Thursday 29 July 2010

Example Vs Jedward - Featured on The Sun Online

"It's refreshing to hear a celebrity saying what they think rather than give a cookie-cutter media-trained answer. So when EXAMPLE revealed his true feelings on JEDWARD, he certainly felt the wrath of the twins' diehard fans. The rapper, real name Elliot Gleave, was quizzed on Twitter over whether or not he would be purchasing their new record Planet Jedward.
And when the Won't Go Quietly singer said no, the insults came flooding in.

Example said: "There is a very small cross-section of fans that like me and Jedward... my dubstep mates think it's hilarious.
"One fan asked if I was buying the twins' new album anytime soon and when I said no, I got loads of hate.I started arguing with people on Twitter calling themselves LauralovesJedward or GemmaGrimes. One girl from Dublin accused me of hating the Irish and said she deleted my album. Then people started copying in Jedward fan groups - like the Jedheads - and started spreading the word not to follow me."

"I was in a Tweet debate for four hours. One person told me not to have a go at them because they would write their own songs one day when they're ready. I said I'd cover one of their self-penned songs and do a rendition of Ghostbusters, but the irony was lost on their fans when they told me I'd ruin it."

Example - who currently has 24,000 followers compared to JOHN and EDWARD's 57,000 - finally admitted defeat by writing: "Jedwards fans - the reason I'm not as big as Jedward is cos I didn't sleep with Louie (sic) Walsh. Maybe next year with a bit of luck."

See the full feature on The Sun Online here

The popular Tweet caused enough controversy to make the homepage of the social networking site on Tuesday. Example said: "When I finally wrote about LOUIS WALSH I purposefully spelt his name wrong so I can't get done for libel. If anyone comes looking for me I'll just say I was writing about the French guy." The Londoner continued to defend his antics, adding: "I'm used to ranting in real life so why not vent on Twitter? I want to become the new Twitter hate man. I'm just saying what all the other celebs are thinking. Think about how openly NOEL and LIAM (GALLAGHER) spoke about taking drugs and calling this DJ or that band a ****. Apparently if I say any of that I'll be taken off the playlist at Radio 1. I can't have a go a certain people. And I certainly can't have a go at LORRAINE KELLY because my TV plugger will have me."

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/music/3073865/Example-stars-Twitter-war-after-slagging-off-Jedward.html#ixzz0wlx9d3SE

Example "Kickstarts" Featured In Popjustice's Twenty Quid Music Prize

"Now in its eighth year, the Popjustice Twenty Quid Music Prizes recognises amazingness in the field of pop tuneage.

Every year twenty pounds (cash) is awarded to the artist responsible for the best British pop single of the previous twelve months.

The winner of 2010′s Twenty Quid Music Prize will be decided and announced on September 7.

Here’s the 2010 shortlist. We’ll warn you now: it’s bad news for Daisy Dares You.

‘One Touch’ by Mini Viva
‘Left My Heart In Tokyo’ by Mini Viva
‘I Wish’ by Mini Viva
‘Once’ by Diana Vickers
‘Bad Boys’ by Alexandra Burke
‘I Am Not A Robot’ by Marina & The Diamonds
‘Kickstarts’ by Example
‘Wonderful Life’ by Hurts
‘Real Late Starter’ by Nerina Pallot
‘Bittersweet’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
‘I Won’t Kneel’ by Groove Armada
‘Never Leave You’ by Tinchy feat Amelle

Click here to find out more about the Popjustice Twenty Quid Music Prize

Wednesday 28 July 2010

GuilFest 2010 - MusicOMH's Verdict "Guilfest, you've been a revelation"

Fantastic three page / three day review from MusicOMH;

"Guilfest might just turn out to be one of the summer's best kept secrets, mostly because its target audience is not the typical festival-goer and has to already be there to truly understand its charms. Once through the gates of the gloriously city centre-located Stoke Park (10 minutes from a train station, even closer to the bus, within walking distance of the high street shops) it soon becomes obvious that it's because of, not in spite of, the eclectically bonkers bill, the commuter belt location and the gastro-grub on offer that Guilfest truly deserves its reputation as one of the UK's most family friendly festivals.

First of all, get over the preconception that 'family' friendly means 'stuff for toddlers to do'. It doesn't (although there is plenty for toddlers to do, of which more later): a family can be a middle-aged couple and their teenage children, it can be pensioners and their thirtysomething offspring. It can be a family group comprising all ages from nine months to 90. This is the crowd Guilfest needs to attract. After all, who's going to go to a festival in the middle of Guildford unless they live there already? When the potential pool is limited, a big net is needed.

In order to survive, Guilfest needs to be something for everyone, while simultaneously being self-aware enough to know that 'everyone' actually means 'everyone who lives between the M25 and the M3 and is too lazy to go to Glastonbury'. Having established this, it hits that demographic with such stunning accuracy the result is truly impressive."

Click here to see the FULL feature!

Wednesday 21 July 2010

The Dirty Disco "White Room"

The Dirty Disco "White Room" Released 23rd August

As filthy as they are devine, The Dirty Disco are thrusting their way up festival bills across the country with a bang of precise timing, slick electronica and infectious pop hooks. Finding their local music scene to be packed with pretentious, self-important shoe gazing Indie, they desired to create something different, something fresh and something theatrical. Something they’ve succeeded in doing, and then some.

