:: arjanwrites music blog ::

Watch Industry's New Video for "Burn"

Let's start the weekend with a pop pleasure of the guiltiest kind. Check out the brand-new video for "Burn" by new Irish boy/girl pop sensation Industry. It's a super slick, slow-churning ballad that already has been topping the charts in Ireland and surely will get great radio play elsewhere in Europe as well. If I must choose, I prefer the energy-packed and uplifting Holter/Erixson vs Tom Bola remix over this original version. Download that MP3 totally guilt-free here.

All About the Pop! A Few Words About Last Night's Superfraiche Pop Night

There's nothing more rewarding to me than sharing great, new music. And that was what Superfraiche Pop Night was all about last night - introducing people to exciting new pop acts who are both sweet & crunchy. Artists that have an edge and bring compelling new pop to the table.

Last night's Superfraiche (see a write up in OUT) was everything I hoped it would it be. I want to thanks Brad Walsh, Reni Lane, DJ Josh Madden, Sam Taylor, Menya and Dangerous Muse for coming out to play in support of War Child. 

DJ Josh Madden spun a sweet & crunchy set of pop and electro to warm up the crowd prior to the first performance and in between sets. Loved his selection. Very cool guy and great to meet.

Dangerous Muse opened the show with a blazing set that included "Everyday Is Halloween" and a reworked version of "The Rejection." Mike Furey and Tom Napack ring their music to a whole new level of hotness when playing live. Lots of sexy, lots of theatrics, lots to look at.

Newcomer Reni Lane blew the crowd away with her magnetic stage presence and pitch-perfect vocals. Incredibly impressive. During her performance of "Place For Us" she jumped off stage (photo) and strutted around the room through the audience. Super fun! I love this woman.

I was excited to introduce the super sweet Sam Taylor to his very first American performance. This X-Factor dancer and West End star enchanted the crowd with his gorgeous ballads and flawless delivery. Seeing is believing. This guy is going places. Star quality.

Brad Walsh (photo above) brought heaps of coolness with his very first performance of songs from his new album "Human Nature." He had two dancer and some very sleek projections to create a impressive multi-media experience. Loved every second of it. I always say that this guy has so many things on his sleeves and he proved that once again. His boyfriend Christian Siriano was in the audience as well who had never seen Brad perform live.

Fun, funky and fantastic NYU trio Menya closed the show with a stomping set. Wow. These kids know how to energize a crowd and bring an incredibly fun party atmosphere. They're the coolest kids on the block right now. Don't be suprised to hear a lot more from them very, very soon.

I want to give special thanks to Leo and the handsome crowd of Big Machine for helping me with the techniks of the show. I could not have done this without you. Also, a big thanks to Heater and Brian for manning the War Child booth and encouraging people to give to an important cause. Also, thanks to the 7Digital for giving away free MP3s in support of War Child.

I will be posting more photos soon as soon as they come in.

Free MP3 Download: The High Wire "Leave Me In Love"

The High Wire's forthcoming album is set for release in early 2010 and produced by the band with additional production and mixing by Rik Simpson, who has previously worked with the likes of Blur, Portishead, Coldplay and PJ Harvey. Check out "Leave Me In Love" to get a taste of their unique brand of dreamy luscious pop. So incredibly gentle.

  The High Wire "Leave Me In Love"

Fraiche MP3 Download: Roisin Murphy "Orally Fixated"

Make sure to head over to the The Guardian's web site tomorrow to download Roisin Murphy's brand-new single,"Orally Fixated." But do it quick. The single will only be posted for 48 hours. Next week, it will be available in iTunes stores in both the US and the UK.

"Orally Fixated" is the first single from Roisin's long-awaited new album. Producted by Seji, the deliciously suggestive song features a club sound that is a lot grittier than the electro-pop she presented on "Overpowered." Great track that has me lusting for more.

SUPERFRAICHE POP NIGHT is Tomorrow! Win FREE Tickets!

My SUPERFRAICHE POP NIGHT is tomorrow! Very exciting. Just wanted to write a quick post to bring you up to date about all of the poppy goodness that will go down at Santos tomorrow night.

Doors will open at 7PM with a DJ set by Josh Madden

Dangerous Muse will open the show at 8PM on the dot.

Win a pair of tickets by tweeting about the event! Click here to tweet and have a chance to win. I will randomly pick a winner at 2PM tomorrow.

Due to the interest from students, there will be a $12 discounted door price for students

All proceeds of the event will benefit War Child.

Every ticket holder will receive a free album MP3 download courtesy of 7Digital.com. 

Hope to see you there!

SUPERFRAICHE: Arjan Chats with Josh Madden

Josh Madden has a knack for seeing, hearing, feeling and creating things that are unique and different. He's one of those few people who are on the bleeding edge of what's new, now, next. One of those people who is a true tastemaker that people look to for new trends, looks and sounds. Not only is he the self-proclaimed  "Baby Ruth of styling," he also is a designer and gifted DJ who combines a whole lot of sweet with plenty of crunchy. Just how I like it.

Josh will be spinning tunes during SUPERFRAICHE on Thursday. He will open the show at 7PM and then spin in between the sets of Dangerous Muse, Reni Lane, Sam Taylor, Brad Walsh and Menya. Good times! Get your tickets today. Make sure to be there early to hear Josh's set. In the meantime, hit him up, on Twitter.

I sent Josh some questions via email and he sent back some very throughful answers that will give you a bit of an insight of what it is that makes him tick.

Arjan: You come from a quite a musical family. Growing up was it always clear to you that you wanted to do something creative as well? I mean you could have chosen to be an accountant and crunch  numbers for the rest of your life (which is totally respectable, but a different route)

Josh: I'll let you in on a little secret... I was an All-State Choris kid, slated to sing the "Class Song" and "National Anthem" at my graduation... that never happened, I failed Mr. Barton's calculus class by 3 points and he wasn't into the idea of letting me slide. I graduated from summer school, started College as an art major, found out I was gonna be handling the bills on my own and graduated with a Bachelor of Science... concentration? Business & Econ specializing in Marketing and Management! Then what did I do? Worked construction and then at The 9:30 Club in D.C. The short answer is I guess... I stand on both sides of the divide. I have a few sides that I'm pretty sure most people haven't and maybe never will see. P.S. I love accountants, I love you PSBusiness Management.

Continue reading "SUPERFRAICHE: Arjan Chats with Josh Madden"

Lady Gaga Unleashes Video for "Bad Romance"

Can I just say wow? Stefani is taking it to a whole new level of mad pop weirdness and brilliance. It's refreshing and visually very compelling. Glad she's having some budget to play around with and continue to bring fans videos that are worth watching. What do you think? (P.S. I totally get an '80s Modern Talking vibe when I hear "Bad Romance" Remember those Germans?)