Song: Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come

Written by Sam Cooke, A Change Is Gonna Come was released posthumously in 1964. Like in all of Sam Cooke's music, the gospel roots of soul music are very audible in the song. Where his earlier music had been sweet, polished songs about innocent love, though, the lyrics of A Change Is Gonna Come were a stark look at the racial segregation of early 1960's America.

I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep tellin' me, "Don't hang around"

But after the trials and tribulations, the song ends on an optimistic note:

There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time comin'
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Album: Ana Moura - Guarda-Me A Vida Na Mão

The first time I heard Ana Moura singing fado was, of all places, in a restaurant. Or to be more exact, in the Lisbon fado house Sr. Vinho.

A fado house is basically a restaurant where the main attraction is live fado music. During and after the meal, a fado singer and two or three guitarists take their place between the tables and play a set. In one night, there are maybe three to five sets with different fado singers (fadistas).

This particular night in early 2004, I and my wife visited Sr. Vinho for the first time after hearing that it was the place to go to hear the best fadistas. The main attaction and the final singer of the night was Ana Moura.

Song: General Levy - Heat

London based General Levy started off in the early nineties as a dancehall deejay. Around 1994 he became one of the leading MC's of the burgeoning jungle scene, a musical genre that would later transform into drum 'n' bass.

He is easily recognisable through his rapid-fire vocal delivery and his inventive use of breathing sounds between words. Just check the beginning of the first video to see what I'm talking about.

Heat is a straight dancehall track from 1992, with a fast, bouncy beat that matches his vocal style well. He switches between normal speed vocal delivery in the chorus to just plain ridiculous speed in the verses. In only three seconds (from 0:45 to 0:48) he manages to squeeze in all of this:

Song: Tinie Tempah - Pass Out

Great music doesn't come any fresher than this! Released only three days ago, UK artist Tinie Tempah's debut single Pass Out is guaranteed to blaze up the charts and cause mayhem in the clubs.

Pass Out is a very energetic, kinetic belter of a track, with brilliant production (and guest vocals) by Labrinth. The track is basically electronic hip hop, with small bits of dubstep, grime and reggae in the mix. It even transforms into a drum&bass track for a while at 3:23.

But enough waffling, time to let the music speak for itself. Just remember to crank up the volume!