HEAR THIS: M.O Stays "Hot", True Gal Group Conten-dah

I'm finally accepting that the breakup of Mini Viva wasn't utterly criminal -- because if that hadn't happened, we wouldn't have M.O . 

M.O exemplifies how sultry and cool the UK female pop landscape has evolved to be. If Little Mix is the new-age Girls Aloud, M.O is the new-age Sugababes. (No need to choose sides, it's all good pop.) They unleashed their latest in the sparse "Hot", a repetitive island-flavored jam that for once doesn't sound like a Rihanna retread (Dear America...). This bow follows "Wait Your Turn", "Ain't Got Time" and "Come Let Me Show You" in the promotional run-up toward what is looking like a flaw-free debut album.

If only they would bring that effortless cool Stateside. I can dream, right? Jump on the bandwagon, folks -- this one is leaving the station fast.

HEAR THIS: Pastele Gives You An "Art Attack"

It's been a few months since my girl Pastele first teased her upcoming release dubbed "Art Attack" -- a direct reference to her "double life" as it were as a developing popstar and an inspired artist. (Pop Art takes a new meaning now, doesn't it?) Last week, we saw the fruit of that labor via the official music video for "Art Attack", a breezy little jam with lyrics that could read as Pastele's own biography.

Honestly, there's no better day than today to showcase to the world one of my favorite indie artists. Why? Because today's her birthday! Make sure you send her some love, perhaps via her Twitter (@CityofPastele). If you're in the NYC area, Pastele will be debuting "Art Attack" at Santos Party House in SoHo on August 15th. More info is available at her website, www.CityofPastele.com.

HEAR THIS: MKS Feels a "Flatline"

Sugababes, who? The original lineup of one of the UK's most revered and groundbreaking girl groups announced their re-formation last summer and finally we have something official and substantial to show for it. Now recording under the moniker Mutya Keisha Siobhan (or MKS for short), first single "Flatline" has been served up for the UK's (and the world's) enjoyment and will be available on iTunes in September.

"Flatline" plays as a refreshing, fresh take on a relationship in the downhill slide, something lyrically Robyn only seems to be able to do unequivocally well. All three ladies sound controlled and soulful, almost mournful in their delivery. The song is dark and vulnerable without being dismal. It also bears mentioning that it continues the Dev Hynes-production style that really stands apart in a musical landscape so littered with synth (a la Sky Ferreira's "Everything Is Embarrassing" or especially Solange's "Losing You"). Mr. Hynes, feel free to work with all of my faves, please and thank you.

I mentioned my excitement for this project shortly after their reunion was officially confirmed in July of last year. After perusing and then literally devouring "Flatline", all signs point toward a stellar, mature album release (set for early 2014), much akin to the original mindset of the Suga project via their debut One Touch, released back in 2000(!). Details regarding the release have been filtering out into the ether bit by bit and it all sounds so promising. Songwriting by Sia and potentially Shaznay Lewis (of All Saints). Production by MNEK, William Orbit and Richard X (of "Freak Like Me" notoriety!). I can't, you guys. I just can't. I feel so overwhelmed (I'm on overload).

If anyone has a time machine handy, I'd like to fast forward to 2014, please.

HEAR THIS: Teen Scene Triple Feature with Ariana, Zendaya & Fifth Harmony

Just when you start to fear for the American Teen Idol Market, what with Miley turning into Rihanna, Demi gearing up for another round of X-Factor, the Jonas Brothers refusing to confirm a release date for that mysterious new record, Justin Bieber jumping off the deep end and Selena falling asleep at the wheel (sorry not sorry, Stars Dance turned out snoozy), pop music proves there's room for errbody at the party. A crop of not-quite-newbies have been waiting patiently to step in and take over the spotlight. The time is now. Insert me dancing like a mid-20's version of Camila Cabello, rockin' out and fist pumpin' to the music. Go on, girls.



