Robyn - Body Talk

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

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)

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

Polaroids # 42 (Lady Gaga ♥)

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

Find your Jesus

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

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

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

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

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)

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

Polaroids # 40 (Zola Jesus)

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

Nothing to hide

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

(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