2012 Summer in the City Playlist

So basically, I have been waiting for this moment for most of the year and have been delaying it since forever, but here is your 2012 Summer In The City playlist filled with everything from the iTunes’ top 100 downloads to triple j’s Hottest 100 to Yasmin’s most played, with annoying commentary that I chose to write because I have nothing to do while I’m at my mother’s workplace.

So to start it all off, one of my favourite tracks of all time. Literally my ringtone for half this year, as well as my dad’s work phone ringtone – yeah I love this song that much. But hey, the title is pretty self-explanatory and is pretty much the reason why I opened the playlist with this track.

Holidays (ft. Alan Palomo) by Miami Horror

I think this was my jam for some of 2010 to much of 2011. I know this accompanied my Klaxons phase in 2010. I literally loved this track to bits and often danced to it in the bathroom before and after showers.

 Sunlight (ft. Dan Black) by the Bag Raiders 

Here’s a track I found while doing math on Australia Day and tuning into my first (yes, my first) triple j Hottest 100. I was doing my math in a five subject binder book and as I was probably doing some stupid question on quadratics, I jotted this song down in the margin, along with some other songs I’ll probably end up chucking into here. Carefree, light and quite tropical – your third track.

 Zimbabwe by New Navy

Thanks to my little sister’s growing liking for the Australian music sometimes being played on triple j, I grew to like the artist to my next tracks. She downloaded the whole album which they came from and I synced it onto my iPod. As I began to use my iPhone, I lost them and only very recently, as I was watching the Arias, did I rekindle my likening of this artist. These two tracks make it really hard to not tap your foot – the main reason why I put these on this list.

Run Alone by 360

Just Got Started (ft. Pez) by 360

Unfortunately, I’m going to change the Australian mood of this playlist and chuck in a song I was pretty much obsessed with from March last year. This song was played in so many places, causing me to sing the tune under my breath or to start a one man rave party. Brought to you by your favourite indie, somehow pop, band who sung that “annoying” song about that high school massacre; here’s your sixth track to your summer playlist.

Call It What You Want by Foster the People

Let’s bring this playlist to current times with this tune. Initially thank you to Gold Fields, who posted up a photo and had this song with an interesting title at the top of the page. Soon after, I found myself sitting on the couch watching The Loop and seeing the music video of this song pop up. Not too hip hop to do a full cat daddy, but enough to do a bit of a dougie? I don’t know, but it’s hella catchy. About a hipster’s paradise with some profanity, your next track.

 Thrift Shop (ft. Wanz) by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

I don’t know but I think I may have a thing about Sweden. Ikea. ABBA. Alexander Skarsgard. Oh and this group. You’ve listened to them before, trust me you have. Mind Your Manners by Chiddy Bang – yep, that was them on that track. I couldn’t match up the voices, and I don’t think I have yet. But this track is so much more cooler and just so much more dancey than that one. It’s already on the charts but I’m so sure this will be everywhere soon. 

I Love It (ft. Charli XCX) by Icona Pop

I think this year was this next artist’s year. This song was pretty much everywhere. I’ve known this artist since I heard her other song, Hollywood, and kind of fell in love (learnt all the lyrics a few days later). I forgot my love for this artist existed and when I heard this song, I was like “I KNOW THIS PERSON”. There was this one time when I was sitting at the computer and my mother was cooking dinner and all I heard was “PRIMADONNA GIRL!” and guess what? My mother was singing the next track. Whole chorus and all.

Primadonna by Marina & the Diamonds.

Earlier on this year, when I went overseas, I picked up a copy of triple j magazine, mainly because Foster the People was on the front (AH YAY), and planned to read it on the plane to Bangkok. I got through it, sadly, within two hours, and I actually read all the articles. I saw the advert for either the album or gig of this next artist, with the slightly iconic album artwork, which is making the rounds of Tumblr being plastered with CLICK FOR HIPSTER, SAD DEPRESSED TEENS and LOVE SOFT GRUNGE AND B&W??? THIS BLOG IS 4 U. Never looked into this, but thanks to Jared Harley for this kick-ass track, which you should definitely all enjoy. 

Amor Fati by Washed Out

I haven’t been a fan of this next band for long, but this next band brought back a few memories when I went overseas. Strangely enough, the opening of this was used in every HBO India promo. I literally saved the tune on Soundhound every single time it played, so that I could search every single one of them up, when I got Wi-Fi back, and find the tune. Their new album came out this year and it’s so beautiful. Anyway, I decided to put this song in because of the calming nature it, and the band behind it, emits. Enjoy.