ZENDAYA - "Replay"

Now that Miley, Demi and Selena are all out of the Disney nest, the stars of the Channel's Shake It Up (currently in its final season) are being primed to be the next Teen Princess. While Bella Thorne's "TTYLXOX" was a fun little tongue-in-cheek pop jam, her co-star in Zendaya is the first out of the gate of the pair while Bella goes the acting route first. After a successful run with the past season of "Dancing With the Stars", Zendaya's performance points were stacked quite high in her favor and it should be noted her brand of Disney Magic is decidedly all age-appropriate and not to be slept on. Her previous single, "Swag It Out," was heavy on the Rihanna/Willow Smith mindset and "Replay" continues in this vein, albeit in a more polished way. Sparse vocals with a trampoline-inspired synth beat lead to a climatic, repetitive chorus that chants "Wanna put this song on replay/I can listen to it all day." Subliminal messaging? A band of remixes of "Replay" were also released and that Jump Smokers Mix is not to be ignored.

ARIANA GRANDE - "Baby I"

20-year old Nickelodeon starlet Ariana Grande drew comparisons to Mariah Carey with her breakthrough "The Way". Don't expect those feelings to cease anytime soon -- her follow up cut, "Baby I", by Kenneth Edmonds (better known as Babyface). A young popstar with a single written by Babyface? When was the last time that happened? If that doesn't get your attention in itself, the track will. It opens with an all-eyes-on-me sonic blare (reminiscent of Sugababes' "Get Sexy") and pounding synth taps before the vocal kicks in with soft hand snaps. This is decidedly more R&B than "The Way" and it's the type of mainstream soul we haven't seen much of from the ladies in a hot minute. This is the kind of A-Material we should have seen on that alleged third JoJo album that got shelved by Blackground. Ariana's debut album, Yours Truly, is due in the fall and is if the rest of the material is anything remotely close to the quality of "The Way" and "Baby I", Ariana is going to be a huge star.

FIFTH HARMONY - "Miss Movin' On"

USA X-Factor offspring Fifth Harmony (or 5H) quickly gained momentum as the American Little Mix with focus being on their cute looks and vocal delivery. They also have the distinction of being the frontrunner in terms of pop girl group signed to a major label in the US. Ally, Camila, Lauren, Dinah and Normandi placed third on the show's most recent second season back in December, and are now signed to their mentor Simon Cowell's Syco Music (by way of Epic). "Miss Movin' On", an anthematic midtempo is my favorite style of teen single. It's empowering, strong and filled to the brim with potential. The vocal delivery is somewhere between Demi's "Skyscraper", Jordin Spark's "Battlefield" and Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" and that sure is a great place to be. My only hope is they stay this way -- relatable like they could very well be any five girls you'd see at any American high school (with popstar hair and an ideal wardrobe, of course). Their debut album is due for later this summer and a tour with UK X-Factor album Cher Lloyd is also in the works for the fall.

IN REVIEW/INTERVIEW: Manika Unleases Her 'Double' Debut

Guided by legendary Mr. Frank DiLeo (whose clientele also included Michael Jackson and Taylor Dayne) and with song production by Kizzo and Evan "Kidd" Bogart amongst others, Manika's bubbly persona and sugar-sweet single "Just Can't Let You Go" bounced onto my radar in mid 2011. However, things came to a sad stop not long after due to DiLeo's tragic passing.

Team Manika continued on with DiLeo's vision despite the tragedy, which included an opening slot on One Direction's 2012 tour and two transition singles in "Good Girl" and the current "My Way" -- my personal favorite from her initial 2011 live showcase. Two years after I first encountered Manika, after amassing a large fan following (affectionately referred to as 'Manikans') which includes three million+ on Facebook alone, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is in sight. 

Unlike so many manufactured popstars that clutter the musical landscape, Manika is more than happy to unveil her creative process -- showcasing her growth as an artist via her debut Double Album -- scheduled for release TOMORROW, July 11th. In addition to prior singles like "Just Can't Let You Go", "Good Girl" and the current record "My Way", Manika's album reads like the ever-relatable diary of a young woman. To label her as a pre-fab teen pop artist is a total misnomer upon full listen to Double Album -- homegirl has grown into so much more.

In addition to taking an early listen to her jam-packed double record (28 tracks in length, and includes five music videos), I was able to ask her a few questions about it as well as have her fans ask her some as well. Before we get into the interview itself, here are some thoughts on my favorite cuts.