In fact, when asked to describe the pulsating electro theatrics of The Dirty Disco, one crackpot follower had this advice: “Imagine… the lust child of Ziggy Stardust and Britney Spears”. And they weren’t far from the mark. What they neglected to mention was this Britney Spears would also have to have a penchant for bad acid, more than a passing interest in the happenings of back-street Soho and a unique way of fusing gyrating Electronica with infectious pop hooks.

"Fantastically loopy, theatrical and infectious in a warped land that encompasses New Order, The Cure, Cher; Electro-Pop fuelled madness and a dash of psychedelic panache thrown in for good measure. Transcends any real critique. A masterpiece in a world entirely its own.” All Gigs

"Their glam, electro-pop reminded us a lot of Lady Gaga if she had decided to strap a guitar to her body instead of Kermit the Frog" Boom Boom Chik

"An unhealthy dose of glam! Sleazy and above all irresistibly catchy pop" Tom Robinson, BBC6

"The Dirty Disco will give you a uniquely glamorous, highly-electrifying, disco ball-shattering, shimmer-induced ride that will make you dance until your feet hurt so bad you'll have to get a cast" Pop From The Block

“White Room” is the The Dirty Disco’s second single, the follow up to their debut and introductory single "Sista!" which peaked at No. 20 in the iTunes Dance Chart. Both tracks, along with future single “Storyteller” were mixed by Grammy Award Winning Dylan "3D" Dresdow, Will.I.Am / Black Eyed Peas long-term studio accomplice, after the unsigned band got in contact through facebook. Dresdow has been responsible for mixing the likes of Nas, Michael Jackson, Wu-tang Clan, and more recently Black Eyed Peas, Cheryl Cole, Rihanna and Kelis. "White Room" was mastered by Tom Coyne (Britney Spears / Beyonce / Pink / Cheryl Cole).

Initial remixes of White Room are available from Last Japan, Subsource, Shooting Horses, Voltergeist and The Art.

I wrote the lyrics just as I was getting over a really shitty phase of black, blue and turd brown" says The Dirty Disco's Adam Boy, "And after the ever-so-efficient NHS insisted i needed to spend a few hours in a “White Room” many moons ago. I didn’t want to write a self-pitying song. Sometimes you need to laugh at yourself to get out of the state of mind that has engulfed you. The video is tongue-in-cheek galore and I believe that Music and an exaggeration of a stereotype are both fantastic ways of creating awareness. I have pledged to help end mental health prejudice through my art at http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/

"Emerging British electro-pop Sensation The Dirty Disco... a perfect balance between emo-fueled pop rock and 80s inspired
synth pop with a theatrical twist.. A potent package of both style and substance" Arjan Writes

The bands last 4 headline shows have sold out, including their Death Disco @ The Notting Hill Arts Club appearance, which had a queue around the block, and their festival season kicked off with two fantastic shows at The Great Escape and a headline slot on the New Bands Stage at Beach Break. The Dirty Disco appear on the second stage at GuilFest on Sunday 18th July with more shows and festivals to be confirmed.

"Absolutely the most stunning and photogenic band of all time.. A truly and totally EPIC set! The Dirty Disco stole the weekend for me and they blew me away." Alt Sounds @ GuilFest 2010

"The Dirty Disco will rip off your head and shout down your neck if you stare in their eyes" Virtual Festivals @ The Great Escape

"The whole afternoon however was entirely overshadowed by The Dirty Disco. They were great, equal parts drama school and what Lady Gaga was probably dreaming about when she was playing solo gigs in New York." Quism @ The Great Escape

"If The Dirty Disco were an actual club, I'd be there every weekend. The place would be sleazy, extravagant, intense, and glamorous. I'd have a lifetime pass, and I'd never leave." The Pop Sucker

"A creature has spawned so bizarre and so colourful...a new chapter in the melting pot of modern pop culture... with a refreshingly authentic ‘Don’t give a fuck’ attitude that seems to seep from every pore.. The pretense is real – Viva La Revolution!!!" We Are Not A Rock Band

“As polished and professional as it is artsy and avant garde...A dynamic frontman. an absolutely bat-shit crazy performer. I was converted into a major fan about ten seconds into the song. Mixes glam, electro, punk, and pop into a perfect cocktail!” No.1 Hits From Another Planet

The Dirty Disco Live: (More dates TBC)
29th October : The Boileroom, Guildford, Surrey

The Dirty Disco : Blog : Facebook : Twitter : MySpace

Tuesday 20 July 2010

EDEI Performs Plan B's Prayin' with beatboxer Bellatrix!

Chicane Middle Distance Runner



Chicane "Middle Distance Runner" featuring Adam Young, from the new album "Giants" released 2nd August through Modena Records

For more information visit www.chicanemusic.com

It's been some fourteen years (if you include Disco Citizens tracks) since Nick Bracegirdle arrived as the 'God of the Ibiza anthem'. Some records are of their time and stay there, some somehow form a bedrock in musical consciousness, 'Offshore' certainly has done that: millions would have heard the track and most likely not know who it was by; as with other Chicane tracks, their usage as incidental tunes on TV around the world is phenomenal.

More Ibiza anthem's followed, 'Saltwater', Autumn Tactics', 'Halcyon', in that golden period through to the millennium Chicane, was trance, and trance was Ibiza, or at least the Ibiza dance tourists brought home. Blissed up kids returned from the island and wanted to play the tracks that reminded them of sunrises, sunsets, Cafe del Mar and all that was in-between.

'Behind the Sun', which featured a track called 'Don't Give Up', featuring Bryan Adams, was a turning point. Originally the single was white labelled without acknowledgement of Bryan's involvement, however, that only intensified the interest in both the track and who the vocalist was. 'Don't Give Up' became a UK No. 1and international hit.

