Ali Love - Doing The Dirty

"There's nothing that you can do"

Ali Love, who I adored a couple years ago when his work was criminally unreleased, has reinvented himself as Prince. The new album (his first to be officially released) is complete italo-disco, sleaze-funk circa 1985. When it works, it's a breath of fresh air. It works about half of the time, I'd say. Doing The Dirty is every bit as fun as the title would suggest (though the "dirty" in question is more PG than expected). Of all the tracks on the album, it's this that reminds me the most of a long lost Prince b-side. From the disinterested female vocals singing the hook to the squiggly, seesaw synth, everything's simple and potent enough to stick. It's all about groove with this style of music, and this is my favorite groove on the album. Odd that this wasn't selected as a single straightaway. It's certainly catchy enough.

Ali Love - Doing The Dirty by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Hurts - Sunday

"It's just another lonely Sunday"

As I've mentioned before, I've been a fan of Theo and Adam for a couple of years now, ever since they were part of the electropop band Daggers. Now the day has finally come where they can officially release an album as Hurts. It's a little anticlimactic, both because I'd heard most of the album already and because, as good as Hurts are (and the album's terrific), I'm still such a Daggers fan that I can only imagine what might have been if they had continued down that route. That being said, one of the album's brightest spots is the uptempo Sunday, which sounds very much like a Daggers song. It's got the string-laden grandeur of Hurts, though, which makes it quite epic. An album of this style would be absolutely incredible. Melodic, rousing pop rarely gets the love that it deserves, and I imagine this will get looked over by critics in favor of some of the album's moodier moments (of which there are many - a little too many, if you ask me). This maintains the lovelorn lyrics, but melds them with sprawling, chugging production that suits Theo's lush vocals perfectly. The build-up to the last chorus is out of this world. Despite some of my misgivings, I highly recommend that you check out the album as well.

Hurts - Sunday by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Chromeo - When The Night Falls (ft. Solange)

"There's something about you girl, and it's rather strange"

On the whole, Chromeo's new album hasn't hit me as instantly as their last one. It's a more muddled affair, with its fair share of filler surrounding a group of very strong tracks. The two singles are amongst these standouts (particularly the awesome Don't Turn The Lights On), but I also found myself drawn to this 80's-tastic track featuring Beyonce's little sister (though she doesn't really do all that much). But her vocals give the song a different texture... a classic Prince-like r&b sound that melds perfectly with the Chromeo aesthetic. The hook is one of the stronger on the album, and the song features the kind of funky guitar solo these guys are known for. I haven't quite made my mind up about the album as a whole, but this is definitely going in my collection.

Chromeo - When The Night Falls (ft. Solange) by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Kite - Jonny Boy

"Last night I was out clubbing with Jonny Boy"

Kite, my favorite Swedish duo, is back! They've been pulling a Robyn for the last couple of years, releasing a string of EPs in lieu of a full album. Jonny Boy is the lead single from their third EP, and although I don't think it's as strong as past singles, it's always a treat to hear these guys. Nicklas Stenemo, the vocalist, remains one of my favorite singers in music today. And although this sound is pretty far from his former band, The Mo, he's developed a unique vocal style that defines Kite as an experimental pop project to watch. Jonny Boy is more hypnotic than hit, but it rewards repeated plays. The incessant synth riff, which reminds me of whistling, is the star of the show and the earworm that'll keep you coming back. I can't wait to hear the rest of the EP. These guys haven't disappointed yet.

Kite-Jonny Boy by ProgressProductions

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Burnham - Catch Me If You Can

"I'm too freakish fast for you this time"

God, this song has been stuck in my head for the past couple of days. Hot glue straight to the skull. It's not going away, either. Of course, that's the point, which prompted me to write about this even though it fits in the tween Hanson-meets-Jonas-meets-Bieber category. In fact, these brothers are opening for Justin Bieber right now (something I'd rather not focus on). Like so many trios before them, the Burnham Brothers play hyper-catchy pop/rock tailor-made for multiple radio spins. This track is co-written with Ryan Tedder, which is interesting because it sounds nothing like what we expect from a Tedder track. This is shout-along bubblegum rock, delivered with androgynous 14-year-old vocals that only up the sugar quotient. It should be terrible, but I actually quite like this. It reminds me of something we'd have heard from alienhits favorite Lil' Chris, another teen "rocker" from a few years ago. For what it is, it's a great song. And that chorus? Dynamite. The video, on the other hand? Awkward.

Burnham - Catch Me If You Can by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.