DAVID HOPPERMAN & XANTRA featuring DATABOY, “Spiral”
If there’s any surprise shocker heading out of left field and straight onto the dance floor, it’s this mashup from Austin’s more-than-just-clever duo Adam and Cameron aka DATABOY. Yup, Miley Cyrus meets Lana Del Rey – and it evolves into an emotional end-of-summer anthem in what actually features one of the guys’ finest vocals. You get it all in afree download right here. And – we get to seem them throughout the entire video, at last! But, in total adoration of last year’s Dreams Are Gold album, I know that DATABOY has some fine, fine music coming which will build another project. And I want to see a club show one of these days again (2011 is getting long ago!). The duo also recently collaborated and provided gorgeous vocals on some splash progressive house by France’s David Hopperman and Xantra called “Spiral” (below), which has been making the rounds in dance clubs, deservedly so.
Bright and sunny days make you want to tap your feet, snap your fingers, and maybe even tackle some basement or living room shufflin’ 🙂
SLOW KNIGHTS, “Shame” and “Under Attack”
Slow Knights is a multi-artist side project put together by Del Marquis of Scissor Sisters, and these two songs which I’ve heard to initiate the album Cosmos show enormous potential. “Shame” (briefly available as a free download) is a contemporary soulful house number in an 80’s Style Council kind of way, with an excellent vocal (Mykal Kilgore, perhaps?) that could dazzle even more in remixes. “Under Attack” showcases Bright Light Bright Light’s Rod Thomas on lead with another 80’s-styled number that oozes with Stock-Aitken-Waterman influences. I’m looking forward to checking out Cosmos in full.
DEPECHE MODE, “Soothe My Soul”
Like a handful of other albums, I’m hoping to spend some time soon with Depeche Mode’s Delta Machine. A second video has surfaced only about a month after “Heaven”, this time for “Soothe My Soul”, another deliberately paced but engaging song more so because of Dave Gahan’s voice than anything. I was thinking “Heaven” might have had a better chance at being a hit (whatever that is these days). I don’t think “Soothe My Soul” has the same immediacy, but it does make me want to hear how huge the band must sound in concert. So perhaps Delta Machine is more of a tie-in with the band’s concert tour, you’ll have to make your own call on that. Check out the video for “Soothe” below.
MATT BLUE, “Outta My Mind”
One of my most promising finds of 2011 was 20 year old Dutch vocalist Matt Blue, who made European fans of Jason Derulo and Usher go wild with his viral covers of their songs. Later that year, Matt surfaced with his own video of “Can’t Help Myself (Keep Dancing)”, a chipper and infectious piece of business whose first minute of its video made me believe a star was in the making. Matt is back with another insanely feel good slice of Europop, “Outta My Mind”, whose video finds the busy singer in the studio but staying in touch with his cute lady friend through various technological means. She even goes to bed with makeup on for our Matt 😉 Anyway, I’m hoping that those powers that be who enjoy Europop will help this one cross the Atlantic. It’s a huge hit in my books 🙂 That it’s a part of Kontor’s 58th volume of their Top Of The Clubs compilations is impressive.
JAVI SILVA, “Across The Floor”
New York singer Javi Silva returns with “Across The Floor”, which will indeed pack dance floors with its graceful melody and its Euro-meets-UK dance pop flavours. The man is a powerhouse vocalist who can sing with the best of them, as we heard in 2010’s “Situation” and his work with his Native Underground project with “Night Vision” in 2011. Enormous pop and dance club potential here.
THE MEND, “Where Were You”
The Mend are four great singers from Manchester who are out to provide you with a grand time, if the video to “Where Were You” is any indication. This despite the fact that the song could be a lovely sad ballad if they had wanted. The vocals seem to capture styles of many eras, including a bit of rap which is not at all out of place. My fellow blogger My Fizzy Pop does indeed know how to pick out lads who can sing and dazzle you from a large indie crowd. Looking forward to hearing more from The Mend!
CHURCHILL, “Change” (Penguin Prison remix)
While Denver band Churchill’s “Change” has done a dandy job with making its presence known at pop and alternative radio, a stylish remix can sometimes reintroduce a song to an audience and there is almost no one out there better to do that than Penguin Prison (aka Chris Glover). While we await new Penguin music, Mr. Glover is traversing North America performing DJ gigs and evidently in-between those gigs more cutting remixes like “Change” are surfacing. Listen and download for free below.
