Offbeat

Do you find that music has a crazy effect on your mood? And that 'What's your favorite song' is one of the most difficult questions to answer, because it can change drastically depending on the time, weather, where you are, who you're with, what you dreamt about last night? My taste in music ranges from Leadbelly to Lykke Li, Daft Punk to Dengue Fever. Mainstream, underground, cheesy, loud - I'm all about it. Call it eclectic - or, if you will, offbeat.

When I am feeling angry - which is rare, but does happen - I like to blast a little Yeah Yeah Yeahs. This is rock 'n' roll at its best and frontlady Karen O is the baddest of the bad. Put this on loud, jump up and down and punch the air. All the awful things will seem a little better - or at least conquerable

You make me wanna SHOOP

When I'm studying/working/writing, I love some good background music to keep me motivated - but lyrics can be distracting. This Clams Casino playlist is the perfect remedy - uplifting hip-hop beats but completely instrumental and lyriclessssss. Do it dudes

RIP David Bowie </3

Whoever told you Moby is cheesy was lying. This song gets me every time - a traditional 1940s folk song punctuated with that signature chilled out techno beat. It's cozy and uplifting. Also ideal for nighttime driving (see Neptune - Lemonade post).

This sultry tune comes off Sebastien Tellier's third album Sexuality, which was produced by Daft Punk's Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. It's relaxing, chill, and just a leeeetle bit sexy, like a love song dedicated to the hot hot summer time.

Hey remember Fresh Prince of Bel Air? Remember what a sweet show it was and how good the theme tune was? Don't ya wish there was a goofy dance-y kind of version of that song you could jam to while reminiscing about the Nineties? There IS !

Buscabulla is Spanish slang for 'troublemaker,' just one aspect of this Brooklyn-based boyfriend-girlfriend music duo that makes them so alluring. The vocals are soft, dreamy and sensual, while the retro/tropical/electropop instrumentals are simple but oh so effective, paying homage to their Puerto Rican roots. PLUS, and I only just learned this now, their EP was produced by none other than Blood Orange. See, everything is connected!

If you're a sucker for synthy Eighties music like I am, you'll probably get a kick out of Dev Hynes, aka Blood Orange. This particular track features Caroline Polachek from the band Chairlift - one of many, many collaborations Blood Orange has done. He has written songs for FKA Twigs, Solange, Florence and the Machine, and the Chemical Brothers, to name just a few. Seriously, check out this dude's bio - he is a force to be reckoned with. And that slick style!

I am a massive fan of a little music genre I like to call Nighttime Driving Music. You know the kind I mean -- wafting tunes, heavy metronomic beat, atmospheric melody, maybe an unexpected harmony... all around otherworldly. Neptune by Lemonade hits the nail on the head. If you're not driving a car at nighttime right now, close your eyes and picture luminous headlights rolling by under a dark, dark sky. If you are driving a car at nighttime, keep your eyes open please!

You know when you listen to a song over and over again to the point of wearing it out and never wanting to hear it again so help you God? This has never happened with Passin' Me By, and I listen to it A LOT. Something about the earnestness of the lyrics and the dooope beat.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret.... When I'm feeling down, I use a nifty trick that cheers me up without fail: listening to the Beach Boys. I don't know what it is about those crooning Californians, but it really works a charm. Help Me Rhonda is not one of their best-known hits but it remains my favourite -- just try not to bob your head and shimmy your shoulders to this one!

I was enraptured the moment I first heard this Dengue Fever song. Cambodian singer Chhom Nimol's warbling vocals are hypnotically exotic, creating a sound that is utterly psychedelic. Turn this one on max volume to get its full effect.