Ne-Yo - Closer

After having had a string of successes through his own singles and songs he wrote for other artists, he's back with a new single off of his next album that is sure to replicate the success he has had. The latest one entitled "Closer" is an uptempo, House/R&B hybrid. The sounds of clubland are slowly trickling into some of the recent R&B and Hip Hop singles and he has continued with that after the Stargate-produced "Because Of You." This one isn't excessively club-oriented, but with an extended mix, it could possibly work in that environment. The vocals are smooth and emotive as usual. U.S. radio stations have begun to pick up on this one. An R&B remix of this one that tones down some of the beats could do the trick on some stations that are not quick to embrace this one. But given the success of Rihanna's recent "Don't Stop The Music", they probably will eventually.

Grade: A-

Madonna - 4 Minutes (Remix Update)

The iTunes and Amazon releases of "4 Minutes" happened just 2 days ago. The song is already at number 2 on the iTunes sales chart, along with two other versions that are at other positions. On Amazon, the song has topped their MP3 store charts.

Remixes by Peter Rauhofer, Junkie XL, Bob Sinclar and Tracy Young will be on the U.S. CD maxi to be released on April 29. A digital release may happen in two weeks.

Listen to both Junkie XL mixes here.

A special event is being held in New York tomorrow night at Highline Ballroom. Peter Rauhofer will be DJing. And he will be premiering the 3 remixes he did for "4 Minutes" (in New York, Paris and London flavors). Get all the details here.

Nelly featuring Fergie - Party People

This mega duet has had considerable buzz even before it was first heard. This one is to hit radio in the next few days. It is an uptempo Urban club-banger that is sure to be with us for the rest of the Spring and throughout the Summer. The song is really busy-sounding, however, in a club environment, that won't matter so much. Fergie's hook is really catchy and sexy. With the right video and proper promotion, this one has the potential to be massive.

Grade: B+

Rihanna - Take A Bow

This is not a remake of the Madonna ballad from Bedtime Stories. This is the just-announced single off of the May 27 re-release of her acclaimed 3rd album Good Girl Gone Bad. So far, this is the only new song on the re-release. Additional bonuses may be announced in the coming weeks. "Take A Bow" is a ballad a la Beyonce's "Irreplaceable." It is written by Ne-Yo and Stargate who also were a part of that song. It is also thematically similar, however, this is not simply a knock-off or carbon copy. While this one isn't overly new, it is decent. Rihanna's vocals have improved considerably since her last album and they are showcased nicely on this one.

Listen to it here.


Grade: B+

Madonna - 4 Minutes (an update)

"4 Minutes", the lead single off of Madonna's next studio album Hard Candy will be officially hitting radio airwaves in the U.S. on Monday, March 17!!

Don't forget to request it on your favorite stations!

The digital download release will happen on March 25, 2008 through stores such as Amazon and iTunes.

Britney Spears - Break The Ice

This is the 3rd single from the fallen Pop-tart's latest album Blackout. Since the album was released, this has been a fan favorite, and now it is a single. The Electro/Pop vibe of the original will translate well into Dance remixes. A number of official remixes are coming soon.

The video premiered a couple days back. It is an anime styled video

Don Philip - There Is No Us

Some may remember Don Philip from Pop icon Britney Spears' debut album ...Baby One More Time. He was featured on the song "I Will Still Love You." He was signed to a major label, but after the lead single didn't fare well, he was dropped. He continued to record. He is back with a new album and the stunning single "There Is No Us", a ballad. In addition to the main version, there are several forthcoming remixes by Whitechild, Tony Moran and Junior Vasquez. The Whitechild mix is currently streaming on Don's MySpace. It is a simple, straightforward circuit mix. It complements the ballad type arrangement of the original. The song works better as a dance mix.

Grade: A-

BWO - Lay Your Love On Me

This is the Swedish Dance/Electro trio's entry into Melodifestivalen 2008. This is their 3rd entry. Previous entries included "Gone" and "Temple Of Love." An uptempo, retro Electro/Disco song, this one is significantly catchier than the previous attempts. It immediately calls to mind the instrumental portions under the verses in Madonna's international hit "Hung Up" (which sampled from Abba's "Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)"). The soaring strings are a great touch. Martin's vocals are fresh. Overall, this song has the makings of a big hit. Hopefully this one will take the Melodifestivalen 2008.

