By Alex Morris

Desert Island Discs – 15.09 

Toploader – Dancing In The Moonlight (2000) First CD-single (@Rachael, that’s like a ‘stream’ but made of metal, @Sean, that’s like a vinyl but smaller and made of metal) I ever bought. Distinct memory of hearing it sat on the floor of my old football manager’s black cab (shout out to Fabio). And also Chris Moyles singing it on the X-Factor maybe? Anyway, this song could bring whole nations together I reckon. Oh apparently not, seems the song was placed at number 17 on BBC Three‘s list of “The 100 Most Annoying Pop Songs…We Hate to Love”. Well this is the same public that voted ‘Mrs Browns’ Boys’ The Best Sitcom Ever, so… Have also found out that it’s a cover, written by someone as they recovered from being attacked by a gang and ‘envisioned an alternate reality’, so up yours BBC Three Viewers, you heartless, tasteless bastards. 

M-People – Moving on Up (1992) Memories of sitting on the stairs as a toddler and hearing my parents losing their shit to this in the living room hosting a ‘dinner party’ (aka wine-session with the occasional Kettle Crisp). Could never quite figure out if Heather Small was male or female. Doesn’t matter. You go sister. 

Strike – U Sure Do (1994) That. Drum. Beat. Great to just lose your shit to for 90 seconds on a dance floor (the song essentially repeats after that, so mix out quick). Speaking of which, a staple of the 5 DJ sets I’ve done in my life. Sample’s Donna Allen’s ‘Serious’. SERIOUSLY a banger… right? 

Beyonce – Love On Top (2011) Three words for you. The. Key. Change. ICONIC. Reminds me of a gap-yah travelling around Australia with two mates, yelling this at top volume. Other backpackers didn’t quite know what to make of three lads telling everyone to ‘shut up and respect the key change’. Didn’t make many friends actually. Top trip though. 

Four Tet – Pyramid (2011) Ok so picture the scene. Nice little Alex wanders off to Manchester to go to University. He’s quite proud of his music taste. It’s mainly dictated by the NME. He plasters his room with posters of Joy Division. He wanders to a festival called Parklife. ‘Let’s go see Four Tet,’ someone says. He wanders after them. And WALLOP. WHAT IS THIS SORCERY FILLING MY EARS. This guy is a fucking genius. I don’t even think this is his best song but I remember repeating the chorus over and over for months afterwards. 

Burial – Archangel (2007) Now this knocked the socks off my iPod shuffle. A dark, head-down mood and emphasis on atmosphere over melody. A sample of Ray J’s “One Wish,” turning single vocal lines into entire melodic phrases, a main string sample taken from the soundtrack for the video game Metal Gear Solid 2 and a pitched-up Christina Aguilera a cappella performance from Saturday Night Live. An obvious combo, really. 

Caribou – Can’t Do Without You (2014) Alex continues his descent down electronic music lane. He finds himself at a festival in Amsterdam called Dekmantel. A life affirming melody follows him round the festival. It’s this song.