Of all the Norwegian electronica chanteuses in the world, Kate Havnevik is probably my favorite.

I first discovered Havnevik back in 2006 with her debut record Melankton, a dreamy collection of electronica-infused tunes produced by the ever-amazing Guy Sigsworth (Britney Spears, Alanis Morrissette) and Carmen Rizzo. She’s also the voice behind my favorite Röyksopp production (and one of my favorite songs of all time, ever), 2005′s “Only This Moment.”

After releasing her Me EP back in November 2009, Havnevik partnered with PledgeMusic last August to raise money for the mixing, master and production for You, her much-anticipated full length follow-up to Melankton (as well as donating a portion of the funds to cancer research). It worked: By the time it was launched in August 21, the album was already 100% funded on September 7, and released to all who pledged donations on October 10.

Now, the record has been picked up for physical and digital distribution worldwide by Continetica Records on March 12.

The lead single from the album, “Mouth 2 Mouth,” finds the singer once again pairing off with Sigsworth, diving deep into chilly ambient waters: “Calling your name/You’re diving again/You are my sunken friend,” Kate croons across the tripping electro-organic beat, recalling the multi-layered bliss of quirky UK alt-electro songstress, Imogen Heap (who’s also worked extensively with Sigsworth in the past as Frou Frou).

“Mouth to mouth and head in sand/I am holding you,” she delicately coos during the chorus. The heavy breaking beats also seem somewhat dubstep inspired, similar to Lights‘ gorgeous 2011 effort, Siberia.

All in all, it’s yet another aural treat from the always enchanting Ms. Havnevik. Listen and swoon!

Kate Havnevik – Mouth 2 Mouth by katehavnevik

“Mouth 2 Mouth” will be released on February 20. (iTunes)

Get ready, y’all, because the evolution of Adam Lambert has just begun.

See, I’ve had a chance to listen to the new Adam Lambert single, “Better Than I Know Myself,” — in full. Great news — it’s really, really good.

First off, I should say that the snippet, which was released today, doesn’t really do the song justice. You can hear that the chorus sees Adam reaching into the higher part of his register, with booming, “Halo”-like drums and a skittering backbeat. But part of what makes the song magical is the way it builds from the opening of whining synths and a nicely percussive backing track, then builds instrumentally into the chorus. Dr. Luke‘s signature style as a producer is the juxtaposition of relatively subdued verses and a huge, explosive chorus, and “Better Than I Know Myself” does that magnificently.

The added talents of Claude Kelly, too, who remains one of the finest songwriters currently in the game, augment the song’s impact, since Claude has a way of cutting to the core of an emotional conflict with quick, elegant images. “Cold as ice, and more bitter than a December winter night/That’s how I treated you,” Adam sings in the opening lyrics, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it simile that speaks volumes.

The most emotionally potent moment is the bridge, where the richer synths yield to a tinkling piano and the lyrics turn unexpectedly vulnerable: “I get kinda dark/Let it go too far/I can be obnoxious at times/But try and see my heart.” It’s a lovely turn, with a candor that’s refreshing to hear in pop music, and it makes the song truly memorable.

In my piece last week for MTV Buzzworthy, I wrote that “My sources tell me that ‘Better Than I Know Myself’ is a piece of flaw-free radio candy, a stunning midtempo track with a powerhouse chorus that’s like a pumped-up ‘Whataya Want From Me,’ and it should cement Adam’s place in the pop A-list.” I’m sticking by this, especially the latter statement. “Better Than I Know Myself” is more radio-ready as anything on his last album, and I would be stunned if it didn’t perform excellently on the charts, and catapult Adam way further into the realm of superstardom than he’s ever been before.

“Better Than I Know Myself” is the lead single off of Adam’s upcoming album, Trespassing. (iTunes)

First of all, “We Found Love” isn’t really much of a pop song.

While Rihanna‘s synth-laden singles like “Don’t Stop The Music,” “Only Girl (In The World)” and “Who’s That Chick?”, her collaboration with DJ David Guetta, provided a pop-friendly preview of RiRi tripping the light fantastic, “We Found Love” is a full-on Euro-friendly House production that would fit in seamlessly on the sweat-soaked dance floors of Ibiza.

Steering away from Norwegian duo Stargate–the hit-makers responsible for much of the success behind the Rated R and LOUD era–Rihanna’s latest was crafted by UK dance sensation, Calvin Harris (“Ready For The Weekend,” “Bounce”). And much like his other productions for leading pop ladies (Kylie Minogue‘s “In My Arms”; Sophie Ellis-Bextor‘s “Off & On”), “We Found Love” is a 3-minute explosion of glittering, euphoric synthesizers and pulsating club rhythms–all with a distinct electro-Caribbean gloss.

