Alela Diane : City Life 5 out of 5 Review

"Let's call it the lure of the mild frontier. Bearded backwoods-thinking boys and thriftstore chic gals showing their roots. Recorded in an Applachian-style shed all the better. Use of mandolin scores extra.

The latest wave of young artists tapping into what Greil Marcus called the Old Weird America are a mixed bunch. For every Bon Iver or Midlake there’s a Carter Family-lite copyist or some yodelling poseur.

But Alela Diane Menig is one of the gems. Admittedly cult first album Pirate’s Gospel was a primitive affair but a Deaf Institute concert showcasing sophomore effort To Be Still didn’t suffer from the absence of the string-driven sheen on record.

Though in truth it was a charmingly ramshackle band backing that incredible voice, with a flinty grain underpinning occasional whooping excess (we won’t use the Y word).

Dad Tom was on mandolin and assorted country-style guitar, very tight and accomplished, but the bass player appeared to be auditioning in his head for some Laurel Canyon country rock band circa 1970 while the hairy drummer looked too hippy-dippy even to join Vetiver.

And yet. And yet. It all created a joyous whole. Stand-outs such as Dry Grass and Shadows, Tatted Lace and Every Path shone like timeless country/folk classics.

Adele Diane has inevitably been compared with Nevada City (confusingly it’s in North California) compadre Joanna Newsom or Laura Veirs, but I’d aim her into the Gillian Welch league.

And that’s praise.

A little more variety in lyric and tempo perhaps would help, but this is a stunning singer in there for the long haul."

See the full review on City Life here

Sky News Business : ‘Well, It’s Not All Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll’

Our latest Sky News piece featured on the Business Homepage;

"A little announcement was made yesterday from the major banks, which really should have been given a lot more coverage. Mortgage approvals have risen for the third month in a row, the British Banker's Association reporting an increase from 24,278 in January to 28,179 in February.

The figures are much lower than they were a year ago, 31% lower in fact, but it is a little bit of positive news amongst all the doom and gloom isn't it?! Are things starting to improve at last?

No. More bad news stamped on those green shoots - the UK economy shrank by 1.6% in the final quarter last year, more than the experts had expected, and house prices have dropped by another 2% last month - the 18th in a row - taking the annual rate from 15.1% to 16.5%. This recession seems to be getting worse and with no end in sight, we find ourselves frequently switching the news off.

As a result of the recession, people are becoming more inventive about generating extra income and generally being thrifty. One of our neighbours was made redundant recently, and to help make up the shortfall in the household piggy bank, they've starting taking in foreign exchange students in their spare room, great for their young son who can practice his French. Others are turning to sites like eBay, selling a wide variety of stuff, taking Martin Lewis's advice of "if you've not used it for a year, flog it!".

Some of the more green fingered are turning bigger chunks of their back gardens into vegetable patches - in fact sales of food seeds are outselling flower seeds - the first time this has happened in the UK since the Second World War, and once empty allotment sites are full with long waiting lists. We do grow our own strawberries, which really do taste better than you get in the shops, but we won't be digging up the lawn like Tom and Barbara Good from Surbiton just yet, and our rare record and memorabilia collection is safe, sound and steadily increasing in value.

Read the full feature here

ElectroQueer Interview Velvet!

Velvet is releasing her new single "Chemistry" in the UK on April 27th on Feverpitch Records and EQ got 10 minutes on the phone with her to chat about the new single, her performance of "The Queen" at Melodifestavlian, some goss about Alcazar. Suprisingly enough, Velvet told me she doesn't have a favourite PWL song - What?! Anywho - enjoy the little chat and make sure you check out the new video.

Well hello Jenny - how are you today?
I am very good!

Where are you calling in from today?
I'm calling from my apartment in Sweden!

So you have a new single coming out in the UK called "Chemistry" on April 27th which has been a huge hit all over Europe thus far. How are you feeling about the upcoming UK release of it?
Oh I'm very excited and really looking forward to going out on tour with it and and seeing England. This is a dream of mine to get this song out to the UK and I hope it goes very well! Fingers crossed.

Did you have a good time filming the new video? I noticed there were a lot of dangerous neon wires and strings and such...
Yes it was a special experience. I had a very good time. Lots of early mornings but it worked out well. I'm very happy with the results. The neon wires and strings were pretty fun to see in real life. I thought it might look strange in the video but it turned out very well! It wasn't dangerous at all, no nasty accidents on the set!

Read the full interview on ElectroQueer here

The Sun : Now It's Gone And Topped It

The Sun & The Sun Online feature the story from PRS regarding Basshunter's smash hit "Now You're Gone"

"BASSHUNTER’s Now You’re Gone has become the most downloaded and streamed track of the last year in the UK.
The Swedish dance sensation has seen off DUFFY,KANYE WEST and RIHANNA to top the Performing Rights Society’s report.

His dirty videos might have helped him along the way. No wonder he’s the biggest thing to come out of Sweden since Abba."

