Funky jams for grey days: A January Playlist

It may be a new year, but I haven't yet finished a year of monthly playlists. As I started in March, I've still got a small way to go! 

But I'm still going strong with making them — and posting them way too late to be relevant for the month they were created — and so here's the newest edition: New Year, Same Shit. 

Let's take a look, shall we?

I found the song, Violence) through Apple Music's weekly For You playlist, and while this song has just enough gut-punching emotion and intoxicating licks to be one I've had stuck in my head all month, Apple Music's suggested songs are rarely so addictive. They do an excellent job of finding songs which I love 20 seconds of, but rarely find ones I love from start to finish, or would call great. Thankfully this one is a firm favourite.

They do a much better job with their Up Next artists. Sabrina Claudio has a hint of FKA Twigs about her song Unravel Me, and a voice reminiscent of the likes of Lianne La Havas on some of her mellower, less electronically-effected stuff. Still, for a 21-year-old, she's got enough of her own thing going that I'll be listening to her album for some time. It's both warm and cold at the same time, and superbly chill.

I went on the biggest Franz Ferdinand kick at the beginning of the month after seeing a poster advertising their new album while Lia and I were in LA. Take Me Out has been one my all time favorite songs for as long as I can remember, and even my ringtone for a good while, but I'd never dived into the rest of the catalogue. Simply brilliant, and I can't wait for the new album.

Marvel's Black Panther comes out so soon, and the soundtrack — featuring the likes of Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Future, and James Blake — sounds like it might be as good of a standalone record as a banging movie backing. 

And speaking of James Blake, he finally released new music *heart eye emoji*. "Vincent" is beautiful, and just as simply brilliant as his piano stuff can be. "When the Car Beside You Pulls Ahead" is... Weird. Didn't like it. Tried to get into it. Sounded like something was broken, and not in a good way. "Vincent" makes the playlist, the one with the obnoxiously long title does not.

James Blake wasn't the only one with new music though, Drake came back with a couple of moody bops, and Justin Timberlake has a new album to coincide with his Super Bowl appearance. I'm looking forward to watching his halftime show, but his new music is not great. "Supplies" is silly, but it is catchy. One of his other pre-released tracks, "Say Something," featuring the country singer of the moment (and all the Grammy awards) Chris Stapleton, is not silly, and is kind of dull, but does have an awesome music video!

Other than that, there's a few random songs I've been jamming to — like Rex Orange County's "Never Enough" (FIFA soundtracks kick ass), Perfume Genius' explosively chorused "Slip Away," and "LOVE." by Kendrick, which I've had stuck in my head all month. What a song. 

I know, not a single mention of Harry Styles. I was surprised too.