Calvin Harris Shafts HAIM With Low Budget For "Pray To God" Video

While Calvin's latest collaboration with Ellie Goulding is sorta kinda flopping here in America and someone at Columbia sniffing crack decided to release "Open Wide" to rhythmic radio, he's already started promoting one of the better cuts from "Motion" elsewhere.

The Pop Critics Top 20 Releases of 2013

2013 was a mixed bag when it came to releases. Like 2012, it was the debuts of artists that really shined, where some follow-ups did their job cementing their status as some of the best acts of the These are the releases that captured my ears, my Last.Fm account, my iTunes, kept me going through grueling exercises and long days of doing homework and held my attention from their release dates up until this list was created. 

20.Perfume-Level3

The Japanese trio under the tutelage of composer Yasutaka Nakata's fourth full length album mixes what the girls have been putting out for the past thirteen years of their career into a neat package of sugary, electropop eargasm that even a person unfamiliar with the Japanese language can get into. 

Recommended Tracks: Spring of Life, Spending All My Time, Magic of Love

19.Lorde-Pure Heroine

While Lana Del Rey had to (re)-work to get the public to show her some type of admiration, 17-year old Ella Yelich O'Connor from New Zealand  did it without trying. Pure Heroine is an aged album that's best listened to with some type of understanding of the world, or a rainy day is ok too.

Recommended Tracks:Ribs, Tennis Court, Team

18.James Blake-Overgrown

The post-dubstep phenom dug a little deeper for his second LP, which is more a continuation of his self-titled LP rather than a deviation. Rather than recycle the understated iciness that made James Blake so good, he opened himself up to collaboration with Brian Eno and RZA and added warm tones of R&B and soul, making it moodier and more accessible.

Recommended Tracks:Digital Lion, Take The Fall For Me, Voyeur, Retrograde

17.Kanye West-Yeezus

Kanye, though polarizing in real life, always makes above average music (except for "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", I have no idea what he was thinking when he released that). Though it divided his fans, "Yeezus's" mix of genres from industrial to metal and glimpses of pre-808's Kanye are warm welcome and gives us hope that Kanye will give us another "Graduation" caliber release, but don't hold your breath waiting.

Recommended Tracks:Blood on The Leaves, Bound 2, Black Skinhead, New Slaves

16.Kavinsky-OutRun

Kavinsky's 80s inspired concept album about a teenager who becomes a music making zombie after crashing his Lamborghini (every teenager's dream to be honest) was six years in the making. Six years that couldn't have come sooner, especially after hearing "Nightcall" in "Drive" two years prior. "Outrun" is a test drive you'll want to repeat on numerous occasions. Maybe over some episodes of Knght Rider (the 80s version, preferably).

Recommended Tracks: Suburbia, Nightcall, Protovision, Deadcruiser

15.Frankmusik-Between

After leaving the big wigs over at Island, Vincent Frank was able to stretch his wings and get his creative juices flowing, which resulted in a independent dance record for the ages. Frankmusik drops us in on the tail end of a relationship, where he goes from questionably passive aggressive, to angry, to resolving his issues and moving on. All over some solid production and catchy lyrics.

Recommended Tracks:Cake, Fast as I Can, Captain, Life is My Revenge

14.Autoheart-Punch

Autoheart's debut is a slow starter and may take a few plays before you can fully appreciate the depressing yet whimsical nature of it. Piano pop in its purest form, "Lent" is a rare record: untouched by the hands of mainstream radio and made for the ears of people who more than likely never hear Jody Gadsden's glorious feminine vocals.

Reccomended Songs:Control, Agrophobia, January, Lent, The Sailor Song

13.HAIM-Days Are Gone

HAIM actually knows how to sound like the 80s, 90s and 00s without cheesing it up to high heaven. Rock music with a pop sensibility that few can master, Days Are Gone blends all the ingredients of what an emerging indie superpower should aspire to sound like: consistency, cleanliness and fun.

Recommenced Songs:The Wire, Let Me Go, Forever, Days are Gone, Don't Save Me

12.Alice in Chains-The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here

After 2009's "Black and Blue," many were unsure how the refurbished Alice in Chains would sound going into future. Rest easy fans, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Put Here  is a mainstream rock album that doesn't compromise the tortured grit that made the band the alternative staple that it is today. The band hasn't sound this fresh or cohesive since the 1995 EP release "Jar of Flies".

