Dragonette & Mike Mago - Outlines

"Outlines of the heart"

So, this was uploaded a month ago and somehow it totally passed me by. That's very unusual for a Dragonette song, since I try to follow them pretty closely. After all, they were one of the first bands I featured on this blog. This track is a collaboration with house producer Mike Mago, but it's more than some fancy dance beat. Pleasingly, this is an actual pop song that just happens to be a club track as well. The hook, especially, is fantastic. It represents that melodic side of the band that I really love. It's also giving me strong 80's vibes. If this is a taste of the kind of thing we might expect on their new album, I'm definitely excited!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

The Fooo - Suitcase

"We got a home wherever we go"

I am loving how frequently we can count on a brilliant new release from The Fooo. I feel like we get treated to a new song almost monthly, and not only that but an accompanying dance video as well! No doubt about it, these guys are working hard. And as they firm up their rabid fanbase in Sweden, I can see them making huge inroads internationally in the coming months. Suitcase is another hiphop-inspired dance track from the guys. It's funny, because a lot of what I like about their music intersects with what I love so much about k-pop: new sounds, an ear for a bubblegum hook, sharp dancing and tons of swagger. I could do without the annoying schoolyard chant that makes up much of the hook in this track, but I'm still loving the song in general.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Lisa Scinta - 1992

"Just kids in the dark out under the stars"

I was actually sent this track by the song’s producer/co-writer. Now, I get a lot of music sent to me daily and unfortunately 99.9% of it just doesn't fit with my blog and/or my personal taste. But, I could tell by the accompanying email that this was going to be something worth sharing. The artist is Lisa Scinta, and this is taken from her new EP of the same name. The song itself is a bombastic, expertly produced slice of nostalgic pop. It kind of reminds me of something that could've been on Carly Rae Jepsen's last album -- bubbly and poppy without the feeling of any corporate maneuvering behind the scenes. In other words, it feels like the work of an artist who truly loves and understands pop music, and it's the strength of the song that pushes this over the edge. It has a timeless quality about it, and the production choices are right up my alley, particularly the added Michael Jackson-esque guitar towards the end!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Eva & Manu - Cinnamon Hearts

"We're young, fresh blood runs in our lungs"

Mondays are the kinds of days that you need a little bit of jauntiness in your life. Honestly, though, when don't you want a jaunty pop song? Eva & Manu have supplied this in abundance with their new single Cinnamon Hearts. Now, I don't really know what a "cinnamon heart" is, but it's not hard to get into the vibe of this song. From the boogie beat to the slowed down, dramatic hook to the post-chorus synth attack, this is a great mid-August feel-good singalong. The duo hails from Finland, which has been churning out pop hit after pop hit this year. Looking at their other tracks on youtube, it seems like this is a lot poppier and uptempo than their usual sound. Hopefully it's not a one-off, because I could use more of this!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.