Musik i Full Fart [Music at Full Speed] v2

New and notable music to set the mood for the Summer ahead. Artist links will take you to informational websites (Myspace, etc). Song links will take you to a video.

Pop: from both sides of the pond, but with a preference for europop

• Delta Goodrem – In This Life [Had heard of this Aussie for a few years. Wasn’t sure what she was about. Uplifting pop music, it seems]
• Sonny J – Can’t Stop Moving [Silly fun from the UK]
• Duffy – Mercy [Amy who? More retro sounds from the UK. Very 60’s]
• Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love/Better in Time [A diva is born]

Dance: if you can dance...for inspiration

• Dave Armstrong & Redroche – Love Has Gone (Original or Full Vocal Radio) [Hard-driving song about a callous ex-lover-to-be]
• David Guetta ft. Tara McDonald – Delerious (Original Extended or Radio Edit) [Happy dance music]
• Yves Larock – Rise Up (Club Radio Edit) [Best experienced while dancing on a beach in an exotic location]
• Freemasons ft. Hazel Fernandez – If [Yet another dancefloor gem from the Freemasons]
• Rubberman – Creep (Raul Rincon Mix) [More Hed Kandi goodness from their latest: World Series: SF]
  

Trance/Electronica: last night a dj saved my life

• Armin van Buuren & DJ Shah – Going Wrong (AVB’s Extended or Radio Edit) [This is my song for the Summer. I recommend checking out the whole album, Imagine]

Ambient Alternative: sonic sounds to move you into a different time, space, feeling

• Gary B – Lead Me Home [Builds slowly. Achingly so]

Adult Alternative: great voices, introspective lyrics, accomplished songwriters apply only

• Jason Mraz – I’m Yours [This is happy music. You will feel good after you listen to it]
• Brett Dennen – She’s Mine [Great voice. Great sentiment.]
• Joshua James – Lord, Devil, and Him [Storytelling at its best. Sit back and listen]
• Snow Patrol – Open Your Eyes [Kind of sounds like their other songs. Great]
• Sara Melson – I Feel It Coming [I believe. You will too. The grass is oh-so-green]
• Josh Kelly – Unfair [Love, unfair? Say it ain’t so. A funky ode to love lost.]
• Missy Higgins – Where I Stood/Going North [The first, hauntingly beautiful; the second, the aural tonic for anyone striking out in new directions]
• Laura Izibor – From My Heart to Yours/Don’t Stay [The first, making her case for ,convincingly; the second, making her case against, convincingly]
• Kendall Payne – I Will Show You Love [Everyone needs to hear these words at least once from someone in their lives]
• The Cinematic Orchestra – To Build a Home [Slow, careful piano passages. It’s hard not to soar along with the high notes]

Alternative: alterna-who, alterna-what

• Feist – I Feel It All [She can do no wrong. Hard to stand still to this song]
• Sia – The Girl You Lost to Cocaine [Channeling her inner-Feist here. Her vocal chops make it her own. The video is out there]

Neo-Soul: adventures in retro soul

• Jill Scott – Hate on Me [Listen to Jill, but stay out of her way. She means business]
• James Lidell – Little Bit of Feel Good [It does go a long way. The video is weird beyond words]
• Marlena Shaw & Diplo – California Soul [So glad I stumbled on this song. Takes me back to the 5th Dimension in the best possible way. Currently used in a Dockers commercial. This is the only video - which sux - that I could find with the song]

Guilty Pleasures: you know you shouldn't like it, but you do

• LCD Soundsystem – North American Scum [A guilty pleasure only because of the name. I love the song. Actually, I love the name too. Quite apropos]