I feel like picking my favourite tracks of the year is by far going to be one of the toughest to choose as part of this 2014 Favourites series. I have however managed to pick a few of my favourite tracks from the year - I couldn't put them into an order though. I hope you enjoy this post and have a fabulous new year!

Paris Blohm ft Taylr Renee - Left Behinds
Left Behinds was a track that I found around June/July time. I found this track through a feature that Deezer have called Flow in which it creates a mix of tracks that the app recommends as well as a combination of tracks that are in your library. I heard the track and I thought it was a great combination of vocals and great production. I managed to listen to this song throughout the remainder of the year and I am still not sick of it.
The track came from Hardwell Revealed: Volume 4 who is a DJ who I am also very fond of. This meant that not only had I found a track that I really enjoyed listening to but an album that was equally as great.

Zedd ft Hayley William - Stay The Night (Zedd & Kevin Drew Remix)
This remix appeared in my April Music Favourites and is still a track that I am very found of. I love the original track as well - it has incredible production as expected from Zedd and the vocal from Hayley Williams does not fall short of what you would expect.
I heard the Zedd and Kevin Drew remix appearing quite frequently in the sets that Zedd was doing throughout the early parts of the year. However, when I heard it being played in his set at Ultra Miami, I knew I had to find out what edit it was because I was a huge fan. I found the EP which contained the remixes of the track and luckily it was the first one I played.
The track itself is very uplifting and definitely one for a party.

Sander van Doorn, Martin Garrix & DVBBS ft Aleesia - Gold Skies
Gold Skies was a track featured in my May Music Favourites playlist. I think that the vocal works incredibly well with the production on the track. I really like that this track is calming than some other EDM tracks that I have heard throughout the year but is still upbeat enough to be played at a party. I have listened to the track throughout the entire year ever since I found it and I'm still not sick of it which I am amazed hasn't happened considering the amount of times that I've listened to it.
When I first heard this track back in May in was very excited about it because Martin Garrix is one of my top three favourite DJs - it did not disappoint. Gold Skies manages to still sound incredible in his sets as well.

Ella Eyre - Comeback
I don't think it would be a favourites post if there wasn't an Ella Eyre track in there somewhere. I have supporting and following Ella's music for nearly two years now and it's great to her now putting out her own music. Comeback was the second single released for Ella's debut album which is dropping early next year.
Comeback is a very fierce song about someone who is unfaithful and who comes running back. I think the track is very empowering and gives you a push to stand up against been taken for a ride. Ella's writing ability also shows through as always.
As most of you are probably aware by now I did see Ella perform in the summer. When she performed this song there was so much energy in the tent and great participation from the audience in the bridge section.

Basement Jaxx ft. ETML - Never Say Never
Throughout this year I rediscovered my love for Basement Jaxx. They were a group that I listened to when I was younger as they were played a lot in my household. However, they were an artist that I didn't actually know what their name was. I managed to find them again because Ella Eyre did a cover of their track Good Luck which is one of my favourites. This then ended up with me listening to all of their songs that I would of heard when I was younger.
I later learnt that Basement Jaxx were due to release their next album - Junto. Never Say Never was a track that I had heard before the actual album release but was a track that I really enjoyed. The song always manages to cheer me up as Basement Jaxx are quite uplifting artists to listen to. I would highly recommend them if you ever need anything uplifting!

Martin Garrix & MOTi - Virus
Virus is a track that I have mentioned within multiple music favourites posts so it only seemed fitting for it to be in my favourite tracks of 2014. I really like the sound of the track - it has a great combination of beats and production to go along with an incredible vocal. I have never been sure what drawn me to this track to much therefore it is hard to explain my love for it.
As mentioned earlier, Martin Garrix is one of my top three DJs so I am always keeping an eye out for new music that he is putting out there. Virus was a song that was appearing in multiple DJs sets but multiple people did not know much about the track other than it was great.
I know I said I wouldn't but the tracks in order but I would definitely say that Virus is my favourite of the year!

This year has been another fabulous year for music and as part of my 2014 Favourites series, I am going to be sharing with you my top 5 albums of 2014. I would just like to point out that these are my opinions and will not follow usual top album trends. Hope you enjoy reading it!


