Jennifer Lopez and Taio Cruz Join Forces

Taio Cruz has made a decent go of that cracking America business with his track Break My Heart hitting the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Throw in the successful hit with Ke$ha Dirty Piture and current single Dynamite which is doing good business and you could say that he is doing quite alright.

So with that in mind it's a bit surprising to see a remix of Dynamite pop up with Jennifer Lopez doing guest vocals. She was rumoured to be in the video but instead we have this attempt at turning the Dr Luke track (it does sound just like California Gurls and all those songs of that sparkly pop ilk but you know what? That's not a bad thing) into a duet.

It sort of works as much as these things ever can but it does suggest that La Lopez is due a proper pop comeback soon. Recent singles with Sony ahead of a new album Love? tanked leading her to leave the record label that was her home during her boom years (I should be making a J Lo / economy comparison here shouldn't I?). Still she's signed with Island Def Jam and is rumoured to be releasing the album with them soon.

Her recent movie The Back Up Plan while not a huge hit, turned a profit and renewed interest in a more modest and likeable version of the last decades biggest diva. Still earning a slew of big magazine covers and press attention and supposedly in line for a gig on American Idol, all signs point to a slow but steady return to the top for Miss Lopez.

Now I could be wrong but let's hope it works out, not least because I want another track as good as this gem:

Spin That Record - Top Tunes of the Moment Circa May/June 2010

LCD Soundsystem – Dance Yrself Clean

B.o.B. – Airplanes feat. Hayley Williams

Janelle Monae – Tightrope feat. Big Boi

MIA – XXXO

Kylie – All The Lovers

David Guetta – Louder Than Words feat. Afrojack and Niles Mason

Jennifer Lopez – Everybody’s Girl

Christina Aguilera – You Lost Me

Lady Gaga – Alejandro (Chew Fu Remix)

Ne-Yo – Beautiful Monster

Dizzee Rascal – Dirtee Disco

Alicia Keyes – Rapture

Kelis – 22^nd Century

Spin That Record - Top Tunes of the Moment Circa April 2010

Again, inspired by Eimear's blog, just a list of tunes that have been spun by myself lately. Some old, some new. Various degrees of cheese too (of course) but I'm not going to go into detail here but a nice mix of electro pop, commercial R&B and remixes methinks!

BoA - Eat You Up

Black Eyed Peas - Rock That Body (Skillrex Remix)

Wynter Gordon - Dirty Talk (Laidback Luke Remix)

Christina Aguilera - Not Myself Tonight

Big Boi - Shutterbug

Kardinal Offishall feat. Akon - Body Bounce

Estelle - Freak (Disco Fries Remix)

The Bloody Beetroots - Domino

Lindsay Lohan - Stuck

Trina feat. Lady Gaga - Let Them Hoes Fight

Goldfrapp - Rocket (Tiesto Remix)

Kelis - Acapella (Dave Aude Remix)

Lil' Jon - Give It All U Got

Bittersweet Bextor: Sophie Ellis Bextor Returns With A Killer Single

From her days of Groovejet to a consistent portfolio of top pop singles, Sophie Ellis Bextor has carved a niche as one of the most enjoyable yet slightly shy of the big time popstars around. Her last album Trip The Light Fantastic was painfully underrated, from the exuberant electro pop of Catch You to the Xenomania gem If You Go, it still stands up to repeat listens. After a successful collaboration with dance-pop wizards the Freemasons last year on Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer) the pair show up on her new release Bittersweet (alongside pop songwriters supreme Richard "Biffco" Stannard and Hannah Robinson).


With the Freemasons on board you'd probably be thinking that Bittersweet is a stomper. And you'd be right. An epic slice of chilly electro pop, the chorus plays that fine line between desire and disdain that suits Bextor's vocals perfectly. It already feels like a proper stormer of a tune, the kind of thing Bextor needs to reaffirm her place on the pop heap. If that weren't enough there is a rather heavenly extended mix by the Freemasons that will probably go down something of a storm in the clubs.

The remix by Jodie Harsh is also pretty special and with rumoured producers on the new album reported to include Groove Armada, Richard X and the Sneaker Pimps it's hard not to be just a little bit excited about what's coming our way Sophie Wise.

Rihanna's Rude Boy : Remixes Ahoy

Rihanna's Rude Boy, one of the standout tracks on her Rated R album is shaping up to be one of her biggest hits and while certainly not reaching Umbrella heights, definitely sounds like the new Rihanna taking on the shiny pop of Don't Stop the Music on her own terms. It's been nice to see how the single has slotted into the altogether darker tone of the Rated R campaign, from the suggestive single cover to the Keith Haring meets MIA meets Caribbean vibe of the video.

Still what is a pop single without some decent remixes? Have dug around in the last few weeks very few of them really stand out. Chew Fu who has done wonders with many recent pop tracks falls a bit short with his take. It's too plodding and slow when it should be explosive. The Low Sundays rework is similarly disappointing. The Wideboys thankfully rescue the track with their enjoyable if slightly straightforward mix. Having done wonders with many pop hits over the last few years (Riri's own Don't Stop The Music in particular) they gave this tune an enjoyable house flavoured workout. Sounds a bit like Calvin Harris' I'm Not Alone at times too (those 90s style synths, lovely).

