STOP. LIFE.

Can you hear that? Yes, Muusers: It’s the sound of the Holy Spearit flowing through your speakers.

“Whiplash” is the latest leak from Selegenda Gomezmerizing‘s upcoming studio album When The Sun Goes Down, produced by bouncy-pop maestro Greg Kurstin and co-penned by Electrocute‘s Nicole Morier (“Heaven On Earth,” “Mmm Papi”) and the living legend herself, Godney Spears.

The song is essentially what would happen if Rachel Stevens were to make her grand return in 2011, hovering somewhere in between the brilliant electro-glitter of “Some Girls” and “Waiting Game.” It’s fucking fantastic: It’s got a real gritty, sauntering beat, spacey synthesizers and even includes spoken word bridges done in a British accent…and you just KNOW Britney came up with that shit.

STUCK. ON. REPEAT. Come on and take me to the other side!

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY SELEGENDA.

When The Sun Goes Down will be released on June 28. (iTunes)

A weird video has surfaced featuring about thirty or forty seconds of Cheryl Cole‘s new single, “Promise This.”

Here’s what we can ascertain thus far:

- Cheryl begins with a fast-paced take on the classic French children’s song, “Alouette.” In a brief moment of Wikipedia-inspired ADD, I’ve learned this song is about “plucking the feathers off a skylark.” This makes the song both (A) immediately nuts-o-clock and (B) nothing short of inspired.

- There’s a lot of talk about wings. I guess the skylark reference is apt, after all.

- The beat can so far be classified as ‘Spacey Pop/R&B.’ Most immediately, it reminds me of Electrocute‘s work with Britney (“Rock Me In”).

- It also vaguely reminds me of a faster version of “Rain On Me” from Cole’s first record (which would make sense, given it was done by the same producer, Wayne Wilkins.)

- The chorus is decidedly gorgeous, what with the piano and all. Pretty dark thematically as well. “Promise this, if I die before I wake…” I wonder what comes next? IS IT ABOUT MALARIA?

- She’s singing more, and it’s already ten times better than half of 3 Words.

NOW GET ON WITH IT AND RELEASE THE SONG.

Don’t worry Muusers: I have, in fact, survived the Circus of Britney Spears. Sure, there’s been some scrapes and claw marks along the way. I’ve been manhandled by a duo of evil clowns, nearly fed to the lions and tigers, and somewhere along the way, I distinctly recall being forced to slap a drunken hooker. Luckily, I managed to elbow my way out from under the tent flap…Some might even say I lived to tell. And so, the adventure begins:

Click “Read More…” for the track-by-track, or continue on for the overall analysis.

“Womanizer”
It’s the proper opener for the album, providing great promise for what is to come. It’s been played to death around the country (Thankfully!), and I’m grateful for all of the success it has amassed. However, in comparison to the other fifteen tracks, “Womanizer” is comparably mediocre. It’s a teaser of a comeback, though intensely devoid of the richer quality stemming from lead-off singles like “Gimme More” or “…Baby.”

“Circus”
The album’s title track also happens to be its highlight: I found it impossible to move forward from “Circus” without having to repeat it three times. You’d think the excitement would stall at the sweat-drenched, anticipation building bridge, but no: The chugging, ringtone-ready chorus comes storming in with an awe-inspiring amount of attitude-infused energy, roaring in like a classic Britney stormer: “When I crack that whip, everybody gon’ trip, just like a circus.”
Once the track breaks into its all-too-brief middle eight, B takes to the floor. “I’m runnin’ this,” she proclaims across the squeaks and squeals, providing for what could only be an epic dance sequence when finally performed live. “Circus” is absolutely instant; an unstoppable explosion of energy and sound that deserves a killer amount of promotion and attention. With any luck, this will shortly become iconic.

“Out From Under”
Britney’s version of the Joanna Pacitti original translates into a beautifully breathy mixture of Brit’s near-breakable vocals and melancholy delivery. Thanks to the soothing addition of Guy Sigsworth’s layered, organic electronica and twisted guitar flairs, “Out From Under” is by all means gorgeous. However, as her number one fan, I am morally responsible to dish it out as needed: The vocals are far too safe. Britney Spears is, and I will defend this with my last breath, a wonderful singer. Sure, she tends to teeter-tot her way through her live ballads with enough nervous warbling to force anyone to hold their breath until that final note is reached, but she’s still demonstrated her studio ability to belt in the past (See: first album.) So, when I found B traveling up to that safe, secure upper register for the higher notes of “Out From Under,” I was initially disappointed. The soft crooning of “My Baby” is understandable, but here? I could have done with some yelling. Still, I cannot be mad, for this is undeniably a beautiful track.

