French House fans, rejoice!

French producer/DJ extraordinaire Fred Falke is set to unleash his debut artist LP, Part IV, on December 5.

The man behind the smashing productions and remixes for some of MuuMuse’s favorite acts–including Annie, Gossip, Miike Snow, Uffie, Ke$ha, Florrie and Will Young–will be bringing his first-ever artist record through Kris Menace‘s label, Work It Baby.

From Falke, courtesy of the press release:

So much of modern music takes the ideas in the 70′s and 80′s and uses them in a very superficial way. I hope I have managed to create something that re-asserts the musicality of this era within the context of modern music and modern production methods. I’ve always sought to re-align the modern French sound with the musical heritage that informed it, to bring that sound to a young crowd…to make it relevant to them.

I was fortunate enough to get a first listen to Part IV earlier today, and while there aren’t any artists featured on the (mostly) instrumental 12-track record, the album’s slick, euphoric French House productions are nothing short of pop perfection–an absolute must for any proper party playlist.

Prepare for a wallop of funky disco grooves, hazy electronica and searing House beats!

And now, a reminder of the genius of the Falke…

Still incredible.

Part IV will be released on December 5. (iTunes)

Straight boy lust? Join the club.

Inspired by 1956′s classic Trapeze, the UK’s original Pop Idol Will Young finds himself strapped into some spandex and swinging on poles (of the gymnastics variety, that is) in the gorgeous video for his new Richard X-produced single (and one of my favorite tracks of 2011), “Jealousy.”

Along the way, the singer remains hopelessly devoted to a sexy, strapping young hunk of ambiguous sexual orientation spending all his time twirling about with some blonde bimbo (okay, so he’s totally straight but no one wants to admit it).

With all the choreography, underlying sexual tension and crazy stalker ‘feathers-are-sprouting-from-my-skin’ eyes he’s supplying, Young is serving some major Black Swan realness in this clip! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SWEET WILL?!

But wait–a stolen glance at the trapeze! Is it love? A bittersweet fantasy? Trust me, Will: If it’s anything like I’ve ever experienced, grab a bottle of wine and quit while you’re ahead: It looks (and feels) like a whole lot of jealousy to me.

Like the single, Young’s highly anticipated fifth studio album Echoes–due out on August 22–was produced entirely by electro-pop extraordinaire Richard X (Annie, Goldfrapp, Sophie-Ellis Bextor), along with co-writing credits from some of pop’s cutting edge scribes. Accordingly, the album finds Young breaking into new territory by incorporating dance and electronica elements. From the album’s press release:

Will has sidestepped some of his traditional sounds to move more into the world of electronic music, making an album of sophistry and gentility that pulses with the undercurrents of the dance-floor. The sweeping strings and key changes of his hit ballads have made way for synthesised melody, towards something sparer and more controlled. ‘I had to learn to undo my musical muscle memory,’ he explains. ‘To allow space into the music.’

Will has written all but one song on ‘Echoes’ along with a personally assembled roll call of collaborators including Jim Eliot & Mima Stilwell (Kylie), Andy Cato (Groove Armada) and Pascal Gabriel (Ladyhawke).

One of my most anticipated albums of the year? Oh, methinks yes.

“Jealousy” will be released on August 21. (iTunes UK)

Oh, Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

After over six months (and counting!), the British disco queen’s highly anticipated fourth studio album, Make A Scene, continues to lie in limbo, facing a seemingly endless series of push-backs and delays.

As the record remains but a twinkling star in the far-off distance, it was only natural then that its contents would slowly begin to trickle out. And so they have, with the album’s latest leaks: “Starlight” and “Revolution.”

“Starlight,” produced by British pop mastermind Richard X and co-penned by Xenomania scribe Hannah Robinson, is a quintessential Sophie Ellis-Bextor production: A heaping slice of Italo-disco revivalism, coated in warm waves of synthesizers and lazily cooed vocals. It’s an incredibly gorgeous number, worthy of playing on repeat for hours on end.

For fans of the latest efforts by Annie and Sally Shapiro, “Starlight” will surely tick all the right boxes. (I’m utterly obsessed!)

