Topping BBC’s Sound of 2010 list and releasing a wicked debut album is just tip of the iceberg for British singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding. Her voice has this crazy quality to it: on one hand, it’s velvety but almost sounds as if it’s about to crack half the time. She’s got the looks, decent vocal range, and the electro-pop genre seems to fit her just fine. Like some of the other acts on this list, many of the songs off Lights have been remixed and mashed-up with impressive results. Look for great things from Ms. Ellie in 2011.
Go figure that two brothers from Wisconsin put out some of my favourite synthed-out electro pop in recent memory. If you haven’t gotten into their stuff yet, it may convince you that these dudes got some serious respect after touring with the likes of Sleigh Bells, Hot Chip, and Cut Copy over the past couple of years. Not bad company, if you ask me. Their debut, The Infinite Music of French Horn Rebellion is a gem. I missed out on its release until just a day ago, and I regret not following up with it sooner. Don’t sleep!
Originally included in their second album, Crystal Castles (II), “Not In Love” was redone with the help of legendary Cure frontman Robert Smith. The original version was one of the best on the album, but the reworking proved to be a winning combination. By washing out the background synths and injecting Smith’s vocals in lieu of Alice Glass’, the track takes on a subtle but strikingly dreamlike tone. By the time the simple chorus of “I’m not in love” drops, listeners will undoubtedly have the urge to jump up and shout the lyrics in unison. It’s that dope.
I liked The Temper Trap’s original, but Samuel’s version just had a refreshing feel to it. While Temper Trap shot for arena wussy rock (and succeeded), the up-and-coming New Yorker hooked up with production wizards The Knocks and came up with this sparkling remix. It’s just pleasant to listen to: laid back, mixed well, solid arrangement. This is a case of nothing to complain about equals something to like. A lot.
In 2009, Passion Pit exploded the world with their glitchy sampling ways. Similarly, UK-based producer Gold Panda got behind the boards and did a bit of a copy cat with his album, Lucky Shiner. Of course, there are differences between his style and the aforementioned Passion Pit though. It’s more apt to say that Gold Panda’s music is almost entirely instrumental, save for the occasional vocal sample. Overall, “You” is a fantastic trip, but what I like most is the little video game coin sound at 1:16. It may sound like a minute detail, but its placement is so precise like a little cherry on top of a sundae. That’s the kind of stuff that’ll make me sit up and pay attention.
Ok, so Straight No Chaser bombed. Fortunately still relatively early in his career, Mr Hudson is still alive and kicking with the release of “Love Never Dies.” It doesn’t hurt that he still has Kanye’s backing. The trek into dub-step proved to be a good look, as Hudson has had success with electronic genres in the past. After my initial obsession with him, I’m now on the fence about Mr Hudson. Does anyone else find his voice really harsh sometimes?
A couple of years ago, someone ruined Chromeo for me and set me back on them for quite some time. The exact phrase was: “Chromeo? They’re kind of like LMFAO.” Talk about a negative endorsement. I’ve since banished the thought from the old noodle and boy am I glad. They can get a little bit cheesy sometimes, but they’ve got hits! Business Casual was very likable and I particularly picked up on the lead track from the Deluxe/iTunes version. Nice guest spot by Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig, and I like the jazzercise groove. Good, honest fun. I like.
If you've never been in a messed up relationship, let Chris Brown lay it down for you. He doesn’t go so far as to say the song’s about Rihanna, but one can imagine the mouth on a girl of her clout. The interesting thing about “Talk That Shit” is that it’s honest and to-the-point. I’m sure there are plenty of youngins out there screaming “Preach!” to Chris Breezy for this one.
2010 was a huge year for Canada’s hip-hop ambassador. His first true studio album was massive, and his status will only continue to grow with the boss Lil’ Wayne free from the clink. “Light Up” is a tale of the come-up in a treacherous rap game, with Jay-Z taking the role of hardened industry veteran and mentor. It remains to be seen how sincere the master/apprentice act is, but it pairs perfectly with the gloominess of the instrumental.
At the height of her popularity 5 years ago, JoJo was still only 15 years old! After label conflicts caused her to fade into obscurity, she’s made a strong comeback bid with her mixtape titled Can’t Take That Away From Me. (Who said music isn’t about politics?) Now armed with a new distribution deal, the former teen sensation is back and all grown up... and by grown up, I mean she’s angling towards being another sexpot pop star. Well good luck to you, JoJo. You’re swimming with the sharks now.
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