The song’s structure too is strictly a hands-aloft dance affair, featuring several major rave-happy breakdowns a la Afrojack‘s dance floor destroyer “Take Over Control (feat. Eva Simons)” or LMFAO‘s radio-slaying “Party Rock Anthem,” as well as repeat-heavy lyricism that makes the original play like one almighty remix. (Can you even begin to imagine the quality of the remixes?)

Production aside, RiRi truly makes “We Found Love” hers, as she always does, with her vocals. But far from most of the songs that earned the Bajan beauty her crown within pop royalty, there’s not even a lick of the bossy ‘tude of “Hard,” nor a hint of the rough ‘n’ rowdy “Rude Boy” RiRi.

Instead she simply sings–highlighting not only her heaven-sent upper register, but the song’s gorgeous lyrics: “Yellow diamonds in the light and we’re standing side by side / As your shadow crosses mine, what it takes to come alive,” she sweetly croons with all the sincerity and innocence of–as Calvin Harris accurately described–an angel.

While the song is much more in the vein of the celebratory dance-pop of LOUD than the moody noir of Rated R, “We Found Love” still signals a musical (and sure enough in weeks to come, a visual) shift for Rihanna–an artist who’s consistently proven herself capable of skillfully reinventing herself in a way not seen since Madonna.

As for that Rihanna reign letting up anytime soon?

Well, the odds of that happening are even less likely than getting hit by a satellite this evening.

“We Found Love” was released on September 22. (iTunes)

After almost five straight years of setbacks and delays due to label fuckery, management reshuffling and everything else in between, the grand return of JoJo has officially begun.

“Disaster” is the official lead single from the singer’s upcoming third studio album Jumping Trains, due out later this year on Interscope Records.

While the brilliant Can’t Take That Away From Me–a free 11-track mixtape JoJo released in 2010–found the young singer exploring new terrain within chilly electronica grooves and soulful, church-ready slow jams, “Disaster” brings listeners back to the signature pop-rock sound that first propelled the Massachusetts-born pop starlet into the spotlight well over seven years ago.

And for those of you who fell hard from her very first scathing kiss-off track, “Leave (Get Out),” you’re in luck: JoJo’s still pissed.

“‘Cause the walls burned up and our love fell down / And it turned into whatever, now we’re saying never,” JoJo angrily cries out on top of the song’s massive chorus. The crashing drums, dramatic strings and triumphantly marching mega-beat all invoke some of the greatest, most devastating pop-rock mid-tempo ballads in recent memory, including Jordin Sparks‘ “Battlefield” and yes, even a bit of her own 2006 smash, “Too Little, Too Late.”

But apart from a return to the power pop production of her past hits, “Disaster” signals JoJo’s growth as both a vocalist and an individual: Proof lies no further than the song’s snarling, teeth-gritting bridge, which bites harder and burns deeper than just about anything she’s released to date. (“You shot the bullet, you shot the bullet that killed me!”)

It’s clear that the 20-year-old songstress has done a whole lot of growing up over the past few years in her absence. And with such an amazing track in tow, it’s the perfect time for this incredibly talented singer/songwriter to reclaim her spot on the radio waves and show us what she’s got once again.

Welcome back, JoJo. You’ve been sorely missed.

“Disaster” will be released on September 6. (iTunes)

Dear God, she’s done it again.

Nicola Fucking Roberts, Pop Savior, the youngest member of Girls Aloud and professional Doer of No Wrong, has just unveiled the second single from her forthcoming solo debut Cinderella’s Eyes: “Lucky Day,” due out on September 18. And guess what?

IT’S COMPLETELY AMAZING.

Co-penned by Dan and Martina of Dragonette (who know a thing or two about a good hook), Roberts’ lust-ridden release is marked by a sparkling four-to-the-floor disco sheen, wacky warbling and an infectious spunk that just won’t quit. “You’ve got a fast car / So why the hell we driving slow? / Zoom, zoom, zoom me!” the fiery-headed chanteuse playfully taunts, no doubt one of the naughty come-ons offered up by Dragonette’s feisty femme lead, Martina.

While Roberts’ debut single “Beat Of My Drum” failed to inspire some listeners with its glitchy, full-on Diplo-produced beat and cheerleader-friendly chorus (politely bowing out at #27 on the UK Singles Chart), “Lucky Day” seems more likely to appeal to public interest with its blend of Roberts’ theatrical, throwback delivery and the song’s lush 21st century disco-pop production. (I mean, it’s worked for Lily Allen in a kinda-sorta-similar degree, yes?)

