Friday, July 30, 2010

Talking MIA & Step Up 3D on Spin This Weekend





I've been lucky enough to be asked to do fairly regular album reviews for Plan B, the Saturday magazine show on Spin 1038. It's always fun to do, whether it's dancing to Enrique in studio or cracking jokes about Sex and the City 2. This weekend I'll be chatting to Michelle from 1pm about MIA's new album MAYA (as I've taken to calling it, funny spelling bedamned!) and the soundtrack to Step Up 3D. Both are quite amazing in their own unique way so it should be fun to do.


The MIA album has grown on me no end. It's gotten mixed reports, especially as many seemed to think it was the dawning of a new pop orientated version of the star following the worldwide success of Paper Planes post Slumdog Millionaire. In reality it's what we've come to expect from her albums. Big ideas, crazy sounds and a mix of harsh, cloudy moments with some soaring pop melodies. There is definitely a harsher, industrial sound to some of the tracks but when MIA focuses on the chorus you catch a glimpse of some of her finest moments yet. Case in point the excellent XXXO which Spin have had in high rotation on their playlist. Another gem on the album for me is the lilting Tell Me Why, that oozes a melancholy missing on the rest of the release:



The Step Up 3D soundtrack is loads of fun. The previous film had a really strong mix of commerical R&B and Hip Hop and this one does much the same thing. You've probably heard that huge Flo Rida tune Club Can't Handle Me (number 4 on the Irish singles chart this week) but there's plenty of other bangers to be found from the pop sheen of Sophia Fresh's This Instant to well known cuts from Chromeo, N.A.S.A. and Estelle.

I've also somehow been invited to the premiere of the film on Tuesday which quite frankly is the most exciting thing that has EVER happened to me. I'll try and throw up a review once I've gotten to see it. Here's hoping it's suitably amazing!

Until then don't miss tomorrow on Spin at one. Not only is it online to stream, they now have the Spin TV cameras allowing you to watch what's going on in studio. I'm sure I'll bust a few Step Up inspired moves at some point. Hurrah.


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