Jack Garratt has risen above all-comers in the last 12 months, taking home the Brits Critics' Choice award at this year's ceremony, as well as being anointed the BBC Sound of 2016 winner.
Playing to increasingly massive crowds, his mesmerising live show has won plaudits from just about everyone, while his debut album Phase earned him a top three record in the UK charts.
We spoke to Jack to discover his Ultimate Playlist, and the stories behind his selections. Read on for an eighties German classic, old-school rock 'n' roll and some timeless UK garage...
Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify here
Favourite Movie Soundtrack Song
"You Never Can Tell - Chuck Berry, from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. Pulp Fiction was one of the first movies I saw as a kid that showed me how important attention to detail was. From the angle of every shot, to the inflections in the delivery of the script, every detail of Pulp Fiction was important to its creator. Especially the soundtrack. I can't hear this song without thinking of the dancing scene, and I can't think of Pulp Fiction without thinking of this song."
Favourite Sad Song
"Losing You - Randy Newman. This is a song that Randy wrote for some close friends of his who lost a child. I first heard it, and assumed it was sung from the broken heart of a lover, but to hear it was about losing a child was about the most jarring realisation I've had whilst listening to a song. His lyrics detail the pain that we can cause ourselves to go through, but that it's the things we cannot control that truly hurt us."
Favourite Club Anthem
"Groove Is In The Heart - Dee-Lite. When I lived in London, I'd go to the Notting Hill Arts club pretty much every Tuesday. My friends ran the bar, and my other friends and I would DJ and perform there. This was always my go to secret weapon when I was five drinks down and terrified of clearing the floor with a shit choice of song."
Favourite Song That No One Else Knows
"Ocelot - Hiatus Kaiyote. The first song I ever heard by the self-described 'Multi-Dimensional Polyrhythmic Gangster Shit' quartet from Aus. This track is about 1:30 long, and KILLS me every time I listen to it. Their lyrics and melodies soar far beyond what I thought was humanly possible, but they showed me that creativity is endless. There are no ceilings, no rules to break. There is nothing to stop you from bleeding your joy or sorrow into a kick-ass piece of futuristic funk music. And all in the short time of 1:30."
Favourite Wedding Song
"99 Red Balloons - Nena. Nothing like an eighties powerpop hit to see in the new bride and groom, right?...right?"
Favourite Current Song
"Untitled 05 - Kendrick Lemar. Taking the lazy horn riffs of Tom Waits and putting them on a backbeat and bassline [that] James Jamerson would be proud of. This is my favourite track from Kendrick's latest record. It's got truth, and pure unadulterated music. It's New Jazz and it's incredible and important."
Favourite Song From Your Childhood
"Ironic - Alanis Morissette. I remember spending days travelling with my folks, sitting in the back of the car, listening to Jagged Little Pill on cassette and being so overwhelmed by the power of this woman's voice. Not just her vocal ability, but the strength and empowerment she exuded through it."
Favourite Lyric From a Song
"I spent all my money in a Mexican whorehouse, baby, 'cross the street from a Catholic church. Then I wiped off my revolver and buttoned up my burgundy shirt. I shot the moon in the back with my red wings on, told the sun he better go back down. If I can't find a book of matches i'm gonna burn this whole town down.'' - Mr Siegal - Tom Waits
"There are too many great lyrics to choose just one, so instead I've selected my favourite opening line/verse from a song. I've been a fan of Tom Waits for a long time, and it's lyrics like this that keep me feeling safe in his dirty ashtray of a voice."
Favourite One Hit Wonder
"Babycakes - 3 of a Kind. Need I say more? I mean, Babycakes. BABYCAKES."
Favourite Song From Your Own Music
"It's difficult to chose a favourite song, only because they all mean completely different things to me. It's the same with any song, it can hit you at a certain time and place when you don't expect it to. But The Love You’re Given came at very dark time for me, it allowed me to write about the fear i was surrounded by at that time and helped my get through it. It's an incredibly therapeutic song for me because of that."