Click here to see the story on The Sun online

Digital Spy : Velvet Review

Digital Spy review Velvet's "Chemistry" and add the video:

"She's blonde, leggy and videogenic, massive in Northern Europe and makes her living singing big, brassy club bangers. Nope, we're not talking about the lovely September, but her fellow Swedish pop diva Velvet. If you're currently thinking "What sort of a name is that?", you'll be glad to know that she's known as Jenny to her nearest and dearest.

'Chemistry', Velvet/Jenny's first UK release, is a cheap and cheerful floor-filler that somehow finds reason to drop the word "biogravity" into its lyrics. It's not nearly as infectious as September's 'Cry For You' - pretty much the gold standard for this kind of thing - but it'll do the business at 3am in a packed, pissed up nightclub. Call it just good enough then."

See the review on Digital Spy here

Digital Spy : Show Me Love Review

"As iconic 90s dance moments go, "you got to show me love" is right up there with Crystal Waters' "la da dee da da da" and the sinus-clearing "WOOOO-HOOOO!" from 'Ride On Time'. The track, a top ten hit for Robin S in 1993, has been remixed umpteen times over the years and appears on almost as many dance compilations as the Ministry Of Sound logo.

This version isn't a remix, but a re-recording by DJ duo Steve Angello and Laidback Luke. The USP? Brand new vocals from Robin S herself. It's not massively different from the original, just harder, fresher and whooshier, and it's sure to fill dancefloors from Newquay to Newcastle this weekend. Still, given the undiminishing popularity of the original, it's hard not to think 'Why?'"

Click here to read the review on Digital Spy

GuilFest 2009 : Happy Mondays & The Charlatans!

News from GuilFest '09 in association with the University Of Surrey











GuilFest '09 Main Stage line up so far:

Friday 10th July
MOTORHEAD

Saturday 11th July
BRIAN WILSON
THE CHARLATANS

Sunday 12th July
HAPPY MONDAYS

Mad Mancunians Happy Mondays are as legendary for their lifestyle as their unique collision of rave beats, indie rock and street poetry. Formed in 1985, Happy Mondays built their sound around hip hop beats, funky bass lines, blues guitars, samples and Ryder’s inimitable lyrics - a compelling mixture of street slang, drug gibberish and menacing sexuality. All these ingredients are still present and correct, mixed into a fine new stew by the band and their producer, Sunny Levine.

Famous for 90s anthems Step On, Stinkin, Thinkin and Kinky Afro, but also for fantastic albums Plastic Face, Pills Thrill’s and Bellyaches and 24hour Party People, (the latter having been the title of the incredibly successful film about the bands career) Happy Mondays can be credited as having achieved the amazing feat of great success across the pond in the US, hitting the number 1 slot on the US dance chart with Stinkin, Thinkin, and also number 1 on the modern rock tracks chart with Kinky Afro.
Happy Mondays will, without a doubt, close the GuilFest Main Stage with a bang on Sunday 12th July

With a career spanning over 20 years, 8 UK top ten albums (including 3 UK number one albums) The Charlatans have most definitely stood the test of time, helping to define the genre of UK indie rock. Entertaining crowd pleasers and great songwriters, the band have been responsible for many anthemic indie tunes, including the awesome “The Only One I Know”. The Charlatans recently took to the media spotlight by being the first band ever to release a brand new album entirely for free over the internet - which at last count had racked up an official 90,000 downloads. The Charlatans will most certainly rock the GuilFest main stage on Saturday night!

Happy Mondays and The Charlatans join already announced rock and roll legends Motörhead and Beach Boy Brian Wilson who are headlining the Main Stage on Friday and Saturday respectively. The line up over GuilFest’s seven music stages will continue to grow over the next few weeks and along with top performers for both the comedy and theatre tent, great facilities across the board including mammoth bar, cocktail bars, great food, and a huge variety of stalls selling everything you could ever hope to find at a festival, organisers are determined to make this year’s festival the best one ever! GuilFest are also delighted to welcome back Commercial Radio, who will be presenting the Main Stage and more following their fantastic job last year.
As regular patrons will know, GuilFest features one of the best festival children’s areas in the whole country, the GuilFest Kidzone – with loads of fun, games, face painting, drum sessions, musical workshops, parades and much more – culminating in a huge procession around the park on Sunday.

The incredibly popular Farmer Giles barn dance returns for 2009, along with many other attractions such as the amazing theatre tent – you might see performances of classic fairy tales like Jack and the beanstalk or Alice in Wonderland - all in a sunny weekend of fun at Stoke Park. Elsewhere on the site you will also find the Rock Disco – back again by popular demand – and the fabulous acoustic stage!

NEW for 2009!! Get ready to be have some “discotastic” fun with the brand new 70s Disco! Featuring classics from the disco and northern soul era – sure to be an absolute blast late into the night!

The award winning family-friendly, relaxed vibe and atmosphere by which other festivals have come to be judged will, as usual, be a major focus of this year’s GuilFest.

Tickets are now on sale and are available on-line at http:///www.guilfest.co.uk or by calling Ticketline on 0871 424 0050.

