Acceptable for the party?

Published on Saturday 29 December 2007 13:49

Calvin Harris hijacked the charts in 2007. But what anthems did it for him? Scotland's retro-electro darling digs into his record collection and selects a Hogmanay soundtrack for your listening pleasure.

FLASHBACK to 12 months ago and Calvin Harris is being told he's going to be the Big Noise of 2007 and he's laughing. "I didn't believe a word – I just thought: 'Aye right,'" he says.

Now, as he prepares to bring down the curtain on his amazing year as a star of Edinburgh's Hogmanay, he's struggling to remember any of it.

"I could just about tell you what I was doing last week but everything else is a blur," says the finest exponent of retro electro in Dumfries and a good bit beyond. "I like to think, though, that I conquered Britain.

"I'd never been to Cardiff before, but this year I played there five times. Norwich and Southampton used to be places on road signs; I played them too." Harris is now a walking gazetteer of the UK. "When folk ask me: 'What's Nottingham like?' I can tell them: 'It's got trams.'"

Key words can jog his memory about the year's highs. Words like "Kylie". Harris became a dance-pop gun-for-hire after his debut hit 'Acceptable In The 80s' and went on to write two songs for La Minogue's comeback album.

Ask him to sum up the Kylie experience and there's little problem with his recall. "It went from bewilderment to great excitement to annoyance to relief," he says. "Annoyance because no one wanted to speak to me before the collaboration, then it was all anyone wanted to talk about. The relief came when my songs got on to her album. And Kylie was great; a pleasure to work with."

For the record, Harris scored three top 10 hits in 2007 and big, daft, thumping anthems like 'The Girls' were heard everywhere. He didn't quite create disco, as his album title boasted, but the infernal catchiness of his tunes could not be denied.

He wore a tracksuit top of shrieking hues all year long, and a zonked expression suggesting rather too much merrymaking. And, exclusively for Scotland On Sunday, his top 10 tracks were:

10 I FOUND YOU Axwell "I don't know anything about Axwell – he might be American, he could be Scandinavian (he's Swedish] – but this is a great dance anthem. It's piano house, which is tremendous. I don't agree with folk who say it's had its day. The world would be a better place if there was more piano house. Where was I when I first heard this? Can't remember. I didn't meet my wife-to-be in Australia when it was playing, if that's what you mean."

9 INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS AnthemUGK featuring Outkast. "Underground Kings are hip-hop people from America who've had absolutely no commercial success here but have been around for 20 years and this track starts with a rap from Andre 3000 which reminds you that he really is one of the three best rappers in the world. I'm afraid I don't remember the first time I heard any of these songs. Sorry."

8O N CALL Kings Of Leon "They're on the same label as me so I got their album for free. You might not think they'd be my thing but actually electro is the stuff I listen to the least. Great music is great music. The guy's voice (Caleb Followill] is spectacular."

7 DO IT AGAIN Chemical Brothers "I wasn't into their early stuff – too noisy – but they had an amazing comeback. We supported them at a big outdoor gig at Trafalgar Square; they were great but we were rubbish. Our biggest gig this year was probably T in the Park. I must admit I'm feeling a bit trepidacious about playing Edinburgh. What if the weather's crap and nobody comes? I like Edinburgh – apart from the cobbles. They're no friends of unfeasibly tall people like me."

6 GIVE IT TO ME Timbaland"A hero of mine for 10 years, a production genius who's been behind a thousand hits, and not before time this year he got back a slice of the limelight from Pharrell (Williams] because the likes of him wouldn't be around if it wasn't for Timbaland."

5 PATRICK 122Mr Oizo"You don't know this one? I'm not surprised. Mr Oizo is French dance producer who's also a film-maker. His best-known track is the Flat Eric song he did for a Levi's ad a few years back. This one's just mental."

4 GET DOWN Groove Armada "Another written-off dance duo; another comeback, and the nicest guys in music. I know they gave away their best song for a supermarket ad ('At The River'] but I'm not snobby about songs being used in commercials. My album only went silver. There are lots of folk out there who've never heard of me. There are lots of folk downloading for free. But I wouldn't want my tunes selling women's bras or anything."