Many of the songs featured on Double Album resonate well with me because they remind me of the pop music that saturated my eardrums (and basically lived in my DiscMan, remember those?) in my early teenage years -- long before dancefloor-club pop became the norm no matter how young of a popstar you are. Manika's pop rock influences are fully fleshed out here, like in the rollicking "Light Up The Sky" or handclappy "Flash Bang". "I Like Shy Guys" has a slight electronic bite to the darker guitar strums a la vintage Avril Lavigne.

Pop-punky "Boyz R Dumb" is a capstone to relationship drama that quite literally every girl can relate to (Even my mother says that Boyz R Dumb!/Even smart one can become little slow when you want them know just how you feel). Summer Breezy "Woo Hoo" is utter catchy pop. These two coupled with prior singles "Just Can't Let You Go" and "Good Girl" mark the teenage chapters of Double Album and Manika's cute and sincere beginnings.

Guitar-driven ballads like "17 Hours" or "Could It Be Love" show the depth behind Manika. "Valentine" begins as a gorgeous piece of acoustic guitar pop that naturally builds and crescendos into a big ballad sparkler. "Through The Eyes of the Young", written by Manika as an ode to terminally ill children, speaks of optimism in the face utter adversity. The delivery of these cuts mixed with their lyrical content speaks volumes regarding how Manika is so much more than your average poptart.

Many of the cuts reinforce the positivity that surrounds Manika as such a fantastic role model. "Dreaming In Color" (Don't let them take away the colors of your rainbow) and "Going Off A Feeling" (I'm anxious about the possibilities/So I've tucked away my fears/Gonna leave them far, far behind) encourage you to go for your dreams despite any naysayers and to trust your own instincts.

Dancier tracks like "Take A Little Give A Little" and "Notice Me" also lend themselves to Manika's natural transition to more adult-friendly material and are huge highlights. In the end, the conjunctive single "My Way" basically sums up the thought process behind this project -- why box someone in to one specific style or agenda when she's capable of doing it her way?



I asked Manika a few questions about Double Album, as well as opened the floor up to YOU, the fans! Check out our interview below. You can also read my first interview Manika from 2011 here.

MELISMATIC: This album was a long time coming. How does it feel to finally have it available for your fans?

Manika: It feels AMAZING to finally have it out there!! My four million fans on Facebook and Twitter have been waiting over two years for this so I am very happy to be able to give them A LOT of great content ---28 songs including five music videos!!

What was the first song you recorded for this project? What was the last/most recent song?
The very first song I EVER recorded/wrote/produced in a professional studio was "Boyz R Dumb"!! I shot the music video for this back when I was a junior in high school.  This music video is on the album. :)  The most recent songs would be "My Way", "Breathe", "Notice Me" and "I Like Shy Guys."

How involved were you in the songwriting itself? Which songs did you get to work on specifically?

I was extremely involved in the songwriting for my album :) I wrote on 22 songs on my album.

Of all the different producers you worked with on this double album, who was the absolute craziest (in a good way) in the studio?

I LOVE Qura!!! He's amazing :) Kizzo can be pretty crazy tho...in a good way haha :P

This album set really shows your progression as a young artist. Which song has the most emotional meaning to you?

"Through The Eyes Of The Young".  Prior to my double album, I wrote the children's book The Exciting Adventures of Boo and donated my proceeds ($15,000) to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).  I read my children's book to inner-city school children and young terminally-ill cancer patients, which moved me to write the song “Through the Eyes of the Young” on this album dedicated to those beautiful children.  I will be donating the proceeds from this song to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Of all of the new material that fans haven't gotten the chance to hear yet until now, what song or songs are you most excited to perform live?
"MY WAY"!!!!!  No matter what tour I was doing...whether it was in sold-out arenas with One Direction or a small acoustic radio show, every time I would perform "My Way" the crowd would just go CRAZY!! (and that was before "My Way" was even released!)  Now that "My Way" is on Top 40 radio and my fans recognize it... I think they will love it even more. ;)

Your mentor, Frank DiLeo, passed away in 2011 and I'm sure that was difficult for you, especially during such a creative and exciting time for your career. What was the best piece of advice Frank passed on to you?