“Kill The Lights”
“Kill The Lights” is very much in the same vein as Blackout, sonically speaking. This isn’t surprising, considering the track’s producer, Danja, was responsible for many of the highlights from her last album. Now, first up for discussion is the producer’s voice-over announcement at the song’s opening: Many fans are wary about his proclamation of Britney’s newly formed status as “Queen of Pop,” and let’s face it…So am I. So let’s pretend he doesn’t say it, okay? After the first three glittering tracks of Circus, the up-tempo urban stomper comes tearing in with a jarring air of cockiness along with its thick smacker of a beat. In all honesty, “Kill The Lights” would have probably performed better on Blackout. Nonetheless, Britney’s scorching verse vocals, the track’s addictive thumpa-thump beat, and the many memorable lyrical moments (“Is that money in your pocket, or you happy to see me?”) make the song entirely too good to be ignored.

“Shattered Glass”
With the combination of those electro-glitch opening beats and Brit’s sexified chants of “hoo-oh,” the opening of “Shattered Glass” is already far too much anticipation to bear. Playing like the glittery interpretation of her unreleased “She’ll Never Be Me,” “Shattered Glass” is a major teaser of a track: The excellently crafted, whirling bridge takes us nowhere and leaves us hanging dry, falling one chorus short of perfection. Aside from a tantalizing beat breakdown near the track’s finish, “Shattered Glass” never fully resolves itself into a complete track. Nonetheless, the sound is incredibly in sync with classic Britney or Oops…Britney, providing a great wash of nostalgia upon first listen.

If U Seek Amy
First, the bad news: Regardless of what Max Martin claims, this is not the greatest track of his career. That title will be awarded to either “Since U Been Gone” or “…Baby One More Time.” Enough said. Now for the good news: “If U Seek Amy” is probably one of his best.
If you haven’t already caught the obscure song title’s ulterior meaning, try saying it three times fast. No? Try it slow. Still nothing? Fine: F-U-C-K me. Yep…Giggle it out, because it’s just as delicious as it appears. The stomp-happy, horn-heavy swayer saunters in with a delicious amount of cheekiness, proving to be as much fun as the title suggests. I can’t thank Max enough for this one, and more specifically, for scribing the line, “All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to If U Seek Amy.” It’s destined to be a classic Britney moment. Then there’s that “Oh baby, baby, baby” trill throughout the slowed middle eight. Is that an allusion to the duo’s original masterpiece? I sure hope so!

Unusual You
Bloodshy & Avant have answered a fan boy’s prayer, and the results are most bountiful, creating a brooding piece comparable to the singer’s most mature track to date: “And Then We Kiss.” Intentionally over-processed vocals mold Britney’s vocals into a most unusual, minor-key swept alien voice, slightly reminiscent to that of Kylie’s “Speakerphone.” It’s still quite a stripped piece, entirely fragile as Britney ponders her impossible love: “Didn’t anyone tell you? You’re supposed to break my heart, so why haven’t you?” Adding the vocals along with the ghostly, Enya-esque background breaths and the forlorn piano chords…It’s enough to reduce a boy to tears.

Blur
“Blur” seems to be the one track that’s received the most widespread criticism as far as I can tell, ranging from utter love at first play to puzzled disinterest. For me, it was fairly easy to immediately embrace “Blur” as the dizzying, clouded continuation of In The Zone‘s “Early Mornin.” “Turn the lights out, this shit’s way too fucking bright,” Britney murmurs into the drifting first verse. The track spins round and round in its electronica-infused manner, somewhat reminiscent of Rihanna’s “Rehab.” “Blur” is very modern and very well crafted; a splurge of slipping memory and incoherence.

Mmm Papi
The first of the two songs created by Nicole Morier of Electrocute, “Mmm Papi” is just plain silly. A briefly ballistic combination of twinkling electronic beats, electronic guitar riffs, and, much to my delight, many signature Britney sex yelps and shouts. Nothing in the song compares to the middle eight breakdown however, as the singer takes to the mic and declares: “Now see, I’m mommy…And that makes you Papi. And that makes us lovey…Ow!” she squeals before the track bursts back into its trippy electro-twinkles. Completely fun, completely ridiculous. How I’ve missed this!

