Here at MuuMuse, we like to make dreams come true.

I received an impassioned email yesterday from a Muuser with a very simple request:

Hi . i was wondering if you could do a feature on the songs that are hidden gems and feature Hilary Duff’s- Holiday and also the equally amazing remix featured on her Best Of album.
I recently discovered this song myself and wonder how i had not heard it before. It’s an absolute amazeballs of a track.
With its surging dance beat that makes you want to get up and dance!!

Please do a review. Thanks

BOOM: Wish granted in the form of a “Hey, You Know What Was An Amazing Song?” post.

(Even though the last “Hey, You Know What Was An Amazing Song?” was also by Hilary Duff–”Beat Of My Heart,” which you should read now!–it doesn’t matter, because everything Hilary Duff has ever recorded is amazing.)

“Holiday” was produced by OneRepublic front-man and producer Ryan Tedder–he of Beyonce‘s “Halo” and Leona Lewis‘ “Bleeding Love” fame–and co-penned by both Hilary and her sister, Haylie Duff. Originally recorded back in 2007, the song was intended to be released on an upcoming re-release of her incredible fourth studio album, Dignity.

Peppered with chilly, twinkling synthesizers and an infectious mid-tempo shuffle (classic Tedder), the song follows a forlorn Duff longing for a love long gone–a most perfect companion for those suffering a bout of the holiday blues. “Now in the summer I miss you/And in the winter I miss you/It don’t matter what I do since you went away,” Duff gorgeously croons above the song’s sparkling bridge.

According to Duff in a XM BPM radio interview with DJ Joe Bermudez from back in November of ’07, she was planning to pen one more song before releasing “Holiday” (which she referred to as her “favorite”) as the first or second single off the re-release.

Sadly Hollywood Records scrapped the idea, opting instead to release the song (along with the Depeche Mode-sampling lead single, “Reach Out”) on Best Of Hilary Duff in 2008, her second greatest hits collection, along with an incredible remix by Joe Bermudez & Chico.

While the shelved re-release of Dignity is truly a shame, the cancellation of “Holiday” as a single is nothing short of a pop travesty. For now, all we can do now is listen to this icy gem on repeat (and pray that Duff follows through on the plan to record a fifth studio album.) Let the snow come down and wake my dreams!

Best of Hilary Duff was released in November of 2008. (iTunes)

Last weekend, my bloggy BFFL Jon ALi and I went on a road trip to Boston. And in between the scream-singing of a majority of Talk That Talk (and some Kat DeLuna, but we’re not talking about that right now), Jon played me some of his favorite mixes from Mademoiselle Gaga‘s brand new remix album: Born This Way: The Remix.

The entire remix package is actually a pretty schweet deal, full of both throbbing, cardio-friendly House cuts and unconventionally moody re-inventions of the originals.

Along with offerings by some of MuuMuse’s favorite acts (including Hurts and Goldfrapp), instant favorites from the bunch include the haunting, dissonant re-rub of “Marry The Night” by The Weeknd & Illangelo, the brooding Depeche Mode-esque “Bloody Mary” mix by The Horrors and the reliably amazing throbbing mix of “Edge of Glory” by Sultan & Ned Shepard (who’ve worked on countless smashes with MuuMuse favorite Nadia Ali).

But my all-time favorite of the bunch so far is “Electric Chapel,” a track I’d never paid much attention to when listening to Born This Way. As it turns out, the remix was crafted by Two Door Cinema Club, the UK indie-pop trio that I “Introduuced” in the early, early days of MuuMuse back around January of ’09. (I know…positively ancient!)

As Jon explained before hitting play, the “Electric Chapel” mix is basically the ultimate stripper anthem. In fact, I’ve already assembled a tasteful nun habit to perform the mix during my nightly revue at The Cock, so watch out for that.

ANYWAY…

To celebrate the release, MuuMuse is giving away FIVE COPIES of Born This Way: The Remix.

To enter to win, follow me on Twitter (@MuuMuse) and tweet me with the following phrase:

I want to be born again with @MuuMuse! #BornThisWayTheRemix http://bit.ly/uBEEUi

Five winners will be selected and notified on Tuesday, November 29. US entries only, please.

NOW DANCE, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS.

Born This Way: The Remix was released on November 21. (iTunes)

Just one hour ago–9 PM in France–Lady Gaga strutted her way down the runway of Thierry Mugler‘s showing at Paris Fashion Week to the sound of three tracks from her upcoming studio album, Born This Way.

Much as with “Born This Way” and the “Scheiße” mix that premiered a few weeks ago (both of which were played during tonight’s show), the newly unveiled “Government Hooker” mix bursts at the seams with late ’80′s/early ’90′s House influences, including grinding beats and diva-licious, operatic vocal delivery.

“I’m gonna drink my tears tonight / I’m gonna drink my tears and cry / ‘Cause I know you love me baby,” Gaga mourns, the bass blaring hard throughout the dirty, delicious mix.

Like “Scheiße,” this is an incredibly promising tease. I’m getting some major Depeche Mode Violator vibes…anyone else? (Note: THAT’S A VERY GOOD THING.)

Many thanks to Gaga Daily for the song rip!

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)

And you thought Sophie Ellis-Bextor was bad: After almost seven years, three singles and two EPs, Dangerous Muse still have yet to release their debut album, Take Control.

Despite the fact that they’ve got a full album boasting production by the likes of Swedish pop masters Bloodshy & Avant, Esthero and Josh Harris waiting in the wings, the men of Dangerous Muse have opted to go the slow and steady route, unveiling their music at a rate of approximately one single every two years.

Now, we’ve (finally) got another taste of what lies ahead.

To celebrate their latest single (“I Want It All”) hitting #1 on LOGO TV’s The Click List this week, the sexy electro-pop NYC duo have just released a free download of an upcoming album track: “Fame Kills.”