Archangel "Do It Again" featured on YouTube Homepage!

Archangel's "Do It Again" has been featured on the YouTube main and music homepages, in the UK, Ireland & the Netherlands!

Archangel headline Club Rif Raf @ The Proud Galleries on Thursday 26th March, for more information click here
"Rif Raf likes to make discoveries: at eight, we discovered that swapping our prized AT-AT Walker for three Garbage Pail Kids stickers and a Cadbury’s Chomp did not make sound long-term business sense; at fifteen, that swigging half a litre of cheap vodka in a field will inexorably lead to puke-stained embarrassment and possible hospitalization rather than dance-floor canoodlings at the school disco; and at 23, that working in telesales really, really, sucks. This year, though, we made a more pleasant discovery: that the lineage of fantastic new wave, new romantic, soul-edged funk pop did not hit a bricked-up dead-end the day Bowie formed Tin Machine - thanks to the ludicrously talented Archangel. Channelling the neon spirits of Japan, ABC and Roxy Music, as well as influences as diverse as Motown, INXS and Arcade Fire – Paul Lester at the Guardian describes it as “excellent melodramatic pop”, The Beat Surrender calls brainchild Nick Webber a “twisted little genius” and NME think it’s “corking, angular art-punk” - it’s a 21st Century take on the type of music people simply don’t make anymore. Only we’ve found out that they do. Discover for yourself on the 26th"

GuilFest 2009 : Motorhead & Brian Wilson!

GuilFest announces two of its headliners, Motorhead (Friday) and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson (Saturday)

From BBC Entertainment news:

"Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson and metal band Motorhead will headline this year's Guilfest music festival in July, organisers have announced.

Singer Lemmy Kilmister will perform with his band on Friday 10 July, with Wilson appearing the following day.
"This will be a rare chance to catch a true musical legend - in all senses of the word - headline the main stage," said organisers, about Wilson. Held in Stoke Park near Guildford, the event has been running since 1992.

Last year's festival, attended by 20,000 visitors on each of its three days, saw veteran rock act Blondie top the bill.
The event has two main stages, dance and rock tents, unsigned talent venues and children's entertainment."

For more information about GuilFest 2009 and tickets click here

More coverage for the GuilFest 2009 announcement here:
NME.com, Tiscali, Music Week, The Quietus, Digital Spy, XFM, Uncut, Gigwise, Clash, Stereoboard

Digital Spy : Basshunter Drops Aylar From Video

"Basshunter has revealed that he will no longer feature porn star Aylar Lie in his music videos because "she has a boyfriend".

The Swedish DJ admitted that the pair remain close friends but that he doesn't want her to star in the video to his new single 'Walk On Water'.

"The story of me and Aylar is that she is an actor and I am an artist, but we're very good friends," he told The Sun.

"We get along great - but she has a boyfriend. That's the problem."

Lie featured in the videos to previous singles 'Now You're Gone', 'All I Ever Wanted', 'I Miss You', 'Angel In The Night' and Sunblock's 'First Time'.

Basshunter releases 'Walk On Water' on April 6."

Click here to see the news piece on Digital Spy

Sky News Business "Revival Time, But Can Job Market Spring Back?"

Our latest Sky News contribution is live on the Business Homepage as the Editors pick;

"Official figures confirmed this week that the UK jobless total is now over two million, the highest recorded figure since 1997. It's expected to reach three million by this time next year, exceeding the peaks of the early 1980s and 1990s recessions. Depressing isn't it - it all seems to have happened so fast.

As most private sector industries are shedding jobs, reducing working hours and implementing pay freezes, it can only be a matter of time before the public sector purse is squeezed too.

It will be interesting to see how the public sector workforce will react to pay freezes and even reduced working hours. No doubt the unions will be up in arms, and may even take the French approach and strike to show their dismay at the Government's handling of the economic downturn.

Interestingly the public sector has seen a rise in employment, with over 30,000 posts being filled last year. In the same period, according to the Office for National Statistics over 105,000 jobs were lost in the private sector.
Our annual council tax bill arrived this week. For once it hasn't risen too much but we still wonder where all that money goes when services seem to have been reduced already. Some bin collections have dropped from weekly to fortnightly, I can't remember the last time I saw a road sweeping truck, let alone a gritter, and the roads are covered in so many pot holes, they could probably fill the Albert Hall twice. Can't begin to imagine what kind of service we'll be getting as the public finances are reduced."

Read the full feature here

Show Me Love 5 out of 5 on Music News

"Robin S's seminal dancefloor classic gets another outing, this time with the help of Steve Angello and Laidback Luke. The track mixes up Steve and Luke's own track 'Be' with 'Show Me Love' to deliver a perfect sound for 2009. Amazingly this is the first official release of Show Me Love since it was first released way back when.

Numerous mixes accompany this version; the radio edit does what it says on the tin, deliver a succinct 3 minute taster of the main course. It's all in here, but in a whirlwind. The instantly recognisible beeps and bass are still there, as are Robin S's powerful vocals (re-recorded especially for this track). A Bootleg version and mixes from AC Slater also appear on the CD.