Nick Bracegirdle, who has always insisted he was as much live act as a writer producer, spent the next two years touring the album worldwide, Ibiza, and 6am sets seemed a long way away. The band played their last gig on the island back in 2002.

Nick's reputation as a writer and producer got calls from established acts that wanted to induce some of the Chicane sound into their own. He has either, written, remixed, performed with, or produced for acts as diverse as; Cher, BT, William Orbit, Bryan Adams (East Side Story), Natasha Bedingfield, Jewel, Sir Tom Jones and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. His music seems to have some large generation spans; Sir Michael Caine is a big fan and recently played, 'No Ordinary Morning' on Desert Island Discs, as well as featuring Chicane on what must have been one of the most bizarre compilation albums of all time 'Cained'.

In 2008 Chicane released a 'Best Of' album, which included the UK top ten hit 'Poppihola', which, is a rework of the Sigur Ros track, "Hoppipolla", as well as a ledger of tracks from 1997 to present day and has gone on to sell over 200,000 copies

Through 2008 to 2010, Chicane toured the album worldwide; Australia, Russia, Europe, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ukraine, Africa, Scandinavia, Singapore (inaugural F1 race), and of course the UK.

Now, July 26th see's the release of both the new studio album "Giants" and the single 'Middledistancerunner' , featuring a vocal from Owl City's Adam Young. The album has a few guest appearances, some uncredited, some not - Lemar boldly makes an appearance on 'What am I Doing Here (part 2)' and Tash Andrews, sometime live vocalist with the band appears too on 'Hiding All the Stars'.

This album is an updated but voracious return to the Chicane of old. Nick describes it as 'related but evolved to the older albums'. Certainly tracks leaked through official websites have sparked more than a wave of excitement. In some ways it is isn't what people expect, but it is maybe what they want.

Giants, released by Modena Records on August 2nd 2010 - www.chicanemusic.com

Barefoot
Middledistancerunner (featuring Adam Young)
Come Back
What Am I doing Here (part 1)
Giants
Poppiholla 5am
So Far Out to Sea
Where Do I Start
From Where I Stand
Hiding All the Stars
What Am I Doing Here (part 2) (featuring Lemar)
Titles
Middledistancerunner (dc edit)

Gigwise Review GuilFest 2010

"With numerous music festivals happening each weekend through out summer and with only a limited amount of artists currently available to choose from, sticking out and separating itself from others can be a hard thing for festival organisers to achieve.

This may give reason to why the organisers of Guilfest have decided to break away from many of the obvious choices and pitch it as a guilt free family friendly weekend where both young and old can find enough familiar names on the line-up to ensue all remain happy.

With the sun beaming, Friday’s mixed bag of entertainment swung from the local based unknown right up to the giddy heights of recent second stage Glastonbury headliners; somewhere between these two points lies the place instrumentalists 65 Days of Static find themselves locked into. With many people pouring through the gates, there dynamically driven set of bone crunching riffs and electronic wizardry offered a hard hitting punch of a warning to those who traditionally park their asses at the main stage all weekend." (Continued)

Read the FULL review and feature on Gigwise here

Arjan Writes Features Taio Cruz's "Dynamite"

"Taio Cruz's new single "Dynamite" is guilty pleasure pop of the finest kind. And that should really come as no surprise. The track was written by Taio in collaboration with Dr. Luke (Ke$ha's main man) and Swedish pop genius Max Martin who really doesn't need more of an introduction.

"Dynamite" further solidies Cruz's reputation as one of the planet's rare, sure-bet chart toppers. If you look for slick, catchy and dancefloor-ready pop, Taizo Cruz delivers every single time. The single comes with a slew of remixes including this hot little remake by Stonebridge. "Dynamite" will hit the U.K. on August 23."

Click here to see the feature on Arjan Writes

EDEI Video Of The Week On I Like Music!



"21 year old Edei has spent the last two years developing her musical style with the team who discovered Joss Stone. Having recently supported Girls Aloud on a 36 date (eek!) arena tour, Edei is currently throwing the final sparkles of soul over her debut album, Inside Information. Now she releases In My Bed, and we love this video! Not only does Edei look fab in her skin tight black and white dress, she also oozes style and sass with her effortlessly cool voice...plus, her backing dancers are a wonderful combo of spots, raincoats and 60's style dance routines! Woop!"

Click here to see the feature on I Like Music

Alt Sounds GuilFest Review: "The Dirty Disco Stole The Weekend"

"There was one band who I have been very keen to catch live, ever since hearing their song ‘Sista!’ a couple of months ago. Thankfully, I knew that I was in luck when I saw that The Dirty Disco were going to be gracing the Good Times Stage (after District 6). I was aware that the band are absolutely gifted at delivering a visual spectacle like no other and they did not disappoint. Just to give you a bit of insight into the photographers world at a festival, it’s not always an easy task to shoot fast moving artists, in often low light conditions, BUT, the Dirty Disco are absolutely the most stunning and photogenic band of all time; especially front man Adam Boy who is a genius.

The Dirty Disco team produce electro-pop-rock tunes and thus, every song has a groove and beat which is simple to hook onto and move your body to (reflected in some members of the audience). Anyhow, I found myself shooting photo’s on an outside stage, with plenty of room and a crazy bunch of talented musicians to capture (perfect conditions). Mid set, Adam leant down and stared straight into the lens (picture below), before ruffling up my carefully crafted hair-do! A truly and totally EPIC set! The Dirty Disco stole the weekend for me and they blew me away."

