Friday I'm In Love - 16/8/13

Friday I'm In Love is a weekly feature.

Highlights of what I loved over the past week.

Week = Friday to Friday.

May include things of a non-musical variety.

Pet Shop Boys - Electric

When this album came out last month, it sat on my "to listen" list for quite a while until I eventually forgot about it.  I must admit that this is partially due to their last album, Elysium.  It wasn't a bad release, but something about it failed to thrill me.  Still, whenever I say "you're a winner", it must be in that Neil Tennant "winnah" voice.  So that's something.

Earlier this week, a promo copy of Electric arrived in the mail and you can imagine my surprise after giving it a spin.  This record is amazing in more than one way.  First, the energy that Elysium seemed to lack is in full power this time around.  Secondly, those Pet Shop Boys have been experimenting. The album's production, thanks to the wonderful Stuart Price, gives the heaviest and most trendy electronic artists a run for their money.  You have tracks like "Love Is A Bourgeois Construct", which is practically a tribute to the classic PSB sound, and then "Thursday" with Example or "Shouting In The Evening", a massive electro club hit if I ever did hear one.

The Pet Shop Boys have still got it and Electric will surely stand the test of time against their legendary catalog.  Definitely check it out if you need some fantastic electronic music.  I know it'll be on my rotation for a long time to come.  You can buy a copy of the record here and listen to a few songs below.

Betty Who - The Movement

Over the past few weeks, one album in particular has been glued to my brain. This album, or EP to be more specific, contains some of the most exciting pop music I've heard in quite some time.  I know I'm always ranting about the big names like Robyn or Gaga, but this record is something to be recognized.

Betty Who's The Movement actually came out earlier this year, but I've recently found it.  It consists of four spectacular and infectious pop singles.  I say "singles" instead of "songs", because every track on the debut could be a hit on some level.  The opening single, "Somebody Loves You", is an eighties tinged dance piece and probably packs the most power upon first listen.  Actually, the entire album sounds eighties inspired to a certain extent, whether immediately obvious or not.  "You're In Love" falls into the mid-tempo range and reminds me of something Katy Perry would pounce on if given the chance.

My current favorite song on The Movement is "Right Here".  It's more reserved, approaching with a method of simplicity by placing the focus on a powerful vocal.  The instrumental is also mellowed out when compared to the rest of the album, but it's true that less can really be more.  The album's closer is "High Society".  I find myself singing this one throughout the day without notice.  A line like "We'll drink Chardonnay through the day cause we say so..." has never been more contagious.

Another great detail about The Movement is the fact that it's completely free. That's right.  Betty Who has all four songs posted on her website free of charge to download as you please.  You can also use the Soundcloud player below to grab the songs.  Check out the music video for "Somebody Loves You" while you're at it.  If you're really enjoying the music, then head this way to buy a Betty Who shirt perfect for wearing while dancing.

Friday I'm In Love - 9/8/13

Friday I'm In Love is a weekly feature.

Includes highlights of what I loved over the past week.

Week = Friday to Friday.

May include things of a non-musical variety.

Astralwerks "Music In 20/20" Box Set

To celebrate their 20th anniversary as a record label, Astralwerks released a limited edition box set for Record Store Day back in April.  After searching numerous record stores, I unfortunately couldn't manage to find a single one of the 1,250 sets for myself.  But the musical Gods believe in second chances.  Twenty years after the exact date of Astralwerks formation, the label collaborated with Insound to offer the remaining few copies to the public. I jumped on that opportunity like you wouldn't believe.  My copy just arrived in the mail a few days ago (#465!!!) and it's an amazing anthology of Astralwerks massive catalog.

There are twenty flexi discs printed on a rainbow of colors.  Each one is a song by a different artist and includes the original artwork.  Some are hit singles, while others are unreleased rarities.  The artists range from veterans such as The Chemical Brothers to the recent big names like Diamond Rings and David Guetta.

