// hellofromlisbon

WE MOVED!

2010-08-08T23:54:00.002+01:00

A change is always good. You can find HellofromLisbon now on tumblr.

The Image

2010-07-11T22:38:00.004+01:00

Slaves to the rhythm

2010-07-04T15:11:00.005+01:00

Rhythm is both the song’s manacle and its demonic charge. It is the original breath, it is the whisper of unremitting demand. “What do you still want of me?” says the singer. “What do you think you can still draw from my lips?”

“Exact presence that no fantasy can represent; purveyor of the oldest secret; alive with the blood that boils again and is pulsing where the rhythm is torn apart. How your singer’s blood is incensed at the depthof sound.”

Lacerations echo in the mouth’s open erotic sky - where dance together the lost frenzies of rhythm and an imploring im/mobility. The voice is slow, heavy, like the voice of a woman awakening from a time of betrayal. A voice like the slow rising, the slow opening of the dark. (…the impression is of moving in the shadows of syllables.)

Words are inside breath, as the earth is inside time… enslaved to its rhythms. The singer’s body finds its release in such confinement. A voice of non-participation: not so much a song for any “you” as the ruthless solicitation of disappointment, of disappointment’s immense pleasures… a maniacally glacial position taken up on the outermost limits of expectation. A perfect dissinulation: unabridged violence of the voice affirming a subjugated state. Annihilating rhythm.

Jean-Paul Goude

Prince gives you Sexuality

2010-07-03T20:15:00.003+01:00

His concert here in Portugal is getting closer and closer...

Happy 65th birthday Debbie Harry!

2010-07-01T23:06:00.005+01:00

Keep on rockin' it! You must watch the video below to know how good she is:

Let's go

2010-07-01T10:56:00.002+01:00

Grace Jones - I Love You To Life

2010-06-30T00:38:00.007+01:00

"If I could have my way / There would never be an end to this beginning"

Grace Jones (one of the names I wish I would see play live this summer) collaborated recently with photographer Chris Levine, known for his work using 3D and light effects, on an art installation called Stillness at the Speed of Life. Some of the photos revealed are mysterious and beautiful but now we get to see the music video that resulted from those sessions. Here's the video for I Love You To Life, a gorgeous Compass-Point styled track from her latest album, Hurricane. To find out more about the Jones and Levine collaboration please visit www.gracejonesbychrislevine.com.

And now for the original

2010-06-28T23:29:00.003+01:00

"You let go / And I let go too"

Because the song is just too good, the lyrics, the voice, the emotion, everything is so perfect. I remember playing her Miseducation album relentlessly after it came out. And I just recently discovered she'll be playing a free live show here in Lisbon by the end of July, tho I'll most probably be in Berlin at that time, so I won't be able to catch it.

Holly Miranda - The Ex-Factor

2010-06-28T23:14:00.007+01:00

Oh this is beautiful. Holly Miranda covers Lauryn Hill's gorgeous Ex-Factor song (I always loved it, may I rank it on my top 10 of the best tracks ever recorded? I think I might!). If you don't know who this girl is I urge you all to get her album The Magician's Private Library for atmospheric and intimate songs co-produced with Dave Sitek (TV On The Radio).

Moshi Moshi Records artists redefine Madonna

2010-06-28T09:00:00.004+01:00

The whiskey brand Jack Daniel's created an incredible concept for their JD Set live show that happened this past June 17 in Glasgow: Moshi Moshi records artists Silver Columns, Malcom Middleton, James Yuill, Casiokids and Cocknbullkid were asked to deliver their reworkings on some of Madonna's finest music moments. The group got together during a week to work on songs such as Vogue, Holiday (that gets norwegian lyrics in the treatment by the Casiokids), Open Your Heart or Frozen. The result is quite interesting and I think we might even see Madonna grabbing this hard-electro version of Vogue for one of her stage reinventions. Singer Cocknbullkid said:

"I think it’s a really cool concept. It’s one of the first things I was asked to do for this year and I’m really excited to be a part of it. We settled on Madonna. I think there were suggestions for Prince, Bowie, Roxy Music. The guys get to unleash their feminine side with Madonna, and I get to wear a conical bra! I am really looking forward to reinterpreting some of Madonna’s most seminal pop songs with the rest of the Moshi Moshi crew. I hope we do it justice."

Check out the studio rehearsals below:

Vogue - Silver Columns & Malcom Middleton

Open your Heart - James Yuill & Cocknbullkid

Borderline - Silver Columns, Cocknbullkid, James Yuill & Malcom Middleton

Florence + The XX live at Glastonbury

2010-06-27T21:57:00.003+01:00

It happened today at Glastonbury! Florence Welch joined The XX on stage for a surprise performance of their version of You've Got The Love. I shake just watching the video below, everything seems to fit so perfectly! The audience were already loving their version but the sublime voice of Miss Welch doing her surprise appearance midway through the song brought the house down. I am amazed how well she was able to reproduce all the skips that they did in her voice when remixing the track in the studio. It's completely different song and it seriously, sounds like a hard thing to sing, but she nailed it pretty damn well. Now, are we going to see this happen here in Lisbon at the Optimus Alive Festival next July 8th? Both bands are playing the same stage so you never know (crossing my fingers)...

Michael Jackson's new photo revealed

2010-06-27T18:15:00.005+01:00

Great artists live forever. Above, a new shot taken by a young french photographer called Arno Bani that is going on auction next December. This was Michael's latest photo shoot and I love it, the result is strikingly beautiful. And below, an icon remembering another.

Nick Cave & Debbie Harry Free To Walk duet

2010-06-24T00:02:00.007+01:00

"Your door is always open and your path is free to walk."

Here's a recent discovery: Nick Cave and Debbie Harry recorded a duet for a new compilation called We Are Only Riders which interprets unfinished songs by Jeffrey Lee Pierce (the lead singer of Gun Club who died years a go). Both artists also contribute with solo tracks for the project, with Cave playing the piano on Debbie's track. The song is hauntingly beautiful and critics are aiming it as the best recording by both artists in recent years. I truly believe Debbie is one of the most underrated singers ever, her voice is simply amazing and she can do it all (punk, rock, disco, rap, pop, jazz, you name it - she's done it with distinction). This track showcases how beautiful her voice is and I have it on repeat, it gives me chills everytime I play it. On a side note, in the early stages of his career, the late Jeffrey Lee Pierce was supported by Debbie Harry, who was convinced of his potential as musician and artist. He originally met her, as well as Christ Stein (also of Blondie), through his position as the president of Blondie's US fan club. Jeffrey died in 1996 at the age of 37.

MGMT's new video It's Working for me

2010-06-23T17:00:00.002+01:00

My god, their videos keep getting better and better, don't they? Second single from Congratulations is the album's opening track and the video treatment this time around comes to prove that MGMT do put a lot of effort in the band's visuals. The video (directed by artist SO-ME) is their most fun effort to date and can I point out that the boys are looking mighty fine on this one? LOVE all the technicolor effects!

