Pete Tong

Joe writes: I remember an Essential Selection show in 1999, and the first hour was just the most wonderful, eclectic mix of sounds. I even remember where I was at the time - walking along Kingsway in London. I didn't know many of the tracks but they sounded like the future and it turned out they were.

One of them was Artful Dodger/Craig David - Rewind:

And another was Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? by Moby. If I remember correctly, the Play album was really a stiff until Pete started championing it:

I also remember the joy and excitement of hearing Dario G's Sunchyme for the first time on Pete's show:

And a big moment for me personally, because I'd campaigned for it to be re-released, was Pete making Born Slippy by Underworld his Essential New Tune even though it wasn't a new tune:

Everyone else soon followed.

"Rufus being fabulous"

Joe writes: Great live rendition of Rufus Wainwright's biggest song Oh What A World. Thanks to Nick Thompson for passing it on.

masturbation

Joe writes: There's a new band named after Oops (Oh My) by Tweet feat. Missy Elliott.

And here's another great song on a similar theme, I Touch Myself by The Divinyls, although the sound quality on Vevo doesn't really do it justice:

You Don't Know How Lucky You Are

Joe writes: Love this song by Keaton Henson which was on Track In The Box today thanks to Kyle Lynd, music supervisor for Skins. Beautiful guitar, beautiful lyric.

You Dont Know How Lucky You Are from Keaton Henson on Vimeo.

Villagers cover Back For Good

Joe writes: I love this guy's voice. And Back For Good is a one of the great pop songs of the past twenty years, but you already knew that right?

Truly exciting voice

Phil writes: I posted an mp3 of this ages ago but here's a YouTube video. I never tire of this:

Love it!

Phil writes: I came across this guy as I have a long-standing Google alert for Nizlopi. John from Nizlopi is now Jake Morley's bass player. Found this, along with other great tracks:



He can also play guitar in an extraordinary way:

Jar Of Hearts by Christina Perri

Joe writes: I've heard this song a few times and it appears I even bought it on iTunes, but it wasn't until I heard Paul Gambaccini play it on Radio 2 just now that I realised how good it is. It reminds me of Send In The Clowns or perhaps something from an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

The Sun’s Gone Dim And The Sky’s Turned Black

Joe writes: A very striking piece of music by Jóhann Jóhannsson that features on the trailer to Battle Los Angeles