Don't try to copy someone else in your music...just be you. --  Might sound cheesy but it is totally true.

SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE FANS:
A LOT of fans wanted to know: Do you have any dating advice? Is it difficult to date while being a popstar?

It is alway best to be friends first. :) And the most difficult thing about dating for me is that I'm always on the road so it's like you go on a date and then you don't see him for a few weeks... I hate long distance. :(

Facebook or Twitter? (Debbie)
BOTH!!  But I do have more Manikans on FB so.....  ;)

I saw you perform live last year with One Direction!! I love your music! I wanted to know how old were you when you first started singing? (Jenna)

I honestly don't know! For as long as I can remember! :) I have always felt most comfortable when I am with my music.  For instance, when I was super young like in pre-school, saying hi to a "grown-up".... I was SOOOOOOO nervous.  But singing on stage in front of a packed audience... no problem!

What's some advice you would give to fans that also wish to pursue music as a career? (Artur)

So many of my fans ask me this but it's not as easy as me jotting down a paragraph answer to them... That is why I am actually right now working on a step-by-step course to show my fans and anyone who wants to get into the music industry exactly what to do!  I really want to help aspiring artists out there in any way I can. :) I will be posting that on my website soon, and it will be FREE!!

What's your favorite place to tour? (Britney)
For me it's not about the place it's about the people.  The vibe and amazing energy from the audience.

Will you be touring again soon? And if so, will it be on your own or with another artist? (JB)

Yes, I will definitely be on the road again soon. :) Also Aaron Carter's management contacted my people and said that Aaron is a Manika fan too! And that he would love for me to do some guest appearances on tour with him and have us sing a few songs together.  Super Excited!  "I Love Candy" is still my jammmmm. :)

For more on Manika, you can visit her official website at www.ManikaOfficial.com. You can also become an "official" Manikan by following her on the Twitters via @ManikaOfficial or on Facebook via Facebook.com/ManikaOfficial. My thanks to Manika and her management for this opportunity!

NOW KPOPPING: 2NE1, Henry, 4Minute, SHINee & EunHae

I've been MIA (not the artist) from writing for a little bit, I've missed the chance to get all giggly and excited about some of my favorite Korean artists who've already made a bow at creating a banger for 2013. We've seen returns from SISTAR, EXO, After School, and MBLAQ and despite enjoying at least some of their previous works, all of their new work left me relatively unenthused. Here's what has caught my attention -- and to be fair, bias probably does have a lot to do with it.

2NE1 - "Falling In Love"

It feels like it was eons overdue, so when you finally get to hear "Falling In Love", I will admit I felt a little...underwhelmed. YG, I waited FOREVER. FOREVERRRRR. On paper, we are presented with a beachy-feel, sunny 2NE1 with a twinge of sex appeal and a lot of reggae bends. The results are somewhat mixed, however -- half of the group looks totally in their element (not difficult to guess which two), while the other half tries but looks more than a little bit awkward (again, not difficult to guess which two). While the song is relatively generic at first glance, CL does have some fun, catchy rap lines. Honestly, if this was CL's solo venture, I would have been behind it more so that what we ended up getting with "The Baddest Female" (ya'll - let's not talk about that one). It's fun for the summer months, but I'm hoping they will come harder will follow up singles. We didn't wait this long for just alright -- we want full-out, balls-to-the-walls 2NE1. I have faith in my fierce foursome (say that four times fast) that the 2013 tune we were waiting on will come soon enough. While we wait, this will inevitably grow on me.

 

 

 

SHINHWA - "This Love"
Veteran boy band (more like man band at this point) Shinhwa returned with their 11th album back in May. That is literally ages ago in KPOP time but it would be doing us all a supreme disservice to not give a nod of uh-may-zing to this epic piece of dancefloor club pop, complete with vogue-ing. Yes. Vogue-ing. Your Backstreet Boys could never! Your reasoning is moot.

