Well, it’s that time again readers. It’s time to delve into my musical archives via itunes to see if this is the month it wants to humiliate me or whether it makes me look endlessly cool with unusual indie bands. Probably the former. Let’s dig in!

Song 1: Don’t stop the party – Pitbull

Oh wow. Thanks shuffle. Let’s start this with an embarrassing cracker! Yes this is the only Pitbull song I have on my ipod. I promise. But who doesn’t suddenly become an instant Pitbull fan the minute an alcoholic beverage hits the spot? This song came out the week before my 21st birthday so I remember it being absolutely everywhere and being endlessly played on the radio. I downloaded it especially because I was eagerly planning my birthday and hoping that I wouldn’t want to ‘stop the party’ on the night. Needless to say, this was played at my birthday after I’d had a few brandies, and yes, Pitbull, I did ‘get funky.’ And then I looked up the release date for this and realised it was 2009 and then I instantly felt weird about time.

Song 2: Black & Blue – Paloma Faith

I absolutely love Paloma’s voice. And her dress sense, despite it being utterly bonkers. And her as a person: she’s so put together and elegant when she sings, but when she’s just being her she giggles and kicks back and I just love it. This is from her debut 2009 album Do you want the truth or something beautiful? And this has got to be one of my favourites on the album. I really don’t think I’ve enjoyed any of her subsequent albums as much as I liked this one. This track is all about how we are different as human beings and that who we are on the surface, on the outside, hides many inner demons and hidden secrets: which is a sentiment that I can wholeheartedly understand. Never judge a book by its cover and all that.

Song 3: Better than love – Hurts

It took me a while to figure out what this was; it’s from Hurts’ Radio 1 live lounge session back in 2011. The gentle violin and the soaring vocals made me realise who this was. I really like Hurts and have their 2015 album Surrender on vinyl, which is a wonderfully upbeat yet melancholic album. Their music is a mix of beautiful lilting lyrics and ballads, with an edge of 80’s synth pop that instantly reminds me of legends like Japan and Duran Duran. I guess listening to Hurts makes me feel not so bad for listening to the same music as my parents because it’s modern, even though it sounds similar. But then again, who doesn’t love the 80’s? Better than love was Hurts debut single back in 2011 and I pretty much followed them since then. This live version still sounds great, even 6 years on. Oh and they’re a British duo.

Song 4: Honey Whiskey – Nothing but Thieves

Oh this takes me back to Uni instantly. I discovered Nothing but Thieves while writing my masters dissertation back in 2015. After hearing them on the radio I simply had to find out who they were. I downloaded their debut album and totally fell for this song. Not only because at the time of listening I really was drinking a fair amount of honey whiskey (I was writing my dissertation, it was required) but because of those lyrics! ‘I think I’d better go before I try something I might regret’ has got to be a sentiment we have all felt, right? I just love the vocal on the chorus and the bassline to this. I remember having this and Ban all the music on repeat walking to lectures. Their debut track Itch instantly had me hooked and lead me to finding this gem on their debut self-titled album Nothing but Thieves which was released in 2015. The internet informs me they have another album due out this September, entitled Broken Machine. Oh and they’re an English artist too, I sense a slight theme this month shuffle. Pitbull ruined it.

Song 5: Pumped up Kicks – Foster the People

Oh I knew this from the opening chords but Foster the People as a band name just never sticks in my head. I looked up the lyrics to this and was utterly surprised to learn how dark it actually is for such a surprisingly upbeat song. I mean, it has whistling in it! But no, it’s all about angry parents and a guy who may or may not kill people: ‘better run, better run, faster than my bullet.’ Blimey. And it was released in 2010. Perhaps this months’ shuffle is to highlight how old my music is?

Well readers, I almost survived. Trust my shuffle to only get to Fall Out Boy for song 6 and put Pitbull right up there first. Cheers. Anyway, as ever I aim to highlight the diversity in all of our music tastes by allowing you to judge just how random mine is. You’re welcome. My shuffle and I will see you again next month, hopefully with less Pitbull.