And finally here it comes. The new video of lady RiRi's Diamonds has just been premiered on MTV. I definetely think this is the best video that the Bajan singer has released so far. Thanks also to the big help of music stars director Anthony "Tony" Mandler, who collaborated also with Beyonce, Nelly Furtado and Maroon 5 just to mention some. The video is mainly a collection of RiRi's black&white close ups spaced out by different widescreen shots, like a couple of horses running through green hills. It seems that now singers just can't get enough of the horses. Just think about Scissor Sisters' Only The Horses video in which the fiery animal is the one and only protagonist. It leaves me puzzled. By the way Rihanna is enchanting more than ever in Diamonds. And I am sure she will be ven more in her forthcoming Unapologetic album. No official tracklist has been released yet, but I am sure we will definetely have news soon since the album release is set for November 19th. Let's wait. For now, enjoy Lady Rihanna and her stunning beauty in Diamonds.
Since I discovered the sound of this young British lady, I just can't get enough of listening to her innovative sonorities. Despite fame came to Goulding last summer with her massive hit Lights, but published in 2010, I still appreciate her humbleness and perseverance along her style. I think it may be the precious advice of her boyfriend Skrillex, who actually collaborated with some huge music gods (see Matt Bellamy and friends).
Halcyon is the result of such hard work and with this album it seems that finally Ellie was able to match the huge expectations gravitating around her. At first listening, it may seems a Florence + The Machine album sprinkled with eerie and ghosty sonorities but with a more dancy side. What caught me the most in this work are definetely drums and synths. The perfect tools to make Ellie's unique and shy voice sounds far more precious. A good example is Don't Say A Word which may sounds quite chaotic at the start, but gets clearer and clearer thanks to polite drums which give an electro folk background. Halcyon is full of tracks that might turn into stunning hits. My Blood is one of that. Nothing special actually if it wasn't for a great chorus climax during which Goulding's voice morphs and reaches very new dissonancies. Another nice track is marchy and synthsfull Anything Could Happen chosen as leading single. But by far my fav track is Figure 8, produced by Mr. Mike Spencer (producer of newbies like Kylie or Jamiroquai), which alternates heavy dubstep drums to shy harp chords embellished with Goulding's voic. Very similar to Atlantis too. But Halcyon gives us also two good collaborations: one with London rapper Tinie Tempah in Hanging On...wow to Goulding's in alt singingalteration. And the other with house master Calvin Harris in I Need Your Love. A+. Only You gives addiction: with her (autotuned) voice Goulding's instill notes directly to the brain and you just can't help but repeat the track once again. Failed try to balance the track with ballads like Explosions and I Know You Care...great for those who suffer of insomnia. In the end Halcyon definetely consecrates Ellie Goulding as the alternative ethereal European lady which was actually still missing in the scene. A good new music perspective.
Sometimes I think it's good to stop and look back at the start. I think it's a mantra which is very true in music since our favourite styles are actually the fruit of the musical stock we collected in our life. That's why I decided to write something about one of the most ecleptic and yet avanguardist contemporary artist: Bjork. I think the biggest talent of Bjork is the capability to use the right sounds to address the feelings she wants to deliver with the lyrics of her songs. It was 1995 when Bjork published her masterpiece Post. A very fertile period made of deep evolutions: rock bands like No Doubt and U2 gain huge success, hip hop makes its massive entrance in the commercial panorama (remember Coolio and his Gansta Paradise or Shaggy's Boombastic), boy and girl bands bands become teenagers' idol. But eveolution also means leveraging and building up on the past. Indeed Bjork was able to combine tradition and avantgarde like no other artist before.
Hyperballad is a fabolous example of her artistic vein. Hyperballad isn't a love song, perhaps is a songs about love and relations. A world of morbid routine made of private neurosis in which the only way to evade from the other is a made-of-destruction research of oxygen. Bjork sings about her private ritual, followed by house music impulses in contrast with the acoustic arrangement of the song. A never broken balance which proceeds until the end, when the track explodes with a liberating conclusion with high dance intensity. In Hyperballad Bjork reaches her huge expressive talents, that will be hardly repeated in her next efforts. The consacration of an artist. Enjoy Hyperballad.
No no this time Ke$ha didn't wake up and felt like P. Diddy, but I bet she's definetely keep brushing her teeth with her old friend Jack Daniels. Our beloved best party animal ever made knows how to party, and really kicks ass in her brand new single Die Young, anticipating her next studio album Warrior. If it's true that the first single released is the best example of the whole album mood, I really think that Warrior is gonna be THE 2012 dance pop phaenomenon. So don't expect big evolution or style changes. And I am glad about it. Because I personally love Ke$ha as our Mother Dance Animal, nothing more, nothing less. As artist, she's always been polarizing: many reviews are arguing at her, complaining about no big changes in her new album. But hate her or love her, Die Young, and hopefully Warrior too, are gonna be huge Top 40 hits. As the track starts with a repeated guitar riff, and turns into high beats and synths, Ke$ha order us to get the most of the night like we're gonna die young. And you can bet we will! I just can't stop shaking my head like a freak when I listen to this track. Musically K$ didn't make any progress in singing with basically her talk-rapped trademarl. Whatever. We love Ke$ha just the way she is cause she knows that We R Who We R. Enjoy Die Young.
Big news Rihanna's lovers. As she is starting to focus on her seventh studio album, Mrs. RiRi released her last single Diamonds produced by 24 yo BennyBlanco and Stargate. Lyrics and melody were written by Australian singer Sia, who made her "debut" in the commercial world music featuring Mr. David Guetta in Titatnium. Musically speaking, Diamonds is a very big change for Rihanna whole style. Don't expect a huge dance hit like We Found Love, nor her typical R&B track like Umbrella, nor an acoustic song like California Kingsize Bed.
This track is indeed a midtempo song, who actually fits well with RiRi's voice. Basically the song doesn't present any particular rhythm change, but the minimal and well designed chorus and the repeated lyric shine bright like a diamond immediately give to the listener a huge hypnotic suggestion. I actually can't get this damn song out of my brain.
Congrats Mrs. Rihanna, you definetely know how to produce Top 40 hits. I just hope that the album will be more concrete and with a common theme, and not just a simple collection of singles. Impress us! Enjoy Diamonds.
