random types

Top 25 Albums Of All Time

2011-05-25T09:45:00.012+01:00

1. Prince and The Revolution - Purple Rain (1984)
2. Britney Spears - Blackout (2007)
3. Björk - Vespertine (2001)
4. Björk - Homogenic (1997)
5. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala (2007)
6. Khonnor - Handwriting (2004)
7. Grace Jones - Nightclubbing (1981)
8. Madonna - Madonna (1983)
9. David Bowie - Heroes (1977)
10. Prince - Sign o' the Times (1987)
11. Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak (2008)
12. D'Angelo - Voodoo (2000)
13. Beyoncé - B'Day (2006)
14. Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (1973)
15. M.I.A. - Kala (2007)
16. The-Dream - Love vs. Money (2009)
17. Patrick Wolf - Wind In The Wires (2005)
18. Kelis - Flesh Tone (2010)
19. Pet Shop Boys - Introspective (1988)
20. Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster (2009)
21. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006)
22. Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)
23. Janet Jackson - Control (1986)
24. Gwen Stefani - Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004)
25. Robyn - Body Talk (2010)

A king with no crown

2011-05-06T09:49:00.006+01:00

Dear Gaga:

I still haven't forgotten that hideous album cover, and I also think that you should learn how to relax a bit - especially when you're being interviewed - otherwise you'll start missing the fun and find yourself going down the Michael Jackson road all the way to the end. With that said, I really like your new video, well done! And those water moments in the middle are leaving me breathless, so absolutely gorgeous.

Xoxo,
P.

www.ladygaga.com

Coming Up...

2011-05-02T00:01:00.001+01:00

Working on a first class riot...

Theophilus London - Lovers Holiday EP

2011-04-23T17:05:00.007+01:00

I've just realized that my last posts have all been Britney-related (don't blame me though, the album is THAT good). Anyways, here is one that is not: a 5-song EP from a guy that turns hip-hop on its head and blends it with some eighties futuristic R&B and some more eighties indie pop. Add to the mix the sparkling synths, bouncing bass lines and infectious choruses, and you have the aural equivalent of a cute smile in your face. Like someone said, it's as if Prince and Kid Cudi had a baby, and that baby grew up listening to a lot of Morrissey. And that's your lesson in the art of procreation for today, kids. (8/10)

Theophilus London - Why Even Try (feat. Sara Quin) (video)

Theophilus London - Flying Overseas (feat. Devonte Hynes & Solange Knowles) (video)

theophiluslondon.net

Anyway, burned, whats that, I don’t know boy, femme fatale

2011-04-23T16:18:00.006+01:00

I'm really loving this "remix feat. insert-hot-big-name-here" trend, and even when they seem a bit too much chopped up, who's complaining? This time it's Britney again, plus Ke$ha, plus Nicki Minaj...all together in the same song. Sick!

Britney Spears - Till The World Ends (Remix feat. Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha) (mp3)

Just one night full of sin

2011-04-11T23:30:00.003+01:00

Dear Brit, Dear RiRi: thank you for joining forces and having some quick and improvised fun together. And this on my birthday... Damm, I feel spoilt :)

Rihanna - S&M (Remix feat. Britney Spears) (mp3)

Take it to the next level baby!

2011-04-06T13:27:00.006+01:00

We all know for some time now that this song is the epitome of what a perfect club anthem should be. But now that the video has finally arrived (...and about time!), the obglitatory question is: are you ready for some sexy-hot action? Because this delivers it in spades and beyond. And to shut the haters up: she looks FIERCE - dancing included!

www.britneyspears.com

Britney Spears - Femme Fatale

2011-03-28T09:45:00.006+01:00

And now for the question that is in everyone's minds: is Femme Fatale actually any better than Blackout?
Britney's 2007 album is still unique in every sense of the word. Recorded during a very specific period of her life, when she was having a public meltdown in front of the whole world to see, you could sense that turbulence everywhere on that record: her voice engulfed in all the radical sonics, creating a tension and a claustrophobic atmosphere that, in the end, showed she was then a much-solitary soul.
After Circus put her back on track, at least with her own self, Femme Fatale is where everything really falls into the right place, creating what will probably become one of her most iconic moments ever in her career. This is where the cheeky and naughty Brit that we all love is at full force again, opening up to the world and inviting everyone to her party... while, at the same time, all the producers and writers involved in this project seem to have been blessed with a divine moment of manic inspiration, considering what they've come up with for Femme Fatale. Really now: Cyborg sex-vixen Britney? Yes please!
In the end, saying that this album is without any flaw and that there's not a single filler in here, is an understatement. What is true is that listening to it - and Lord knows I haven't been able to do anything else in the past few weeks - gives a new meaning to the concept of experiencing multiple sequenced eargasms.
And back to that introductory question: is Femme Fatale actually any better than Blackout? Only time will tell, but for now one thing is for sure: Britney's back, bitch! (10/10)

Britney Spears - Inside Out (mp3)

www.britneyspears.com

Feeling this is more insane

2011-03-24T13:35:00.004Z

Revealed to the world as guest vocalist in the Magnetic Man project, Katy B has since released a few quite-good songs on her own, all indebting a lot to dubstep and the UK bass culture. Her new single changes this perception a bit and thus may, very well, become her first international breakthrough hit. Mostly because Broken Record broadens its influences and literally opens up to the world. Just hear that drum'n'bass chorus and you'll understand why.

www.katyonamission.com

Can't you see I am down on my knees now?

2011-03-21T09:45:00.003Z

Another Erik Hassle song, another moment of emo-pop perfection. This time our favourite Swede has even upped the bar a bit more, incorporating an amazing electro beat that brings his songwriting and singing to new unsuspected heights. I've already read in more than a few places that "Are You Leaving" could be seen as the male version to Robyn's "Dancing On My Own", and I can see where that comes from: both deal with heartbreak lyrics, pumping disco synths and an atmosphere of nordic nostalgia - all things for which I'm a total sucker.
Considering that this is just one of the songs from a forthcoming mini-album called Mariefried Sessions, I can't help but becoming über-excited for what's next. In the meantime, here's the fresh-oven video, directed by the (multi-talented) man himself.

www.erikhassle.com

Jamie Foxx - Best Night Of My Life

2011-03-14T09:45:00.002Z

Let's be honest here: Jamie Foxx must be used to having nights that are much more interesting than what you, me, or 99,9% of the world will ever have. So the prospect of being able to take part in the best night of his life... that surely sounds like quite an experience, to say the least, doesn't it? Well, following the title by the letter, this album raises the curtain in what a superstar's fun night is like. And what do you know? It's actually not that different from the common mortal's.
Best Night Of My Life starts with mid-tempo jams that are just perfect to soundtrack private parties in luxury mansions, surrounded by some sexy people. But by the second half, the tempo tones down, while the temperature actually gets higher. So that means it's that time of the evening when you leave the party behind and surreptitiously go upstairs, ending up on a stranger's bed with the hottest guy/girl in the room.
Which is to say that you can actually identify with what you're hearing and use this album as a soundtrack to a home-made party of yours. Because, even if with less luxury involved, the script may turn out to be quite similar. And the fact that it all ends with "Sex On The Beach" is literally an added bonus to what was already a very special night. (8/10)

Jamie Foxx feat. Rick Ross - Living Better Now (mp3 via Passion of the Weiss)

Jamie Foxx feat. Drake - Fall For Your Type (video)

www.jamiefoxx.com

Let me blow your mind tonight

2011-03-12T00:35:00.000Z

Dancing with Britney till the world ends? That doesn't sound like a bad idea at all!

