Sing Along Sunday: January Jams

Hola mes amigos,

How is your 2014 progressing thus far? Have you kept up with your New Year's resolutions? This year I've vowed to keep this blog updated on a much more regular basis.

2013 was quite a monotonous year for me; yet, at the same time, I needed just that after getting kicked out of France. I spent a lot of my time regrouping, reorganizing, and realizing who I am now versus who I used to be. Working at 2:30 am EST didn't help my situation much either; there's only so much you can go and explore when you've got to be in bed by 4 pm. Thankfully my hours have shifted and I have been able to strip off the vampire-monk lifestyle I grew accustomed to in 2013.

So, without further ado, I present you "Sing Along Sunday." At the beginning of each month I'll post a new playlist for you to explore. Some of this month's songs are old favorites, while others I just explored this past week; nonetheless, I hope you enjoy what I've got in store for you to start 2014 off on the right foot! To listen to my "January Jams" playlist, be sure to click on this link or follow me on Spotify by going here. Please note that you'll need a Spotify account to access the list. I've included both the artists and song titles below; if you'd rather not sign up, you could always YouTube the songs instead!

1. "Liquid Spirit" by Gregory Porter: How could you go wrong with a song title like that? Clap your hands, bang your trusty tambourine and start your day with this upbeat song. I love playing this when I'm getting ready for work in the morning. There's a great piano solo too, so don't fight the urge to play a little "air piano" on your computer keyboard. 
2. "Friend Crush" by Friends: This is quite the catchy tune. Don't be alarmed if you feel the need to put this one on repeat, especially if this applies to your current relationship status.
3. "She Knows" by J.Cole: I can't get enough of this song. There's this lovely little pause towards the end of the song, making you impatient for the beat to start back up.
4. "Shortyville" by Trombone Shorty: I saw Trombone Shorty live in Lyon two years ago. I cannot even come close to depicting the amount of energy he has on stage. Sometimes all you need is a little percussion and brass to get you moving and grooving.
5. "méRua" by Umamali: I came across this song while browsing artists on Spotify. I found quite a few Garifuna artists, but this song got me hooked to the style. Descendants of shipwrecked African slaves who intermarried with Caribbean people and Arawak Indians, the Garifuna people are now found in Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, and Guatemala. Their language contains a mixture of words from Arawak, French, Spanish, Swahili, English, Bantu, and other languages. Be sure to get out your maracas; you're going to need them for this song.
6. "Warni Warni" by Omar Souleyman: This song made the list thanks to my sister, who found it on NPR's Top 100 Songs of 2013 list. Souleyman is actually a Syrian folk-pop singer. All I want to do when i hear this song is stomp and twirl around in circles. If you're looking to learn how to properly clap along, be sure to check out his music video.
7. "How Deep Is Your Love?" by The Rapture: I had absolutely no clue who these guys were until I listened to a random playlist a few weeks ago. Thirty seconds into the song, I starred it and dragged it to this playlist. The Rapture apparently started up in New York back in 1998 and grew popular in early 2003. So glad I found them ten years later!
8. "Propuesta Indencente" by Romeo Santos: Oh bachata, how I love you and your sexy beat. I could easily look up the English translation of this song, but I prefer to try to figure it out on my own each time I listen to it.
9. "Son Of A Gun" by Oh Land: If you need a new warm up song for exercising, this is it. Snap your fingers and sing along, you son of a gun!
10. "Sharara" by Débruit and Alsarah: Débruit is actually the name of the project created by Frenchman Xavier Thomas. (How could you not expect me to include a Frenchified remix in this list?) In this song he works with the Sudanese singer, Alsarah.
11. "Jamaica Avenue" by Bob Sinclair and Tony Rebel: If you're in need of a little bit of warmth on a cold day, give this a listen. I have to admit, I listened to this at least five times in a row on Friday morning. 
12. "Running" by Jessie Ware: I woke up with this in my head last week. I think that explains my obsession with this song well enough for you to give it a listen. 
13. "Differentology" by Bunji Garlin: I first heard this song in December and instantly knew it would become my new go-to song for 2014. Hailing from Trinidad, Bunji has already collaborated with the infamous Major Lazer. Like Omar, Bunji has a trippy video to go along with his song.
14. "Mast Kalandar" by Red Baraat: I feel like I'm at an Indian wedding in the middle of New Orleans every time I listen to this song. I love the mixture of sounds and the fact that this band includes 8 talented musicians. All I'm missing is an umbrella to twirl down the street.
15. "Warm Water: Snakehips Remix" by Banks: What a wonderful song to warm up to for dance! You could also pair this song with a fancy cocktail in a lounge. Shake those hips from side to side!
16. "Follow Your Heart" by Kacey Musgraves: If you know me well, you know i'm not a huge country fan; however, these lyrics are so perfect I can't help myself from including Kacey on the list. A great tune that points out the contradictions of our society and pushes the listener to do what they want with their life.
17. "Don't Wanna See Your Face" by John Butler Trio: With a coffee in hand on a windy winter day, this song will get you moving on to greener pastures. Lots of clapping involved if you're in need of getting some anger out as well.
18. "Tesada'a Bemeen" by Elissa: I first heard this song in Tunisia and have loved it ever since. Elissa's music makes me want to pack up my stuff, get on a train, and fall in love with the stranger sitting next to me. I'm more often than not daydreaming to this song. I'm also in love with any Middle Eastern song with a great violin score and boy do I want to learn this one!

There you have it folks! Give me some feedback in the comment section below and be sure to bookmark by page or sign up as a follower. I'll be highlighting a few of my latest cooking discoveries in next week's post. Until then, have a splendid week!!

Besos,

La petite pamplemousse