Groove Armada - Paper Romance

The sound is not new; if you like MGMT and Justice then you'll probably like this new single from Groove Armada off their upcoming album Black Light. It's a slightly depressing dance track, but one where you will still fling your arms out into some brilliant shapes anyway. Also the music video is basically like Red Riding with glitter spandex. There's some great elements in Paper Romance; catchly chorus, that awesome tubular bells sound effect, and it's a lot less 'tampered' with compared with some other electro-dance outfits. But overall, bluh.

3/5

Lia

Owl City - Fireflies

[Cheer up son, at least your fringe can double up as a hairband.]

>Having found a strong fan base on MySpace (we’ve heard that before) Owl City’s debut Fireflies is proving to be a major hit having topped the Billboard Hot 100 in America at #1 and reached #2 in the UK. Clearly Adam Young (the man behind Owl City) has a lot of future potential. Having until now balanced making music in his parent’s basement with working in a Coke factory, Young was shortlisted in the top 15 list of the BBC Sound of 2010 which, in the past, has correctly predicted the success of the likes of Lady GaGa, Adele and Little Boots.

Fireflies is a perfect example of the second wave of synthpop that is said to be creeping back into society having gone out of fashion in the 90’s.

I’ll be honest and say that this is not an especially original song. The backing vocals are supplied by the lead singer of Relient K (a rock band that Christians go ga-ga for) and indeed, on listening, I found little that can be distinguished between the music of Owl City and that of Relient K.

Fireflies IS a good egg, but I predict the best is yet to come so watch this space.

Further Listening : Relient K - Be My Escape

By MISTER Oli Wilkie

Editors - You don't know love

[If Coventry was a band, it'll be the Editors]

Oh Lord. So it starts like Joy Divison and then goes synth-tastic mixed with goth-science-fiction awe....and works its way around some funky 80's sounds. I'm not sure if this is genius or some 16yr old rocking out in his room with a Casio keyboard wearing a sparkly cape like Gary Numan. It's not exactly displeasing to the ears but there's something unnerving about it...I wouldn't say it's a 'hit' but its different enough to warrant some muso-shoe-gazing compliments. The lyrics are a bit lacklustre: 'you were the truth when you lied' but out of all the things I've listened to this week, it's the least ear-bleed inducing.

3/5

Lia Han

Codeine Velvet Club - Hollywood

Codeine Velvet Club offer something kitsch and nostalgic but unfortunately delivered unwell in this single. Although the Beach Boys harmonys are wonderful, the melody isn't strong enough to maintain interest. Amy Winehouse brought back the blues and jazztasticular beats to extreme popularity, (as well as spawning Pixie Lott and that ginge Paloma) but we just can't see CDV doing the same with big band music. The music video seems to reflect this; the band appear to be playing in front of an audience of 1.
2/5
Lia Han