Yes I know end of year lists are so last month but for what it’s worth here’s part one (numbers 151-200) of the 11th Music Like Dirt top 200 tracks of the year. (2005 seems a long time ago).
There are playlists galore below including most of the major streaming services (although most have missing tracks)
Whyd.com / Youtube / Spotify (Web / Player) / Soundcloud
151. PWR BTTM – Ugly Cherries
My girl get’s scared
Can’t take him anywhere”
PWR BTTM is a queer punk band formed at Bard College, New York where Liv Bruce and Ben Hopkins bonded over a mutual interest in bringing elements of performance and drag artistry into DIY culture. The ‘Ugly Cherries’ album documents the duo’s experiences with queerness, gender, and adulthood over the course of a year of living in upstate New York.
152. Lockah – Barcelona Linn Reprise
“The EP’s supposed to play like a lost 80s pop group record,” say Lockah “I wanted to use the title to namecheck ‘Blue Brindle’, an imaginary studio ensemble that’s supposed to conjure up the image of a protégé group, like Rick James’ Mary-Jane Girls or Prince’s Vanity 6.”
153. Michael Christmas – Grab Her Hand ft. Mac Miller
Now usually I’m nervous and this ain’t no exception
I’m hidin’ this erection, I’m searchin’ for affection”
154. Secret Rendezvous – Homie, Lover, Friend
155. Dominique Dumont – L’esprit de L’escalier
156. Rachael Boyd More Than a Flag
157. Semi Hendrix feat. Coast Contra & 4rAx – Breakfast at Banksy’s
Wrote the Bible with my left hand
Upside down doing a keg-stand”
Legendary West Coast emcee Ras Kass and Grammy winner Jack Splash are together Semi Hendrix.
“I decided that if I was going to make true art, then I needed to work with the best of the best…the Picasso of the West Coast,” says Splash. “And everyone who comes from LA knows that it doesn’t get any better than Ras Kass.”
158. Chee – On the Beach Dub [Warrior Dread remix]
An advert for a monthly Caribbean disco party on an artificial beach near to the airport in Aichi, Japan.
If only more ads came in the form of 80’s digital dancehall but then Japan does love reggae more than almost anywhere Jamaica aside.
159. 79rs Gang – Drama
I still can’t believe I got an Indian gang.”
Oh to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, or for that matter any time of year. The 79rs Gang is a collaboration between two Mardi Gras Indian tribe leaders, the 9th Ward Hunters’ Big Chief Romeo Bougere, and the 7th Ward Creole Hunters’ Big Chief Jermaine Bossier. It’s got the traditional call and response style bringing the energy and tradition of Mardi Gras but contemporary lyrics warning off those intent on creating “drama” or giving Indians a bad name by bringing a gun.
160. Savages – The Answer
161. Michael Rose – Stalk of Sensimilla (Compa remix)
Compa delves into the Star Trail back catalogue to remix Michael Rose’s 90’s tune.
162. BjöRk – Lionsong
I smell declarations of solitude”
163. Nap Eyes – Dark Creedence
Dark creedence, over my glass
Over my glass now is gone”
164. Girl Band – Paul
Better not ask our bleached moustache
Has given us a rash
Nice Ronny anyway”
165. Nadia Rose – D.F.W.T
South London’s own Nadia Rose demonstrates her lyrical prowess over the instrumental of Mila J’s ‘My Main’.
“There’s this misconception that “female rappers” should unite since we’re the minority in the industry. I say fuck them and fuck that. I’m not gonna work with someone I don’t necessarily rate/respect based on gender and/or inequality. I do me and here I am.” – Nadia Rose
166. De’Borah – Jeremiah
De’Borah: “I have a vulnerability about me,and I really believe that not only does vulnerability connect with people but it’s quite empowering. That’s what runs through my music.”
167. Ought – Beautiful Blue Sky
168. Tink – Ratchet Commandments
if you know your rent due/get the f£$k out the club”
With a nod to Notorious B.I.G’s “Ten Crack Commandments”, 19 year old Tink delivers her own ‘Thou shalt nots’ with Timbaland in vintage form in the producers chair.
169. Hugh – Almost Done, Almost There
170. Grandbrothers – Wuppertal
171.Blacks – Roll Deep (Feat. Manga, Jendor and Flow Dan)
172. Nitty Scott MC – Generation Now
Please wipe your feet before you enter my mind
I’m bear foot sitting in the lotus, focus on my kundalini have you taken notice”
After turning 25 and splitting from her management team, Nitty Scott, MC returns with a video for “Generation Now,” from her 2014 project ‘The Art of Chill’.
The videos YouTube comments may focus on the physical more than the metaphysical but it’s a socially conscious song that finds Nitty hovering over the planet, lotus like as she contemplates the nature of life.
Oh and it samples a staple of my youth, “Pass The Dutchie” by Musical Youth (which in turn was a cover/sample of The Mighty Diamonds “Pass The Kouchie” and U Brown’s “Gimme The Music“).
173. Jenny Hval – That Battle Is Over
Statistics and newspapers tell me I am unhappy and dying, that I need man and child to fulfill me, that I’m more likely to get breast cancer.”
174. Dua Lipa – Be the One
175. Earl Sweatshirt feat. Wiki – AM // Radio
176. Romare – Motherless Child
177. David Bowie – Blackstar
Something happened on the day he died
Spirit rose a metre then stepped aside”
178. Alabama Shakes – Gemini
179. C Duncan – For
180. Mariah – Soko Kara
181. Dilly Dally – Desire
182. Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat – This Dark Desire / On The Motorway
Watch how she keeps their lies alive as they run through her veins and huddle in her holes”
183. Dope Saint Jude – Brown Baas
Do you know what it’s like to be brown for a girl like me?”
184. Downtown Boys – Monstro
Bi bilingual political dance sax punk party from Providence.
185. Frankie Lee – Where Do We Belong
186. Car Seat Headrest – Times to Die
187. Grimm Grimm – Kazega Fuitara Sayonara
188. Julia Holter – Feel You
189. KOJEY Radical – BAMBU
190. Meek Mill – Lord Knows
191. LoneLady – Groove It Out
192. Archy Marshall – Ammi Ammi (Featuring Jamie Isaac)
193. Big Sean – Outro
No late fees, Kool-Aid smile, Colgate teeth
The bigger that I get, the more I need shrinks”
194. Bully – I Remember
I remember that box of letters
I remember that naked photo
And I remember things getting better”
195. Wire – Blogging
196. The Scribes – TITAN TV
197. Kwabs – Cheating On Me (Tom Misch Refix feat. Zak Abel)
198. Lucy Dacus – I Dont Wanna Be Funny Anymore
199. Bibio – Petals
200. Janelle Monáe and Wondaland – Hell You Talmbout / Yoga