http://www.noizemag.com/index.php en ronn@spongeworks.com Copyright 2011 2011-10-28T17:45:48+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/the_night_the_sun_came_up/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/the_night_the_sun_came_up/ Dev’s flying as high as a G6. Originally discovered on MySpace by production team The Cataracs, Dev’s first introduction to the mainstream was on Far East Movement’s Billboard #1 single “Like A G6,” the chorus of which was lifted from a verse in Dev’s self-made single “Booty Bounce.”  Her first solo single, “Bass Down Low,” hit the radio late last year and paved the way for the present single “In the Dark,” an addictive blend of Latin house, ambient keyboards and a catchy-as-hell saxophone hook. The Night the Sun Came Up is a disparate sizzurp-like concoction of street aesthetics and booty bass revival with Euro dance and electro pop — a testament to Dev’s integrity as an artist as more than a pop mannequin. The probability of future singles includes “In My Trunk,” “Kiss My Lips” and “Breathe.”  At the forefront of the progression of U.S. radio’s new obsession with dance music, she’s gonna stay right where she is: on top. 2011-10-28T16:45:48+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/perfectionist/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/perfectionist/ Natalia Kills wants you to know that she’s a badass with a heart. She’s Gaga style without the dead Kermits, Lil’ Kim brutality without the incarceration, and an urban pop sound without the commercial sellout. Perfectionist might be her debut album, but she’s been in the public eye since age 9. She was featured in a long-running British radio drama and even auditioned in front of George Lucas for the role of Queen Amidala in the Star Wars prequels. After signing to Interscope’s Cherrytree Records, the British singer-songwriter released “Mirrors” in August of 2010, and everyone — the gays especially — sat up and took notice. Now on its third single, Perfectionist is an interesting mixture of sounds, including aggressive electro pop (“Mirrors,” “Zombie,”” Love Is a Suicide”), sweet radio jams (“Wonderland,” “Free,” “Kill My Boyfriend”), jagged rock (“Break You Hard,” “Acid Annie,” “Not In Love”), and aching ballads (“Broke,” “Heaven,” “If I Was God”). It’s a hodgepodge, but a good one. 2011-10-28T16:45:48+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/welcome_to_medina/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/welcome_to_medina/ Medina is the Danish Britney Spears, but without all the batshit crazy. The combination of her synthy dance pop sound and sultry vocals is one of those organic combinations that instantaneously elicits a response of “Who is this?”  Medina’s sophomore album (in its original Danish incarnation Velkommen Til Medina) has been out overseas since summer 2009, when its triple-platinum lead single “Kun for Mig” spent over a year on the Danish charts. Shortly thereafter, an English translation of the lead single, now “You and I,” was released with a Deadmau5 remix that made the rounds of DJ playlists worldwide. Alongside three subsequent English singles — “Lonely,” “Addiction” and “Gutter” — it had everyone wet in anticipation for whatever was coming. Now three years on, Medina drops the English version as Welcome to Medina, with a reworked tracklist that includes all the English singles and their original Danish versions, and a bonus remix disc. 2011-10-28T16:43:48+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/nothing_but_the_beat/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/nothing_but_the_beat/ Sometimes hard work does, in fact, pay off. At the age of 43, Guetta is just now reaching the height of his career; I’ve no doubt he can ride the wave right into the next decade. Four years ago, everyone and his mother had to have Timbaland produce a track. Now, with the American adoption of the European dance sound, that torch has been passed to Guetta. Nothing But the Beat hops on the train all superstar DJs have been jumping on in the last 10 years: ditching the niche club market and amalgamating pop artist stardom with an addictive dance sensibility — not to mention a nicer paycheck. Beat employs pop royalty of the moment, including Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida, Taio Cruz, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Usher, will.i.am, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Akon, Timbaland, Dev, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J and Sia, and could easily sweep the Grammys. Nothing but the beat?  More like nothing but sweet candy. Get a taste. 2011-10-28T16:42:48+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/the_ultimate_collection/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/the_ultimate_collection/ Sade is one of those artists whose musical expression is one of such beauty that it’s become as synonymous with sensuality and lovemaking as rose petals and satin sheets. Despite her melancholic delivery and her focus on loves lost, her voice sounds so sexy that you can’t help wanting to get naked while listening. The Ultimate Collection is the next chapter of Sade’s hits, following The Best Of from 1994, while adding in the hits from Lovers Rock and Soldier of Love. It includ es four new songs, one of them a new remix of “The Moon and The Sky” featuring Jay-Z. The second single off the album, “Love Is Found” has been released with remixes by Gareth Wyn and Alex Metric. Also look for some recently surfacing bootleg remix albums titled Think Sade and Think Sade 2. 