London-based singer-songwriter and musician Fabiana Palladino, daughter of the legendary bassist Pino Palladino and a protégée of the Paul Institute, is preparing for the release of her debut album. Thus far, she has revealed the Jai Paul-assisted duet “I Care” and the stirring “Stay With Me Through The Night.” Recently, Palladino shared another exquisite single from the album, “I Can’t Dream Anymore.” The dark 80s synth-led ballad is also accompanied by an extensive statement.

“I wrote ‘I Can’t Dream Anymore‘ in a period of the first lockdown where I was staying up too late, writing songs for the album alone and the intensity and unreality of everything started to affect my sleep…,” Palladino explains. “I realised after a while that even when I did sleep, I wasn’t really dreaming. Everything felt very surreal, and it reminded me of when I’ve been in the aftermath of big changes, those moments in life where everything shifts and you have to reconfigure yourself.

“The track has this very insular feeling at first but opens up into something more emotional and direct as the song goes on,” Palladino adds. “We leant into that with the production; we wanted to make it borderline melodramatic, like a power-ballad. There’s real heartache in not being able to dream anymore, not being able to imagine a future or remember a feeling from the past, so I didn’t want to shy away from the big feelings in the lyrics.

“I listened to the shipping forecast for comfort during the time of writing the album,” Palladino continues. “I found it relaxing, but it was also a kind of escapism for me. The isolation I was feeling felt more romantic when I listened to it. I’d be playing this imagined, isolated version of myself out to sea, completely alone but connected to others by broadcasting my radio show from the ship late into the night, which is how I connected with Radio Caroline for the video. A theme across the album is connection and disconnection. It’s something I’m fascinated by, and the video represents it in a way which feels specific to ‘I Can’t Dream Anymore.‘

Reflecting her feelings of isolation and loneliness, Fabiana Palladino filmed the music video for “I Can’t Dream Anymore” with directors Caroline Waxse and Josh Renaut aboard the historic ship housing Radio Caroline. This renowned pirate radio station was founded in 1964 and has played a significant role in shaping not only UK radio but also the pop and rock music industry. Watch below.

A former member of both Jessie Ware and SBTRKT‘s backing bands, Fabiana Palladino is also the protégée of Jai Paul and A. K. Paul, who are running the elusive Paul Institute. It’s on this record label and creative house that the pop visionary will release her long-awaited debut album – yet to be detailed. If like us, you just can’t wait, you can already listen to the slow-consuming and ethereal ballad “I Care,” on which she’s joined by Jai Paul.

“I wrote this song on my Juno 106 one night at home and played it to Jai the next day,” explained Palladino. “He instantly came up with a beat and we worked together on the track from there. I’ve always loved those Motown duets with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, or Diana Ross and wanted to create a modern version of that. We’re playing with the way those duets have this quite clear notion of romance, love and relationships…we’re subverting that a little to explore normativity in relationships. Musically, we’ve tried to put all of the beauty, excitement, and tension of modern day love into this song.”

Following the release of her striking 2020 album Something To Say To You, Jordana Nye drops a new single in collaboration with LA-based duo Magdalena Bay. “Push Me Away” was produced by her regular collaborator MELVV as well as Jai Wolf. Fed with frustration and unrequited love, the throbbing and dreamy pop track builds up until its grunge-y cathartic finale. Directed by Mag Bae, the accompanying lo-fi slash retro visuals are just as fun and addictive as the track.

Siblings and studio partners Jai and A. K. Paul are the masterminds who manage the record label and music platform Paul Institute. Over the last four years, the enigmatic collective notably released Jai Paul‘s iconic leaked demo album, entitled Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones), as well as a series of singles from some other elusive up and coming talents. However, the whole crew has been pretty quiet recently. Until yesterday at least, as they’ve surprise dropped a 6-track EP with 5 brand new tracks (the opening track, A. K. Paul‘s “Be Honest,” was revealed a few days earlier).

About the Summer 2020 EP, A. K. Paul commented: “I’m really happy we’re releasing new music with Paul Institute this summer. It’s been a while coming and the last couple of years have been perilous at times for PI, particularly because of a legal fight that set us back. So besides it being sick music, to return with such a strong set of releases feels like a vindication of our rights as artists too.”

The summery mixtape features the appropriately named track “Waiting”, from Fabiana Palladino featuring Jai Paul as well as a Stevie Wonder 2.0-like track from Ruthven. It also introduces Pen Pals, the brand new signees of the collective.

Like every December, we close a year of music with our traditional lists. After the Best Albums and Best EPs and Mixtapes, we’re happy to unveil the songs that made 2019 according to our team. Are these the best releases of the year ? Maybe yes, maybe no. But for sure, they represent what we have loved over the 12 months.

2019 is also the end of a decade and, even if the blog did not exist 10 years ago, we will try to share our favourite tracks of this era during the first quarter of 2020.

