Tricky has just released a gorgeously orchestrated cover of Britney‘s 2007 single “Piece of Me” as the B-side to his latest single, “Murder Weapon.”

The cover–which comes complete with bluesy harmonicas, strings, and wandering, plodding beats–is sung by the artist’s raspy-throated vocal collaborator, Franky Riley.

It’s weird. It’s wandering. And basically, it’s perfect.

Here we have ex-Pussycat Doll member Nicole Scherzingschlagermeister, who’s just TwitPic’ed a photo of herself recording inside a fish bowl.*

Do us a favor and release this one, will you Scherzy baby?

*She is not actually in a fish bowl.

Thanks to various forums ’round the net, we’ve learned that Rihanna is already casting and shooting for a music video in support of another upcoming track: “What’s My Name?”

Courtesy of BMK Forums:

Rihanna “What’s My Name” Music Video

Categories/Roles:

Real People Extras:All Ethnicities, 30-50. Interesting New Yorker Street-types. $150
Real Stylish Trendsetting Hipsters:All Ethnicities, 18-25. Stylish, very street, hipster types that can dance. Non-headshot submissions encouraged! $150
Street Bucket Drummers:Male or Female, any Ethnicity. 18-25. Must be REAL, cool, street drummers. VERY AUTHENTIC/ STREET. Please included any youtube links in your submission.

And as for the specific shoot details, ATRL has additional scoop:

Auditions: Thursday, Sept. 23rd and/or Friday Sept. 24th
Shoots: Sunday Sept. 26th
Location: NYC Area

The video will be directed by Philip Andelman, responsible for Beyonce‘s “Halo” and The Gossip‘s “Pop Goes The World.” They’re admittedly not my favorite clips, but since it’s Rihanna, I have full faith that the bitch can and will Work. It. Out.

NOW GET OUT THERE AND SHOW RIRI WUTCHU GOT, BROOKLYNITES.

After linking to a video featuring /\/\/\Y/\ album track “Story to Be Told” that takes viewers though dizzying trip through HTML and Captcha screens, M.I.A. has just posted a link on Facebook to another new website.

Like her own website, this one looks like a cross between a Geocities fan page circa-1996 and a Sega Genesis RPG. Thing is, the previously unreleased track playing on repeat in the background is fresh as fuck.

Bolstered by a grimey dub-step grind and some minimal beats, Maya supplies her slickest taunt: “You think you’re bad, you think you’re so fucking cool, Generation Lily-white…we’re already dead.”

Luckily, thanks to Muuser RJ, I’ve got some clues about the song. Checking out the page’s source leads to some silly search tags:

<~meta name="keywords" content="mia,m.i.a.,mia vs diplo, new song, mp3, hotness, fire, water, love, hate, internet, dump.fm, diplo looks like he smells"~>

And as for the song title? Rip the track and here’s what pops up in iTunes: “gen n- e- y , u cant have me!”

Generation N-E-Y?

I have so many questions. Is this getting released? Is the beat by Diplo? Or is it an attack against him? Lord knows they’ve been bickering forever.

“If you don’t give a fuck, I don’t give a damn.” Perhaps that one line best explains all of this.

Title says it all really.

In a tweet today from a FOX affiliate station (KTXL FOX40 News), Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole are confirmed as “two of three” judges on the panel for the US version of X Factor, coming stateside September 2011.

I swear to God, if Dannii crosses over as well, I’m going to be booking a flight to L.A. every weekend just to sit in the audience and gaze longingly at the impossibly perfect backs of these goddesses’ heads.

AMAZING.

Because I love Britney in ways no mere mortal could possibly understand, I am posting this Britney-less (though Britney song-filled) promo clip of next week’s episode of Glee, starring the legendary Miss Britney Spears.

Just come on screen, B. That’s all I’ll be watching for.

Frederic Riviere, otherwise known as Anoraak, is a French “producer/singer/multi-instrumentalist.”

While his biography includes the phrases “indebted to Italo disco” and “M83 on Ecstasy,” it wasn’t until I saw the words “featuring Sally Shapiro” that I was sold.

Click above to stream “Don’t Be Afraid (feat. Sally Shapiro),” an album track from Anoraak’s upcoming debut.

As one might imagine, the track shimmers with Shapiro’s icy, wafer-thin delivery, complimented and made all the better by Anorak’s sun soaked, ’80′s-inspired synth production.

All together, it’s one glorious moment of Italo-disco revivalism.

Anoraak’s debut, Wherever the Sun Sets, will be released in stores on October 26 (and is available now on iTunes).

Don’t forget–Ellie Goulding’s introductory EP, An Introduction to Ellie Goulding, is now out in America!

The tracklisting is as follows:

1. Starry Eyed
2. Guns and Horses
3. The Writer (Live Acoustic Version)
4. Lights

Don’t want to be the last fool latching onto the bandwagon like you were with Florence + The Machine this year? Then I highly suggest you purchase the EP now.

And while you’re at it, take a peek at the MuuMuse review of Goulding’s debut album, Lights, from earlier this year. That’ll be heading stateside in Spring of 2011.

Oh yeah–and if you’re digging the music, you’ll also want to check out the newly posted interview with Ellie’s producer, Starsmith, right here. See…I’ve got you completely covered.

Go, Goulding, go!