I was woken up this morning by a notification email telling me that its been three years since we released "Perfect Low", a tribute to the late Mimi Parker. The cover photo was taken by my Dad - today it's his funeral.

Really proud to have contributed to this fascinating new work from @eob.bsky.social (of Richard James fame) alongside Jan Hendrickse, Angharad van Rijswijk (Accü) and Rhodri Davies. Thoughtful experimental cave music of the finest quality, check it out!

#THETENX5 Day 50 Whyte Horses feat. John Grant - Hard Times (2019) My final obsession of the decade. Take an already brilliant song, crank it up and get John Grant to sing it and you won't go far wrong with me. 11 points. youtu.be/8AfRs12x7FY?...

#THETENX5 Day 49 Kelis - Acapella (2010) Having been scolded via sub-skeet for one song about a baby already this morning, I'm hoping that this lands on less stony ground. youtu.be/U8D9xCBcfzw?...

Coming to Channel 4 this spring...

#THETENX5 Day 48 Ásgeir - King & Cross (2013) Icelandic folktronica splendidness. Saw him supporting John Grant and was captivated, the album that followed definitely did not disappoint. youtu.be/D-dHIkF_lO4?...

#THETENX5 Day 47 Huw M - Chwyldro Tawel (2011) My final Cymraeg choice of the 50. My wife often says that she needs drama in a track in order to find it interesting - this is like a short film in a song. youtu.be/gEWyJGUObmU?...

#THETENX5 Day 46 Nadine Shah - Evil (2017) This sits very nicely alongside yesterday's pick. Dark groove, drawled croon, crunching crescendos, marvellous! When I've got the radio on, the answer to the question "This is good, who is it?" often turns out to be Nadine Shah. youtu.be/eSpIJ8i2Fyg?...

#THETENX5 Day 45 (missed yesterday so catching up) Richard Hawley - Standing At The Sky's Edge (2012) Sonic gear-change for Hawley on this album. I do have a penchant for a well made song that tells a story - this very much delivers, with a punch. youtu.be/zileXIdVc00?...

#THETENX5 Day 44 Boy Azooga - Loner Boogie (2018) I wonder if whatever alien species finally returned Meilyr Jones could see fit to do the same with Boy Azooga. 1-2-Kung Fu! youtu.be/H7drRy5NKZw?...

#THETENX5 Day 43 Al Lewis Band & Kizzy Crawford - Dianc O'r Diafol (2018) Wonderful blend of indie-folk and neo-soul from a couple of terrific songwriters, really deserves a far wider audience than it's had (but then I could say the same for a lot of miwsig Cymraeg) youtu.be/o-4hEkRKdew?...

And coincidentally it appears today is Kurt Russell's 75th birthday, which gives me the perfect excuse to share one of my favourite Ultrasound songs from first time around youtu.be/7L7vbG03XRA?...

#THETENX5 Day 42 Ultrasound - Welfare State (2011) A favourite of ours from the late 90s, they skipped a decade after their 1st album then reformed with the terrific Play For Today album. Seeing them play again, songs old and new, has been a really unexpected treat. youtu.be/q5dAJ5p453o?...

#THETENX5 Day 41 Phoebe Bridgers - Motion Sickness (2017) Another of my favourite gigs of the decade, squeezing into Oslo in Hackney and being completely awe-struck by her. Ever since she had been helping to fill the Elliott Smith-shaped hole in my life. youtu.be/9sfYpolGCu8?...

#THETENX5 Day 40 The Delines - Colfax Avenue (2014) I loved Richmond Fontaine, and Willy Vlautin's songwriting and storytelling, but you can see why wanted Amy Boone to front his next band, such a wonderful voice & I swear she could sing any going and make you want to cry youtu.be/OKI1l0ziKBg?...

#THETENX5 Day 39 Childish Gambino - 3005 (2013) Because I loved Community and I always play as Yoshi on Mario Kart. youtu.be/tG35R8F2j8k?...