Crystal Castles - Celestica

2010-06-23T00:02:00.003+01:00

When I saw Crystal Castles play here in Lisbon a couple of months a go there was this one song in their set that really got me. Not only it was quite different from everything else they did during the insanity that is their live show, it was also really really good. Celestica is the song and it's a cold and beautiful synth-led sound that gives Alice Glass and Ethan Kath a sensitive side (!) and, well, a hell of a great single. The video for Celestica was just released, check it below:

Blondie's new album Panic Of Girls

2010-06-21T01:32:00.008+01:00

Blondie will be releasing their new album Panic of Girls soon (artwork above - amazing!) but a first glimpse of the new songs is being played on their current live tour. Below is their kick-ass performance of What I Heard from their Isle of Wight show. It sounds incredible, a very fast, in your face punk-pop song in pure Blondie style. I'm getting übber excited, bring it on!

Hydrogen Dukebox Presents Sing + Play

2010-06-20T18:06:00.008+01:00

Here's a nice recent discovery I made while shopping in Stockholm: Hydrogen Dukebox is a label based in the UK that defines itself as electronic music for heroes. Their compilation Sing + Play (artwork pictured above) is like heaven on earth for me: eleven pop classics and underground favorites reworked as singular electronic oddities. A fresh perspective put into the music of My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division, Kylie Minogue (imagine if Kraftwek ever recorded her Slow hit), Blondie or the Talking Heads. It's just too good to be true actually, the selection is amazing. My favorite is Plumbline's twist on the Talking Heads Once In a Lifetime anthem, a track that Hydrogen also chose to release as a 7" to promote the record. An amazing animated video is just below the full tracklist:

Sometimes - M.E.D.I.A. (original by My Bloody Valentine)
Once In A Lifetime - PLUMBLINE (original by Talking Heads)
Atmosphere - TECHNOVA (original by Joy Division)
Slow - VINCENT OLIVER (original by Kylie Minogue)
Harmony In My Head - DIVE INDEX (original by Buzzcocks)
Whip It - GLOBO (original by Devo)
Personal Jesus - METEMATICS (original by Depeche Mode)
Homosapien - A1 PEOPLE FEATURING PETE SHELLEY
Just Like Heaven - PENTATONIK (original by The Cure)
Fade Away And Radiate - MILKY GLOBE & ISAN (original by Blondie)
In The End - CHARLIE ALEX MARCH (original by Daniel Johnson)

Human Life - In It Together

2010-06-19T12:45:00.006+01:00

Summer is here and it's time to dance! Here's the right band to help you: Human Life are an electric-pop trio from southern california, with LA nightlife proving to be one of the inspirations to their dynamic sound. Kind of reminds me of Zoot Woman, Stuart Price's 80's inspired rock band. I'm loving their video In It Together, a great short story about the escapism of the dancefloor and the adventure of youth. The song in itself is sexy nu-disco infused track with 8-bit blips and a catchy bassline you do not want to miss. Dance that summer away! Enjoy below:

It's Friday so you deserve a little bit of Prince

2010-06-18T09:18:00.003+01:00

Friday is here and the Prince concert here in Portugal is getting closer and closer. Time to celebrate with some Controversy, the title track from his 1981 album. Look at that album artwork! Look at that coat! Amazingness...

Kele - Tenderoni

2010-06-17T22:13:00.003+01:00

I'm impressed! Here is the new song from Kele Okereke, Bloc Party's lead singer. His first solo album will out on June 21st and it's called The Boxer. Total change of direction for him but it works amazingly well. This track was produced by XXXChange of Spank-Rock and the electro-vibe here reminds me of that wonderful Tiga song called Shoes, but only better. Can't wait to hear the album, enjoy the video below:

My Stockholm trip soundtrack

2010-06-13T23:57:00.004+01:00

There's always one song that marks my traveling, this time was around it was The Tough Alliance with Koca Kola Veins (playing everywhere - video below):

Stockholm

2010-06-13T22:37:00.004+01:00

Back from Stockholm! This is indeed a great city to visit, a place where the juxtaposition of water and nature creates one unique (laid-back) way of living. The sun hardly ever sets during half of the year, here are some snapshots of that amazing view.

Fuck yeah Prince at Super Rock Festival!

2010-05-26T23:44:00.004+01:00

Just confimed: Prince will play at the Super Rock festival here in Portugal next July 18!

I'm ecstatic, bring it on! Putting up a black sweat!

The image: Madonna & Isabella Rossellini

2010-05-25T00:26:00.003+01:00

One of the standout photos from the SEX book: Madonna and Isabella Rossellini hug in a Malibu beach under the lens of Steven Meisel (1992).

Goldfrapp feeling Alive again

2010-05-22T21:26:00.004+01:00

Here's the new Goldfrapp single, let's summarize my feelings in a few topics shall we?

1. I love the artwork and I want it hanging on my wall;

2. She's somehow channelling an 80's Bonnie Tyler vibe in the video;

3. There are laser beams coming out of her hands;

4. There are tons of girls doing aerobics in leotards;

5. Is that the guy from Kiss?

6. Those aerobic girls are not here for playing;

7. She gets into a coffin in the end.

Conclusion: I had my suspicions before but yes, Allison Goldfrapp is really a vampire.

Robyn's Dancing On My Own

2010-05-22T21:07:00.006+01:00

Could it be that the pop-anthem of this summer has already arrived? Yes, it looks so with the release of Robyn's Dancing On My Own. This track is set to keep all the boys and girls dancing until the early morning, it's just such an infectious beat and sophisticated sound, the perfect soundtrack to everyone who's it doing by themselves. Robyn, we're all dancing with you!

Ellie Goulding live

2010-05-22T20:54:00.006+01:00

A great acoustic rendition of her single Guns and Horses at The Sun's Biz Sessions. Since the video is not embedable, follow the link here to enjoy this great performance. Have a great weekend!

LCD Soundsystem - Bye Bye Bayou

2010-05-20T23:08:00.005+01:00

A cool lo-fi video has just been released for LCD Soundsystem's cover of Bye Bye Bayou (a buzz 12" that preceded their current This is Happening album). This is a great track and I'm happy they did a video for it, I love all the retro video effects used here. Travel back to 1981 and enjoy this great track, the video is just below:

The random image post

2010-05-16T23:57:00.001+01:00

Thank you good night!

Florence + The Machine present Cosmic Love

2010-05-12T23:21:00.007+01:00

"And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat

I tried to find the sound
But then it stopped, and I was in the darkness,
So darkness I became"

It took her some time but here it is: Florence has just released the video for what most consider the best track from her Lungs debut album. Cosmic Love is pure magical bliss and one of the best songs I have heard in ages. I love the dreamy sonic landscape, I love the lyrics (the part "Then I heard your heart beating / You were in the darkness too / So I stayed in the darkness with you" just kills me, I don't know why), and I love her voice ranging from intimacy to pure celebratory rage. The video looks beautiful, you can see the budget wasn't huge but the colorful result is striking (and she has a soft spot for dramatics in her videos and I quite like that). After seeing her perform last March here in Lisbon, I am now officially anticipating her show at the Alive Festival next July. Video below:

BB Homemaker's Why Don't You Love Me?

2010-05-08T14:18:00.008+01:00

What a nice surprise! I usually take all of Beyonce's reinventions with a grain of salt but deep down I think she is one of the best performers and one of the hard working girls out there right now. She has built a solid career out of Destiny's Child and transformed herself into this rn'b queen that just hands you out the goods again and again. And so is the case with this new track, a new single for the re-release of the I Am/Sasha Fierce album. The track is penned with cooler than cool kid sister Solange Knowles (love her) and it sounds just great. And on top of that we get an amazing (read hilarious) video with Beyonce rocking tons of vintage looks. I think the pin-up vibe suits her really well, she looks beautiful! Best moment: the little interlude where she is seen dusting-off a shelve full of Grammy awards! What's there not to love about her?

