Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

Despite containing the brilliant single "Bossy" Kelis Was Here, Kelis' 2006 LP, was an commercial failure. "Acapella", the lead single from Fleshtone, therefore marks a noticeable change in direction for a woman who was once R'n'B's wild child. More relaxed, reflective and expansive "Acapella" is a slice of Balearic sunshine. David Guetta provides a typically serviceable synth line for Kelis' vocals to ride gently upon. "Acapella" proves that maturity and the considered approach suits Kelis down to the ground.

(Young Money 2010, Lil Wayne)

It's been a rough year for Wheezy. Rebirth was a crime against humanity and if the derision of the critics wasn't enough Wayne's own stupidity landed him with an eight month prison sentence for weapons charges. It was looking bleak for a man who just two years ago was being hailed as Hip Hop's newest savior. Luckily in September Wayne burst back onto the scene with "I Am Not A Human Being" an urgent slamming single that felt instantly essential and more importantly saw Lil Wayne re-engaged with the music industry.

Daniel Lopatin stepped into one of the music world's most oversaturated markets when he decided to employ his arpeggiator to create the luscious skipping electronica of "Returnal". As is the trend in modern indie the whole affair has a ghostly and uncomfortable gothic glaze but at the tracks heart are these wonderful ambient flitters. The track has a great sense of depth, as different elements appear in the sonic background only to dart forward into the foreground, giving "Returnal" a vivid three dimensional experience full of movement and contrast, that feels ethereal if somewhat unsettling.

"Little Girl" was the surprising star of the long awaited collaboration Dark Night Of The Soul. This was short sharp and divine pop music, Sparklehorse and Danger Mouse's arrangement flows softly and has a wonderful intermediate pace perfectly suited to Casablancas' semi-rapped drawl. The Strokes front man's performance is among his best; his voice is sexy and engaging as his lines roll together building to an incredibly slick mid track guitar solo. Of course being Casablancas it's full of soundbytes and quickfire lyrical gems, and none was finer than: "The World Is Always Amazed At How Much Cash You Made, But Not At How You Made It, It's Just Strange". Sleek, sexy and atomspheric pop perfection.

There was so much hope for Kate Nash's second album My Best Friend Is You, sadly Kate found herself in a frustrated state of mind searching for direction, and while that lead to some stand out moments it never translated into a truly moving statement. Back in March there was still genuine hope however and "I Just Love You More" got a lot of people excited as Kate turned her hand to some grimy dirty and above all atmospheric grrrl rock that recalled Karen O, PJ Harvey and surprisingly Love Is All. Rather than being a straight up derivative Kate brought her unique nonchalance and condescending sense of humour to the table, creating the feeling of a mild mannered girl getting obsessed, rocking out and then laughing at herself.

(Sorry Live recording only)

Come Around Sundown seemed to alienate Kings Of Leon's elder and newer found fanbases simultaneously as it was neither rocked hard nor was it loaded with immediate pop songs. Instead The Kings opted for a subtler approach. Slow gliding ballads, mournful laments and sun drenched instrumentation became the record's modus operandi. At their worst the Kings were now tedious, at their best, as on "Pyro", they were thoughtful and emotional rockers capable of carving out poignant ballads that would forge emotional connections with 50,000 fans at a time.

Shoegaze inspired pop appeared to reach it's zenith in 2009 with Pains Of Being Pure At Heart and The Horrors capturing the nation's imagination. Of course The Radio Dept. have been plugging away with their tender melodies and hazy walls of noise since the year 2000 but they only really garnered major attention with this year's Clinging To A Scheme. A charming record perfectly summarized by the patient and observant "Domestic Scene". A track that's in to rush to make an impact or to make it's point, instead it's happily to float gently and enter the listeners subconscious by gradual osmosis with it's subtle and sublime guitar work.

With each passing year Rihanna keeps inching closer to making that perfect pop record that we know she's capable of. She can do the lot; cutesy pop, R'n'B game changers, club bangers, gorgeous ballads and tub thumping pop, but she just can't quite put it all together. No matter "Only Girl (In The World)" sees Rihanna stamping her stilettos back onto the dance floor with a gorgeous groove, a soothing verse and a chorus so mammoth that it is positively inescapable. Rihanna truly has the midas touch, she can take all the most tired elements of dance and breathe new life into them instantly. Now don't forget to bounce when the bass drops.

Usher is fast becoming the most frustrating artist in the world. How can he make a track as brilliant as "Lil Freak" and an album as insipid as Raymond v Raymond. It's become the pattern of the last five years, killer lead single, dreadful record; well regardless of the disappointment "Lil Freak" still finds Usher at his confident self satisfied best. Blac Elvis beat is subtly crafted; classic swirls surround Usher and dirty bass and horn accompany Minaj before the track builds to one big dirty bass outro. Now ask yourself, why can't he do this all the time?

So who is the feel good party band of 2010? Wait...My Chemical Romance...that can't be right...surely? Well it is. Jagged Japan-o-pop guitars, sliding and spirally solos, inane lyrics, bouncy rhythms and shout it out loud hooks made "Na Na Na" the most inescapable pop song of the winter. After all who doesn't like shouting "Na Na Na"? It may lack the pomp and circumstance of the fabulously ludicrous "Welcome To The Black Parade" but as a lead single it's hard to think of anything release this year that's been this much fun. So come on, let's all hit a party with gas can because everyone wants to change the world but nobody wants to try apparently, well yeah, whatever.