Produced by the group themselves (along with David Siskovic), “Fame Kills” is a nearly 7-minute electro-pop epic filled with chugging, Depeche Mode-friendly beats and frantic, glittering ’80′s synthesized sounds. “Fame will tear us apart / I press my lips against my arm,” singer Mike Furey croons through the song’s heavy vocoder.

The occasional silly lyric aside (“Like fish in disguise”?), “Fame Kills” is a storming, brooding little number that ties in well with the luscious noir pop that made us love the group in the first place, including “Give Me Danger” and “The Rejection.”

I dare say it makes me excited to hear the rest of the record–but this rate, it looks like we won’t be hearing it until, well…August 2019. Fingers crossed!

Take Control will (allegedly) be released in 2011. (iTunes)

Here we go again: The end of another year in music!

2010 may well be remembered as the Year of the Future (if not the Year of All Hearts–hint hint!): A year of fembots, androids, bionic women and time-traveling adventures deep into the 22nd century.

Space-age love stories and robo-dramatics colored a large portion of the year’s biggest releases in pop, no doubt a response to the reign of the machine on the pop charts as synth-pop productions continued to dominate the digital airwaves in 2010.

Below is the list of MuuMuse’s Top Albums of 2010, which was based on a variety of factors–from individual song and single goodness, to the complete album experience, to overall artistic integrity, to an album’s ability to ‘stick’ as the year progressed. Basically I’m trying to say that it’s a bit of a hot mess, but I tried my very best.

There’s also a rather controversial dishonorable mention prior to the Top 40 list that will likely blow my chances for that much coveted position as editor of Rolling Stone. DAMN IT.

Now…LET’S DO THIS.

BUT FIRST. The (dis)honorable mention:

And now, a brief but important word regarding an album released this year: Heidi Montag‘s Superficial.

First of all, let me clear the air: Heidi Montag has no soul or integrity as a human being. She is a silicone robot, mindlessly pre-programmed with a ceaseless appetite for fame and physical perfection as determined by only the most impossible, superficial societal standards set by beer-guzzling bros with a hankering for dim-witted bimbos with big blonde hair with even bigger boobs. She once remarked that she was deeply disappointed that her plastic surgeon could not increase her breasts to Size H, as she wanted them to be “Size H…for Heidi.”

She may, in fact, be the Antichrist.

That being said, her album is so good. It is so good, in the most purest and truest sense of a “guilty pleasure.” I’m sorry–actually, no. I’m not sorry. It just is. I realize that she is not actually “singing,” nor that her robot voice is even “good,” but these songs are just amazingly trashy and delicious. Much in the way that Paris Hilton‘s debut album is genius, Montag’s effort is genius because she blew a cool $2 million on some of the best songwriters, including Cathy Dennis, The Runners and Steve Morales.

So that my conscious remains clear, I am putting this out in the open: I listened to Heidi Montag’s Superficial about as much as I did the Top 3 albums of 2010. I know I mostly ripped her to pieces in my album review, but even then I admitted it was a “fun” album. Well, it’s still fun. Assess accordingly.

With all that being said, I cannot–in good mind–add her to this Top 40 list. I just can’t. Although I’ve yet to tire of this record, I cannot knowingly sandwich this woman anywhere near the actual Titans of Pop. I refuse to give it a number.

Therefore, I am officially honoring Heidi Montag’s Superficial with MuuMuse’s Official Best Worst Brilliantly Terrible Awfully Amazing Award for 2010.

Unfollow me, degrade me or banish me to Hell, but I SHALL BE SLUT-SHAMED NO LONGER.

———–

AND NOW…THE LIST.

40. Nadine Coyle – Insatiable (Album Review)
39. Kat Deluna – Inside Out
38. Ciara – Basic Instinct
37. Uffie – Sex Dreams & Denim Jeans
36. Keri Hilson – No Boys Allowed

35. Usher – Versus
34. Girlicious – Rebuilt
33. Linda Sundblad – Manifest (Album Review)
32. Katy Perry – Teenage Dream (Album Review)
31. Miley Cyrus – Can’t Be Tamed

30. Selena Gomez & The Scene – A Year Without Rain
29. The Wanted – The Wanted
28. Joe McElderry – Wide Awake
27. I Blame Coco – The Constant
26. Shontelle – No Gravity (Album Review)

25. Wynter Gordon – The First Dance
24. The Saturdays – Headlines
23. Simon Curtis – 8-Bit Heart
22. Alesha Dixon – The Entertainer
21. Jessica Mauboy – Get ‘Em Girls

20. Goldfrapp – Head First
19. Diddy Dirty Money – Last Train To Paris
18. Diana Vickers – Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree (Album Review)
17. Jónsi – Go
16. BT – These Hopeful Machines

15. Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid
14. M.I.A. – /\/\/\Y/\ (Album Review)
13. Marina + The Diamonds – The Family Jewels (Album Review)
12. Sade – Soldier Of Love (Album Review)
11. Christina Aguilera – Bionic (Album Review)

10. Sia – We Are Born

MuuMuse Review

Sia’s fifth studio album found the incredibly talented artist in a much brighter and bubblier place than ever before, dancing atop Greg Kurstin‘s bright, hand clap-happy pop production on irresistibly catchy cuts such as “Clap Your Hands,” “Bring Night,” and the stunning cover of Madonna‘s classic, “Oh Father.”

Yet all’s not quite sunshine and lollipops: The album’s more brooding numbers, including “Cloud” and “I’m In Here,” (which may well be the best ballad she’s done since the iconic “Breathe Me”) proved that Sia’s still grappling with plenty of inner demons brewing beneath the surface.

With We Are Born, as well as the multiple tracks penned with Christina Aguilera, Sia proved herself responsible for some of the year’s best crafted songs.