The Horrors + Crystal Castles concert

2010-05-05T01:06:00.004+01:00

Just got back from the double bill concert of The Horrors / Crystal Castles here in Lisbon and it was great. It seems clear to me that this was indeed a great choice of bands to perform at the same gig: both brought a dark atmosphere into the room, one via a rock point of view the other via pure electronica experimentation. I managed to capture some cool photos from The Horrors gig (above) and some iphone shots of Crystal Castles' strobe infused show (below). The noisy vibe of the iphone cam kind of transmits the exact feeling of their show.

Strike a pose there's nothing to it

2010-05-04T00:52:00.003+01:00

HOT! Madonna will grace the cover of the next Interview magazine with a total new shoot directed by Mert & Marcus. And to raise the interest level out of the roof, she is being interviewed by Gus Van Sant! Look at that cover picture! I am so buying this one... A making-of the shoot, directed by Fabien Baron (yes, the same who art-directed her gorgeous Sex book) is avaliable here.

Summer Tees!

2010-04-27T23:27:00.003+01:00

Wear your icons with pride! Some t-shirts I have my eyes on...

Björk and all that jazz

2010-04-26T00:13:00.007+01:00

Watching a late night show from portuguese tv where they played this song from Björk's Gling Gló reminded me how fond I am of that record released back in 1990. The album is a bit of a jazz experiment by Björk and a trio of jazz musicians and it contains both icelandic songs and english versions from well-known show tunes. I found a video for Bella Símamær on youtube, set to the short-film The Monk And The Fish by Michael Dudok and I can't help to share it. The warmth of her voice still gives me goosebumps...

New The XX video

2010-04-25T23:54:00.005+01:00

Still going on strong, The XX released their new video, this time for the wonderful Islands track, one of the highlights from their album. The video suits the song incredibly, with all the sharp choreography and stylish vibe, making a bit of a statement about the inevitable encounters and separations inbuilt in the concept of human relationships.

And you could have it all

2010-04-19T00:46:00.005+01:00

Listening to an old Johnny Cash song this weekend at a local bar here in Lisbon reminded me of how amazing the legacy of this man is and how highly I regard his cover version of Hurt, a song written by Trent Reznor and first released on Nine Inch Nails' 1994 album The Downward Spiral. Not only his interpretation of the song is extremely beautiful and poignant, it is also very bittersweet to embrace the recording as this ended up serving as a prelude to his death (it was his last release - Cash died only 4 months after his wife passed). In the accompanying video we see him looking back at images from his career (and you could have it all / my empire of dirt), and it serves as a final chapter to the amazing life of this american legend. The Mark Romanek directed clip is just below:

Stop calling stop calling...

2010-04-17T18:02:00.000+01:00

Lali Puna's That Day is here

2010-04-14T22:54:00.003+01:00

Remember Lali Puna and their brilliant Faking The Books album? I've seen them play here in Lisbon AGES a go and I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the german band is back with a new full-lenght album called Our Inventions. So here is the first single, called That Day, with a video directed by Yu Sato. The animation is just beautiful and it fits the mood of the song so well, I love it! Check below:

Guns and Horses - Ellie Goulding's new video!

2010-04-12T23:21:00.007+01:00

Here is the new video from Ellie Goulding! It's called Guns and Horses and it is actually my favorite track on her album. Ellie says: "I wrote Guns And Horses about a romance that began online... I wanted the guy to feel more than he did for me but through no fault of his own he couldn't. It's a song about frustration essentially." The surreal and mysterious video is now ready for you to feast your eyes on - directed by Petro, and filmed at Los Angeles' Griffith Park, it features Ellie singing in a misty woodland landscape with some ethereal backing dancers. Guns and Horses is out on May 7th.

Speak the truth and shame the devil

2010-04-09T00:49:00.005+01:00

On the next NME issue there's an interview with M.I.A. where she gets asked what does she think about Lady Gaga. Not that I dislike Gaga (not at all) but this girl puts into words exactly how I feel:

“People say we’re similar, that we both mix all these things in the pot and spit them out differently, but she spits it out exactly the same. None of her music’s reflective of how weird she wants to be or thinks she is. She models herself on Grace Jones and Madonna, but the music sounds like 20-year-old Ibiza disco, you know? She’s not progressive, but she’s a good mimic.”

We salute you M.I.A! The world needs more people like you. And for that I leave you with an Oprah animated gif.

Mr. Oizo with Pharrell Williams (short-film)

2010-04-07T23:13:00.002+01:00

Remember Mr. Oizo and the famous puppet Flat Eric from the 90's? Well, Mr. Oizo has just directed a short-film called Where's The Money George and it's with (always amazing) Pharrell Williams! How the two of them got together is not quite clear but some are speculating this could be some sort of teaser for new music they are doing together. Discover below:

I think I want a table like this!

2010-04-06T01:06:00.004+01:00

Ok this is an impressive piece of work: a meetings table constructed using precisely 22742 lego pieces! The concept was created and executed by the people at ABCG, an architecture studio base in Ireland. I'm jealous, I want one right now for my flat. With the right choice of colors, this could kick some serious ass! Check the video below and try it yourself at home:

Monday's power boost!

2010-04-05T00:05:00.002+01:00

Kick of your week with a Madonna power-performance from back in the day. It's Express Yourself from the 1990 Blond Ambition Tour and you could say that this was the moment that hooked up this then 9 year old boy on the mighty M. The stage sizzles with her presence, the dance steps are powerful, the songs is outrageously good and the message is clear: take full control of your life and the sky is the limit. The Blond Ambition Tour is a mark in the history of rock n' roll and I truly urge you to see the Truth Or Dare/In Bed With Madonna movie (trailer below) for a great insight in the insanity of what is life on the road and what's behind the concept of celebrity as we know it today.

Truth or Dare trailer:

Really, why not?

2010-04-04T16:44:00.002+01:00

Simply click here, easy as one-two-three.

Tokyo Glow

2010-04-04T15:37:00.006+01:00

While I daydream of a trip to Tokyo (maybe next year, Stockholm seems to be set for this summer), here's an interesting short-film by Jonathan Bensimon constructed using the concept of time-lapse footage. Discover nocturnal Tokyo through the eyes of LED character that decides to move away from where he's supposed to be.

Alison Goldfrapp meets Debbie Harry!

2010-04-04T00:13:00.012+01:00

Never thought this would happen but here you have it: two of my favorite singers sat down together for an interview with Spin Magazine and you can read it all here. Can't wait! Here's my favorite bit from this interview:

GOLDFRAPP: Can I get personal now? Do you think because of your age you should dress differently? I was doing an interview the other day, and the guy asked me, "Do you think you're too old to be wearing short dresses?"

HARRY: You've got gorgeous legs.

GOLDFRAPP: I was like, "Tina Turner wore short dresses, and my legs are quite good." I didn't realize there was an age limit for a hemline. What the fuck do you wear?

HARRY: I've gone through that dilemma. I had someone say to me, "You should just wear Chanel suits." I tried. I wasn't comfortable. For me, performance is about forgetting what I'm wearing. Just putting it on and knowing it's right. I'd like to wear hot pants - honest, guys, I really would - but those days are gone.

