Meet Catcall.

Née Catherine Kelleher, the Australian chanteuse released her first single, “Swimming Pool,” last year to rave reviews. “Swimming Pool” is an uncanny slice of Italo disco-referencing indie dance in the vein of Sally Shapiro or the Golden Filter; the track was helmed by GLOVES, the producer who has remixed fellow down-under acts like Bag Raiders, Van She, and Kimbra.

Now, Catcall’s ratcheted up the pop on her new single, “Satellites,” a pounding piece of ‘80s nostalgia with a melodically potent chorus that invites comparisons to Ladyhawke and I Blame Coco. “Maybe we are satellites/Maybe we are meteors,” she sings over layers of melancholy guitars and resonant drums.

I first heard a clip of “Satellites” during an episode of 90210 way back in May (yes, I watch 90210; yes, I know it’s an execrable show; no, I don’t care), but it’s only just being released now — and it was well worth the wait. “Satellites” has the same kind of reflective, downbeat energy as a Xenomania ballad, with a luminous spaced-out quality that’s both referential and futuristic. Basically, it’s synth-spangled gorgeousness that’s already one of my favorite tracks this year — and it bodes extraordinarily well for her debut album, The Warmest Place, due out at the top of 2012 via Ivy League.

Take a listen below:

Catcall – Satellites by rosequartzblog

“Satellites” was released on October 14. (iTunes)

Still hot from the Internet-killing, bandwidth-shattering success of yesterday’s Top 40 Albums of 2010 list (including a most major of giveaways, in which I’m giving away ALL TEN ALBUMS that made the Top 10 of the list–you still have time to enter up until January 2!), I now present MuuMuse’s Top 50 singles of 2010.

There were a lot of good songs released during the year. A lot of them didn’t end up making the list. It’s entirely unjust and profoundly disturbing to think about, but what can you do?

I don’t feel like explaining my choices…SO I WON’T. Why? Because I am such a fucking rebel. GO TIME!

LET’S GO!!!1!!

So, this is something new and interesting.

The night before my interview with Sky Ferreira, I received a vaguely mysterious e-mail from MuuMuse reader Sam Lansky with an attachment entitled “Fame Fatale.” The e-mail suggested that the attached may assist me in preparing for my interview.

As soon as I began reading, I already knew: This had to be published immediately.

“Fame Fatale” is not only a remarkably in-depth analysis (and personal account) of Ferreira’s curious rise to fame, but a thoughtful contemplation of the manufacturing of the modern pop star and the very conventions of the music industry itself. It’s extremely well-researched, poses tough questions, and deserves your full attention.

With his permission, I’ve asked Sam to feature his article on MuuMuse. It’s an incredible piece, and I do highly recommend that all of my Muusers give it a thorough reading–even if it’s “tl;dr” territory.

I do, after all, hope to keep a literate company.

Click “Read More…” to read Sam Lansky’s “Fame Fatale: The Rise of Sky Ferreira.”

Read More…

MuuMuse Approved Tracks for the Week of June 13, 2010

5. I Blame Coco – Self Machine
She sounds just like her father, but this moody electro number pushes all the right buttons in my e-book.

4. Sia – Clap Your Hands
In eager anticipation for the singer’s latest studio release, I’ve been revisiting her latest swaggering single (and still trying to figure out which puppet I’d be in the video).

3. Christina Aguilera – I Hate Boys
I’m not sure why I hated on this song for so long, but I apologize for ever having done so. It’s so fun! “I need more bananas.” Preach, Xtina…preach.

2. Miley Cyrus – Can’t Be Tamed (Wideboys Stadium Club Remix)
Say what you will (she’s a slut, rabble rabble), but this mix is GODLY. It’s stomping. It’s roaring. It makes me want to throw off the chains of social conformity, rip off all my clothes, and let my tweenage body run FREE AS A BIRD.

1. Kylie Minogue – Aphrodite (Album Megamix)
Between “Get Outta My Way” and “Aphrodite,” Miss Minogue’s upcoming release has already been providing enough sizzle and sass to soundtrack my commute for days on end. Summer smash album? Bet on it.

Say hello to my latest obsession.

This is I Blame Coco, otherwise known as Coco Sumner (plus a band), otherwise known as the daughter of Sting and Trudie Styler.

The burgeoning talent, just 19 years old at the moment, has been diligently plucking away at her debut record, The Constant, for the past five years now. Ironically though, there’s hardly anything constant about it, given that she apparently re-wrote the entire record in the fall of 2009.

The record was produced with the help of Klas Ã…hlund, the genius Swedish powerhouse behind Robyn‘s sublime self-titled 2005 record, as well as dozens of pop productions including Britney‘s “Piece of Me” and several tracks off of the under-appreciated 2008 Sugababes album, Catfights & Spotlights.

Sumner’s second single, “Self Machine,” is the next tidbit to be released from her debut.

The blaring, ’80′s-inspired beats of the song sparkle with shades of Ã…hlund’s pop sensibility, yet Sumner’s deeper voice suggests something far darker: “I saw the mirror staring back at me, and it told me I’m a self machine,” Sumner croons, sounding appropriately lonely as she tackles the personal void missing in today’s digital age.

In short: Think a less obnoxious La Roux, mixed with The Killers and a touch of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs‘ new electronic sound, a la “Zero.” The result is nothing short of alt-disco brilliance.

The video for the song was just recently released, which you can now watch above. It’s very high fashion (though I may just be biased by Coco and her gorgeous, moody model friends), a bit magical (floating in an abandoned pool!), and quite beautifully shot all around.

If the two singles hadn’t already won me over, her spot-on thoughts on Robyn (who happens to be featured on Coco’s debut single, “Caesar”) certainly cemented the deal.

From her biography:

She is a pop star worth looking up to.’ She says it as if there aren’t many. ‘She has control over every aspect of her music, from the sound to the presentation to the artwork. It is all directly coming from her. And,’ she notes, ‘she is a bit mental.’

I predict very good things, indeed.

“Self Machine” will be released on July 12. To learn more, check out I Blame Coco’s official website here.