Click here to see the full feature on Alt Sounds!

Alt Sounds : GuilFest Feature All Three Days!

Alt Sounds spent all three day at this years GuilFest, read their take on the festival and check out their pictures:

GuilFest Day One featuring the Rock Sound Cave, We Are The Ocean & Orbital

GuilFest Day Two featuring Young Guns, Collapse The Control, D.Trac3d and more!

Guilfest Day Three featuring Dirty Disco, Lower Than Atlantis, Orestea and More!

Monday 19 July 2010

EDEI Featured On SBTV

"SB manages to catch up with Edei who delivers this A64 of her debut single “In My Bed” with the help of Bellatrix beatboxing and Jerry on the bass, hope you enjoy.."



Click here to see the feature and click here to check out SBTV, the most popular youth broadcaster!!

Sunday 18 July 2010

Taio Cruz "Dynamite"

Cruz is a huge talent” - The Sun

Taio Cruz could be Britain’s answer to P Diddy” - The Sunday Times

Taio Cruz can play with the big boys… the finesse of Timberlake or Timberland. This man knows his way around a hit…Cruz has got it all locked down” Time Out

“A genuine contender” 4* Financial Times

Taio Cruz, whose current US single “Break Your Heart” remains in the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100, months after celebrating his first US number 1 single, returns with the release on August 23rd of his new soon-to-be smash “Dynamite”.

“Dynamite” is the first collaboration from three of the world’s premier hitmakers, Taio Cruz, Max Martin and Doctor Luke. Individually and as a pair Max Martin and Dr Luke have been responsible for some of the biggest global hit records in recent years from Britney Spear’s “Hit Me Baby” to Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” to huge singles for among others Pink, Ke$ha, Miley Cyrus and many more. The three super-talented writer/producers worked on the track last month and were so excited with the result that they immediately deciede to release it as Taio’s next single.

The number 1 US success is a phenomenal achievement for Taio and offers further proof, if proof were needed, that in Taio Cruz, the UK has its very own top–drawer artist/songwriter/producer who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best that American pop has to offer.

Things are really hotting up for Taio with his recent Brit Award nomination for Best Single, and the US Chart success with "Break Your Heart". In the last couple of years Cruz has established himself as a major UK artist in his own right, as well as the go-to writer /producer/performer when a hit record is the order of the day. In that time the he has written, produced and performed with a long list of A-list performers.

In the wake of success of his debut album Departure (2008), which spun off a quintet of UK chart hits ("I Just Wanna Know," "Moving On," "Come On Girl," "I Can Be," "She's Like a Star"), Taio was tapped to work in the studio with X Factor champs Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke. Sessions followed in Philadelphia with writing for Britney Spears, Brandy, and Justin Timberlake. The year climaxed at the MOBO Awards with a Best Single nomination for "She's Like a Star," which Taio performed with Sugababes.

With the completion of Rokstarr in 2009, overlapping the success of "Break Your Heart," Taio kept himself busy writing and producing for Cheryl Cole's double-platinum UK debut album 3 Words. Taio also scored his second #1 UK single as writer of the Tinchy Stryder/Amelle smash "Never Leave You"; Taio previously wrote and performed on Tinchy's Top 3 hit "Take Me Back."

The son of a Nigerian father and Brazilian mother, Taio is the founder and CEO of his own Recording Label Rokstarr Entertainment Division (R.E.D.), formerly known as Rokstarr Music London, established in 2006.

http://twitter.com/taiocruz
http://taiocruzmusic.co.uk/

Friday 16 July 2010

GuilFest 2010 - Festival Preview on the Red Bull Website!

RedBull.com asked the same festival related questions to a number of the GuilFest 2010 line up, including 10CC, Level 42, The Blackout, The Dirty Disco, Hadouken, Subsource, Wobbly Squadron and more..

What's been your favourite festival moment?
It has to be Download Festival last year, because headlined the Red Bull Stage and we couldn't believe the amount of people that turned up to watch us, it was overwhelming!
– We Are The Ocean

My favourite festival moment was actually as an audience member, seeing Grace Jones perform last summer at Latitude. For her encore, with nothing but a single spotlight on her, she danced with a hula hoop on a rotating round-stage wearing what can only be described as a metal thong, captivating the crowd, gyrating in time to the music, until she finally sauntered off and the stage went black.
– Nell Bryden

Knebworth 1976 going on stage and seeing so many people in front of us, as far as the eye could see.
– Graham Gouldman, 10CC

Playing Download 2010, because the amount of people who came out to see us blew our mind. I'm not sure it actually happened, I think it might have all been a dream…
– Gavin Butler, The Blackout
http://www.myspace.com/theblackout

Playing to our largest ever crowd at Glasto last year.
– Fucked Up

Glastonbury 2007. We were there to play the BBC introducing stage, which was awesome in itself, but we were also lucky enough to catch Pete Doherty do a secret gig on one of the really small stages. It was great because we watch the whole thing from the side of the stage.
– Pint Shot Riot

Read the full feature on the Red Bull website here

Roll Deep "Green Light"

Hot on the heels of their #1 hit 'Good Times', Roll Deep are back with their brand new smash 'Green Light'!

Grime pioneers Roll Deep, return to assail the UK Charts with their new single, 'Green Light', on August 15th on Relentless / Virgin Records.

Roll Deep put all the cynics to rest with their last single, 'Good Times'. Not only did they hit the No. 1. spot on the UK charts, but they held the position for 3 consecutive weeks! They now hold the record for the longest running No. 1 this year (jointly with Owl City). To date they have sold over 300,000 singles.