These New Puritans

2010-04-03T01:30:00.004+01:00

Connecting different worlds to create something truly unique seems to be the word of the day for These New Puritans, and so far the results have been nothing short of absolute amazingness. In their new video, the mechanised-grime rhythms of the song are synchronized to slow-motion images of bodies moving in a highly choreographed way, all shot with a seemingly obsessive detail. The effect sits somewhere between concepts like trippy, frightening and disturbing, but most of all, it all just looks absolutely stunning. [PR]

Robert Longo

2010-03-31T23:46:00.011+01:00

Robert Longo is an American painter and sculptor. Longo became famous in the 1980s for his "Men in the Cities" series, which illustrated sharply dressed businessmen writhing in contorted emotion. His work is currently being shown here in Lisbon at CCB. During the 80's, Longo directed several music videos, including New Order's Bizarre Love Triangle or The One I Love by R.E.M.His work has inspired others such as Circlesquare's music video Dancers, one of my favorite videos ever:

MGMT's new video: Flash Delirum

2010-03-30T23:28:00.004+01:00

In case you missed it, the new video from MGMT (called Flash Delirium) is already streaming at the band's official website. It comes out of the mind of swedish director Andreas Nilsson and it's so out of reality that it actually works! The song itself is a mix-mash of different musical ideas, ambitious in it's construction but, in the end, quite rare and interesting (loving the californian surf vibe in the sound). And now, the new video brings up the strangeness of the track into a whole new level! I could try to interpret a meaning behind it but, really, why should I? Enjoy here.

WTF? Katy Perry interviews Florence?

2010-03-30T00:42:00.004+01:00

Found this on youtube and it's the weirdest interview ever. The expressions on Florence's face are priceless, she seems uncomfortable with so many things (that Kate Bush comparing she always gets is probably starting to get annoying). All and all it's a sweet and curious moment between two completely different girls in music today...

Madonna live dvd out today!

2010-03-26T00:04:00.006Z

The DVD/Blueray for Madonna's record-breaking Sticky & Sweet Tour is out today. Take a look at the trailer below for a little taste of magic. I said it before and I'll say it again: no one puts on a show quite like Madonna does, she is a larger than life performer and has most stage presence than any I can think of. Call it talent, drive or pure raw ambition, the minute she walks on stage you can't take your eyes from her. Trust me, I've seen her play live about 9 times now...

The Image: Justin Timberlake by Steven Klein

2010-03-23T00:32:00.008Z

There's one thing I really admire in Steven Klein's work: he can take any superstar out of their comfort zone and shape their character in a 180º spin. His images are as much sexy as they are frightening, seducing in the same amount as they are repulsive. And it is in exploring that paradox within a photographic print that relies his greatest achievement. Klein's session with Justin Timberlake for Arena Homme is a great example of this. By 2001 Justin Timberlake was nothing more than the curly eyed, boy-band poster idol that teenagers everywhere held up on their bedroom walls. He projected this image of being charming and harmless, the kind of boy every mother dreams for their little girl. But, as most teenage idols find somewhere in their life (if they want to pursuit an enduring career in show business) that image had to go. Suddenly America's favorite sweet-boy poses with his mouth in blood, head-shaven and a giant cross tattooed on his arm, stating very clearly that he has grown up and wants to go further in his career. I particularly like the graphic work on the cover, where the photo print seems to be burning on the american flag (notice the stars on the lower edge). The message is clear: the sweet and innocent charmeness of yesterday becomes pure and raw sexiness and America gets a new sex symbol. [complete editorial at stevenkleinstudio.com]

Kid Cudy feat. MGMT & Ratatat

2010-03-21T22:10:00.008Z

Here's the third single from Kid Cudi's debut studio album Man On The Moon: The End of Day. The song is called Pursuit of Happiness and not only features backing vocals from MGMT (wow!) it is also produced by Ratatat (double wow!). I really like the dreamy vibe of the song with all the synth work and the touch of neo-psychedelic that MGMT bring to the chorus beautiful lyrics:

I’m On The Pursuit Of Happiness And I Know /

Everything That Shines Ain’t Always Gonna Be Gold /
I’ll Be Fine Once I Get It; I’ll Be Good

Lykke Li special performance video

2010-03-21T17:45:00.008Z

Here is the a special video shot in black and white from Lykke Li performing the song Possibility (from the New Moon soundtrack) in Stockholm on March 9th. It is dark and mysterious and the perfect setting for this über track.

And even more from Florence in Lisbon

2010-03-20T19:29:00.007Z

And here are the final two videos from Florence & The Machine's show in Lisbon last week. Enjoy Hurricane Drunk and Drumming Song just below:

More from Florence in Lisbon

2010-03-17T22:33:00.004Z

Above are some of the photos I did at the unforgettable show by Florence and The Machine here in Lisbon yesterday. I'm still speechless about how good it was, it exceed all my expectations and I need more Florence material ASAP (expecting the deluxe Lungs box-set to arrive any moment now, it includes a concert in dvd). Here is my video recording of Rabbit Heart, more to come...

Florence & The Machine live in Lisbon

2010-03-17T00:59:00.004Z

Oh what a night! I'm too tired to write a long text about it now but I do have the pictures and the videos to show. She was purely amazing and was quite excited because it was the last show of the european tour. Seemed to love the audience and drove security mad by asking people to come closer to the stage and disrespect all the ticket sections (which we did). Too many videos and images to post, keep on checking the following days. As for now, here's the wonderful live version of You've Got The Love:

I'd wait for all the dark clouds bursting in the perfect sky

2010-03-14T23:55:00.005Z

Remembering some of my all time favorite videos brings me back directly to Madonna's Rain (directed by Mark Romanek). Not only I adore the song (sounds so fresh and modern even today) but I also think the video is a masterpiece by itself. The director presented her the idea of this futuristic set where an actress performs her part because he thought what Madonna had been doing up to there was more looking back at old Hollywood glamour rather than setting herself in a futuristic landscape. Which is is true if you think about it. She can do Garbo, Dietrich or Monroe very easily, but this was probably the first time her image was projected forward in time. It's simply beautiful and a great homage to her mid-thirties beauty (looks at those eyes!). Watch closely and you'll see a cameo by Ryuichi Sakamoto playing the movie director. Madonna's original idea was to have Fellini playing the director's part in the video. She is a huge fan of his work and wrote him a letter asking to participate in the shoot but due to severe ilness he kindly declined (she framed his letter to her anyway). So here it is, one of the most beautiful videos ever made:

Florence re-releases Dog Days Are Over

2010-03-13T22:47:00.007Z

Just a few weeks after grabbing the Album of the Year award at the Brits, Florence is now re-releasing the opening track from Lungs, the song called Dog Days Are Over (one of my favorites from the record). I quite liked the first video done for this track in all it's lo-budget glory, but with this new version you get the sense that Florence Welch might not be looking to be pigeon-holed as an indie girl from the woods type of act but looking to expand her horizons instead. I started to note on the last video (Hurricane Drunk) some resemblances to the visual reiventions of Björk, and I can't help to think about Volta when watching this new clip. The tribal feeling, the make-up, I'm sure Björk would approve. Let's see what the future holds for her, somehow I think it's the time to release a second album. But for now I'm happy knowing she will be playing here in Lisbon next week. I am looking forward to see how the songs from Lungs work live. Video below:

You've been a very bad girl Gaga

2010-03-12T23:56:00.007Z

Here is the new Lady Gaga video, featuring Beyonce. Telephone serves as a continuation to her Paparazzi video, starting from where it ended. It is directed by the ever so wonderful Jonas Akerlund (Madonna's long time partner in crime) and it was already famous before it premiered. There has been a lot of expectation regarding this video, mostly due to a clever online marketing campaign that teased fans with the most exuberant images from the recording. I think it's wonderful, it's crazy-good and a lot superior to the Bad Romance one (that, after a few viewings, looks quite ridiculous). Her acting scenes are stiff, not even Madonna-stiff but STIFF, but thankfully Beyonce is there to raise up the acting level. I do regret the TONS of product placements she is putting on here, I mean, sandwich bread??? While Gaga looks like herself (loving the telephone head piece), I have to say Beyonce looks amazing, very sexy and stylish. The video is funny and silly, like Kill Bill and Telma & Louise mashed-up together with Madonna's Who's That Girl film (that no one would have guessed could become a reference to anything). And it works. I particularly like the scene where she gets out of jail and does a little step dance and a scream. Reminds me of Michael Jackson. She is heading towards that direction indeed, becoming more and more a larger than life singer that exhales performance-art and yet no one really knows much about who they are in private. She is bringing excitement back into the pop world, and the massive response to the premiere of this video today is only proof that people missed the excitement.

Jonathan Boulet

2010-03-12T01:00:00.005Z

Here's a track I am quite enjoying at the moment. It's called North To South East To You and it comes from Sydney by the voice and talent of Jonathan Boulet. It's just this wonderful slow-burner of a song, the type of dreamie indie-rock that catches you on the first listen. Still trying to fetch his album, will do that soon. As for now, enjoy the song and the superb video, one of the greatest I've seen lately, proving that a simple idea still works best.

Off to see Owen Pallett play tonight

2010-03-11T20:00:00.005Z

While I'm away to see Owen Pallett (ex- Final Fantasy) play here in Lisbon tonight at Teatro Maria Matos, I leave you the *wonderful* picture he did for BUTT Magazine and the new video called Lewis Takes Off His Shirt . If I'm lucky I might take some pictures at the show tonight, we'll see.

New LCD Soundsystem!

2010-03-09T23:06:00.004Z

Great news! While we're getting close to the release of a new LCD Soundsystem album (May) you might want to check out a great song that they did for the soundtrack of the movie Greenberg (directed by Noah Baumbach). It's called Oh you (Christmas Blues) and it makes quite an interesting departure from their previous material. There's a disconnected guitar riff and a general feeling of isolation and despair over this dramatic recording, and it all sounds like it could be a song from David Bowie's Lodger album (that's good in my book). I love it, if this is any indication of their new material, then I really can't wait! Check out We All Want Someone To Shout For to grab a radio rip of the song, or simply stream below.

LCD Soundsystem - Oh You (Christmas Blues) by hellofromlisbon

Meet Japayork

2010-03-08T23:15:00.006Z

Japayork is a boy who catched my eye recently. At merely 22 he manages to live between Japan and New York (that's where the name comes from, real name is Nick) and works both as a musician and graphic designer. Talk about living the dream! His synth-pop sound has made quite an impression and he is now rumored to be on the verge of a multi-million record deal. At first, he does seem to have what it takes to make it: not only he has full control of his sound, he directs his visual offers as well. He says he comes from the future and looks good in anything with sequins. Not that hard when you look like that. Here is Our Now, his lead single, with an animated video created by himself.

Hey hey, it's monday again!

2010-03-08T00:25:00.006Z

Cheer up my friends and let's start the week with some Grace in your face. Here she is shaking it down to funk beats of her dirty classic Pull Up To My Bumper live on the recent Hurricane Tour. I really do need to see this woman perform live, crossing my fingers to see her name added to one of the portuguese summer festivals this year. She's quite unique, don't you think?

For every boy who tried to build a robot...

2010-03-07T23:39:00.007Z

... here's the amazing video to Kasper Bjørke's Efficient Machine, another track from his latest album Standing On Top Of Utopia. The vocals to this tune come from Tomas Höffding from Who Made Who. Enjoy the video below:

Goldfrapp's Rocket (new video!)

2010-03-05T01:23:00.005Z

Well here it is, the brand new Goldfrapp video, Rocket. After a bit of a pastoral vacation, they are back doing disco-pop in all it's glory and it feels like home. I wasn't that excited with the song when I first heard it months a go (they're one of my favorite bands so expectations are always very high) but the video does make wonders for it. Watch Alison back into her major bitch mode, riding a truck carrying a pink pointed rocket (!!!) in which her former lover ends up being strapped on. Very stylish and full of humor, just like I like them.

But who is she?

2010-03-01T23:39:00.004Z

In these times where the music industry is somehow lost and boring, it's very refreshing that someone has created a really original and creative way of hyping up a record. Since a few weeks now there have been some viral videos floating around the internet under the alias of IAMAMIWHOAMI. These videos, beautifully shot and showcasing some amazing sonic ambiences, reveal only a female character (the singer?) with her face painted in black. They're mysterious and completely unpredictable, and it has raised the interest level very high on this musical project. I have been following the online discussion about this and everyone seems to have their own opinion: some say it's the new Little Boots record (she looks like her), others say the Christina Aguilera album (she's doing electro-pop now, don't you know?), others say it's The Knife or a new Aphex Twin project. The truth is, no one knows. I really think this last video (the one I'm posting) puts the Aguilera theory to rest. It will be interesting to see how this will unfold. The sound of this (band?) seems really great and the visual atmosphere is mesmerizing. Check the video below and have your say.

Start your week with new Frankmusik!

2010-03-01T09:45:00.008Z

Hello there, good morning! Why not start your week with a brand new Frankmusik track? Losing Streak is the first appetizer to his second album (in the works and called, as for now, Follow The Leader). I'm really liking this new direction, it's always refreshing to hear some good ol' dirty electronica! While we wait for more information on this new project, start your week with a bang and enjoy the new tune below!

A song for your sunday evening

2010-02-28T22:45:00.007Z

Windsor For The Derby are a band from Austin, Texas. I got to know this song by listening to the (amazing) soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's 2006 movie Marie Antoinette. It is simply beautiful and I have been in love with it since the first listening (video below - seems like a montage someone did, as it is impossible to find a promo or performance of this song on the internet). I urge you all to get their album "We Fight Till Death" as it is equally brilliant. But enough of words, let's enjoy the beauty of The Melody Of A Fallen Tree.

The Image: Justify My Love

2010-02-27T18:50:00.010Z

Madonna in the hallway of a parisian hotel filming the video for Justify My Love (click to enlarge). This video has to be one my all time favorites. It looks ageless and it exudes class, mystery and sensuality. I always liked seeing her with Tony Ward (the self-proclaimed anti-model), they made a great couple. Video directed by Jean Baptiste Mondino.

