NEW MUSIC : FEVER HIGH 'THAT'S SO TYPICAL'

MADONNA READY FOR A NEW ALBUM

The Queen of pop is ready to return with a new album. She posted some pictures on instagram in these days. A photo was taken in the recording studio. After the collaboration with Avicii, unveiled a few weeks ago, now there are new producers/collaborators for the new album including Mozella, Natalia Kills , Martin Kierszenbaum, Toby Gad and Symbolyc One.

KYLIE MINOGUE "SEXERCISE" OFFICIAL VIDEO

GEORGE MICHAEL'S "SYMPHONICA" - THE NEW ALBUM

Singer George Michael is back. Again. After surviving a near-death battle with pneumonia in 2011, and a car crash on the M1 last May, Michael is due to release his sixth studio album, Symphonica, on 17 March 2014. Michael recorded the album during his 2011 to 2012 tour, also entitled Symphonica, which hit cities around Europe over a 14-month run. Michael performed with an orchestra, as he ran through sets of material from his back catalogue and covers of tracks made famous by the likes of Nina Simone, David Bowie and Elton John. The album will be released via Virgin EMI/Universal Music Group as a deluxe 17-track CD, standard 14-track album (CD or digital) and as a "pure audio" Blu-ray disc. It will contain a mix of original compositions and covers, similar to sets Michael performed on the Symphonica tour. Symphonica was the last album that producer Phil Ramone, whose past credits include production for Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and others, worked on before he died in March 2013, aged 79. The 14-time Grammy award-winner had previously worked with Michael on his 1999 album, Songs from the Last Century. Fans of Michael's Facebook page will be able to download a free orchestral version of track Praying for Time, from Monday 20 January. The album's official lead single, Let Her Down Easy, is due to come out digitally on 17 March, accompanied by a video made by director Vaughan Arnell. Symphonica will be Michael's first full-length release since 2004's Patience.

It’s not really a ‘new’ new album as such Billed as his sixth studio album and the follow-up to 2004’s Patience, Symphonica is basically a slightly confused live album. On the one hand we learn that the string arrangements were recorded in a studio, and there are photos of Michael in a studio environment working on the album with the legendary producer Phil Ramone, but on the other we’re told that live vocals from each of the shows on the tour were sent over to Ramone who then selected the best ones and arranged the songs from there. Plus, the album opens with crowd noise and cheers and whoops pepper some of the songs, which is oddly distracting and superfluous. You get the feeling that the whole album is a way of reminding people of Michael’s talent as a vocalist, which is obviously fine, but this part-live, part-recorded, sort-of live version of his 1999 covers album Songs from the Last Century, makes it all feel slightly disingenuous.

The choice of tracklisting is interesting As I’ve just hinted at, five of the covers on Symphonica – Roxanne, Brother Can You Spare a Dime, You’ve Changed, My Baby Just Cares for Me and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – also appeared on Songs from the Last Century and, Roxanne aside, don’t really offer up anything particularly new (although his version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is undeniably lovely). The choices feel safe, and despite the lush arrangements, there are moments where it all gets a bit X Factor during Big Band week. Where it gets interesting is when the selections take on a slightly new meaning in the context of his own turbulent personal life and status in pop music in 2014: opener Through, an album track from 2004’s Patience, takes on a new pang of regret as he sings about his mistakes being “of my making, no one else to blame for where I stand”, the exquisite Praying for Time hinges on the line “hanging on to hope, when there is no hope to speak of” and a gospel-esque version of Faith’s One More Try features a mournful, “looking out for angels, just trying to find some peace”. For good measure he then throws in a version of Elton John’s Idol, which is basically all about growing up in the public eye and shifting from teen idol into grown-up star, and how difficult that can be when the public don’t want you to change.

The less obvious covers stand out Feeling Good is a nice song, we all know that, but do we really need another version of it once we’ve had era-defining attempts by the likes of Michelle McManus, Pussycat Dolls and John Barrowman? The answer is no. But where Symphonica truly works and stretches itself is with the less obvious covers such as the delicate re-working of Terence Trent D’Arby’s Let Her Down Easy, which fits perfectly with the album’s feel of nostalgia tinged with regret, and, on the deluxe version only, a fairly faithful but perfectly conceived version of Rufus Wainwright’s Going to a Town.

His voice still sounds amazing Live albums are usually quite a good way of a) reminding people that someone exists, b) showing off a back catalogue or c) acting as a stop gap between albums (apparently there is a new Michael studio album proper being worked on as we speak). What they don’t always do, somewhat ironically, is showcase the artist’s voice in amongst the screaming, session-musician backing bands and authentic audio quality. That’s not a criticism you could level at Symphonica however, given that it all has a rich, multi-layered and expensive quality to it. Centre stage for it all is Michael’s voice, which still sounds incredible throughout, gliding through the sweeping notes of A Different Corner and remaining admirably understated during the lovely lilt of You Have Been Loved.