9. Rihanna – LOUD

MuuMuse Review

Stepping away from the darker imagery of her career-defining 2009 masterpiece Rated R, Princess RiRi eased her way back onto the pop radio charts in the latter half of 2010 with her gigantic club smash (“Only Girl (In The World)”) and a freshly revitalized, breezy new spirit.

LOUD is a concise collection of unapologetic, celebratory pop tunes inspired by the Barbadian beauty’s island roots, including “Cheers (Drink To That),” “Raining Men (feat. Nicki Minaj)” and the album’s impossibly infectious second single, “What’s My Name?,” featuring Drake.

While it’s mostly all fun and games here, it’s the album’s slower moments, such as “California King Bed” and “Love The Way You Lie (Part II),” the stunningly vulnerable response to her summer smash collaboration with Eminem, that provide enough versatility to hail LOUD as one of the year’s best offerings.

8. Scissor Sisters – Night Work

MuuMuse Review

Night Work quickly became the essential soundtrack to a summer’s night out after it’s release in late June of 2010, as frontman Jake Shears, Ana Matronic, Del Marquis and Babydaddy grunt-and-strutted their way through a powerhouse set of sweat-soaked disco gems seemingly unearthed from the filth-ridden dance floors of Studio 54.

While cuts like the falsetto-heavy heaven of “Any Which Way” and the scandalous purr of “Skin This Cat” gave Night Work plenty of sizzle, it’s truly the album’s final 6-minute opus, “Invisible Light” (featuring an almighty monologue by Sir Ian McKellen) which catapulted the band to a whole new dimension of brilliance.

7. Ke$ha – Animal / Cannibal

MuuMuse Review / MuuMuse Review

It’s hard to believe that Ke$ha only officially debuted this year.

Kicking off 2010 with the release of her debut album Animal on January 1, the filthy princess greeted the New Year with a somewhat uneven collection of drunk-pop party anthems (“Tik Tok”), vomit-drenched club stormers (“Take It Off”) and unexpectedly sobering ballads (“Hungover”). The rest is chart history, as each month K$ continued her reign on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with single after single.

As the year drew to a close, Ke$ha wisely took a hint from Lady Gaga‘s winning Fame Monster 2009 re-release formula and complimented her debut with Cannibal, a near flawless 8-track EP filled with darker, harder pop cuts. From prowling for boy blood on the storming title track “Cannibal” to getting all out rude on top of the grinding, Bangaladesh-produced “Sleazy,” K$ offered up a glitter-drenched middle finger to any and all naysayers standing in the way of her trash-pop reign.

Love her, hate her, or if you just kind of want to vomit on her face–it’s impossible to dispute the fact that K$ knows how to write a hit. Just wait until she starts singing for real…she hasn’t even begun yet.

6. Hurts – Happiness

Brooding in black and white, the men of Hurts delighted us all in 2010 with their keen sense of sharp style and sophistication (and irony, as their album title would dictate.)

Happiness is an incredibly rewarding dark pop experience and an incredible debut effort, rich with heartbreaking lyricism and big, moody synth-pop tunes that often recall the best of Depeche Mode and New Order. The album is largely dominated by deathly serious numbers and gorgeous, hymn-like devotionals including “Illuminated” and “Stay.” Best of all is the aching “Devotion (feat. Kylie Minogue),” which wonderfully recalls one of the greatest songs of the disco diva’s career, “Confide In Me.”

Moody, sophisticated…it’s the complete package. What more could a boy ever ask for?

5. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Like Rihanna’s Rated R from last year, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy found hip-hop’s leading innovator in a very, very dark place.

Along with self-aggrandizing brag attacks including “POWER” and the stomping growl of “Monster” (which arguably features the greatest verse of Nicki Minaj’s career), the album shines brightest when West turns inward, as demonstrated in the tender defeat of “Blame Game (feat. John Legend)” and the disillusioned world-weariness of “Lost In The World (feat. Bon Iver).” Best of all though is the album’s star-studded collaboration featuring eleven vocalists (!) “All of the Lights,” a perfect rallying call that comes roaring into the airwaves, horns blaring.

With some of the most gorgeous melodies and unique samples (Gil Scott-Heron‘s “Comment No. 1,” for instance), as well as a lengthy list of both heavyweight collaborators (Jay-Z, Kid Cudi) and surprise contributors (Elton John? Chris Rock?), the world’s biggest ego has truly crafted one of the most intriguing, controversial and powerful releases of his career.

He may be a douchebag, but Kanye West’s album is about as close to perfection as they come.

4. Ellie Goulding – Lights/Bright Lights

MuuMuse Review

As the hotly tipped, much hyped artist at the top of the BBC’s Sound of 2010 list last year, Ellie Goulding had a lot to prove in 2010. Luckily, she did–and then some.

After forging a friendship with up-and-coming electro-pop producer Starsmith, the electro-pop chanteuse carved out a truly knock-out debut in Lights, an effort that perfectly marries the singer’s fragile vocals with bright, bubbling electronica and hazy synth-pop. Along with lead single “Under The Sheets” and the truly magical “Starry Eyed” (which rightfully earned her a spot at the top of the BBC’s list last year), more introspective numbers such as “This Love (Will Be Your Downfall),” “Your Biggest Mistake” and the utterly chilling “Wish I Stayed” demonstrated Goulding’s supreme penchant for songcraft.

Later in the year, Bright Lights was released–the re-release of Lights. Along with fan favorite “Lights” (produced by Richard Stannard‘s genius pop writing troupe, Biffco), the re-release boasted six additional tracks that sparkled with brand new instrumentation and more complex construction, including the Fred Falke-produced “Home” and Goulding’s stunning take on Elton John‘s classic, “Your Song.”

Packaged together, Lights and Bright Lights burn bright as one sublime, ethereal pop experience.

