Song of the Month - Cascada "Glorious"

Cascada has come a very long way. They've had ups and downs, they've had bit hits and huge misses, but I can honestly say they've stayed consistently good over the years. This single, made special by their representing an entire nation on one of the most watched TV shows across the pond, is no different. May's Song of the Month is "Glorious".

I don't know if this song was a response to some of the backlash on the internet they've received in the past. After hearing "all their songs sound alike", they have now come out with something that sounds strikingly different from what we've heard in the past. It still has the bumping bass and the racing synths, but it's laced with a different vibe -- a much more uplifting one.

This month was harder than ever to decide on a selection, but when it came down to it, I felt that this was the best selection. They may be well known, especially in Europe, but this single has gone largely ignored in the US. As a matter of fact, since their last single in the United States, "Evacuate The Dancefloor", they've had two more albums that haven't seen the light of day stateside.

While not exactly indie, they are somewhat of an anomaly here in the US, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. The song is good, the singer is gorgeous, and the timing is perfect. They may not have come even close to winning Eurovision, but they certainly won my heart. Here's to the fifth addition to this year's Song of the Year competition!

Grab the track on iTunes, and gear up for the second half of this year!

Indie Pop Artist Mykal Hoare Reveals Debut Video

It's been a bit since we last heard from Mykal Hoare. He released his first full EP a while back and has since gone back into the shadows to work on more musical goodness for us all. Today, he brought us his first ever music video for the track "Black Out". Let's take a look.



First of all, why didn't we get a video for "Heart Attack"? While "Black Out" is one of my favorite from the entire EP, but it wasn't the most polished of the lot. The song is very fun and upbeat, making it a great choice for a single, so why not make it a video?

The video is very artsy, showcasing Mykal in various different colored lenses singing to his song. Other scenes involve him fully clothed in a bathtub, submerging himself fully underwater. Towards the end of the video, he takes some pills, and ends up crawling around his bathroom floor. This  video was shot on a budget, but for an indie artist, it looks very well done. Being his first attempt, things can only look up for him in the future.

The EP is up on iTunes for purchase. Check out "Black Out" along with the rest of his tracks so far.

Manila Luzon Is Back With "One Night In Bangkok"

You know what I love the most about Manila Luzon? She doesn't quit. Many of the girls from Drag Race shine for a the year their season airs and them fade into a life of touring at your local clubs. Manila is different in that she is not going to let you forget her name. And by that I mean she's got a new song for us all. A cover of Murray Head's 80s hit "One Night In Bangkok".



Manila is breaking all kinds of boundaries this year, isn't she? First she is the first RPDR girl to break a million with an original tune, now she's the first RPDR girl to make a music video in 3D. Most of the video was apparently shot on a whim back in January. Let's assume that Manila is absolutely flawless 100% of the time if this is true.

Oh, Manila. What will you come up with next? This actually comes as a bit of a surprise to me, as Manila has released all original tracks up until this point.  This, however, is a cover of a song from a musical called "Chess" which released a concept album along with it, containing the original version of this track. Manila stays very faithful to the original 80s vibe of the track, as well as a lot of the visual concepts in the original video.

There wasn't a whole lot changed from the original track, the only notable portion being when she adlibs during some of the downtime for the verses. While the song is fun, I don't feel like it's really a Manila track. It feels a little more upbeat and less electronic than we are used to hearing from her, but seeing as she's only had three songs before, I guess it can be a bit unfair to say what is or isnt her style.

The video is pretty amusing, to say the least. Manila in boy mode is doing the majority of the verses, in a nightclub where he seems to be doing standup. Meanwhile, we get to see various styles of Indian themed dresses, including goddesses getups and hats that look like temples. There's your mandatory Manila cross-eyedness as well as a lot of funny faces and head shakings.

Though fun, it feels a bit underwhelming for her first new track of 2013. I can say, however, that this is definitely not the last we'll hear of her. She's got two more projects slated to premier in the coming weeks; one is a project with NYC's famous gay rapper Cazwell, and another is a song with Jinkx Monsoon, winner of season five. She's also featured in a new music video, which I will be bringing you more info on later this week!

Interview: Hyper Crush's Holly Valentine Tells All

It's not secret that every member of Hyper Crush is sexy as hell. Holly Valentine, the group's only lady, spins the whole "nerds are hot" bit back on women. Recently, she took time to speak with me about a few things including their major label experience, what it's like working with a panther as a costar, and she even reveals the names of some not-yet-announced material. That's right, bitches. They've got a new album coming our way.