It’s the perfect album to listen to with a sherry and some slippers Back in 2002 Michael released a Human League-sampling, tongue-in-cheek political diatribe called Shoot the Dog, a song which joined the likes of 1998’s Outside and 1987’s I Want Your Sex as examples of Michael playfully deciding to rub Daily Mail readers up the wrong way. And while obviously not everything he does needs to come with a side of controversy, Symphonica feels like an incredibly safe and at times slightly dull album – perfect for a night in on a Sunday, or for when you’ve got friends round who are Michael Bublé fans but are willing to try something a bit different. It feels like a similar makeover-style album used by the likes of Tony Bennett and Rod Stewart, but George Michael is only 50. Perhaps this will cement his status as one of Britain’s greatest pop stars? Or perhaps it’s another fan-only collector’s item released to hide the fact that his last album of new material is now almost exactly a decade old.


Tracklist:

1. Through
2. My Baby Just Cares For Me
3. A Different Corner
4. Praying For Time
5. Let Her Down Easy
6. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
7. Feeling Good
8. John And Elvis Are Dead
9. Roxanne (deluxe)
10. One More Try
11. Going To A Town (deluxe)
12. Cowboys and Angels
13. Idol
14. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
15. You Have Been Loved (deluxe)
16. Wild Is The Wind
17. You’ve Changed

Source: Guardian

FOXES COVER PHARRELL'S "HAPPY" IN THE RADIO1 LIVE LOUNGE

With a name inspired by a haunting and lucid dream related to her by her mother, Foxes is the solo electro-pop project of Southampton, U.K.-born singer/songwriter Louisa Rose Allen. While her early singles — such as 2012's "Echo" right through to February 2013's "Clarity," her Billboard-charting collaboration with German producer Zedd — faithfully tread a dance-pop path, there was a quirky and cultured approach to her material that betrayed a nod to similarly minded predecessors such...
During the "Radio1 Live Lounge Session" , she covers the last Pharrell's Single "Happy"




Her first album "Glorious" will be out next May 13th. Preorder HERE

NEW ELECTRO DUO : BOW TO EACH OTHER

Bow To Each Other is a new Norwegian-Canadian indie pop duo. Their debut album “The Urge Drum” is produced by none other than Susanne Sundfør and the first taste from the album, the single Darkness, was immediately playlisted on Norwegian state-owned radio station NRK P3. The album has now gotten fantastic reviews in Norway, so be sure to check it out. Bow To Each Other consists of Gunhild Ramsay Kristoffersen from Karmøy, Norway, and Megan Kovacs from Toronto, Canada, both based in Oslo. Megan is a songwriter, keyboardist and vocalist, while Gunhild is an arranger, programmer, keyboardist and vocalist. The band was formed when the two moved to Norway in 2010 after having lived in Liverpool for several years, where they both studied at LIPA. “The Urge Drums” consists of 10 tracks, all written by the band themselves.
Bow To Each Other’s music explores soundscapes inspired by electronic, hip-hop, sacramental choral singing and 90s pop music. The lyrics are inspired by major upheavals in life, like moving to a new country with all the changes it entails, foreign language and new impulses.
Times when you start doubting something you’ve always considered to be true. The lyrics’ themes are mostly based around religion and sexuality. Megan and Gunhild are a married couple, they have both grown up in religious families, and experienced blessings and curses of coming out as gay.

“The Urge Drums” is Susanne Sundfør’s debut as a producer. Lars Horntveth (Jaga Jazzist) plays various wind instruments, and Gard Nilssen (Bushmans Revenge) plays the drums. Jørgen Træen did the mixing of the album. It is recorded in Susanne Sundfør’s own studio, Lady Lazarus, in addition to Lars Horntveth’s studio, Pooka Studio.

Tracklisting: 
I don’t hear all the noise
Bigger and stronger
Feathery smoke
Oh England, you’re a bull
Darling
Side B
Norway
Darkness
That chair
Into your love
The lull

 

THOMAS AZIER: THE DEBUT ALBUM OUT MARCH 10th

Hailing from Berlin with an uncompromising, dark and broody electronic pop sound, Thomas Azier is set on making his own impression on the music world. In 2012, he released two EP’s, Hylas 001 and Hylas 002, on his own label Hylas Records / BMG, which, amongst other things, led to a tour with Woodkid and Stromae, and a worldwide record deal with Universal Music France (Island France / Mercury Music) Azier planned to release an EP trilogy, but Hylas 003 grew into a proper album. This debut – simply titled Hylas – will be released next March 10th and comprises all of the meticulous work he’s done to develop himself musically over the last five years

JAKE SHEARS : THERE IS A WHOLE ALBUM WITH KYLIE AND SCISSOR SISTERS

Jake Shears has revealed that there is a “whole album’s worth” of songs Kylie Minogue has recorded with Scissor Sisters over the years.