'Green Light' continues the London collective's more popular direction. The song contrast's Roll Deep’s street savvy lyrical twists with a throbbing electro bassline and the guest vocalist's hook driven vocals. Add them all together and they have themselves another sure fire hit.

Roll Deep’s line-up has continued to evolve since the 2005 release of their debut album ‘In At The Deep End’, yet the collective still boasts the talents of founder members Wiley, Breeze, Scratchy, Flow Dan and Danny Weed, as well as crew veterans Brazen, Manga, J2K and Target.

Roll Deep emerged from the mean streets of East London, and soon became the influential figurehead as the then nascent grime scene began to earn mainstream attention. Roll Deep’s live performances took them across Europe, America and Japan and included support shows with Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent. This summer they are taking their live show to Glastonbury, Wirless and Wakestock festival and will continue to tour the UK and beyond.

Other notable artists that have flowed through the Roll Deep ranks or have been associated with them include Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder.

Roll Deep are in the studio conjuring more magic for their new album due out in the autumn With grime now embraced by the masses, Roll Deep have reclaimed their throne.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Digital Spy Interview Basshunter

"Since he finished a respectable fourth on Celebrity Big Brother back in January, our world has been disappointingly Basshunter-free. Thankfully, the Swedish dance star is currently working on an album - his sixth! - and trailing it with a typically bangin' new single. Since our quick catch-up at T4 On The Beach didn't quite fulfil our needs, we met up with Basshunter for a more in-depth discussion about that new LP, breaking the States and how he goes about wooing the ladies.

Are you enjoying being back in London?
"It's great, but I've been to nine countries in seven days! I've had five shows in five different countries, but I've had four transfers too, so technically it's nine. It's been a very productive and very creative week, but it's been very destructive too. As you can see I look quite ruined."

You still look fresh-faced to us...
"Thanks! It's just good make-up though. You're looking pretty good yourself."

Why thank you! So, what have you been up to since Big Brother?
"Straight after the show I went on tour in India, which was ruined by a bomb that went off in the area. A lot of people were injured and it destroyed the whole mood! I then went home for a couple of weeks, and then went on a US tour, and now I'm here!"

How would you describe your new single, 'Saturday'?
"Well, I recorded it in the short time I spent at home, and it's definitely different to my older stuff. I'm getting quite a mixed reaction to it - I've had emails from new fans saying they love it, but also messages from my hardcore fans saying it's too commercial. I've been making trance music for eight years now and I've always experimented, so this song is just a natural progression for me."

Click here to read the FULL interview on Digital Spy Basshunter's new single Saturday is out on the 18th July, click here to buy!

BBC Chart Blog Review Basshunter's Saturday

"I'm joking of course. Jonas may be a lot of things, but when it comes to cheesy dance anthems, he's no fool. He knows that 'I Like To Move It' by Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman is an untouchable classic. A song so madly distracting and addictive (even if you didn't WANT to be addicted) that it wound up being used by the Madagascar franchise some 10 years after it was first a hit. And this is a fly-by-night, disposable bit of silly dance music, a song which shouldn't have made it to the end of the year without being forgotten.

Well, now it's back, and forms the backbone of Jonas's latest excursion into The Fun Zone. But in case you're thinking this is just some lame rehash, he's written a proper song to go over the top. I mean clearly fans of 'real music' will take issue with the proper-ness of the song itself, but it has a clear verse-chorus-verse structure, a melody you can whistle, lyrics which make factual sense, what else would you call it if you were trying to not act out your inner party grump?

And actually, this represents a development in the Basshunter sound. Where once he seemed to be making dance tracks to sing to, now he seems to be writing with a full song in mind. This isn't even - references to old songs aside - all that cheesy. I know!

It's not perfect by any means. It's not even really my kind of thing, beyond knowing a good pop hook or two when I hear 'em. But in terms of what it was put together to do, and who it was put together to do it for, it's actually a pretty good birthday cake.

OK, it's not a tirimisu, but they're harder to fit into the party bags."

Click here to read the FULL review on the BBC Chart Blog

Monday 12 July 2010

MusicOMH's GuilFest 2010 Preview

"If a quick scan down the line-up is the best way to get a feel for what a festival is all about, Guilfest is probably giving itself away as an '80s throwback of a day out for your Mum and Dad that offers a welcome change from the local Harvester or B&Q this weekend. Prepare to be unconvinced as the 'rents wax lyrical about how Level 42 and Kid Creole And The Coconuts are going to show you what a real band sounds like. It's like School Disco, held outdoors.

The festival's line up could, in all honesty, be mistaken at first glance (probably second and third glance, too) for the contents of the Oxfam record box or the playlist of the DJ at your mad uncle's wedding. There's Hawkwind, Status Quo, Ali Campbell's UB40, 10CC and Saturday headliners The Human League for the grown-ups, with N-Dubz and Peppa Pig thrown in for the kids, of whom there are likely to be many - Guilfest is a previous winner of the UK's best family festival.

It's not all nostalgia-fest though. Fucked Up (asterixed out on the festival's homepage so as not to unduly offend the commuter belt masses), Hadouken, Tinie Tempah and The Twang all put in appearances over the weekend, sitting alongside and Dappy & pals on a bill that is eclectic, if nothing else. There's even Arthur Brown to take things even further back into pop history, fresh from a Glastonbury appearance and, one hopes, still setting his head on fire for the adoring masses. And this being prime squaddie territory, the festival wouldn't be complete without singing soldiers The Soldiers.