As one of the first songs scribed before officially embarking on her solo venture, “Lucky Day” finds Roberts boldly reclaiming her voice in a big way. “Maybe it’s my lucky day!” she calls out during the song’s hypnotic chorus; her dramatic Liza-esque vibrato quivering beneath each syllable.

Previously limited to hushed middle eights and killer one-liners while aboard the S.S. Aloud, Roberts has clearly brushed off her big, brassy pipes to fully let loose on her second single–literally wailing with all her heart. (Frankly, she’s giving the Aloud’s lead vocalist Nadine Coyle a mayjur run for her money.)

“When I wrote Lucky Day I had short hair and was really into 40s fashion. All of the ‘woah woah woah woah’ and the ‘ah ha’ really is a reflection of that,” The Almighty Ginge says of the song’s yelps and howls.

Thus underscores the true genius of La Roberts: Like fellow (sometimes) Ginge Róisín Murphy before her, Roberts’ distinctive vocals and personal style are simply too rich to relegate to the ranks of an anonymous dance diva crooning on top of the latest, greatest Guetta beat. At the same time, the young singer’s comfort natural proclivity toward danceable beats restricts her from ever standing too close to the edge of indie singer-songwriter/jazz lounge crooner-dom.

The result? Sophisticated, quirky disco-pop–the very, very best of both worlds.

“Lucky Day” will be released on September 18. (iTunes)

When Snow Patrol released “Just Say Yes,” the lead single off of their first career retrospective album, many fans and critics responded negatively to the new direction the band was going in.

The song had the band layering in a heavy dose of radio-friendly electronica influences, adding a much more mainstream element to their trademark adult-contemporary sound.

“Where Keane and Peñate actually succeeded in introducing a new feel to their sound, Snow Patrol have merely grafted on a few floaty keys and hoped for the best,” said Mayer Nissim of Digital Spy about the song. “There’s no spark, no OOMPH, and worst of all, no fun,” wrote Fraser McAlpine of the BBC. Ouch.

While initially thrown off by “Just Say Yes,” I came to think that it was actually a very natural musical evolution for Snow Patrol. The song was the quintessential dance/rock hybrid, blending just enough ingredients from both genres to complete a near-flawless recipe.

This fall, Snow Patrol will release their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires. The record’s lead single, “Called Out In The Dark,” premiered last week on BBC Radio 1 and will be officially released to iTunes as part of an as-of-yet-untitled EP on September 4th.

In the vein of “Just Say Yes,” “Called Out In The Dark” finds Snow Patrol expanding their repertoire and infusing their signature melancholy rock sound with generous portions of synth-pop and dance beats. For all of my fellow indie lovers out there, think of this stylistic expansion as a (slightly less extreme) version of how Discovery reworked Ra Ra Riot and Vampire Weekend’s sounds on LP1.

Since the release of “Called Out In The Dark,” the blogosphere reception has been divided down the middle. Some are praising Snow Patrol for taking risks while others are accusing of them of selling out and just trying to reclaim the commercial success they once tasted with “Chasing Cars.”

The truth is, however, that there is no room for artistic growth if musicians don’t experiment in the studio. I respect that the band is expanding their range. After all, nobody wants to make the same record twice, right? Just take a look at Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver). His first album was a soft, acoustically driven masterpiece. This year, he released his second album, which was a complete musical departure. And yet, the record received rave reviews from both fans and critics alike. My point? Sometimes it’s okay to not play on the safe side.

“And while the heavens, they opened up / Like arms of dazzling gold / With our rain washed histories / Well they do not need to be told,” lead vocalist Gary Lightbody sings, kicking off a crescendo of synethizers and percussion that pave the way to the climactic chorus. Musically, Snow Patrol may have undergone some changes – but lyrically, they’re the same doleful band behind “Run” and “Set The Fire To The Third Bar.”

As far as lead singles go, “Called Out In The Dark” is a smart choice for the band. It’s a seemingly perfect formula for a late summer hit: the melding together of their alternative soft rock with enough synthesizers to easily boom through a stadium theater. The only question that remains now is will enough people get on board with Snow Patrol’s new musical direction to actually fill that stadium?

I’ve been a huge, huge Snow Patrol fan for years. Ever since it was announced, Fallen Empires has been one of my most anticipated record releases of 2011. With “Called Out In The Dark”, the band has released a brilliant slice of alternative synth-pop. And personally, I can’t wait for a full album’s worth of this stuff.

