Top 10 Mini Albums of 2014

Before we move on to the best of the best early next week, I'm going to pause for my top mini albums (or EPs) of the year. Given that this format is used most widely in Asia, there's a lot of K-Pop on the list. Strangely, there's also only one female representing this year! I'll be looking for them to come strong in 2015! To be eligible for this chart, the albums must have at least four full tracks.

10. HyunA - A Talk



I became a HyunA fan this year, despite not being into too much of he stuff in the past. That's all to do with this sleek, dud-free collection of charismatic dance pop.

9. BTS - Skool Luv Affair



Nearly a full album, with eight tracks on the expanded version, I didn't like this quite as much as their other release this year, but you can't deny the pair of singles...totally different from one another but both awesome.

8. VIXX - Error



Glossy, meticulous production highlights this collection of dramatic, sci-fi flavored dance. The title track is epic, and the rest of the album surprisingly lives up to it.

7. Exo - Overdose 



EXO had a quieter year in 2014, with just this mini-album release. It's not their most in-your-face collection, but it's an incredibly interesting listen, sonically, and of course includes the fantastic title track.

6. Halo - Hello Halo 



One of the most promising new debuts of the year, I love that this group is pure POP and doesn't really try to be anything else. It's a short album, at only four tracks, but they're all bright and fun.

5. Austin Mahone - The Secret



It may not include his best song (What About Love), but the throwback sound to the late 90's Swedish pop boom is incredibly welcome and sets this collection of songs apart from everything else out there.

4. Gravitonas - Garden Of Men And Machines



My favorite release from them, simply because each and every song is flawless. It has a nice sonic variety as well, with aggressive dance sitting beside pensive balladry.

3. The Fooo Conspiracy - Conspiration



These guys released two excellent EPs this year, but this is my favorite. It's a masterclass in fun, youthful 2014 urban dance pop. Playful, energetic and ridiculously catchy.

2. Taemin - Ace 



I'm a massive Michael Jackson fan, which is part of the reason I love K-Pop so much, and Taemin delivered what sounds like a modern MJ release. His background as a dancer is evident in the way his vocals massage the beats.

1. B1A4 - Solo Day 



No single release this year sounded more like summer than this. Overall, it's more subdued and downtempo (even acoustic) than most of what I like, but song for song, I don't think this mini album could be beat in 2014. It just makes me happy.

Top 50 Singles of 2014: 45-41

45. Gravitonas - People Are Lonely (ft. Army Of Lovers)



A stark, melodic ballad bringing together two of Swedish mastermind Alexander Bard's pet projects. Delightfully weird, yet emotionally mainstream.

44. BTS - Danger



A charismatic hip-hop track with an addictive, guitar-fueled hook. Remixed later in the year with an equally good, slowed down tempo.

43. Dami Im - Super Love



An Avicii-style dance track that could have been generic if not for Dami Im's superbly soaring vocals.

42. Crayon Pop - Hero 



An off-kilter duet that sounds a bit like Abba on crack. Won't be for everyone, but it's definitely for me!

41. Michael Jackson - Love Never Felt So Good 



An unreleased track by a musical legend, updated with today's production while still retaining its classic, groove-filled feel.

Don't forget, if you'd like to listen to the Top 50 Singles Countdown in full, download the audio version!

Gravitonas - Playing With Fire

"When I'm playing with you, I crash and burn"

Gravitonas is a band I really should have been a bigger fan of over the past few years. I mean, I love Alexander Bard's work with Bodies Without Organs (and really, his work in general), and Gravitonas feels quite similar in a lot of ways. Well, I'm making up for lost time, and it's all do to their new EP, Garden Of Men And Machines. It's the release that has officially turned me into an obsessive fan. And while some of the more downbeat moments, namely Smoke In The Mirror and People Are Lonely, are probably my favorite tracks on the EP, I'm going to share the one that first caught my attention. Playing With Fire is a massive, Avicii-style dance anthem. I didn't even know this band made music like this. It's like a big 80's AOR soundtrack song augmented for clubs. It's a surprising jolt of energy and demands to be heard. And if you're like me, it'll just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this band.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Top 50 Singles of 2010: 25-21

25. Gravitonas - Kites



Alexander Bard’s new band’s first single proved to be their best--a slowly building electro-rock grind that becomes more immense with each passing second.