Britney Spears - Till The World Ends (mp3)

The type of chick that likes to rock the beat

2011-03-11T13:46:00.004Z

If you thought that Whip My Hair was just a one-off, then you might have to think again, because Willow Smith's second single is another banger of a song. And yes, the chorus does sound A LOT like Ke$ha, but it's still fun as hell, so who's complaining? However, the really treat in here is the video... and don't even get me started about all those epic raise-a-city-out-of-nowhere scenes.

www.willowsmith.com

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

2011-03-07T13:47:00.009Z

When you are responsible for an album - 2008's In Ghost Colours - that has become an indie-classic, with many of its songs seen now as celebratory anthems, how do you follow it up? If you are Cut Copy, then this is what you do: reduce the anthemic properties of your new tracks, take out almost all guitars and immerse the tunes in a myriad of 80's synthesizers. And Zonoscope is exactly all about that: building ethereal dance atmospheres instead of physical numbers, while exploring different synthetic textures.
But the final goal is still the same and almost as successfuly achieved as before: to create ecstactic music and aim higher into the sky. Or, in other words, to reach for the stars while dancing on the way. (7,5/10)

Cut Copy - Need You Now (video)

www.cutcopy.net

You can’t touch me now there’s no feeling left

2011-03-05T21:15:00.000Z

Still on the subject of sizzling hot videos, here's another one, this time by former Pussycat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger. Approach with caution, though: that huge chorus may get stuck in your head for days. A new break-up anthem?

www.nicolescherzingermusic.com

Watch a chick get donkey konged

2011-03-05T20:01:00.007Z

I wasn't expecting this, but the new Jennifer Lopez song (produced by RedOne) is actually quite good, in a trashy-good kind of way. And the video? Sizzling hot!

jenniferlopezonline.com

Government Hooker

2011-03-02T22:55:00.004Z

Just a couple of hours ago, Lady Gaga made her debut as a runway model, walking for Thierry Mugler during Paris fashion week, where she also directed the show music, previewing a brand new track called Government Hooker:

"I can be cool, I can be anything, I'll be your everything, just touch me baby.
Im gonna drink my tears tonight, im gonna drink my tears and cry, cuz I know you love me baby, I know you love me baby.
Put your hands on me, John F Kennedy, i'll make you scream baby."

Flawless!

www.ladygaga.com
www.thierrymugler.com

This is the manifesto of Mother Monster

2011-02-28T20:58:00.005Z

Well, and once again, Lady Gaga and Nick Knight have teamed up to push quite a few boundaries, and after watching this about 20 times in a row, my mouth is still wide open with all those mind-blowing details. Seriously now, and putting aside all objectivism and possible theoretical analysis: this is some surreal next-level shit, so friggin' amazing!

www.ladygaga.com

Ciara - Basic Instinct

2011-02-28T13:47:00.006Z

Ciara's fourth album may have been a flop saleswise, but that doesn't take away its quite good merits. And those are in a large part due to the presence of The-Dream and Tricky Stewart as producers and writers, providing the vibrant synthetic R&B atmosphere that permeates all over Basic Instinct, with some amazing back instrumentals for Ciara to do her thing on. Not only are those beats sexy and seductive on their own, but they also blend perfectly with her trademark soft and anonymous (- compliment here!) voice. (7,5/10)

Ciara feat. Ludacris - Ride (video)

Ciara - Gimmie Dat (video)

www.ciaraworld.com

Devlin - Bud, Sweat & Beers

2011-02-24T13:57:00.009Z

The UK bass culture is currently living a very-prolific period, and Devlin is another name to add up to a list that already includes huge mainstream-success stories such as Tinie Tempah or Skepta.
Bud, Sweat & Beers may be his first album, but it's already a very huge and ambitious affair. The frantic beats don't let it be mistaken by anything else than a grime album, as well as Devlin's flow, or shall I say, angry words-spitting rhymes? But then there are also the immense pop hooks, absurdly catchy choruses, emo pianos and strings, heavy guitars and a whole lot of intense drama, taking everything into another level that comes really close to reaching epic proportions. In a way, it all reminds me of a less-cartoonish version of Eminem, which - in my book - is a very good place to start with. (7/10)

Devlin - Brainwashed (video)

Devlin feat. Yasmin - Runaway (video)

www.officialdevlin.com

Cop lights, flash lights, spot lights, strobe lights, street lights

2011-02-22T14:12:00.000Z

Is it just me or Rihanna's blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance completely outshines everything else in this video? That's called star power, people!

kanyewest.com

Running forever for something better

2011-02-21T13:49:00.007Z

Remember The Sound Of Arrows? This Swedish duo took 2009 by storm with one of the best songs ever done (no kidding here), the perfectly-titled Into The Clouds... and then vanished completely. Well, that absence from the public-radar was all for a good reason, as they went to prepare their debut album, which is now finally ready and will be released very soon. Its first single is titled Nova and it's so fantastic that I'm literally drooling here right now as I write this. Another beautiful half-melancholic / half-ecstactic song, like only the Swedes seem capable of doing, loaded with a myriad of epic goosebumps-inducing synths. Seriously, things like this make me fall in love with the world.

www.thesoundofarrows.com

Gimme something good, don't wanna wait I want it now

2011-02-19T19:06:00.002Z

Say what you will about the shameless product-placement throughout, or the slightly nauseating fast-pacing editing, but this is nevertheless one of the best videos she's ever done. And I'm really loving the metaphors drawing a close parallel to her own life: meteoric career start - becoming a celebrity - rise to stardom - inner struggle - breakdown - and, finally, triumphant comeback!

www.britneyspears.com

James Blake - James Blake

2011-02-14T18:50:00.007Z

Apparently I finally found out what was needed for me to start liking James Blake's debut: to be sick with a virus and spend a few days at home with not much to do. What was my problem with this album before? The fact that it all seemed too incomplete, like too much sketches and great ideas grouped together but with something still missing. And what changed in the last high-fever days? I suppose my availability and patience to fill in the gaps by myself.
So yes, I now agree: this will probably be considered a landmark in the future, when a dubstep musician started building up his own world and used some - but not much - of the scene's elements to create a new and very personal sound. As a matter of fact, I don't think there's much dubstep in here anymore. This album is more a collection of leftfield songs, little melodies with a heavily processed voice - that anyway still sounds fragile enough, actually like everything else in here -, built around some really unique electronic sounds and... a lot of silence.
Yes it can sound incomplete in the beginning. But maybe there's another expression for that, and that's: entering someone's intimacy. (8/10)

James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream (video)

James Blake - Limit To Your Love (video)

www.myspace.com/jamesblakeproduction

It doesn't matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M

2011-02-11T15:00:00.003Z

Born This Way - The Song has arrived! And being able to finally hear it has left me a bit too emotional to write anything else for now, so I'll just leave you with the wise words from the lady herself: "I love my life I love this record and mi amore vole fe yah".
Have a great weekend!

Lady Gaga - Born This Way (mp3 stream)

www.ladygaga.com

Diddy - Dirty Money - Last Train To Paris

2011-02-08T11:00:00.004Z

Anyone that reads the news and gossip columms from time to time will probably have a hard time taking Sean Combs seriously. Don't blame yourself for that, and actually he's the first one aknowledging this fact, so all the better for it. But judging by Last Train To Paris, at least no one should question his skills as executive producer, considering that he's capable of bringing together so many A-list names to collaborate with him, from Grace Jones, Usher, T.I., Lil Wayne, Justin Timberlake and Drake to Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Bilal. Oh and the list of producers is also pretty awesome: Danja, Polow Da Don, Jay-Z, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Swizz Beatz, Rodney Jerkins, Sean Garrett, D’Mile, Mario Winans or DEEKAY, among others. The end result is a kaleidoscopic journey described as an “electro-hip-hop-soul-funk experience blending elements of U.K. grime, Mediterranean techno, and the 808s of American hip-hop”. Sounds good, no?
With such an ambitious project that goes much broader than the standard hip-hop album, it's a bit inevitable to bring to the table comparisons with Kanye West, but not forgetting that, as said before, Diddy takes himself way less seriously. True, he probably has less than half the talent of Kanye's... but on the other hand, not having a stick up your ass - and surrounding yourself by all the right people - can sometimes result in music that sounds much more fun. (8,5/10)

Diddy - Dirty Money - Hello Good Morning (feat. T.I.) (mp3)

Diddy - Dirty Money - Ass On The Floor (feat. Swizz Beatz) (video)

www.diddydirtymoney.com

Sticks and stones may break my bones but chains and whips excite me

2011-02-02T13:53:00.007Z

The new Rihanna's video is finally out there for everyone to drool on. It's all about sado-masochism (just to clear that up), and it's a bit of a mess, but a sexy-hot colourful and fun mess. And needless to say, she looks prettier than ever ♥.

rihannanow.com

This is my moment I waited all my life

2011-01-31T14:07:00.004Z

A lot of much-anticipated videos are coming out in the next few days... First, here's Nicki Minaj in her most recent opus, with a bit of over-the-top epicness thrown in. I love her and I also love Drake, so yeah, for me this is pretty much heaven... Or, in other words, just like the song: rough and cute in equal parts.
Up next (out on Tuesday): Rihanna's S&M!