Shears and his Scissors bandmate Babydaddy co-wrote and produced the singer’s 2004 hit I Believe In You – and another song the trio wrote together, White Diamond, popped up on 2007′sShowgirl Homecoming Live album.

“I love writing with her and always have,” Shears told Attituderecently. “I’m really proud of all the songs I’ve written with her and I think someday I’m gonna, like, put together a Scissors-Kylie record.

“There’s a whole album’s worth of music. It’s from over the years. There’s some really cool stuff that no-one has heard. We could definitely put together a fun little album. Someday I’m gonna be shifty and leak it.”

On what it’s like to work in the studio with Minogue, Shears added: “She’s just a lot of fun – she’s a great writer and I love writing with her, she’s great with lyrics. But it’s just like playtime, you know. It feels like play, not work. It’s just a nice time for us to hang out and be creative with each other.”

Shears joined Minogue as an advisor on The Voice this Saturday (March 1). 

Source : Attitude Magazine

ROISIN MURPHY TALKS NEW ALBUM, A MOLOKO REUNION AND MORE IN NEW INTERVIEW

A new interview with Disco-Dance diva, Róisín Murphy has recently surfaced. The interview took place back in January of this year by Irish radio presenter, Rory Hall. In the interview, the divine Ms. Murphy discusses an Italian language project, a new album, a House EP and a possible Moloko reunion.

Róisín Murphy:
“I have been incredibly productive of late actually. I’ve got a finished project which is called (…) Mi Senti, an Italian language project, where I sing in Italian. That will come out in May. And I’m working on an album, a Roisin Murphy album, which is going really well. I’ve got a single coming out on Eskimo records soon called Leviathan, which is a collaboration with Freeform Five. I’m doing another house music EP. I’ve been lazy for a long time, I’ve had two children, but it’s all starting to converge at one time, it’s like buses.”

A very surprising and fun fact to emerge from the interview is that Murphy is a fan of Alt-Rock-Punk bands Stones Roses, Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth!

As you know, we haven’t had a proper Róisín Murphy record since the incredible, ‘Overpowered’ back in 2007. But that’s not to say that Murphy hasn’t been busy releasing new material. Since 2007, there have been plenty of singles and collaborations (Hot Natured, Toddla T, Crookers, Etc.) that collectively, could make an amazing RóMu record.

Róisín Murphy – iTunes

COLDPLAY: NEW ALBUM OUT ON MAY 19th

Coldplay have officially awoken from their quasi-hibernation. The British rock group will put out their sixth album, Ghost Stories, on May 19th. To announce the release of the record, the band is streaming its second track — the easygoing and typically romantic pop track "Magic." Other than the harder-hitting and anthemic soundtrack cut "Atlas," released last fall to accompany The Hunger Games: Chasing Fire, the band have put out only one new song since the 2011 release of their fifth LP, Mylo Xyloto. That track, "Midnight," was released with no context or hint of an album, though the track list for Ghost Stories confirms it is the nine-song LP's centerpiece, appearing at Number Five. The track curiously showed off Coldplay's chillier side and atypical sounds for the group, including flitting synth lines, minimal EDM buildup and effects obscuring frontman Chris Martin's usually rich vocals. 

  

"Magic" is more of a return to form. Although the track leads with a bass-heavy, almost electronic-inflected groove – not unlike one of Radiohead's moodier tracks – Martin's voice makes it sound like vintage Coldplay. "Call it magic," he sings. "Call it true. Call it magic, when I'm with you." And even though the band includes thoughtful, deeply textured production touches like warbling synths and guitar reverb that lingers a little longer than usual, Martin intones the falsetto "woos" and a catchy "Yes, I do" hook that, along with a lush acoustic guitar buildup in the middle, prove it to be Coldplay through and through. The band has yet to announce live dates other than an opening night performance at Austin's iTunes festival during South by Southwest on March 11th. Fans who cannot attend the Texas gig will be able to watch the performance in a free live stream on iTunes. A "deluxe" version of Ghost Stories will be available at Target with three exclusive tracks. Source : Rolling Stone

THE PRESETS ARE BACK: "GOODBYE FUTURE" THE NEW SINGLE

The Presets are back with a brand new single "Goodbye Future".