5. Professor Green - Growing Up In Public / PVRIS - White Noise.
For my number five album I couldn't choose which of the two to feature. I felt like both of these albums deserved a mention but it's difficult to compare two albums that are of a completely different genre.
Firstly for Professor Green's album, as I mentioned in a previous post which you can read here, I think it is his best album so far. There is such a range of sounds on the album and includes lyrics that will make you chuckle along with him. My favourite songs from the album are Can't Dance Without You and Little Secrets. Can't Dance Without You is a really upbeat track and is great to lift the mood when you are feeling down. Little Secrets is about cheating in a relationship but it is performed in such a way that it doesn't put you down. It has also just been released as Professor Green's next single.
PVRIS' album is one that I have come across in the past few weeks but I do think is utterly incredible and is worthy of a spot on this list. PVRIS are a combination of rock and electronic - which is probably my favourite genre - and I'm sure you will see posts emerging about them in the future. Every song on the album is one that I could see being a future hit because they are all incredible. However, I do have favourites and those are; My House and St. Patrick - both tracks I think are incredible!

4. David Guetta - Listen
Listen by David Guetta is also an album that I have mentioned recently but as I mentioned, I loved it an awful lot therefore deserving a place on this list. I have also written a post about this album which you can read here. As mentioned in the post, I felt like this album had a really positive energy about it even when singing about topics such as heartbreak. I also found that this album was really uplifting on a Monday morning when you feel a bit down under.
The vocalists on the album fit the track that they were set on and I could't imagine anyone else doing the vocal on any of the tracks. It is an album that I highly recommend.

3. Royal Blood - Royal Blood
Royal Blood's album was one that I waited for a while and when it was released I was not disappointed at all. I think that the album was incredible throughout and I don't think that there was a single weak track. My favourites tracks were Little Monster and Come On Over. I think that both tracks have a brilliant raw sound to them and the vocal is great throughout.
Royal Blood were part of MTV Brand New 2014 and MTV did well to choose them. Their set at Reading and Leads this year was also incredible. The duo have continued to deliver throughout the entire year and I am sure that they will continue to do so throughout the upcoming year.

2. Mallory Knox - Asymmetry
Choosing between the album for second and first place I found very difficult because I feel that both albums are very similar. However, I finally settled for Mallory Knox with their new album this year called Asymmetry for number two. I really love the sound of this album and the variation throughout.  My favourite tracks from the album are Lonely Hours and Shout At The Moon.
I really like the sound that Lonely Hours has. This is because of the calm beginning to the track before going into a much more raw sound with the drums. I also really like the lyrics throughout the song which I find are so beautiful - to do with love and heartbreak. This song ended up being one the early tracks I had listened to from the album, mostly because I left my iPod on shuffle. However, I couldn't bring myself to change the track - it appealed so much. The people I have spoken to about the album have said that they really enjoy this track.
Shout At The Moon was the initial track that I heard on the radio that made me look further into Mallory Knox. Likewise to Lonely Hours, I really like the raw sound that comes from the combined sound of the guitars and drums. Again, I really like the lyrics that go along with the track.

1. Lower Than Atlantis - Lower Than Atlantis
For my favourite album of 2014 I have chosen the new self titled album from Lower Than Atlantis. I love the tracks on this album because I know I can listen to them at anytime. I really like the sound of the album, likewise to Asymmetry the combined sound of the drums and guitars is brilliant. My favourite tracks from the album are Criminal and Damn Nation.
Both tracks are very raw with their sound. Granted Damn Nation starts quite quietly however the rawness of the sound comes through in the chorus of the song. I also really like the lyrics to this song, in particularly: you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. There's something about that line that I find very appealing and true. Even though Damn Nation is one of the heavier songs from the album, I feel like I can still listen to it in the morning without being too loud.
Criminal is also very raw sounding with guitars and drums. I also find the song catchy as I have had stuck in my head multiple times in the months that I have been listening to the album. I quite often have the bridge in my head which goes: yes son we're gonna get some, action, you distract them and I will attack them.
I don't know what it is about that section that I find so catchy. I highly recommend this album - I would considering it's my number one album of 2014!

Becky has also been nominated for MTV's Brand New 2015. If you are interested in voting, all you have to do is on twitter post a tweet with '#MTVBrandNew Becky Hill'.
I am very excited to see what Becky has to offer in the future in regards to singles and an album because I adore her voice!


I am aware this wasn't a highly detailed account for an up and coming artist but I do highly recommend her!

As I haven't chosen an album to review this week, I thought that I would share with you one of my favourite up and coming artists. Callum Burrows or better known by his stage name as Saint Raymond is a singer/songwriter from Nottingham, UK. He has recently been supporting Ed Sheeran as part of his European tour.


Over the past couple of weeks I have been listening to his music increasingly more and more. I have had his EPs on my iPod for months, I loved them and began the journey of increasingly enjoying his music. However recently, I began watching the videos that went along with the songs which normally starts off a bit of an obsession for an artists music. From doing this, I found a playlist with even more tracks from him including covers and music from and EP that I had not heard of until this point.