However, Blame tops all this delivering a fantastic DnB overhaul; definitely the pick of the crop here.

Fantastic versions of a track that just won't go away!!"

Click here to see the full review on Music News

ScandiPop Interview Velvet

On Friday we went to a Velvet gig in Stockholm. It took place in the club Paradise, and was a full on, energetic show that lasted around 45 minutes. She looked stunning, her live vocals were great, and the crowd absolutely loved her! All the hits were performed; ‘The Queen’, ‘Take My Body Close’, ‘Come Into The Night’, ‘My Rhythm’, ‘Chemistry’, ‘Fix Me’, ‘Deja Vu’, and a new remix of ‘Mi Amore’. And afterwards, we had an interview with the lady herself, real name Jenny Petersson! Here it is;

scandipop: Hello Jenny! Well that was an amazing show! Everyone really enjoyed it. I think if you can emulate that on the Dance Nation tour next month then you’ll go down very very well.

Velvet: Thank you! I hope so. I’m only doing two songs though.

scandipop: Oh, which two?

Velvet: ‘Fix Me’ and ‘Chemistry’

scandipop: Ok, they’re a good two! So after three years of having hits in Sweden and Eastern Europe, you’re finally coming over to the UK. How are you feeling about it?

Velvet: I’m really excited about it and REALLY looking forward to it!

scandipop: You’ve got a very strong back catalogue of songs. Why did you and the UK label choose ‘Chemistry’?

Velvet: Well, me and my manager like it a lot. And the record label in the UK really like it. So that was the decision. I’ve been working hard on it. And I worked with it in Poland quite a lot too.

scandipop: Ok. Well its already been number one on the UK club charts, and its been played quite a bit on BBC Radio One. Have you got high expectations of chart success?

Velvet: Hmm, I’m really so happy that I’m doing this, that I’m finally going where I really wanna go. So I’m just, I don’t know what to expect. I’m just really grateful for everything and I really hope that it will be a big success.

scandipop: Well it’s already done well in UK clubs.

Velvet: That’s good, that’s really good.

Read the full review on ScandiPop here!

Melody Gardot : Times Online Live Review & Video Exclusive

The Times Online give Melody's Union Chapel show a 4 out of 5 rating, and feature an exclusive performance of "Baby I'm A Fool"

"Audacious, truly audacious. In her brief career, the American singer-songwriter has already established a reputation as a low-key performer, but the notion of building a performance around an extended sequence of ballads might have seemed a step too far. No doubt one or two fans who are not yet familiar with her new album, My One and Only Thrill, will have found the experience daunting. Still, this was a triumphant performance by a singer-songwriter who is becoming one of the major talents of our time.

Is she a jazz vocalist? Not exactly. Her classy musicians certainly come from the jazz tradition, but the songs themselves draw on a fascinating amalgam of styles. There is a touch of Peggy Lee's poetry, a hint of Norah Jones and Joni Mitchell, not to mention the spare bossa nova guitar chords of Caetano Veloso. On her new project she adds violins to the blend, Vince Mendoza's glorious arrangements often conjuring echoes of those Hollywood masters Bernard Herrmann and David Raksin. Reproducing that lush ambience in such a tricky venue, acoustically speaking, was no easy task.

But Gardot's band - augmented by a compact string section directed by Guy Barker - coped superbly. The bassist Ken Prendergast and drummer Charlie Patierno knew exactly how to make the most of the smallest gestures, while the two-man horn section - perched almost out of sight at the corner of the crowded stage - added mere wisps of embellishment.

Lots has been wr itten about Gardot's struggle with the after-effects of devastating injuries sustained in a traffic accident some years ago. The cane and the medically prescribed dark glasses are a constant reminder of her frailty. If Tina Turner occupies the louder end of the introvert-extrovert scale, the newcomer seldom strays out of the twilight zone: her singing on the new record's title tune, for instance, had a sotto voce quality that was simply mesmerising.

Nevertheless, she broke loose at the encore, adding a driving gospel edge to Who Will Comfort Me?"

Click here to see the full feature on The Times Online

September featured on The Sun Online

The Sun Online feature new photos of September along with the video for "Can't Get Over", the single out this week.

"DISCO babe SEPTEMBER, who is heading for the Top 10 with Can’t Get Over, has hit out at MADONNA.
The sexy Swede said: “She either looks great and sounds awful, or looks dreadful and sounds amazing.

"She doesn’t seem to pull off both together.”

Click here to see the feature

Archangel "Do It Again"

Sky News Business "Jacko's Back - Just Don't Mention The 'H' Word"

Our latest feature for the Sky News Business Homepage;

"Can you imagine what it must be like to be able to earn about £35m for around a two weeks' work, just for coming out of retirement?

Well, if the rumours are true, that's how much Michael Jackson will be getting for his run at the O2 in the summer, and that was for just 10 dates - he's since announced a further 35 "final curtain call" shows this week making it 45 performances in total.

