It’s that time, ladies and gentlemen: Grab those neon-glow shutter shades, dig through your ironic vintage tees, and go steal your sister’s jeans, ’cause it’s…

DL: Designer Drugs – Zombie (Hot Pink Delorean Remix)
Hipster Intrigue: 10/10
Legitimate Danceablity: 2/10

It’s loud, it’s noise, and literally nothing happens. What’s it sound like? A cassette tape of Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller” being thrown into a cheese grater production line. Worthless, though it’ll score me loads of love on HypeMachine!

DL: KOVAS – Wax On, Wax Off
Hipster Intrigue: 6/10
Legitamite Danceability: 6/10

KOVAS both excites and worries me. I’m excited because of the crunchy, glittering stomp beats, but worried by the fact that his style and artist collaborations (Justin Timberlake, Ciara) seems to verge dangerously close to the edge of Timbaland territory. You’ll have to excuse the DJ tags, that’s how it came in the mail.

“Wax On, Wax Off” is the lead single off KOVAS’ upcoming LP, Reagan Babies, which you can listen to here.

DL: Major Lazer – Hold It Down (Poirier Remix)
Hipster Intrigue: 9/10
Legitimate Danceability: 8/10

This last one’s legit: An ultra smooth, pulsating baile funk dancehall sensation from the up-and-coming Jamaican producer Major Lazer. Plus, Santogold’s on the track! Err…I mean ~Santigold.~ What’s with the name switch lady? It’s totally lame.

With Diplo, Switch, and a dozen or so dancehall artists in tow, watch for his debut LP, Gun Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do as the surefire bet to set underground playlists ablaze this summer.

On a side note, check out PrettyMuchAmazing to see my featured review for Röyksopp‘s Junior!

Utada will be making the rounds once again for the physical release of her album, This Is The One, beginning on May 12 in New York City. Check out the schedule of appearances below! I swear I will attend this time around…I must meet her (if only to scold her for the sloppy PR job on this album).

Tuesday, 5.12 @ 7:00 PM
Best Buy
529 5th Ave
New York, NY 10017-4608
For more info call: 212-808-0309

Wednesday, 5.13 @ 6:00 PM
Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood & FYE
1000 Universal Studios Blvd
Ste. 99
Universal City, CA 91608
For more info call 818.622.ROCK (7625) or 310.641.7170

Thursday, 5.14 @ 6:00 PM
Best Buy
1717 Harrison
San Francisco, CA 94103-4272
For more info call 415.626.9682

Friday, 5.15 @ 6:00 PM
FYE @ Southcenter Mall
2636 Southcenter Mall
Ste. 2110
Seattle, WA 98188-2823
For more info call 206.439.3636

Saturday, 5.16 @ 3:00 PM
Sam Goody
1450 Ala Moana Blvd.
Ste. 1049
Honolulu, HI 96814-4607
For more info call: 808.945.9027

With what could quite possibly be her first major UK hit (Lord knows she needs it), VV Brown delivers with the third single off of her still pending debut album, Travelling Like The Light, thanks to the help of a massive chorus line and a breezy, summer-soaked sway between verses. If all goes well, “Shark” may just provide enough sweetness for the public to want to sink their teeth into.

That being said, I can’t help but be disappointed by the video. I mean, come on…who films a video for a song called “Shark In The Water” without featuring either (a) a shark or (b) scenes in the water? COME ON.

It’s official!

Britney‘s headed across the pond.

Check out the new tour dates for The Circus: Starring Britney Spears!

EDIT: Now with more tour dates!

June 19 – O2 Arena – Dublin, Ireland
June 20 – O2 Arena – Dublin, Ireland
July 5 – Bercy – Paris, France
July 6 – Bercy – Paris, France
July 9 – Sportpalais – Antwerp, Belgium
July 11 – Parken – Copenhagen, Denmark
July 13 – Globen – Stockholm, Sweden
July 16 – Hartwell Arena – Helsinki, Finland
July 19 – SKK – St. Petersburg, Russia
July 21 – Olimpiiski – Moscow, Russia
July 24 – TWKS – Warsaw, Poland
July 26 – O2 World – Berlin, Germany

And on a personal aside, I’m going to see her…again! Just found out tonight. And by found out, I mean bought a ticket.