Yes, it’s a goodie bag, because you know when you reach inside one, you will find something that you reeeaallly like 🙂
David Bowie, “Where Are We Now”
It’s now an Internet event when a classic rock star releases new material after 10 years, and as you recall David Bowie was one of the first celebs to embrace the Internet wholeheartedly. On his 66th birthday, David has bestowed us with “Where Are We Now”, a sullen pop song accompanied by an unsurprisingly stylish but static video. It will be interesting to hear David’s voice on other songs on his upcoming album The Next Day due in March. Here it crackles in the only way that age can provide. It has the potential for sounding like a reconfigured David Bowie, while in the same breath making it hard to determine if his dulcet tones of songs like “China Girl” or “Wild Is The Wind” are in the past. If the lyrics pass you by, then the great thing about a David Bowie song is that the melody does stick. It will be hard to keep an objective mind looking back on some of my favourite songs by him like “Fame”, “Golden Years”, “Young Americans”, “Ashes To Ashes”, “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)”, and “Time Will Crawl”. But “Where Are We Now” provides the impetus to do just that.
Ed Drewett, “Good Morning” (Monsieur Adi remix) and “Drunk Dial”
Sometimes it does take a new record deal to get back in the public eye, even if you’re not out of the public ear. For 24 year old UK singer/songwriter Ed Drewett has already had a few slices of fame come his way, first as vocalist on Professor Green’s Top 5 UK hit “I Need You Tonight” 3 years ago, but more recently as a songwriter for The Wanted (including “Glad You Came”) and Olly Murs. The BlogVerse has been touting Ed’s praises from the release of his solo single “Champagne Lemonade” back in 2010. With a new deal with Polydor/Universal in hand, Ed has recently brought us the glimmering “Good Morning” (free from his website), which in turn was given an outstanding eye-popping remix from the creatively reliable Monsieur Adi. Then, we’ve heard a somewhat more produced Ed in “Drunk Dial”, which to me is a supurb song that doesn’t need all of the maddening acoutrements and is the most fun on the subject of drunk calling since Ro Danishei’s “Drunk.Txt”. These are both fine introductions to an album that’s due later this year.
Hurts, “Miracle”
UK duo Hurts return with a huge sound that is razor sharp and one that might make devoted fans wonder where they’re headed. Not surprisingly, the first comments I read about “Miracle” was that it sounded way too much like “Princess Of China” by Coldplay and Rihanna. Well, yes to start… but this song lives its own life quite nicely in all around compelling way that takes you deeper, this coming from someone who appreciated their songs from 2010’s Happiness which alas did not resonate with me. The expressive Bono-ish vocals take first fiddle, even with production that desperately wants to go boom. “Miracle” is a solid release from Hurts that should put Theo and Adam even more on the international map.
Stefan Galea, “Disco Lemonade”
Maltese teen Stefan Galea could be to 2013 what The Netherlands’ Jeronimo was in 2012 for me. Stefan has a unique and highly recognizable voice that could help “Disco Lemonade” find its way onto international dance floors. Despite a middle break that doesn’t really work, Stefan is the star of the show here and I’m sure there will be more coming like this from him later in the year. After all, who needs plain old lemonade when it can be disco-flavoured 🙂 You can get this one on iTunes.
Parralox, “Silent Morning”
If Australian duo Parralox (who I wrote about not long ago, featuring their song “Sharper Than A Knife” as some Autumn Popervescence) have anything to do with it, the evolution and resurgence of Miami freestyle dance music will take place in 2013. What better way to start with their Christmas present to us, a cover of Noel’s seminal 80’s smash “Silent Morning”. This version has a slighter but brighter sound that doesn’t make you forget about the original but instead is clearly a tribute to it. Download it for free at the link below.
St. Lucia, “September”
I might be a little late to the table for this crackerjack slice of dance music, but “September” glides along like a fancy sports car on a hot summer night on the French riviera. It’s a terrific companion to music by the likes of The Presets, Russ Chimes, or FrankMusik, atmospheric without being too big for its britches. Led by South Africa-born, New York-based Jean-Philip Grobler, you can find an upcoming show by St. Lucia on February 11 in Santa Ana, California on a double bill with none other than JMSN.
Davis Redfield, “A World Apart”
Sometimes we have to make choices (like the not-so-subtle lion and lamb imagery in the video), but if you can dance to the song that captures that theme well, then you’ll be all the better for it. Producer/remixer/songwriter Davis Redfield has created an energetic, slamming electronic house track with “A World Apart” that is further enhanced by a stunning female vocal (and who is this mystery vocalist, I do not know). “A World Apart” will surely muscle its way onto international dance floors.
When I first heard about the launch of This Beat Is Poptronik and its accompanying concert to be held in among the beautiful beaches of Sitges, Spain, on September 1 and 2, I was very impressed at the idea of such an ambitious project. But upon learning the lineup on the Poptronik record, I couldn’t help but think how well it has set the stage for the concert to happen (the Poptronik concert headliner is none other than “Toy Soldiers” singer and comeback queen Martika!).