“Revolution,” on the other hand, is a much more frantic production which sees Ellis-Bextor letting her hair down and getting rowdy and rebellious, along with a shout out to her legendary 2001 smash “Murder On The Dancefloor.” The track is packed with punchy beats and electro-blippy noises similar to Sky Ferreira‘s “99 Tears” (which shouldn’t exactly come as a surprise, given that both songs were done by the same producer: Greg Kurstin.)

While “Starlight” is surely the better of the two, both tracks are indicative of yet another incredible pop album from Lady Bex…that is, if it ever sees the light of day.

After performing her latest single, “Not Giving Up On Love,” on The Alan Titchmarsh Show last week, Bextor announced that her new album (which she describes as “quite doncey and up-beat”) is due to be released in May 2011. We’ll see about that.

I’m not giving up on love, Sophie…or Make A Scene for that matter!

Sounds Like: Annie, Gwen Stefani
Genre: Electro-pop

Woman E are–contrary to the name–a one woman, two man production, featuring Ria Berlin on vocals, Uwe Doll on keyboards, production and song-writing duties, and Steve Rooney on drums.

Last September, the kitsch-pop trio premiered with their debut single, “Few And Far Between,” a catchy, sparkling moment of driving electro-pop that burned through the blogosphere to rave reviews.

Now, the London-based trio are back with a double A-side single for 2011: “Another Renaissance / You Don’t Have To Go.”

“When does patience become endurance? Does indifference mean internal bliss?” Berlin ponders on “Another Renaissance,” her candy-coated vocals bopping along the song’s gleeful hand claps and synthesizer sounds.

Yet despite the sugary sweet sound of both songs, Woman E pack a distinctly sophisticated bite in their lyricism, elevating their musical output from simple pop ditties to crunchier confections. “You don’t have to go, you can stay undecided / You don’t have to try and make sense of the silence,” Berlin riffs on top of the brooding beat of “You Don’t Have To Go.”

It’s not quite Depeche Mode, but it’s still much more dense than your average ‘party in da club’ electro-pop throwaway track–and we can always appreciate some more of that.

The band is currently offering the double A-side for free on Bandcamp.

“Another Renaissance/You Don’t Have To Go” will be released on March 14. (iTunes UK)

After denial comes anger. Then, bargaining.

It seems that Cee Lo Green‘s moving right along the five stages of grief with “It’s Ok,” the follow-up to the blisteringly bitter lead single from the singer’s third studio album The Lady Killer, “Fuck You.” (LISTEN)

“Please baby, please lover / Let’s find a way to forgive each other,” Cee Lo pleads in the swinging, Motown-infused up-tempo co-produced by up-and-coming Norwegian production duo ELEMENT and Paul Epworth (Florence + The Machine‘s Lungs; Annie‘s Don’t Stop). I guess someone’s not so bothered to be considered an Atari anymore.

Every lick as catchy as “Fuck You,” “It’s Ok” is almost destined to receive the same radio lovin’ upon its release (if not more!)–and deservedly so: This man’s got some serious hits on his hands.

Oh, by the way–NPR is currently streaming The Lady Killer in full. (LISTEN)

The Lady Killer will be released on November 9. (iTunes)

About two weeks ago, I found myself in the not unusual position of being elbows deep in the dusty vinyl bargain bins at a record shop. More specifically Generation Records, a somewhat sizable CD and vinyl shop located in downtown SoHo.

Almost immediately unimpressed by the generous collection of overpriced rock albums on the main floor, my good friend Sam and I soon found ourselves wandering downstairs, where they kept the other genres. ‘The unmentionables,’ they were referred to, no doubt, as there–hidden in the “2 for $1″ bins–was none other than an urban pop goldmine.

Amongst my finds, from Fantasia‘s “Hood Boy” to Kelly Rowland‘s “Can’t Nobody,” was a weathered vinyl named Bold As Love by a girl group called Bardeux. The cover seemed promising, as did the producer’s name featured on the back: Jon St. James, responsible for Stacey Q‘s “Two of Hearts.”

And so I took it home, having no idea who or what a Bardeux was, and immediately put the needle on it.

Thanks to an incredibly informative article on the wonderful blog, The Isle of Deserted Popstars, I found out that the group was about as unknown then as it is now; a brief, flopped girl group experiment that resulted in just two albums within two years and only one “hit” single–but more on that song in a bit.

