Example Featured On Arjan Writes

"Example's new single "Won't Go Quietly" is another fresh new hybrid of pop, dance and rap, which will be released through Data Records in the U.K. on January 11, 2010. The song is taken from Example's sophomore album that drops in April. Count yourself in the know early.

"Won't Go Quietly" combines Example's talk-sing lyrics with a punchy dance beat that is spun around a catchy pop melody. Very well done and it is a lot more radio-friendly than the everyday storytelling on his debut LP. Example's new poppy hooks are courtesy of Brian Rawlings who, of course, is known for his work with Britney Spears and Mizz Kylie. Love the the artwork for the single too. Very flower power.

Listen to the radio edit of "Won't Go Quietly" in the player below.

The single EP will come with a bunch of remixes including a revamp by DFA hipsters The Juan MacClean (aka John MacLean and Nancy Whang). The two add an athmospherric disco glaze the the original. More than eight minutes of dancefloor goodness."

Click here to see the full feature and download the track on Arjan Writes

BBC Chartblog Feature Basshunter "I Promised Myself"

"Poor poor Jonas. He's only just found out his new girlfriend has been taken to hospital after what must have been some type of horrific accident [in his new music vid - see his old music vid for details] . He can't believe it. After all his fooling around with countless women, he thought he'd turned a corner, he thought he'd finally found the woman he wants to spend the rest of life with, but now his new love may not be around to experience it with him... He promised himself, he promised he'd wait for her. As he rushes to the hospital a solitary tear begins to slowly run down his cheek... and then... THE BASS KICKS IN! DUM DUM DUM, Du Du, DUM DUM DUM.

Sensitive Jonas transforms into the Basshunter with a swift drop of his trademark dance beat, and you know what? I love him for it!

(Here's the video. Hurry Jonas, Hurry!)


Yes, so everything about this song shouldn't work, and most would argue it doesn't. The song has no sign of a verse, and it sounds like everything else he's done, and I know a song with this sentiment really shouldn't have a sniff of a dance backing, but you can't take the bass away from the Basshunter can you? Otherwise he'd just be Hunter, which is okay for a Gladiator but not a pop star.

What you've got to admire about this track is Jonas really does try to sing, and he kind of pulls it off. Unlike other Basshunter tunes, this doesn't annoy me and will make a half decent Christmas track. I can imagine myself dancing along to it on Christmas Eve, slightly intoxicated, at some random club and feeling quite fulfilled.

I realise as I'm writing this, I'm trying to make the glass half full by eeking out sayings like 'half-decent' and 'it doesn't annoy me'*, but for a Basshunter song I'd call that a success. This isn't exactly the type of song where you analyse its musicality, you either like it or you don't, and I like it.

*It would be awesome if he quoted this on his album cover."

See the feature on the BBC Chart Blog by clicking here

Gurrumul Live - Subba Cultcha Review

"Telling stories of his native Yolngu people and his culture; Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu sings in such a manner that is captivatingly haunting yet warmly arousing. A small shy figure on stage, he refuses to talk to the crowd, leaving all the talking to his friend and translator Michael Hohnen; but in spite of this, his performance was no less endearing. From the very first note you're left mesmerised. Whatever your conceptions of such music, he creates blissfully subtle acoustic melodies, which are made all the better by his other worldly voice. It’s an awe inspiring listen that’s full of emotion and deeply insightful.

Keeping the crowd’s attention for the entirety, it didn’t matter that no one understood what he was saying because you could feel the emotion and sincerity running through his soulful and enchanting voice. Educating as well as entertaining, he was accompanied by a stringed quartet, double bassist and a guitarist; it’s simple yet highly charged music that penetrates to your heart. Made all the better by the awesome visuals of his family and homeland, particular mention had to go to his ode to his father ‘Bapa’, my personal favourite 'Wiyathhul’, which was just as beautiful live and a reggae version of Marwurrumburr.

A true hidden treasure, he certainly wasn't lost on the shepherds bush crowd; he’s a true talent that needs to be heard."

See the review on Subba Cultcha here

Basshunter Featured On Sugarscape

SugarScape get an exclusive interview with Basshunter;

"Basshunter's Back! Do You Care? We just can't decide what we make of this guy...

So we're leaving it up to you! Do you think he is a cheesy wotsit, or is he a smokey Pringle (once you pop you just can't stop!)
Take a look at this video of Basshunter telling us all about his new single, I Promised Myself out on the 30 November!"

See the feature and the comments from SugarScapes readers here

Basshunter - Exclusive I Promised Myself Interview from Hard2beat Records on Vimeo.

YouTube Homepage : Bertie Blackman AND Gurrumul!

As part of YouTube's Music Tuesday celebrating the Australian Record Industry Association Awards which take place on Thursday 26th November. Bertie Blackman is nominated for Best Independent Release, The Temper Trap for Breakthrough Artist and Empire Of The Sun for Album Of The Year. Gurrumul was the surprise winner of Best Independent Release last year, and has gone on to tour the world.

Bertie Blackman "Byrds Of Prey"


Gurrumul "Bapa"

Geeks.co.uk chat to Jem!

"Singer Jemma Griffiths is a lady on the move. The Welsh native, who resides in LA, has just entered a competition to ‘Crash the Superbowl’. She’s also developing a string of iPhone Apps, writing a screenplay and teaching herself how to direct and edit films.