24. Ola Svensson - All Over The World



He came back this year with two tracks worthy of standing beside his best work. This easily could have been the Summer’s anthem had it been released sooner.

23. Hurts - Better Than Love



I’ve known of this song for a couple of years now in its original demo form and it was such a treat to hear it as a single in 2010. This is the kind of uptempo track Hurts should be releasing more of.

22. Short Stack - We Dance To A Different Disco, Honey



I was skeptical that Planets was a one-off and these guys would revert back to their old, annoying sound, but then this came out and blew me away. A brilliant example of radio alt-rock at its best.

21. Ola Svensson - Unstoppable (The Return Of Natalie)



My favorite entry in this year's Melodifestivalen, delivered by one of the most consistent popstars in Sweden. The piano riff is absolutely insidious. But it’s that chorus that seals the deal.

Gravitonas - Not Gonna Be Dancing

"I'm just gonna be crying around you"

I love the way Sweden's Gravitonas are releasing music this year. A string of EPs isn't always the best choice for artists, but it's working very well for them. I've loved the stuff they've released so far, though I'm not sure everything would work as well as an album (the songs tend to get a bit samey back to back). The new EP, The Coliseum, is darker than past releases. I'm not sure I'm instantly as hooked as I was with past songs, but it's always great to hear new stuff from these guys. Not Gonna Be Dancing is the initial standout for me (and an interesting contrast to BWO's We Should Be Dancing, another Bard tune). It's not only the most uptempo track on the album (despite depressing lyrics), but it's also the most radio friendly. The pulsing melody isn't instantly identifiable as Alexander Bard's work, which is important because this project could easily become predictable. There's also some impressive string work here (that reminds me very much of the Wanted's recent hit, All Time Low).

Gravitonas - Not Gonna Be Dancing by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Gravitonas - Religious

"You can call me fanatic"

Gravitonas is an interesting concept. If I'm being honest, I would've rather just had a new album by BWO. But, since Gravitonas sound almost identical to BWO, it's not much of a complaint. They're not as visually interesting (yet), but Bard's music is always welcome on the pop landscape. Religious is the new single, and uses the same melodic structure we've grown accustomed to in many of Alexander Bard's songs. As usual, though, he's augmented it with a production flourish that makes the whole thing seem fresh again. In this case it's a choral, gospel sound that builds as the song goes along. It's not as instant as Kites was, but it improves on each listen. It's the instrumentation that really gets you. This is part of the band's new EP, which is also quite pleasant, if not earth-shatteringly good. I'm intrigued. We'll see where that leads...

Gravitonas - Religious by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Gravitonas - Kites

"All we want is to be heard"

I feel like Alexander Bard (of BWO, Army Of Lovers, Vacuum fame) really only has a few song templates that he keeps reshuffling and releasing. There's certainly a Bard "sound." I think I could spot one of his songs without even knowing who the artist was. So, it's not surprising that his first single with his new project Gravitonas sounds like it could have been on the latest BWO album. The only real difference is the vocals (though new vocalist Andreas Öhrn even sounds a little like BWO's Martin Rolinski). Luckily, Kites would have been a great BWO song and is, in fact, a great Gravitonas song. It's hardly the rock music some of us were expecting, though there is a catchy guitar hook throughout. More importantly, the track builds into somewhat of an anthem. The chorus is pretty silly, but delivered with the total straight-faced drama that seems to be a bit of a Bard trademark. Best part? About a third of the way through when the beat well and truly drops. It's nice to know that the pop world has someone like Alexander Bard (even though I'd prefer another BWO album!).

Gravitonas - Kites by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.