fully listen through it, but slowly skipping through it, it's a real tidy set, with a massive range of tracks and genres. With Etta Bond and Raf Riley's 'Boring Bitches' to Skinner's own 'Let's Push Things Forward' mixed sublimely with Jay and Kanye's 'Paris', and finishing with the iconic hook, "Has it come to this?/ Original Pirate Material, you're listening to The Streets, lock down your aerial." If you were lucky enough to be there, well, you're lucky.

#Mike skinner #the streets #jay z #kanye west #paris #lets push things forward #raf riley #etta bond #boringbond boring bitches

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Step foward Azealia Banks, it's your turn. 'No Problems' produced by MachineDrum is in response to the track in our previous post, Angel Haze's 'On The Edge'. Ok, so this is hard as well. There's really not much in between the two tracks, both have sublime and addictive production with lyrical ability displayed throughout, with Azealia coming out with, "Who her? I’m a true star/ This bitch brawl got blue balls/ Hard pressed cos I took off/ I’m form fresh from New York.” "Lol I def used that energy to write a fly new jam tho. It’s not even really a diss anymore! Haha !!!” was what she tweeted about the track, and I have to agree, it actually sounds like it could fit on an album, whereas Haze's may just work on a diss track level. Despite that, Haze's lyrics I think are terrific. Better? Not sure. However, if Azealia's right in saying that Diplo called her and stated that Haze's track was written months ago, then by default Azealia wins hands down. This is showing no sign of going away, aparently Haze is already recording another response. Ah well, more music then.

#Azealia Banks #angel haze #No problems #On the edge

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I don't think anyone could have avoided the Twitter spat between Angel Haze and Azealia Banks last night, and as far as I'm concerned, Twitter arguments are funny but to prove you're more talented, the music has to speak for itself. So, to hear about a diss track each should get mouths watering. Here is the first installment from Haze, 'On The Edge'. Flowing over production from Diplo, she goes very fucking hard, "I want you bitches so scared that you mental break / So you'll forever be broke with expensive taste," being a personal favourite. It obviously wasnt going to end here, with the claim from Haze in the track that "I think my album's more done than yours and I just started a week ago," brings in producer Paul Epworth, who's been working on both artists' albums. The claim from Haze was that this track took 20 minutes! Yet Azealia later tweeted, "Diplo just calls me and tells me she [Haze] wrote that track months ago and he had nothing to do with it." So, time for Banks...

#Azealia Banks #Angel Haze #on The Edge #Diplo #Twitter

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Ending up in second place on the BBC's Sound Of 2013 poll, AlunaGeorge have another way of demonstrating to people why they're going to have a massive year ahead. The main way of this however, is their music, and hearing this new track, 'Diver' will do just that too. Really excited to hear more from the duo this year, and with a debut album, entitled, 'Body Music' due in June, We're all going to be in for a summer-album-shaped treat. Just to put the second place in the BBC poll, by the way, last year Frank Ocean was 2nd. Need I say more?

#AlunaGeorge #Diver #Body Music #Bbc #Sound of 2013 #Frank ocean

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Mikill Pane is taking 2013 by the scruff of its neck already. With ‘conceptual’ debut album, ‘Blame Miss Barclay’ on the way, this is the first single in the run up to the release, ‘Good Feeling’. Being premiered by Huw Stephens on his New Music Takeover show in the mornings, it has been played everyday, and it’s certainly a track I’m getting used to hearing on the radio, and long may that continue. Mikill was live on Huw’s show this morning, and discussed 2013, with “festivals in the pipeline”, a definite, just unconfirmed, UK tour plus a very small gig in London to be announced soon - so look our for ALL of those.

#Huw Stephens #Good feeling #Radio 1 #Blame Miss Barclay #Mikill Pane

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MILES KANE - GIVE UP With this new Miles Kane track, it seems 2013 has already started delivering. After a brilliant debut album in 2011, it's been too long since we've been graced with new Miles Kane, and 'Give Up', well, shows that the wait has been worth it. Premierred on BBC Radio 1's New Music Takeover show with Huw Stephens, Miles was there to describe it, "it smacks you in the face, it's perfect." So, let it smack you in the face, and wake you up. Out 24th February, and with an album on the way too - with aid from none other than Paul Wller, it's more exciting times.

#Miles Kane #Give Up #Paul Weller #Radio 1

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Only recently, we gave you the official video for Example's upcoming single, 'Perfect Replacement', so it seems right to also give you a taste of the remix package that'll come with the 24th Feb 2013 release. This remix is courtesy of the ever-lovable Radio 1 Dance Anthems DJ, Danny Howard, and when put simply, is very very good. Other remixes from R3hab & Hard Rock Sofa, Datsik and Toyboy & Robin will be available, and with any single release from Example, the remixes will always be consistently sublime. Of course, Danny isn't the only Radio 1 DJ inclusion in his recent work, with Zane Lowe producing, 'Blood From A Stone'.