As a whole, the record is a fun, throwaway foray into the early beginnings of modern dance-pop; entirely reminiscent to Stacey Q’s sound, thanks to the stuttering vocals and cheesy ’80′s techno-pop Casio keyboard production.

Songs like “Sex Machine” and “Hold Me Hold Me” ride on top of smooth, dreamy whisps of Italo disco, while others like “Magic Carpet Ride” verge into an early Madonna territory, sadly relying upon a sugary sweet sound about five years past its prime.

There is, however, one song that has stuck completely with me: “When We Kiss,” the group’s only major success, having reached the dizzying peak of #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988. (To their credit, their previous singles all made a rumbling on the Billboard Dance Charts as well.)

“When We Kiss” hit me completely off guard when I first heard it: It’s sensual, understated, and just the right chilly touch of moody ’80′s electronica. With it’s tripping beat and half-rapped verses, there’s also something distinctly “urban” about the song–or at the very least an attempt to sound so. You know, like a Cheryl Cole album track.

There was just something about this song’s chorus–the minimal lyrics (“But when we kiss…”), the solemn strut of the beat, and that somewhat haunting, somewhat cheesy saxophone solo that absolutely slayed me. It’s a track very much ahead of its time, and one that I’ve had on heavy repeat ever since I first heard it coming out of my record player.

“When We Kiss” simply begs to be re-recorded today, especially by an icy electro princess of some kind.

Annie? Cassie? Nicola Roberts?! I’m looking directly at you all. Seriously.

I first heard about Sunday Girl thanks to a brief PopJustice feature posted back in late March regarding the singer’s largely brilliant debut (buzz?) single, “Four Floors.”

Today, I received an e-mail about the singer’s next move, a cover of Laura Branigan‘s “Self Control,” which you can now hear streaming above.

Muusers who may not be familiar with the original track may know it thanks to Infernal‘s hi-NRG cover back in 2006.

With her own rendition, Sunday Girl tackles the track through icy italo-disco melodies, moving across the song’s glittering soundscape with a kind of Sally Shapiro-meets-Annie mix of sleepy delivery and lush, layered coos.

It’s honestly gorgeous. I love!

For more, check out Sunday Girl’s website, full of random ramblings and high fashion inspiration.

Well, the year is just about over now, which means that those “Best Of 2009″ lists just won’t let up anytime soon. Two weeks ago saw my “Top 40 Albums of 2009″ list. Now, it’s time to get down to the finest singles of the year. LET’S DO THIS.

All chart and sales figures provided by Wikipedia.

20. Mariah Carey – Obsessed (Listen)
It was the guiltiest, most quotable pleasure of the year: “Obsessed,” the so-bad-it’s-good, so-good-it’s-bad mid-tempo jam leading off the charge of Mariah Carey’s less than successful twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.

You love it, you hate it, but there’s no need to get all fired up with your Napoleon complex; the only thing that could have made this song better would be if it came bundled with a George Foreman grill and a bottle of Windex.

“Obsessed” topped the charts at #7 on the US Hot 100, as well as #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs list and Top 20 in many territories around the world.

19. Beyonce – Video Phone ft. Lady Gaga (Listen)
Though it would be impossible to top the weave-tossin’, hip-poppin’ brilliance that is “Diva,” “Video Phone” is just about as close as you can get to replicating that level of fierce-nass. Already an instant classic off of I Am…Sasha Fierce, the injection of Lady Gaga‘s ridiculous, warbling verses and a tranny-tastic music video made the song damn near untouchable.

That being said, “Video Phone” generally failed to catch on with the general public, stalling at #65 on the Hot 100 with no sign of fueling back up again anytime soon.

18. Cheryl Cole – Fight For This Love (Listen)
It was the tensest moment on X Factor this year: The debut performance of a solo Cheryl Cole. What would she sound like? How would the song fare? Breaking out with a hip, sleek routine (once a soldier, then a samurai) and a nasty dance break sequence, Cheryl fought, fought, fought for the public’s love, effectively dominating the latter half of 2009 with her debut single.