“Called Out In The Dark” will be released on September 4. (iTunes)

One of the nagging flaws hidden behind today’s flood of self-empowerment pop (“Born This Way”/”We R Who We R”/”Firework”/”Who Says?”) is that, despite all of their genuinely earnest pleas for positivity and self-love, sometimes it’s difficult to latch onto the solution without ever actually addressing the pain.

Enter Skylar Grey, the stellar songwriter behind the devastating melodies of such smashes as Eminem‘s “Love The Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna)” and Dr. Dre‘s “I Need A Doctor (feat. Eminem & Skylar Grey)”.

After premiering her jagged, ’90′s angst rock-esque buzz single “Dance Without You” two weeks ago, the singer returns with “Invisible”–the lead single from her forthcoming studio album, Invinsible–which made its world premiere this morning on On Air with Ryan Seacrest.

“Even when I’m walking on a wire, even when I set myself on fire / Why do I always feel invisible?” Grey sadly croons above the slow-stuttering Alex Da Kid-produced beat and a sad, distant guitar strum, listing off an endless array of unhealthy tendencies and endless anxieties in the process.

While “Invisible” will probably one of the saddest songs to (potentially) impact radio in a while, the song demonstrates the beauty of embracing the hurt rather than swallowing her sorrows into yet another anthem: It’s a raw, visceral pain that doesn’t feel patronizing in the least–a far cry from being asked if I’ve ever felt like a plastic bag floating in the wind.

Skylar gets it. ‘Nough said.

Skylar Grey “Invisible” by igapromotion

It’s always the quiet ones that surprise you the most.

On June 5, Girls Aloud‘s Nicola Roberts steps out on her own with her debut solo single, “Beat Of My Drum.”

“Beat of My Drum” is, without question, the coolest post-Aloud effort to date: Produced by Diplo and French producer Dimitri Tikovoi, the song is a playful blend of some of indie-pop’s finest enfants terribles, fitting snugly between the militant dance beats of M.I.A. and the glitchy, monotone speak-song of Uffie.

“L! O! V! E! Dance to the beat of my drum!” Roberts playfully commands during the chorus, unleashing her inner cheerleader. Yet the song is completely erratic (in a brilliant way), bouncing glibly between its manic “Pon de Floor” (Major Lazer)-like beats and frenzied stutters: The chanted chorus is wildly different from the too-cool-for-school spoken verses, which have absolutely nothing to do with the cooed bridge. And don’t forget the almighty beat breakdown toward the end!

Whereas Beyoncé fell short with “Run The World (Girls)” by fault of uninspired imitation, Nicola’s offering only improves upon Diplo’s original blueprints, resulting in a weird, wonderfully left-of-center pop single: It’s fresh, fun and terribly exciting.

With just one single, Roberts has already rendered every other Aloud member’s solo endeavors utterly irrelevant. “Beat Of My Drum” is a definite contender for one of the year’s best singles, and an immensely promising first taste of Roberts’ forthcoming debut album, Cinderella’s Eyes.

Team Ginger, forever and always.

“Beat Of My Drum” will be released at June 5. (Pre-order on iTunes UK)

She nearly lost me.

After “Born This Way” incited a national furor now known as Madonnagate and “Judas” proved to be not much more than a noisier, lesser, blasphemy-friendly extension of the already winning “Bad Romance,” my anticipation quickly began to dwindle for Lady Gaga‘s upcoming album, Born This Way.

And then came “The Edge of Glory,” and all hope was officially revitalized.

Like “Born This Way,” “The Edge Of Glory” is a busy hodgepodge of assorted sounds and influences. But unlike “Born This Way,” it’s a brilliant kind of cacophony that makes sense from the very first play.

Produced by Fernando Garibay (“Dance In The Dark”), the Born This Way closer mashes a throbbing House beat with flares of ’80s synthesizers, a jagged over-driven guitar, and of course, that saxophone breakdown.

While the song truly avoids any blatant references to popular song, if there were a comparison to draw, it would be with an artist no one saw coming: Kelly Clarkson–and more specifically, her 2009 hit, “My Life Would Suck Without You.” But the comparison only vaguely holds for the melody of the chorus. More than anything, the comparison stems from Gaga’s jagged, Clarkson-esque yelping rather than prompting a long-winded debate about chord progressions.

(In short: It’s a “Hey! That kind of sounds like…,” and not a “No literally, it’s the same fucking song.”)

Lyrically, the song also shines: Written to honor the memory of her grandfather who died last year, “The Edge of Glory” is a genuinely enthralling all-or-nothing anthem about living life up until its final moment: “Another shot before we kiss the other side / I’m on the edge of something final we call life,” Gaga cries.