The cream of the crop though is the Cosmic Dawn remix (which I first spotted here) a bouncy nu-disco take on the track. It's fresh, immediate and would sound quite good blared at a summer party. And a nice excuse to post yet another version of the video. By the time you've finished you'll have the image of Rihanna whirling around imprinted on your brain forever. Check out more on Cosmic Dawn at their blog.

All very enjoyable it must be said. It'll be interesting to see how they follow up this single, there's already talk of work commencing on a follow up but with a pop album as strong as Rated R, there is sure to be some mileage left.

Wynter Gordon takes her "Dirty Talk" to the clubs

I mentioned the rather fabulous Wynter Gordon and her track Dirty Talk on here awhile back. And since then she's announced that is to be released officially as a single with an album "With The Music I Die.." ( the title according to a flier on her official site) to follow later this year.


This is of course great news, I've been playing Dirty Talk loads in the last few months. It is basically Madonna's "Celebration" with a shopping list of sex positions/places/situations in place of lyrics and getting up and dancing. Not only that but it means we finally get to a Wynter Gordon logo, as evidenced on the single artwork below:

Magical.

The song already sounds quite club ready but there are some remixes on the way. Not least one from remixer du jour Laidback Luke whose already done remixes for Daft Punk, David Guetta (his reswizz of When Love Takes Over will be familiar to anyone who was out in a club in some shape or form in the last 12 months), Black Eyed Peas (click here to hear him rescue I Got A Feeling from the land of the terminally overplayed) and Calvin Harris. His mix is a potent jumble of rave-y synths and full on electro bleeps and will only help this song become the club juggernaut it needs to be.

The best evidence of just how monstrous this mix can be seen in the video below. It features Laidback Luke himself playing the mix in one of his sets. The first time I watched this I thought it was somebody filming a cute guy singing along to the track and loved the idea that this was the lone Wynter fan in the crowd. Then I realised this was in fact Laidback Luke going crazy to his own mix. Which makes more sense.

Dirty Talk is a surprising start for an artist who seems to be more as soulful/intense sort but a girl's got to start off somewhere. Still it should be an effective launch pad for one of the most talented internet buzz artists in awhile and at the very least allow to snag some slots writing for high profile artists. Needless to say, it's all very exciting.


And just for fun I've put the original version of Dirty Talk and Madge's Celebration beside each other so you can play them back to back and revel in the pop meets Ibiza house meets divas in battle glory. Enjoy!

Livvi Franc: What A Difference A Handful Of Remixes Make

Its funny what a few remixes will do for your appreciation of a song.

When I first heard Livvi Franc's Now I'm That Bitch (or Chick depending on how sensitive you are) I thought it was fine but utterly forgettable R&B/synth pop that might be a semi hit but wouldn't set the world alight. But thanks to a handful of remixes and a video that clearly references both Ciara and Rachel Stevens (talk about doing your homework) I've slowly come around to the track.

Here is the video which clearly had a fair wad spent on it:

Its the remixes that made me like this one.

The Kaskade Edit is the typical Kaskade remix but it works really well, a great piece of filter house pop that would sound awfully good played loud.

The Sam Sparro Mix (streaming at Livvi's MySpace) is great too, has a chunky, bassy feel and is a step away from the usual sounds most pop remixes have taken lately.

And of course the Jason Nevins Electro Edit is top notch as ever (see MySpace above). Its a nice bit of straightforward remixology with a nice crunchy beat that is a bit "Sexy Bitch" and a bit "Day N' Nite" with a nice errant guitar riff that whiffs of Justice.

Between the three mixes and the repetitive use of the word bitch, I'm sold!

Spin That Record - Top Tunes of the Moment

Lots of lovely remixes and pop tracks to be getting along with at the moment. Lets have a run down. Thanks to MuuMuse, Remixes Galore and Mossip for the tips!

MPHO - "Box N Locks" : Santigold-esque pop from hotly tipped Brit newcomer. Great stuff.

Hilary Duff - "Any Other Day (Richard Vission Remix)" : BRILLIANT stuff, the Duff isn't really on anybody's pop radar any more but this mix is fantastic and worth every second of your time, particularly if you think she's shite. In fact her last few remixes have been out of this world.

Medina - "You and I" : Slinky and moody dance tune, the Spencer and Hill remix is excellent too.

La Roux - Bulletproof (Zinc Remix) : Stumbled on this again after hearing it awhile back, much prefer it to the original!

Busta Rhymes - World Go Round feat. Estelle : club banger alert! Fantastic piece of aggressive electro fused hip hop. The video is inspired.

David Guetta - Sexy Bitch feat. Akon : A tad offensive maybe but this song is fire. This album is shaping up to be amazing Mr Guetta!

Dolly Rockers - Gold Digger : Staking a claim for most fun girl group around, this tune is tongue in cheek, catchy and very very good.

Freemasons feat. Sophie Ellis Bextor - "Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)" : I've just clicked with this rather epic track, Sophie's voice matches the usual Freemasons production really well.

Madonna - "Celebration (Benny Benassi Mix)" : Love the original obv but this gives a nice dirty house make over.

Simian Mobile Disco - "Cruel Intentions" feat. Beth Ditto : Inspired 90s style dance tune with lovely vocals from Ms Ditto.