Though not the strongest song off of her debut 3 Words, it’s certainly the most influential: “Fight For This Love” broke the record for the fastest selling UK single, debuted at #1 in both Ireland and the UK, and scored the highest first week sales for a single in 2009.

17. Ke$ha – Tik Tok (Listen)
It’s loud, it’s obnoxious, and it’s all I listened to during the summer: “Tik Tok” is drunk-pop revelry at its finest, and one hell of a way to debut.

The song as just hit #1 on the Hot 100, according to yesterday’s Billboard news.

16. Shakira – She Wolf (Listen)
If anyone else sung this, it would be a disaster. But it’s not just anyone–it’s Shakira, the lust-worthy Latina songstress capable of making a coffee machine in an office sound downright sexy. The release was aided by an equally weird/brilliant video, featuring the singer doing enough limb-bending choreography to have Gumby crossing his legs in pain while watching.

“She Wolf” and its Spanish counterpart “Loba” climbed to the #11 spot on the US Hot 100 and a #1 position on the Hot Dance Club Songs list, as well as dozens of Top 10 positions all around the world.

15. Madonna – Celebration (Listen)
Ringing in over twenty-five years of international success in the music industry as the world’s reigning Queen of Pop, “Celebration” had quite a bit of hype to live up to. While some criticized the singer for trying too hard to maintain relevancy, the song served its purpose and ultimately contributed to the Madonna legacy of pure, unadulterated escapism tacked to a disco dancing beat.

While “Celebration” stalled at #71 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the song took a Top 5 charting across most other parts of the world, including a #3 peak in the UK’s Single Chart.

14. Rihanna – Hard (Listen)
Leading off one of the year’s best albums, Riri goes harder than ever before with a cocky chorus and a newfound swagger and delightfully confident sexuality. Lots of brags (“The hottest bitch in heels right here”) and lots of burns (“Ain’t like me, that chick too phony”). And as for that personal shout-out near the song’s end? “Where dem blah-gahs at? Where dem blah-gahs at?” Yeah…bonus points all around.

“Hard” has since climbed to the #11 position on the US Hot 100, though it’s still too new to declare the song’s peak position.

13. Sugababes – About A Girl (Listen)
As the unexpected dawn of a new era began late this year with the departure of Keisha Buchanan and the arrival of Jade Ewen, haters and doubters declared the girl group officially dead.

As it turned out, the Sugas have never sounded sweeter. “About A Girl” was the defiant anthem the girls needed to survive, earning a #8 spot on the UK Charts and proving that Jade Ewen is a voice to be reckoned with.

12. Lily Allen – The Fear (Listen)
Leading off the campaign for her sophomore album, It’s Not Me, It’s You, “The Fear” took a wry stab at the socialite life. With Greg Kurstin‘s glittering electronic beats and that gorgeous, dizzying chorus, it’s not hard to miss out on Allen’s dripping sarcasm: “I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless /’Cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous.”

The song took the #1 spot on the UK singles chart, as well as scoring the “Best Track” award at the Q Awards.

11. Natalie Imbruglia – Want (Listen)
It’s all that you could ever want, over and over again: A lush, disco melody on repeat, “Want” is the sugary surprise single that led the march for Imbruglia’s solid fourth studio album, Come to Life.

Sadly, the song was never quite given its due credit, eventually peaking at #22 in Australia and #88 in the UK.

10. Gossip – Heavy Cross (Listen)
Did any other song send a chill running down our spines this year quite like Beth Ditto‘s howl of “I choose you!” just one minute into “Heavy Cross”? Doubtful. The song itself is a rocking smash, complete with jagged guitar riffs and disco-tinged drum beats, but it’s the Fred Falke remix made this release truly sublime.

The single premiered quite well overseas, including the #2 position in Germany and Switzerland, as well as the #14 spot on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

9. La Roux – Bulletproof (Listen)
Say what I have about Elly Jackson‘s nasty attitude or her oft-insufferable falsetto, La Roux’s debut provided some of the catchiest, hookiest tracks of 2009. Add some bright, colorful ’80′s-flavored beats to one unstoppably catchy chorus, and there you have it: “Bulletproof,” a track that more than validated all those “One to Watch” list predictions last year.