And after being afforded the opportunity to listen to the record in advance, the great folks behind Poptronik have done something so overdue: They have reinvented the dance compilation with style. This Beat Is Poptronik Volume One not only contains six songs with which I was already well acquainted, it contains several others that should have no trouble finding favour in dance clubs worldwide.
This Beat Is Poptronik Volume One is a must-have compilation of 32 songs that will get your groove on, and more, for the next several months! And it’s great to be excited about contemporary dance music.
First – those familiar songs… readers of this blog are no doubt already familiar with them 🙂
“Flesh” by Simon Curtis – an intense and sexually charged June 2011 release from the L.A.-based singer’s independent sophomore unique R∆ album, the song spent 2 months at the top of my chart, following other #1’s like 2010’s “Beat Drop”, “Delusional”, and “8bit Heart”. Simon’s most recent release is the free download of the ballad “Starlight”, produced by Frankmusik. A live performance of “8bit Heart” and “Flesh” from Simon’s London show put on by theEQ Music Blogis below.
“Disco Moment” by Bright Light Bright Light – a glorious August 2011 release from the upcoming debut album via The Blue Team/Aztec, Make Me Believe In Hope. BLx2 aka Wales native Rod Thomas got to #3 on my chart with “Disco Moment”, following 2010 #1’s “A New Word To Say” and “Love Part II”. Its impressive video is below.
“Like A Drug” by Adam Tyler – a smouldering late 2011 release from L.A.-based Adam’s wonderful debut independent album Shattered Ice. A Top Tenner on my chart, following previous Top 5 songs like “Friction” and “I Won’t Let You Go”, the song is complimented by an intriguing video (below) and a recent EP of remixes.
“Stupid” by Databoy – a fun, smart early 2011 digital single from the Texas duo which went Top 5 on my chart, and was followed by two #1’s, “Just Once” and “Memorize Me”.
“Head Over Heels” by Bim – a heartbreaking electro ballad from mid-2010 and the UK duo’s debut digital album Scatterheart, which got to the Top 5 on my chart. Their latest release is the infectious “Scream”.
“We Don’t Miss A Beat” by Van Go Lion – a bouncy dancefloor filler from the Portland, Oregon duo which became a Top 15 hit on my chart.
These six songs may be reason enough to purchase the album, but in fact there are many top notch songs within that I didn’t know. The variety of song styles capture the essence of electronic dance music of the last three decades.
I can’t mention all 32 songs here, so I’ll highlight my favourites (in no order), but you could play the album all the way through and not skip a beat! Global-wide talent here 🙂
“Hotter” by Parallox handily modernizes the crunchy and innovative funky electro sound spawned by producers Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa on Shannon’s seminal 1983 hit “Let The Music Play”
“London Is Banging” by Disco Damage (pictured below) vs Dr. Jekyll teases us at the start with a Pet Shop Boys vibe but becomes a ridiculous and somewhat campy late night track
“Homosapien” is a delectable low-key cover of Pete Shelley’s grand 1982 hit by singer Matthew Duffy
“In The Beginning” by Maighread sounds like it uses Grace Jones’ Warm Leatherette album as a jumping off point for a tough, pulsating song
Great voices and totally infectious singalong hooks come from Tao Hypah’s “Celeb”, “Pitiful” by Carlos Nobrega (pictured below), “Bad Boyfriend” by Johnny Lazer, and the not-so-campy “How It Feels To Be A Man” by Markus Riva
“Psycho” by Killian Wells takes the other point of view (singer-as-psycho 😉 ) – sort of the reverse of Simon Curtis’ ‘Super Psycho Love” but equally catchy
“Turn Up The Radio” by Monti Montanez (pictured below) is hit-worthy and could find the former Menudo member in radioland around the world
“Stay In Touch” by Garcon Garcon and “Where Are You Now” by Queen of Hearts accompany Van Go Lion’s “We Don’t Miss A Beat” into more emotionally-rooted pop-house territory
SIRPAUL’s breezy “Going Down In La-La Land” stands out with a familiar theme accompanied by a killer hook
Disco Damage accompanies Lady Joker on her self-named song – an entertaining and creative blend of Nicki Minaj meets Kesha via 90’s house styles
My raving could continue on, but suffice it to say that Aztec Records and the Poptronik organizers have created a template for the ’10’s dance compilations, and I wish them great success with their vision. I simply can’t wait till Volume Two!
This Beat Is Poptronik Volume One is one of the best albums of the year. Get all of the details about it and the Poptronik festival at http://www.poptronik.com. You can buy This Beat Is Poptronik Volume One through iTunes, Amazon, Beatport, and other digital stores starting Monday.
BILLCSMUSIC BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.