22 of Princess Stomper’s favourite songs of 2012 so far

Nicola Roberts – ‘i’

It would have been easy for Nicola to whack out some dull autotuned pap, but instead she made a daring and honest record that was universally acclaimed but underperformed commercially. (Yes, it was last November, but I only just heard it.) Thwarted in her attempts to pin down Kate Bush, the title track on Cinderella’s Eyes is a spot-on impersonation with a Depeche Mode-style backing. The rest of the album is different shades of electropop, closer to Oh Land or Lykke Li than the likes of her bandmate Cheryl Cole. This is typical: at first listen you’ll frown, but it’s all earworm.

Azealia Banks – ‘Liquorice’

I had no idea how Azealia Banks could follow up the ludicrously popular ‘212’, but she’s gone and made another stupidly catchy pop-rap song with filthy lyrics. I’m not sure whether the smut adds to or detracts from the appeal, but I’ll be humming it regardless.

Jonny Greenwood – ‘Popcorn Superhet Receiver’

Found back in March on Greenwood’s collaboration with Penderecki, this is dissonant soundtracky bliss (and surprisingly easy on the ear). He’s come a long way from ‘Creep’.

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by Princess Stomper

Princess Stomper is a former magazine contributor and music researcher, who now works in a marketing department for an academic organisation. She lives in the English countryside and runs the Reinspired blog.

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