HENRY - "Trap (feat. Kyuhyun of Super Junior & Taemin of SHINee)"

On a totally different plane, SM Entertainment came out of total left field (sort of) back in May announcing their first male solo project in 13 years via Taiwanese-Canadian Henry, a spotlight "new" member of Super Junior via their Mandarin subunit Super Junior-M. For fans of "Mochi" (as many affectionately call him), all signs were pointing toward the promotional push -- he's co-written songs for his SuJu hyungs (despite not being an "official" member of Super Junior, whatever that means), collab-ed with BoA, was featured during Girls' Generation's promotional comeback blitz for "I Got A Boy" and participated in the Korean variety competition show MasterChef Korea. Henry can sing, dance, write songs, speak a handful of languages, play violin and cook -- which makes him literally every girl's dream. "Trap" made its bow on music performance shows in early June and includes Henry playing piano in addition to singing. So few of these capable idols actually get to perform with instruments and often when they do, they are of the drudgy ballad variety, so it's hard for me to not praise him. Finally, Henry's getting the attention he deserves. I hope Zhou Mi is next.

 

SHINee - "Breaking News"

The SHINee project plows forward at a dizzying pace -- after releasing two full-length Korean albums and singles in "Dream Girl" and "Why So Serious?", they recently dropped their sophomore Japanese album Boys Meet U (yes, I just cringed, too), which includes their Japanese singles "Dazzling Girl" and "1000nen, Zutto Soba ni Ite" and a re-worked version of "Sherlock". The most recent release from the project is the uptempo "Breaking News", which like "Dazzling Girl" before it, was co-written by boy band veteran Drew Ryan Scott (of Varsity Fanclub/After Romeo fame). It's not as earwormy as "Dazzling", but it does the job well and we get to see all five of our boys back dancing in formation again. But Key -- boo boo, stop it with the shorts and the leggings underneath combo. You're killing me and not in a good way.

4MINUTE - "Is It Poppin'"

My love/hate relationship with the female quintest Korea loves to pick on swings more on the love side this go-round. In my humble opinion Name Is 4Minute, their fourth (appropriate) and latest mini-album is their strongest and most cohesive yet, expanding on the current trend du jour in being totally disjointed and arguably uncohesive. Brave Brothers-produced single "What's Your Name?" just barely stays on the good side of the atonal divide (complete with dog barking sound effects?), but it really bodes well in this case that the single was my least favorite of the set. For fans of minimalistic "twerk" tunes, 4minute are your gals. "Domino" was by far and away my fave cut for its country-inspired interpolations which were much more effective to my ears than anything subunit 2YOON was able to do a few months prior. "Is It Poppin"? was a surprise single that can be sandwiched in like a re-packed hit for this era. It was Cube's attempt at making 4Minute -- known for their sexy bravado -- rock a cute concept. I prepared for the worst after genuinely liking Name Is 4Minute, and the results were quite favorable. I've never seen all five members look so genuinely happy (as opposed to so stoic and awkward like they were during last year's Volume Up). Ladies -- you've found your niche.

DONGHAE & EUNHYUK - "I Wanna Dance"
Bias, Bias, Bias, Utter Bias. Fangirl, don't care. It's not nearly as catchy as "Oppa Oppa" (which as you recall is utter brie encased in mozzarella) but considering this was released in Japan first (but will be coming to Korea shortly, you lucky ducks), it's a clear nod that SM understands the SuJu-brand of fanservice. You either love it or you hate it, but it's gonna make you smile with its I-Am-Who-I-Am-And-I-Have-No-Shame either way. (The Running Man? Disco Fingers? Sunglasses at Night? I want to explode! THIS SHOULD NOT BE CUTE AND YET IT IS! HELP ME!) I think it's time to accept we might never get that puppy-eyed, hopeless-romantic Donghae solo track (ladies, it's always gonna be "feat. EunHyuk"), so we might as well dance along. (Also -- the fashion is so utterly horrendous. You both should take all your clothes off right now. Now...continue where you left off with that choreo. Kthanks.) And on a Side Note: regardless of Super Junior being treated as old men that are being rotated off into the Army (cries forever), at least Donghae understands the YouTube generation. I hope the oversight of his access to the SMTown YouTube Channel is never formally realized and he continues to upload more random pointlessness. Where did I put my popcorn?