But Michael Jackson could probably sell a further five charging twice the price under the headline "no really - this is it - no more after this (In London)" to bring it up to a nice round 50. He could probably do a world tour over the next four years doing the same if he was physically able to, and make an absolute fortune - that is, if he sticks to the hits, and doesn't stuff it full of his new stuff!

However, by doing these shows, with no new music on the horizon, Michael Jackson will become what is known as a "heritage act", a term that makes Adam, Larry, Edge & Bono shudder of U2, and probably work that little bit harder in the studio. A heritage act refers to artists that used to shift millions of records worldwide, but sales have since dried up, their new music is no longer deemed credible and their live shows consist of an audience waiting to sing a long to the old stuff, popping to the bar or chatting during the new tracks.

Or course, I very much doubt Michael Jackson is concerned with this term due to the rumours surrounding his finances, and if Keith, Mick and the other two are anything to go by, it might be something of a life line for the King of Pop. The Stones 2005 - 2007, taking over an amazing $558m. The second biggest grossing tour? U2's 2005-2006 Vertigo tour, taking over $389m followed by The Rolling Stones again, the 1994-1995 Voodoo Lounge tour grossed over $320m. It goes without saying, that the artists in question are earning far more from their tours, than they are from record sales."

Read the full feature here!

Melody Gardot BBC Album Review

Melody Gardot's new album "My One And Only Thrill" get a great review from the BBC!

"My One and Only Thrill is the spellbinding follow up to Gardot's compelling debut, Worrisome Heart, and eloquently confirms her as a supreme songwriting talent possessed of a truly sublime voice.

Gardot's effortless blend of soft-edged, late-night jazz and quiet, introspective blues is on exquisite display throughout, together with the swooning sashay of the melting, Stan Getz-like Les Etoiles. On The Rain, liquid piano, a gentle double bass line that quietly ebbs and flows, and a keening tenor saxophone cushion Gardot’s poetically lovelorn lyrics and hushed vocal delivery to heart-stopping effect. The album's title track is a 4am-in-the-morning confessional masquerading as a bittersweet ballad that lingers long in the imagination.

Gardot acquits herself with the unfettered precision and unobtrusive panache of a born lyricist, each of the 10 original songs here a masterclass in miniature. Deep Within The Corners of My Heart dances with all the knowing elegance of Bacharach & David; Baby I'm A Fool is Sinatra during his soulful, self-doubting Point of No Return/No One Cares period; Who Will Comfort Me offers a defiant take on Carmel’s Bad Day; Our Love Is Easy is the standout track on the album, an instant classic and a love song of timeless sophistication.

Musically, Gardot clearly believes more is less, the acoustic signature deceptively simple and straightforward but managing to make bass, piano, sax and percussion sound like an orchestra.

Rounding things off – and subtly underlining the album's abiding upbeat afternote – is a sweetly pastoral but resolutely unsentimental take on Somewhere Over The Rainbow cosseted in a perfectly proportioned, sunny Brazilian samba.

It may only be March, but this is already one of the outstanding albums of 2009. Talents like Melody Gardot come along all too infrequently. Now that she's here, she is to be treasured."

Click here to see the full review on the BBC!

Ruarri Joseph : Something For The Weekend

Ruarri Joseph's "Both Sides Of The Coin" gets a 4 out of 5 review in today's Sun!

"After leaving Atlantic Records, following his debut album, Ruarri Joseph took full control of his second offering.
Recording every track in the confinement of hi garden shed, the result is a collection of mellow anguish and groovy, enjoyable melodies. Hope For Grey Trousers is upbeat with a catchy chorus while edgy track Red Mist is funkier, with an electric guitar accompaniment. There are also songs of heartache, like One For The Aether and Suzie Don't Be Sad. Ruarri has created a sequence of beautiful, original songs."

Melody Gardot Live Review on Music News

"Melody Gardot possesses a voice that is both entrancing and that pleads for a kind and gentle ear. She writes songs that draw the listener in to them in such a way that you emerge, blinking, into the light when 'she’ has decided to let you go. And last night she almost blew the show at the Union Chapel by letting the best things about her be overshadowed by a string section that was simply too loud and too intrusive.

Her music is made for a small, smoky jazz club and I was lucky enough to experience Ms Gardot last year at the Bloomsbury theatre where the intimacy between the performer and the individual members of the audience was almost palpable.

She achieved this a few times last night when she played without the benefit of the string section and when she allowed her voice to play through but too often, mainly on the new material, the eight piece orchestra took all of the attention away from her and broke the mood.

Of course there were some complete triumphs – 'Les Etoiles’ was magical and 'Goodnight’ had the audience clicking their fingers with her, rapt in the moment, but 'Baby I’m A Fool’ should have been magnificent except that her vocals were lost behind the strings.

Maybe put it down to trying to do something different – I will never castigate an artist for trying to progress – but the best moments were when she played to her strengths; those moments were absolutely 5 star. Overall this was a good rather than a great night but my guess is that this lady will only go on from here to triumphs and I hope that I can be there to enjoy them."