Of course, today's festival goers expect something a bit more sophisticated than just music, and Guilfest offers a choice between comedy, theatre (each has its own tent), UNISONzone (like Glastonbury's Leftfield, but with added moaning about public sector cuts by assorted members of The Wonderstuff), plus your chance to forget you're actually an assistant accountant by joining the Eden People hippie creative/healing collective. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage canteen and cookery workshops offer something for the more gastronomically demanding festival goer than falafel wraps and Square Pies.

If this sounds like something stuck awkwardly halfway between a 21st century festival and a farmer's market for people who are already further outside the M25 than their comfort zone, you can always run away to Guildford's Spectrum leisure centre for ice-skating and ten-pin bowling, or the local Lido for a bit of outdoor swimming. Does this really count as part of the festival? Hmmm, maybe not, but it's nice of them to let us know it's there.

One of the main advantages of Guilfest of course is its location - five minutes' walk from the local railway station, slap bang in the middle of the town (note, lightweights, B&Bs are within walking distance and the website's FAQ section tells you how to contact them), it's easy to get to, easy to get out of if you fancy a bit of shopping or leisure fun, and easy to get home from. Yes, it's a rubbish Glastonbury for the London commuter belt but hey, there's less mud, fewer hippies and Quo. What more do you want?"

Click here to see the preview on MusicOMH here

Guilfest takes place from 16th to 18th July 2010 in Stoke Park, Guildford. Tickets and further information are available from www.GuilFest.co.uk

Example Features On STV From T In The Park

"British rapper Example spoke to stv.tv at T in the Park and revealed a secret longing to be the Just Dance songstress for a day."

Click here to see the feature on STV and click here to watch the video

Friday 9 July 2010

Fugative Featured On The Sun Online

"MOST 16-year-old lads are still at school, but FUGATIVE is busy hanging out with an army of bikini babes. The rapper had fun in the sun while filming his new video Bad Girl surrounded by scantily-clad ladies. In our exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, Fugative can be seen flirting with the girls in the pool asking if the water is hot or cold. Fugative, real name Harry Byart, is being hailed as the new addition to the Brrrap Pack."

Click here to see the feature on The Sun Online

Thursday 8 July 2010

Basshunter's Big Brother Blog Part 4 on AOL TV!

"Wow I am totally obsessed with Big Brother now...it's official! So much is going on in that tiny little house!

To start with I thought it was so funny how the tree of temptation got an army commando in to make Ben do reps! He was such a wimp, I can't believe he got Dave, one of his best friends in there to replace him just so he got out of it!

Poor Dave admitted he had done NO exercise in 20 years...and Ben must have known he was unfit...dude, seriously don't do that to your mates! He is going to be majorly unpopular if he carries on like that!

I can't believe Shabby has left the house. I thought that girl had more determination than that. I know how hard it is living in the BB House but I thought she was one of the strong ones and would at least stay until evicted...who am I going to watch kicking off now?

Looking forward to the nomination results...I haven't seen them yet I've been busy at T4 On The Beach in the UK so Shhhhh!!!

And for God's Sake would John James PLEASE just Kiss Josie??? Arggh!!"

See the FULL blog on AOL TV here

GuilFest 2010 - Final Line Up Revealed

So, GuilFest is almost here! The line up is complete and everything is in place for GuilFest 2010 to be the best ever! Featuring a hugely eclectic mix of live acts, DJs, comedians, actors and actresses and much more besides, this year's festival is bursting at the seams with the sheer quality of entertainment that is on offer.

This year you can catch possibly the most eclectic line up ever at GuilFest, with a fine mix of some of the best live music, comedy and theatre you could possibly hope to see at a festival! All around the site this year you will find pockets of brilliance, with new and exciting areas such as The Ceroc Dance Tent, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Cafe & workshops, combined with GuilFest favourites such as the 70s Disco, Farmer Giles Barndance, The Backline Live Acoustic Lounge and much more!

The Main Stage features headline performances from dance music pioneers Orbital on Friday, synth-pop legends The Human League on Saturday, and one of Britain's best loved rock bands, Status Quo on Sunday, with the main support acts on each day being Hadouken!, N Dubz, and Level 42. The Main Stage also plays host to a huge variety of other top acts across the weekend, including The South (Formerly The Beautiful South), Just Jack, Ali Campbell's UB40, 10cc, Kid Creole and The Coconuts, The Blockheads, 65daysofstatic, Pama International, as well as a last minute confirmation for Saturday 17th July from Thomas White of Electric Soft Parade fame!

The Good Time Guide Stage features a truly fantastic mix of acts, and top of the bill here this year are English institution The Wonder Stuff on Friday, psychedelic rock legends Hawkwind on Saturday, and Brummie Indie rockers, The Twang on Sunday. Also appearing on this stage over the weekend are Mungo Jerry – performing with 3 of the original members for the first time in 33 years! Crowd pleasers Dreadzone, Delays, The Young Knives, Alvin Stardust, Seth Lakeman, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Babylon Circus, Nell Bryden, Ian King, The Dirty Disco and lots more fantastic acts!

GuilFest's home for all things Rock and Metal, the incredibly popular Rock Sound Cave, returns this year with an awesome line up, topped each day by American hardcore punks F***ed Up, Welsh post-hardcore outfit The Blackout and, returning by popular demand to close the stage on Sunday for the second year in a row, everyone's favourite political punk poets, The King Blues. Some of the other highlights on this stage over the weekend include We Are The Ocean, Sorry & The Sinatras, And So I Watch You From Afar, Stars of The Search Party, Pint Shot Riot, Young Guns, Futures, The Xcerts, GU Medicine, La Faro, FranKo, My Passion, Cars On Fire, Lower Than Atlantis, Subsource and loads more besides.

