Leah LaBelle, Lolita

Leah LaBelle was one of my most recent discoveries.

This twenty-six-year-old Canadian singer participated in the third season of American Idol and nowadays she is recording her debut album, set to be release in late 2013.
Leah also got notability while posting cover videos on youtube.

Leah LaBelle has released two songs, so far: Sexify and Lolita, both produced by Pharrell Williams.
While, Sexify is the "classic" R&B song, way too similar to artists like Alicia Keys - and we don't need another one, bringing nothing new.
But Lolita prevails for being so different and unique. It's exciting, fresh and makes eager to see the next steps of this young singer.

Lolita is a upbeat song, full of drama but most of all, it shows her power, her groove and her intensity in music. Lolita is the perfect presentation card to Leah LaBelle.

The XX, Crystalised

The XX are a very successful British alternative rock band with touches of electronic. Created in 2005, in London by the original members Romy Madley Croft (vocals and guitar), Oliver Sim (vocals and bass), Jamie Smith (beats and production) and Baria Qureshi (keyboards), but Qureshi left the band in 2009 - for what initially was mentioned as exhaustion but later the band confirmed she left The XX for due to "personal differences".

The XX participated on huge international festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza or Austin City Limits,  enforcing their success and talent.

With only an album release, the self-titled XX was a very acclaimed album by critics and audience. Ranking very well on "Best Of The Year" lists, placing ninth on Rolling Stone and second on NME.
The album was released with the British independent label Young Turks, on August 17 2009. The album was recorded on a small garage part of the XL Recordings studio, contributing to "the low, almost whispered nature of this record".

Crystalised is the debut single from the album, firstly released on April 29 2009 by Vinyl and on November 25 2009 as a digital download. Later on October 11 2010 was re-released again as digital download.
This video still counts with Baria Qureshi's presence.

"Things have gotten closer to the sun
And I've done things in small doses
So don't think that I'm pushing you away
When you're the one that I've kept closest"

Cansei De Ser Sexy, Hits Me Like A Rock

Cansei De Ser Sexy are a Brazilian rock band, created in 2003 and is composed nowadays by Lovefoxxx, Luiza Sá, Ana Rezende and Carolina Parra.
Thanks to their international success and recognition they are usually called CSS, probably for the difficulty of pronunciation of the band's name for non-Portuguese speakers.

Cansei De Ser Sexy literally means "I'm tired of being sexy" and the band revealed they took the name after a Beyoncé's quote where she allegedly declared she was "tired of being sexy".

CSS are known for songs like Alala, Off The Hook or Music Is My Hot Hot Sex.

The band initiated their recognition, firstly through the internet helping them to achieve some fame before signing with any label.
Releasing two independent EPs - Em Rotterdam Já É Uma Febre in 2004 and A Onda Mortal/Uma Tarde com PJ in January 2005 and three albums - Cansei De Ser Sexy (2005) [this one was released as an International version in 2006], Donkey (2008) and La Liberación (2011).

The band caught the international attention when their song Music Is My Hot Hot Sex appeared on a Apple Inc. commercial for iPod. Due to that exposure, the song achieve #63 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest single in the US by a Brazilian band.
Their songs also appear on video games like FIFA 08, 09 and 12, Forza Motorsport 2 and Midnight Club: Los Angeles.

According to an interview for Folha de São Paulo, Adriano Cintra said that the band's third band "is not a themed album. It has influences from clubs, reggae and punk." Ana Rezende also added that "we sometimes do a reggae that nobody thinks it's actually reggae. But in our head is very reggae."

Hits Me Like a Rock is the first single taken from La Liberación, in August 15 2011. Lovefoxxx revealed, on a press conference, the song "It's about the power of music to date our lives. You know when you listen to a song over and over again over a certain period of time and later, for a while, you simply forget that song ever existed... But then when 'shuffle' choose to use it's power and bring back that song to you, you listen to it again and everything you've felt hits you ever so strong and the music becomes physical."

"Take me on your motorcycle
Run with you through the hills
We don't care for what's wrong and what's not
I like to be with you without a feel of what's real"

In November 11, 2011 Adriano Cintra left the band and declared he didn't authorized any member of the band to use his songs. He revealed he left the band due to attitude problems from the other members, claiming that fame got to their heads.

Skrillex, First Of The Year (Equinox)

Skrillex (previously known on the internet as Twipz) is the artistic name of the American electronic dance music producer Sonny John Moore.
He is also the former frontman for From First To Last.

Sonny Moore started his solo career as Skrillex around 2007 and is known for songs like My Name Is Skrillex, Cinema or Ruffneck.

With 3 solo EP's under his artistic name - My Name Is Skrillex (2010), Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites (2010) and his last More Monsters and Sprites (2011).
In 2009, he released Gypsyhook EP as Sonny.

Moore is also known for his producing work, lending his service to Bring Me The Horizon or Korn. He has toured with All Time Low or Forever The Sickest Kids as Sonny Moore and with Deadmau5 as Skrillex, also participating at the very prestigious Coachella.
He has his own label - OWSLA - created in August 2011.

First Of The Year (Equinox) is a track that belongs to Skrillex last EP More Monsters and Sprites, released in June 7,2011 as a single.
The exclamation from this song is "Call 911 now!" was taken from a Youtube video of a lady yelling to a crowd she supposed to be of illegal photographers.

The song is followed by a strong video which is about an older man stalking a little girl. He follows her into her "dark chamber" and unexpectedly she screams "Call 911 now!" and starts torturing the man, being eventually killed by the girl's powers and the video ends with her making off a tally on a wall with 75 other tallies - leaving the doubt that either she killed 75 men or has being doing this for 75 years, inspiring the song title.

"Call 911 now!"

themed week // Steve Aoki, Turbulence

Steve Aoki is very known for his featuring on Warp 1.9 by The Bloody Beetroots.
Besides that he is an american electro house musician, producer and the founder of Dim Mak Records.
I like his style, he is a very good artist, full of creativity and energy, although I don't know him for that long.

"Attention passengers
This is your captain speaking
I regret to inform you, we might encounter some turbulence
So when it happens
Put your hands up high
Like you're in a roller-coaster"

On the third stage of Optimus Alive Festival, Steve Aoki will play at 2.30 am on Optimus Clubbing Stage, on July 8th.
I am really xcited to see him, he sounds pretty good on live shows.

Love,
P x

Owl City, To The Sky

This song it's so beautiful and so gorgeous!
Really, I love love Owl City (Adam Young, but even so) He has such beautiful songs, so pure and reminding us of simple things.
His electro-pop style really catches me. And this one appears on a sweet and fantastic animated movie (i want to see it but the trailer is so sweet!)

I totally suggest you Owl City and The Legend of the Guardians

Love,
P

Best of 2010, 5th Place

Hurts, Better Than Love

My own 2010 List of most played/loved songs. it was very hard because i’ve discovered LOADS of good music last year, some from new bands, others from older bands but still very nice.

For the 5th place I choose

HURTS with Better Than Love

“Every second is a lifetime
And every minute more brings you closer to God
And you see nothing but the red lightsYou let your body burn like never before

And it feels better than love
Yeah it feels better than love.” 

I don’t know why but i loved this guys since the first time i heard this song, i keep enjoying it since the first time! 

This guys are very song, i totally recommend you their album “Happiness”.

Love,
P