3. Kylie Minogue – Aphrodite

MuuMuse Review

With 21st century pop mastermind Stuart Price at the helm of the project, Kylie Minogue has divined the perfect pop record within Aphrodite, her most cohesive effort since 2002′s Fever.

Along with lush, electro-pop club anthems (“All The Lovers”), surging trance cuts straight out of the Stuart Price playbook (“Closer,” “Cupid Boy”) and gorgeously cooed, angelic waves of electronica (“Everything Is Beautiful”), Miss Minogue’s invoked a whole new brand of sass on this record, including the stomping, gritty ‘tude of title track, “Aphrodite” and the year’s greatest kiss-off track, “Get Outta My Way.”

Along with signature celebratory anthems, including the Starsmith-produced “Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)” and the sparkling album closer “Can’t Beat The Feeling,” Aphrodite continues to inspire an electric euphoria that can only be described as heaven-sent.

2. Kelis – Flesh Tone

MuuMuse Review

Never one to shy away from reinvention, the ever-innovative Kelis came roaring back after an extended hiatus with Flesh Tone, a truly astounding body of work.

Essentially the equivalent of Madonna’s Confessions On A Dance Floor for the new decade, Flesh Tone found Kelis taking a step off the streets from 2006′s Kelis Was Here and into the discotheque with the help of such 2010 dance production legends as Benny Benassi and David Guetta, as well as executive producer/Black Eyed Peas mastermind, Jean-Baptiste.

Aside from its flawless production value, Flesh Tone‘s quality lies in its transcendence of typical dance floor lyrical cliches, utilizing deeply personal memoirs (“Song For The Baby”), existential ponderings (“22nd Century”) and a healthy helping of rallying empowerment cries including “Scream,” “Emancipate,” and the defining life anthem “Brave” to create one of the strongest, most cohesive collections of the year.

1. Robyn – Body Talk

MuuMuse Review (Part 1)

After almost a five year wait since her last studio album, her 2005 Swedish self-titled masterpiece, Robyn completed her triumphant return to the global pop forefront in 2010 with Body Talk, the year’s most forward-thinking, relentlessly hard-hitting collection of heartbreak disco-pop gems, bossy hip-hop taunts and super slick futuristic interludes beamed in straight from 20 years into the future.

To be fair, it’s hard to spotlight Body Talk in its own right: Robyn actually released three mini-albums over the course of a year–Body Talk Pt. 1, Pt. 2, and Pt. 3–with Body Talk being a culmination of all three released in November. As it stands, Body Talk is a mostly perfect ‘greatest hits’ representation of all three releases, with only a few missed opportunities (the most glaring of which being the exclusion of Body Talk Pt. 2 sassy sleaze track, “Criminal Intent.”)

In some cases, Robyn flexes her bossy ‘tude, bragging ’round town on tracks like the reggae-infused, Diplo-produced “Dancehall Queen,” “U Should Know Better (feat. Snoop Dogg),” and the brooding, braggy “None of Dem (feat. Röyksopp).” Elsewhere, she exposes doubts, fears and frustrations in cautionary tales including the throbbing cautionary tale “Love Kills,” “Get Myself Together,” and the Max Martin-produced “Time Machine” (her first collaboration with the pop production titan in over a decade), all the while providing some of the most danceable rhythms and relatable lyrics of the year.

Yet if anything remains true of Robyn as an artist, it is her ability to make music that resonates on a profoundly emotional level. Devoid of pretentious higher meaning or lyrical cliches, Robyn simply emotes, and the results are nothing less than completely relatable.

The album’s true highlights come in the form of three major singles, all of which acted as lead tracks for each Body Talk installment: From the chilly, rapid-fire devastation of “Dancing On My Own,” to the sugary sweet “Hang With Me,” to the all-or-nothing, head-over-heels recklessness of “Indestructible,” the Swedish chanteuse’s finest offerings mesh heartfelt love notes with pulsating, space-age rhythms, resulting in the greatest sad disco numbers since her 2007 global smash with Kleerup, “With Every Heartbeat.” When all’s said and done, each song is enough to render any unsuspecting listener into a quivering mess of glitter and goo at the discotheque.

While Robyn would never see the sales, radio or chart success that most of the aforementioned artists enjoyed throughout the year (the year’s greatest pop injustice for sure), it’s her ceaseless ability to deliver innovative, forward-thinking pop that ultimately places Robyn’s Body Talk series as the clear front-runner amongst the albums of 2010.

Quite simply, Body Talk is the embodiment of pop in its purest form.

———–

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT.

Now for some real fun.

Because I’m such a physical freak (in so, so many senses of the word), I now present a RATHER EXCITING CONTEST:

MuuMuse is proud to be giving away ONE BUNDLE of ALL TEN of MuuMuse’s Top 10 Albums of 2010!

To enter to win, send me an e-mail with the subject line “MUU10″ telling me your TOP 10 SINGLES OF 2010.

This contest IS global. Rejoice, Muusers all over the world!

A winner will be selected and notified on January 2, 2011. Good luck!

Meet Saint Saviour.

The London-bred vocalist is perhaps best known for lending her pipes to Groove Armada, as well as a bunch of other acts including The RGBs, The Slips, and Joe & Will Ask.

Now the singer will be taking a stab at going it solo with the release of her debut single, “Woman Scorned.”

Like a cross between a classically trained vocalist and an indie rocker begging to be unleashed, Saint Saviour delivers with a wild energy on her rollicking, rock-tinged debut.

The comparisons that can be drawn to other vocalists are many-numbered (and all valid): From Kate Bush to Antony Hegarty to Liza Minnelli to Martha Wainwright to Beth Ditto to a touch of fellow saint, St. Vincent. Weird warblers unite!

But wait–there’s more!

As a MuuMuse Excluusive, check out Saint Saviour’s stunning take on the Depeche Mode classic, “Enjoy The Silence”–both of which are available for both stream and download.