Mannequin
As soon as it enters the airwaves, “Mannequin” declares itself to be an strictly business Britney affair with its dance-floor prepped beats and smooth talking, nonsensical verses. I’m still slightly mixed about the choruses howling cries of “Scream!” and “Cry!” (It’s a little frightening, to be honest!), but the intoxicating lyrical looseness of the song is pure, slippery seduction. “Mannequin” is the type of song I want memorized immediately, because it’s probably a whole lot more fun when you can sing along. The middle eight also offers another delicious dance break down opportunity for Circus, securing “Mannequin” as one of the album’s most immediate, dance friendly tunes. On a side note, does anyone else hear elements of Frou Frou‘s “Must Be Dreaming” within Britney’s vocal delivery/processing? It’s uncanny!

Lace & Leather
“French fingertips, red lips, bitch is dangerous,” Lady B breathes as she sashes her way into her sassiest attempt on the album. The backing tune is pure ‘80’s, though I’m having trouble pinpointing the exact source: There are elements of classic Madonna (Even hearing a bit of “Dance 2Night” from her latest), an ever so slight bass-and-horns swagger of Grace Jones, and some definite Control era Janet Jackson moments. By the time we’ve entered the chorus, I’m completely sold. Why? The “Push It” inspired breathe-and-gasp background vocals, morphing the track into an all sass, stripper-esque stomper. And how about that brief electro-guitar solo? Yummy!

My Baby
With the opening lyric, “Tiny hands, yes that’s you,” I’m willing to bet the vast majority of non-hardcore listeners will chuckle and skip over to the bonus tracks. I’ll admit…Even I winced for a moment. Honestly though, it’s incredibly difficult to be critical of Britney’s self-penned ode to her children, considering its importance to her. “My Baby” is a wispy, paper-thin ballad aided by some minor Sigsworth’s strings, drawing the regular edition of Circus to a close. Moreover, “My Baby” the most representative of Britney’s essence: It’s impossibly pure, flowing with soft, well-intentioned warmth and innocence, a final reminder of the pop princess’ ceaseless fragility.

Radar
Sadly, the tenderness of “My Baby” is quite literally ripped apart with the introduction of the blippy, shrieking synths of Blackout’s stomping success track, a completely unfitting addition to the Circus lineup. Hearing it alongside the other fifteen tracks only serves to highlight Blackout’s bleak frigidity, as “Radar” invades the airwaves with its repetitive, bleating blare. Rumor has it that the track was included to make up to the producers Bloodshy & Avant, who were promised a proper single release of “Radar” last year. However, due to Britney’s personal affairs, the release never came into fruition. While the ordeal makes sense to me, it’s still difficult to accept this all-too-intrusive track into the bunch.

“Rock Me In”
“Rock Me In” is deeply rooted in the musical styling of its writer, Nicole Morier, who comprises one half of Electrocute, which is probably why the track that would have fit in perfectly with the electro-retro duo’s latest EP, On The Beat. “Rock Me In” is a pleasant, swirly trip across the galaxy, energetic and flashy like an intergalactic beach party. I don’t find it strong enough to be an album track, but I’m quite glad this one saw the light of day.

“Phonography”
Oh, how I’ve missed phone related songs! The delicious raunchfest known as “Phonography” offers up some less than subtle references to…Well, what else? Good, old fashioned phone sex. Another track that vaguely brings Kylie’s “Speakerphone” to mind, “Phonography” operates like the slutty older sister of In The Zone’s bonus track, “Don’t Hang Up,” adding elements of dirty, Euro-Disco and chanting taunts. I absolutely adore the track, and I find its exclusion from the main tracklisting to be a true pop injustice.

“Amnesia”
Recalling the greater moments of Gwen Stefani’s solo career, “Amnesia” is a ‘80’s tinged, headstrong stroll directly into the territory of “cool.” With the help of Lady GaGa, Britney slips into a slinky, longing little vocal routine that completely works for her, even though it’s an entirely new sound for her to explore. Another track unjustly subjected to the status of “bonus,” “Amnesia” should really be up there with the best of ‘em.