www.mypinkfriday.com
www.myspace.com/nickiminaj

Some light on your dark

2011-01-31T13:45:00.005Z

Patrick Wolf is living happy times and so are we if he keeps on releasing tracks like this one. The City is an epic, celebratory, bring on the drums and the sax kind of track that just made my life a lot better (music has a funny way of doing that to you, doesn’t it?). Patrick has to be one of my favorite musicians ever, I think his lyrics are genius and the intense emotions of his music is unparalleled. Give me dark Patrick Wolf or joyful Patrick Wolf any time of the day and I’ll take it. And this video! I mean, come on, could it be any more cute? That vintage cinematography with burnt-out colors, the beach settings, the friends gathering, that sexy look with his mate at minute 3 (wow!)… bliss! Can’t wait for the release of Lupercalia... bring it on!

www.patrickwolf.com
www.myspace.com/officialpatrickwolf

Taylor Swift - Speak Now

2011-01-27T20:46:00.008Z

And in a sort-of-evilish association with the previous post ("I'mma let you finish", Kanye West, VMA's 2009), here's my current latest obsession. This is the perfect example of perfectly-effective songwriting that suits perfectly a perfect voice from a perfectly sweet girl. So (perfect and) cute! (8/10)

Taylor Swift - Enchanted (mp3)

Taylor Swift - Back To December (video)

www.taylorswift.com

Ok first things first I’ll eat your brains

2011-01-26T14:18:00.006Z

I believe this video has leaked before being completely finished, but even so, it looks like another winner for Mr. Kanye West... seriously now, can he ever do a bad one? And about that - legendary - guest appearance rap by Nicki Minaj, at the second half of the song... it's basically still the best thing on the entire My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. I'm just saying...

kanyewest.com
www.myspace.com/kanyewest

I don't speak German but I can if you like

2011-01-21T14:20:00.005Z

What a great way to build up the hype for Born This Way! Lady Gaga has premiered a remix of a new song, Scheiß, from her forthcoming album, as part of a project that included herself as music director for a web-only film showcasing Mugler collection, men's ready-to-wear F/W 2011-2012. Bold, dark and very avant-garde, loving it here.

www.ladygaga.com
www.thierrymugler.com

Its easy to be Puff, its harder to be Sean

2011-01-17T10:00:00.000Z

Who knew that the guy above would still be able to put out such inspiringly epic songs and actually be damm-good at it?

www.diddydirtymoney.com

If you ever loved somebody put your hands up

2011-01-15T01:41:00.004Z

This one is already some months old, but any time is a good time to enjoy such an awesome synth-loaded (and also string-heavy) r&b emo-love anthem. In the video, Nelly goes sky-high and, well, there aren't much better words to describe the four minutes that this song lasts.

www.nelly.net
www.myspace.com/nelly

If I said 'I want your body', would you hold it against me?

2011-01-10T21:30:00.009Z

When I said yesterday that we would hear much more crossovers between dubstep and pop in the near future, I wasn't expecting it to be so soon... but one day later, Britney's new single leaks and it literally blows the roof off anything ever done before. Not to mention that much-talked-about breakdown after the second chorus, which is really one of the best things ever. Basically a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me (mp3)

Magnetic Man - Magnetic Man

2011-01-10T10:00:00.003Z

An electronic project between three of the most famous dubstep producers out there (Skream, Benga and Artwork), Magnetic Man seem very aware of their supergroup status, at least considering all the larger-than-life vibes that come from their debut full-length. With strong wicked beats, anthemic synth lines, an interesting line-up of guest voices (John Legend, Ms Dynamite, Katy B, Sam Frank and Angela Hunte) and some really catchy melodies, everything in here seems designed to sound BIG. And so it is, with extremely physical sounds that reach their best when aiming higher, hands-in-the-air style, like the goosebumps-inducing song Anthemic. Or, even better, when all this is achieved while staying close to the best pop music rules, something which is done in many moments across this album and has its peak in the wonderful I Need Air. (7/10)

Magnetic Man - Anthemic (mp3)

Magnetic Man - I Need Air (video)

www.magneticman.net
www.myspace.com/magneticman

Keep Walking On My Friend

2011-01-09T19:44:00.003Z

Five perfect minutes of futuristic beats, a dark awesome melody and some poignant break-up lyrics, in one of the finest crossovers between dubstep and pop ever done so far. And I'm pretty sure we'll hear much more of this kind in the near future.

Skream + Example - Shot Yourself In The Foot Again (mp3 via What's Good With It)

www.myspace.com/skreamuk
www.trythisforexample.com

Best Of 2010: Top 35 singles

2010-12-31T11:00:00.010Z

1. Robyn - Dancing On My Own (mp3 via Fluxblog)

2. Lady Gaga - Alejandro (mp3 via Nineteen Ninety Never)

3. Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé - Telephone (mp3 via MFR)

4. Rihanna - Rude Boy (mp3 via Culture Bully)

5. Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart

6. Drake feat. The-Dream - Shut It Down

7. Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem - Roman's Revenge (mp3 via Fluxblog)

8. Rihanna feat. Drake - What's My Name?

9. The-Dream - Yamaha (mp3 via dailybeatz)

10. Justin Bieber feat. Ludacris - Baby

11. Marina & The Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot (Clock Opera remix) (mp3 via Neon Gold)

12. LIGHTS - Saviour (Adam Young remix) (mp3 via Ohinvertedworldclub)

13. Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are (mp3 via The Smoking Section)

14. Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)

15. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream (mp3 via MFR)

16. Joe McElderry - Ambitions

17. Miley Cyrus - Party In The U.S.A. (Yes Giantess remix) (mp3 via yesgiantess.tumblr.com)

18. Kyle Minougue - All The Lovers

19. The Temper Trap - Fader (The Knocks remix feat. Samuel) (mp3 via Neon Gold)

20. Usher feat. Pitbull - DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love

21. Yes Giantess - The Ruins (Fear Of Tigers remix) (mp3 via Neon Gold)

22. B.o.B. feat. Hayley Williams - Airplanes (mp3 via The Smoking Section)

23. Ne-Yo - One In A Million

24. Ne-Yo - Beautiful Monster (mp3 via The Smoking Section)

25. Nicki Minaj - Your Love (mp3 via dipped in dollars)

26. Willow Smith - Whip My Hair (mp3 via Teenage Kicks)

27. Katy Perry - Firework

28. The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen (mp3 via indie rock cafe)

29. Usher (feat. Will.I.Am) - OMG

30. Robyn - Indestructible

31. The Naked And Famous - Young Blood (mp3 via Neon Gold)

32. Egyptian Hip Hop - Moon Crooner (mp3 via shattered satellite)

33. Kanye West feat. Pusha T - Runaway (mp3 via In Flex We Trust)

34. Vampire Weekend - Giving Up The Gun (mp3 via The Music Ninja)

35. Ke$ha - Your Love Is My Drug (mp3 via MFR)

Best Of 2010: Top 25 albums

2010-12-28T10:30:00.004Z

1. The-Dream - Love King (review)
2. Drake - Thank Me Later (review)
3. Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday (review)
4. Ne-Yo - Libra Scale (review)
5. ceo - White Magic (review)
6. These New Puritans - Hidden (review)
7. Robyn - Body Talk (review)
8. Fear Of Tigers - Cossus Snufsigalonica (review)
9. Zola Jesus - Stridulum II (review)
10. Rihanna - Loud (review)
11. Marina & The Diamonds - The Family Jewels (review)
12. Yes Giantess - Siren (review)
13. MGMT - Congratulations (review)
14. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (review)
15. Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid (review)
16. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (review)
17. Kelis - Flesh Tone (review)
18. Hurts - Happiness (review)
19. Gucci Mane - The State vs. Radrid Davis (review)
20. Delorean - Subiza (review)
21. Usher - Raymond V Raymond (review)
22. Perfume Genius - Learning (review)
23. The Drums - The Drums (review)
24. Klaxons - Surfing The Void (review)
25. Owen Pallett - Heartland (review)

Best Of 2010: Top 5 concerts

2010-12-27T23:30:00.003Z

1. Lady Gaga @ Pavilhão Atlântico (10th December)

2. Prince @ SBSR (18th July)

3. Pet Shop Boys @ SBSR (16th July)

4. Crystal Castles @ Coliseu dos Recreios (4th May)

5. Florence and The Machine @ Aula Magna (16th March)

Best of 2010: Top 5 videos

2010-12-27T09:30:00.002Z

1. Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé - Telephone

2. Kanye West - Runaway

3. MGMT - Flash Delirium

4. Lady Gaga - Alejandro

5. Rihanna - Rude Boy

Best Of 2010: Top 5 movies

2010-12-27T01:30:00.002Z

1. A Single Man (dir. Tom Ford)

2. The Social Network (dir. David Fincher)

3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (dir. Edgar Wright)

4. Inception (dir. Christopher Nolan)

5. Alice In Wonderland (dir. Tim Burton)

Happy Xmas everyone!