2011-08-01T13:00:57+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/exit_110/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/exit_110/ The follow-up album six years in the making, Exit 110 is the continuation of iiO’s debut album Poetica, comprised of songs recorded during the original sessions for the first album and before Nadia Ali’s professional separation from Markus Moser to focus on her solo career. All the charm of iiO is here, with elements of ‘80s synth pop, unique melodies and Nadia’s endlessly lovable words and vocals. The stark contrast was present on Poetica and is even more noticeable on Exit 110: One of iiO’s bigger hallmarks is their ability to sound completely different from everyone else out there and not come across as remotely self-conscious. Between Moser’s penchant for nostalgic production elements and Ali’s melancholic and Eastern-influenced delivery of autobiographical lyrics, iiO has always stood out as one of the most personal dance music groups. 2011-08-01T13:00:57+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/beach_house_2011/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/beach_house_2011/ Last year Beach House 2010 was nominated for Best Compilation at the International Dance Music Awards, and ended up being Hed Kandi’s biggest-selling title. So all eyes were on this year’s installment to see if they could top it. In a series that has, at certain points over the last few years, become more of a brand than a collection of individual and standout tracks, 2011’s chapter of Beach House holds up to the original installments championed by Hed Kandi founder Mark Doyle. A blend of new tracks in the trademark “sundrenched” deep, beachy House sound and fresh remixes of classics, BH 2011 is guaranteed to brighten any pool party or day at the beach. The CD release is in a traditional triple-disc, unmixed format; the digital release also includes all three discs as continuous mixed sets. 2011-08-01T13:00:57+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/mix_magic_music/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/mix_magic_music/ Yep, it’s true, after what felt like the longest drought ever, we finally get served a proper superstar DJ mix album — and it doubles as an artist album to boot: Tony produced every track, all the while maintaining variety with different featured vocalists and collaborators, including Judy Torres, Zhana Saunders, Frenchie Davis, Ultra Nate and Deborah Cox. Very much the companion to, and logical next step following, his 2008 release The Event, Mix Magic Music combines his expertise in what makes the dance floor move, a clear pop sensibility and a new direction away from the tribal of the last few years toward progressive House. Not to be missed, especially standouts “Can I Love You More” with Trey Lorenz, “Magic” with Jennifer Holliday, and “Sensation” with Orion. 2011-08-01T13:00:57+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/twentyone/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/twentyone/ It’s not the most common occurrence that an artist comes along who is liked by everyone, regardless of geography, age, or genre preference. The sound of pop music today is so produced, so commercial, so aimed at an audience and manufactured to appeal specifically to it, it seems only logical that the only way to get beyond all that would be to strip it all away to a piano, a drum, a guitar and a husky limitless voice shaped into powerful words and earnest sentiments. Adele’s 2008 debut 19 was a gentle, bluesy opus of acoustic ballads; 21 still stays true to that foundation, but amplifies the energy a bit, brightens the sound and, on many of the tracks, adds elements of funk and disco by way of percussion and tempo. The album’s lead single, “Rolling in the Deep,” has been remixed extensively including mixes by Paul Oakenfold, Oliver Watts, Claude, and Benny Royal. 2011-04-29T04:33:04+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/i_am_the_dance_commander_i_command_you_to_dance/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/zingles/i_am_the_dance_commander_i_command_you_to_dance/ It feels like forever since an American pop artist has honored the dance genre with a proper remix album — but who else but Ke$ha, with her belligerent 1 a.m. sound and sloppy party girl image? Composed of nine remixed tracks from the Animal and Cannibal albums and the new track “Fuck Him He’s A DJ,” Commander takes everything we’ve loved about the princess and Jack and glitter and either augments or completely reinvents it. “Tik Tok” gets an aggressive dubstep facelift, “Your Love Is My Drug” is given the now-ubiquitous Dave Audé treatment, “We R Who We R” is Fred Falke-ized, and dance ballad “Animal” is made over into a stretched out, dubby electro love song. Ke$ha ushered in a new brand of carefree fun and frivolity in 2009, and Commander cements it as a party mainstay in the caliber of the keg and the line for the bathroom. 2011-04-29T04:32:04+00:00