#Example #Danny Howard #Perfect Replacement #Radio 1 #Zane Lowe #Blood From A Stone

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RIZZLE KICKS - GEORGIA ON MY MIND (RAY CHARLES COVER) A New Years Day treat from Rizzle Kicks, well Harley I guess - a really beautiful cover of the Ray Charles classic, 'Georgia On My Mind'. Covering any song that's been remotely important or successful in the last is always risky for all the comments telling you that you've ruined it or singing it completely wrong. Yet, for the sane people of this world, the mindset is that there should be no track that can't be covered, as being able to hear the, in a different light is constantly refreshing. Furthermore, younger fans are then opened up to music of old, which can only be a positive influence. The filming on this, as with any Rizzle Kicks video, is brilliantly filmed, so it's a proper joy to watch and listen too - can imagine it sounds great if you're still hungover...

#Rizzle kicks #Ray Charles #Georgia on my mind #Cover #Harley

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EXAMPLE - PERFECT REPLACEMENT (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 'Pefect Replacement' actually came in 22nd place in our Top 50 Tracks Of 2012 (we glanced over the fact it was going to be released in Feb 2013) so on a personal level, it has always been one of my favourites from Example's 4th studio album, 'The Evolution Of Man'. Produced by Feed Me gave this track a good look on paper, especially since the release of 'Midnight Run' - also produced by Feed Me. This is the official video for the first single since the release of the album itself, and features an underground, ravey feel (not gonna get any better at describing it to be honest) and the track will be fully released on 24th Feb 2013 and includes remixes from Danny Howard, R3hab & Hard Rock Sofa, Datsik and Toyboy & Robin. Conveniently the morning after the Earls Court tour date - which we'll be at!

#Example #Perfect replacement #Earls court #Feed me #Danny howard #Midnight run

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1. PLAN B - ILL MANORS

TRACK OF THE YEAR:

The date was 27th February, it was about half 7 in the evening, and it was a moment I'd been waiting for, well a lot of people had been waiting for. We'd been promised a vastly different sound from Ben Drew in his 3rd album, and a return to rap was what many had hoped for. However, I don't think anyone expected what was to come. 'Ill Manors' was what we heard, with the single and album, and what we later saw with the film. But the single, my god... I was blown away, I listened over and over and over again. So much so that after listening to an in depth interview with 1xtra's Mistajam and Plan B, I felt compelled to write about it, and I mean properly write about it - the track struck something inside me. This was the article I wrote, if you're at all interested: 'There's no such thing as broken Britain, we're just bloody broke in Britain'. I've cut out section from my article, "To many people, it may just sound ‘shouty’, ‘chavy’ or even ‘inflammatory’, but this only highlights much of what Ben tries to convey through his music. Problems in society. The uneducated mess in the UK – either academically or socially." This track inspired me so much. The production, the lyrics and their delivery were flawless. But so many tracks, in this list especially, have that sorted too know. What Ben's track had that no other real track this year had, was a message. Not some bullshit, 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' type of thing. A real message, something worth spreading. But it was something not enough people were spreading. You think about this summer in the UK; it was magical, sporting achievements that could fill up The Thames. You remember the summer before that in London though? Hmm, not so nice and happy. Plan B dared to go right to the heart of that. Not skirt around, picking off singled out bits of 'news' like the papers and TV companies did. He dived straight in at the deep end. And for that, he needs praise. 

I've realised I'm ranting again, and I've already done that in the article I've attached,  but I hope I've managed to show you just why 'Ill Manors' is my un-doubtable Track Of 2012.

#plan b #ill manors #top tracks of 2012 #overwritemag

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2. DISCLOSURE - LATCH (FEAT. SAM SMITH)

This was that little Disclosure track I mentioned when I announced 'What's In Your Head' at #8. 'Latch' is our 2nd best track of 2012. The distinctive soundings of Disclosure with the addition of Sam Smith's memorising vocals is as much a winning combination as I've heard. It's such a pleasurable track to lay back to, and fully deserving of this number 2 spot! "I'm latching onto youuuuu" Like Rudimental at #3, cannot wait for this album next year...

#disclosure #latch #sam smith #top tracks of 2012 #overwritemag

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3. RUDIMENTAL - FEEL THE LOVE

Right, before you press play on this track... do you remember summer that well? If not, now press play and see if that helps. This track was EVERYWHERE, and for so many bloody good reasons. 'Feel The Love' featuring the soaring vocals of John Newman is Overwrite's #3 in out Top 50 of 2012. What can I say to even begin to give this track the credit it deserves... I'm struggling. I don't think there was a more distinctive sound over the summer, Rudimental hogged it all up (rightfully). 'Not Giving In' was at #28 in our rundown, and I seriously cannot wait for this album to come out next year! Big up Rudimental, you're #3!

#top tracks of 2012 #overwritemag #feel the love #rudimental

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4. CALVIN HARRIS & DILLON FRANCIS - HERE 2 CHINA (FEAT. DIZZEE RASCAL)

Without question my favourite track off '18 Months'. We've already had 'We'll Be Coming Back' at #41, and 'Sweet Nothing' at #16, but 'Here 2 China' had to be RIGHT up there, and it's our #4 Top Track of 2012! Dizzee flowing like of old, over 'cannot explain how good this is in words' kind of production from Calvin and Dillon... A line up of artists that has been hard to beat this year. Only problem with it? It's only about 2 minutes 30...

#calvin harris #dizzee rascal #dillon francis #here 2 china #top tracks of 2012 #overwritemag