2010-12-25T14:17:00.005Z

Tailor Swift - You Belong With Me (Yes Giantess Remix) (mp3)

Ne-Yo - Libra Scale

2010-12-22T11:30:00.002Z

The biggest stigma for most male R&B singers of today is what I call the "Michael Jackson factor". It's always kinda difficult to escape comparisons with his legacy, and the truth is that, in most cases, the MJ influence really is there, be it in his trademark way of singing, the videos, the dance steps or even the clothes accessories.
It's hard to escape this line of thought when hearing Libra Scale in its entirety or when watching the genuinely cute video for One In A Million (see below), but in Ne-Yo's case, he does pass the test - and with much distinction. The reasons for this? Mostly because, even when he seems to be channeling Jackson's spirit, that influence is processed through a more modern and updated lens - and also without all the megalomania that comes when you start living in a parallel and artificial world created just for you. Add to this a genius talent as a songwriter, a voice that sounds as sincere as it gets, and a concept that is charmingly goofy (Libra Scale is loosely based around the adventures of three garbagemen who become superheros) and Ne-Yo's fourth album turns into the best definition of what an instant classic is. (9/10)

Ne-Yo - Beautiful Monster (mp3 via The Smoking Section)

Ne-Yo - One In A Million (video)

www.neyothegentleman.com
www.myspace.com/neyo

Nick Knight + Björk - To Lee With Love, Nick

2010-12-20T15:00:00.002Z

Fashion photographer Nick Knight from SHOWstudio pays homage to the groundbreaking imagination of Lee Alexander McQueen in this video set up to a new Björk song (she was one of McQueen’s muses and closest friends). It is strikingly beautiful to watch, and Björk’s music score presents a compelling paradox of strenght vs. fragility with the minor horn chords warming up her voice as it gets stronger. An extraordinary moving way to celebrate McQueen’s impressive body of work.

Robyn - Body Talk

2010-12-19T23:00:00.000Z

2010 was surely a great period for all Robyn fans out there, with all the amazing new gems she released throughout the year on the EP's Body Talk Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. And now it all comes to an end in the best way possible, with a full-length album containing 5 songs from each of those previous EP's, plus 5 new songs.
The singularity of Robyn has been much discussed already. She really is on a league of her own, with enough attributes to become a superstar but also maintaining her own peculiar individuality, something that probably comes from her scandinavian roots. And while her songs are mostly dancefloor-oriented, she is always able to lend that unique "Robyn-touch" to any Hi-NRG club track, transforming it into an over-emotional and highly personal anthem.
An impeccable ear for creating absurdly-catchy hooks and writing genius tongue-in-cheek lyrics does the rest: in the end, the fact that Body Talk sounds already like a greatest hits collection, and considering what came before, shouldn't really be much of a surprise to anyone, anymore. (9/10)

Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend (mp3 via Fluxblog)

www.robyn.com
www.myspace.com/robynmyspace

Indestructible

2010-12-19T22:41:00.002Z

It’s no secret that Robyn is increasingly becoming one of the most interesting pop artists in the scene right now. And music videos like this one will only solidify her status as such. Here’s Indestructible, directed by Nils Ljunggren and Max Vitali. It somehow follows the concept of the installation Fluid Dress by Charlie Bucket and Ratatat. As the directors explain, it showcases a project that started over two years ago generating dynamic textiles made from liquid, air and vapor. 1.2 kilometres of transparent plumbing tubing was knitted with fishing wire to skin Robyn’s body. 40 litres of glycerol pumps through over a kilometre of tube, powered by drill pumps that connect to valves releasing air intermittently between the liquid. Gradient colors pulse through the tubes at different speeds, the effect is a living, breathing dynamic skin that traverses the landscape of the body. And the result is striking indeed.

Polaroids # 43 (MGMT)

2010-12-19T14:30:00.003Z

(Picture taken on the 18th of December 2010 in Campo Pequeno, Lisbon, Portugal)

Polaroids # 42 (Lady Gaga ♥)

2010-12-11T16:05:00.011Z

(Pictures taken on the 10th of December 2010 in Pavilhão Atlântico, Lisbon, Portugal)

Find your Jesus

2010-12-10T09:30:00.009Z

Tonight the Monster Ball arrives here in Lisbon and I'm expecting nothing less than a life-changing experience (dear Gaga: sorry for putting so much pressure on your shoulders). To wet our appetite a bit more, here's an amazing video directed by Nick Knight, which serves as one of the interludes during the show. Notice how she manages to look so cool and stylish even when she's being puked on. Fierce!

Yes Giantess - Siren

2010-12-08T23:00:00.003Z

Released a few months ago, the debut album from Boston natives Yes Giantess went by largely unnoticed, which is a shame, considering the amount of shining anthems it includes. The reasons for this happening kinda miss me out, but the truth is that these four guys have a real love for all things from the 80's, which in here sounds a bit like an anachronism, considering that the irony usually associated with that decade's revivalism (see: the last 10 years in music) is largely absent in Siren.
Sincerity is indeed the best form of flattery, and Yes Giantess take this old-saying by their hearts. From vintage synths to fuzzy beats, there's a lot of 80's nostalgia to be heard on these 10 tracks. But they aren't happy just to copy a whole decade into their sound: this sincerity actually allows them to be more than just a pastiche homage, and the fact that Siren seems so genuine - and almost heart-breaking - is more than just a coincidence. It was actually this same genuinity and irony-free attitude that turned their remix of Miley's Party In The USA into such a brilliant moment, and it does wonders again in here.
The rest is pure pop-gold: hyper-catchy melodies, glossy call-for-love shouts and blasting hands-in-the-air numbers, in one of the best 80's albums that the 80's has missed to see... with the aforementioned sincerity actually taking it to a more timeless spot.
In the end, with all those larger-than-life love-declarations heard throughout, one last question arrives: are Yes Giantess the most romantic guys out there? Or are they actually just trying to seduce us? We'll never know, but the spell actually works too damm well. (8,5/10)

Yes Giantess - Up And Down (mp3)

Yes Giantess - Demons (mp3)

www.myspace.com/yesgiantess

Teenagers will never sleep again

2010-12-08T12:00:00.003Z

After some blog buzz over a free-for-download tune called Our Now, here’s 22-year-old musician/graphic designer Japayork’s proper debut single called Teenagers, out now via Popjustice. And what a delicious track it is! Described as a song about the “epic feeling of togetherness”, it’s basically a feel-good anthem about the healing power of music, drinks and friends over whatever is pissing you off. An euphoric synth-pop confection not too far away from The Sound Of Arrows, complete with a glorious chorus and mood-lifting beats. Japayork may be starting his career just now but he has everything to become a pop superstar as soon as a big label invests on him.

www.japayork.com
www.myspace.com/japayork

Here and now

2010-12-07T09:30:00.003Z

Klaxons videos have been getting more and more out there, but this is insane: Twin Flames is nothing less than an artistic statement to take things into a whole new level. Basically, here's some batshit crazy weirdness from the purveyors of all things mythological... Or: when disturbing images become something strangely fascinating and, dare I say... beautiful? (NSFW)

http://www.klaxons.net
www.myspace.com/klaxons

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday

2010-12-06T09:30:00.005Z

After a couple of much-hyped-about mixtapes, it became clear to everyone with an ear that Nicki Minaj is a very gifted lady, capable of delivering crazily intense and over-the-top performances like an almost natural thing. But with her first proper debut album, she's now confusing everyone, or at least most of music critics, and actually getting more mixed reviews than anything else.
Well, to those less positive reviews I say: you're wrong! Yes, Pink Friday is not (only) a hip-hop album, which could be a shame because Nicki is indeed one of the greatest rappers currently out there, possessing an incendiary attitude that has already given us some legendary results (hear: Kanye West's track Monster and her show-stealing verse). But there's also much more to her than that and Pink Friday actually does us a good service in showcasing so many of her other multiple talents.
So there is, of course, some really awesome leftfield hip-hop moments (Roman's Revenge), but there's also more: from cute midtempo love songs (Your Love) to pure pop gold moments (Check It Out), this album does it all with an impressive range.
Best of all: everything sounds so gleeful, colorful and fresh, while she always seems genuinely excited for doing what she's doing. Result is never less than mind-blowing contagious. (9/10)

Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem - Roman's Revenge (mp3 via Fluxblog)

Nicki Minaj - Your Love (video)

mypinkfriday.com
www.myspace.com/nickiminaj

Polaroids # 41 (Janelle Monáe)

2010-12-05T14:48:00.002Z

(Picture taken on the 4th of December 2010 in Teatro Tivoli, Lisbon, Portugal)

Polaroids # 40 (Zola Jesus)

2010-12-04T18:18:00.002Z

(Picture taken on the 3rd of December 2010 in São Jorge cinema, Lisbon, Portugal)

Nothing to hide

2010-12-02T09:30:00.002Z

Curious to know what a collaboration between Pharrell and Daft Punk would sound like? Now you can satisfy that curiosity - and I don't know how this has managed to skip my radar for so long! Here's the new single from N*E*R*D, co-written and produced by Daft Punk. Smooth and sexy track, just as the video.

n-e-r-d.com
http://www.myspace.com/nerdofficial

Rihanna - Loud

2010-12-01T19:03:00.007Z

(or: a love letter to Rihanna)

Dear RiRi,

It's not only that you're so damm pretty. And I do forgive the fact that a couple of tracks in your new album sound a bit like average fillers. Because that is clearly compensated by a lot of other songs which, basically, are the best you've ever done.
You always seem so intelligent and down-to-earth that is really easy to identify with what you do, say, think and sing. And I will always love the way you're not afraid to take risks and make questionable choices just for the fun of it - guitar solos, yay!
Loud clearly sounds like a record where you just want to have fun again, following the dark tones of your previous Rated R, in which you obviously wanted to get something out of your system - and we all know what that something was and stand behind you for that.
Now it's back to business-as-usual and that is really great news, as in your hands, pop music is always destined to become solid gold. You know why? Because you have something indefinable and not common which can be summed up in a word: charisma. Or, using you're own - and already immortal - words: you're "such a fucking lady".

XOXO, PR

PS: love that red-colored hair!

Rihanna feat. Eminem - Love The Way You Lie - Part II (mp3 via Music-mashs)

Rihanna feat. Drake - What's My Name? (video)

rihannanow.com
www.myspace.com/rihanna

Darkstar - North

2010-11-29T09:30:00.003Z

Darkstar may be signed to Hyperdub, one of the most relevant dubstep labels out there, but their sound is pretty distinct and actually bears almost no resemblance to dubstep itself. That is, unless that genre had suddenly slowed down, turned off its paranoid basslines and gone mad for the abstract experimentalism of indie-acts like Radiohead or Portishead.
Full of digital glitch details and dreamy synth lines that support down tempo pop melodies sang with distorted vocals, North is actually one of those records that seems made specifically for those long nights of cold weather. And so the name is to be taken seriously: these are indeed ten extremely intimate songs that beg to be listened to in the dark. Or, in other words, subtle intensity for solitary souls. (7,5/10)

Darkstar - North (mp3)

Runaway

2010-11-27T17:59:00.002Z

Just watched Kanye West’s Runaway short-film. Totally worth it. Poetry through music and images.

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2010-11-22T23:55:00.005Z

The internet has kind of exploded today with all the appraisal and universal acclaim that My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is getting - 10 out of 10 by Pitchfork? Like, whoa! So to ride the wave, here's a post to say that i agree with everything... partially.
Yes, Kanye is, along with Lady Gaga, one of the most fascinating and complete pop artists of our current time. Yes, this album is perfect in every sense, with all the biblical lines, over-the-top sampling and out-there influences. And yes, it does seem like a culmination of everything that Kanye represents, condensating all those great sides that have been showing on his four previous albums.
With that said (and here comes a purely personal opinion): the concept of perfection is sometimes overrated and I still prefer the disarming imperfections audible in the radical experiment that was his previous 808s & Heartbreak, with its beautiful digital emo-hip-hop ballads loaded in a stripped-down (and almost unconfortable) coldness.
And now that i got that off my chest, I'm going back to listen once more (and more and more) to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, just to be amazed by its mouth-watering-and-larger-than-life attitude. Power! (8,5/10)

Kanye West - Power (video)

kanyewest.com
www.myspace.com/kanyewest

Matthew Dear - Black City

2010-11-22T10:00:00.002Z

He may have started as a techno musician, but those days are long past gone. Black City, his fourth album, continues Matthew Dear's journey into a very individual world, filled with his own (unnatural) voice, skeleton melodies, glitch details and immersive synths, while the BPM's are getting slower and more diverse. And even if influences may range from new wave, krautrock, disco, R&B or ambient, that doesn't really say much, as this is actually one of those cases where the result is completely something else and very different from the logical sum of its parts.
With all the rich textures that each song presents, Black City actually ends up being pretty enigmatic: dark, nocturnal, hypnotic, involving and with a somewhat dirty atmosphere. A bit like soundtracking twisted S&M acts in a large warehouse, late night, no lights on. (8/10)

Matthew Dear - You Put A Smell On Me (mp3 via Fluxblog)

MDBC Abstraction (video)

www.matthewdear.com
www.myspace.com/matthewdear

Happy birthday Björk! ♥♥♥

2010-11-21T14:54:00.001Z

Mystery Jets - Serotonin

2010-11-15T10:00:00.004Z

Twenty One, their previous album, is probably one of the most underrated records of recent years. With all its perfect catchy tunes and euphoric indie-pop vibes, it still managed to skip the radar of almost everyone, and quite unfairly so.
Is that why Serotonin is now a whole different beast? We'll probably never know, but the shock is indeed there: where Twenty One was a very accurate window to all things hip and cool in the indie world, this new album goes in a very opposite direction, channelling past bands like Fleetwood Mac (!) or Supertramp (!!). Pass the initial surprise though, and you'll be able to find everything that has always been great about these guys: namely, the ability to create timeless and joyful pop anthems full of addictive hooks and riffs. And even if there wasn't any other reasons to praise this album, we would always have that cover. (7/10)

Mystery Jets - Dreaming Of Another World (video)

mysteryjets.com
www.myspace.com/mysteryjets

The-Dream - Love King

2010-11-13T19:04:00.009Z

"I'll never be a pop star, I'm too raw"

His solo career hasn't been quite as successful as the hits he has produced for other artists (Umbrella or Single Ladies to name just a couple...) but, even so, The-Dream's three own albums pretty much constitute one of the most interesting bodies of work in recent R&B.
Love King is no exception to this, right on the contrary: his trademark digital sound is intact, with seductive futuristic ballads and mid-tempo songs that seem to constantly soundtrack matters related to sex and love and, well, more sex. The only difference is actually more an evolution than anything else: this time, and from start to end, we seem to be in a constant state of ecstatic high, with an impossible amount of ear-catching hooks, synths and choruses supporting permanently-addictive melodies. Best of all: as complex and intense as everything may seem, he makes it all sound so damm-natural. (9/10)

The-Dream - Panties To The Side (mp3 via The Citizen Insane)

The-Dream - Yamaha (mp3 via dailybeatz)

www.the-dreammusic.com
www.myspace.com/thedreamteam

Only Girl (In The World)

2010-11-09T20:15:00.003Z

Listening to Loud right now, crazy good so far! I love the Only Girl video by the way. Heard the track in a club a couple of weeks ago and I got to feel its real power. Club banger!

Christian Dior Denim Flow

2010-11-08T00:05:00.003Z

A star-studded cut like only Kanye West can create, mentioning everything and everyone in the history of fashion. More importantly, this a delicious hip-hop club-banger not to be missed.

Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, Lloyd Banks & Ryan Leslie - Christian Dior Denim Flow (mp3 via Consequence of Sound)

Tongue the roof of my mouth

2010-11-05T12:39:00.003Z

Popjustice has called this song "pretty much the exact opposite of rubbish" and I couldn't agree more. Here it is, in the form of a self-made clip which Patrick actually calls "a little lyric video for youtube made in my kitchen".

www.myspace.com/officialpatrickwolf
patrickwolf.com

Lykke Li's Get Some

2010-10-30T13:20:00.004+01:00

Found this one recently and I love it. A great departure from the naïveness of her previous efforts, stepping firmly towards a more dark territory. The incessant beat and the bold atittude in her voice make this absolutely perfect. The track is produced and co-written by Peter Bjorn and John’s Björn Yttling and it is available on her website alongside B-side Paris Blue, both of which are also available on 7-inch vinyl. Grab the MP3's here. As for the video: very impressive and very “now”, love it!

Caught in the back of your mind

2010-10-25T18:00:00.000+01:00

I'll never grow tired of saying how much I love Hidden and its radicalism. Fusing so many disparate worlds (pop vs erudite, industrial vs tribal, beauty vs scariness) in such an ambitious and coherent piece of work, it's slowly becoming one of my favourite albums, well, ever. Hologram is a small piece of that big puzzle built this year by These New Puritans, and it now gets a simple and quite effective video treatment which is definitely worth watching. And on a side note: really happy that I'll be seeing these guys in concert soon!

www.thesenewpuritans.com
www.myspace.com/thesenewpuritans

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

2010-10-25T09:00:00.004+01:00

On their fourth album, Deerhunter seem like finally reaching what could be considered their sonic adulthood, with a collection of extremely well-crafted indie songs and a more mature and quiet sound. So what do they now that they have grown up? Well, basically what all good adults should do: look back to those good old days and make a record filled with sweet and warm nostalgia.
Gone are the cathartic feedback and reverb explosions, now all that matters are the songs themselves - and damm-perfect songs they are, evoking past sentiments with a surprising sense of positivism, something not quite common with these guys before. And in the meantime, the more extreme experimentation of previous records is now replaced by a new-found sense of classicism and formality. Who knew that Deerhunter would give new meanings to the idea of languid adulthood and be so good at it? (7,5/10)

Deerhunter - Helicopter (video)

www.myspace.com/deerhunter
deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com

Gainsbourg

2010-10-24T20:22:00.001+01:00

Watched this yesterday and god it was amazing!

Robyn - Body Talk, Pt. 2

2010-10-18T18:55:00.002+01:00

The Body Talk operation may still haven't reached its end, with the 3rd and final part scheduled to come out in a few weeks, but I guess we can all agree on something already: risky as it may have been, the decision to launch three different mini-albums in the space of just a few months is already a full-bloom success. With it, Robyn has managed to stay on the radar for most of the year, each release analysed through many different angles, while keeping everyone waiting with anticipation for the next one.
Of course none of this would be possible if the music didn't live up to the expectations, but so far so good. After Part 1 marked her return into the pop world, experimenting with different styles, Part 2 is now a more relaxed and loose affair, turning its full attention into the dancefloor, with an updated take of electro-house, all upbeat and fierce - save one last acoustic number. Being Robyn one of the most idiosyncratic pop stars out there, you know the rest: it's always a pleasure to take part of an overwhelming journey into her very-own world. (8/10)

Robyn - Hang With Me (video)

www.robyn.com
www.myspace.com/robynmyspace

Hurts - Happiness

2010-10-17T23:06:00.010+01:00

One cannot accuse Hurts of being impatient or wanting to rush things up. After all, it took more than one year between the hype began and their debut album's launch. But the least that can be said now is that the wait was more than worth it.
During this year, Hurts have managed to slowly create an impossibly elegant universe around them, full of eighties references, germanic influences and impeccable haircuts and suits. That universe now goes full-bloom in Happiness, a collection of 11 songs with faultless melodies, overtly-melodramatic atmospheres and enigmatic stories. United by an intelligent concept of operatic and artificial drama, together with a larger-than-life approach towards the many sentiments that pop music can achieve in one single song, this is a sure indicator that the future bolds really well for this unique and ambitious duo. (8/10)

Hurts - Stay (video)

www.informationhurts.com
http://www.myspace.com/ithurts

Let's have a toast

2010-10-14T23:54:00.008+01:00

I first heard this track when he gave that surprise performance at this year’s VMAs. And it sounded incredible. This new sound of his takes the 808s & Heartbreak experience a few notches up and proves that Kanye West is, indeed, one of the most interesting and risk-taking artists at the moment. I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album and watch his short-film/video for this track. Yes, he portraits himself as a bit of a larger than life character but it all comes down to this: West is one of the most inspirational musicians recording at the moment. I’ll follow this next release very closely.

Kanye West - Runaway (mp3 via In Flex We Trust)

Klaxons - Surfing The Void

2010-10-11T00:03:00.007+01:00

With all the delays and news that their label made them re-record it all over again, Klaxons sophomore album was supposed to be a big failure. Even more if you think that they were the purveyors of a once-hip-genre (nu-rave) that didn't stay hip for so long and ended up being more of a joke than anything else.
Well, the good news is that Surfing The Void is not the disaster it was meant to be, actually on the contrary. It's true that now the songs are buried in a wall of noise that almost suffocates them, but underneath all the heavy sounds (courtesy of producer Ross Robinson, hum, "The Godfather of Nu-Metal") they still exist and are more than recommended. And in fact, that dense atmosphere seems brave enough to give their trademark mysticism a whole new look and feel. Almost as good as that cute LOL-cat on the cover. (8/10)

Klaxons - The Same Space (mp3 via The New Montreal)

www.klaxons.net
www.myspace.com/klaxons

Salem - King Night

2010-10-05T23:50:00.010+01:00

More than one year into being the hippest movement with the coolest bands, it was only inevitable that chillwave, as a music genre, would soon start seeing its first variations / deviations. Hypnagogic pop is one of them, and while keeping those trademark lo-fi production values intact, along with the dreamy and nostalgic vibes that pretty much define chillwave, there's also a much darker atmosphere that is not so common in projects like Memory Tapes, Neon Indian or Toro Y Moi but can easily be found in Salem. Menacing would actually be a good word to describe what's heard in King Night, in a way that sort of brings into mind those first dubstep records some years ago, before dubstep started moving into lighter territories. But that's actually only the beginning. In a nutshell, there's some truly intense creepy-goth-blissful-hollowed-out beauty out there. (8/10)

Salem - Asia (video)

s4lem.com
www.myspace.com/s4lem

Zola Jesus - Stridulum II

2010-10-02T17:59:00.008+01:00

It's becoming more and more clear that this album will turn out to be one of my main A/W 2010 soundtracks. Zola Jesus (a.k.a. Nika Rosa Danilova) is an opera-trained singer with a voice that reminds me a bit of Florence Welch... that is, if Flo was reinvented as a mysterious gothic witch about to suck your blood - and you wouldn't want to resist her hunger. To sum it up, it's basically brilliant. (8,5/10)

Zola Jesus - Night (video)

zolajesus.com
www.myspace.com/zolajesus

Can't go back

2010-09-20T20:43:00.009+01:00

Brand new Lo-Fi-Fnk track and video! Loving the slightly more experimental direction and the darker tones: basically, when they mention in here that they want to "keep the summer high", that wish now sounds more like a desperate call than anything else. In the meantime, the dreamy and nostalgic vibes of the song totally suit its topic, with the minimal chorus repeatedly going "oh I'm sleepless" over icy synths and echoed samples that seem to come from a happier place that is now far away. Hopefully a new album by these two Swedes is on the rocks for very soon!

www.lo-fi-fnk.com
www.myspace.com/erikhassle

Who's that chick?

2010-09-18T19:01:00.002+01:00

And out of nowhere comes a new Rihanna dance-track all set-up with a proper video, the first to come out of her next studio album Loud. After all the darkness that (brilliantly) defined Rated-R this is probably what the fans have been waiting for: dance beats, vocoders and a whole lot of sexiness and fun thrown in the mix. Very fun and upbeat, a sort of electropop that kinda reminds me of La Roux. It has smash written all over it. Welcome back Ri!

Just take my hand

2010-09-05T23:22:00.003+01:00

Down By The Water, the new video from The Drums! Looking mighty good!

