Lopez Blogs

Lots of important things happened yesterday. There was some volcanic ash hovvering around the atmosphere. I neared the end of Dynasty Season Six (Alexis: "Oh Krystle, are you here as Blake's former stenographer to pick up a few little tidbits?" No one does put downs as witheringly as that woman). There was a debate on tv between the three potential future prime ministers. Tatiana got voted off RuPaul's Drag Race (Sashay. Away). Gary Barlow did something, though I'm not sure what yet. And more important than any of those cataclysmic events was my latest radio slot with lovely Larry Flick on The Morning Jolt (Sirius OutQ Radio). It was my fourth visit, I had a lovely time and a brilliant response from people who wanted to know more about the artists I talked about, so here is a round up of super acts just waiting your attention to make them mass-eeeeve...

The Bang Bang Club: I have written about the lovely boys in the Bang Bang Club twice before - once here (where I described their glorious single Chemistry as "drenched in synths, exciting beats and a blinding chorus that channels the best of 80s synth-pop influences into something modern and brilliant) and once here (where I said it had "great production, enticing vocals and yummy boys"). Since that time they have been honing their live performances, building up an impressive webpage (including their very own magazine) and galvanising the troops for the release of their debut single on May 24th 2010. There is a video coming shortly that will apparently include lots and lots of paint. Can't wait (EDIT: No need to wait, it has LITERALLY just dropped online! It's all I dreamed it would be and they look so dishy :P EDIT2: However, the version I got to see wasn't apparently for public viewing and has now gone! I feel all special and a bit naughty :P It's coming next week!!! ). EDIT3: The video is back. And it's above. And super in black and white. With splashes of amazingness in colour. How brilliant. I love them even more. Check out Nick's views here...
Hear: Their debut single Chemistry here...
Web: Their official magazine and blog site can be accessed here...
Twitter: Click here...

Dean Lennon: I first wrote about Dean as part of boyband Digital back in 2006, then as a solo artist in 2008. He's been working hard on perfecting that electro-pop boy sound with not only some solid, addictive tunes, but some great matching visuals too. His signature tunes such as Hey You and See Through are heavy on synths, club-friendly beats and instantly memorable choruses - however, he has a range of influences and unreleased tracks like She's On Magazines show a funkier side of his nature coming through. Most pleasing it is too.
Hear: Four songs on his myspace here...
Twitter: He hasn't used it for a while, but maybe he can be persuaded to return...

BrightLight, Bright Light: I was introduced to the music of BLx2 by the delicious Steve XOLondon when he arranged a "bloggers night out" in London, attended by a whole host of people, one of whom was Rod Thomas aka BLBL. I've become increasingly reliant on his music since that time as a soothing influence in my life - his ability to create delightfully constructed pop music that is both thoughtful and smart, yet make it sound so very effortless is something to be applauded. Plus he is behind only the Scissors of Sister on the Popjustice Almighty so I must be onto something (check out his ace duet with Nerina Pallot above)...
Hear: A free download of A New Word To Say by registering for his website here...
Web: His website link is above; his myspace page is here...
Twitter: Click here...

Eric Saade: Blimey, Eric Saade used to be one fourth (or what is commonly known as a quarter) of my beloved Swedish boyband What's Up (whom I wrote about here, rather alarmingly in the same breath as Vigo! What was I thinking?!). He's now solo and doing such brilliant euro disco numbers as the amazingly titled ManBoy (can you imagine using that in conversation?!) and the equally as bonkers o clock Sleepless. He isn't going to change the world with his pop but I just find him utterly charming and magnificent. I shall be all over his debut album like a rash when it's released next month...
Hear: Sleepless on his myspace site; the video to an acoustic ManBoy here...
Web: His official website is here...
Twitter: Yes indeedy...

Dirty Disco: God bless the Tomorrow Never Knows blog for virtually transcribing how I described Dirty Disco on the radio yesterday - "they are just brilliant, I just love everything about them, great to look at, the music is just sensational, they have great eye make up, they're a little bit glamour, a little bit electro, a little bit punk, a little bit disco - I can't really say enough great things about them, they are really just excellent". Blimey, I was gushing wasn't I and quite rightly so. Just so very excellent in all they do. Plus when I was growing up, discos weren't dirty at all, they were Mormon and finished at 9pm with an Osmonds track, so this has been a right eye opener ;)
Hear: Sista!, Vulture (Dirty Disco remix) and a cover of Rabbit Heart on their myspace...
Download: Vulture (Dirty Disco remix) at arjanwrites...
Twitter: Who isn't?!

DeeDee: Oh god, Endure has totally changed my life this past few weeks since I first wrote about one of the most promising female vocalists (along with Elouise) for 2010. Everytime I have any minor sort of incident at work or home, I dramatically bust out the tune and start robot dancing along to it's epic chorus, wailing "I endure so much pain" as if my life depended on it! I've written muchly about the future smash hits Endure and Love Down here. I've also heard an equally pleasing song called Bum Around which not only repeats the word "bum" multiple times in a row (this is known as a very good thing to do) to a persistent and enticing funkalicious beat, but also has whip smart lyrics to the most laxidaisical subject in life of all. Bound to become a deserved anthem to those lazy Saturdays when you don't want to do a blooming thing (plus a brilliantly theatrical ending which is essentially "bum bum, bu bu bum, yeah". Astonishing). Watch Endure zip up my chart next week!
Hear: Love Down and the epic Endure on myspace...
Twitter: Finally, yes. Aces!

Adam Tyler: Delightful, exuberant, energetic, fun loving pop addicted Adam has certainly made my musical landscape so much more entertaining in 2010. He really just pours a cheerful energy into everything he undertakes. I've written about him and his music several times, and was lucky to be able to play an exclusive, never heard before track Committed on Larry's show. It's not even going to be on the album - is more of a pre-album taster to whet the appetite of the discerning pop picker masses. Committed is an instantly addictive, swirling, pulsating gem of a track that utterly deserves wider attention and it's place on top my most played tracks of the week. It's definitely representative of the modern pop sound he's going for on his Lullabies and Rattlesnakes album that is inching closer to a release date, and such a delightful chap that huge things MUST be just around the corner for him...
Hear: Future pop classics (plus remixes of) Friction and Schizophrenic at myspace...
Twitter: What self respecting future pop sensation isn't?!