Music: It's the iTunes remix...

Something I haven't done in a while - I'm going to hit random on my iTunes and tell you all about the first ten songs it picks for me.  No shame here - if it comes up with the garage remix of Britney's Toxic I'll tell you all... I just might not be particularly complimentary about it.  

Crystal Fighters - At Home

From the album Star of Love, for those of you who have never come across them Crystal Fighters combine traditional Basque influences with dance music.  This is a track that I don't often listen to, favouring Follow or Plage, but it's a euphoric and melodic track that deserves a little more recognition.  Thank you, randomiser, for reminding me it exists.

India Arie - Brown Skin

What I'm listening to is an acoustic version of the track but I love it.  It's slow and smooth, and India Arie's voice is rich and velvety smooth.

Rihanna - S&M

Yeah, and so what?  I'm never sure if I like Rihanna because it's good or because I think I can sing the songs.  Either way, she makes good, honest pop music - she should be everything I hate because it sort of sounds like everything else but she seems like a beautiful rebel, and what could be wrong with that?

The Who - The Kids Are Alright

Phew - thank goodness, getting the credentials back after my Rihanna blip.  I don't need to say much about this track - no one needs me to tell them it should be heard.

Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same

Probably not my favourite Led Zeppelin song but still, thumbs up (of course).  I prefer Good Times Bad Times, Dazed and Confused, Black Dog... But still, I don't get to choose.

The Libertines - The Man Who Would Be King

The Libertines...  Well they were good, but I've never been overly interested.  A couple of tracks I'll listen to on repeat (Campaign of Hate) but that's about it.  Bring on the outrage telling me I'm missing something or other blah blah blah...!!  

New Cassettes - Heart Don't Beat Right

Great example of indie dance music from the noughties.  I can't say that I ever listened to another track by the New Cassettes, but I imagine now it would be like meeting your hero - always a disappointment.  I don't want to ruin them for myself if everything else is rubbish.  Advice from anyone who has listened to them more is welcome!

Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night (MTV Unplugged)

An American traditional folk song now most associated with blues musician Lead Belly.  I love Nirvana's version because Kurt Cobain applies such emotion to the track.  It starts as a quiet questioning but towards the end strangled cries of lyrics are completely compelling (as they ever are) and complimented by that haunting backing track.

Ladyhawk - Dusk Till Dawn (The Shoes Remix)

Never listened to this before - came with the single.  Ruined a good song.  Listen to the original.  End.

Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line

End on a high.  One of my favourite Johnny Cash tracks - I love all the different pitches he manages.  A good starter a Johnny Cash newbie who's only ever heard Ring of Fire. 

Music: Crystal Fighters

"Have you ever wondered what would happen if you went back, say, 100 years and dropped a ton of modern recording equipment plus a copy of Mixmag into an obscure hamlet in the heart of the Basque region of Spain and left the villagers, steeped as you'd expect in folk music, to their own devices?" - The Guardian

Crystal Fighters have created their own brand of music and received praise from Dazed and Confused, TimeOut and Mixmag (amongst others) for it.  They've even appeared on Later With Jools Holland!

Combining Basque folk music with dance, producing what they have described in the past as 'raved up, percussive folktronica' gives the Crystal Fighters an edge on other dance acts.  It's difficult to imagine how all the elements of their music could come together so well, but somehow Crystal Fighters manage to reign it all in.  They're certainly not afraid of showing their Spanish roots, and this adds depth to their music.  A perfect example of how they combine genres is the track Swallow, which features Spanish guitars and a dub step baseline.  It should all sound like Fawlty Towers' Manuel on a night out in Ibiza... but it doesn't.

There are of course, tracks I am less keen on.  I Love London is one such track - it's a little repetitive, a little predictable and when you reach the end of the track you realise that actually not a lot has happened.  But it is catchy and I suspect there will be many, many people who strongly disagree with me (proof: it was voted as one of the top 100 tracks of 2008 by Mixmag - but if we agreed all the time it would be boring).

One of their most popular and well known tracks, Xstatic Truth, begins with a simple tunes and soft vocals but slowly builds into an absolute explosion of fun and noise and dancing and everything thats good about music in the summer.  

Crystal Fighters are a welcome breath of fresh air in a time when music can all too soon start sounding the same.  Let's face it - flick through the music channels and you'll hear the same songs over and over.  They are unafraid of doing things a little differently, and with originality and intelligence.  I love that you can listen to one track and it will be folky loveliness and the next track will be a dance track; it makes the album imaginative and exciting.  Everything that music should be but so often is not.

Crystal Fighters' album, Star of Love, is out now.  You can find it here (and many other places... probably).

Visit Crystal Fighters Official website