Florrie – SIRENS

 

 

Florrie a.k.a Florence Arnold is an English singer-songwriter who is bringing us some classy, avant-pop to the messy table of current popular music. The new EP Sirens is a short and sweet ride with three songs and two remixes. I love this concise format. Who needs a long ass album filled with spam-filler songs? *coughLadyGagacough* Siren opens with bhangra inspired Seashells. This track demands mojito, sunshine and a dancefloor. Command.

 

 

Next we’re on to Free Falling. Hypnotising hook, unusual structure and Florrie‘s effortless vocals are thread with organic synth. There’s still a subtle middle eastern vibe and the whole track is a little more demanding than your average pop ditty, which is exactly what makes it so special. The EP was produced by the influential British team Xenomania, while it preserves the original drum-driven Florrie sound present on her previous releases.

 

 

Wanna Control Myself is a basey trip in a cadillac. Smooth sound of Xenomania is particularly present on this track, and once again steers from the mainstream with an enticing lullaby-like middle eight and strings. Music videos by Jack Bowden and Ferry Gouw reflect the cool, understated atmosphere of the sound and are simply great to look at.

Sirens is a solid gem of a EP. There’s a bright dance-inducing summer anthem as well as ambitious, avant-garde pop.
Get it on iTunes here. Best £1.99 I’ve spent since that pint in a student bar. x

 

Pet Shop Boys – Electric / album review

 

 

So I was waiting for the train in London Underground and I noticed the poster for Pet Shop Boys Electric. I made a mental note to check it out when I get home and… thank god for that poster! Electric is a great album. In fact it’s everything I hoped the new Capsule album to be.

Electric brings me back to the times of Love etc. except it’s a bit more melancholic in some places yet fresh and deliciously charged with energy.

Axis sets the mood right and… it sounds like it should be a Capsule track! Except better… Take that, CAPS LOCK. Perfect for a club environment. The boys are back. Sample below:

 

 

Fluorescent is a dense, synthesised club banger. The kind of song you’ll see London twinks making out to in the corners of a club.

Thursday is the new Friday. Literally. Featuring Example, it’s a very mainstream friendly, 80s flavoured pop track.

Between the dance floor electro and pop accents there are tracks filled with dreamy, trance-like atmosphere, but the sound remains consistent and altogether polished.

The Last to Die reminds me of Capsule once again with it’s distorted synth and guitar albeit obviously much more vocal-focused.

Love is a Bourgeois Construct is a classic Pet Shop Boys treatment. Flamboyant, bright… laser bright. Imagine lasers in Palace of Versailles! Yep.

Electric is both dance-y and reflective and that on its own is an achievement that many electro artists only wish they could grasp. The album is brief, coherent and doesn’t disappoint. In fact, it’s really amazing that after over 30 years, Pet Shop Boys remain so current and contemporary. If you like ‘proper’, full bodied electro, chances are this album will be an aural feast for you, if not, at least a pleasant ride. English synth pride!

PS. If you were disappointed by either new Daft Punk or new Capsule, Electric might just be the album for you.

 

Florrie – Live a little

 

 

Florrie‘s new single is fast approaching as the music video went live on YouTube yesterday. Live A Little is a Xenomania produced, hook-filled, orchestrated flirt. A new EP is underway for 2013 but you can already preorder Live A Little on iTunes or download it in 192kbps on Florrie’s website. As usual, Florrie slays and delivers top quality pop that really deserves to be played on the radio more than OneErection but whether that will happen or not, fans will surely be pleased with the new material by this talented drummer.

The music video is rather uninspired. Florrie is gorgeous but as we’ve learned on many occasions from indie artists, no budget is not an excuse for being uncreative. It’s not really an issue, the song is decent, girl is pretty but surely it would help to have something better than a couple of shots layered in one scene as a promotional video? Especially with the emphasis on the energetic chorus. I mean, it’s called Live A Little… Nevertheless, Live A Little is a solid pop track and a great, energetic start for Florrie in 2013. Enjoy:

 

 

Musicshell interviews Maria Maracine

 

 

 

Musicshell interviews the up and coming singer-songwriter, Maria Maracine. This young talented Londoner with Romanian background is making her way towards the dream career but already has an impressive portfolio, her first single – Play it Wrong. This classy pop song was released independently and is available on iTunes as well as all major online music stores. Check out our interview with Maria to find out more about her inspirations and why shower is the best place to write songs:

 

 

Maria was approached to submit the song for the Eurovision Song Contest – Malmö 2013 but the rules don’t allow any entries, which were previously published and since Play it Wrong was on iTunes since June, Maria couldn’t participate this year. It’s a shame because Play it Wrong is a terrific pop song that ticks all the boxes and would definitely make an impact on Eurovision, a contest which used to be known for its quality but is now known for its kitschy gimmicks, wind machines, costume changes and all that circus, although it still is a great opportunity for young artists. Nonetheless, Maria is set to try her luck in Eurovision 2014 as she’s determined to write an even better song. We wish Maria all the luck and in the mean time, check out her hot single Play it Wrong, available on iTunes.

