Kelly Rowland, Studio Killers, G.R.L. + More: 5 Must-Hear Pop Songs Of The Week
It's Tuesday! Time for another round of "5 Must-Hear Pop Songs of the Week"!
This week's roundup features a sultry cut from a Child of Destiny that would make Prince blush, a stalker-friendly dance floor scorcher for a virtual reality electro-pop band, and some lush, '80s-inspired synth-pop by two Aussie electro-pop princes.
1.) Kelly Rowland, "Freak"
It's obvious by now that Kelly Rowland knows how to get down. This week, the Destiny's Child songstress and "Kisses Down Low" enthusiast releases her fourth studio album, Talk A Good Game, a rock-solid collection of early R&B throwbacks, feel-good jams, soul-bearing ballads, and plenty of filthy-mouthed come-ons. "Freak," the album's opener, sees Queen Rowlegend talking that dirty talk more than ever -- think Prince at his freakiest -- with production that occasionally conjures Britney Spears' iconic 2007 ghostly pop masterpiece, "Gimme More" (both songs were produced by Danja, after all). "Everybody's...somebody's...freak," she chants on the chorus. It's a straight-up bedroom banga for sure, and one of the most endlessly repeatable tracks on the records.
Listen to more Must-Hear Pop Songs after the jump!
2.) Studio Killers, "Jenny"
You know that awkward moment when you suddenly realize you're, like, totally in love with your best friend? And then you start rifling through all their clothes and stealing their makeup? No? Well, that's what's going on in "Jenny," the hysterical, danceable new single by Studio Killers, a band made up entirely of virtual characters. Still following? Good. With its Mediterranean, Edward Maya-like "Stereo Love" beat and über-catchy chorus ("I wanna ruin our friendship/ we should be lovers instead!"), "Jenny" is an obvious must-listen for your beach (and/or light stalking) playlists.
3.) Garcon Garcon, "Instant Attraction"
More than a year after releasing their debut EP, Garçon Garçon, aka the charming electro-pop princes from down under, are back with a brand-new beat in 2013. "Instant Attraction" picks up where the boys left off, relishing in luscious '80s-infused New Wave beats, twinkling electronica, and wistful vocals: "Let it go right / Let it go wrong if you let me up to the stars," lead singer Nathan Mahon croons over and over again. As with everything else Garçon Garçon's ever done, there's a certain nostalgia lingering in between the highly danceable beats -- the kind of sad disco sound Robyn would most certainly approve of.
4.) G.R.L., "Vacation"
In the market for a new girl group? If Fifth Harmony and Little Mix aren't doing it for you, give G.R.L. a go. The newly debuted fivesome is the latest in Robin Antin's series of girl group incarnations, featuring a former Paradiso Girl, as well as former finalists from "The X Factor" and "So You Think You Can Dance." Intriguing, right? The girls just landed a sweet spot on the soundtrack of "The Smurfs 2" with their debut single, "Vacation." It's your signature Dr. Luke scorcher, full of earworm melodies, razor-sharp hooks, and a pummeling Top 40-friendly beat: "I'm on vacation tonight / I'm gonna lose my mind with someone new!" the girls declare. Since it's a song for a younger audience, we'll probably have to wait a little longer to hear what a typical G.R.L. track sounds like -- but this certainly is a promising start.
5.) The Knocks, "The Feeling (Peter Thomas Remix)"
NYC production duo The Knocks' bouncy jam "The Feeling" is one of the most feel-good summer anthems around right now. Enter Peter Thomas, the producer behind Betty Who's fantastic The Movement EP (he also co-crafted Victoria Justice's new single "Gold"), to put a unique spin of his own on the track. The brand-new remix lifts the production into a spacier, glitchier affair full of stuttering vocals, dirty bass, and sparkling new '80s electronica sounds. Getting the feeling from this mix? Don't fight it -- you ain't got no reason.
Bradley Stern is a writer from New York. In his spare time, he enjoys organizing his Britney Spears CD collection in reverse chronological order and writing impassioned letters to Congress urging that Madonnalogy be taught in all public schools. But most of all, he spends his time tweeting and musing daily about pop music on his blog, MuuMuse.
Photo credit: Getty Images/RCA/Studio Killers/Garcon Garcon
