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16 April 2012

Leak Report: Havana Brown ‘City of Darkness’

There is something unsettling about how grown up and pedestrian this new Havana Brown record sounds.

After carving her sound with More Mega - the songwriting/production duo who hemmed her slamming singles ‘We Run The Night’ and ‘Get It’ – Australia’s femme fatale DJ turns it all around with a dull, one-dimensional club piece that is more filler than the killer we’ve come to expect.

Basically, y’all know she should’ve treated MM better, because with the help of Snob Scrilla and Cassie Davis, the girl could have owned the industry with a sound of her own. ’City of Darkness’ just fails to straddle that potent combination of sounding club-perfect yet radio-ready at the same time like her previous records.

The hooks are blunt and the pulsating backdrop of synths couldn’t be more forgettable. We can definitely rule this out as a contender for the pop charts so fans better pray that Havana‘s got some prized remixes up her sleeve to surrender to Beatport or something.

I know on paper, ‘City of Darkness’ probably sounds like an adequate attempt at making a “meaningful” dance ballad but it’s just not fucking required from a pop star like Havana Brown. Correct me if I’m wrong but I remember reading in some interview that she wanted to be like Pitbull or something, vowing to make fun and uplifting dance music that people won’t be able to resist even if they didn’t necessarily like her. Well, gurl, tell me how you’re gonna take me there with this.

Listen to ‘City of Darkness (Original Mix)’:

Footnotes:

Havana Brown‘s ‘City of Darkness’ is the third offering taken from her forthcoming debut album as a recording artist.

10 April 2012

Chart Feed – 09.04.12

We do have a bit of catching up to do after I shamefully skipped last week’s Chart Feed.

I think I’ve covered off all the important points re: MDNA and One Direction‘s #1 album placements? You can fill me in on anything I missed later.

Elsewhere, Rebecca Ferguson‘s remarkable Heaven has finally gone Top 20 in Australia. This is an absolute dream come true for me. I’m sure it means something to Godbecca too, but I feel like I’ve wanted this Down Under success more.

Nicki Minaj manages a history making #1 album in the UK this week with Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded and we look forward to Darren Hayes, Delta Goodrem and Scissor Sisters‘ new singles/videos.

Read the rest of this entry »

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7 April 2012

Toni Braxton ‘I Heart You’ Music Video

Toni Braxton‘s first real attempt at making dance music shouldn’t sound as flawless as this.

‘I Heart You’ is such a classy and elegant anti-thesis to all the aggressive synth and dubstep infused beats infiltrating the charts right now. It’s precisely the kind of innocuous dance production you want to hear complement – and not compete with – a singer as sultry as Ms Toni. However, the daggy and painfully budget video is another case altogether.

I feel like mama should’ve consulted with her sassy younger sister Tamar or asked Kelly Rowland for her director’s number with this one, because I’m sure that with the right styling and direction, ‘I Heart You’ could’ve come for J.Lo ass.

Toni‘s long-time director Bille Woodruff – who was behind numbers like ‘Unbreak My Heart’ and ‘He Wasn’t Man Enough’ – really should’ve brought something fresh to the table to put his girl at her fighting best.

I think since the 44-year old diva’s already channeling some Crystal Waters realness with this track, they should’ve gone all 90s and really recaptured the kind of effects used in 90s dance music videos. Y’know, with a bit more research and effort, this could’ve been a proper statement for Ms Toni.

Not the look.

In ‘I Heart You’ we see glimpses of Toni, the flawless siren, but somehow with the wrong wig and dress for most parts – memaw ends up looking like some law secretary hitting town for the first time since her son graduated from college. It’s not screaming 2012 or next-level TB. In fact, what is this video trying to portray? We’re not getting a sense for a particular style here. Are we meant to be reading WE Network Toni or should it be modern dance diva Toni?

The visual presentation doesn’t suggest anything at all. One minute she’s in a flirty, short pink dress and hooped earrings, next she’s looking like Aunty Toni in a leather jacket chaperoning her niece to the senior prom, and then she’s rocking some ornate drag queen’s headgear.

She needs to send a very clear message about who Toni Braxton‘s meant to be in this new era with these bold new dance beats so fans and viewers alike can grasp onto something. Otherwise, I’m afraid to say, Toni risks fading further into irrelevance.

We need to take this more seriously.

And another thing. Listen, ma. I’ve spent a lot of time strutting stone-faced around the city to ‘I Heart You’, so trust me when I say this is an emotive dance ballad that’s best served with a certain level of sultry elegance. None of this step-clap-whip-your-hair-and-grin bullshit. This is not a flash mob. You’re singing about falling desperately in love with a man who’s in love with another woman.

Watch Toni Braxton‘s ‘I Heart You’ video:

Footnotes:

Toni Braxton’s ‘I Heart You’ is now out in the States. It’s the lead single from her forthcoming eighth studio album interestingly titled Heartstrings & Synagogue Vibes, which is set to arrive in May.

You better hang onto your wigs because this is the grandest concept album of the year. Ms Toni is apparently threatening a double-disc extravaganza that marries dance/R&B with Jewish and Arabic-inspired productions.

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7 April 2012

Mark Foster, A-Trak and Kimbra ‘Warrior’ Review

The new it kids of indie pop are doing alright.

Here we got Mark Foster (Foster The People), A-Trak (DJ/producer who has remixed for the likes of Robyn) and Kimbra (Kiwi songbird best known for that Gotye smash) teaming up to write and produce a track exclusively for Journeys/Converse‘s latest “Three Artists. One Song” campaign.

It would’ve been so easy for them to have just gone into the studio and covered a song like so many artists have done for top-dollar commercials.

These three could’ve come out with some predictable indie remake of ‘We Will Rock You’, and it still would’ve sounded adequate. But the point with ‘Warrior’ is to have a completely unique and fresh collaboration that falls in line with Converse‘s youthful, creative and hip appeal.

There’s a small debt to 80s dance pop here, albeit reappropriated for today’s hipster chic ears. The buzzing fluorescent synths, the crisp drum beats, and stylish reverb on the vocals is thoroughly indicative of the kind of indie electro hybrid that’s in fashion these days.

You can also pick up Kimbra‘s artistic contribution to the project here. Apart from obviously taking lead vocals, there’s also her signature, overlapping layer of harmonies that’s present in the breakdown.

Simply put, ‘Warrior’ is arguably the best song ever created for a commercial since Mary J. Blige‘s career-defining ‘What’s In The Chicken Wrap?’ smash for Burger King.

Watch the rather OTT music video for ‘Warrior’:

Footnotes:

Here’s where you can download ‘Warrior’ for free.

The last “Three Artists. One Song” campaign saw Gorillaz, Andre 3000 and James Murphy collaborate on a track called ‘DoYaThing’

7 April 2012

Jennifer Lopez ‘Dance Again’ (featuring Pitbull) Music Video

J.Lo is one of very few women I’d let fuck me over with her music video extravagance. Even though the song is as fresh as donkeys’ balls, I’d let her take me there and blow my mind like a virgin’s first time in the back seat.

Having already expressed deep sighs of dissatisfaction with ‘Dance Again’, I now find myself at an interesting turning point where I’m actually inclined to give the song a chance. The woman knows her business and she knows how to add value to her products. Jennifer Lopez gets that she’s a multi-dimensional and thoroughly visual kinda brand, and without the presence of a music video, her songs could not stand a chance of driving home a hit.

Scissor Sisters once said, “you can’t see tits on the radio” – well, bitch, see this why she up on YouTube. And I’m sure if Mami Lopez had a sale for every view this clip gets on YouTube, she would be rightfully snatching Katy Perry and Rihanna‘s wigs.

Here are some important features of Slaylo‘s ‘Dance Again’ video – carefully considered with absolutely no mention of Pitbull whatsoever:

It’s taking me higher. Higher.

A-grade director Paul Hunter, who did Jennifer‘s last blockbuster smash ‘Papi’, is back on board to pimp the fuck out of the diva’s newest music video-slash-fragrance commercial.

I am so delighted with the “floating to the top” concept in the first half. I mean, it’s a visually exciting way to depict the idea of “getting high” on ~~the music~~, the sponsored booze, and apparently J.Lo‘s newest fragrance Glowing (which is her 18th muhfuggin‘ women’s fragrance).

Let’s not forget to clock the sea of bodies she’s writhing with there that’s so evocative of Queen Bey‘s ‘Baby Boy’ and Kylie‘s ‘All The Lovers’. Bey‘s choreographer Frank Gatson Jr. has certainly brought a few stunning tricks to the table that complement the video’s anti-gravity themes.

Platinum Lopez

Are you living for the subtle nod to her Brave visuals here? I know most J.Lo apologisers would rather forget about that album because, fuck, this ho put us through hell trying to justify that mess to our family and friends. But the silver, the sparkles, and flashes of hot pink in a dark background really pops on screen – especially in the dance breakdown when you see it juxtaposed with shots of her dancing in the well-lit foyer.

Watch Jennifer Lopez turn the party with ‘Dance Again’:

Footnotes:

‘Dance Again’ debuted at #34 on the US Billboard Pop Songs chart. It’ll be interesting to see if this song scorches up airwaves and the charts like her last heat stroke ‘On The Floor’.

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5 April 2012

The Saturdays ’30 Days’ Music Video

Despite ’30 Days’ being some kind of emotional ode to long distance love aches, you won’t catch The Saturdays sporting windswept tears or looking all sombre by the pool side in this video.

Instead, here comes the next sensible option: speed dating in an American diner with loads of cute boys who look like they could all either be on the Glee extras list or the next Gym Class Heroes video.

The name of the game is simple. It’s written on the damn board above the counter, “Speed dating – find your soulmate in 30 dates or less”.

But rather than cleverly playing up the inherently cheesy story line like Sophie Ellis-Bextor did in ‘I Won’t Change You’, these girls frustratingly dawdle about looking pedestrian, dashing from one corner of the diner to the next – all the while barely managing to convey any sense of commitment to the production.

The Saturdays haven’t always bothered with eye-popping choreography or fashion forward visual presentations but I feel like with this video, they really were resting their heels on my last nerve.

Perhaps it was the stagnant, predominantly close ups to mid-shots that frustrated me. I think they were trying to make it look like it wasn’t just Una who was exempt from a full body shot. Every single one of them had to be framed in a similar way for consistency.

On top of that, they set 90% of the shots in this cramped diner, giving the viewers a dull aching sense of claustrophobia. Fuck, I sound like Mama Lim at a house inspection. Something about the feng shui up in here just ain’t right.

Mollie King, shanté you stay.

The rest of you basic bitches can sashay away. Especially Rochelle and that unflattering new hair colour that makes her look like a haggard old piece from Basketball Wives. Gurl, that is not the look.

I am particularly pleased with the multiple angles of elegant face Ms Mollie is serving in ’30 Days’. I feel like she was the only one here who looked like she knew exactly how and when to tilt it for the camera.

Una’s bumpgate.

I mean, what a load of rubbish about editing out her baby bump. They had you gagging at the 45 second mark when all five girls were shown running to the counter with Una strategically hidden at the back – making it look like it took four grown ass women to cover her belly.

‘What a farce’, you thought.

Then fast forward to a later part of the clip, we see her caressing her belly from behind the table. You can’t say none of this was planned on – Una talking about editing out her baby bump from the video to the way the shots were sequenced?

If this was fuckery foisted by a more well-known diva, I’m sure there’d be more people caring and clutching their pearls in disgust.

Watch The Saturdays‘ ’30 Days’ music video:

Footnotes:

The Saturdays will release ’30 Days’ on 13 May in the UK. By then most astute pop music listeners would’ve moved on to bigger and better things like new releases by Marina & The Diamonds, Sam Sparro and Scissor Sisters. Good luck, gurls.

3 April 2012

Ricki-Lee ‘Do It Like That’ Music Video

You don’t really wanna rain on Ricki-Lee‘s parade, do you? Not when it’s looking so festive and radiating so much confidence and video vixen realness.

The fierce-as-fuck Aussie popstar is serving a little old school RLC realness with ‘Do It Like That’. I know we’re not exactly knee-deep in her discography as yet to warrant the term but when I say “old school”, I do mean circa ‘Can’t Touch It’ and ‘Can’t Sing A Different’ song.

‘Do It Like That’ was written and produced by Brian Kierulf and Joshua Schwartz - the same American guys behind ‘Can’t Touch It’ and not to mention Britney‘s ‘Anticipating’ and Lady Gaga‘s ‘Summerboy’.

Everything about ‘Do It Like That’ feels like a sensible update on the sassy, rhythmic pop style Ricki-Lee is best known for. In fact, the very idea of her singing, “you like it when I do it like that! You watchin’ when I do it like that… you want-want-want me when I do it like that,” might even suggest that she’s deliberately giving the public what they want.

The video comes for all the familiar elements – see: hair flicks, strut-and-thrust choreography and a flash of her irrepressible smile. In a way, it’s comforting to look back on her signature clips like ‘Can’t Touch It’, some five years ago, and see that she was serving the same confidence even when she was shimmying a couple of dress sizes bigger.

Here are three highlights of Ricki-Lee‘s ‘Do It Like That’ video:

1) Bottoms up.

I love how the bitch managed to pull moves to shame even the hungriest of power bottoms. Seriously, there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t feel like RLC and I are becoming the same person.

2) The triple-action thrust.

Are you also living for the uterus thrust happening in the “want-want-want” bit? Say yes. Queens, make sure you secure your tuck before you attempt this or any moves adjacent to this.

3) The massive Ricki-Lee sign.

It’s looking like something you’d expect at Nightclub Barbie in L.A. when they’re doing a burlesque theme. This indoor studio scene actually works quite well in contrast with the summery carnival location shown at the start of the video.

It’s probably plain reductive to point out that ‘Do It Like That’ draws tired references from Beyoncé but there’s probably some truth in the ennui expressed.

For me, ‘Do It Like That’ was most exciting and refreshing when we first heard it blasting out the gates as the Fred Falke remix. It was a proper revelation because it sounded like nothing we heard Ricki-Lee do before and that’s precisely the kind of effortlessly cool, next-level shit she should aspire to.

See, the single version is like the “paycheck look” – the one that’s most likely to gel best with the masses - but the Fred Falke remix is the one that leaves everyone gagging for more.

Don’t get me wrong ‘Do It Like That’ – the single mix – is adequately fun but it’s kind of thrown me off a little, especially following the wig snatching, dance/pop direction of ‘Raining Diamonds’.

If these two new singles are the corner posts of what we can expect from Ricki-Lee‘s forthcoming album then it’s gonna be really interesting to see how she mingles her European dance material with the more kinetic, rhythmic tracks like ‘DILT’.

Watch Ricki-Lee‘s ‘Do It Like That’ music video:

Footnotes:

‘Do It Like That’ debuts at #69 on our ARIA Top 100 this week.

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