Relation - "Your Tiny Mind" - Courtesy of Urban Torque
Synthpop is back and that is a glorious thing. If Alphabeat is the new Human League, then I guess Relation could be the new Real Life. "Your Tiny Mind" blends classic 80s synth sounds with 90s europop and a taste of modern electro - a hybrid of early ABC and Depeche Mode with a sprinkly of Anything Box and the irony of Calvin Harris. The grooves are subtle yet hooky and the chorus will definitely stay in your head. Remixes by Lifelike, Lazerdisco, Diogenes and Eat More Cake take the track in all directions - dreamy, dubstep, and reggae.
Video - YouTube
Bot'Ox - "Blue Steel" - Courtesy of I'm A Cliché Record
When the label is called I'm a Cliche and the artist name is Bot'Ox, you have to wonder if the music is serious or totally tongue in cheek. Bot'Ox is the duo of French producers Julien Biffaz (member of [T]ékël) and Benjamin Boguet (aka Cosmo Vitelli) who have created this glitchy downbeat track which showcase the haunting and beautiful vocals of Anna Jean. "Blue Steel" sounds like the kind of song you would hear in a car commercial which makes the video even more apropos. Watching the video will defintiely make you wonder if this is a serious musical project or just two Frenchmen having a satirical laugh a la Spacedust.
Video - YouTube
Polina - "Shotguns" - Courtesy of hedKandi
You might already be familiar with the voice of Russian born singer/songwriter Polina - from her work with Todd Terry ("What We Gonna Go" as Lina Day), Scumfrog ("Escape") and Marc Alston ("Game of Love.") However, don't confuse her with the Polina who sang on AStudio's hit "SoS." "Shotguns" was originally recorded for an indie solo album and has now been picked up by hedKandi for global release. The edgy, agressive lyrics are not what you would expect from the typically sexy loved-up hedKandi release - but the groovy house production definitely fits the hk groove. Remixes by Mark Alston, Trevor Lovey and the Scumfrog are all quite strong and will fit in the set of any house dj. We look forward to hearing more Polina.
Audio - YouTube
Erik Hassle - "Hurtful" - Courtesy of Island
Leave it to the Swedes to unleash another incredible pop singer/songwriter on us. "Hurtful" has been bubbling around as a Coldplay-ish pop rock since 2008. I first heard the song on a demo and knew it would be back again. The DC Breaks mix, which is actual more drum and bass sound, was the first remix I heard recently and I was blown away by how incredible Erik's vocals and lyrics resonated with the more aggressive electronic production. The Roqwell & ISancho mix goes a bit more progressive while the Wideboys mix is the commercial electro sound that we all know and love. "Hurtful" is such a strong song that it will work in any genre. This of course isn't a big shock as his previous single "Don't Bring Flowers" was a buzz record with mixes by Martin Roth and Three Fingers. Watch out for Erik Hassle in 2010.
Video (Original Version) - YouTube
Audio (DC Breaks Mix) - YouTube
Audio (Roqwell & iSancho Mix) - YouTube
Audio (Wideboys Mix) - YouTube
Sharam featuring Kid Cudi - "She Came Along" - Courtesy of Ultra
Since R&B and hip hop artists are incorporating elements of electronic dance music, it only makes sense that dance producers look to other genres for inspiration. With the tradition of storytelling, country music seems right for the plundering. First up is Deep Dish's Sharam who builds on a sample of a Patsy Cline's classic "Strange" with buzzy rapper Kid Cudi ("Day and Night") to create this country/electroHop/popDance fusion. It is often the most unique sounding records that get the attention (remember when KLF and Tammy Wynette teamed up for "Justified and Ancient"), so it will be interesting to see if fans of Kid Cudi, Patsy Cline and Sharam will embrace this track about a threesome fantasy. They should, since it is quite good.
Video - YouTube
Rui Da Silva and Jude Elliott - "Spinning"
Portuguese born DJ/Producer Rui Da Silva is best known for his international hit "Touch Me" as well as his work with DJ Vibe under the name of Underground Sound of Lisbon. With these references in mind, this "Spinning" track comes completely out of left field. It is not disco-flavored or nuDisco, it sounds like a disco record that could have been played on the floors of Studio 54 during the 70s and had an amazing response. With the deluge of 80s sounding records out there right now (and the batch of 90s techno throw backs on the way), this taste of disco era magic is quite refreshing.
Video - YouTube
Kelis - "Acapella" - Courtesy of Interscope Records
Kelis and David Guetta is an odd pairing. As someone who has collaborated with edgy electronic musicians like Timo Maas, Basement Jaxx, Bjork, and the Crookers, it seems odd for Kelis to work with arguably the most commercially successful electronic music producer of 2009. The results however are majestic. David Guetta's aggressive electro beats are counterbalanced by Kelis' lyrics about a new arrival bringing melody into her life. The obvious assumption would be that she is singing about her son but the message could easily be applied to the new presence of electronic dance music beats in pop music. Either way, it is a symphony that I hear..
Audio - Website
