Alan Partridge

The winter’s coming in, and so are thousands of spiders…fun. Here are our nominations for September.

Juliet’s pick – “Canon” by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

The emotive melody of the superb and unparalleled version of Pachelbel’s Canon in D sums up the feeling following last week’s referendum. The seemingly improved solo piper section is breathtakingly good – instrumental tracks, in my opinion, so vastly outperform vocal tracks for this very reason – imagine trying to perform this delicate and ornamental verse with mere vocal chords.

Pareesa’s pick – “Never Catch Me” by Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar

I’m running out of synonyms for ethereal – and this is only the third What Quark Is Listening To In… post. While the production on Kendrick’s own, lacklustre single was pretty generic, FlyLo crafts a lush backdrop for Kenny’s unstoppable flow. The production is so textured that the bassline can dip in and out without causing the song to collapse. A musical head rush.

Daniz’s pick – “Rude” by Magic

Jazzy and classy, full of energy yet well controlled, Magic’s smash hit is an alternative to current songs in similar genres which smash windows and any suggestion of musicality.

Tanvi’s pick – “Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush

Kate Bush’s recent short concert appearances have had reviewers raving, and “Wuthering Heights” – perhaps her most popular hit – reminds us why. One learned observer said of her music, “Idk it just feels real”. If you’d rather hear a somewhat different version, Alan Partridge has it covered.

Nayana’s pick – “Waves” by Mr Probz

Mr Probz’ rock-style voice paired with this sort of summery relaxation piece brings a new dimension to the lyrics.

Joint choice from the Browns – “Crying in the Rain” covered by a-ha

Amazing, simply harmonies, a mournful guitar line and a tearful melody…the lyrics are deeply moving and very evocative, and the whole song reminds me of a requiem for a lost love (because that is what it is). The a-ha cover version has rain effects in 4/4 time – nowhere else can rain in time with the music be found.

“The Great British Bake-Off” reached new social media heights in August when contestant Iain Watters was dispatched for the sin of letting his baked Alaska be judged by the bin. As our in-house baking supremo claims she doesn’t listen to music, we’ve selected the campaign song “#JusticeForIain” by Jess & Laura Nicholson. With clever lyrics and a catchy melodic chorus, this epitomises the channelled fury typical of Facebook and Twitter during the heat of the outrage.

Commentary by Pareesa Tai, Juliet Armstrong, Tanvi Acharya, Nayana Punnoose and Grace Brown. Check out our May and June picks!