All this as her third studio album lies complete sans vocal tracks and her side project – a piano album – is ready to go.

How she allotted an hour with geeks.co.uk to chat about gadgets, technology and computer games is beyond me.

Her first album Finally Woken shifted over 700,000 copies in the UK and US alone and was a top ten hit along with single They, whilst irritatingly catchy Just a Ride made the top 20 in the UK singles charts.

Cited quite wrongly as the next Dido when she broke through, Jem’s debut album drew on a number of influences with the press struggling to pitch her genre.

The inability to pigeonhole Jem’s creative works seems a fitting testament to the artist herself; diverse and ambidextrous.

The qualified lawyer had to travel Stateside to get her big break. She’s still mobilised by music but is finding sweeter satisfaction by laboriously crafting new skills; an undying passion for film is now top of the pecking order."

Continue reading the interview with Jem on Geeks.co.uk here

All Gigs 4 out of 5 Review for Bertie Blackman's "Secrets And Lies"

"It was with some trepidation that I started listening to Bertie Blackman's new album 'Secrets and Lies'. Probably for the most part because of that stereotypical idea I (did) have of Australian musicians. Don't get me wrong I'm one of Nick Caves biggest fans and I have plenty of Triffids and Go Between's records from the day, but apart from that I'm stuck in the mind set of Men at Work, Savage Garden and Kylie. I know, time to stop being so narrow minded!

A brief trip through Blackman's biography revels that at 25 years of age, this is her third album release following 'Headway' and 'Black'. She is a self-thought multi-instrumentalist, singer songwriter, the daughter of the famous Australian artist Charles Blackman (check him out, he's done some good stuff!). Her original pre 'Secrets and Lies' work was one of an alt-rock persona but she now appears to have come down on the electro side.

Within only a couple of three plays the album grows and I'm already feeling guilty for the Australian pigeon holing comment!"

Continue reading the review on All Gigs here

Archangel "Loud And Clear"

New single and video from Archangel, this is "Loud And Clear" coming out in February 2010. It was directed by Henry Schofield who also directed the 2009 Music Video Award nominated "Do It Again" and was commissioned through Radar Music Videos

Bertie Blackman"Thump" (The Dirty Disco Remix) Featured on MySpace Homepage

Bertie Blackman is featured on the MySpace Music Homepage for a second week, with an exclusive download of "Thump" remixed by The Dirty Disco. Listen and download here;

Archangel LIVE - Death Disco @ Notting Hill Arts Club

Archangel will be performing at Alan McGee and Danny Watson's Death Disco at the Notting Hill Arts Club - if you'd like to come along please get in touch.

“Inventive heartfelt electro pop” The Guardian, critics gig of the day

“brooding, tetchy art-rock – it’s warm and infectious” NME’s “10 Tracks You Must Hear This Week”

“Do It Again. Indie, electro and funk elements thrown together into a shiny package of dance-friendly sound.” The Sun Something For The Weekend

"Eleven magnificently overwrought and dramatically fashioned songs that explore the lexicon of love with an epic sweep and neon glow that will remind you of all your favourite 70s and 80s groups while sounding utterly contemporary." The Guardian

“the sound made by a young man with a serious record collection having monstrous amounts of fun, and almost bafflingly, it works” Word Magazine

Bertie Blackman Featured On I Like Music Homepage

"25 year old Australia singer-songwriter Bertie Blackman releases her new single Thump, taken from her third studio album Secrets and Lies. Already hailed as an independent musical star in her own country, her unconventional initial steps in music are mirrored by her diverse musical style, with comparisons to Karen O, Bat For Lashes and PJ Harvey all justified."

Click here to read the full feature on I Like Music

Gurrumul Live - Music News Review

"There was a tangible air of anticipation in the Shepherd’s Bush Empire as the masses meandered into the former BBC theatre to take their seats for this Aboriginal artist, now starting to make strong headway into the vast landscape of mainstream music.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu’s debut album, 'I Was Born Blind’, seems to explain an important part of Gurrumul’s history but the rich tapestry of ancestral heritage that forms his make-up can only be fully appreciated when hearing him play live.

With the background screens showing filmed clips of his family back in their native land, it was easy to see how Gurrumul’s connection to his native land is at the heart of his very essence. He was led onto the stage by Michael Hohnen, his producer and double bass player and the man he relies on to communicate with the audience as he himself will not utter a word of English."

Continue reading the full 4 out of 5 review on Music-News here

Gayday feature Basshunter's "I Promised Myself" Pete Hammond Remix

Gaydar Nation feature the exclusive of the Pete Hammond remix of the forthcoming single "I Promised Myself" on their homepage!!

Basshunter - I Promised Myself (Pete Hammond Remix) from Hard2beat Records on Vimeo.

Example Featured On Bebo Music Homepage!

Red Blooded Women Featured on Arjan Writes

"The last time I blogged about Brit pop girl band Red Blooded Women was when they released a cover of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" earlier this year. It's been quiet since then, but the group has been working in the studio on their full-length LP. Slated as the next Sugababes (or Atomic Kitten for that matter), the trio of Candy, Carly and Li puts out sleek and synthy girl power pop that is a pleasure of the guiltiest kind. I love this kind of stuff. Superfraiche! Check out a guilt-free MP3 of JM's remix of brand-new track "Halo."

Click here to see the feature on Arjan Writes

Red Blooded Women : Halo (JM Remix) by TomorrowNeverKnows