#THETENX5 Day 38 Gil Scott-Heron - Me And The Devil (2010) Ominously atmospheric instrumentation and GSH's gravelly vocal seemingly drawn from the pit of his soul. From an absolutely phenomenal album that is still a regular late night listen for me. youtu.be/OET8SVAGELA?...

#THETENX5 Day 37 SikTh - Philistine Philosophies (2015) Relentless from the first second to the last, without being an outright assault. Also the tightest rhythm section I've ever seen. youtu.be/O8C0-8FACWo?...

#THETENX5 Day 36 St. Vincent - Los Ageless (2017) I really like it. I really like it when the lyrics build. I really like it when the lyrics build a little bit more with each line. Plus the delivery that delivers the anguish direct to your veins. youtu.be/h9TlaYxoOO8?...

#THETENX5 Day 35 Aloe Blacc - I Need A Dollar (2010) Classic soul style, feel-good song of hardship, absolutely infectious. youtu.be/nFZP8zQ5kzk?...

#THETENX5 Day 34 Solange - Cranes In The Sky (2016) Jazzy, soulful, honest and lots of other things other people have already said on here when picking this song (I am very tired today). Almost a race as to who of my wife or I will sing this first when on a London train. youtu.be/S0qrinhNnOM?...

#THETENX5 Day 33 Martin Callingham - Knots (2015) Beautiful little chilled indie-folk tune with a cute crowd-sourced video, all just the right side of twee. youtu.be/bsf7N8DcbkQ?...

Authors are ridiculous. Oh, you've made up a person and now I have to care about them? Fuck sake...

Henri's Cat (with red fish) Full paint version, available now, link below

Lincoln are winning at Cardiff. Madness! Ben House, in the middle to R. Street...

#THETENX5 Day 32 John Grant - Where Dreams Go To Die (2010) Almost certainly my most listened-to artist of the decade and the one most frequently seen live. We loved The Czars and were delighted when he returned with his terrific 1st solo album - WDGTD always a highlight youtu.be/IbbdZ_Tl2ro?...

#THETENX5 DAY 31 Gwenno - Patriarchaeth (2014) My 2nd Gwenno pick and the song that turned me on to her in the first place. Sublime! youtu.be/7W3MPqA1SMg?...

#THETENX5 Day 30 Teddybears feat. Baby Trish - What's Your Problem? (2015) I know that she's from Jamaican music royalty but the fact that she was about 10 when this was recorded is just mad to me. youtu.be/Zr7JNt-ULjY?...

#THETENX5 Day 29 Joan As Police Woman - The Magic (2011) I adore this track and the album it came from. The broken croon and aching soulful vocals, lush instrumentation complemented by little bass/synth runs, all coming together like a slow euphoria. 11 points please. youtu.be/ZPqVig-ggMw?...

Music FACT: When Paul Young first met Men Without Hats, he thought they were homeless people.

#THETENX5 Day 28 Grimes - Kill V. Maim (2015) Smashing a whole bunch of genres together to soundtrack an imaginary movie about bisexual space vampires or whatever. It's organised chaos and it fucking rocks. youtu.be/c2EJMd7ZN7w?...

#THETENX5 Day 27 Protoje & Chronixx - Who Knows (2014) Two huge talents combine to create one of the best (if not the best) reggae tunes of modern times. "If we cannot show now a balance a we yard How do we propose then to carry it abroad?" youtu.be/hzqFmXZ8tOE?...

In fairness that does sound like a line from a Clash song

#THETENX5 Day 26 Meilyr Jones - How To Recognise A Work Of Art (2016) A big, bright, catchy, glorious stomp of a tune. Meilyr Jones was also responsible for one my favourite gigs of the decade. Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus, pawb! youtu.be/QlGwQYCw-5E?...

#THETENX5 HONOURABLE MENTIONS HM4: Taylor Swift - Shake It Off (2014) I'm not really a pop music fan and so I wouldn't put this on. I also would absolutely never turn it off. Banger. youtu.be/nfWlot6h_JM?...