Listen below to hear Saint Saviour’s soaring rendition of the original, which is reverent enough to be deemed a proper church hymn. Talk about a woman after my own heart!

DL: Saint Saviour – Enjoy The Silence

The singer will be performing her first ever live show in London at Bush Hall on October 23, and tickets are currently on sale now.

“Woman Scorned” will be released both digitally and as a limited edition 100-press 7″ vinyl on October 11.

To hear more from Saint Saviour, check out her MySpace.

Okay, I get it now.

Just in case anyone wasn’t in the know quite yet, Hurts is an up-and-coming English dark disco duo (composed of Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson) who’ve been the subject of much praise over the past few weeks/months in the blogosphere. (See XO, see PopJustice.)

After seeing a tweet from Sony Records announcing the limited sale of their signed debut single, I decided to finally give a proper listen to the song, entitled “Better Than Love.” (I wasn’t kidding about being a sucker for anything ‘signed’ or ‘limited edition’–I’m such a collector’s edition nerd.)

While it’s never a good idea to get too wrapped up in anticipation or hype, what I’m hearing is a mixture of the damning electronica chills of Violator-era Depeche Mode and moments of clever lyricism a la the Pet Shop Boys. And as for the video’s visuals? I’m convinced this is a merely a behind-the-scenes clip of a Louis Vuitton spread set to sound.

Their whole campaign is simplistic, moody, and wildly pretentious (I don’t believe color–I’m sorry, colour–exists in their vocabulary), but I kind of adore everything about it.

Now go ahead and cry your eyes out at the discotheque.

“Better Than Love” will be released on May 24. For more, click here to visit their official website.

Nadia Ali is one of the greatest natural voices on the dance floor scene.

Formerly of Iio (“Rapture”, “Is It Love?), the singer has since embarked on her own successful career as a solo artist. After a series of songs recorded with artists including Rosko and Armin van Buuren, Ali finally unveiled her long-awaited debut album Embers in September of 2009.

A stunning collection of heavenly trance music and ambient sound, the album showcases both Ali’s unique vocal delivery and her knack for scribing deeply personal, sophisticated electronica, proving why she’s since become such an overwhelmingly admired, oft-requested collaborator for producers and artists alike.

Last Friday, I had the honor of speaking to Nadia as she prepared for a trip to Brazil. She was amazingly kind and as sweet as expected, and she provided a lot of thoughtful, in-depth responses to my questions. Instead of drafting up a short feature, I thought her fans would instead appreciate the full-on Q&A. Below is the entire transcript. I hope you all enjoy!

Hi, Nadia! So, I wanted to discuss your album Embers, which was released back in 2009. It was definitely one of my favorite albums of the year. I thought it was truly an accomplishment.

Aww, thank you so much! I really appreciate that.

Of course! It was incredibly crafted. One of my readers wanted to know what your influences were when you were creating the album–what you were listening to, or any records in particular.

It’s interesting that you ask because I was listening to a lot of different things while making this album. I was listening to Radiohead quite a bit. I was listening to–there were definitely some influences. BT, I love. I love a lot of folk singers. I love artists like Ray LaMontagne, Neko Case, Sheryl Crow, so I have a lot of that. It comes through in my songwriting because I am writing more to just a piano and a guitar the first time a song is born–it’s written to those two elements, and then it goes into production. That’s when it gets its wardrobe, its attire. That’s the process.

Was the album produced by the same producer, or were there multiple producers?

There were multiple producers–three main producers. There was a gentleman in Chicago named Fritzy who always wanted to make something for the album. His background is in folk rock, so with him I sort of went through the journey of taking it to a more electronic place. The other two collaborators were Ned Shepard and Sultan, who are based in Montreal. They’re actually DJ/Producer artists, and they come from a very musical background. Their music is generally electronic and synthesized. With them, I basically had them go the more organic musical instrumentation side. The last of the producers was this guy in Sweden, Alex Sayz. He and I actually worked electronically back and forth on three of the songs. Yeah, those of the three main people. There were a few other producers I collaborated with that didn’t make it on the album, but that’s simply because you want to choose the songs that seem to fit with the rest of the album.

It’s surprising that there are three very different producers or sounds because the album definitely sounds cohesive. It sounds like it could have been done by the same producer.

Yeah. The common denominator is my voice and the songwriting, so I guess that’s where the cohesiveness comes. Also, we were playing a lot of these songs back and forth. The producers were aware of what I was looking for. I co-produced the whole album, so that’s where you get that semi-similar sound.

How long was it in the works, as far as writing and recording?

Oh my goodness. (Laughs) It stretched over a course of four years. That’s due to all of the touring, and many drafts of different productions that I had. I had some songs produced four different times until I felt it had the right production in the end. You know, I was still learning who I was as an artist, my identity as a songwriter, co-producer, what I could do vocally. That all contributed to the four years. (Laughs)

Well, it paid off, so don’t worry about it.

Aww, thank you. Thank you.

I would have to say that one of my favorite tracks off the album is actually “People.”

Oh, really? Wow! Thank you, thank you.

It’s deeply emotional. When I hear it, I get choked up all the time.

Really! Tell me why you like it?

Well, the chorus itself is really haunting itself I think. There’s something about the production–it’s sort of got an epic feel. Actually, one of my readers said its sort of like when they listen to Madonna’s Ray of Light record which was just very organic and spiritual almost. It is like that, it’s just a very haunting record.

Thank you! That album is obviously one of the best in electronic music history. She really was very forward. That album came out…that album came out in 1998. That’s twelve years ago. She’s definitely a huge influence as well.

About the song, what was your influence behind the track, or how did that come to be?

As far as songwriting or production?

Songwriting.

