Discover Music: Yael Naim

Although I don't put much stock in Apple's iTunes recommendations, occassionally they do feature something original. It's not that their recommendations are bad, it's just that they feel more like an accident when they actually feature a great artist rather than someone from their "team" discovering and sharing. Regardless, it's hard to deny the instant recognition behind the songs Apple uses in their advertising. Last year they helped introduce The Fratellis to an American audience and now they're doing the same for Israeli singer Yael Naim.

Her song, the utterly infectious New Soul, is the soundtrack to the new MacBook Air television advertisements. The song is a tidy pop dity with just enough production tricks to set it apart from the regular radio fare that fades into the digital hum of our cars and office. If this song doesn't at least make you nod along with the jaunty piano riff, then it's time to realize that you may not have a musical soul, or you work for Pitchfork Media (just kidding guys. But no, not really).

For those of you, much like myself, who are suspicious when their music is packaged and served to them on silver radio waves or voted on by an audience, you may be resistant to the music used in advertising. After all, when a corporation gets its hands on music, it just doesn't feel the same does it? Well, sometimes it doesn't, but here's one of our rules at The Black Tambourine. It doesn't matter how you discover music, just enjoy it when you do. Besides, a good song is a good song whether it's selling you a car, playing in your local coffee shop, or just taking you some place good while sitting on your bed (or maybe typing away at your music blog). Music is cool like that.