Kim Smith Is Back With New Track "Never Ever"

I will never get tired of Kim Smith. His first single had us all jamming, with a sexy video to go along with it. Now he's back without allowing the trail to cool one bit with a new track called "Never Ever" -- and don't worry. He's not threatening to never make another song again.



Kim has been slaving away over a hot mic for a long while now, working on his new album. His first single came out a few months back, and tested very well on the blogosphere. It looks like he didn't want to waste any more time in getting music out, thus he's sent out his second single "Never Ever." This is set to be the lead in single for his debut album to come shortly after.

"Never Ever" has a much more upbeat it's predecessor "Jealous". This go around, he's determined to get everyone up and dancing. I have to say that I am loving this turn of pace. While the first track was a great intro to show us what he can do (and how sexy he is!), this song really is giving us what we all certainly wanted. The single is also packed with some sick remixes. They make me cry. No, seriously.


The song is all about that one person who came along and changed his mind. He went from being a one night stand kind of person to falling in love. The title is a bit of a bait and switch, leading people initially to believe that the song is about never wanting to get back together. It's been done before, but most others have done so much less subtly.

I guess all I can say now is... Give me another video!

Grab it now on iTunes.

Hyper Crush Side Project MVTH Has A New Video

Damn, that title is a mouthful. Basically, MVTH (which when printed on their merch seems to be a to be Delta in place of the V, making it look to be MATH) is a side project of Hyper Crush featuring only Donny and Preston. Why Holly isn't involved, the world may never know. Regardless, they've released their first video for the new single "F*ck".



The main difference between MVTH and Hyper Crush is that there are no vocals. Actually, that is pretty much the only difference. I am betting if they'd had some rapping and singing laid down on top of this beat, it could have passed easily for a HC song. The production values are the same, and the masterminds are present as well. I guess they just wanted another creative outlet for their music.

As far as the video goes, it feels close to a Hyper Crush video, too. I don't mean that because we are seeing Preston and Donny doing their thing, but because many elements of the recent HC videos have leaked over into this release. They are still armed with their hardcore shotguns and they seem to only be able to move in slow motion, much like in the video for "Visions of Coleco." What is different is that this video drops much of the sex appeal, and gives everyone just plain badassery.

"F*ck" doesn't have a clear plot. There are a lot of news clips and flashing imagery spliced into the footage, creating a sense of urgency. Most of the video, the duo is beating the crap out of something, but we never really get a clear shot as to what. For the rest of the time, they are riding around, watching their backs, armed with all sorts of guns. The way it was shot, using a sort of found-footage approach, makes it feel a lot like the Blair Witch movies.

It may not be the best video ever, but the song is catchy, and I love seeing Preston. I'm sure you know this by now.

The track is up on Beatport. Grab it now!

The New Futures Release Debut Video

Remember that band I was talking about a few weeks ago, The New Futures? Remember how I said they were fools for hiding behind that cover photo for their single "Sunshine"? Well they've stepped out into the light (really, no pun intended) and they are showing just how attractive they are. Ok, so they are actually just doing a music video, but I'm allowed to spin anything any way I want.



Seriously, though. Look at the lead singer, Sam. He's pretty attractive, I can't lie. They are all easy on the eyes, which layers on top of them being talented already. I'v already touched on what a breath of fresh air this track is, so let's move right on to look at the video itself, shall we?

Unlike many videos of today, especially for the rock genre, this video follows a story line. For the first half of the video, the lead singer is being interrogated in a dark room. They quickly reveal that he and the rest of the band had stolen some rare jewels, and he was the only one caught. They call in the big guns, which happen to be a sexy lady, to try and get the confession out of him SVU style. Eventually he's rescued, but he can't get the girl out of his head. He does what any rational jewel theif would do -- kill all of his friends and go off with the girl.

Yeah. That happened. While a bit illogical, it does make for a nice twist ending. The fact that he killed off the rest of the band was pretty ballsy in itself, even if it was just for a fictionalized story line. Band dynamics are a common problem in the music industry, so it could be a good thing that they are able to take a joke like this, and prove it to their fans early on. I guess it's kind of a promise of endurance. Or maybe it was just for the laughs. Who knows?

The track is up on iTunes if you dig it.