Ned, Sultan, and I were in Montreal. We wrote the majority of the album together. We’ve written dozen of songs at this point over the last three years that we first started working together. We were in the studio in January in Montreal, it was freezing outside. We were listening to all these songs that we loved. We were talking about how much we love Depeche Mode, and we wanted to do a song that was like an ode to Depeche Mode.

You know, the boys loved their sound as well. They created the music for the track within fifteen minutes, and I wrote the melody and lyrics to the song in another thirty minutes. It was born very, very quickly and the inspiration behind the lyrics was from the journey of being an artist in the industry, and the resilience you have to have to not be disheartened by all of the challenges that come from critics and people. In the industry, people always have opinions, people always have something to say. It was supposed to be a really encouraging song to send a message that there was nothing that would stop me or anyone who can relate to the song from moving forward.

Yeah. I think it’s a very inspiring song, and I love that it was inspired by Depeche. (Laughs)

(Laughs) Yeah, they’re one of my big influences as well.

That’s awesome. So the album was released on an independent label, is that your own label? Smile in Bed Records.

Yeah, self-released.

What do you think of publishing as far as digital and physical–and do you think it’s preferable to do a self-publish?

Yes. You know, nowadays we as artists have a lot of freedom. There’s always two sides to the story. Yes, we have to deal with a kind of piracy that we never had to deal with prior to the millennium. The advantage to that is that your music can spread a lot quicker than it used to since the advent of the MP3. The disadvantage is that labels don’t have the same power they used to have.

One of the things that I always valued is to be autonomous and as independent as I possibly could be, from getting directions from people that I didn’t always feel understood what I was trying to do artistically. I decided to invest in my own career and really give it the TLC I felt I needed for my own project. It was definitely a wonderful experience. Even though its an independent release, there’s still a lot of people that come together to help make it what it is.

This wasn’t released physically, was it?

Not into retail stores, but it is available on my website.

Have you ever considered going into that territory? A lot of artists are experimenting with different forms of distribution, not only digitally, but with things like USB sticks and 7″ singles. Have you ever considered that?

I have! Unfortunately, I’ve been so busy with songwriting and studio work that we have yet to really think about expanding our merchandise and all of those other things that need to be addressed and taken care of. Unfortunately, it’s the painter’s house that never gets painted. (Laughs) That’s definitely something I’m working towards.

I only ask because I’m such a nerd about album packaging and special editions. I always love when there’s limited edition things.

I know–you sound like you’re definitely an attentive listener. I care for things that are special too. People can definitely buy my physical CD online.

That’s great. So, moving onto your current state of affairs. As we’ve deduced, you’ve been quite busy running around the world.

(Laughs) Yes.

I saw that you were working with a number of producers. I saw that you were working with Morgan Page, as you posted last night actually, a little teaser.

Yes, I did!

What are you doing together?

Well, we’re working on some music that will be featured on his next album. The same music will also be on my next album…

Really?

Yes. He actually just a did a remix for my upcoming single from Embers called “Fantasy,” which I’m really excited about. Yeah, it’s been a really great experience working with him.

It seems like you guys have a lot of fun working together from the video.

Yeah, we definitely have. He’s a wonderful human being aside from his work. He’s phenomenally talented, and he’s got a really bright future ahead of him, I think.

So, you mentioned a ‘next album’. Does that mean you’re already working on a new album?

(Laughs) You’re the first to know, you’re the first to know! For sure.

Wow! Really? Already?

Yes, it never stops. It never stops.

It didn’t seem like it, because as soon as Embers was released, you were already back in the studio and I was like ‘I don’t..I think she’s still recording!’

(Laughs) Yeah, no I’m always working. The other reason why I’m in the studio is that I’m collaborating with the studio with a lot of different artists as well.

I was going to get into that in just a second, but just as a follow-up: So where are you progress-wise on this next one?

(Laughs) I’ve actually come quite a bit away into the process. I also have a huge backlog of songs that didn’t make it onto this album, so I have probably 100 songs sitting in my studio that have never seen the light of day. I’m just having a really great time collaborating with people and still releasing music that isn’t necessarily on my forthcoming album, but it is going to be released this year.

Well, I’m highly looking forward to that.

Aww. I’m so glad that I’ve been really blessed with the amount of interest I’ve had in collaborating with these really talented artists that are out there–Morgan being one of them. I’m sure you’re going to ask about this anyway, but I’ll just beat you to the punch. There’s Schiller, we have a song coming out on March 12 which is going to be wonderful.

Yep, there was a preview, right?

Yes, there was a little–what do you call that? A teaser. A snippet.

I saw you also posted some behind-the-scenes pictures from the video.

Oh! (Laughs) It was really incredible. It was really, really wonderful. The Schiller camp–I don’t know if you’re familiar with Schiller, are you?

I’m not. I know they’re a dance act from Germany, right?

They’re a dance act–he’s a dance act from Germany. A guy named Christopher Von Dylen. Christopher is the equivalent, or has a very similar following to Moby in the United States. He’s been around for…I want to say ten years. He has a wonderful fan-base, a really great following. A really solid sound, really beautiful, emotional electronic music. He’s a true artist/producer/songwriter, and he’s not a DJ, which is different from a lot of the other artists i work with. He’s unique in that regard.

Okay, so that’s coming out soon. Also, I saw a recent status update that you were in Switzerland.

You are so good at following me on Twitter! I’m really glad. (Laughs)

So what were the sessions in Switzerland about?

