Neon Sleep - Business Studies



"So please, don't go... I've got a one million dollar contract coming my way"

From Germany come pop duo Neon Sleep. Perched somewhere between Simon Curtis and Lorraine, fans of pure pop music will absolutely eat this up. Mixing a light electro thump with catchy melodies and polished vocals, Business Studies is absolutely addictive. It may not be their single (check out Make Me Move On for that), but it's the most instant track that I've heard from the guys. And, it fits their business attire image. Couple that with some hilariously pleading lyrics and you've got a hit in my book.

Neon Sleep - Business Studies (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the single here!)

Contest: Write A Pikko Poem & Win A Pikko CD!!

3 More Days Left!

That's right! I've got two copies of Pikko's debut cd Electric Body Design (recently given a rave review on this very site) to give away to two lucky Alienhits readers!

Trust me when I say that this isn't the kind of cd that you can waltz down to your local record store and pick up. As far as I know, the only place you can get it as of this moment is from the artist herself. And, face it... you want this cd. Or, at least you should if you've got the proper Alienhits taste in music.

So, here's what you do. Compose a poem about Pikko (of four lines or more) and send it to me via email with the subject heading "Pikko Poem." It can be any kind of poem you want.. haiku, acrostic, rhyming, freeform... whatever strikes your fancy! At the end of the week, I'll do a random drawing of all the eligible entries and pick two winners. I'll also post those winners' work on the site... so make sure it's good! And, if you need some inspiration, be sure to go over to Pikko's myspace and give her songs a listen.

You've got until the end of next Sunday so get those creative energies flowing!!

It's moments like these that I live for...

I listened to a new album last night that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. As soon as it was finished I just wanted to queue it up again. I can count the number of times this has happened with an album on one hand. Artists like The Ark, Delays, & The Mo all did it. Now they've got another companion.

I'll reveal who this band is on Monday, as the kick off of Alienhits' Norwegian Artists Week. For now, let me just say that if you've been told that bands like Muse, Arcade Fire, U2, Queen, whatever, are the biggest, most bombastic bands around, you haven't yet met the one I've got coming for you...

V Sparks - The Glitter End



"We've been feeling this way for years, only waiting to disappear"

I have a huge weakness for classic glam rock. And, whenever I see a song with the word "glitter" in the title, I usually check it out automatically. It's like a strange knee jerk reaction. V Sparks are an American band that recalls the days of Bowie and Bolan. The Glitter End starts off as a spacey ballad and quickly ramps up into an ELO-like, piano pounding chorus. It's completely over the top, with a ton of dramatic, syrupy guitar heaped over it. In other words, it wears its glamtasticness proudly on its sleeve for everyone to see. I like that, and I love this song.

V Sparks - The Glitter End (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here!)

Ernesto - What Goes On Inside

"I beg you please, baby hear me"

I'm not usually crazy about the soul/club sound that this artist & track are indicative of, but the moment I heard What Goes On Inside by Gothenburg-based singer Ernesto, I was hooked. Like Fibes, Oh Fibes' Get Up, it's got a smooth summertime feel that's really quite addictive. Plus, the chorus is just massive. You hear it once and you'll be singing it over and over again. It's also got retro sounding synth work that sounds a lot like the Similou. Since we seem to be so obsessed with soul/r&b/hip hop in America right now, I wish we'd at least import some good stuff like this.

Ernesto - What Goes On Inside (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here!)

Syntax-e - Big Love



"It has got to be the ride of my life"

How about some disco today? If you've liked posts by bands like Under The Influence Of Giants, Stereo Explosion, and Men, Women & Children in the past, definitely pay attention to Syntax-e. This Norwegian dance duo specializes in funky, elastic disco that at once sounds modern and completely retro. Their single I Don't Believe has been a deserved hit in its home country, while Big Love, if released as a single, should do the same. A summer party track through and through... it's almost enough to convince me that disco should take over once again.

Syntax-e - Big Love (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here!)

Chungking - Stay Up Forever

"I really don't know how long I've been up for"

UK based Chungking are (as of yet) most well known for the fact that they're working with famed producer Richard X. Even without that midas touch, though, their music bridges the gap between the Goldfrapps and the Sounds of the world, which is no bad thing. Stay Up Forever, their new single, is the best track they've released yet. A jangly new wave concoction with a brilliant chorus, I see no reason why something like this shouldn't be all over the radio this summer. Their debut is coming out later this August, so hopefully this track will build up the hype that they need to be successful.

Chungking - Stay Up Forever (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Preorder the album here!)