SLAG PATROL

2007 Top 20: 6-10

6. Kanye West – Stronger

Daft Punk enjoyed a great renaissance this year, with this track, a bunch of mash-ups, and an amazing live version of Around the World combined with Harder Better Faster Stronger. One of the poppiest hip hop tracks ever, Kanye’s Stronger is perhaps the best workout song that came out in 2007. I don’t think it really meshes well with the rest of Kayne’s Graduation album (which is great, btw), but it was definitely one of my favorites to run to.

7. Kylie Minogue – Sensitized

Kylie’s album X is about an 8.5 out of ten. Some great tracks and only one or two meh ones. This is my favorite track (along with Stars)–the pulsing, slinky 8-bar beat that holds the track together is great.

8. Kylie Minogue – Stars

This song feels like the happy ending of a movie you really like. To me, anyway. It just makes me happy.

9. Timbaland feat. Kerri Hilson & D.O.E (vs. Daft Punk) – Way I Are

Loved the original–especially the ‘I ain’t got no visa’ line (for obvious reasons). This mash up, by Loo & Placido, adds some needed bulk to the song.

10. Justin Timberlake – What Goes Around Comes Around (Sebastien Leger Radio Edit)

Last time I post this song! Promise! The best of all the What Goes Around remixes, I love the bouncy 8-bit beat; Sebastien Leger is now one to watch for remixes.

David Guetta – The World is Mine (F.M.I.F. Radio Edit)

I heard this and first thought it was excellent for a followup (to Love Don’t Let Me Go), but then discovered Guetta actually made it in 2004 and it’s just now getting wide US release. But it’s great. The ‘the world is mine’ vocal sounds like David Gahan from Depeche Mode, but the only vocal credit I could find was to JD Davis, and the main beat (but not vocal) is from an old Simple Minds song. I hope this becomes massive.

Beyonce & Shakira – Beautiful Liar (Freemasons Radio Vox)

Popjustice brought this one to my attention–pre-remix it would be generous to call Beautiful Liar mediocre, but Freemasons have taken another okay Beyonce song and made it brilliant. It was tough to decide whether to post the short radio edit, longer club edit, or full 11 minute club mix, but I think the punchy radio edit gets the message across best.

Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E. – Way I Are

Popjustice also did a great review of the new Timbaland album recently (in which they determined, on a track by track basis, that nothing on the album is as good as Maneater. But what is? They still gave it an 8 out of 10). Way I Are is too short and has a few too many Sexyback-style “Yeah!”s, but it’s still very good.

Madonna – Like A Virgin (live 2006)

This rework of Like A Virgin is both dramatically different from the 1984 original (adding Stuart Price synth chords and beats) and also quite similar–the spirit of the song remains intact. It’s from a concert at Wembly in London last summer.

Apologies to my (3-4?) readers for my lameness for missing January and most of February. But I’m back now–and it’s going to be different. I promise. Heh.

Justin Timberlake – What Goes Around Comes Around (Junkie XL Small Room Remix)

What Goes Around Comes Around was actually the first song I posted on Slag Patrol back in October. It is reminiscent of Cry Me a River, but brings with it Timbaland’s magic touch. I’m really glad it was released as a single because now there are remixes, and this one’s brilliant. I’ve found Junkie XL remixes to be a bit of a mixed bag in the past–some I’ve adored and some I’ve found boring–but this one’s great. It plays up the emotion by using the verses in an unexpected way.

Timbaland feat. Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake – Give it to Me

Anthony and I actually saw Nelly Furtado last week at the Hammersmith Apollo, and she did this song. (Fantastic show by the way–Nelly’s voice is amazing and she was most definitely not using a backing track; she reworked some of the classics, did gorgeous acoustic versions of Try and Crazy, and closed with Maneater.) Give it to Me is no Maneater, but it is slick and the guest vocals are well utilized.