Yes, so one of the other artists I’m working with is EDX, who has also been around for a while. He’s got a fantastic sound. He’s very sought after in the industry. He’s very talented. He’s part of a Swiss family of DJ/producers, one of the main partners that he has is a guy named Chris Reece. He is one of the people that’s just really prolific in the studio. They’ve got a really great sound to them–they’re really quick, very talented. I actually reached out to EDX about doing a remix for “Fantasy,” and that’s what started our whole working relationship. He asked me to collaborate on Chris’ album first–it’s going to come out on Armada this year. I wrote a few different songs with them, so there’s going to be that song on that album this year. Another artist that I’m working with is Armin van Buuren. We have a song that’s going to come out this year too. One of the things that I’m most excited about is working with Sultan and Ned Shepard. Since they worked so closely with me on my album, they have an album in the works right now, and I’m collaborating with them. We have a really, really hot song that we just finished a few weeks ago that we’re really excited about. (Laughs)

So basically, you’re all over the place.

Yes. I’m all over the place, and I’m loving every second of it.

That’s fantastic. So we’re going to be hearing a lot from you in a lot of different varieties.

Exactly, and that’s the thing about it–it all falls under the umbrella of electronic music. There are so many sub-genres within that industry, that everything that I’m doing is somewhat different from the next.

Yeah–and actually, I meant to ask you: I don’t know if you have ever thought of this, but have you ever considered doing something outside of electronica?

It’s funny that you should ask! I definitely have done some things outside the electronic industry. Most of what I’ve done is for fun, but I have very diverse sides to me–I should say eclectic. It sounds a little pretentious to say I’m eclectic, but…(Laughs) I definitely have a knack for loving acoustic, organic music. I definitely have a plan to do an acoustic album at some point, and I love world music, especially because I am ethnic myself. I want to do an album that really explores the more exotic side of me. Actually, I did that with one of the artists I collaborated with–Serge Devant. I did a vocal that was completely Eastern chanting style. That came out on Ultra Records in November. That was really cool.

Well, you certainly demonstrated that you can do acoustic recently with the “Fantasy” acoustic session that you uploaded, which was fantastic.

Oh! Did you like it?

Yeah! A couple of my friends–I was letting them know that we were going to have an interview, so that’s what I selected to show them, and they all said ‘Wow, she can sing!’

Aww. Yeah, a lot of times with electronic music, people lose sight of the fact that there are some really–what’s the word I’m looking for? How can I put this without tooting my own horn? (Laughs) I definitely love to sing. I love sharing that part of me with people. When I sing with just a guitar and a piano, it’s such an intimate energy created, and I think people really absorb that.

I think a lot of the time I think people don’t realize that dance music translates so well into acoustic versions. you know?

Exactly, exactly.

Can you talk a little bit about “Fantasy” was chosen as a single, and your plans for the song?

Sure! “Fantasy” is definitely one of my favorite songs off of Embers. I chose for it to be the last song on the album because I felt as an artist it summed up as an artist how I like to be recognized: an emotional songwriter that loves being a part of electronic music. I just feel that there’s really powerful emotions in that song. I always wanted it to be a single, and I just had to choose the right time for it to be a single. I got my fans involved and had them choose between another one of my favorite songs off the album, “Point the Finger.” People chose the single between those two songs, and that’s how the decision was made.

I think that’s the best way to make it!

Yeah, I definitely love my fans. They’re extremely loyal, and very, very helpful. The plan is that there are a couple of remixes that are going to come out: one with Morgan Page, the other with EDX, and the other is Rachael Starr, and another artist is Starkillers.

Do you know when those will be out?

There isn’t an exact release date just yet, but it’ll be sometime in the spring.

I know you have a busy day coming up, so I don’t want to take up too much more of your time. Thank you so much for chatting with me. It’s really been an honor–you’re definitely one of my favorite vocalists.

It’s a pleasure to talk to you as well, and I really appreciate all your questions! They were definitely different. Thank you so much again!

For more on Nadia, check out her MySpace or her website, or go to iTunes to preview and purchase any of her music.

As Torrance Shipman once said in the 2000 classic, Bring It On, “Missy’s the poo…so take a big whiff.”

While that quote doesn’t really apply here (aside from suggesting that Gaga is indeed ‘the poo’), the point is this: As the driving force behind the writing and recording process of her music, the creative director of her album artwork, music videos, tour visuals, merchandising and just about every other minute facet of her career, Lady Gaga is a very new kind of pop star; one that sings live, writes and records, dances, styles photoshoots, and waxes poetic about the lifestyle of the artiste.

While many have managed to break the market on their own terms, I can’t think of a single mainstream female pop artist in recent times who has exercised nearly as much creative control in both the audio and visual department as Lady Gaga.

In fact, I can’t think of any.

November 23 will see the release of Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster, an 8-track concept album originally intended to be a re-release of her debut, The Fame. Written as a kind of antithesis to the subject matter of The Fame, The Fame Monster centers around horror and fears–from love, to loneliness, to death.

After some squabbles with her label (and a few inspired writing sessions while out on her Fame Ball Tour), Lady Gaga decided that this newly formed collection of tracks was enough of a living creature in its own right to merit release into the wild all on its own, rather than being slapped onto her pre-existing album. Of course, you could opt to purchase the album as a 2-CD bundle, but as a whole, the record is capable of standing on its own feet–however many feet a monster may have.

Now then, let’s run down the tracklisting.

The Fame Monster begins with “Bad Romance,” the current single that continues to power its way up the radio play charts. Better known as the song of 2009, “Bad Romance” is an unstoppable barrage of catchy hooks, hymn-like chants, and soaring crescendos. It’s a raw, raucous affair, best served at max volume in cars and clubs, and arguably the greatest track that Gaga has ever recorded.  Starting off with such a praise-worthy number, it’s fairly easy to forget that “Bad Romance” is just the first song off of the album.

“Alejandro” comes next, an Ace of Base-like mid-tempo, tropical track. While my reaction to the track was initially lukewarm after hearing the song in demo form, the album’s revamp adds a nice punch to the mix, creating a solid introduction and some reworked vocals. Watch out, though–the repetitive melody is addicting, and you may find that the song’s play count racks up faster than you can say “Alejandro,” “Fernando,” or any other man-of-Latin-origin’s nombre.

