The Hibernation List.

This is hibernation season, otherwise known as Winter. The time when you realise the importance of tog ratings, and/or a secure weave. Yes, it's cold out there. Your lips are probably flaking, and mother nature is unrelenting in her quest to force your entire body into submission with those powerful gusts. When you're up against the wind, shedding uncontrollable tears on the way to an optional outing, thoughts are - is it worth it? I promise you, it's not. Better to stay home. The only turn up you should be worrying about is the dial on your electric blanket. Perhaps the volume on these tracks too:

People dig The Temperance Movement. They are just too damn funky, and I guarantee you someone somewhere wearing pleather pants has ridden a mechanical bull to this track, "Battle Lines". It's blues rock, it's sure to get you internally lit.

Kid Cudi ("Alive" Ft. Ratatat) J. Cole ("A Tale Of 2 Citiez") and T.I. "What You Know" maintain these ~feels~, conveniently the title of Kiiara's inclusion that carries an airy Trap element to it. "In Your Clouds" by MNEK is a smooth addition. It's good to hear variation from him, as we know the guy can destroy if he chooses to opt for a high-pitch. Onwards, aural breezes are better than literal ones this time of year, so enjoy the floaty, peaceful sounds of Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson in "Winter Song", along with KING's "Supernatural". The latter are mainly self-produced (respect), and seem to have a roster of tracks that are ideal with soup. Yep.

Sounds like: Soup for the soul
Skanks like: You have no central heating
For: Winter

The Righteous List.

It's very important to flex on the fact of merely being alive. Feeling good, loving thyself and transfiguring into a full-fledged badman. For this reason, first up - Florence and the Machine, ladies and gentlemen:

Listening to Florence Welch is like experiencing a sermon, embarking on a celestial journey full of Godly righteousness, ominous chanting, power and spirit. This is the gospel. She even flips verses from the Bible, and well. "Bedroom Hymns" is the one. The one that makes you want to drink from the highly compelling cup that is Flo, until Kingdom come. Feel supreme and power up!

Tap-dancing loops (Wizzy Wow), a tale of ascension by the amazingly stylistic Wretch 32, and a conflation of Christian goodwill and batty-whining persuasion by Wizkid in "Eledumare". 

Of course, you can always head-bang to the political inclusions - Plan B's "ill Manors" and "F**k the System", equipped with standard System of a Down fury. By the time you reach Betty Davis (who was almost listed just based on the strength of her afro), it's a lot more humble brag. Hashtag people power.

Sounds like: Giving you life

Skanks like: Nobody's watching
For: Supreme everything

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

The Valentines List.

Tis the season to dote on your significant other. The partner and I have decided to postpone our plans, but for the rest of you who are planning on sealing tonight with some very strong stroking, click play.

Speech DeBelle's sweet-toned rap in "I'm With It" has been on my Top 25 Rinsed Tracks for sometime now. Considering she's massively underrated and coupled this track with a powerful video, I'm going to leave this right here. Wretch 32's "Anniversary" is one of few tracks incorporating love on my personal playlist that will get multiple pull-ups indefinitely. Soft batty-whine on your beau to that!

There's the obligatory Amy Winehouse song, and Clean Bandit's "Rather Be" that is likely to stretch out until summer, because it's that bad. The good kind. "Hey" by the Pixies is a track I came across in a soundtrack for a film whose title I won't mention for PG purposes. There are relatively little lyrics, but Lord knows it's a tune.

The playlist concludes with the well-known "Opposites Attract" where Kendrick Lamar asks many rhetorical questions, and an addition from R.Kelly's Chocolate Factory, which, if you know anything about slow jams, is compulsory.

Sounds like: Butterflies, but in your ear
Skanks like: The gentlest batty whine
For: The lovers