Hopefully some of you were able to snatch a copy, either on RSD or through Insound.  As far as box sets go, Music In 20/20 is visually and sonically fantastic.  Check out some more pics of the box set below.

Robyn - Body Talk

Earlier this year, Robyn began a musical trilogy.  Titled "Body Talk", the series of albums was released over a span of about six months.  Each album contained approximately eight songs that dabbled in pop, dance, and electronic music.  Her newest release, and the end of the series, is named Body Talk.  Instead of releasing another album with under ten songs, the Swedish musician decided to put out a compilation record.  This album collects five songs from Body Talk Pt. 1, five songs from Body Talk Pt. 2, and five new songs that are technically Body Talk Pt. 3.

Body Talk begins with "Dancing On My Own", the first single from Pt. 1.  Being her most promoted song, it's a great choice for the album opener.  The record continues through two more Pt. 1 songs until you reach, "Indestructible".  A string covered acoustic version of this song had been released prior to this album, but the new fleshed out dance version brings a new light to the single.  "Time Machine", another new song, is the strongest of the five new tracks.  The song is already begging to get radio play.  "Time Machine" is definitely a hit.

The record does a good job of mixing new songs between the older tracks.  You never get too much of one album in a row.  If you already own Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 and have become familiar with the song order, then the track listing may take some time to settle in.

With compilations, song choice is always the most important factor for success.  Body Talk, for the most part, is outstanding.  The inclusion of the more experimental and instrumental tracks ("Don't ****ing Tell Me What To Do" and "We Dance To The Beat") seems risky, but it works.  The only real mistake is leaving out the standout track, "Criminal Intent", from Pt. 2.  "Cry When You Get Older" was another great track that's missing from the album.

At fifteen tracks long, Body Talk is pop music heaven.  There are enough hooks on this album to make even the biggest pop stars jealous.  Robyn's risky plan of releasing three albums within one year surprisingly and successfully worked.  She's now embarking on an international "Body Talk Tour" to celebrate.

If you already own Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, like many dedicated fans will, you can buy the EP version of this album titled Body Talk Pt. 3.  It contains only the five new songs and is available digitally everywhere and physically in select regions.  Here's the extended compilation version's track listing.

• 1. Dancing On My Own (Radio Version)
• 2. Fembot
• 3. Don't ****ing Tell Me What To Do
• 4. Indestructible
• 5. Time Machine
• 6. Love Kills
• 7. Hang With Me
• 8. Call Your Girlfriend
• 9. None of Dem (Feat. Röyksopp)
• 10. We Dance To The Beat
• 11. U Should Know Better (Feat. Snoop Dogg)
• 12. Dancehall Queen
• 13. Get Myself Together
• 14. In My Eyes
• 15. Stars 4-Ever

Body Talk is a satisfying end to the album trilogy.  I would definitely check it out if you love catchy pop, dance, and electronic music.  The five new tracks are just as strong as the past albums.  Maybe next time around Robyn will try to break the record again with five albums in a year.  One can only hope...

La Roux

Here's one of my latest finds. La Roux is an English electropop duo led by singer Elly Jackson. English pop music has always different greatly from American pop, but I'll take La Roux over Lady GaGa any day. Their music reminds me of the 80's. They sound similar to Depeche Mode, Eurythmics, and maybe even Prince. The music consists of incredibly catchy beats and synths, while Jackson sings even catchier melodies. I've listened to three of their songs, Tigerlily, Bulletproof, and a remix of In For The Kill. Tigerlily is my favorite of the three, with Bulletproof as a close second. While I've never heard the original version of In For The Kill, the remix (Heartbreak Remix) is a little to long for my liking. I could definitely see Bulletproof becoming a Top 40 hit. I'm actually surprised it isn't already. I guess mainstream radio in the US isn't quite as friendly to electronic and dance music as Europe is. If you like upbeat pop music with a dance/electronic twist, then check out La Roux.