There was a particular track from the EP called Letting Go which I loved straight away. The opening  I loved which instantly grabbed me. I love tracks that have a lot of layering with different sounds - which this introduction had. The song also reminded me not to hold onto things that aren't worth it but in a nice subtle way that allowed you to do so in your own time unlike other songs of this sort. The lines that stood out the most to me were:
This is the time,
You know that it's right
I'm letting go



Another track by Saint Raymond that I loved is called Ghosts from Ghosts EP. Likewise to Letting Go, this song has a large amount of layering with the sounds used. This song is one that I can't really explain why I love it so much - everything just seems right and sounds incredible. However, like so many other tracks, all I can say is listen to it for yourself and see whether you like it or not. Hopefully you do!


Finally I hope to see Saint Raymond live in the future.
All the links to the videos, social media and music by Saint Raymond will be shown below.

On another note, I am hoping to do more of these up and coming artist profiles for artists that I particularly like. However, I can't say how often those will occur.

Videos
Everything She Wants
Letting Go
Ghosts

Music (links are to Amazon)
Escapade EP
Young Blood EP
Ghosts EP
I Want You - Single

Media
Website
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
SoundCloud
Instagram
iTunes Page

Tickets

Image Source

Artist: Lower Than Atlantis
Album Title: Lower Than Atlantis
Release Date: 6 October 2014
Genre: Alternative Rock
Tracks Standard: 12
Tracks Deluxe: 16
Buy It: 
Amazon 
iTunes

Lower Than Atlantis are a band that I have come across in the past month just from listening to BBC Radio 1. The song I heard was Here We Go, the opening track on the album, which I liked immensely because of how raw I thought the guitars sound throughout the song. This theme follows throughout the album with a combination of great lyrics.
Another favourite of mine from the album is Ain't No Friend Of Mine. I (again) love the guitar in it and how electronic music plays a slight role in the early stages of the piece. I think the lyrics are also incredible. I personally love songs that I can giggle at because I may find them relatable or just because there are lines in the song that I find amusing. This is one of those songs.
I own the deluxe version which also includes alternative versions of a few of the songs. These include Here We Go, Ain't No Friend and Words Don't Come Easily. I really like the fact they have added these versions onto the end of the album because you can listen to a toned down version of the tracks. I think this is a great idea for when you want to listen to the tracks but you don't want to listen to music that is full on; I know I have those moods.
Overall, I really like this album and it has made me reconnect with this genre of music. I am excited to see what else comes from this band. I am aware this isn't their first album but from what I've heard from other reviews, it is by far their best!

Am I An Introvert Or An Extrovert is a question I find myself asking a lot. When it comes to everyone else or group contributions I am definitely and introvert; I hate it so much! An example of this happened a few days ago:
We were in one of our lessons and I had an answer to the question that the teacher had just asked the class, however I didn't want to put my hand up and say it because I hate the contribution. The person I sat next to heard my whisper the answer to the question and said that I should put my hand up in which I replied that I hated group contributions. He then put up his hand and told the teacher my answer acknowledging the fact that it was mine. My teacher then gave up both merits and told me to contribute more but from my end its not quite that simple.
On the more extroverted side of things, when I am around my close friends and people I trust that I can be myself, I completely let myself go and its like nothing was ever introverted. Of course, this occurrence isn't very often but I am trying to find ways to make it happen more often so that I can slowly become more extroverted again.
I feel like I should explain what being introverted and extroverted is just in case you don't know (if you do feel free to skip to the next paragraph). Being an introvert means that you are particularly shy and don't enjoy contributing in group topics or maybe in more extreme cases at all. Being extroverted means that you are a very bold character and can be very loud and not care what other may think. At least that's how I look at the difference between the two.
I don't know why over the past few years I have become more introverted quite rapidly in my eyes. Its gotten to a point in which I won't contribute my answers or ideas in lessons which results in my report being put down and it takes me a while to adjust to a new teacher which means I won't ask for help if I don't feel comfortable. This has meant that I have stayed in the same group when I could of gotten moved up because I have never had that teacher and I feel like I will be back to square one.
Starting college next year freaks me out a lot mainly because I will have to start with the build up of these relationships all over again. How do you even make friends again?
I think one factor that has contributed to this is that I was part of a friendship group in which one member was extremely extroverted and loud and would always but in to what other people were saying. This would then lead me on to not saying anything whilst being around that person which has now had a lasting affect.
Thankfully, now I am out of that situation and I try to avoid it as much as possible if the situation ever arises. I would recommend you all do the same if you have a similar problem.