MMM PAPI LUV U.

Lily Allen, performing her latest single “Not Fair” on Later with Jools Holland.

A solid performance I’d say, if not a bit timid and slightly rushed. But once she unlatches from the microphone stand and starts swaying around a bit, I think she eases up nicely.

Not quite sure how I’m feeling about the slightly French Mime-inspired outfit, though. Right now I think I like it, though it comes in waves.

Well, today marks the release of Young Love‘s sophomore album, One Of Us.
Begin listening…now.

The album sounds sort of like if Fall Out Boy or Panic At The Disco were given a few more synthesizers and guitars and deprived of their angsty-yet-clever mall punk lyricism. Which…sort of makes sense, as the band’s lead Dan Keyes was originally signed under Fueled By Ramen, the same label as Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco.

What I’m saying is that it’s a 6/10 sort of deal.

Click “Read More…” to find out where Young Love will be playing this Spring!

Tue April 28 @ Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, CA
Sat May 2 @ Bamboozle in East Rutherford, NJ
Thu May 7 @ UC San Diego in San Diego, CA
Fri May 8 @ Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA
Sat May 9 @ Chain Reaction (RECOVER SHOW) in Anaheim, CA
Sun May 10 @ Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, CA
Tue May 12 @ Berbati’s Pan in Portland, OR
Wed May 13 @ Nectar in Seattle, WA
Fri May 15 @ Kilby Court in Salt Lake City, UT
Sat May 16 @ Beauty Bar in Las Vegas, NV
Tue May 19 @ Walter’s on Washington in Houston, TX
Wed May 20 @ Mohawk in Austin, TX
Fri May 22 @ Vagabond in Miami, FL
Sat May 23 @ Orpheum in Tampa, FL
Sun May 24 @ The Social in Orlando, FL
Wed May 27 @ DC9 in Washington, DC
Thu May 28 @ House of Blues (RECOVER SHOW) in Atlantic City, NJ
Fri May 29 @ Starland Ballroom (RECOVER SHOW) in Sayerville, NJ
Sat May 30 @ North Star in Philadelphia, PA
Sun May 31 @ Middle East in Cambridge, MA
Tue June 2 @ Bowery Ballroom in NYC, NY
Thu June 4 @ Grog Shop in Cleveland, OH
Fri June 5 @ The Shelter in Detroit, MI
Sat June 6 @ Thee Beat Kitchen in Chicago , IL

In an impressive bout of inexplicable decision making, Utada‘s record label has decided to ship the physical release of her latest album, This Is The One, with three ~new~ bonus tracks, 2002′s “Simple and Clean” (the one song you have by Utada Hikaru that you never realized was by Utada Hikaru), and the opening and closing versions of 2006′s “Sanctuary.”

Just what sort of fuckery is this, aside from an obvious plug to the Kingdom Hearts fans in America? The songs, recorded nearly five years prior to this new album, have no relationship to the album’s R&B-infused sound. It’s not as though I don’t adore these songs (they’re probably the finest ones on the record if you’re counting them), but packaging and presentation are just as important as sound. Slapping on these works simply because they’re in English does a disservice, disturbing the flow and cohesion of the record entirely.

I blame this on swine flu.

This Is The One will be released in physical form on May 12, but you can purchase it digitally below NOW.

And now for something completely delicious.

“I choose ya-ee-eww!” Beth Ditto unleashes around the one minute mark of The Gossip‘s upcoming single “Heavy Cross.” Sexy guitar riffs, crashing percussion, and a sing-a-long series of yips and yelps let out by the lead songstress–if this is any indication of The Gossip’s next, breathe easy: This one’s a catchy beast.

DL: The Gossip – Heavy Cross

The Gossip‘s “Heavy Cross” will be released on June 15, followed by the release of their next LP, Music For Men, on June 22. To hear more, click below!