Perfume Genius - Learning

2010-09-04T17:46:00.010+01:00

Once in a while and from out of nowhere, comes a new unknown musician putting into sounds his most private thoughts and life experiences, like opening a book of secrets and sharing it to the world. For me the paradigm of this attitude is still the wonderfully beautiful experience released in 2004 that was Handwriting, by a then-17-year-old-boy who named himself Khonnor. But this debut album by Perfume Genius (a.k.a. Mike Hadreas) is special enough in itself, deserving to be added to this canon.
Learning has all the attributes associated with the most personal sort of music that can be put into record: delicate, fragile and with scarce ingredients. There's actually not much more in here than a trembling voice that seems more whispered than anything else, over gorgeous piano arpeggios and few other instruments, making these 10 tracks seem like little impressionist paintings.
With this minimal musical approach, Mike exorcises his demons, and while dealing with sex, death, loss and heartbreaks, he reveals his traumatic past experiences in a way that seems almost like self-therapy. And to be honest, his life has already had enough drama, as exemplified by a relationship experience with an older man described in Mr. Peterson: "he made me a tape of Joy Division/ he told me there was part of him missing/ when I was 16/ he jumped off a building”.
All of this could be too much to bear, if it wasn't for a simple fact that allows us enough space to breathe: Mike makes it sure to find some beauty around him. And that is a life lesson (8/10)

Perfume Genius - You Won't B Here (video)

http://www.myspace.com/kewlmagik

Kelis - Flesh Tone

2010-08-29T23:50:00.005+01:00

You gotta respect Kelis as a true definition of what being a survivor means. Pointed as next big thing in many different moments from the last decade, her career hasn't quite been what expected, at least sales-wise, with some highs but also quite a few lows. And even with omnipresent pop classics such as Milkshake, Caught Out There, Trick Me or Bossy on her belt, there's still a perception that the average music listener doesn't quite know what to make of her idiosyncrasies and uniqueness. Something that in a way actually reminds me of Grace Jones.
All of this takes us to her 5th album and another career switch to confuse everyone a bit more. Flesh Tone re-imagines Kelis as a futuristic club-diva, an unreachable and cold persona with a robotic voice, over ecstactic beats delivered by the hands of super - but not so hip - producers like David Guetta or Benny Benassi. Questionable choice? One minute into second track 22nd Century and all those doubts are already behind, such is the state of euphoria induced by the blasting beats that come in.
With digital sounds that vary from electro pop to synthpop, house or dancehall, there's still no question that the true element taking everything into a whole new level is Kelis herself, such is the magnitude of her presence. Her ice-cool attitude and unmistakable hoarse voice completely suit this new direction, with 9 tracks that scream to be heard out loud and with no superfluous strings attached. Preferably hands-in-the-air while dancing in a loaded sweaty club like there's no tomorrow.
And by the end of Flesh Tone, you'll feel compelled to hear it all over again. And again. And again. Just to extend that state of euphoria a bit more. (8/10)

Kelis - 4th of July (Fireworks) (video)

www.iamkelis.com

Still In My Blood

2010-08-27T22:30:00.004+01:00

A new Erik Hassle song and video = starting your weekend the best way possible. Taken (Still In My Blood) was recently posted by Erik on his YouTube channel, during a break from some recent recording sessions (hopefully a second album is in the pipeline for the near future?), and if this is any indication of what's to come, I'll be a very happy guy indeed. Basically, a steady evolution from the catchy emotive pop genius of his debut, with some new elements added to the equation: loving the bluesy vibes and those subtle doomy synths!

www.erikhassle.com
www.myspace.com/erikhassle

And we’ll dance all night / And we’ll hold each other tight / ‘Till the morning light

2010-08-26T00:19:00.005+01:00

Summer Camp are a girl & boy indie pop duo and they’re releasing an EP soon on Moshi Moshi records. Here’s the single, called Round The Moon, a deliciously lo-fi tune that I find in equal parts retro and current and quite addictive. The video re-edits scenes from the 1970 movie A Swedish Love Story and fits the song incredibly well.

www.myspace.com/summercampmusic
summercampband.blogspot.com

ceo - White Magic

2010-08-22T23:55:00.002+01:00

Some trivia: one of my favourite bands from the past 5 years is a Swedish duo called The Tough Alliance which has perfected the art of escapism, either with their own records or with the amazing releases - Air France, jj, The Honeydrips, to name just a few - from their own label Sincerely Yours. So escapism is something that is being looked for by a lot of people these days, including myself. And what this fact actually means, I'm not really sure, so let's leave it to each one's imagination.
With ceo, a side project of Eric Berglund - one half of TTA -, that art is again sublimed into a whole new level, but this time we are actually taken to a different and unusual destination. Yes, there are still the sunny and summery vibes by the seaside, but we also seem to be travelling timewise, visiting an ancient period inhabited by higher entities.
So is this the grown-up and wise version of The Tough Alliance, and are they going all religious on us? Well, in a sense, yes, but very much on their own terms. Meaning that this journey does sound like a cult celebration aimed to reach a personal epiphany, but one that is done through a very pagan perspective.
In the end, those pop hooks and catchy melodies - now added by lush orchestral pieces - really let no mistake be made: it's still the (individual) celebration that counts. And with pagan rituals? White Magic! (9/10)

ceo - Illuminata (mp3 via Fuck yeah! Go team!)

ceo - White Magic (mp3 via Part-time music)

www.ceoceoceoceoceo.com

Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid

2010-08-12T23:46:00.006+01:00

Hype may usually be met with resistance and suspicion. Yet, three songs into the much praised The ArchAndroid and you know you’re really in the presence of a great talent.
But first things first: the record presents itself as a double suite where Monáe’s alter-ego, Cindy Mayweather (a fictional protagonist of her previous record) becomes some sort of messiah figure to the android community of Metropolis (a direct reference to the Fritz Lang cult classic).
Ambition is also certainly something that doesn’t lack on this young performer: the musical concept draws inspiration from a series of different sources, ranging from Debussy to vintage Michael Jackson (Locked Inside could easily pass as a track from Jackson’s Off The Wall album). A natural one show-woman, she doesn’t seem to want to lock herself up inside a soul&funk tower, experimenting instead with mixed ambients and a variety of sounds. There are backward tracks, orchestrations, pastoral ambiences, psychedelic rock, cabaret tunes, indie-pop (with the help from Of Montreal on the stand-out Make The Bus) and yes, a whole lot of funk.
Not only she manages to make it all sound coherent and honest (the album flows amazingly well) but she also never compromises quality while jumping from style to style, or, better said, while creating a magnificent one of her own. Now I believe the hype.

Janelle Monáe - Cold War (video)

www.janellemonae.com

M.I.A. - /\/\ /\ Y /\

2010-08-10T01:12:00.006+01:00

One could almost bet that Maya Arulpragasam was expecting all the divisive opinions that she is getting, and even the start of a backlash, when releasing her third album. In other words, /\/\ /\ Y /\ screams a confrontational attitude in every possible sense, something that was bound to cause negative responses from a lot of people. The initial sirens heard in "The Message" are the first warning, and then come the chaotic sounds that follow through the rest of the album, together with the raw energy, synthetic noises, political lyrics, uncomfortable samples and dirty production values. Yes, with all its claustrophobia and distortion, this is mostly not music to please.
So after "Paper Planes" pushed her to unimaginable levels of fame, she does what only someone with the will to keep challenging popular culture could do, and makes her most risky album. It's not even relevant anymore to mention the way she seems to effortlessly create a perfect symbiosis between genres like dancehall, baile funk, grime, punk or dubstep. In this case, the news is really that aforementioned confrontational attitude, something which, in reality, was always present in her music, but that in here is pushed to dangerous extremes. So inflated it is that sometimes she may even sound like a provocateur that is going full-speed, too fast, while, on the way, leaving incomplete angles in the amalgamation mass that is her sound.
True, there's a lot to discuss about her honesty and the sincerity of all this. Could M.I.A. be just a fictional character created by someone that knows too well the present state of our culture and is aiming to agitate it - in order to become more popular? For all the debate that she has already caused, one thing is for sure: M.I.A translates our present times like few other people do, and that makes her one of the most vital and exciting presences around. The urgency of what is heard in /\/\ /\ Y /\, even with all its voluntary imperfections, couldn't really translate it any better. (7,5/10)

M.I.A. - XXXO (video)