Finally, I’d like to mention that HighClouds would not be the same without its team of dedicated writers. People don’t always realize it but running a blog and contributing, even only from time to time, requires a lot of energy on top of your full-time job. So thank you to each of you for this.

And now, here are the 100 tracks of 2019, as well as a huge Spotify playlist to go through our selection and discover some other amazing tracks that almost made the cut this year. Thank you for reading us and see you next decade!

[su_spacer]

100. 0171 – “1000 Words”

99. Modern Feelings – “Culture”

98. STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

97. Alina Bea – “King of Nothing”

96. Lowly – “baglaens”

95. Yot Club – “no way !”

94. Helado Negro – “Running”

93. BEA1991 – “Did You Feel Me Slip Away?”

92. Deaton Chris Anthony, Clairo, Coco & Clair Clair – “RACECAR”

91. Sandy – “Signals”

[su_divider top=”no”]

90. Common Holly – “You Dance”

89. Teen Body – “Validation”

88. SOPHIE, Doss – “Whole New World (Sophie and Doss remix)”

87. Emily Reo – “Ghosting”

86. Barrie – “Darjeeling”

85. Caroline Polachek – “Pang”

84. 박혜진 Park Hye Jin – “I DON’T CARE”

83. Kraków Loves Adana – “Follow The Voice”

82. Jessica Pratt – “Aeroplane”

81. Ariel – “Dream Team”

[su_divider top=”no”]

80. Spellling – “Under The Sun”

79. MUNYA – “It’s All About You”

78. Von – “Dealer’s Gone”

77. Makthaverskan – “Demands”

76. SASSY 009 – “Maybe in the Summer”

75. Jessie Ware – “Adore You”

74. PAT – “Love Will Find a Way Home”

73. XUXA SANTAMARIA – “Rudos Del Mar”

72. Ascendant Vierge – “Influenceur”

71. Thom Yorke – “Dawn Chorus”

[su_divider top=”no”]

70. Nilüfer Yanya – “Baby Blu”

69. Saeyers – “Cruise”

68. Quinn Christopher – “Erase Me”

67. The Dawdler – “Sylvie”

66. TR/ST – “Iris”

65. Jai Paul – “He”

64. Maria Somerville – “Brighter Days”

63. Morabeza Tobacco – “Orinoco”

62. Eartheater – “Fontanel”

61. Otha – “Tired and Sick”

[su_divider top=”no”]

60. Eugenia Post Meridiem – “Anjos”

59. Vagabon – “Water Me Down”

58. Lala Lala, WHY? – “Siren 042”

57. Jackie Mendoza – “De Lejos”

56. Dorian Electra – “Flamboyant”

55. Crack Cloud – “The Next Fix”

54. Chromatics – “You’re No Good”

53. Hana Vu – “Order”

52. Magdalena Bay – “Only If You Want It”

51. Ebhoni – “TGM”

[su_divider top=”no”]

50. Cherushii, Maria Minerva – “A Day Without You”

49. Maluca – “NYC Baby”

48. Tyler, The Creator – “EARFQUAKE”

47. JPEGMAFIA, Helena Deland – “Free The Frail”

46. Blue Hawaii – “Still I Miss U”

45. Oklou – “Forever”

44. Crumb – “Ghostride”

43. Ariana Grande – “NASA”

42. Weyes Blood – “Movies”

41. Pure Bathing Culture – “All Night”

[su_divider top=”no”]

40. Beauty Queen – “The Only One”

39. Couch Prints – “Tell U”

38. 070 Shake – “Morrow”

37. JORDANN – “Café Speed”

36. Lizzo – “Juice”

35. 100 gecs – “Money Machine”

34. Hand Habits – “can’t calm down”

33. Jenny Hval – “Ashes to Ashes”

32. (Sandy) Alex G – “Gretel”

31. Arlo Parks – “Super Sad Generation”

[su_divider top=”no”]

30. Grace Ives – “Anything”

29. Burial – “Claustro”

28. Sharon Van Etten – “Seventeen”

27. pronoun – “stay”

26. Requin Chagrin – “Sémaphore”

25. BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

24. Billie Eilish – “bad guy”

23. Sorry Girls – “One That You Want”

22. Japan, Man – “Stop Staring”

21. Drauve – “Haunted”

[su_divider top=”no”]

20. Big Thief – “UFOF”

[su_divider top=”no”]

19. MUNA – “Number One Fan”

[su_divider top=”no”]

18. Claud – “Easy”

[su_divider top=”no”]

17. Danny Brown – “Dirty Laundry”

[su_divider top=”no”]

16. Angel Olsen – “Lark”

[su_divider top=”no”]

15. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Want You In My Room”

[su_divider top=”no”]

14. Caroline Polachek – “Door”

[su_divider top=”no”]

13. Boy Harsher – “LA”

[su_divider top=”no”]

