Popdar #20: Natalie Ferrol.

I have had the pleasure with working with Ms Natalie Ferrol since late 2009. However, when it comes to the raw attitude and self-belief that this girl has, that's got nothing to do with me. Rewriting Rick Ross's "Hustlin'" to fit a female perspective and sliding easily into the role of Female Gangsta without having to play Ms Independent or Doing it Like a Dude.

Her INSTRUDUCTION EP, slightly mastered by me, but 99% recorded and arranged by Natalie herself, will be available to download in April. BE EXCITED. Because there are bigger things to come.

  Everyday You're Hustlin' by natalieferrol

Popdar #19: Friendly Fires.

It's always so refreshing when a great band GENUINELY doesn't disappoint, rather than releasing something half-assed knowing their fans will work as hard as it takes to say "I LOVE their new stuff". The first proper follow up track released since their soaring party crasher of a debut, "Live Those Days Tonight" has much of the subtly hedonistic indie dance of "Jump in the Pool" and "Skeleton Boy", awash with Prince-esque rhythms and unexpected melodies. And praise the lord, it's JUST AS GOOD.

In fact, when listening to "Live Those Days Tonight", with its distinct mix of 90s chicago house and primative early synthpop, and collosal choruses that Duran Duran would have killed for at their prime (and still would, avoid their dire latest effort), you can hear already spark ready to set Summer 2011 alight. With a track that hits peaks as intense, celebratory, and gloriously alive as these in just these 5 minutes, the mind boggles at the peaks these firestarters could potentially reach on album number 2.

"Pala" is released via XL Recordings on May 16th.

Very interesting interview with Royksopp.

Royksopp's somewhat eventless "Senior" is hardly my album of last year, but the band raise some very interesting points in this interview about what it is to be in a band, and more tellingly, about commercial success and making money.

"We want our music to be heard, and be out there, but we don't want to shove it down your throat."
"We cannot get our income from album sales anymore, so we have to find different ways."
"Any success that we have in life is not really measured in terms of cash, it's in how we live."
"We don't sit in the studio trying to come up with a hit."

DROWNED IN SOUND TALK TO ROYKSOPP. <<< Clicky!

JOE COPPLESTONE - PURGATORY EP

And so it arrives! :) A bit moodier this time round, but still no less euphoric ;) Oh, and if you download the whole album at once on bandcamp you get a hidden bonus track... ;)

FANTASTIC Artwork by Luke Abrahams, 2011.

Joe Copplestone music update!

Ok, so I'm going to release an EP on Sunday night. It's almost done, and I hope it lives up to Got Through.

Here is a 2 minute preview of the three tracks that the "Purgatory" EP contains.

And if you haven't yet downloaded my first EP "Got Through", then please do (it's free!) on this link:
Joe Copplestone - Got Through EP

Anyway, here's that preview :)

(Artwork by Luke Abrahams, 2011)

Purgatory EP Preview by JoeCopplestone

Popdar #18: Natalia Kills.

"...And tonight you all got killed". Apparently. According to horror-obsessed electropop megaforce Natalia Kills, real name Natalia Cappuccini, who is currently supporting Robyn on her US/Europe tour. She is more than a little similar to Lady Gaga, but what with Gaga considering herself to be on a mission from God to empower the gays these days, an up and coming dominating melodramatic queen of pop with massive tunes is quite welcome.

When Natalia Kills is at her most delicious however, is when she reveals her gothic side. "Zombie" is as creepy as Kanye West's "Monster", with a schlock horror 80s synth hook and ghostly voices swimming around the dirty, jittery beat. Natalia sneers through a harsh autotune "do you want me for my body, or do you want me for my brain/brain/brain/brain" and brings to mind Crystal Castles' quieter moments as much as Lady Gaga.



Slightly more Gaga is first major label single "Mirrors", which is as powerful an electropop anthem as "Dance in the Dark", but with a terrific hammer horror video that sets Natalia in a league of her own. And a hook that refuses to leave you alone.



Slightly more upbeat is upcoming 2011 single "Wonderland" which seems deceptively sweet at first, but when you get to the colossal chorus it sounds like the spirit of Gaga pummeling the naivety of Owl City into the ground, smirking "I don't believe in fairy tales, but I believe in you and me". The gun shots certainly kill any fairytale atmosphere at any rate.



Album "Perfectionist" is out on the 22nd April, let's hope she lives up to the title.