75 Fabulous Songs from 2023: part 2 of 3 (26-50)

Time to get your body on the dance floor, with a little bit for the brain too.

Dec 30, 2023

Welcome to part 2 of the 3-part Best-Songs-of-2023; the groove-a-ganza mid-section. The area covering the hips, the belly, the booty, and the sex organs. The following tunes will activate the entire body, but you may notice extra tingling, swaying, and bouncing in these parts.

If you missed part 1, which features elements of punk, indie, shoegaze, metal, power-pop, ‘80s, ‘90s, and more, Click here to check it out.
Part 3 (coming soon) will feature a wide variety of styles, including singer-songwriter, country, Americana, experimental, progressive, ambient, and my favorite cover songs.

The Spotify playlist for songs 26-50 is below, as well as YouTube video options!

As always, I’d love to know what you think of any of these tunes. Leave a comment, send me a private note, sharing it with your friends, and if you aren’t already subscribed, click that Subscribe now button. Thanks!

1. DRAMA — Tighten It Up

DRAMA is a collaboration between producer Na’el Shehade and vocalist Via Rosa. Their Chicago house meets jazz-funk-bossa nova blend is supremely contagious. “Tighten It Up” might be the tightest and tastiest dance tune of the year. The way the bass synth, cowbell, and horn section accents interact is pure dance floor magic.

2. Coloray — Buy Me

Here’s how Bandcamp describes Coloray:

Dutch multi-disciplinary artist, Coloray, has carved his own lane in the music industry in recent years. With an extensive back catalog of electronic hits, the artist has consistently questioned the norms of the dance world by placing songwriting at the forefront.

I knew nothing about Coloray until right now when I looked him up online. I love his retro/techno sound, and I especially appreciate the way he incorporates spoken word bits into his songs.

3. Barry Can’t Swim — Sunsleeper

Friend of Earworms & Song Loops, Kiley Larson, who writes the great “Check This Out” music newsletter, turned me on to Barry Can’t Swim (and many other fantastic new artists) in 2023. Listening to BCS’s debut album, When Will We Land?, I immediately connected with their contagious blend of deep house, jazz, afrobeat, and funk. Alibora (a traditional Galician band) provides the vocal sample on “Sunsleeper.”

4. The Allergies/Andy Cooper — Tear the Place Up

What their Bandcamp says:

The Allergies are back to 'Tear The Place Up! This album is bursting with their trademark explosive energy. Across each dynamite track they mash up feel-good hip-hop flavours with club bubbling styles, dynamite soul selections, and a whole heap of expertly chopped sample sources and powerhouse vocal performances, resulting in a collection of punchy and powerful beat-based tracks that span multiple genres.

This dude Andy Cooper, who I know nothing about, has some killer motormouth flow. I don’t know what he’s saying, but the way his voice weaves in and out of the speedy surf-guitar riffs is masterful.

5. Oddisee — How Far

Producer turned MC, Oddisee has been around the block for a couple of decades, mostly behind the boards, but since 2008, on the mic where he most definitely belongs. I dig the backing vocals singing “How far will you go?” in between the off-kilter beats.

6. Jungle/Erick the Architect — Candle Flame

Jungle has been around for a while now, and although I find their music hit and miss, their music videos are always fire. Every song on their 2023 album Volcano has a video filmed in one long shot featuring some of the best dancers and inspired choreography I’ve ever seen.

“Candle Flame,” featuring Erick the Architect, is my favorite track on the album.

7. Young Fathers — Rice

Young Fathers are deservedly getting a lot of love on the year-end best-of lists. I had them as an alternate. But they could have easily made my top ten. Especially with “Rice,” which features a call-and-response, almost religious vibe. These Young Fathers have a lot of wisdom beneath their “youth.” Dig the live version above.

8. Brittany Howard — What Now

If “What Now” is an example of what to expect with Brittany Howard’s new album (also titled What Now), due on February 2 next year, we might have a contender for album of the year on our hands. I’m digging her branching out into more electronic, groove-forward, experimental directions.

9. Genesis Owusu— Leaving the Light

Ghanaian-Australian songwriter and performer whose music draws from laid-back funk, hardcore rap, and alternative rock. “Leaving the Light” has an infectious electronic rhythm and an intense, dramatic keyboard riff. “Better run— there’s a God, and he’s coming for me…” gets repeated over and over. God never sounded so sinister.

10. Laamar — Say My Name

This minimalist soul song by Lamaar feels like a lost classic from the ‘60s or ‘70s. Though the lyrics could be talking about the realities of black and brown-skinned people in the U.S. at any time, it most definitely feels like the current climate. “Say My Name” is sung like an insistent chant, a plea that we are all human, and we all deserve dignity, respect, and to be seen. Powerful and unforgettable.

