Why do you look so surprised? I mean, it's not like Young London is the only thing I listen to! Sometimes, singles hit the market and got very unnoticed. Stephen Jerzak seems to be one of these artists. I don't know why, either. He's not half bad.
A little less electronic than what Jerzak fans may be used to and a bit more singer/songwriter, this track definitely is a departure from this blog's norm. The accoustic guitar is a nice welcome from my usual over processed techno beats. His voice is quite amazing, and has me left regretting not reviewing his album that came out earlier this year when I had the chance.
This song is all about love that is lost. He spends the song wondering about that girl that just slipped through his fingers, asking if she still thinks of him or even cares. The theme, along with the stripped down feel of the song, get the emotions and vulnerability across very well, making for an excellent track.
You can preview and buy the track on iTunes. Remember kids, support your artists. Don't go illegally downloading everything.
Music comes in all forms. It's not always about the singer. Often times, there is a hidden face behind the beats, or it has been completely revamped by a talented remix artist. My point is, you don't always have to be a vocalist to express yourself artistically. With that being said, lemme introduce you to Silveradio.
To be honest, I wasn't even aware that my friend was making music. I had known him for at least a year before I knew he was seriously making music, and at the time I was rather skeptical about listening to music that wasn't headlined by a vocalist. What can I say, I was naive. I did, however, have faith in my friend, and finding talent in the wasteland we are from is rare, so I gave it a shot. I can honestly say that even if I had not been friends with him, I would still enjoy his music immensely. How can I say this with such certainty?
One day, while riding in a car with his sister, a hot jam came on the radio via her driving playlist. This song was a very amazing remix of E.T. by Katy Perry (A song that under normal circumstances I cannot stand). This was around the time that I was really getting into remix EPs, so I asked: "Who's version is this?" Of course, it was the Silveradio mix. It was then that I started to look at his music more seriously, and I have to say that he really did impress me.
Being a pop music freak, I was much more quickly drawn to his remixes of pop tracks. He has given his own spin to Adele, Katy Perry, and Britney Spears. Recently, however, he has decided to go bak to his roots with his music, and has begun to focus more on his original material to release on online retailers. His iTunes debut "Rain (11 Remake)" is available for purchase here. Let me give the disclaimer that for full effect you should listen to the song with some great sub woofers, such as heavy-duty computer speakers or a car stereo. It sounds so much better that way.
The Silveradio style is called Techn-Trance. In line with this genre is a steady build up in the music, starting out with just on or a couple of tracks of music and building up as the song continues. By the mid point of the song, each bit of the song is going full force. The style allows for people to see what all goes into a song, and creates more of a movement than offering everything upfront.
He may have taken down his remixes, but three of his core songs, "Tempo", "Destinox", and "Winterspring" are still up on his official site Turboturbo. I have also bullied him into entering a remix contest to potentially be on a remix album for a rising star in the pop world, Kwanza Jones. I have heard an initial version of his Silverado mix of "Time To Go", and it was sick.
Lyrics are not always required to convey a feeling or an emotion in a song. In fact, being able to express yourself without lyrics can be even more impressive and impacting . Then again, who knows? Maybe one day I'll talk him into letting me add some lyrics to one of his tracks.
If you don't have the cashflow to buy music, please go die another mix of his debut single is available to download for free (at leas to the next 99 people) on SoundCloud. So listen below, download, and enjoy. Or else. This is the internet and I can't get in trouble for threatening.
It's time. Everybody is announcing their fresh start for the new year. I love it when this time of year comes around, the new year is fast approaching and that means SO MUCH NEW MUSIC! Three of my favorites have already staked their claim in the early months of 2012, and they are giving everyone a look of what's to come.
Four piece girl group Jada have been on my radar for a while. Being one of Red One's projects, it's no wonder they have had some amazing tracks, but they disappeared for nearly two years until this past fall where they released "This Party's On Fire". Thankfully, they aren't letting the momentum die this time around, and have announced not only a new EP, but also a Christmas single.
The four have put a preview of the EP up on their official website. The mini-album doesn't seem to have a title (that I can tell) but it does include "This Party's On Fire" and another solid club track "Supersonique," which I've seen some of the girls hint at. The website lets you preview 60 seconds of each track, giving you a good look at what the album is all about. I've always been weary of girl group's non-single tracks, but I am LOVING all of these tracks, especially "Mercy Killing." No exact date has been announced, but I'll assume it will be released in early January.
I'm not sure if I can brag on these guys enough. They were my first ever interview, and they are still some of the coolest people I have ever got to speak with. They just dropped their newest single, "New Reputation," channeling all of their 90's pop influences into one sexy-ass track.
The self-titled album is due out January 10, 2012. Can't wait that long for all of the Euro-dance goodness? Hop on over to Amazon to be able to preview 30 seconds of each track. I know, it's not long enough, but it will give you a good idea of how epic this album is going to be. "Be My Radio" and "Whipped" will be played obsessively in my car after this album comes out.
Ok, this may not be the exact criteria for this blog, as it is not easily accessible, but when I saw this on my Facebook feed, I just couldn't pass it up. Koda Kumi has been a favorite Japanese singer of mine for ages (I mean did you see her fierce acting in Cutie Honey?), and I did review the music videos for her "4 Times" single. While I don't expect to review something in a language I don't speak fluently, I did find something amusing. All of the "4 Times" singles are listed as tracks on the album, but one isn't exactly as you might remember it.
The song "V.I.P." now has "featuring T-Pain" tacked on the end. Oh. My. God. The Lord of Autotune is teaming up with Koda Kumi. I'm not sure if I'm excited or mortified, but I'll accept it. The fan page also says that there will be a music video for every song on the album. I'm not sure if this is a typo, but if not, I really think Koda has gone off the deep end. I mean having four music videos released at once is kind of crazy, but a full seventeen track album full? That's insane!
UPDATE: After cross-referencing several sites and having a few translations done, it is being said that she will have seventeen music videos. One. For. Every. Track. THERE IS A GOD! Here's to hoping T-Pain gets shoehorned in the V.I.P. video.
No, it's not a new Jem and the Holograms song, it's the newest track from my girls Mimi, Ronny, and JC under the name XELLE. I interviewed them a few months ago where they said a new single was "coming very soon." Well, guys, it's finally here. Get into "Hologram."
Dubbing themselves the "party girls of pop," they sure did have a lot to live up to. I think it's safe to say after this new song that they definitely live up to the reputation. This song is an electronic orgasm, completely fun from start to finish. The beats are amazing, and I really am in love with Zach Adam's style, as he also is working with another rising star, Moses.
The lyrics are my favorite part of the song. The story is about a man that is nothing but an illusion, bringing about one of the best lines in a song: "You're a fiction of my affection." Is that not sickening? I also find myself randomly spouting off "Holla Holla Hologram!" Maybe I should hire these ladies to write my debut single.
As a bit of an update: I have been poking them about the video, but they still won't say a lot. On a radio interview, JC said that the video will be "one hundred times the work" that the "Party Girl" video was. She also mentioned that she didn't think anyone had used the medium like this for a music video. It sounds so exciting, but the release won't come about until March at the earliest. You better work, ladies.
Until then, why don't you buy the track on iTunes? It's killer!
Welcome to Christmas! I'm not really as happy about it as the exclamation point would lead you to believe, but it's hard not to buy into the fake cheer of the holidays. It's time to hash out more celebrity X-mas related songs. Luckily, not all of them are your traditional tunes, some being downright anti-Christmas. As part of a month-long Top Five column of random crap I deem entertaining and relevant, I will be Let me get at you with some Un-Christmas Christmas songs.
5. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - FYI by Utada
Confession time: I LOVE Hikaru Utada's English albums. Back when I was a Weeaboo (Don't ask), I was all about some Utada, and she released her debut English album Exodus at the height of my Japan obsession. She released two English albums, this song from the second one. I placed it so high on the countdown mainly because it trolls you into thinking it's a Christmas song when it really isn't. She doesn't even mention the holidays at all. The only really seasonal part of the song is her saying "Jing-a-ling" a couple of times. Way to fool us, Utada. You win.
Edit: An Anon informed me she had to keep the title of the song she sampled for legal reasons. That still doesn't mean she isn't trolling you. I mean if she had to keep the title, logic dictates you should roll with the Christmas theme. She did not. Thus, troll.
(Warning: Lots of Hos under the cut.)
Another pre-release track from JonhBoyCool's new mixtape, "Greed" follows in line with the theme of the "7 Sins" title. He has been teasing us with this mixtape for a while now, originally saying it would be out on Halloween. Hopefully it will be out soon. Til then, let's take a look at "Greed".
This song is more rap than anything I've heard from this artist before. I'm not sure how I feel about it, as I was madly in love with the electric sound from his first mixtape. The lyrics fall more in line with greed than the previous pre-release track "Vanity", as he is talking about wanting it all during the track. There is even a break in the song with a very distorted voice talking about how greed is actually a good thing.
The guest on the tack, Chris King, does his job well. I've never been huge on the fad of having rappers guest in the middle of your track, but at the same time, I like seeing artists able to work together. I'd never heard of this guy before, but seeing as this group is still emerging into the music scene, I'm sure I'll see him pop up again. It's just leaving me with the question if any of the "7 Sins" tracks will be just JohnBoyCool without any features.
While not as instantly lovable like the "Too Cool 4 School" mixtape, the song is growing on me. It's dubstep back beat, paired with Jonhboy's distinctive voice refuse to let me dislike this song in any way. If you want something fresh and fun, get this track. And hey, as of now, it's free!
It is finally here. The event I've been planning for months. I am so insane that I have decided to give out my own awards. There are so many great pop artists out there, and only a select few get recognized, so I've decided to take it upon myself to award some of pop music's lesser known artists, the underdogs if you will. For my first year I've started out small with six categories. A select group of my closest friends and I will determine all but one of the awards. Sound unfair? Well I've left the biggest and most important award to you guys. So you'd better vote!
Here are the non-voting categories and their nominees:
BEST DEBUT
Best Debut
Young London - Let Me Go
XELLE - Party Girl
Colette Carr - (We Do It) Primo
Chris DiSario - Could This Be Love
Black Cards - Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Fame
BEST DRAG SONG
Sahara Davenport - Go Off!
Manila Luzon - Hot Couture
Pandora Boxx - Cooter
Raja - Daimond Crowned Queen
Holestar - Queen of F***ing Everything
BEST NON-SINGLE
RuPaul feat. Jipsta - Sexy Drag Queen (Jared Jones La Push Remix)
Simon Curtis - Joshua
Frankmusik - Struck By Lightning
Demi Lovato - Hold Up
Ultraviolet Sound - Electric Misfit Love Machine
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Frankmusik - Do It In The AM
Demi Lovato - Unbroken
Natalia Killa - Perfectionist
Nadia Oh - Colours
Aqua - Megalomania
EDITOR'S PICK - SONG OF THE YEAR
My selection based on this years Song of the Week selections.
The big one? Song of the Year. That's where I need you guys. If you are a stan of any of these artists, pick their track. Vote on the poll at the right hand side of the page. Voting will end in the wee hours of December 24th and the winners will be posted the following morning. This is your chance to give your favorite the credit they deserve!
I know, it's December, which means there's one more month worth of awesome songs to select from. Don't worry, as the column will continue, but the selections will be eligible for NEXT year's Song of the Year contest. Don't see your fave listed? Go up to the Recommendations page and shoot me an email suggesting who you think deserves the spotlight.
