Review: Sister Bliss - Nightmoves

Unless you're well into your dance music, you probably know Sister Bliss as that woman out of Faithless. After ditching their record label in 2007, Ayalah Bentovim (to give her her full name!) has taken the pause in recording with Faithless, as an opportunity to release yet another great compilation album.

Read my full review at BBC Music >>

Review: Chaka Khan - Funk This

Decades after her peak, and in fact 10 years since her last studio album, Chaka Khan is back, ready to belt out a whole host of new songs. She may sound as amazing as ever, but is Funk This really the album we've all been waiting for?

Read my full review at BBC Music >>

Review: Ida Maria - Fortress Around My Heart

Not in any way your typical Scandinavian pop starlet, Ida Maria is a bundle of anti-stereotypes. She's not blonde, she's not got a whispy voice filtering softly over some synth pop and she's not afraid to show emotion.

Read my full review at BBC Music>>

Worst Idea Ever !

MTV is doing the time warp on a remake of 1975 cult classic "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

Two-hour remake will use the original screenplay by Jim Sharman and Richard O'Brien but may also include music not featured in the original.

Timetable for the start of production hasn't been established yet but the partners aim to move forward quickly once the final elements are in place.

"I'd like to see it shown a year from this coming Halloween, but that's up to MTV," Adler said.

EVER EVER EVER :(

Best Headline Ever?

Police Arrest Batman, originally uploaded by LinkMachineGo.

Mercury Music Prize 2008

I've not listened to nearly enough albums in the last year to do this accurately, but I'm about to head down to Covent Garden to hear the Mercury Music Prize nominations. Here's what I'm expecting to hear (bar the random ones no ones ever heard of)

Neon Neon - Stainless Steel
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
Roisin Murphy - Overpowered
Burial - Untrue
Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement
Portishead - Third
MIA - Kala
Robert Plant & Alison Krauus - Raising Sand
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Adele - 19

2008’s Most Exciting Popstar

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcc8gE54Md8[/youtube]

The futuristic Little Boots has finally announced details of her first live gig proper. After tantalising youtube viewers with her DIY performances each week, it's time to take the stage at The Macbeth on Hoxton Street, London. Costing £5, the gig is on Thursday 14 August and also features the rather ace Primary 1 whose single 'Hold Me Down' I love!

Full details on the gig at facebook.

Three great things I heard in the last 24 hours…

1. Matthew Bannister in for Jeremy Vine on R2 talking about Chav's.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00chp52 (from 1.41 - end)

2. Everything on Oldham's 96.2 The Revolution
http://www.revolutiononline.co.uk/
Super local, alternative, passionate, knowledgable. I've never hear an alternative, local independent station before; the lineup is like a who's who of Manchester talent. It's brill!

3. Kiss
Driving out of London up the M1 while amazing classics played on Kisstory, desperately trying not to loose the signal (up to about as far as Newport Pagnell I think!!!) Best bit - the baleric mix of Chic 'I Want Your Love'!

Back To The Future

I've been in a bit of a desperate gig seeing state recently as being on air until 10pm isn't really conduscive to seeing many people live, but this past 10 days I've more than made up for it attending the 46664 concert, The Police at Hyde Park, Wireless Jay Z day and Cut Copy day and Girls Aloud at Warwick Castle.

Gigs are funny things. Sometimes you go and see a band and they're cool, but nothing special. Sometimes someone you love is outrageously disappoiting live; but other times, the best times, you're left filled with a sense of overwhelming joy and happiness that you were there. The Knife at Scala, Robyn at Cargo, Kaiser Chiefs at Manumission, Amy Winehouse at Koko, Sons & Daughters at ULU, The Pierces at Water Rats, The Cardigans at SBE, Mylo at Barfly, Rilo Kiley at Islington Academy, CSS at Popstarz are but a few of these occasions; and Sunday gave me another one - Neon Neon at Cargo.

A band put together by Super Furry Animals Gruff Rhys and LA bleepster Boom Bip, their debut album 'Stainless Style' is a concept album about the life of car designer John Deloreon. The music is insanely 80s with swirling synths and shoulder rolling beats, and live it translated even better than on record thanks to cleverly thought out visuals and a really up for it crowd. I've mentioned their excellent I Lust You before so make sure you check it if you haven't already. Question is - can it be Mercury nominated when only 1 half of the group is British? I don't know.

James has reviewed the show properly right here.

Solange Vs Imani

The retro vibe is still flying high, and if you're after the song of the summer you could do worse than these two...

Flying in the big budget corner is by Solange Knowles, who no matter what she'll do in life, will always be known as Beyonce's little sister. A pretty simple track based mainly around a drumbeat, 'I Decided' been remixed (and labelled Pt 2) for the European audience by The Freemasons who have added strings and trumpets and given it a fuller sound.

It's totally inspired by The Supremes, and it's fair enough to say that the original represents the original 60s group (with the Baby Love beat in particular), whereas Pt 2 is 80s disco Diana. The video lives this up even more with the girl group stylings, costumes and hair. On a bad note, it ends with a terrible fade.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=_toAPhjgq4c[/youtube]

In the indie corner, it's the return of Imani Coppala who you may remember from her 1998 hit 'Legend of a Cowgirl'. She's back with producer Adam Pallin under the name 'Little Jackie' and has managed to create a song with a perfect summer vibe and a real life attitude.

We had it as our record of the week last month and it was added to lots of playlists last week. It reminds me of Lily Allen's 'Smile' in the sense of it being massive in the sunshine and having a real city vibe. The video has some great shots of Brooklyn in it. Plus who can resist a song with such a brilliant title as 'The World Should Revolve Around Me'.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=129pN3dobGM[/youtube]

Miss-Shapes Setlist

After a fun day at Wireless, here's what we played tonight:

1030 - 1145
Feist - 1234
Lykke Li - Little Bit
Leon Jean Marie - Bed of Nails
Hercules & Love Affair - Blind
MSTRKRFT - Easy Love
Chromeo - Needy Girl
Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire
Roisin Murphy - Moviestar
Dragonette - I Get Around
Soulwax - E Talking
CSS - Alala
Clik Clik - Did you Wrong
MGMT - Kids (I realise I'm late on this, but how amazing)
LCD Soundsystem - Tribulations
Kate Nash - Caroline is a victim
Annie - Chewing Gum
Robyn - Who's That Girl
Long Blondes - Giddy Stratospheres
Tegan & Sara - Back of Your Head (Rec mix)

0100-0200
Taio Cruz - Come On Girl
Girls Aloud - The Show
The Bravery - Honest Mistake
Reverend & The Makers - Heavyweight Champion
Black Kids - I'm Not Going To Teach
Klaxons - Golden Skans
Ronson / Lily - Oh My God
Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl
Alphabeat - Fascination
CSS - Let's Make Love
Ting Tings - Shut Up & Let Me Go
Miley Cyrus - See You Again
Tatu - All The Things
Fall Out Boy - Beat It
Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
Gloria Jones - Tainted Love
George Baker - Little Green Bag
Amy Winehouse - Rehab (Jay Z Remix)

Sesame Street

I always knew Elmo was evil but what about the rest of them. Amazing.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Vh9_Hi1kY[/youtube]

Props to Mr Discopop