CATCH PARTS I & II HERE.


MINI VIVA. To put it bluntly, I LOVE these girls. From the atrociously infectious club banger Left My Heart in Tokyo, Britt Love and Frankee Connolly have been winning the hearts of critics (and mine) with their always-funtasmic videos and vibrant songs. Mini Viva has been gearing up the yet-to-be-titled album for a December 2009 release, but it was pushed back for understandable reasons (I've heard an August release is coming our way). So far, they haven't released a horrid single (don't pay attention to the charts), and judging by their album sampler, the LP is going to be great at the very least. Here's One Touch (Do You Want A Candy?).


ALPHABEAT. The Danish dancepop band released their second album The Beat Is... late 2009 in their native Denmark, peaking at #6 on the albums chart. The Spell, their very contagious dancepop number, reached #1 in Denmark and also made the UK top 20. Their music takes a stab at the late 80's with heart-pounding synths, heavy dance vibes, 'whoa's, THE WHOLE SHEBANG. SO HAVE A LISTEN SO I CAN STOP TYPING IN ALL CAPS.


EXAMPLE. I'm not exactly a big fan of rappers, but Elliot John Gleave blends it with wonky pop (and who doesn't like that, eh?) and while a massive lot of rappers cover either sex, booze, or something grim/broody, Example dabbles into fun electropop territory warbling about treating girls right or being magnetized in an instant. I seriously can't choose which is better between Won't Go Quietly and Kickstarts, so here's both. Oh, and get a free track from him here.

Won't Go Quietly

Kickstarts



LOLENE. This lovely Bristol babe (please stop me from abusing that phrase) showed some potential back in '09 with first-but-not-official release Sexy People, reaching #5 on the Billboard Dance chart. "Miss Foo Foo" is on her way on becoming a proper popstar with her blunt, infectious electro records and very warming persona. Don't take it the wrong way though, because this girl can WRITE. She has collaborated with award-winning writers such as Chris Braide (Cheryl Cole), and also worked with Christina Milian on Teairra Mari's track Diamonds featuring Kanye West. Rich (Fake It Til You Make It) is no less than brilliant, and I have a feeling The Electrick Hotel (album) will be as good if not better. I was also lucky enough to have a Q&A with the lovely lady (where I professed my love for her).


DRAKE. Okay, a handful of rappers with actual talent (and versatility) have emerged, and seeing as I made the "not a big fan of rappers" statement (which is true, mind you), Canadian rapper/actor Aubrey Graham aka Drake (along with the aforementioned rappers) almost urged me to retract it. ANYWAY, let me go back to versatility. He recently showcased his smooth-as-silk brilliant vocals and ditched rapping altogether in Find Your Love, which I've already said enough about. As of now, two singles from Thank Me Later have been released, and though I naturally prefer Drake's break from rap, Over is a pretty good hip hop tune.

Over

Find Your Love

Aubrey Graham, more likely known as Canadian singer/rapper Drake has released a mini movie music video for his second single off Thank Me Later (TBR June 15th) entitled Find Your Love. The track co-written and produced by Kanye West can pose as one from his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreaks, possessing the same beats and showing off Drake's versatility, much like what Kanye did in Heartless. Find Your Love has Drake trading in his rapping for smooth-as-silk, R&B/pop singing, and the flow from the sparse drums and piano strokes in the verses to the very end of the record is effortless. The only notable flaw is the absence of Drake's lyrical ability, with the lines "I better find your loving, I better find your heart" almost abused throughout the course of the track.

The video, directed by Anthony Mandler (Does Russian Roulette ring a bell?), deserves a mention for attaching a story behind Find Your Love in a Slumdog Millionaire-esque, suspense-ridden, forbidden love manner that doesn't only entertain, but also adds volume to the song.