French House fans, rejoice!

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

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

From Falke, courtesy of the press release:

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

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

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

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

Still incredible.

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

Photo courtesy of SPIN.

Madonna‘s making a serious comeback these days…and she’s not even the one making the music.

After Christina Aguilera‘s (critically panned) homage to “Express Yourself” with the video for “Not Myself Tonight”, and the current brouhaha surrounding Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way” and its not-so-subtle references to “Express Yourself” and “Vogue,” there’s never been more early ’90′s Madonna permeating the pop scene than in this moment. (Well, except for when she was actually living it.)

Now comes the video premiere for Gossip front-woman Beth Ditto‘s “I Wrote The Book”–one of the four tracks from her upcoming Simian Mobile Disco-produced solo EP.

In an unabashed nod to Madonna’s “Justify My Love,” Ditto finds herself wearily drifting down an empty hotel corridor, luggage in tow, in the opening moments of the brand new clip.

Throw in the ballroom dance of “Vogue” (WORK!), the bed sequences from Truth or Dare, and all the light, mood and shadow of the entire Erotica era (down to the very font!), and BINGO: You’ve got yourself a proper Madonna homage.

This is, hands down, the best celebration of the Queen yet. I love, love, LOVE everything about this!

The Beth Ditto EP will be released on March 8.

This morning, Deconstruction Records released a surprise early Christmas present: A 2-minute SoundCloud preview of Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto‘s upcoming 4-track solo EP, produced by Simian Mobile Disco.

The stream includes all four songs on the EP, including “Goodnight Good Morning,” “Do You Need Someone?” “I Wrote The Book,” and “Open Heart Surgery.” Here’s the stream:

From the sounds of it, you will greatly enjoy Beth Ditto’s upcoming 4-track solo EP if:

+ You’re an early ’90′s club sound enthusiast.
+ You’re a fan of nu-disco.
+ You’re a fan of synthesizers.
+ You’re a fan of Róisín Murphy‘s Overpowered.
+ You’re a fan of Deconstruction Records–the same label responsible for Kylie Minogue‘s 1994 self-titled release and her 1997 artistic opus, Impossible Princess.
+ You’re a fan of Beth Ditto’s previous collaboration with Simian Mobile Disco, “Cruel Intentions,” the minimal disco gem from the troupe’s 2009 album, Temporary Pleasure.

Luckily I am all of these things, which makes this a very special and exciting release, indeed.

Beth Ditto’s upcoming solo EP will be released in January.

Thanks to various forums ’round the net, we’ve learned that Rihanna is already casting and shooting for a music video in support of another upcoming track: “What’s My Name?”

Courtesy of BMK Forums:

Rihanna “What’s My Name” Music Video

Categories/Roles:

Real People Extras:All Ethnicities, 30-50. Interesting New Yorker Street-types. $150
Real Stylish Trendsetting Hipsters:All Ethnicities, 18-25. Stylish, very street, hipster types that can dance. Non-headshot submissions encouraged! $150
Street Bucket Drummers:Male or Female, any Ethnicity. 18-25. Must be REAL, cool, street drummers. VERY AUTHENTIC/ STREET. Please included any youtube links in your submission.

And as for the specific shoot details, ATRL has additional scoop:

Auditions: Thursday, Sept. 23rd and/or Friday Sept. 24th
Shoots: Sunday Sept. 26th
Location: NYC Area

The video will be directed by Philip Andelman, responsible for Beyonce‘s “Halo” and The Gossip‘s “Pop Goes The World.” They’re admittedly not my favorite clips, but since it’s Rihanna, I have full faith that the bitch can and will Work. It. Out.

NOW GET OUT THERE AND SHOW RIRI WUTCHU GOT, BROOKLYNITES.

“So, you think you know it all? That’s just the arrogance of youth.”

Ladies and gentlemen, the first truly amazing song of 2010.

The meshing of ’80′s and ’90′s club sounds! The sharp, strutting beat! The lyrics!

Listening again and again and again…

PS: Could anyone else see the Gossip killing a cover of this? Maybe it’s just the YouTube uploader‘s icon, but my mind immediately went to Beth Ditto.

The single will be officially released on January 18.

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

All chart and sales figures provided by Wikipedia.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And now for something completely delicious.

“I choose ya-ee-eww!” Beth Ditto unleashes around the one minute mark of The Gossip‘s upcoming single “Heavy Cross.” Sexy guitar riffs, crashing percussion, and a sing-a-long series of yips and yelps let out by the lead songstress–if this is any indication of The Gossip’s next, breathe easy: This one’s a catchy beast.

DL: The Gossip – Heavy Cross

The Gossip‘s “Heavy Cross” will be released on June 15, followed by the release of their next LP, Music For Men, on June 22. To hear more, click below!