For all you lovers of electronic blips and beats, The Funky End Dance Tent features a brilliant line up this year, headed up by a DJ set from critically acclaimed Drum n Bass producer Sub Focus on Friday, UK grime chart topper Tinie Tempah on Saturday, and British electronic production duo of the moment Chase & Status on Sunday. Also appearing there this year are remix kings South Central, house legend Tall Paul, dubstep aficionado Nero, technical drum and bass mixing wizard DJ Friction, rising dubstep star FuntCase, electro/breaks crowd pleasers Atomic Drop, ex Far Too Loud artist Neurodriver, psytrance master Scorb, 22 year old production god Beatnik, as well as lots more exciting artists

The amazing GuilFest Kidzone returns this year, bigger and better than ever with regular special VIP appearances from Peppa Pig on Saturday and Barney on Sunday. On top of this you can expect more shows, fun and games than ever before with performances from the Booster Seat Theatre Company of Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Ickle Pigs, as well as great acts involving dare devil stunts and fire-shows.

Elsewhere on the site is the return of the eFestivals Cosmic Comedy Tent, featuring Milton Jones, Ivan Brackenbury's Hospital Roadshow, John Moloney, and various other great comedians from the UK circuit. The Man in the Moon Theatre Tent also returns this year with everything from Burlesque Cabaret to Shakespeare, and more!. The Acoustic lounge is also back with an amazing line up of performers, and this year will again feature Open Mic sessions – so come along and bring your instruments – anyone can play!

Later on, when the main stages begin to close, there is plenty more entertainment planned for all the night-owls out there! Head to Chaos, The Rock Sound Afterparty for the brand new Indie/Alternative nights on Friday and Saturday; grab your partner and come on down for a bit of “YeeHaa” and “Dosey-Do” at Farmer Giles Barn Dance – returning due to popular demand for the third year in a row and featuring once again, the fantastic live ceilidh band, MoonDance! go to the Funky End for some late night blips and beeps; boogie on down at the 70s Disco, or just wander in to the Acoustic lounge for late night singalongs!

All this, combined with the UNISONzone, The GuilFest Gallery, Carnivanza Salon, impromptu street performances, magicians, food and drink from around the world, great stalls, cocktail bars, The Pimm’s Bus, and our MASSIVE 150’ bar creates an amazing mix of fun and entertainment to last the weekend. There is even Guildford Lido for outdoor swimming and showers, and Guildford Spectrum leisure centre for indoor swimming and various other activities including bowling and ice skating right next door!

Remember! Campsite opens at 10am Thursday morning, main site opens 10am Friday Morning. Make sure you’re in the campsite on Thursday night for our special pre-festival bar and disco!

Tickets still available but selling fast! – Buy now to avoid disappointment at:
http://www.guilfest.co.uk or call 0871 230 1106

Click here to see the full line up!!

Wednesday 7 July 2010

Example's iTunes Festival Show reviewed by RWD

"..Example was already a couple of songs into an impressive set. See The Sea – taken from his latest album Won’t Go Quietly – worked its way around the venue and Example stressed to the active audience that they should go wild as this was being “streamed live”. Moments later the 14+ audience went wild again as popular singles Watch The Sun Come Up, Won’t Go Quietly and Kickstarts sent them bouncing.. The set ended with E saying, “My name is Example, and if you can’t hear me…” and at that point he pointed at the massive logo below his DJ’s (DJ Wire) booth, before going into the last track. “You’ll like this one…,” he blurted. “You look like hooligans… Try and kill each other but with no bloodshed.” The superb soundsystem coped with the epic bass from Hooligans and with that Example’s sick set was complete."

Click here to read the FULL review on RWD

A fan's video from the show;

The Guardian Culture Section review The Tempest

"Clear, punchy and abbreviated, Mick Gordon's 90-minute version of The Tempest, designed to be played outdoors, may not be a substantial evening, but it's a real little charmer. A large, beaten-metal cone provides the only nod towards scenery and instead Gordon relies on a magic circle of flaming torches and the natural beauty of the surroundings. A cut above most summer chardonnay-and-Shakespeare picnic experiences, this has its own rough magic, particularly in the second half, in which the betrothal of Miranda and Ferdinand and the traditional masque becomes a delicious hoedown featuring yards and yards of pink silk.

Other crowd-pleasing touches include an entertaining double act, Trinculo and Stephano, who turn up in flippers, snorkels and dinner jackets, and a fire-eating Ariel, whose haunting Full Fathom Five is delivered in eerie fashion via an old-fashioned megaphone. Nick Lloyd Webber (definitely a relation: son) keeps the magic quotient high with his original score."

Click here to see the FULL review on The Guardian and click here to find out more about the Oxford Shakespeare Company

Drake Featured In Monkey Magazine

"Canada may be well known for producing maple syrup and ice hockey sticks, but it's less renowned for dealing in rap sensations. Which makes the nasally Drake (real name Aubrey Drake Graham) a bit of an abberation. Hailed by copious music hack hordes as "Shit Hot", his introspective yet ace full debut features Lil' Wayne and Kayne West. You can't knock his smooth tunes either.."

Click here to see Monkey Magazine

Chicane Featured On ElectroQueer!

"Fans of Owl City will be delighted to learn that that Adam Young has lent his pristine vocals to dance legend Chicane's new single "Middledistancerunner" which will be released on July 26th and is taken from Chicane's new album "Giants". I quite like the single - it's easy breezy and full of light and love and it sounds quite perfectly fitting in this hot summer weather. Great collaboration guys - am really diggin it.