Somewhere between the chilly, ice-coated electro stings of “Break the Ice” and the gritty, slap-happy bass of “Get Naked,” Blackout suddenly ran cold. The chirpy, cheerful chanteuse that I knew and loved now somehow found herself wedged into the confines of a dark, frigid vocoder, battling her own inner demons at the time. It was a cold, dark album, devoid of soul and spirit.

Now don’t get me wrong…The music was there—In fact, Blackout remains Britney’s sonic peak. Even Circus cannot compete with the instantaneous, ferocious quality of the Blackout session tracks. However, Britney Spears was not featured on that record. She was credited, she was singing on those tracks, but there was nothing familiar to be found.

One year later: With a refreshed image and a recovered sense of hope, Circus offers the fans a proper comedown from the tumultuous experience over the past four years: It’s a a bouncy, bubbly romp, happily hopping between killer choruses and delicate verses. With a mixture of In The Zone’s exploratory pop and Britney’s seemingly unapologetic camp quality, Circus is what I had assumed Blackout to be in the first place.

I know that now, compared to the impossible standards set by Britney’s prior release, some fans will inevitably feel the pangs of disappointment as a result of this album’s comparably tame sensibility. However, those looking for a richer, colorfully diverse experience will find solace here. From the pervish, wacky space vibes of “Mmm Papi,” to the ultimate floor commander known as “Circus,” to the sass-n-boots, glittering ’80′s stomp of “Leather & Lace, Circus offers a little taste of everything.

Yet as odd as it sounds, the greatest gift of Circus is that the album remins wonderfully, humanly flawed. Unlike the processed-to-perfection robotic acrobatics of Blackout, the missteps and flaws pour out from the Circus sessions: The songs are hardly as instant or accessible (“Blur’), incomplete (“Shattered Glass”), and even off-putting to casual listeners (“My Baby”). Yet in this way, the experience feels legitimate, allowing a listener to find beauty within the flaws.

With a world tour in the works for early spring ’09 and a scrumptious schedule of promo appearances merely weeks away, Circus has got the musical goods packed to keep the energy rolling for a lengthy amount of time. As a fan, I couldn’t be happier with the output: Circus is Britney’s return to grace, both in form and functionality. Not only because it demonstrates the sly confidence of the Britney of yesteryear in stunning dancefloor stompers such as “Circus,” “Mannequin,” and “If U Seek Amy,” but because of the album’s promise for an eventual musical evolution: “Unusual You,” “Phonography,” and “Blur” all offer hints at this subtle maturation; only time will tell if it will now blossom into something deeper.

Recommendations for the next go around? Stick with what you know, and allow them to push you even further: Bloodshy & Avant, Max Martin, and Guy Sigsworth have all grown with you Britney, and your continuing collaborations are shining examples of these wonderful relationships.

Above all, Britney Spears has proven herself to be the entertainer I have always adored and will continue to love. The album is sweet, sexy, and entirely fulfilling. Perhaps the definitive album of the year, Circus delivers in its purpose: Pure, unapologetic pop unto its innermost parts.

DL: Britney Spears – Circus
DL: Britney Spears – Phonography
DL: Britney Spears – Trouble

Another day, another track’s history revealed!

Upcoming track “Mmm Papi” was co-written by Britney and Nicole Morier of Electrocute! Amazing news, seeing as the collabo’ed on “Heaven on Earth” and we all know how that one turned out! Nicole is amazing…I recently did an interview with her for MuuMuse that you can view here! Anyway, here’s what the MySpace had to say:

That’s right everybody. Your very own Nicole Morier who wrote the song ”Heaven on Earth” which was covered by Britney Spears for her last album Blackout, has yet another song on the new album Circus, this time
co-written with the pop-princess herself!

Beginning last April, Nicole spent some time recording and writing with Britney in LA. The song they wrote on their first day together to a track by a group from Toronto that Nicole discovered called Let’s Go To War is called ”Mmm Papi” and was recently announced on the official tracklisting on Britney’s website.

The two had a lot of fun writing it and it’s very Electrocute-ish so hopefully you will enjoy as well. As with Heaven on Earth, Nicole’s vocals can also be heard as background.

Other songs they wrote together such as Rock Me In, This Kiss, and Follow My Fingers will probably appear soon as bonus tracks or B-sides so look out.

Excellent, excellent news. Additionally, “Rock Me In” has been confirmed as an international bonus track, so we’re going to be seeing that one soon! Woo!

Full of Electrocute goodies today!