12. Magdalena Bay – “Venice”

[su_divider top=”no”]

11. Erika de Casier – “Do My thing”

[su_divider top=”no”]

10. Men I Trust – “Numb”

[su_divider top=”no”]

9. Charlotte Adigéry – “Paténipat”

[su_divider top=”no”]

8. Σtella – “Samba”

[su_divider top=”no”]

7. GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

[su_divider top=”no”]

6. Lana Del Rey – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have”

[su_divider top=”no”]

5. Aldous Harding – “The Barrel”

[su_divider top=”no”]

4. Big Thief – “Not”

[su_divider top=”no”]

3. Charli XCX, Christine and the Queens – “Gone”

[su_divider top=”no”]

2. FKA twigs – “Cellophane”

[su_divider top=”no”]

1. Clairo – “Bags”

[su_divider top=”no”]

Before your well-deserved holiday break, we come up with a playlist loaded with good music only. We are aware that it’s not always easy to keep up with all the daily releases and posts. Therefore our team made everything easier just for you. Enjoy our 50 favourite songs of 2019 so far and don’t forget to follow our Spotify playlist to check future additions.

1 GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

2 BIG THIEF – “UFOF”

3 ARLO PARKS – “Super Sad Generation”

4 CRUMB – “Part III”

5 REQUIN CHAGRIN – “Sémaphore”

6 YOT CLUB – “No Way !”

7 CARLY RAE JEPSEN – “Julien”

8 070 SHAKE – “Morrow”

9 MEN I TRUST – “Numb”

10 TEEN BODY – “Validation”

11 HAND HABITS – Can’t Calm Down”

12 MARIA SOMERVILLE – “Brighter Days”

13 ERIKA DE CASIER – “Do My Thing”

14 SHARON VAN ETTEN – “Seventeen”

15 BEAUTY QUEEN – “The Only One”

16 MORABEZA TOBACCO – “Ally McBeal”

17 GRACE IVES – “Mirror”

18 BARRIE – “Darjeeling”

19 KEVIN ABSTRACT – “Georgia”

20 ALDOUS HARDING – “The Barrel”

21 EMILY REO – “Ghosting”

22 BOY HARSHER – “LA”

23 AUGUSTINE – “A Scent Of Lily”

24 PURE BATHING CULTURE – “All Night”

25 ΣTELLA – “Samba”

26 CELESTE – “Father’s Son”

27 CHARLOTTE ADIGERY – “High Lights”

28 LALA LALA, WHY? – “Siren 042”

29 PRONOUN – “Stay”

30 STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

31 LANA DEL REY – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have…”

32 JACKIE MENDOZA – “Mucho Más”

33 BASEBALL GREGG, PECAS, WILLIAM CORDUROY – “The Movies”

34 BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

35 GRACIE GRAY – “Morphine”

36 ROSALÍA, J BALVIN – “Con Altura”

37 WEYES BLOOD – “Movies”

38 HATCHIE – “Without A Blush”

39 PECAS – “T-Shirt”

40 FKA TWIGS – “Cellophane”

41 OMAR APPOLO – “Ashamed”

42 MAKTHAVERSKAN – “Demands”

43 SANDY (ALEX G) – “Gretel”

44 CLAUD – “Easy”

45 JAI PAUL – “He”

46 JAPAN, MAN – “Stop Staring”

47 THE DAWDLER – “Sylvie”

48 ARIEL – “Dream Team”

49 EUGENIA POST MERIDIEM – “Blue Noon”

50 0171 – “1000 Words”

It would be a lie to give you some information about Dirty Nice. Indeed, we don’t know more than you do about this act. Anyway, we don’t need more to appreciate their chilled funky music that should please all the fans of Jai Paul. On ‘Zero Summer,’ there’s a certain melancholia mixed with delicious sunny vibes and the rendition sounds irresistible. Their previous single reached +400k Spotify plays and we’re sure this one could even do better.

[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/327136887″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]

You can also listen to Dirty Nice‘s ‘Zero Summer’ on our regularly refreshed Spotify playlist: DAILY DOSE FOR MUSIC JUNKIES.

Stay updated with Dirty Nice via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The track was written, produced, mixed and mastered by the artist himself. Moreover, he also played the vocals, guitar, bass guitar, the synthesisers and percussion alone. Basically, A.K. Paul could be a Prince of our modern times.

[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/254737025″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]

The artist was already known for his several productions for artists such as Big Boi, Jessie Ware, Emeli Sandé and Sam Smith. Some days ago, London-based sensation Nao also hinted on Instagram that the siblings were working on her debut album.

You can subscribe to their website with your phone number and then, you will be able to discover their new releases in exclusivity!

As a reminder, his brother Jai Paul got famous 4 years ago with “Jasmine (Demo)”, an electro-funky lo-fi gem which created a quite impressive buzz knowing that the artist was almost a complete stranger!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/41479635″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]