Saturday 16 August 2014

Happy Birthday, Madonna!


(Note this was supposed to post AUTOMATICALLY yesterday...sigh)

It's her Madgesty's birthday today!

To celebrate the birth of this chameleon and game-changing Diva, here are 5 tracks from her that you've probably never heard before. Feel free to leave your own favorite songs (well known or not) in the comments, as well as your well wishes/ thoughts on the Diva.

Thursday 14 August 2014

[New Music] Macy Gray - "Bang Bang"



Macy Gray has returned with Bang Bang, a bluesy badass of a track that heralds the welcome return from the Diva with the husky voice.

Built around a banging guitar lick, Macy is bringing us a Southern sound that is so evocative I almost feel like I'm wilting in the swamps of Louisiana. Respite does come, in the form of the sumptuous middle 8, but by then I'm hooked on the humidity, welcoming its inevitable return when the bridge falls away.

Look out for more from this one of a kind Diva when she releases her new album, The Way, due October 7

[Video Spam] Feat. Jazmine Sullivan, Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora



Forgive this spam post for its lack of pizazz. What with current events, I don't feel much like writing commentary today. Nonetheless, I know there are releases that some of y'all may find discussionable, so here's a quick post.

Tuesday 12 August 2014

[New Music] Jessie Ware - "Say You Love Me"



Oh Jessie Ware, what have we done to deserve these gifts you keep bestowing upon us?

More music has made its way onto the net from Jessie's- shaping up to be stunning- October-due album, Tough Love. Say You Love Me finds the Diva in a longing mood, not willing to commit to a relationship fully until sure the feelings are reciprocated. Wise woman. As Kelis once told us, you gotta protect your heart.

[Review] Ariana Grande - "Best Mistake"




Ariana Grande has released a third song from her sophomore album, My Everything.

The Big Sean assisted Best Mistake is a piano-driven, merry-go-round of a love song that finally offers Ariana's light voice an opportunity to shine, without the production overpowering it- as was the case in both Break Free and Bang Bang.

Monday 11 August 2014

[Discuss] What Makes A Good/Bad Head Voice ?



Charlotte Church's four EP's are on heavy rotation at the moment, and they got me to thinking.

One of the (many) things I love about this particular Diva is her glorious head voice. Rich, full and operatic, its versatility is shown repeatedly throughout the four releases by an artistic and sparing application of it. Of course, the quality of her top notes are hardly surprising when you consider Church's beginnings in the classical arena.

iamamiwhoami Releases The Beautiful "Tap Your Glass"




The ethereal iamamiwhoami has returned with her most accessible single to date.

Tap Your Glass is one of those songs created entirely on some computer program, yet manages to house a soul within its electronic construct. This is of course helped by the Diva's soothing vocals, but it goes deeper than that; with its soaring cadences and use of musical space giving the track a quiet, organic beauty.

I wouldn't be surprised if the computer that birthed this track now having attained some level of consciousness. I for one welcome our new electronic overlords.

Tap Your Glass is taken from the November-due BLUE.

Friday 8 August 2014

[Free For All Friday]


Not a gif today, but a video! SAY WHAT?!

INVEST three minutes of your day to watch a clowder of big cats interacting with boxes. You won't be disappointed. Well you might be, but that's not my problem. It just means you have no soul...see a priest or something.

Should add, this is not a zoo. It's a sanctuary for rescued big cats.

Thursday 7 August 2014

Azealia Banks Returns with "Heavy Metal And Reflective"



While everyone stays fighting on who the better female rapper is- Nicki Minaj or the ghost of Christmas past (AKA Iggy Azalea)- I have quietly been waiting for Azealia Banks to make her return. Sure, this Diva has a stinky attitude, and says some stupid stuff on Twitter, but her EPs have shown that this lady has the smarts and the originality to really shake things up.

Wednesday 6 August 2014

[Watch] Mariah Carey Performs "Meteroite" @ The 2014 World Music Awards..Yawn




Meteorite is one of my jams from Me. I Am Mariah, so I was excited to hear the Diva was giving it a live bash at The 2014 World Music Awards. I was also a little confused- isn't You Don't Know What to Do her current single?- but whatever, we know this campaign is an assortment of random foolery. We have to live with that.