M.I.A. - Teqkilla (Lost my fone out wiv Nicki Minaj Remix) (mp3 via kickin the peanuts!)

www.miauk.com

Prince - 20Ten

2010-08-02T01:57:00.003+01:00

With a legacy like what Prince has already given us, there is an understandable tendency to evaluate his present releases not only by themselves, but also considering his past work in the equation. And this can lead to one of two things: either complaining about how he hasn't managed to deliver something so groundbreaking as, say, Purple Rain or Sign “☮” the Times; or seeing the man as a true genius exactly because of that past legacy and thus still finding proofs of that genius in everything he does these days. And before you read any further, you should know that, yes, I include myself in that second group.
With that said, 20Ten excels my expectations and then some, mainly because it contains some of the freshest music Prince has recorded in the past 10 years. Meaning that this is an album where he clearly just wants to have fun without any further complicated concept, and while doing so, he sounds, well, basically a lot like vintage Prince. Those classic synthetic beats are here, alongside an addictive funky atmosphere and a sensual minimal groove. Sure, maybe nothing new, but hasn't he revolutionized music enough times in the past 30 years already? And the fact that Prince being Prince sounds so damm good... well, that kinda speaks for itself. (7,5/10)

Prince - Everybody Loves Me (mp3)

Echoes from the otherworld

2010-07-25T13:05:00.007+01:00

About time! After many delays, Klaxons are finally unveiling some new material from their forthcoming sophomore album Surfing The Void, and so far, it's all looking rather feline-promising. Oh, and that video looks like it was a whole lot of fun to shoot:

www.klaxons.net
www.myspace.com/klaxons

Polaroids # 39 (Prince! ♥)

2010-07-25T12:56:00.006+01:00

(Pictures taken on the 18th of July 2010 in Meco, Portugal)

Drake - Thank Me Later

2010-07-12T00:01:00.004+01:00

Seen from a two-year-distance, the biggest achievement in 808s & Heartbreak was not the then-much-discussed extreme use of auto-tune. It was instead the launch of a new concept in the hip-hop world where we had dark ballads and introspective lyrics, over instrumentals that seemed like skeletons of post-digital songs. The born of emo-rap, anyone?
Fast-forward to 2010 and the first mainstream descendent of that polarizing album comes from the newest superstar in the game, the dude-next-door whom anyone can identity with. So yeah, Drake is now being acclaimed as hip-hop's saviour, and if that shows how unfair the world was to Kanye's 2008 controversial masterpiece, the truth is that, when hearing Thank Me Later, one can only think that justice is finally being done.
A direct continuation of last year's excellent So Far Gone, Drake's debut full-length further explores the qualities first revealed in that mixtape, and even accentuates them, in a very diverse collection of songs that is, nevertheless, surprisingly consistent. From his incredible ability to smoothly flow between rapping and singing, to the innumerous hooks and involving details that each song incorporates, you have it all, creating an intense and futuristic sound that, paradoxically, sounds like an instant classic.
And back again to that 808s & Hearbreak comparison: if Kanye's album seemed like a work-in-progress from a mind that is constantly flowing into different directions, Thank Me Later sounds like a definitive statement from someone pretty sure about where he's heading: with his debut album, Drake has already created a landmark (9/10)

Drake - Find Your Love (video)

www.myspace.com/thisisdrake

Promises, swear them to the sky

2010-07-10T18:55:00.006+01:00

And here it is, coming from New-Zealand, what will definitely become the feel-good song of Summer 2010! Powerful and nostalgic, beautiful lyrics, and a video that compliments it all too perfectly:

www.thenakedandfamous.com
www.myspace.com/thenakedandfamous

The Drums - The Drums

2010-07-05T09:00:00.004+01:00

Showing a lot of respect for catchy pop tunes, The Drums are not your average Brooklyn band, but who is complaining? After all, it's so easy to fall for them: their songs do demonstrate an enormous love for melody in an almost perfect way, and their songwriting is virtually flawless. On the other hand, it could also be easy to start a backlash, as they do display their influences loud and proudly: from Joy Division and New Order to surf groups and 1960's pop, you have them all in here and it shows. A lot.
But, then again, who is complaining? Not me, that's for sure. Because hearing these 12 tracks is an absolute joy, much like what happened already with their previous EP Summertime!, only now with a bit more melancholic tenderness and less summery vibes. And if, at first listen, you feel that their songs don't have anything special about them, then think again. Because every time one of them threatens to fall into monotony, there's always a new detail coming in to take it to new heights and literally save the day. Sometimes it may be just a simple synth line, or the extra addition of cymbals. But other times, it's just the perfect conjunction of everything, from start to end, creating special moments to soundtrack the act of pure escapism. And for more about that, just hear and watch the absolutely gorgeous video below. (8/10)

The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen (video)

thedrums.com/
www.myspace.com/thedrumsforever

Grace Jones: I Love You To Life

2010-07-04T19:07:00.005+01:00

"If I could have my way / There would never be an end to this beginning"

Grace Jones (one of the names I wish I would see playing live this summer) collaborated recently with photographer Chris Levine, known for his work using 3D and light effects, on an art installation called Stillness at the Speed of Life. Some of the photos revealed are mysterious and beautiful but now we get to see the music video that resulted from those sessions. Here's the video for I Love You To Life, a gorgeous Compass-Point styled track from her latest album, Hurricane. To find out more about the Jones and Levine collaboration please visit www.gracejonesbychrislevine.com.

Robyn - Body Talk, Pt. 1

2010-06-29T12:00:00.005+01:00

"Don't fucking tell me what to do"... that's how Robyn starts her new album, and this fact could pretty much sum it up what she's all about. Indeed, her music is pure pop - catchy and mostly fun -, but there's always been something that makes her a kind of outsider, like a feeling of displacement which perhaps comes from her Scandinavian roots. Or maybe the twist is much simpler: she's just too honest and her songs are loaded with so much raw and genuine sentiment that we kind of feel disarmed when dealing with them. Heartbreaking could be the word.
The good news is that, in her new mini-album, she stays true to herself. Doesn't matter if she's taking inspiration in electro, dancehall, synthpop or singing a traditional Swedish ballad, this is Robyn at her purest core, a mixture of candidness with that raw and unique attitude, delivering a collection of immense songs that come from a down-to-earth girl giving out what she does best. And it's telling that the result is actually much more subversive than 99,9% of the conceptual bullshit being thrown at us every minute nowadays.
For further proof of her brilliance, go hear the extreme-goosebumps-inducing Dancing On My Own, a song included in Body Talk Pt. 1, which is basically one of the best songs ever. And some even better news: this is just the first part of a 3-album-project, with parts 2 and 3 still scheduled for this year. Bring it on! (8,5/10)

Robyn - Fembot (mp3 via tram7)

www.robyn.com
www.myspace.com/robynmyspace

Iconic Images # 5

2010-06-28T22:39:00.002+01:00

Great artists live forever. Above, a new shot taken by a young French photographer called Arno Bani that is going on auction next December. This was Michael's latest photo shoot and I love it, the result is strikingly beautiful.

You will love each other

2010-06-26T18:03:00.004+01:00

HEALTH are ready for a crossover, at least judging by this new track included in their recently-released remix album Disco 2. Their freak-out tendencies are intact, but the news here is that the freaks are now writing dream-pop melodies over digital synths that recall the best side of Timbaland, resulting in what Pitchfork has called "a kind of industrial-erotic jam". And then this official video appeared, and it only further accentuates that description...

www.healthnoise.com
www.myspace.com/healthmusic

MGMT's new video It's Working for me

2010-06-24T08:30:00.000+01:00

My god, their videos keep getting better and better, don't they? The second single from Congratulations is the album's opening track, and the video treatment this time around comes to prove that MGMT do put a lot of effort in the band's visuals. The video (directed by artist SO-ME) is their most fun effort to date and can I point out that the boys are looking mighty fine on this one? LOVE all the technicolor effects.

Crystal Castles - Celestica video

2010-06-23T23:39:00.003+01:00

When I saw Crystal Castles playing live a couple of months ago, there was this one song in their set that really got me. Not only it was quite different from everything else they did during the insanity that is their live show, it was also really really good. Celestica is the song and it's a cold and beautiful synth-led sound that gives Alice Glass and Ethan Kath a sensitive side (!) and, well, a hell of a great single. The video for Celestica was just released, check it below: