I know. You are speechless. Yes, I am aware the Colette Carr released a single this week, too, but my life doesn't (always) revolve around her. I mean, I like other songs sometimes too. Jeeze. Lay off me. Oh? You're shocked because it's a Dev song? Yeah, we'll get to that in a moment. Song of the Week this week is "Sunrise" by The Cataracs and Dev.
I just don't know what it is about this song. The airy vocals by Dev are amazing, the beat is insane, and actually getting to hear the guys behind the beats was crazy! I couldn't miss the chance to feature one of my favorite song producing teams on my site. Everything they touch is amazing, and this song doesn't fail.
The only place I really have a place with this song is in the lyrics. The beat, yeah, amazing, but the lyrics -- A very different story. The first problem is Dev's obsession with saying "popping bottles in the ice". Yeah. She says it here. Again. Do you see my problem with her yet? And then the Cataracs say "I just did a car bomb in the back seat of a car." I dont really know what a car bomb is, but I'll assume it's not a literal one. Despite these two instances, the rest of the song is amazing, dancable, and an instant hit. I'm starting to like Dev. No, I'm not eating my own words, she's just getting better.
Oh. My. God. Let me tell you, I recently got in contact with one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege of talking to. Kwanza Jones is not only a singer, but also a songwriter, and an ambassador for equality. This future pop icon and role model took time out from her busy tour to give me the details on her next moves in the music world, as well as her stance on other serious issues.
After finding some old Paradiso Girls tracks, as well as a couple of rare demos from her, I tweeted Chelsea asking when we could hear more. Her reply was a simple "not long" -- and damn was she not lying. Last night, Chelsea revealed her big announcement via Twitter: She is going to be releasing a solo album. There is a god.
I cannot express how excited I am about this. I have loved Chelsea ever since I first laid eyes on her in the Search For The Next Pussycat Doll (This is the first time I've admitted to watching the show), and she was, to me, the most talented of the Paradiso Girls. As devastated as I am that the group is over, I am glad to see her moving forward with her career -- and if she follows through with tracks like the "So Over" demo I heard, this album will be amazing!
No title has been announced, but she has put up a teaser site, IAmChelseaKorka.com, with a countdown to January 3, when the album will drop. Releasing an album cold can be a scary thing, but she promised that there will be music out before the album drops. I really hope so! I hope she kept in touch with Space Cowboy and had him help out. I mean don't you remember "Falling Down"? Smash.
With Lauren heading up the new Pussycat Dolls and Chelsea working solo, we have accounted for 2/5 of the Paradiso Girls. Now where did Aria get off to?
EDIT FOR CLARITY: Chelsea has informed me that the Jan 3 date will be the release of music (probably a single) and the album will be out shortly. Sorry for the confusion.
In my opinion, every day is going to be a drag until January 30. That is when season four of Ru Paul's Drag Race will premier. Why does it have to be so far away? I know they have been saying January, but why not January 1 instead of 30? Damn. Guess I gotta be a patient bitch.
In order to keep us calm, they released yet another trailer for the show. This one has actual footage, showing us clips of the "gurls" as boys, and all the drama that comes with it. Some of the highlights include Willam deciding she has to be the funny one instead of the pretty one, apocalyptic being mispronounced, and a threat of pee on the runway. Check it out.
I think you can rest assured that this season is going to be amazing. As always, it will probably take me a couple of episodes to fully warm up to them, but at least we can rest easy that no past contestants will be popping out of boxes this go around. This time, they are fighting it out for one hundred thousand dollars. Ru assures you that this is "the beginning of the rest of your life (life life life life)."
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.