11. The Harlem Gospel Travelers (with Aaron Frazer) — Help Me To Understand

Aaron Frazer (Duran Jones and the Indications) joins the Harlem Gospel Travelers, their voices combining to give this gospel tune by Eli “Paperboy” Reed a sweet insistence. Simply a fantastic song.

12. Black Pumas — Chronicles of a Diamond

Black Pumas returned in 2023 with arguably their best album. Of the many strong soul classics, the title track might be the best. Listening to it gives me goosebumps. The way the guitar, drums, and piano fit together, along with Eric Burton’s Sam Cooke’ish voice is sublime.

13. The Arcs—Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore

The Arcs’ “Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” led by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach (on vocals and guitar), expresses raw emotion in a way that reminds me of the great soul singers of the ‘60s and ‘70s. With the death of multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Richard Swift in 2018, I imagine that this is likely the end of the road for The Arcs. Here’s hoping there are more gems hidden in the archives that will be released by Auerbach in the future.

14. Gotts Street Park/Rosie Lowe —Summer Breeze

We are now entering the sexy, slow jam segment of the playlist. Starting off with a tasty ballad by Gotts Street Park, featuring the velvet pipes of Rosie Lowe, “Summer Breeze” has the right vibes for getting things moving into the bedroom. Truly sexy slow jams are rare birds; with Gotts Street Park they seem to have flocks of them at their disposal.

15. Willie J. Healey (w/Jamie T) —Thank You

I get vibes of Midnight Vulture-era Beck here in Willie J. Healey’s sultry, silly “Thank You.” It’s retro, goofy fun that reminds me of the smartly, hilarious songs of Flight of the Conchords. It’s a nice tune to accompany some between-the-sheets activities.

16. Mayer Hawthorne — Physical Touch

Mayer Hawthorne has been creating romantic, groovy, retro-soul vibes for more than 15 years. “Physical Touch” continues in that trend, prepping the listener just right for the next track which takes things a bit further….

17. Jessie Ware—That Feels Good

Jessie Ware’s last three albums have cemented her status as disco goddess. Her latest, That! Feels Good!, might be her best yet. A collection of booty-shaking anthems, the title track starts the sweaty dance-floor party right. With this and Janelle Monae’s The Age of Pleasure, 2023 gave us some fantastic records celebrating the joys of sex in our modern age.

18. Janelle Monáe — Know Better (featuring CKay, Sean Kuti & Egypt 80)

Several songs from Janelle Monáe on her 2023 sexuality opus, The Age of Pleasure, could have been featured. My favorites, like “Know Better,” feature the support of Seun (Fela) Kuti and Egypt 80.

19. CMAT—California

CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson), was a top discovery for me in 2023. It was “California” that I heard first, and is the track that still stands out for me. It’s a gorgeous song, with lush orchestration and powerful vocals that remind me of Adele and a touch of Kate Bush but is distinctly forming a sound all her own.

20. Andrea Ward—Game

Another new discovery in 2023, I was immediately transfixed by Andrea Ward. The control she has over her voice, mixed with instrumentation that weaves in and out like a dream. “Game” has a sensual, hypnotic flow that never fails to wow me every time I hear it.

21. Kara Jackson—Dickhead Blues

Kara Jackson is a revelation. I am still working my way into her 2023 debut album, Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? I’m not sure I’ve heard anything like it before. There’s a sparseness to it, but also an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink vibe. The production is experimental, with moments that touch on soul, jazz, blues, folk, and musical theater. And that’s all displayed in the song “Dickhead Blues.”

22. African Head Charge—A Bad Attitude (w/King Ayisoba)

We are lucky to have another African Head Charge album to celebrate. It’s been more than 12 years since the psychedelic dub ensemble, led by percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah, graced us with new expressions from his unique world music palette. So good.

23. WITCH — Avalance of Love (w/Sampa the Great)

WITCH (We Intend to Cause Havoc) hadn’t recorded new music for almost 40 years. In the ‘70s, WITCH was one of the defining acts of Zamrock, a fusion of Western rock and rhythm & blues with traditional African sounds. 2023’s Zango, one of the year’s best, shows these Zambian veterans haven’t lost a step and are keeping with the times, collaborating with current artists, such as Sampa the Great, on “Avalance of Love.”

24. White Feet — Yema (w/Vieux Farka Touré)

White Feet so wonderfully fuses the raw power of the Delta and Chicago Blues with African rhythms and vocals, including “Yema,” featuring the great Vieux Farka Toure.

25. Jaimie Branch — Borealis Dancing

Brooklyn-based avant-garde jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Jaimie Branch sadly passed away in 2022. Her posthumous release, Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)), is a testament to her incomparable songwriting talents and musicianship. There a lot to explore in the entire album, but “borealis dancing” perfectly captures her inspired artistry. R.I.P.

Earworms and Song Loops

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