3 SENSUAL SEDUCTION Snoop Dogg"A track showcasing the re-emergence, or the re-re-emergence, of the vocoder. You think it's gimmicky? In the wrong hands it can be. I prefer how Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock used it, rather than Peter Frampton and Cher. And I confidently predict 2008 will be the year of the vocoder.

2 UNHOLY WAR Amy Winehouse "This is the 'Salaam Remy Slow Version'. He produced the original which is on her album but this take, which I found on his MySpace page, is way better. We have the same publisher so I asked why it didn't make the final cut. Apparently because it 'sounds like death', but I think it's really haunting."

1 BARTENDER T-Pain"I suppose to some people this is an average R&B track but I love it. I love almost all R&B, including the really commercial stuff. I look for flawless production and this one's got that. I also look for vocoders and 'Bartender' has one of them too."

Calvin Harris plays Edinburgh's Hogmanay Concert in the Gardens tomorrow after midnight www.edinburghshogmanay.org, www.calvinharris.tv

NIGHT AFORE

This year's shindig celebrates the Highlands and the impact the north has had on the world. An eclectic programme of music, dance and street theatre will be showcased over several stages. Highlights include a record-breaking 'Strip The Willow' and a lesson in American line-dancing.

George Street, tonight, 8pm-midnight, free and unticketed.

HOGMANAY STREET PARTY

Three stages will carry the bulk of the evening entertainment. The Waverley Stage will feature Fife-based singer-songwriter King Creosote. The Scott Monument Stage will showcase Kissmet, pioneers of the British-Asian fusion scene. Alongside them are Go-Lem System, a Barcelona-based Latino reggae outfit, and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers. Rounding off the trio is Peter Hook, founder member of Joy Division and New Order, who will present an exclusive DJ set.

Edinburgh City Centre, tomorrow, 10pm-1am; Street Party pass 5, Party Pack 20. www.edinburghshogmanay.com

CONCERT IN THE GARDENS

Scotland's Idlewild will kick off in melodic style at 10pm before popular rockers Kasabian take to the stage at 11pm and bring in the bells. Calvin Harris will welcome in 2008 with a DJ set.

Princes Street Gardens, tomorrow, 10pm-1am; tickets are 37.50-42.50. www.edinburghshogmanay.com

CEILIDH IN THE GARDENS

This year's open-air party for the dance-loving masses welcomes the arrival of the Mound Square Stage and the Ceilidh Dance Floor down in the Gardens. Salsa Celtica and The Occasionals are among the support acts getting the party started.

East Princes Street Gardens and Mound Square, tomorrow, 10pm-1am, tickets 37.50. www.edinburghshogmanay.com

THE HOOG AND HOOG ROYALE

An array of ceilidh tunes and a steady flow of food and drink provide the perfect line-ups for those wishing to bring in the bells in indoors.

The Assembly Rooms (Hoog), George St and The Queens Hall (Hoog Royale), Clerk Street, tomorrow, 7.30pm-2am, tickets 50-60. www.edinburghshogmanay.com

HOGMANAY HOOTFEST!

Martin "Bigpig" Mor, Graeme Thomas, The Stand Players and Alisa Johnston make the Edinburgh line-up, with Raymond Mearns as compere.

The Stand, Edinburgh (0131-558 7272), tonight and tomorrow, 7.30pm

CANDLELIT CONCERT IN THE CATHEDRAL

In the beautiful medieval surroundings of St Giles, Angus Ramsay leads the cathedral choir in cantatas from Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Soloists join them, including Kate Valentine who performs Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate. (Not suitable for babies or young children.)

St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh (0131-226 0673), tomorrow, 7.30pm

AL PITCHER, DAVE JOHNS, KEVIN GILDEA AND STU WHO?

Popular Kiwi comedian Al Pitcher tops this testosterone-fuelled line-up.

Jongleurs Comedy Club, Edinburgh (0844 844 0044), tomorrow, 6.30pm