Discovering Fanfarlo

2010-02-27T17:33:00.011Z

Fanfarlo is a six-piece band from London formed by swedish musician Simon Balthazar (vocalist). They came on to my radar through their single Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time, and I really liked their vibe. The sound comes across as a mixture of Talking Heads and Arcade Fire, the latter being a band they get compared to quite a lot (I would say Fanfarlo's mood is more happy and celebratory than Arcade Fire's, but still maintaining a darker edge). Their sound is complex, built with with trumpets, violins, guitars, bass, drums, you name it, and it all sounds very layered and rich. They already got their seal of approval from Mr. David Bowe himself, who praised the band saying: "I’ve heard four or five of Fanfarlo’s songs now and, like a few of my other favourites, they have that particular knack of being able to create uplifting music that’s blessed with a delicious melancholia at the same time." To get to know them better, check their debut album Reservoir. Video for Harold T. Wilkins is just below:

Ellie Goulding Lights review

2010-02-26T20:33:00.009Z

Ellie Goulding has just released her long-awaited debut album, called Lights. After being hyped to death as the next best thing in pop, even receiving a critics choice award at the Brits this year (oh the pressure!), music lovers have been questioning if she can really deliver a solid record after all. After listening to the album my answer is: yes, she can. Lights is an amazing collection of songs, co-produced with partner in crime Finlay Dow-Smith (aka Starsmith) that seem to accentuate the dreamy electronica that we had a glimpse of on singles such as Starry Eyed and Under The Sheets. I loved all his clever twists and skips in the production here (intertwined with a folk flavor), creating the perfect scenario for Ellie Goulding's unique (and precious) voice. And I really mean this, she has a very rich and unique vocal sound. It reminds me a bit of early Björk (the coy, shy way of bursting the bittersweet lyrics, a mannerism that you can either love or hate). As for the album, I do miss a few acoustic numbers thrown in, she sounds beautiful in a more intimate musical set (video below) and you are left feeling that she should have recorded more in that direction as well. In that sense, I can also establish a parallel between Lights and Björk's Debut album: both records seem to focus more on dance-pop songs, while you clearly are left feeling that the artists have their heads set on other musical adventures. If Björk has found her true musical self on her third album, chances are Ellie might do the same on future recordings. Because what lacks on Lights is intimacy, something we know she can transmit brilliantly (check out her Bon Iver cover of Wolves and you'll never be the same again). That's the only thing I missed when listening to this (still impressive) collection of songs. Lights is the type of album that is sure to put Ellie Goulding on the pop stratosphere without showcasing everything she has to offer. She can clearly achieve the same amount of fan base as, say, Florence & the Machine, another singer with an unique vocal style that can either delight or rub you the wrong way. As for this writer, I can honestly say I'm in love. There's a bright future ahead of her and we are truly fortunate to have such an unique singer with us. Welcome, Ellie!

A Camp - Boys Keep Swinging

2010-02-23T00:14:00.006Z

As a sort of continuation from my previous post, I would like to point out that A Camp (Nina Persson's band) have released sometime last year a digital-only EP of cover versions. It features 3 tracks, 2 of them are among my favorite songs ever: David Bowie's Boys Keep Swinging and Grace Jones I've Done It Again (such a beautiful song). Not only Nina Persson is a goddess in her own right (swedes do it better), but their Bowie cover sounds amazing. Check a rocking tv performance below.

Boys Keep Swinging by David Bowie

2010-02-22T23:12:00.008Z

Boys Keep Swinging was the introductory single to David Bowie's 1979 album Lodger, a record where he wanted to capture the raw sound of a garage band. To achieve this he made all of his musicians swap instruments, taking them out of their comfort zone, most notably with guitarist Carlos Alomar playing drums and Dennis Davis playing bass. The final result was a sort of post-punk feel that makes this an extraordinary album in Bowie's long list of fortunate musical experimentations. As for the song, Boys Keep Swinging is indeed one of my favorite Bowie tracks, an acid satyr on machismo and the general view of the place of a man in society. This is expressed in such hysterical lines as "When you're a boy you can buy a home of your own / Learn to drive and everything" or the wink to his gender-bender days on the controversial (and radio-censured) line "When you're a boy, other boys check you out". If lyrically this serves as a delicious tongue-in-cheek ode to masculinity, in musical terms it's just as free as the interpreter himself. There are raging guitars scratching everywhere and a demanding dance beat underneath the construction of this rock song that clearly aims at the dancefloor. Rock, punk and disco (shall we call it new wave?) all combined in about 3 minutes and a half of pure adrenalin rush. Enjoy the video below.

A song for a sunday night

2010-02-21T23:53:00.007Z

Kasper Bjørke comes from the danish electronic scene and has already established himself both as a dj/remixer, as well as a solo act. I would like to direct your attention the song Never Young Again, the lead single from his second album (called Standing On Top Of Utopia). The vocals here come from danish indie singer Jacob Bellens and the song sounds simply great. Perfect tune for a relaxing sunday night. Oh, and what a beautiful video this is!

Caribou - Odessa

2010-02-20T17:58:00.005Z

Daniel Victor Snaith, otherwise known as Caribou, is a canadian musican who has already recorded under the alias of Monitoba. His next album, Swim, will be released on April 2oth and here's a tasty introduction to that. The track is called Odessa and it's a great electro-pop song sure to delight you (think of how a party at an underwater disco would sound like). Check out below the mysterious (and utterly amazing!) video for the song.

Vampire Weekend are Giving Up The Gun

2010-02-20T15:48:00.007Z

The new Vampire Weekend single is out and it might just be the first song from them I can say I really enjoy (I might try listening to Contra after all). And what about that amazing video? Well, it's a bit of an all-stars affair and it features Jake Gyllenhaal, Lil' Jon, Wu Tang Clan's RZA and Joe Jonas (yes, the cutest one from the Jonas Brothers). It's pretty funny and a great visual complement to this great tune. Oh and for a bit of trivia, the all-white set of the video is the same used on Lady Gaga's Bad Romance video...

You've Got The Love x 3

2010-02-19T01:23:00.007Z

While waiting for Florence Welsh's concert here in Lisbon (March 16th!), here is a threesome of the best song I have heard in the last months. Really, it has become one of my favorite tunes ever, so why not indulge in 3 great versions you simply cannot miss? Here we go:

1. The XX Remix (more of a cover version but still amazing)

You've Got the Love (The xx Remix) by hellofromlisbon

2. You've Got The Dirtie Love (Brit Awards mash-up performance with Dizzie Rascal)

3. The amazing Studio 54 inspired video (that elevates Florence into the category of sexiest bitch in rock!)

The Klaxons + Blondie = Brilliant!

2010-02-16T23:19:00.007Z

More than often most mash-ups are only out to disappoint, but let me direct your attention to this Klaxons + Blondie mash, I think it's a killer track! It's called Golden Blonde and the instrumental comes from Golden Skans and the vocals from Blondie's Call Me hit. And well, they sound like they were ment for eachother! You can download the track here or simply stream below.

Golden Blonde (Blondie + The Klaxons) by hellofromlisbon

They said "Who's next?" We say "Us"!

2010-02-15T20:27:00.005Z

If, like myself, you're feeling in the mood for a good party, you might want to check out Curry & Coco, a french duo formed by Thomas & Sylvain, who have just released an EP called Sex Is Fashion. Their sound has been described as "nervous electro" and I can only agree, it's pretty much raw electronic music with a very in your face attitude about it. A full-lenght album is in the works, co-produced by David Kosten (Bat For Lashes), and it's promised to capture the energy of their live shows (they've already toured with such bands as CSS and Crystal Castles). Below you can find the wonderful Who's Next? video, I'm loving that choreography!