 

Marina and The Diamonds – E.V.O.L ♡

 

 

Happy Valentines!!! ♡♡

‘A romantic gift from your favourite girlfriend ever, Electra Heart’ is what I find in my inbox today. Best Valentine’s gift ever? Marina decided to present her fans with an anti-Valentines anthem, a free track E.V.O.L. If you aren’t signed up for the E-MAIL MY HEART mailing list (shame on you) you can do so at marinaandthediamonds.com and check out E.V.O.L below:

 

 

You’d think signing up for mailing list is just another way to get flooded by endless advertising but you’ll love Marinas emails, I’d let her spam my mailbox Groupon-style. Channeling her troll-bitch-from-hell a.k.a Electra Heart, she writes brief and witty messages ‘from the bottom of a cold lil heart’. Here are some of my favourite E-MAIL MY HEART quotes just to give you an idea of what you’ve missed out on for the past year or so:

 

You can stream 6 tracks in full first, in case you are worried I might have gotten 2nd album syndrome and the whole thing will be a pile of bollocks.

I know some people like to collect physical releases so I have made a few available in the online shop.

I have a feeling Mum might have gone and mass-bought them all wholesale for her friends and family, so apologies if there are none left. There could be 3, there could be 90.

I have no idea.

The new video for “How To Be Heartbreaker” is up online now, BELOW!! I hope you think I look like Lara Croft Tomb Raider.

I had (not much) fun filming it… It’s such a drag hanging out with male underwear models 24/7… Everyone just thinks the pop star life is some kind of fun-filled riot??

And remember… all of you on the mailing list.. You are 100% my favourite fans… Even though I don’t know you, I love you all & will cherish you in my heart. Maybe forever.

Love, Marina
XOXO

 

Adele – Skyfall

 

 

It’s finally out. Adele‘s new single Skyfall is the theme tune for the new James Bond movie under the same name. Adele worked on the song with Paul Epworth who co-wrote and produced Rolling In The Deep. Skyfall premiered today at 0.07am on the singer’s website and it’s already 1# on iTunes charts! The release date of Skyfall commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first James Bond movie and it features a 77-piece orchestra. It’s incredible that the song feels very much Adele and sounds like classic James Bond tune at the same time.

Enjoy the Skyfall:

 

 

Mika – The Origin of Love

 

 

Mika is back with a blast (and a sexy new haircut). His new album The Origin of Love has been released in France last week and reached #1 in charts. The record will drop in the UK on the 8th of October and will include an English version of Elle me dit, the lead single for French version of the album (Emily in UK ver.). However, lead single in the UK, other European countries and US will be Celebrate, an upbeat pop anthem. Mika described the sound of his new album as ‘more simplistic pop, less layered than the last one’. To achieve a new sound he worked with Benny Benassi, Greg Wells, Dan Wilson and Klas Åhlund. Mika also mentioned that his new album includes elements of Daft Punk. There seems to be a lot of electronica and voice processing thread into each track yet Mika still retains his unique sound.

Check out his new single, Celebrate:

 

Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen

 

 

British singer-songwriter, Ellie Goulding is counting down the days to her second album release planned for 8th of October in UK and 9th in the US. The album is called Halcyon and the first single Anything Could Happen has already premiered on youtube:

 

Fans submitted over 1200 Instagram images which were put together for the lyric video featuring Ellie’s new single.

 

You can also listen to the trailer of Ellie’s upcoming Halcyon album. Will it live up to her debut album Lights?

 

Keane – Strangeland + Disconnected

 

 

Keane, the British alternative rock band known for their smooth, melodic numbers released their new album Strangeland on the 7th of May and is currently number 1 in UK midweek charts. Will they keep their position for the week? We do hope so because the new record brings out the best in Keane. You can support them by purchasing the album on iTunes.

Check out the lead single from the album, Silenced By The Night :

 

The second single, Disconnected, has been so far released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It features a stunning music video directed by Spanish film directors (Juan Antonio Bayona and Sergio G. Sánchez), which refers to 70s/80s horror films such as The Shining. Made with great detail and style it’s probably one of the best music videos we’ve seen in a long time (!) so make sure you give it a watch.

Disconnected by Keane :

 

Electra Heart ♡ Track by track

 

Marina and the Diamonds is enjoying her first UK number 1 album after Electra Heart has been released early last week. If you haven’t done it yet, do check out her album on iTunes. If you have, sit yourself with a cup of tea and hear what Marina has to say about each song in the Track by Track interview. Biscuit in hand, enjoy :