It’s been a minute since we last heard from Princess Ameriie (she of former ‘Amerie’ fame.)

While she’s been hard at work carving out her ambitious, trance-heavy fifth studio album Cymatika Vol. 1 dropping later in 2012, the songstress took a moment to join French artist Jean-Roch on a brand new cut for the dance-pop singer’s upcoming studio album due out in May, Music Saved My Life. (You can actually catch a glimpse of the two performing the track live in Monaco back in 2011.)

Featuring Fat Joe (in what is obviously his most important musical contribution since Paris Hilton‘s “Fighting Over Me), “Fly Away” is very much an of-the-moment Euro-tinged dance floor anthem that sounds a lot like any of the other club-pop cuts of late, including Taio Cruz‘s “Higher” and David Guetta‘s signature smash, “When Love Takes Over.”

As a result, there are no real production surprises here–just a straightforward dance floor banga colored by fiya-hot synthesizers and gorgeous piano chords. Oh, and Ameriie sounds pretty amazing throughout: “In this life, I need to know that I can fly away,” she croons during the chorus.

I’ve always had a thing (“1 Thing,” if you will) for Miss Ameriie. Her last album, 2009′s In Love & War, went terribly unappreciated. Let’s hope this is the start of a beautiful comeback.

Music Saved My Life will be released in May. (iTunes)

Alright, look: I love me some Amerie Ameriie. From “1 Touch” to “Heard ‘Em All,” she’s proven to be a consistently stellar, consistently underrated R&B/hip-rock princess. Now, we have the first taste of her upcoming album, Cymatika Vol. 1: “Outside Your Body.”

Pardon my Korean, but what in the flying FUCK is this?! (LISTEN)

It’s as though Ameriie was jamming to Nicole Scherzinger‘s “Poison” and said to the nearest producer: “You know, I’d like to record a song like this–but could we somehow get some robots up in this bitch and make the production more glittery and cheap? Also, can we make it somehow worse than Nicole’s? You know, so it’s subversive.”

“Hate, pain, jealousy / Hedonistic culture / Discontent breeds envy / They’ll throw you to the vultures,” the singer hurriedly delivers, like a hodgepodge of L. Ron Hubbard vagueries tossed onto a discarded Gaga demo.

I simply cannot.

It’s recently come to my attention that far too little attention is paid to my R&B songstresses as of late–it’s time to change that.

“Rhythm & Muuse” is a 15-track collection of just a taste of the finest R&B-laced cuts I’ve come to love over the past few years, from Cassie to Amerie to Ciara and K. Rowland, with loads of amazing artists fit snugly in between.

This was an impossible MuuCast to create–mostly because I started out with 45 potential tracks. As a result, it’s clear that there will be many more installments of “Rhythm & Muuse” to come. Consider this an introductory piece.

The goal was to include one song per artist, but–let’s face it. Ciara delivers too much fire to handle.

This mix is ready for both the dance floor and the bedroom floor, so prepare yourselves accordingly.

Now please: Turn your swag on like X Factor‘s Cher, won’t you?

DL: MuuCast Episode Six: Rhythm & Muuse

Cassie – Me & You (iTunes)
Amerie – Heard ‘Em All (iTunes)
Kelly Rowland – Can’t Nobody (iTunes)
Ciara – Get Up (feat. Chamillionaire) (iTunes)
Nicole Scherzinger – Whatever U Like (iTunes)
Danity Kane – Touching My Body (iTunes)
Michelle Williams – Till The End Of The World (iTunes)
Kelis – Blindfold Me (iTunes)
Cassie – Call U Out (iTunes)
Keri Hilson – Alienated (iTunes)
Pussycat Dolls – Elevator (iTunes)
Utada – This One (Crying Like A Child) (iTunes)
Ciara – I Proceed (iTunes)
JoJo – (He Only Knows Me) In The Dark (Free Mixtape)
Electrik Red – 9 To 5 (iTunes)

Merry post-Christmas, y’all! I hope you and yours had a smashing holiday.

And now, the video for “More Than Love (ft. Fabolous),” the fourth single off of Amerie‘s fourth studio album, In Love & War.

The video may seem all well and cheat-worthy, but make sure you watch all the way through for a twist of Super Sweet 16 proportions.

It just goes to show: If your man’s acting shady, you can’t put all your faith in those professional surveillance photos developed by your anonymous, platonic male friend delivered to you in a discreet manila folder for all your friends to analyze. Wait–who’s the creep in this relationship again?

I’ve decided Amerie‘s new video for “Heard ‘Em All,” directed by Anthony Mandler, borders on sheer brilliance.

If I were merely talking adjectives, I would use such terms as ‘ill,’ ‘fierce,’ ‘raw,’ ‘hot,’ ‘sexy,’ ‘Ciara-esque,’ ‘Matrix-like,’ and ‘really great dancey bits.’

You know why? Because I’m rooting for her. Not as much as I want my icy-electro hip-hop queen Cassie to make a comeback, but hey…I think she deserves another shot.

Keep doin’ whatcha doin’, Amerie.

Purchase “Heard Em’ All on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website