Boys for your weekend: Lo-Fi-Fnk

2010-02-13T21:24:00.004Z

Here's a great new track from swedish electro duo Lo-Fi-Fnk. It's called Marchin' In and it serves as a taste of things to come for the follow up to their 2006 debut album Boylife. I liked this songvery much, it's dreamy! Video below:

Rihanna - Sexuality

2010-02-13T00:03:00.009Z

Still on the subject of Rihanna, there's a great new track floating on the internet called Sexuality that seems to clearly sample Prince's Controversy song. It was recorded for the Rated-R album but it never made it into the final tracklist (it's too fun for the dark mood of that album). I love it, she should go on a make a collaboration with him. Imagine Prince producing Rihanna!!! Well, anyway here it is. What a nice way to start our weekend!

Come here rude boy!

2010-02-12T00:23:00.011Z

Rihanna's new video Rude Boy is out, another track from her gorgeous Rated-R album. I love the video, it's very graphical and inventive, and it suits the song really well. She looks sexy as hell and, while most bloggers have been saying that she is clearly imitating Grace Jones' body painting by Keith Haring in one of the sequences here, I say: Grace is the right place to get your inspiration from, she has been marching to the beat of her own drum for ages and her impact on younger performers is transversal. And as I wrote before when I reviewed the album, this caribbean infused goodie is totally inspired by Pull Up To The Bumper and even more directly by My Jamaican Guy. Time to get it up!

The Ultimate 30 Madonna tracks list!

2010-02-11T00:34:00.001Z

Part 3 - The 00's
Here's the final part of our Ultimate 30 Madonna Tracks list, this time focusing on the last decade. These were the years were we saw Madonna cleverly blending herself with electronica and folk, facing commercial failure when trying to mature her sound (the American Life album), coming back to the top of her game with a discofied record that set the world on fire, and flirting with urban producers du jour. Some amazing songs (and albums) came out of these sessions and the best 10 tracks are just below. As always, feel free to let me know your list!

21. Music (2000)

Starting the new decade with a bang, Madonna releases an album inspired by french house and american folk. As far as these two worlds may sound, the mixture was really great and it worked. Music, the lead single and title cut from the album is an instant classic: the catchiest hook ever, the return of a youthful and energetic pitch she didn't use since the days of Vogue and Deeper and Deeper, those mad fire synths looping at the end of the song. It's a real anthem and what I enjoyed the most at the time was the fact that this was a serious departure from the ethereal mood of her Ray of Light sound. Surely she could have just recorded a new album in that genre but risks were taken and it paid off brilliantly.

22. Impressive Instant (2000)

It was quite a surprise to hear her recording a song like this, it sounds more like Chemical Brothers remixing Madonna than an actual album song. Well, it works! It's one of those Madonna on acid moments that are just too good to be missed. Somehow it translates really well that moment where your eye catches someone across the room and your world just spins around you. It's basically THAT moment put into music and rather brilliantly done if you ask me. I am very fond of the tape skips Mirwais applied on the production and, well, who could forget then line "I like to singy singy singy...". And I won't even go in her Drowned World Tour punk-rock performance because that is just too good to put into words.

23. I Deserve It (2000)

A sincere and down to earth moment in the middle of the high-energy of her Music album. It's quite a cinematographic song, were you can easily picture this lonely confessional character in the middle of the universe. The juxtaposition of the warmness of the acoustic guitar with the chilling and slightly spacial synths create an unique effect. It remembers me a lot of David Bowie's Space Oddity song, tho I can't really say if it was or it wasn't a reference for Madonna and producer Mirwais. On a side-note, this is perhaps the first track where you can hear Madonna's voice completely in the nude: legend has it Mirwais loved her voice when they started recording and asked her to record a song without having him touch the reverb filter (that by the way, is used to death on her previous album). She panicked but accepted. The result was beautiful.

24. Paradise Not For Me (2000)

Oh where to start? I mean, isn't this just one of the best things she ever recorded? For this track alone I could consider Mirwais her best producer ever (which I do), I just love the minimal electronica versus the larger than life string arrangements here. Again, like on I Deserve It, they went for the paradox and it really worked. It's dark and mysterious and her candid way of singing/whispering the words is great. The recording works as a bit of an homage to the recordings of Serge Gainsbourg with Brigitte Bardot and she even tries a little bit of french (or as Mirwais puts it, Madonna French). If you don't have this you should download it ASAP.

25. Die Another Day (2002)

"James Bond needs to go electro!" That's what she stated in an interview around the time this song was released and it let a lot of people with their jaws on the floor. Maybe she missed the chance to record a grand Bond classic (rumor has it she did, it was called Can't You See My Mind and it's still on the shelve) but this proto-robotnic song is just too good to be true. I love the lyrics, I love the vocoder effect, the strings, the skips, the whisperings, everything. And, may I say, this track was recorded in a time where hip-hop dominated the american airwaves, which makes it an even more ballsy move to me. Clearly this is the sound that american radios play these days (think Britney Spears' Piece Of Me) but this wasn't the case back then. They were far ahead on their game with this one.

26. Hollywood (2003)

One of my favorite songs from the (gorgeous) American Life album. It was pointed for a while as being the album's title cut (and wouldn't that be just amazing after the shit she got for Swept Away?) but that changed on very last minute. The track is dark both in musical ambience and lyrics, and it's really well constructed. It's a song about losing yourself and the illusion of making it in Hollywood is just the right metaphor for that. I particularly like the little acid glitches Mirwais inserted through out the song, it ads a bittersweet feeling that fit the mood of the song so brilliantly.

27. X-Static Process (2003)

An album song that is probably not that well known but remains one of the best things she has ever recorded (well at least for this writer). I suspect the recording process here was somehow similar to the one on I Deserve It with the voice untouched in the final cut. It sounds very intimate, confessional, and I like that they superimposed two layers for her singing (during the final segment) and two layers for the acoustic guitar (that by the way, seems to be played rather awkwardly, I assume on intention). It sounds like a demo and I like that unfinished feeling. The message? She explained on a live show during the promo for American Life that the song was about her relationship with men and her relationship with Jesus Christ: "if you give Jesus/men too much power, you will get fucked!".

28. Hung Up (2005)

At first I wasn't that impressed with this track when I heard it. But, it was a fast grower and it's unquestionable that this is a monster of a dance song. It screams campy fun and it's one of those tracks you want to hear when you go out. Stuart Price did a stellar job with the production here and the inclusion of that ABBA on ecstasy sample is just genius. It fits right in and it doesn't sound like a sample at all. It blends really well and it becomes part of the whole electronic construction (partially due to a little distortion Stuart applied on the original segment). There's even a little Eurovision part thrown in the middle ("Don't cry for me / cause I'll find my way). Most importantly, the general audience got the message: Madonna was going nowhere and the dancefloor was still her main stage.

29. Get Together (2005)

This might just be the more sophisticated dance song on her catalog. Not only the electronic production sounds very clever (oh my god look at those synths), but the song is amazingly written as well. It does sound like a bit of an homage to Daft Punk and let's face it, if Madonna ever sat in a studio with them to record a pop song, the result would have been close to Get Together. Like most of the songs on the Confessions of a Dancefloor record, the lyrics are very in your face but there's a subtext to them. It's music for the dancefloor, but some food for thought as well. It's all an illusion...