HEAR THIS: OneRepublic is "Counting Stars"

Attention: Earworm Alert.

 

The boys of Ryan Tedder & Co. (aka OneRepublic) continue their hit brigade from their shiny latest album Native with "Counting Stars", my immediate favorite from the set when it was released back in March. Let me warn you now though -- once you hear this chorus, you won't be able to tear it from your brains. Something about the simplicity of the melody gets reinforced when it's repeated an octave higher.

 

It's also gone Top 10 in Germany, Austria and Australia -- which in terms of support sparkling pop corkers pretty much says it all.

SUMMER 2013 PLAYLIST: Feeling Hot Hot Hot

Question for you: have any of you ever been to New York City in the middle of July? To be quite honest, I don't totally recommend it. Yes, there's so much to do and yes, a lot of it is air conditioned. But if you find yourself without the comforts of air conditioning, you better make damn sure you have a lot of water. It is hot here -- I'm talking 100+ degree with humidity hot. That's why I'm holed up in my little Brooklyn apartment, hiding from the sun and cranking the tunage. Here's some of the songs that have been doing the most damage to my Last.FM lately:

ARIANA GRANDE - "The Way (feat. Mac Miller)"

I was quick to toss off Ariana as a teen actress turned idol, thanks to her years spent on Nickelodeon's Victorious (and now her new show Sam & Cat) -- but I urge you to not make the same mistake I did. The 20 year old singer/actress has really done her vocal dues, appearing on Broadway and singing alongside various symphonic orchestras. Once you know that, when you hear "The Way" -- it's not her official debut but it's definitely the tune that broke her to the mainstream, non-Nickelodeon-familiar public -- the comparison's to Mariah Carey make so much since. She sounds so much like vintage, controlled Mariah, and vocal comparisons just don't get much better, to be quite honest.

 

GIN WIGMORE - "Kill of the Night"

Raspy-throated Gin (short for Virginia) is from New Zealand and she's opened for Sheryl Crow. Her sophomore album, Gravel & Wine, is a must listen all the way through. "Kill of the Night", although never released as a single, is one of those buzzworthy tunes here in the States because it's been subliminally used in a bunch of teaser ads for television shows like Teen Wolf and 666 Park Avenue.

 

SELENA GOMEZ - "Come & Get It"

Selena, I give. I giveeee. Demi's got the pipes and Miley's got the "swag", I suppose, but if anyone is properly emulating the teen pop chanteuse formula that I grew up with, it's Selena. "Come & Get It" (just like "We Can't Stop") does sound like a Rihanna cast-off (because it probably was...and I use probably loosely) but at least it has the refreshing addition of India-inspired sounds to make it stand apart. This one sounds real good in the heat, doesn't it.

 

CHARLI XCX - "Cloud Aura (feat. Brooke Candy)"

Undoubtedly my favorite "album cut" off Charli's True Romance disc. It's become my go-to, even over ace singles like "You (Ha Ha Ha)".

 

DAFT PUNK - "Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers)"

Because obviously.

 

JESSICA SANCHEZ - "You Got The Love"

No, it's not a Florence cover (although I'd be cool with that). This punchy little album track is quite literally all over the place. Produced by The Underdogs, it's one of those "everything plus the kitchen sink" kind of pop/dance songs and through this, it demonstrates Jessica's wide (but still powerful) vocal range.

 

BRUNO MARS - "Treasure"

With each day that goes on, Bruno continues to do no wrong. Listening to "Treasure" inspires nostalgia for time long before I was born (and, to be fair, long before Bruno was born, too), and yet it still feels within my grasp just by getting lost in his velvet vocals. Listen up, Robin Thicke -- Bruno proves you can be throwback, vocally capable and not degrading to women. It is possible, dear -- and women are eating it up. And this video? Come on.

 

BASTILLE - "Pompeii"
Will Bastille be the next breakthrough Brit rock band to conquer the US a la Coldplay or Muse? Highly possible. "Pompeii" went to #2 in the UK and has that epic, anthematic feel that Coldplay is so infamous for. And that "eh-oh eh-oh" motive is just so freakin' catchy.

