Lewis Parker may not be well-known, either in the US or in his native England, but he has done more to elevate the quality of British hip-hop than anybody else. His philosophical lyrics combine with an impeccable sense of rhythm to give him a place as one of the freshest voices on either side of the Atlantic.

I love John Barry. Actually he doesn't seem like such a great guy personally, but I love a lot of his music. This track was originally composed for the soundtrack of the 1971 film 'Mary, Queen of Scots'. However, the sound is very modern. The track is built around a recurring piano riff (which incidentally was sampled by the group Chapterhouse on their 1991 indie/shoegazing single 'mesmerize'), and the tune is played by a synthesized, echoey harpsichord. It's a delightfully simple but very catchy track which stands up to repeated listening.

"She's only 14 but she knows how to draw!" I can't help but think this song isn't about what it sounds like. A great psychy dancer from Donovan's 'rockier' period.

Great brooding mid-60s melodrama from this obscure British girl singer. A terrific stomping number dealing with the age-old teenage theme of heartbreak. "Burning in the background of my mind/are memories/and they seem to haunt me."

This is an absolutely incredible song. It's a melancholy, minor-key brooder much in the vein of the Zombies' more experimental work, and it really showcases how underrated the Troggs were compared to many of their British Invasion contemporaries. This appeared as a b-side to their second biggest US hit, "Love is All Around".