30. Give It To Me (2007)

The thing with Madonna mixing herself with hip-hop producers is that somehow she ends up drowning herself in their musical aesthetics. If some of the Hard Candy tracks are simply ok (and it's not a bad album by any standard), Give It To Me is that one song where I think the production really updated her sound to fit a more urban genre without loosing the core essence of a Madonna song. The beats here are simply mad (kudos to Pharrell) and there's still an electronic edge to the track that reminds you that this is Madonna's field. It's bouncy, fun, silly and empowering all at once and the lyrics are brilliant ("You're only here to win!" - love that!) It will remain as the last great dance song she did in the decade. And, for me, it is indeed the high point of the whole album. Get stupid, don't stop it...

The Image: Grace Jones Slave To The Rhythm album sleeve

2010-02-10T00:16:00.005Z

If there's an album sleeve that defined the 80's, Grace Jones' Slave To The Rhythm album artwork surely could take the prize. Created by then husband Jean Paul Goude (the mastermind behind her intriguing looks during the 7o's and 80's), it is actually based on a simple procedure: a headshot of Grace in one her most bizarre facial expressions and a transformation of that image by a collage method that accentuates the original expression and create something new. According to Grace Jones, her husband had the idea of creating that image after seeing her give birth do their son (!). And why not remember the Trevor Horn produced single? Check the live performance from her current Hurricane Tour below. She's just as good as ever.

Florence's Hurricane Drunk

2010-02-09T01:57:00.007Z

Excuse me for the ugly player but it seems rather impossible to find this on youtube or vimeo. But trust me, it's good. Florence Welsh (and band) is becoming one of my favorite acts out at the moment and it's just so amazing the way this album keeps on bursting quality singles and videos for our very own pleasure. Enjoy Hurricane Drunk. The ugly player is below:

The XX - VCR (Matthew Dear Remix)

2010-02-08T12:36:00.004Z

Cult band of the moment The XX get the remix treatment by Matthew Dear. What a nice twist to this great song. I'm loving this right now! Download it here (via Pitchfork). There's even an intriguing official video made with images of, er, VCR footage.

Hang each night in Rapture

2010-02-07T22:58:00.004Z

Fab Five Freddie told me everybody's high

DJ's spinnin' are savin' my mind
Flash is fast, Flash is cool
Francois sez fas, Flashe' no do
And you don't stop, sure shot
Go out to the parking lot
And you get in your car and you drive real far
And you drive all night and then you see a light
And it comes right down and lands on the ground
And out comes a man from Mars
And you try to run but he's got a gun
And he shoots you dead and he eats your head
And then you're in the man from Mars
You go out at night, eatin' cars
You eat Cadillacs, Lincolns too
Mercurys and Subarus
And you don't stop, you keep on eatin' cars
Then, when there's no more cars
You go out at night and eat up bars where the people meet
Face to face, dance cheek to cheek
One to one, man to man
Dance toe to toe
Don't move to slow, 'cause the man from Mars
Is through with cars, he's eatin' bars
Yeah, wall to wall, door to door, hall to hall
He's gonna eat 'em all
Rapture, be pure
Take a tour, through the sewer
Don't strain your brain, paint a train
You'll be singin' in the rain
I said don't stop, to punk rock

Well now you see what you wanna be
Just have your party on TV
'Cause the man from Mars won't eat up bars when the TV's on
And now he's gone back up to space
Where he won't have a hassle with the human race
And you hip-hop, and you don't stop
Just blast off, sure shot
'Cause the man from Mars stopped eatin' cars and eatin' bars
And now he only eats guitars, get up!

(this is, clearly, one of the best songs ever recorded!)

Love Will Tear Us Apart

2010-02-07T22:36:00.007Z

I'd like to direct your attention to this graphic piece by Peter Crnokrak, an intricate typographical composition that might just be all the info you'll ever need on Joy Division's legendary 1980 single Love Will Tear Us Apart. This amazing data map lists the more than 80 recording artists, labels and release dates who covered the song, all in relation to the original recording by the band. One of the best graphic pieces I've seen in the last few years really. Luckily, you can get this at Design Supremo! And why not remember the song itself, shall we?

Dan Black's Weird Science Mixtape

2010-02-06T21:18:00.009Z

Great news! Dan Black has just released his first mixtape called Weird Science and it's pretty awesome. Dan is a pro at mixing different songs to create unique musical moments and he is spot on with this one. All songs are winners, and I'm sure you'll like his rendition of Into The Groove (mixed with Britney's Gimme More). Check below!

Photography: Madrid

2010-02-06T18:45:00.004Z

Snaphots after a few days in Madrid, February 2010.

The movies of David Bowie #1

2010-02-05T21:30:00.008Z

Let's start a section devoted to David Bowie shall we? Not only am I huge fan of his music (by now I own his entire discography) but I am also a fan of him as an actor. I'm starting to discover more about his films (some of them I'm seeing for the first time) and I'll post my review as I go. The first article is about The Man Who Fell To Earth. Watched this the other night and it's quite an interesting movie-oddity. In it's essence it remains as a 70's experimental sci-fi rock n' roll film with a very young Bowie as the lead, in the character of Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien who comes to Earth to bring water for his dying planet. Thomas has a plan to succeed, using his unique technological knowledge, only he doesn't expect to fall into the trappings of modern living and capitalism on Planet Earth. The story (based on the book from the 60's with the same name) is quite beautiful and unique. Also, there's quite a parallel going on between Bowie's life during that era and the life of his character Thomas, and director Nicolas Roeg has confessed that's why he chose him to play this part. Both were living uncomfortably in their own skin. At the time Bowie was the top performer in the world and fame was as addictive as his cocaine habit, with obvious marks on the way he presents himself in this movie. Both fame and drugs were slowly killing him, yet he persevered. His character Thomas is slowly being corrupted as well, distracted with the illusions of modern life (a specific scene where he compulsively watches a wall of different tv screens showing several images is a beautiful visual metaphor for that). He ends up alone and defeated, trapped on Planet Earth without a way of returning to his own planet. Yet, he perseveres as well. He won't grow old or die like the other humans around him, he'll simply be forgotten and isolated forever. This is the great calamity of "The Man Who Fell to Earth": for humans, the hurt ends at death. For Thomas, it may continue on indefinitely, perhaps, forever.

Your voice can take me there

2010-01-26T01:08:00.005Z

Wasn't she pretty good on this warm rendition of Like a Prayer? Without the flying dancers and the motion-graphics on the screens this is what Madonna comes down to: amazing pop songs that have the power to be timeless.

Ellie Goulding's Starry Eyed

2010-01-26T00:52:00.004Z

And here it is, the new video from the indie it girl of 2010. Single will be released on November 22 and the debut Startsmith-produced album, called Lights, will be out on March 1st. Love it, can't wait for the record really...

And here it is... new Goldfrapp!

2010-01-26T00:43:00.003Z

What if Marlene Dietrich had done a synth-pop song during the 80's? Well it could have pretty much sounded like this (if Alison was singing with a german accent that is). I'm curious for the rest of the album. This song is fun but A&E had a far superior impact on me on the last turn, so let's see what this does for the record. Perfect "kiss you goodbye" song, that's for sure...