Click here to see the full feature on Music News

September "Can't Get Over" 4.5 out 5 Female First Review

"From the outset, I have to admit, that this song isn’t overly different from the usual batch of dance music you hear pumping out of your local Livingstones / Assembly / Heaven And Hell on a Friday night.

So September sounds like your usual brand of Cascada’s and (for the older ones like me) Kelly Lorena, bringing out a song with that ever-so familiar backing beat with just different words blanketed over the top.

But before everyone starts moaning that they disagree with me, I do actually really like this song! Despite having my roots deeply fixed in rock music, I can’t help but absolutely love dance music; and prancing around my local dance floor / bedroom with Clubland on is one of my lovely pastimes.

So after she made waves with last year’s club anthem; Cry For You, I am willing to lay money on the fact that Can’t Get Over is going to be another massive success for Petra Marklund.
So what if it’s not completely ‘fresh’ or ‘out there’ - Can’t Get Over sticks to a format that works every time, and like they always say: “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” Rating: 4.5/5

Click here to see the feature on Female First

September : My Kinda Place Track Of The Week!

September's "Can't Get Over" is My Kinda Place's Track Of The Week!

"Swedish dance diva September is already a huge star in her homeland but now she’s got her sights set on the UK. She’s already notched up a massive hit with last year’s Cry For You and will be hoping that this follow up will do the business chart wise too. If, like us, you like your dance tunes with a big cheesy chorus (with a side of cheddar) then this’ll be right up your street. It’s not trying to sound cool or American and for those two reasons alone – we think it deserves to be massive."

Click here to see the full feature

The Tripods : Pool Of Fire Suite

I'm (Ritch) particularly delighted to be working with Demon Digital on the release of this - I was a HUGE fan in my youth!!



"THE TRIPODS” - POOL OF FIRE SUITE
MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE UNMADE THIRD SERIES
COMPOSED BY KEN FREEMAN

· New soundtrack album to download by original composer Ken Freeman inspired by the Unmade Third Series of ‘Tripods’ released 23rd March

· Release coincides with the long awaited DVD release of ‘Tripods’ Series 1 & 2 from 2entertain on 23rd March

· Special digital booklet about the ‘Unmade Third Series’ attached to the album when downloaded from iTunes

Based on the classic novels by John Christopher and first broadcast in 1984 in a primetime BBC1 slot, The Tripods gripped the nation and soon garnered a cult following. It was the BBC’s most adventurous production yet with critics hailing it as ‘A minor masterpiece’.

This magical sci-fi series stirred the imagination of a generation almost 20 years ago and still has a strong following now, with many fans petitioning for the DVD release. To coincide with the long awaited DVD release of series 1 & 2 Demon/2entertain are releasing an audio download album to digital music stores.

The album to download: The Tripods: Pool of Fire suite, written and produced by Ken Freeman, is a newly composed, sensational musical representation inspired by the unmade third series. The music takes you on a captivating journey from the initial mood of fear and determination in the freemen’s mountain hideout, to the exciting portrayal of the dangerous attack and eventual destruction of the last Tripod city and beyond.

Things have come on a long way since Ken Freeman composed the original Tripod recordings in 1985. Then the violin sounds were made using a string ‘symphoniser’ and a Yamaha ‘CS80’. The brass was created on a Rhodes ‘Chroma’ and the percussion on a Linn drum machine. However the most effective instrument was the Synclavier II, a very expensive piece of kit which gave the music a distinctive SF feel, epitomised by the scary opening noises. Everything was recorded onto a Fostex B16 analog multitrack tape recorder with interlocked Umatic video. Now it’s all computerised produced digitally using Steinberg’s ‘Cubase 4’ and plugin synths on a self built PC. Compared to the 80s, the composer had an unimaginable array of sounds to play with, but amazingly, he still couldn’t satisfactorily replicate the earlier Synclavier sounds. Without the original sounds it would have been difficult to link the feel of the new suite to the original soundtrack. Ken had sold his Synclavier some years ago but luckily he was able to track one down again. Additionally, his 24 year old floppy disks still worked so he was able to bring the authentic ‘Tripod’ sounds back to life once more.

Tracklisting:

A Plan of Action
The Green Man
A Drink with Ruki
The Pool of Fire
Summer Wind
Freedom
The Conference of Man

Basshunter : MySpace Video Homepage!

Basshunter's "Walk On Water", the 5th single from the platinum selling album "Now You're Gone" is featured on the MySpace Music Homepage this week!

WALK ON WATER

Alela Diane : BBC.co.uk Review!

The BBC.co.uk site has reviewed "To Be Still"

"To Be Still is the follow-up to psych folk revivalist Alela Diane's small-but-oh-so-perfectly-formed debut, The Pirate's Gospel.

Diane hails from Nevada City, California, a former Gold Rush town whose heyday is for behind it but nonetheless can boast amid its 3,000-odd population the father of American minimalism, Terry Riley, former Supertramp frontman Roger Hodgson, folk singer Mariee Sioux and harpist and singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom, who has described the town as, ''swarming with artists and hippies and old prospectors''.