“Bulletproof” took the #1 position on the UK charts, a #1 slot on the US Dance Charts, and a gold certification in Australia and New Zealand, amongst dozens of other countries.

8. Annie – Anthonio (Listen)
With the 2008 Don’t Stop campaign at a halt for more than half a year, “Anthonio” was the much-needed reassurance that the Anniemal was still alive and well. Soothing, melodic italo-disco sweeps over the speakers as the singer recalls the tale of the no-good, dirt bag who left alone and pregnant. What more could you ask for?

While it never landed a spot on the main Singles charts, “Anthonio” climbed to #5 on the UK Indie Chart.

7. Girls Aloud – Untouchable (Listen)
The word epic is far overused in modern society, but this song cannot be properly described by any other term: Clocking in at just under seven minutes, “Untouchable” is the Girls Aloud’s own “Bohemian Rhapsody,” complete with euphoric flares of synthesizers and a classic Xenomania beat.

In the greatest Pop Injustice of 2009, “Untouchable” charted just outside the Top 10 position in the UK at #11, effectively ending the girl group’s run of twenty Top 10 singles.

6. Florence + The Machine – Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) (Listen)
I’d seen some references to Florence over the summer, but it wasn’t until her performance of “Rabbit Heart” on Later…with Jools Holland that I realized just how magical this witchy woman and her music actually were. Honorable mentions go out to the equally deserving subsequent singles from Lungs, including “Drumming Song” and “You’ve Got the Love.”

“Rabbit Heart” peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart.

5. Bat For Lashes – Daniel (Listen)
Haunting vocals, warm droplets of synthesizer, and an endless, searching sense of loneliness, “Daniel” quickly became the clear, crowning victory of Bat For Lashes‘ Two Suns sessions.

“Daniel” peaked at #36 on the UK Singles Chart.

4. Royksopp – Girl and the Robot (Listen)
Combine Sweden’s Pop Princess with Norway’s electro-geniuses, and you’ve got yourself the greatest robot love song from a Swedish chanteuse since Margaret Berger‘s “The Robot Song”…and that’s saying a lot.

The song took on the #2 position on the Norweigan Singles Chart and a surprisingly modest #25 position on the Swedish Singles Chart.

3. Britney Spears – 3 (Listen)
Considering it’s Britney (bitch), “3″ is pretty low on my “Best Of” list. With a less-than-stellar video (the director’s cut having redeemed the original), Britney’s ode to playing Yahtzee with a friend or two (or Freudian exploration of fantasy, depending on who you ask) walks the line between sexy and sleazy a bit too unevenly, at times coming off childish and tacky (which is why I’m ready for a break from further Max Martin collaborations.) Subject matter aside, it’s still an unbelievably catchy record, and one hell of a Britney classic.

The single was an instant success with radio, nabbing the #1 spot on US radio, as well as a position in Top 10 charts all across the world.

2. Ellie Goulding – Under the Sheets (Listen)
Up until a few months ago, newcomer Ellie Goulding had released nothing but a few demos and behind-the-scenes videos on her MySpace.

“Under the Sheets,” her debut release, is a gorgeous, multi-layered tapestry of hypnotic electronica and breathy vocals, not all that far from the major league stuff of Imogen Heap and Björk. The song’s replay-ready quality, coupled with a yelp-at-the-top-of-your-lungs harmonies has, for better or worse, sprinkled all sorts of high expectations around the upcoming release of her debut album in 2010.

“Under The Sheets” has since peaked at #53 on the UK charts.

1. Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (Listen)
A crashing anthem of a chorus. Hitchcock references. A vogue-ready middle eight. Hooks a plenty. Nonsensical syllables abound. Fame. Death. Sex. Love. I’m a free bitch, baby.

As the most powerful, raucous celebration of pop music in years, “Bad Romance” has finalized Lady Gaga’s transition from a flavor of the month to an icon in the making. Though she may credit “Speechless” as her greatest song to date, it’s “Bad Romance” that takes the title in my book blog.

The song took the #2 spot on the Hot 100, as well as a #1 ranking in several countries internationally, including Canada, Italy, Sweden and the UK.

As if there were any question, “Bad Romance” is the best single of 2009, bar none.