“Don’t call me Gaga,” Lady G announces as “Monster” begins to play. At this point, there’s really no need to progress any further into the album, as Gaga’s about to nail it: “Monster” is the epitome of the album’s essence, mashing a killer bass line with cheeky, creature feature lyricism: “We french kissed on a subway train / He tore my clothes right off / He ate my heart, and then he ate my brain,” Gaga laments during the song’s massive, glitchy (perhaps even picopop inspired?) breakdown. It’s a major hit, and is pretty much destined to be an upcoming single sometime soon.

“Speechless,” the next song on the album, comes with plenty of baggage in the Gaga Claims Department over the past few months, with “My favorite song of all” and “The greatest song I ever recorded” being just a few of the quotes offered up by the pop star during interviews. As one might imagine, the song has built a substantial amount of hype.

Mercifully it delivers, and the pay off is rich: “Speechless” is the ’70′s power rock ballad that always been hinted at in her earlier work (“Brown Eyes”, “Again Again”), though never fully realized until now. Penned for her father, “Speechless” is the result of Lady Gaga’s appreciation for the arena-rock legends and glam gods of yore (David Bowie, Freddie Mercury) that avoids imitation and plays like the torch ballad Gaga always needed. It may not be the greatest ‘hit’ of the album, but it is the most aurally adventurous (and surely the most personal). “I’ll never talk again / Oh boy, you’ve left me speechless,” Gaga croons with a swagger hitting somewhere between classic Elton John and Liza Minnelli. Concertgoers, be prepared–this one’s made for the lighters-in-the-air moment.

Coming in thereafter is “Dance in the Dark,” the album’s chilliest moment. “Silicone, saline, poison, inject me / Baby, I’m a free bitch,” Gaga scowls at the song’s beginning, which happens to double as the greatest opening line of the year. A hands-in-the-air dance song about a woman being harassed by her boyfriend, Gaga’s “Dance” is a murderous slice of pop complete with industrial whirls, haunted synths and occasional screams of anguish in the distance.

Part of the songs appeal, aside from being as danceable as it is dark (thus, “Dance in the Dark”…get it, eh?), lies in its occasional nods to the classics–from the  pulsating injection of Depeche Mode‘s “Strangelove” into the opening chords to its homage to Madonna‘s “Vogue” throughout the song’s spoken word middle eight:  “Marilyn, Judy, Sylvia…tell ‘em how you feel, girls!”

However unlike Madge’s celebrity roll-call, Gaga limits her subjects according to theme, choosing only those who’ve suffered a tragic end by way of, or indirectly because of, the fame. By the end of it all, you’ll want to know only one thing: Who knew emotional abuse could inspire such happy feet?

The next track, “Telephone,” is a doozy–a duet with Beyonce? Even on print, you’re already asking for trouble. “Telephone” was originally penned and serviced to Britney Spears by Gaga, rejected, and then reclaimed by the writer herself.

Along with a beat recalling Timbaland‘s “The Way I Are” and a frantic, stuttering electro-bass line, “Telephone” is a mish-mosh of synths, phone sounds and above all, rampant telephone talk. While Beyonce’s vocal runs are a welcome addition to the track, the song functions best as an unapologetic celebration of the vocoder. Just dance, as someone around here might say.

“So Happy I Could Die” seems to pick up where The Fame‘s “Starstruck” left off, borrowing its squeaky synthesizers and urban flavoring to engage in some self-indulgence. “In the silence of the night, through all the tears and all the lies / I touch myself and its alright.” While some reviews have likened the track to Britney Spears‘ “Touch of My Hand,” the music and lyrics seem far too dark to place “Happy” in the same realm as Spears’ ode to self-exploration. As the verses fade, the unusual anti-chorus fills the void: “Happy in the club with a bottle of red wine / Stars in our eyes ’cause we’re having a good time / Yeah, yeah / So happy I could die.”

Minimal and moody, “Happy” provides food for the mind while moving back and forth between Gaga and an unidentified “she.” It could be herself she’s referencing, but I’m still uncertain. Sasha Gaga, perhaps?

“Teeth,” the album’s premature closer, takes a surprising turn in sound: A stomping, hoot-and-holler-worthy chant-along, the final track of The Fame Monster invites listeners to cut loose and…well, sink their teeth into the music. Part musical, part country, and a little bit tribal in spots, Gaga snarls and taunts above an incessant, stomping march: “Take a bite of my bad girl meat / Show me your teeth.”  It’s an odd choice to end the album, though a surefire crowd pleaser for live shows if the addictive backing beat is anything to judge by.

Out of the eight excellent tracks of the album, the greatest part about listening to The Fame Monster is not the catchy beats or silly lyrics (of which there are many), or even the lock of Gaga’s own hair included with the Super Deluxe Fan Edition (with which I still have no idea what to do with)–it’s the fact that the album is history in the making.

For better or worse, Gaga is on the path of legendary status:  With only one album under her belt, Lady Gaga has already broken a world record for most #1 singles from a debut album, written for Britney Spears, Keri Hilson and the Pussycat Dolls, collaborated with high-profile photographers and artists including David LaChapelle, Araki, and Markus Klinko (which is not to forget her sheer influence on the runway, as well as scoring the devotion from runway legends like Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs). Along the way, she’s performed across the world to millions from San Francisco to Jerusalem, including a recent concert in New York where a newfound fan named Madonna watched along with her daughter, Lourdes, in the audience.

While I may be prone to hyperbole, I do believe that The Fame Monster is without a doubt the pop album of the year, if not one of the finest pop records of the decade.

And to think, this was just going to be a re-release.

Pre-Order The Fame Monster from Lady Gaga’s Official Store | Buy tickets to The Monster Ball Tour | MySpace | Official Website