Much like bloated, post-festive stomachs, the world of pop music takes a while to digest the onslaught of Christmas-released material still clogging up the January charts. Predictably it’s been a pretty unsurprising month with Jessie J, top of the BBC’s ‘Sound of 2011′ list shooting up with ‘Do It Like a Dude’ and other such gubbins. However, sift through the likely suspects and there’s actually been some properly spiffing stuff as well as some exciting news. Such as…
1. M.I.A.: ViCKi LEEKX
To kick-start the year, M.I.A. released a rather amazing free mix tape featuring 40 minutes of new material. Called ViCKi LEEKX (Wikileaks – geddit?) it’s a sort of mixture between her Kala and Maya albums which should satisfy the divided fans of both until she releases anything new. You can get your mitts on it here.
2. Frankmusik: Long Live Frankmusik, ‘Stereo World’ and ‘Insomniacs’
If you like your free stuff, Frankmusik’s also been rather generous this month. As well as giving away a free EP called Long Live Frankmusik he’s also given away a lovely song called ’Stereo World’ and a fantastic uptempo track called ‘Insomniacs’ which should have everyone awake dancing to it until his new album, Do It in the AM is released later this year. The EP is available here, ’Stereo World’ here, and ’Insomniacs’ here.
3. Same Difference: The Rest is History
We’re rather excited about The Rest is History, the new Same Difference album released on 7 February, as it looks set to be mint. Featuring tracks penned by the likes of Topham & Twigg, Pete Hammond and a collaboration with the Emperors of Europop themselves, Alcazar, this promises to be a perfect cross between Nineties Steps and Noughties BWO . You can preview all of the tracks here and listen to a megamix here. Sneer at thy peril.
4. Adele: 21
The new Adele album is basically brilliant. You’d be forgiven for forgetting about her, wedged between the likes of Duffy’s Coca Cola advert and Paloma Faith’s hair, but she’s blown them out of the water with 21. She could be the new Mama Cass – just hope she doesn’t reach for a ham sandwich until she’s given us a few more albums like this.
5. Kate Bush: To be confirmed…
Kate Bloody Bush is releasing a new album. Or isn’t. Or sort of is. It’s all very confusing. All we know at the moment is she’s releasing something new this year and is looking likely to reissue re-mastered version of four of her albums, which for a Kate Bush fan is about as good as winning the lottery
6. Airtime and iTunes tie up.
There’s been a sort of shake up with how the release of some new music happens in the UK. Basically if you’re an artist on Universal and Sony Music your music is now available to buy on iTunes as soon as it’s first played on radio. The labels’ execs hope fewer people will be tempted to illegally download stuff if they can legitimately get their paws on it immediately. Huzzah.
7. Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Album delayed. Again.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s comically delayed album has been postponed again to May. It’s starting to feel like a Soviet-era bread queue – a long, optimistic wait, despite never quite reaching the payoff. We just have to hope that when it finally does arrive, her five or so remaining fans haven’t forgotten that she even exists. Waiting for Godot Bextor is not fun.
8. Patrick Wolf: Lupercalia due in May.
Patrick Wolf has decided on a title for his new album: Lupercalia, due to be released in May. He’s also unveiled the music video for his second single, ‘The City’, out on 14th March (you can see the video and our review of it here). In short, it looks a lot like a Tommy Hilfiger/United Colors of Benetton advert from the early Nineties, but more importantly Pat looks scrummy and the song is possibly the best thing we’ve heard this year so far. Richard X has even done a brilliant remix which you can download for free.
9. Sophia Somajo: Cinema Beijing
Swedish singer Sophia Somajo popped on to the radar back in 2008 with Laptop Diaries, an innovative album comprising material she put together literally using only her laptop. She’s been pretty quiet since then, although she did write ‘Time Machine’, one of the best tracks on Robyn’s Body Talk last year – which is interesting as she comes across as an (even more) underrated version of Robyn. Anyway, she’s now signed with Universal to release her second album, Cinema Beijing (inspired by Chinese futurism) later in the year. The first single, ‘Wristcutting Inc’ was released today (31 January). You can also check out new track ‘Chinese Tekkno’ here. Give Laptop Diaries a listen too, while you’re at it.
10. Mel C and Jodie Harsh link up.
Mel C is working with Jodie Harsh on ‘dance tracks’. This will either turn out to be the best thing since sliced bread, or it might turn out a bit like Victoria Beckham’s rapping on those unreleased second album tracks where she sounds like Ali G. As Sporty is our favourite Spice Woman our hopes remain high.
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