There's certainly gold aplenty to be found in To Be Still, and more than enough to satisfy hippies and artists. There ought to be a sticker on this album advising it should only be listened to in front of an open fire under summer stars and, ideally, sitting cross-legged. Diane is a minstrel who enchants with lyrics all wispy and winsome and a voice as mellow, warm and intoxicating as a patchouli incense burner.

Decorated with what she calls ''more instrumental filigree'' than was on evidence on her debut, To Be Still subtly deploys lonesome fiddle, heart-plucking banjo, keening pedal steel, blood pulse percussion and raindrop guitar to beguile and bewitch in equal measure.

Diane's distinctive bluegrass-tinged vocal delivery – a cracked-caramel amalgam of Vashti Bunyan, Natalie Merchant and Iris DeMent – errs on understatement, the fragile, fraying edges occasionally cracking with dark-hued pain or blooming into a coyote’s full-moon wail. The dominant tone is reflective and nostalgic nd deftly describes assorted hymnals to the natural world, the past, family, friends, love and life getting in the way of living.

With pretty much every track a stand-out track, Age Old Blue, a wistful paean to Diane’s Scottish farmstock ancestry, with rough-hewn but luminous vocal support from veteran Michael Hurley, the yearning but unrealisable dreams of The Ocean, the brittle chill of White As Diamonds – ''Some hearts are ghosts settling down in dark waters
/ Just as silt grows heavy and drowns with the stones'' – and the dream-induced hyper-real jumble of Dry Grass & Shadows all stand – and reward – repeated scrutiny.

A perfect gem of album from a significant new talent."

See the full review here

Sky News Business "Redundancy Can Be The Beginning, Not The End"

Read our latest piece, featured on the Sky News Business Homepage;

"As the UK economy continues its rapid descent and job losses continue to rise, some respected leading business men are suggesting that now is a good time for nurturing entrepreneurs.

Whilst redundancy mostly comes as a shock, it can also be the push in the right direction for individuals who have dreamed of working for themselves, often with a nice little financial package to assist this process. This is how Tomorrow Never Knows was born, and another reason for our company name.

Now, many people envy our position and the freedom and flexibility of working for ourselves allows. We work from home, call the shots, set our working day and our agenda. But it's not a bed of roses. With a family to support, you have to be more driven and hardworking to make sure you can cover your basic costs, and having no guarantee that more work will come in is extremely stressful.

If we don't work we don't get paid. If we are sick, we don't get paid. If we go on holiday, we don't get paid. And however busy we are, If we don't chase every opportunity we come across, that could a possible client lost forever. Working from home obviously has its attractions: no lengthy commute, no expensive travel costs, no traffic jams or delayed trains which in the past would mean missing reading the kids their bedtime stories."

Read the full feature here

September "Can't Get Over" featured on MSN

September's "Can't Get Over", out this week - is on the MSN homepage - click here to see it, click here and head to iTunes to buy it!

September "The Story Of Pt 1" Bebo Music Homepage

September's "The Story Of" part 1 is on the Bebo Music Homepage - click here to see & watch it

Velvet Tour News on ScandiPop

News that Velvet will be appearing on the Dance Nation tour from Scandipop;

"Velvet is the latest scandipopstrel to form part of the line up for the Dance Nation tour around the UK next month. She joins September, Basshunter, and Gathania. Velvet’s first UK single ‘Chemistry’ drops in the UK next month also, and last week it had the honour of hitting number one in the UK club charts - the Upfront Club Breakers chart.

Things are looking good for the regal one! Let’s have another look at the ‘Chemistry’ vid!"

Radar Music Videos comes out of Beta

Record Of The Day report on the newly launched Radar Music Videos website;

"www.RadarMusicVideos.com is out of beta on 9th March, with a bespoke online matchmaking service that introduces record labels, bands to music video directors. A commissioning service that works best with lower budgets, Radar also promote video online, where they guarantee securing at least thousands of views, rising to hundreds of thousands.

Radar have spent the last year amassing a global network of the best online music video directors and have generated an impressive community of over 1800 members worldwide. They include online and real world award-winners, rising star directors from blogs and video sites, viral hit-makers and online competition winners.

Industry clients range from independent labels to unsigned artists: Hospital Records’ Chris Goss; “Hospital are big Radar fans. The service is a no-brainer, and after our first commission we're back for more”. Independent UK artist Archangel used Radar for his first video; made in Guatemala, it spent 5 weeks in the MTV2 top ten. Archangel is now in production with his next two videos through Radar, both made by a UK Music Video Awards’ winner.



“We’re aiming for Radar to become ‘the thing you do’ to commission and promote lower budget music videos” says founder, Caroline Bottomley. With that in mind, the new site introduces facilities for clients to self-publish briefs on the network, alongside a streamlined matchmaking engine which flags up the most experienced directors pitching on each brief.

Radar also addresses the tricky problem of getting video seen online. Their optional, free promotion service for commissioned videos has generated over 2.5 million ‘real people’ views across their networks. “We don’t use bots or spiders to rack up the view count, instead we’ve invested time in building subscriber and fan bases to seed views”.