As part of a MuuMuse Excluusive, you can now download their amazingly up-tempo title track, “On The Beat” for free right here! Give it five seconds. Trust me, you’ll be hooked.

Additionally, watch the video for their single “Bad Legs” below, and check out their other collaboration with Junkie XL with “Hot Pursuit,” a track from 21 at their MySpace.

The On The Beat EP is available at iTunes, Napster, and Amazon.

They’re cute, they’re crunchy, and most importantly…they’re back! Collaborating with mega producer and master remixer Junkie XL, the power-pop electro duo Electrocute have just released their newest EP, On The Beat. Combining the light hearted glee of ’60′s beach party music, garage band punk, and the throbbing pulses of today’s most modern electro sounds, the girl’s six track mini-album provides a quick, powerful thrust of addictive energy in just over twenty minutes. I was quite pleased with the total package; it’s exciting, unpredictable, and relentlessly teasing. Just listen to the first ten seconds of “On The Beat” and tell me you’re not thirsting for more. So check it out and ride the beats while they last, because before you know it, the album’s notes blare to a close and the party’s over. Click here to download the album from here, and check out their MySpace here!

Now…I present a transcript of the e-mail interview I conducted with Nicole from Electrocute! She explains a bit more about the construction of the album, delivers a bit of sass, and questions my fandom of Britney Spears. A thin line to cross, my friend. A thin one. Nevertheless, here we go!

Your new EP, On The Beat, just came out on April 15th. Congratulations! What are your thoughts on this new record?

We are just happy to be free from a label and independently releasing our own music again. It’s really fun and we feel now that we are all set up to digitally distribute our songs we will be much more prolific and it’s an exciting new world in music.

How long did it take to construct this EP?

All of our lives and about 6 months.

You worked with Junkie XL in producing this, who happens to be one of my favorite producers. What was the experience like working with him?

He is totally awesome. We also collaborated with him on some songwriting for 3 songs on his latest album “Booming Back At You” and one of the songs called “Mad Pursuit” that’s featuring Electrocute was just in the movie “21″ as well as the soundtrack CD. We love working with him. He’s a really nice guy, one of the smartest people we’ve ever met. The guys brain is just on fire. But he’s also a great sound crafter and he gave the songs a different life.

Any disagreements, or was this a very cordial experience?

He got mad because we drank so much of his fancy coffee out of his $4000 espresso machine (ha,ha)

It features a rather interesting album cover as well, haha! What’s that all about?

It took a really long time to decide upon the album cover as you can imagine. The photo was taken by Evan Lane who is extremely talented “we met him on myspace”. The shoot was really fun as it involved raincoats, bikinis, cling wrap and a fog machine. Voilà!
Having recently acquired three new members to make up a fuller live band, do you feel that your live shows have more to offer now?

Well, we’ve always prided ourselves of dishing up pretty exciting live shows compared to most. But the musicians playing with us are exceptional and it’s a lot of fun to get their different input into the songs we have created.

I wish I could go to a show–you should tour over on this side of the pond!

We tour everywhere they will have us! When’s the show?

Now what sort of music do you get your influence from to create music?

It changes all the time as we both have extremely short attention spans.

In your biography, you say that the band was inspired by the sounds of the Berlin electroclash scene. Since I wasn’t there, I would love to know what that was like. Can you describe the environment at that time?

Fun, deranged, lost, and no damage control.

What about the electro scene in America? Is there even one?

yeah, there’s all kinds of music here. we don’t really pay too much attention to “scenes”. Just great music, interesting people. They are rare but you find them everywhere you go.

Now Nicole, you co-wrote “Heaven on Earth” with Freescha for Britney. As her number one fan, I feel required to ask if you worked directly with Britney or not, and if so, what that was like? Were you aware that the song would be serviced to Britney?

Number 1 fan? I’m sure that would have to mean you have beaten out some very obsessed people, I’ve seen some of the fansites. Britney is great, she did an amazing job with the song. It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written and I think it fit nicely to her voice.

And now, what’s next for Electrocute?
We are heading off to Europe for the month of May for a mini tour and we will commence work on a new E.P once we get back to L.A.

Any last things you’d like to say to our readers?

Look out for our new video for the song “On The Beat”. Its a collaboration with Jeaneen Lund and the ultra talented dancer/choreographer Ryan Heffington and his “Fingered” dance troupe.

I’d like to thank Electrocute for popping in and giving us all a taste of what’s happening. I look forward to seeing more!