#THETENX5 HONOURABLE MENTIONS HM3: Dobby - Peregrine (2018) I hadn't heard this until recently when @wecdsend.bsky.social included it in his picks for The Tenx5 but I absolutely loved it youtu.be/v2Oddm3TJgE?...

#THETENX5 HM2: Nick Cope - The Baby's Done A Poo (2014) Nick Cope's series' on Cbeebies (and the albums that preceded them) are full of lovely, warm and humorous songs, a blessed relief and contrast to many alternative offerings. Yes, I'm looking at you, Cocomelon. youtu.be/aj5x-nhLNSk?...

#THETENX5 HONOURABLE MENTIONS HM1: Kunt and the Gang - Paperboy (2015) More of a dishonourable mention, I suppose. Awful, horrendous, disgusting, depraved. Also very funny and tremendously catchy. That fucking rhyme for "paperboy"! You can't say anything these days. youtu.be/9MF0I9-JCJg?...

#THETENX5 Day 25 Y Niwl - Undegpedwar (2010) Closing out "side one" with an instrumental, a smashing little bit of surf rock that even found it's way onto Football Focus. Their albums also double up as numbers revision for new Welsh language learners. Bendigedig! youtu.be/hLZPdHn0RQo?...

#THETENX5 Day 24 King Creosote - Largs (2014) From the fantastic To Scotland With Love album, Largs is a rollocking shuffle through a seaside summer holiday that should resonate with many a Brit (mine was Herne Bay, fwiw). youtu.be/kKHx1oBxNwg?...

#THETENX5 Day 23 Nazamba - Vex (2018) Following on from yesterday, another deep, low vocal. Nazamba's dub poetry spits out righteous anger at harsh economic realities over an increasingly claustrophobic beat. youtu.be/mtwcf6pG01A?...

#THETENX5 Day 22 Patrick Page & Hadestown Original Broadway Company - Why We Build The Wall (2019) Love this version. We saw it at the National when it first came over, the anticipation before Patrick Page sang was tangible. A voice you can feel in your bones. youtu.be/Q1VDxMe54Og?...

#THETENX5 Day 21 Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay - 212 (2011) Ok, so she's an undeniably, ahem, complicated individual, as others have attested. Also undeniable is just what a fucking insanely good track this is. youtu.be/i3Jv9fNPjgk?...

#THETENX5 Day 20 Black Peaks - Glass Built Castles (2016) Back on the heavies... Black Peaks doing what they did best, complex and technical post-hardcore which carries a tune, jumps from section to section and doesn't disappear up it's own arse. God, I loved this band. youtu.be/3rM8j0Ir8dQ?...

#THETENX5 Day 19 I Fight Lions - Better Days (2019) IFL are a really good indie rock band from North Wales, all hooks and melodies, thumping drums and wry lyrics. "Let's unscrew the cheapest wine that we can find, and raise a glass to better days..." youtu.be/kFbZpx5xQs8?...

#THETENX5 Day 18 Childish Gambino - Sober (2014) Ok, back to something with a bit more mainstream appeal after a few days of sub-10 ❤️s. Here, Gambino takes a fairly simple song and turns a few dials to keep it interesting, especially that break down. youtu.be/a7TAV07T52k?...

#THETENX5 Day 17 9bach - Pa Le? (2014) Slow, tense building, gentle interweaving of plucked strings and Lisa Jên Brown's always stunning vocal lead, I was instantly spellbound. As with many Trad. Welsh songs, lyrics are basically: "Where is my darling? Oh, they're dead" youtu.be/q7S3BHBolg8?...

#THETENX5 Day 16 Lianne La Havas - Gone (2012) I remember listening to this album on loop for the duration of a drive from south-east London to west Wales. Such a great writer & singer and I love how she plays guitar, but this soulful piano ballad is the stand out for me youtu.be/BdhCJi-ST90?...

#THETENX5 Day 15 Willy Tea Taylor - Brand New Game (2015) Beautiful (alt-)country paean to fading dreams, family and sport (in this case baseball) as a prism through which to view life. Beautiful use of slide guitar too. youtu.be/f7gIGM3x0OM?...