The Solo List.

What is Valentines Day*? For some of us, it is a myth. A myth that is apparently dumbed down to deep red, roses and dinner -Kanye shrug-. My mate wrote a piece about this, and it is apt. Others will be pretending to not care, some definitely won't. But if you're here, you care. About generating some vibes that make you feel at least plausibly indifferent. With films like How To Be Single recently released, I'm all in aid for championing self-sustainment and casting out the ghosts of romance past.

This is a delicate one, so I've made a point to get large from the start. French Kalash & Pompis "Independent Gyal" is a batty-flicking madness.It calls for too much. Mean-mugging, trigger fingers. Anything necessary to dun the dance.

Next we have three directly meaningful songs. From the "one" chanting in Lauryn Hill's classic "Lost Ones", the throwback to Outkast's "Roses", and Dizzee Rascal's unbelievably clever cyclical "love" story in "Round We Go", you're bound to get lifted. 

This is all good and well, but sometimes you have to harness the negative to make room for the good. We all have different healing processes. Some of us need to wallow to the sounds of some powerful lyrics (Arctic Monkeys, "Do Me A Favour", Etta Bond "Break Free"); some need a smash & flee release ("Best For Last", Adele); or to make some sweeping accusations (Chris Brown). Either way, it's all cathartic.

Sounds like: Strength & weakness
Skanks like: An emotional journey in skankin'
For: Lone wolves *For love, spooning anthems and the like, please see The Valentines List of 2014.

The Gas List.

Quite simply, 8 tracks that are bound to get you amped. Any pre-mashup activities, draw for this playlist.

Nothing wrong with bubblin' to instrumentals. Especially beats that sound like pure chaos in the best possible way. Chimpo knows how to get the skank started; ask anyone that's been to Hit & Run. "Blowfish" is not for cheap laptop speakers or crappy room acoustics. Sort. it. out. and. skank.

Always enjoyable hearing musicians utilise every aspect of a track. No time-wasting with fillers while keeping up lyrically to very decent beats. Kano, Wiley, Wretch 32 & Scorcher are testament of this in "E.T.", as are Frisco and Shakka in "Different Kind". Two great hype tracks, and the Grime continues with "Armageddon", a dub interlude by Mungo's Hi Fi, and a powerful intro by Young Spray on "Better Just Know". The latter features swift skanking Tempa T, so you know there's relentless energy involved.

EDM is synonymous to party music, so it's almost compulsory to include Calvin Harris. Dawn Richard concludes this one though, with experimental glory and the general idea here - dance!

Sounds like: The soundtrack for the weekend
Skanks like: Lord of the dance
For: Hype

The New Year List.

Start as you mean to go on. Consequently, it's only fitting that Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Who Gon' Stop Me" is the perfect catalyst to dead the plateaus of 2015. If that's not enough, you have the option of amping up on a purely instrumental level to Labrinth - "the UK Timbaland."

Worry about yourself - you can catch Janelle Monae and Limp Bizkit exploring similar sentiments. Shedding nonsense is the theme here, so you know Jhene Aiko is queued. A timid voice with prolific powerful messages. You better sway! And do so all the way into Little Simz' "Wings" with peak self-belief.

Skepta's crowning of the new year-new me feels on Chipmunk's "Someone To Love Me" is the seal:

"Do some work. Talking about doing work, is not doing work."

And with that, Happy New Year folks!

Sounds like: Hype music

Skanks like: Warm-up > workout > cool down
For: Motivation