Ok so previously I wrote a blog entry theorizing that The Ting Tings would make a years absence since Hands with a new single, Silence.
Now I was wrong, instead the indie pop duo have come back with Hang It Up, which bears more resemblance to Shut Up And Let Me Go / That's Not My Name than the electro route taken with Hands.
In terms of a comeback single I don't think it essentially that strong, despite being catchy, bolshy and similar to their material on their highly successful debut I feel that the song is lacking a missing ingredient to give The Tings Tings the "hit" to put put them back on the radar after a near four year absence. Comments on the video itself remain generally positive with fans expressing their excitement at their return, but I'm not surprised at some who comment how they have left it too late to make an impact second time round.
The Ting Tings however remain as my favourite band and the release of Hang It Up get me excited for album two.
I clearly wasn't as despite being a fan of Kate I only recently came around to hear this instantly catchy pop offering from her side project, 'Fatty Gets a Stylist'.
The song which is a clear departure from her solo sound is much more electronic and 80's sounding and uses a different vocal range, which she apparently found whilst in the shower and has since transformed into the personality of an individual called Fatima (hence the wonderfully bizarre band name if you were by chance wondering).
The song has not only been making the sound waves down under in Oz but also in the US and has been used in the New York Lottery advertisement.
So summer is starting to roll to an end (where the hell the sun was I don't know) but there's still time for Marina and the Diamonds to give us a good old party pumping, dance floor filling hit to give the summer a good send out.
Marina's latest offerings prior to a 2nd album release is 'Radioactive', upon first listen I was hooked. The lyrics are clearly Marina's own and stick to the formula used on her début album 'The Family Jewels', the sound however is a transformation from her previous releases and I can hopefully predict that her second album won't fall into the sophomore album trap.
Here's a snippet of what Marina herself had to say of the track, “I wrote “Radioactive” in New York in the middle of a heat wave. Introduced to a glittering new nightlife, I fell in love with New York; it has this magic, fizzing white energy that no other city in the world has. I felt happy and was inspired to write a song that felt light and euphoric, a more streamlined, minimalistic style of songwriting. I have changed my approach to songwriting completely, and as a result, written songs I would never have written on my own (i.e on my shit Argos keyboard alone in my bedroom in London).
Okay so when I say waiting to shine I actually mean severely overdue!
Sky Ferreira an American singer/songwriter/model/actress is a true gem but is alas a classic example of how a music label can truly screw over an artist.
To begin with, why the hype with Sky?
Back in 2006, a 15 year old Sky equipped with only a few demos under her belt bravely approached over myspace music production duo Bloodshy & Avant requesting a collaboration between the two parties. Her request, which may seem a bit naive played to her advantage. The Swedish team (who were the co-writers and producers of Britney's smash 'Toxic') were hugely interested in the young talent that had approached them. Sky since then has continued to work with Bloodshy & Avant on her latest EP As If!, more specifically on the songs '108' and 'Hater Anonymous'.
Sky certainly has recorded a large number of songs, a simple search on youtube will bring up many demos, so why have we not yet had an album? We've had a UK single, 'One' and a further US single 'Obsession' along with lead EP single 'Sex Rules'. But despite all the reassurances over the past year and a bit from Sky over twitter and in interviews of an album coming soon, my iTunes still has its spaced reserved.
The delayed album clearly is by no means Skys fault, which is clear from her tweets. Unfortunately I believe that Sky just isn't suited to her label EMI, she needs a label which is suited towards the current trend of non-manufactured female popstarlets who have risen in recent years. I personally feel that the best move Sky could make is to leave behind EMI with her head held high and move over to Cherrytree Records, where her label mates would include; La Roux, Ellie Goulding, Robyn & Natalia Kills.
It's so sad to know of a great talent who isn't being able to give it the go she so thoroughly deserves. At this rate Sky is going to become more recognised as a model (which she also does very well) and therefore not what she intended out to be back when she sat at her computer desk on myspace clicking send on the message to B&A.
So if you haven't yet heard anything by Sky my top three picks are:
Enjoy and spread the word of this deserving and promising young girl.
So Mika's latest pop offerings was of an upbeat, bouncy pop tune layered with French lyrics, the song now has a video for the single, which has recently placed itself in at #6 on the French Music Charts. The video is far from the expense and grandeur of some of his others but I guess this would come with the fact the single is not an international one.
Pop music needs more videos like these, ones which are funny, genius and creative. Long gone should the days of boring ass bitches dancing in a club, or pining after some "perfect" gal/lad in some three way love triangle drama. Bring on the videos which bring a smile to your face and leave you asking; "how did they think of that".