Sunset by the The xx

After touring with Miami Horror, I had a feeling this band was probably pretty cool. It was by coincidence that I got this song free on iTunes last year and never really got sick of it. I literally can’t get sick of this band’s songs. All their tunes are amazing and really deserve a check out. But in the meanwhile, here’s the song that I got free on iTunes and firestarted the likening for this band.

Moves by Gold Fields

I’m going to stick in one of my favourite songs from 2012 in here. I am 300% that this artist will hit it big. She’s so tongue-in-cheek and so different from everyone in the music industry now. The music video for this song is literally one of the main reasons why I love this song so much. Another reason why I love this song is because of the nineties feel behind it. Who doesn’t love some nineties love?

1991 by Azealia Banks.

The next song I’m putting in this playlist is that song that’s behind every single Vodafone advertisement that was made in 2012. I don’t find it annoying, but I do roll my eyes every time the people in the advert talk over the music. Found this tune from the triple j Hottest 100 and further on watched the music video including a wide-eyed younger version lookalike of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. You can’t go wrong with a frontman like that, can you? Cheeky sounding and way too catchy.

Awkward by San Cisco

Now the last track to my playlist is a song that I found while Shazaming a beer ad. Yeah, you know which one. It's the one down below, so click the song title to listen to the full track once you're done reading this babble. I knew the band in this ad sounded way too familiar and instantly fell in love. As a cover of The Lovin’ Spoonful, it brought an upbeat and lighthearted mood for everyone to enjoy. The actual song isn’t bad either, but for the actual summer season, this song is it. This song will forever be one of my summer anthems and will be my ringtone until summer ends. And for some reason, I’m definitely sure you’ll enjoy this song as much as I do.

Summer in the City by Gold Fields

So there you have it, 15 tracks for your summer soundtrack. The title should have given the best track of the playlist away. It took me a few days to figure out what to chuck on this playlist and I’m pretty happy with everything on here, even if half of the tracks are from 2011. I guess this is an outlook on what I really listen to. If I think it’s suited, I’ll put a playlist on this blog and this will be it.

I think I may be posting up a playlist about some songs that remind me of some awesome stuff that went down this year. I’m not sure if I will though – we’ll see if time allows me.

This whole playlist will be on Spotify too. Just search up 2012 Summer in the City and it’ll come up or click here and it'll come up (if you have Spotify). Subscribe to that to have easy access to it!

Leave some comments on your summer anthem this time around and what tunes are on your playlist!

- Yasmin x

P.S. Here are a few honourable mentions that I think are worth a listen to – 

It’s been on every party playlist I’ve made and the music video totally rules. It’s a remix of my favourite song of this artist – I say it’s my favourite because it’s literally the only one you can dance to without looking semi-possessed. I’m not a huge fan of her music anyway, but this song is great. 

Spectrum (Say My Name) – Calvin Harris Remix by Florence + the Machine

I first heard this and shrugged it off, but while I was looking through the Top Lists on Spotify, I found this and actually kept playing it. If you know me, there are always those ten or so songs that you wouldn’t expect me to know lots of lyrics to. On that list is Rack City by Tyga, Turn All the Lights On by T-Pain/Ne-Yo, Mercy by Kanye West/Big Sean/Pusha T/2 Chainz, Dance (A$$) Remix by Big Sean/Nicki Minaj, N----- In Paris by Jay Z/Kanye West, Beauty and a Beat by Justin Bieber/Nicki Minaj, Starships by Nicki Minaj – basically all the Nicki songs you hear on the radio – and this song. I didn’t even know I knew that many song lyrics… oh god. Sure to be a summer hit this year – I can feel it.

Scream & Shout (ft. Britney Spears) by will.i.am

It literally took me like five Soundhounds to find this track and it became one of my favourite songs. As a triple j Unearthed competitor that has their debut album A is for Alpine  at 48 on Spotify, they are worth a listen. You will fall in love. Their kooky nature that reflects in their music videos and rhythms in their songs is amazing. 

Gasoline by Alpine

I first heard this DJ duo when I was going through someone’s Tumblr and watched the quite scandalous unofficial video to their song What’s In Your Head, on their 2012 EP The Face, which is a pretty good party song other than some bits you may be surprised to hear. It’s a good song but I’m warning you that there’s some… stuff. I’ve fallen for this duo again and they’re right outside the top 20. Here’s something slightly more G-rated for you to listen to, but the video is still a little NSFW. 

 Latch (ft. Sam Smith) by Disclosure

It’s a shame this trio’s journey had to end and I didn’t even get tickets to their last tour. I literally feel all mushy every time I listen to this song. To end your honourable mentions, another amazing tune from a certain Swedish group that you may know.

Don’t You Worry Child (ft. John Martin) by Swedish House Mafia