Listen to the preview of the track below and if you are so inclined, you may want to make yourself a little cocktail while your listening to this one - it will sweep you away..."

Click here to see the feature on ElectroQueer

Fugative Featured On Sugarscape Homepage

Fugative tells SugarScape what he looks for in a girlfriend!

When it comes to Fugative we’ve made our feelings clear. We fancy him. So what? We don’t care who knows. In fact we’re listening to him as we type.

Anyway we got to meet him for a chat last week and not only is he amazingly hot (our knees went a bit weak), he’s also a really lovely guy who we want to go out with. So we thought rather than beat around bush we’d jump straight in and ask him what exactly he looks for in a girl so we can assess our chances. Subtle aren’t we?

Click here to see the feature on Sugarscape

Example : Digital Spy's 4 out of 5 Album Review

"You all think you've seen me / Never did, it's a Harry Houdini," Elliot "Example" Gleave boasts on the opening track of his second album. He's not kidding either, as the London-based rapper attempts to perform a disappearing act from the hip-hop sound of his previous LP, What We Made, and re-emerge as a fully-formed dance-pop-dubstep artiste. With a little help from some of the best assistants – sorry, producers – in the business, it seems as though he's got everything in place to pull off one of pop's trickiest stunts. But is it all just a case of smoke and mirrors?

Well, there's still plenty of rapping here - even if he does now call it "chat" - but Gleave has undoubtedly focused on making an album for the masses. Prior to release he served up three tasters of his new sound: the laid back, piano-driven 'Watch The Sun Come Up', the electro-stomping 'Won't Go Quietly', and the dubstep-tinged 'Kickstarts'. Collectively they offer a fair and accurate representation of an album that's both bang on trend and surprisingly authentic.

Thankfully, Gleave has kept a few aces up his sleeve, with some of his best tunes still to come. 'Last Ones Standing' is an infectious ode to hedonism with beats frantic enough to perk up any flagging clubber, while his electro-funkin' Calvin Harris collaboration, 'Time Machine', is far from the Dizzee Rascal cast-off one might have feared. However, it's 'Millionaires' - a rare subdued moment here - that's the album's smash-in-waiting. Boasting a timeless-sounding chorus crooned by up-and-coming indie star Jamie Scott, it's the sort of thing that will fit like a hand into a (white silk) glove onto both the Radio 1 and Radio 2 playlists."

Click here to see the full review on Digital Spy

Example's Won't Go Quietly Nando's Crawl Footage

Digital Spy Interview Example Backstage at T4 On The Beach

Example talks to Digital Spy backstage at T4 On The Beach about his recent chart success - click here to see the video interview on Digital Spy.

Here's Kickstarts, filmed by a member of the huge crowd at T4 On The Beach;

Digital Spy Interview Basshunter Backstage at T4 On The Beach

Basshunter talks to us about the audience's reaction to his new single 'Saturday' and ladies in the crowd at this year's T4 On The Beach. Click the here to watch the full interview on Digital Spy.

Basshunter's T4 performance below;

Thursday 1 July 2010

Teen Today : Fugative 'Bad Girl' Shit Or Hit?

Right you lot, own up. One of you has been flirting with hip-pop superstar in the making / 16-year old overachiever Fugative. There’s talk of whispering sweet nothings, playing the good girl, smiling coyly. Then when he texts? Nothing, no call, no email, you’re washing your bloody barnet. Do you know who he is!? A top 26 chart act. A wearer of ridiculous bling. The ultimate object of affection for 30,000 under-14s on twitter. Careful love, or he might just write a song about you. Oh. He has.
Written and produced with the help of Scandinavian production duo Soulshock & Karlin (see JLS One Shot) Bad Girls repeats Harry’s tried and tested Summer song blueprint. More specifically, studio-wonder Fugative takes over the family-friendly rapping bits (think Chipmunk-lite) whilst the chorus is carried by an anonymous unknown - to deliver another energetic, brightly-shining somewhere-in-the-top-40 Summer smash. The highlight is the impossible-to-ignore, swirling, vocodoredbad girl, bad girl, bad girl chorus - the work of a ‘classified U.S R&B star’ (read: unknown session singer) - that’s so infectious it should come with a warning from the World Health Organisation.

And the video? Well it’s exactly the sort of thing you don’t want to be watching whilst locked inside an office in east London in the baking heat. Young attractive types wearing very little, frollocking in the sunshine at some anonymous Mediterranean resort, splashing around in the pool and having lots of wholesome fun. Tough it’s hardly the most exciting way to spend 3 minutes of you’re life, you can up the drama by keeping a running tally of how many times someone in the video a. texts and b. tips/takes off/puts on their sunglasses. Or just replay the bit where Harry gets in the pool over and over.

And that’s Bad Girl. What Harry lacks in ‘serious artiste credentials’ he makes up for in massive hooks, good looks and flirting with girls on twitter. And to be honest, we’d rather hear Harry on the radio with his own type of ‘the sound of Summer’ disposable pop than another autotuned synthy number by Sean Kingston and crew. Luckily, Harry’s not unsubstantatial fanbase (you can recgnise them from their feral behaviour when within 20 metres of the guy) is expanding more quickly than a lottery winner’s and the reward should be - TT prediction time - a top 20 chart placing. Good luck Harry. And to think, 6 months ago we didn’t even know who he was.

Click here to see the piece on Teen Today