poptimists | Chart Championship Week 6 RESULTS (Reply)

Over to

infov0re! Come back in a couple of hours for revelations.

"I think this lot is a pretty accurate representation of the kind of stuff I like - the electronic and hip-hop are almost all winners; the more guitar-led pop turns out to be something I'm fussier about. Anyhow, there are definitely more than 6 winners here; I think only a few tracks I could do without any future. So definitely a success. Also: nice to see people responding not only to the kind of stuff I've been sending _out_, but also my biog. I still don't feel very "poptimist", but am glad there's enough stuff here I like! Also, amused that the first three tracks are my favourites - I usually gravitate to the beginning of CDs, but those three are all solid gold, for me.

01. Nachlater - "Fett": Love it. I'm a sucker for this sort of stuff - tight, European electro. Makes me want to dance, even at my desk. And, as usual, I just really love the way it sounds - great gamut of frequencies in here. Lyrics are both German and French - the French stuff is great; I'm a sucker for French rap too; love the polytrhythmns coming out of the repetetive stuff at the end. I know it's first on the CD, but this is perhaps my favourite right now. 1st Place - WIN -

lockedintheatti's cosmopolitan squad bangs them in.

02. Roisin Murphy - "Leaving The City": Really like this, too - I used to listen to an awful lot of music like this. Love the emphasis on the plucked samples, which are processed and truncated all over the shop - the accelerating bouncing-ball style riff sounds great. There's a nice flow to it, and the vocals aren't too floaty. There's a definite edge in the singer's voice, which is something I like - too many girl + electronics outfits go for the ethereal/floaty too much, and are weaker for it. Her voice is lovely at the deep end. Reminds me a little of Frou Frou, before Imogen Heap went too floaty. 2nd Place - WIN - smooth play leads to an easy win for

blue_russian

03. Pack - "Vans" And this is great too! I've actually heard _of_ this without hearing it (though I've heard other things from the Hyphy scene, and this feels a bit different). Really catchy, love the unusually high sine-bass, and it's (Vans, The Pack). Like. Had heard _of_ this without actually hearing it. 3rd Place - WIN -

koganbot plays a pressing game to come away with points.

04. Carina Round - "Into My Blood": Reminds me of PJ Harvey; both in terms of lyrics and the singer's great voice: enough growl but a great top-end. As a song, it's alright. I like the rhythmic thrust, but it doesn't seem to take I enjoyed it, but am not necessarily sure I need more of it in my life - it'd be interesting to see how an album develops. 8th Place - LOSE - a mis-step by

skillextric throws title race wide open.

05. Dave Clarke - "No One's Driving (Chemical Brothers Remix)": I think I got this because I mentioned Big Beat. Hmn. It's making me re-examine my relationship with big beat. I mean, the peaks of big beat were great, but there was a lot of middle-of-the-road stuff churned out. This reminds me a bit of Midfield General, which makes it not at all bad, but very unremarkable. It just doesn't connect with me very much. 11th Place - LOSE -

martinskidmore's side just don't perform on the night.

06. Saul Williams - "Reparations (List Of Demands)": This is good - really insistent, great lyrics, works so well; there's a definite _edge_ to the whole thing. Is it Saul Williams? The spoken word bits are very familiar (I've got _Amethyst Rock Star_, which is stunning). (That said: very reminiscent of parts of _St Elsewhere_, which is a complement to both Cee-Lo and Saul). 5th Place - WIN - hard-fought win for

lisa_go_blind - her fourth in a row.

07. Rasputina - "Deep In The Sweetwater": I like the layered cello loop, but it's a bit Enya-y. As a whole, this is reminding me a bit of Lamb. I'm not sure it develops as well as it good - they get too stuck in the loop and a too-gentle crescendo. The middle eight doesn't do much for me at all, though. I really like this style of thing, but I'm not enjoying it as an example of a genre. 9th Place - LOSE - board issue vote of confidence for beleaguered

piratemoggy

08. 2 Live Crew - "Pop That Coochie": Hah, this is fun. I think that's the best thing I can say about this - I'd definitely be caught dancing to this. I ilke the way it's essentially over-the-top in the lyrics, and love the contrast between the guitar-looped chorus and the rhythmic verses that just let the flow stand out. Nice drum programming too; feels slightly retro as a whole. 6th Place - DRAW -

byebyepride cheered by unexpected point.

09. Squeeze - "Is This Love?": Very indiepop. It's possibly a bit too "beat combo" - uptempo, unremarkable singing, and it's not very memorable. I do like the guitar solo, though. Feels a bit older - reminds me a little of the kind of thing Mando Diao are doing these days (but they're at the "rock" end of the spectrum, with this nearer to "pop"). Not so good. 10th Place - LOSE - old stars fail to perform for

jeff_worrell

10. Lo Fi Fnk - "Steppin Out": Very electropop. Not sure about the vocals - they're buried a bit too much, and feel almost too shy - but I like the contrast the backing track has with them - the off-beat synth-chords, and that bass. I also really like the arpeggiated riff, and what it brings to it. Somewhere in the middle. This makes me feel a bit like track four, except that I _would_ want to hear more of that. 7th Place - LOSE - cruel defeat for

popjusticeuk

11 Apples In Stereo - "The Bird That You Can't See": Oh, this is definitely fun. A certain kind of American pop I really like. And the beginning! Love that DESH bassline that kick it off. I'm a sucker for vocal harmony, too. A total grower - ended up rating it higher than I'd have expected. 4th Place - WIN -

epicharmus leaves it late to seal win.