 

M.I.A. - "Bring The Noize"

Truthfully, M.I.A. could release just about anything and I'd at least check it out -- she's one of those throw everything against the wall and see what sticks type of artists. You know that something called "Bring The Noize" is gonna be "noizy" as eff, especially coming from M.I.A. And it is. Turn it up loud.

 

HANSON - "You Can't Stop Us"

My favorite of the new songs featured at the iHeartRadio show I attended with the brothers Hanson back in April. Funky and confident and right in the pocket with that groove -- this kind of self-assured maturity is what I wanted from my Jonas Brothers (but wasn't getting from "Pom Poms", obviously). Take notes, boys. Hanson is providing an excellent example. Their latest, Anthem (released the day after my birthday), is good from front to back. "Fired Up" comes in a close second, but "You Can't Stop Us" needs to be a single like yesterday.

 

JOHN LEGEND - "Made To Love"

The lead single from John's Love In The Future album. It's a grand mixture of what makes John so vocally valuable plus a pinch of electronic sounds and click-clocking beats. Basically, it sounds very now without sounding like a carbon-copy dance track. And BONUS - yeah, that's Kimbra providing uncredited complement vocals.

 

JANELLE MONAE - "Dance Apocalyptic"

The bouncy, guitar-driven, hand-clappy "Dance Apocalyptic" (sha-langa-langa-lang!) follows "Q.U.E.E.N" from Janelle's upcoming The Electric Lady project. These two songs are polar opposites, confirming the statement that Janelle's upcoming sophomore record celebrates all different types of music. Janelle, I want to be you, girl. Keep rockin'.

 

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS - "Can't Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)"

Listen to me -- I refused the "Thrift Shop" bandwagon and I still cringe whenever that song pops up. But Macklemore as an artist is one I can't and won't deny. "Can't Hold Us" reminds me a bit of "No Church In The Wild" -- it's a monster for a million instrumental reasons alone and as soon as it's queued up you immediately exclaim "I loveeee this songgggg" (or at least I do). The lyrics are a sum-up of what so much of the industry is about these days -- the struggle of the indie artist. What a great summer anthem. Seriously. 

INDIE ROUNDUP: Benatton, GNO & M.O

Apols for being a bit dead to the world, ya'll. June was a hectic one for me. Shortly after my 26th birthday smack dab in the middle of the month, my laptop (aka my gateway to you all) crashed and burned (I live such a glamorous life). But everything is back to normal now and it's a good thing, too -- 'cuz I got so much to squee about.

BENATTON - "Mute Mula"

Jay, ToNe & Parlay have been no strangers to my column -- I've been #TeamBenatton since I first saw them perform live a year and a half ago (can't believe it's been that long!). They may be an indie group but you wouldn't guess it -- they continue to crank out quality tunes that should make the majors jelly. The most recent is "Mute Mula", an aggressive and stark (but still dance-floor friendly) statement about doing the damn thing and giving everyone "post traumatic swag disorder" in utter jealousy. If you like the sounds you hear, you can download a bunch of Benatton tracks for free here and make sure you follow 'em on the Twitters and tell 'em Melismatic sent you.

GIRLS NITE OUT (GNO) - "Love Somebody"

The five ladies of Girls Night Out continue to reap the rewards of being one of the most promising new American girl groups -- their cover of Imagine Dragon's "Radioactive" (featuring new member KJ on primary lead) was nominated as one of Ryan Seacrest's "Songs of the Summer" (vote for them to win the title here). They recently served up another cover on their YouTube channel, going with Maroon 5's latest single "Love Somebody". The wait for their upcoming original single is literally killing me.

M.O - "Come Let Me Show You"

Another day, another fab British girl group. I've been so psyched about the M.O project that I totally neglected to take the time to give 'em a blog mention but that ends today. M.O is a Brit trio in the vein of Brick & Lace meets Stooshe meets 702, and get this -- one of it's members, Frankee, was formerly known as 1/2 of epic Xenomania duo Mini Viva. Obviously, I would already be hands in based on this alone, but the tracks speak for themselves. Single "Ain't Got Time" sounds like a forgotten Xscape masterpiece but they switch gears for their most recent cut in "Come Let Me Show You" -- a dance banger with a serious groove.