Brown Eyed Girls, AlunaGeorge, Kat Graham + 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 bloody good comeback by one of K-pop's leading girl groups, some softly sung sweet nothings by a U.K. alt-R&B dance duo, and a powerful remix fit for a "Vampire Diaries" diva.

This week's roundup features a bloody good comeback by one of K-Pop's leading girl groups, some sweetly sung nothings by a UK alt-R&B dance duo and more!

1.) Brown Eyed Girls, "Kill Bill"

K-pop quartet Brown Eyed Girls have been stirring up the girl group scene since the mid-2000s with their game-changing singles, including "Abracadabra" and "Sixth Sense." Two years after their last studio album, the group's back with their big comeback: "Kill Bill," a reliably slick bout of catchy melodies and infectious dance-pop beats. But while the song's a lot of fun, it's hardly the best part -- their accompanying video is a 7-minute, gloriously spot-on scene-by-scene replication of Tarantino's blood-splattered vengeance epic of the same name (plus some hilarious improvised moments and fierce choreographed breakdowns in between). It's further proof that, yet again, K-Pop is killin' it... literally.

+ LISTEN TO BROWN EYED GIRLS, "KILL BILL"

Listen to more Must-Hear Pop Songs after the jump.

2.) Monsieur Adi featuring A*M*E, "What's Going On"

Rising remixer/producer Monsieur Adi's been putting his electronic spin on dozens of pop tracks for years now -- from Madonna to one of our new favorite up-and-coming girl groups Neon Jungle. Now, he's taking a turn as producer with a brand-new original single of his own, and he's enlisted a mighty fierce vocalist to assist him: A*M*E, the spunky U.K. songstress who's been making waves overseas with tracks like her glitchy '80s-pop debut, "Play The Game Boy," and summer club stomper "Heartless." Together, the two make some sweet, twinkling tunage with "What's Going On," a Soul II Soul-interpolating disco gem. You'll recognize the chorus immediately -- and with Adi's added disco sparkles and dramatic strings, it's a must-play before your big night out.

+ LISTEN TO MONSIEUR ADI FEATURING A*M*E, "WHAT'S GOING ON"

3.) Sam Smith, "Safe With Me"

After making his mark on "Latch," one of the major highlights from Disclosure's brilliant debut, Settle, U.K. singer-songwriter Sam Smith is breaking into the summer with a single of his own: "Safe With Me." The Two Inch Punch-crafted production is the first from his upcoming debut EP, and it's positively mesmerizing. Drifting along tripping percussion and distant chants, the soulful singer croons his sweet nothings: "If you ever need me, just tell me and I'll be there / 'Cause I was built for you / Yes, I was built to carry all your feelings," he assures. Don't worry, Sam -- this song alone provides more than enough confidence.

+ LISTEN TO SAM SMITH, "SAFE WITH ME"

4.) AlunaGeorge, "Kaleidoscope Love"

At long last, British alt-R&B dance act AlunaGeorge have just released their excellent debut record this week, Body Music. "Kaleidoscope Love" is one of the album's most lush, starry-eyed offerings, full of warm melodies and a sort of '70s feel-good soul sensibility. "I'm crystallized 'cause you're my kaleidoscope love," Aluna softly coos above a plucking bass and tripping, skittering U.K. garage beats. It's just one of the many highlights from a debut that completely lives up to their near list-topping position on last year's BBC Sound of 2013.

+ LISTEN TO ALUNAGEORGE, "KALEIDOSCOPE LOVE"

5.) Kat Graham, "Power (Lovelife Remix)"

The (drop-dead) beautiful "Vampire Diaries" starlet Kat Graham's been keeping the solid solo tunes coming over the past few years -- from "Sassy" to "Put Your Graffiti On Me" to "Wanna Say." Her latest single, "Power," is an almighty pop anthem all on its own, but it's the Lovelife remix -- which debuted yesterday -- that's got us all gagging. The re-rub slows down the track substantially and adds some wildly warbling electronica, shimmering synthesizers, and a fluttering piano melody, switching up the original song's production entirely and making this one of the slickest remixes we've heard in a while.

+ LISTEN TO KAT GRAHAM, "POWER (LOVELIFE REMIX)"

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/AlunaGeorge

Filed under: Music

Top

No Comments »

Leave a Reply




Back to Top