It’s the kind of song that deserves to be blasted from the car speakers, windows down, clenched fist raised high through the sun roof while racing down the highway on a blistering summer night. You know, that kind of a song.

And of course, there’s that extended saxophone solo, performed by Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band (which is probably why Bruce Springsteen comes to mind about as quickly as Clarkson.) Of course, there’s a hokey, dated Full House/Pokémon ’90′s TV theme song element to the sax solo’s inclusion, but it’s a smart addition–one that makes “The Edge of Glory” something extra special. Or, to use the word that we all know keeps Gaga moist on a nightly basis: “Unique.”

So congratulations, Mademoiselle Gaga…I’m back on board and ready to ride this crazy train once again.

“The Edge of Glory” was released on May 9. (iTunes)

Just one week before Easter weekend, Lady Gaga (not-so-accidentally) sprung a leak early this morning, resulting in the sudden rush release of “Judas,” the religion-wrought second single from Gaga’s upcoming studio album, Born This Way.

As I pointed out when the track first began to leak, “Judas” come packaged on top of a relentlessly grinding, “sledge-hammering” beat; a natural progression from the noisy, ‘everything-but-the-kitchen-sink’ production of “Born This Way,” now aided by RedOne‘s trademark repeat-heavy styling. (The song also doesn’t sound entirely different from a similarly sledge-hammering RedOne production, Nicole Scherzinger‘s “Poison.”)

As “Poker Face” is to “Bad Romance,” so too is “Bad Romance” to “Judas.” The song follows in a nearly identical structure to “Bad Romance,” from the same soaring chorus down to the “whoa-oh-oh!” follow-up. Instead of “ra-ra, ah-ah-ah!”, we have “Ju-da, Ju-da-ah!” (Not exactly the most daring show of creativity, to be sure.)

“Judas” is also quite similar in theme, as Gaga treads lightly across a sprinkling of biblical references (oh hay, Jesus!) and demonic undertones to weave a tale of–well, a bad romance: “I learned love is like a brick, you can / Build a house or sink a dead body,” Gaga speak-sings. It’s not quite blasphemous enough to incite fury amongst bible-thumpers, but still enough to keep the Illuminati fear-mongers pointing their trembling fingers for weeks.

About three minutes into the chaos, the song gives way to an utterly insane, tribal-meets-Bollywood electronic breakdown. “But in the cultural sense, I just speak in future tense / Judas kiss me if offenced, or wear an ear condom next time!” Gaga cries. As it turns out, a nonsensical chant about fame hookers vomiting their mind works well enough when masked by a mile-a-minute mixture of electro-tribal beats. But in writing? It’s one of Gaga’s most embarrassing, cringe-worthy moments in lyricism…ever.

Redemption comes immediately thereafter with the song’s post-tribal bridge, which strip away some of the more noise to expose a gorgeous ’90′s hi-NRG beat: “Jesus is my virtue / And Judas is the demon I cling to…I cling to!” Gaga victoriously cries, her clenched paw raised high. It’s within this brief moment of clarity that the song truly shines brightest.

In short: “Judas” is a good pop song: It’s catchy (increasingly so after each play), full of textured beats, and (mostly) danceable. But in the same breath, it’s loud, grating, entirely derivative and slightly obnoxious, thus ushering in the larger issue at hand: My complete inability to connect with the Born This Way era.

As with “Born This Way,” I’m hopelessly neither here nor there with “Judas.” The beats bang hard and the melodies are catchy, but the song’s breakneck speed, yelping caws and headache-inducing production value are all a bit too much to embrace.

Every song on The Fame and The Fame Monster (MuuMuse Review) made sense from the start: I didn’t have to play “LoveGame” a hundred and fifty times in order to discover a melody buried deep within layers of loud, noisy production–it was a single play, and an instant love affair.

But now, I have to try with Gaga–really, really try in order to love. While she’s busy proclaiming that the late Alexander McQueen penned “Born This Way” from Heaven and that her “Born This Way” face spikes are actual bones she was born with, it’s a song as underwhelming as “Judas” that truly adds weight to the most common charge from critics: That Lady Gaga is style over substance.

While “Judas” isn’t actually bad, I’ve truly had just about enough of Gaga Nouveau: “Born This Way” and “Judas” don’t even slightly hold a candle to the infectiousness of “Just Dance” or “Bad Romance,” nor the slinky beats of “Starstruck” or “So Happy I Could Die,” nor the celebratory joy of “Boys Boys Boys” and “Monster.”

I know this means I’ll have to invest in a few more ear condoms this year, but hey…I was born this way, baby.