Artist: PVRIS
Album Title: White Noise
Release Date: 4 November 2014
Genre: Alternative Rock
Tracks Standard: 10
Tracks Deluxe: None
Buy It: Amazon iTunes

I mentioned PVRIS towards the later part of 2014 and featured this album on my 2014 album favourites post. I think that now is a good time to review it. I know when I really like an album when I still listen to it months after its release and still love it an awful lot.
I really love everything this album is - the vocal, production and the music. The album is a mixture of rock, alternative and electronic and this combination is quickly becoming one of my favourite genres. The album features a range of slower songs such as Eyelids and more upbeat such as St. Patrick.
My favourites tracks on the album are Mirrors and St.Patrick - I do love them all though. These two tracks are two of the more upbeat tracks on the album. I normally try to pick songs off an album that aren't singles but St.Patrick is such a good song I couldn't stick to that philosophy. The song never fails to put me in a good mood after listening to it as I feel like I can apply what the song is about to situations in my life. I think the track is the perfect balance between synths, guitar and drums - not too much synth but enough to transform the track itself. Lynn's vocal on the track and the entire album never fails to amaze me as she has a different tone to her voice to other voices on the rock scene and I think this works as an advantage for the band.
Mirrors once again provides a great balance between synth and the rest of the instruments on the album. Despite the track being upbeat, there is a section in the bridge which is much slower and really shows off Lynn's vocal. This also means that when the chorus kicks back in, it has much more impact than the previous times.
White Noise is an album that I highly recommend. I find it so easy to listen to in all situations, each track is different from the previous and it always puts me in a good mood!

Disclaimer: I do not own the image above used for the cover art of this post. It was taken from here

Against The Current are a band that I have been following for a while now and I genuinely love their music an awful lot! I don't know if I would class them as an Up And Coming Artist but I do think that they deserve a lot more recognition for their work.
I came across their covers on YouTube when they collaborated with another artist on YouTube called Alex Goot. The cover was of a track called Find You, originally performed by Zedd, Miriam Bryant and Matthew Koma who are all artist that I love an awful lot. I really liked the cover and what Alex and Against The Current had done to it, therefore prompting me to look them up. The cover is below; Find You Cover - Alex Goot. Against The Current


I then listened to some of their original music as well as their own covers. Against The Current also have an EP called Infinity which I particularly love! I find the EP so easy to listen to, whether that be writing this post, doing homework or walking about.
What I love about this band for starters is Chrissy's voice - main vocalist. I really like the sound of her voice as I find it so different to anything that I have heard before or that I listen to. Another thing I love about the band is how the try and combine pop and rock. For example, they recently covered Uptown Funk with Set It Off, putting a rock spin on what has been a very popular pop song. You can listen to it below; Uptown Funk - Against The Current & Set It Off


I really like what Against The Current did with this song especially as I wasn't overly keen on the original and I've had this on repeat!
My favourite original song by Against The Current is called Another You (Another Way). I really like the lyrics to the track and I think that many people will find it relatable. I also really like the melody and find it incredibly easy to listen to in any situation. You can listen to the track below; Another You (Another Way) - Against The Current


Against The Current Links;
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Pre-Order Gravity EP HERE

Artist: Hardwell
Album Title: United We Are
Release Date: 23 January 2015
Genre: Dance
Tracks Standard: 15
Tracks Deluxe: None
Buy It: Amazon iTunes

I wasn't sure what to expect in the build up to the release of Hardwell's album United We Are, especially when previews were being released on his YouTube channel. I do admit having now listened to the album, I was slightly disappointed however I do still have a few favourite tracks from the album.
I firstly want to address a track on the album called 'Sally' which is going to be the first single released from the album. At first I really liked the sound of the track, it had that raw guitar sound that I really love. However then the vocal started...There was nothing wrong with the vocalists voice I want to put that out there now but I didn't like the lyrics at all. The song included large amounts of swearing and I didn't feel like it had much depth to it other then who the vocalist was sleeping with.
On a more positive note my favourite tracks from the album were Follow Me, Eclipse and Birds Fly.
Eclipse is the opening track on the album and as I said in my music favourites, is possibly one of my favourite opening tracks on an album!I love the string section in the opening minute as it isn't something you would expect on an dance album. After this first minute, Hardwell kicks it up a notch with a big drop which he maintains throughout the track with a combination of the strings and beats.
Follow Me is the second track on the album and after the impact that Eclipse had had on me, it would take a lot to top. Admittedly as I am not a fan of Jason Derulo, I wasn't expecting a lot from this track. However, on this particular occasion, I really like the vocal! I think his voice works really well with the track and enables Jason to actually show off his voice. Follow Me is also accompanied by an incredible melody and drops by Hardwell as you would expect.
Birds Fly is the calmest track on the album and I personally think that you wouldn't think it was a track by Hardwell. However, I really love the lyrics to this song - for the most part. I find that the opening verse is a bit strange, maybe I just need to understand is better to appreciate it better. The section I like the most is the pre-chorus which goes like:
When your a star.
And your looking up at the stars.
It just looks like venus or mars
Let's make this universe ours.
Gravity's holding us down.
So let's turn this planet around.
Oh now, don't you worry 'bout how.
Can't nothing stop us now.
Saying that, I am a bit iffy on the break down towards the end of the track - I just don't feel like it was necessary and would have been fine without it!

Album Mini Mix

Artist: Fall Out Boy
Album Title: American Beauty / American Psycho
Release Date: 19 January 2015
Genre: Rock
Tracks Standard: 11
Tracks Deluxe: None
Buy It: iTunes Amazon

American Beauty/American Psycho is the eagerly awaited new album by Fall Out Boy - I also featured it in the list of albums I was looking forward to in the new year.
When I first heard a few of the singles being released off the album in the build up to the launch, I was a bit worried that I wouldn't like it as much as Save Rock And Roll. However, I can confidently say after a week of listening to the album that I do definitely like it and that I was wrong to worry. Admittedly there are songs on the album that I am not so keen on but as a whole I think it's great!

My favourite tracks from American Beauty/American Psycho are Uma Thurman, Novocaine and Fourth Of July.
Uma Thurman has such a funky beat to listen to and is very catchy, particularly in the chorus. My favourite lines from the song are:
And I slept in last night’s clothes and tomorrow’s dreams
But they’re not quite what they seem

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!