Grade: A

Watch the video:

melodifestivalen 2008 - Bwo - Lay your love on me
Uploaded by jief75

Offer Nissim featuring Maya - Happy People

This is the latest single from the Israeli duo who brought us a number of club hits including "Searching", "First Time", "Perfect Love" and many more. This one has had considerable buzz since Offer began playing this last year at his many club engagements. The song is a semi-cover of the mid-90's European hit "Happy People" by Prince Ital Joe and Marky Mark. The main hook and some of the instrumental sounds are kept in this remake, however, there are new lyrics by Maya that make up the verse in between the choruses. The dubbish style track is very uplifting and happy. It would be a good fit as a set opener or later on in the middle. It looks like this one will still be getting tons of spins into the Pride events coming up in the next few weeks. Purchase the main version here. Listen to the edit here.

Grade: A+

Madonna - 4 Minutes

The lead single from her next album Hard Candy was played on a French radio station a couple days back. There has been considerable buzz surrounding the track ever since the short remixed clips leaked. And the buzz is even louder now that it has been heard by a number of people. Featuring additional vocals by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, the song was also produced by them. The song is an uptempo Urban-leaning Dance track. With the driving beats and infectious horns, this song is sure to take off like wildfire on radio and in the clubs. Peter Rauhofer and Junkie XL are two of the confirmed remixers on this project. The single will hit U.S. radio later this month.

Grade: A

Madonna's new album title announced!

It was confirmed yesterday that the title of Madonna's next studio album is Hard Candy. This will be her last proper album for the Warner Bros. label before she begins her new venture with LiveNation.

The first single is still "4 Minutes" (previously titled "4 Minutes To Save The World"), featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. The video was recently shot in England.

The album is supposed to be released at the end of April.

Fragma - Toca’s Miracle 2008

This one began life in 1997 when Coco released the single “I Need A Miracle” on Positiva in the UK. Nearly a couple years later, Fragma released their instrumental hit “Toca Me”, also on Positiva. A short time after that, some DJ created a mashup using the Coco vocal over the hypnotic Fragma track. In 1999, the bootleg was professionally recreated and released on Positiva as “Toca’s Miracle.” The song was picked up by various labels all over the world and was a big hit. Since then, the song has been remade and updated regularly.

The latest update actually happened in late 2007 with the In Petto mixes (these are different from the ones on the original release). Most of the familiar elements present in the original are included over a minimal house production. The Wideboys continue in the same direction with their mix. It’s a borderline Speed Garage/Electro House mix. A good alternative.

In Petto 2008 Mix
Grade: A- (nothing compares to the amazing original)

The Wideboys Mix
Grade: A-

Utah Saints - Something Good 2008

With remakes of classic Dance tracks happening all the time, it’s a nice surprise when an artist does an update to one of their own songs. “Something Good” was somewhat of a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic back in the ‘90s. “Something Good 2008” follows in the footsteps of the Royal Gigolos/Global Deejays remakes that flooded the market a couple years ago. Only a handful of the original vocals (Kate Bush samples from "Cloudbusting") and instrumental portions are used in the main Van She remixes. That fun piano loop sounds just as fresh today as it did many years back. While some feel these updated mixes are unnecessary, these remakes will introduce some of these club classics to a whole new generation. Watch the video.

Grade: A

Mariah Carey - Touch My Body

The much-anticipated lead single off of her forthcoming album (now titled E=MC2) has been sent to radio stations. As previously reported by many sources, the chosen single is "Touch My Body." TMB is a smooth, mid-tempo track that immediately calls to mind previous singles "Always Be My Baby" and "Shake It Off." Her vocals are on-point, however, she chose to sing in that soft, whispery voice she uses on such songs, mostly for the verses though. But she does actually sing on the chorus. The lyrics are nothing overly special, but they are fun, albeit a little naughty and sassy. This may not be the best choice for a lead-off single, however, she may be saving the best singles for later in the album era. A video directed by Brett Ratner is to premiere in the next few weeks. Dance remixes by David Morales will be released to clubs and Dance radio soon.

Grade: B+

Mariah Carey's 1st single-COMING SOON!

4 more days and a few minutes until the date Mariah Carey's highly anticipated new single "Touch My Body" is to be played on radio stations across the United States! Her forthcoming studio album, which is officilly untitled until further notice. Plans to release it on April 1, 2008 may or may not change after the single hits radio. La C's last project The Emancipation Of Mimi was a major success after two underperforming ones. The album spawned four top 40 hits including two number ones and one that peaked at number two. In terms of remixes, none have been officially announced, however, it was confirmed at music message board SoundCheck that David Morales would be remixing the lead single, whatever it might be. He may not be at liberty to say what the first single is since it may have been undetermined at that time.