Keo Nozari - "Like Lightning" - Courtesy of Breakthrough
DJ/writer/singer Keo Nozari previews his forthcoming CD with this hip hop grooving dance track. At a time when r&b and hiphop artists are being influenced by dance music, its good to see the influence going both ways. Very reminiscent of the late 80's/early 90s hip-house sound, song even features a Neneh Cherry-flavoured rap. The concept of a male vocalist with a female rapper is just one of many ways that Keo flips the script as is the usage of scantily clad men and trans people as opposed to the normal scantily clad women found in most hip hop videos. While the song itself is not as instantly catchy as "Rewind" or as emotionally moving as "Close Enough," it's really not meant to be. If Cazwell is the best known gay rapper, "Like Lightning" will set Keo Nozari up as the major gay hip hop singer - able to take idioms and ideas from mainstream hip hop and express it with a gay voice. Now, that really is flipping the script. Here's hoping for some hot club mixes..
Video - Youtube
KJ - "Without You" (Moto Blanco Remix) - Courtesy of Savage Trax
Birmingham born singer KJ first popped onto my radar last year with the fierce Wideboys remix of his last single "Shakin That." The insane energy of the track perfectly highlighted his playful lyrics. The new single "Without You" shows another side of KJ, less player and more heartbroken lover. Both the lyrics and the vocal delivery are reminiscent of classic freestyle and I can hear it sung over "Planet Rock" beats. A fresh mix by Moto Blanco modernizes the track in a similar vein to their club friendly rework of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi." The two tracks played back to back would fit any commerical DJ's set on a Saturday night.
Video - Youtube
Agent X featuring Mutya and Ultra - "Fallin'" - Courtesy of 3Beat Records
Since the unofficial demise of the Sugababes, there's been a lot of speculation about what the founding members will be doing with themselves. While Mutya Buena has had a couple of minor hits and an album, it's nice to see that she's continuing to put herself out there. This new track by Agent X also features the vocals of Ultra, a male singer who's voice sounds very similar to Buena's. Agent X sticks with his garage house sound, bringing it to 3Beat Records which is sure to get a plethora of Euro-styled house mixes. Look out for this track hitting your nearest dance compilation!
Video - Youtube
Kid Sister - "Right Hand Hi" - Courtesy of Downtown Records
The way Kid Sister shifts between hip hop and dance is like a swift kick to the pants. It doesn't hurt but it wakes you up and makes you pay attention. The glittery video for the latest single from this Chicago native will hopefully garner her some attention. It is nothing new in terms of visuals. I mean, how many times have we seen people painted into existence before? The real shining star of this presentation is the song, which keeps up some fierce level of energy and really sets the standards HI for female rappers in the dance world. Remixes are varied and you should be able to find one that suits your crowd.
Video - Youtube
Cheryl Cole - "Fight For This Love" (Cahill Remix) - Courtesy of Polydor
One of the most wonderful things about the internet is that music from around the world is easily available at your fingertips. Wonderful popdance music from the UK (Sugababes, Girls Aloud) doesn't always make it to the states, but thanks to Youtube and other sites it can be enjoyed around the world. Cheryl Cole rose to fame as a member of Girls Aloud (a girlpop band assembled by the British reality show Popstars) which has achieved twenty top ten UK singles. Stepping to the forefront, she joined Simon Cowell and Dannii Minogue as a judge on X-Factor (another British reality show.) "Fight For This Love" is Cheryl's debut solo single and she's done quite well. With an insanely catchy chorus, the r&b/pop/dance production is different that the typical Girls Aloud sound which allows her to differentiate her style. Remixes by Moto Blanco, Crazy Cousins and Phunkstar are quite strong across the board but the Cahill remix stands out as a highlight of the year. That's quite a strong accomplishment considering their work for this year included strong remixes for Mariah Carey "Obsessed," Agnes "Release Me," and Cascada "Evacuate the Dancefloor."
Video - Youtube
Bebe Zahara Benet - "I'm the Sh*t" - Courtesy of Blueplate
Filling Rupaul's heels is quite a big task. For those who remember back to 1993, Rupaul started her musical career with "Supermodel," a club smash that empowered everyone to be their own runway superstar. Bebe Zahara Benet, season one winner of Rupaul's Drag Races, teams up with circuit producer/dj Mark Picchiotti to create her debut club track "I'm the Sh*t." Working this mantra in response to stresses of the day, Bebe gives us a modern day (and uplifting) bitch track. Drag is all about creating illusions and characters. Bebe accomplishes this in the video - transforming from dominatrix to diva to sexy school teacher. This will definitely be a hit on Logo and it will be interesting to see if the catchphrase mantra makes it into the everyday lexicon.
Video - Youtube
Peppermint - "Working Girl" - Courtesy of HCG Music
A drag queen who produces, writes and sings? Yes, Peppermint is a true recording artist who is making some incredible club friendly dance music. I had the pleasure of being in New York to catch her live show at Barracuda when her new cd Hardcore Glamour was released. Imagine a cross between Janet Jackson (catchy pop songs sung live with solid choreography) and Wendy Williams (hot dish and great crowd interaction), for a frame of reference. Coproduced by Adam Joseph, the CD is a great mix of pop, midtempo and club jams - a great soundtrack for clubbing, working out or just having fun around the house. With two hits on Logo TV already ("Servin It Up" and "Thought Ya Knew,") Miss Peppermint is no stranger to videos. The video for "Working Girl" features footage from her international tours - and yes, I said international. Here's hoping that a video and remixes for my favorite song on the album "Excuse My Beauty" is coming soon.
Video - Youtube