To encourage uptake of their service, Radar offer to set up accounts for interested parties. Labels and independent artists who want a free, no obligation account, just email a contact name to caroline@radarmusicvideos.com"

Cicada "Metropolis"

Cicada's new single "Metropolis" from the forthcoming album "Roulette"

Digital Spy Interview September

Digital Spy's interview hits the homepage of the site today;

"Despite making a name for herself in Europe over five years ago, it wasn't until last year that September caught our attention with the club banger 'Cry For You'. Spending an impressive eight weeks in the UK top ten, it's no surprise that Petra Marklund, as she's known to her mum, is back with new single 'Can't Get Over' and an album to follow shortly. We hooked up with the lady herself for a much-needed catch up.

Your last single was released almost a year ago. What have you been up to since?
"Well, I've been travelling hectically all around the world. 'Cry For You' did really well in so many countries so I've been in America, Australia and Japan. I've also been writing new material for my UK album which is coming out soon too."

Were you surprised how well 'Cry For You' did?
"I was just so happy because I really love it! It's like my little baby. 'Can't Get Over' has started to do really well here too, so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed."

Your label-mate Basshunter got to number one. Are you hoping for the same?
"For me, number one is always the goal that I want to reach. If you try really hard to get there, it doesn't matter if it doesn't happen. I was amazed when I got to number five. I would love a number one in America too. Dance music is growing and growing and I think that very soon it will be very huge there too."

What can we expect from your first UK album?
"We're doing a lot of new songs at the moment and I'm just picking some to put on an album for my fans here. I know there are a lot of people in this country who want hit songs like 'Satellites' and 'Looking For Love' from the albums I've released in Europe to be included. The ones I really love the most will go on the new album too."

Click here to read the full interview on Digital Spy

September's G-A-Y performance - Sun Online

The Sun Online feature September's sell out G-A-Y performance - only the second act this year to sell out G-A-Y, Lady Ga Ga being the first..

"Hot pop beauties don't usually hold back with their raunchy antics at London's G-A-Y. And Swedish singer SEPTEMBER continued the trend last night.

The Can't Get Over It hitmaker opened her sexy show straddling a Yamaha motorbike, writhing around in her saucy black and white outfit.

After belting out her current hit, she performed Satellites before pleasing her army of fans by singing Cry For You, which stayed in the UK Top 10 for eight weeks.

September said: "The gig was amazing. I loved being sexy on the motorbike, it gave me a real rush of energy. I'm so excited that the UK is getting back into pop music again.

"When I arrived in London the first song I heard in the taxi was my single which was a real thrill."

Click here to see the full feature

The Sun "Toned Tums To Show You Love"

The Sun Online feature the Steve Angello and Laidback Luke featuring Robin S "Show Me Love"

"While we all sink into a post-Brits and Oscars slump, the new video from STEVE ANGELLO and LAIDBACK LUKE should break a few smiles. The infectious dance track, featuring New York singer-songwriter ROBIN S, is atoe-tapping, shape-throwing anthem with flat-tummed totty baring their midriffs. Hopefully the tanned torsos and funky beats will get you in the mood for a season of summer fun. Show Me Love is released on March 23."

Click here to see the feature

Velvet "Chemistry" Popjustice's Song Of The Day!

Popjustice have made Velvet's "Chemistry" today's Song Of The Day!

"Songwords that don't rhyme are no better than rubbish poems so thank God for Swedish warbler Velvet - think of her as September's stunt double - with this 'uncomplicated' ode to not very much at all.

We particularly like the bit where everything drops out before the chorus."

Click here to see the feature on Popjustice

Sky News Business "Playing The Game Of False Politeness’"

Cashflow is the main topic of our Sky News feature this week;

"Having survived half term it's back to normal this week at Tomorrow Never Knows. But with the end of the month fast approaching, it's been a period of chasing finance departments to cough up and pay our invoices - the side of the business we don't enjoy.

When you work for a client, you have a basic agreement. You work hard for them and deliver to the best of your ability, results that compliment the overall campaign to the agreed time frame. It's a shame this doesn't work in the world of the finance departments.

The work is done, everyone is happy and the invoice is in - but now you've got to do the hardest job of all - getting paid. I'm sure the following will sound familiar too all small business people reading this: "It hasn't been signed off yet", "the cheque is waiting to be signed", "its on next week's cheque run", "we haven't received your invoice, when did you send it?", or worse still - silence, as no one gets back to you.

The dilemma for the small business person is what to do about it. By losing your temper, you may harm the relationship you have with the client, and make them think about looking elsewhere. It's a strange game of false politeness: You know they aren't telling the truth, and they probably know you know - but you play along to keep the peace. Fortunately most of our clients pay on time, but having worked on the other side of the business and alongside finance departments we understand why some do what they do, as well as the excuses they come up with, which does make it harder to take now we are on the receiving end."

Read the full feature here on the Sky News Business Pages