Recommended Tracks:Voices, Choke, Scalpel

11.Oliver Tank Slow Motion Music

The Australian's 2nd EP is more a religious experience than a listening one. A dreamy, ethereal landscape is created within the span of seven tracks, doing what Bon Iver's Justin Vernon does on their album, though conveys the feelings behind the songs better with the icy production and haunted special effects.

Recommended Tracks: Stay, Home, Blessing In Disguise, Her

The Pop Critics Top 30 Songs of 2013

Maybe the album doesn't live up to your standards, but individual tunes do. Genre-mashing, funk, throwbacks, songs with interpolations of timeless rap novelties were what the public wanted. All the songs are here in a convenient Grooveshark playlist for you. Enjoy and comment!

Haim "The Wire" Music Video

The Haim sisters seem to be taking notes from Electra Heart on how to be a heartbreaker, as the girls let go of their boyfriends and leave them bawling like babies in "The Wire" video. And yes, that is Jorma Taccone, one of non-hilarious but best looking one from comedy musician trio The Lonely Island.

Haim Comes Strong With "The Wire"

The sisters Haim, the winners of the BBC Sound of 2013 poll have been toiling away working on their debut album, which will hopefully see the light of day sometime during the fall. With the band postponing their European tour to work on it, I expect nothing but perfection from them. Single three, live favourite  "The Wire" is here in it's glossy studio form and a bit more barren than their guitar driven original. It is a slower monster than their past singles, "Falling" and "Don't Save Me", which were immediate grooves upon a first listen, but that doesn't mean that it is any less of a tune. With influences from glam rock and Michael Jackson apparent, who wouldn't like this song? Highlight: the climax with its layered vocal patterns and string section.

BBCs Sound of 2013: The Top Three and Others Who Should Get Some Success Too...

As with every year, BBC has crowned the next biggest things to come in music for the new year. The Sound of...poll has included the likes of Adele, Jessie J, Ellie Goulding and some unfortunate choices
(50 Cent? Skrillex?). There were five that BBC specifically highlighted, but the top three and a few others who didn't place.

3.Angel Haze
Who is she? Angel Haze can be equated to another Sound of...poll nominee, Azealia Banks. The Michigan native has garnered critical acclaim for her intellectual rhymes and honest lyrics, which landed her a major label deal with Island Records. She is hard at work on her debut studio album with Paul Epworth and has already recorded a track with UK drumstep producers Rudimental. Haze placed third overall.

2.AlunaGeorge
Who are they? They are the producer/singer duo of Aluna Francis and George Reid. The UK is known for giving us some great duos and they are no exception. Prior to them placing second in the poll, they were shortlisted for BRITs Critics Choice (losing to another Sound poll nominee, Tom Odell, who reminds me of James Blunt (eww). They are set to release their debut album in June

1.HAIM
Who are they?-An all female, made up of sisters rock band with a hint of 80s synthpop and 90s grunge. If you've heard Ladyhawke's first album, think that. The band is signed with Polydor and are currently enjoying some success with their latest single, "Save Me." The trio, who ranked first, have been praised for their live performances and could pave the way for guitar-driven music to make it back to the mainstream and we don't me the synthetic Dr.Luke kind either.

I like all of these acts, but I felt that Angel Haze was the most predictable of the top three. After Azealia Banks making on the list in 2012, you're pretty much guaranteed a spot somewhere on the list if you're a black female rapper who brings something different to the table (not taking anything from either artist). I'm hoping that Angel will capitalize on the success of the poll more than Azealia did, who only produced one charting song("212"), released a free mixtape and started many a Twitter feud instead of coming out with that album we were promised. In all honesty AlunaGeorge has the most potential to make it big, as they combined the best of neo-soul and electronica almost flawlessly. They could do some major damage if they can just get mainstream radio behind them.
Now for those who didn't make it who I am quite fond of

King Krule

When I was scouring the list before the official results were released, I came across this guy and his song "Rock Bottom," a blend of surf guitar, jazz fusion, and a INCREDIBLY heavy Cockney accent, which can make you love or hate him. I assumed because of his throwback sound, he would be a shoe-in for one of those top spots in the poll, but I guess not. No word on a debut album, but I'm hoping for sometime this year.

A*M*E

She's influenced by the 90s and K-Pop (she even stylized her name like a K-Pop idol.) Who wouldn't want her to win? The girl has released two really good singles in "Play The Game Boy" and "Heartless" and has the potential to shake up the UK's overly saturated generic electropop/dance pop market. A*M*E is currently signed to Universal and is eying 2013 for the release of her debut album.

One thing is for sure, 2013 will definitely be a better year for music in the United Kingdom than 2013. America watch your back.