Official Video: Rihanna featuring Drake - What's My Name?

Simultaneously released with its single, the video for What's My Name, Rihanna's second single off her fifth studio album loud was released a few days back.

On the video, it features Canadian rapper Drake. The song and the video reminds me a lot of Rihanna's 2007 collab with Ne-Yo with Hate That I Love You. The formula for the song and video is very much similar as well.

Take a look at it yourself:

What do you think?

Official Video: Kelis - Scream

Kelis releases a video for her third single Scream. I have always thought that Kelis has a very strong artistic mind that even during this post-GaGa era, she still manage to stand out.

The song was in collaboration with David Guetta; and we all know what that means -- it's a treat for all dance/electronica lovers. With Guetta's signature sounds and Kelis' husky meets soothing voice, this is one great track off her album.

The music video has a 3-D version which can be found over on her website. One of the coolest videos I have ever watched and the outfits are fabulous!

Enjoy it!

Your thoughts please --

Album Review: Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 3

The Body Talk series has come to it's final stages with the release of Body Talk pt. 3. Robyn was proud to announce that a continuation and final installment will be released in select regions whilst a complete compilation - Body Talk will be released in major markets.

The final installment part 3 contains five tracks - the dance version of Indestructible and four new upbeat, club-friendly tracks.

I got the leaked record a few days before its release. However, I want to get both Body Talk and Body Talk pt. 3 in physical copies to complete my collection. 

The part 3 is more of a celebration of the body talk series. The 5-track CD contains infectious beats that you'd just want to step out, hit the clubs and sing "I Came To Dance Not To Socialise" out loud. Well, that's what I'd do. 

Comparing it with its two predecesors, Body Talk pt. 3 impact is short but sweet. It is straight forward - dance like there's no tomorrow. Of the five tracks, my favourite would have to Get Myself Together. The dance version of Indestructible is also a good track however, its acoustic version claims the crown in being the better version. Another noteworthy track is Call Your Girlfriend; one would need to listen to it to understand what I mean. 

Given the same collaborators and producers, the songs in part 3 are very familiar with the sounds of part 1 and 2. Nothing very new aside from an extended array of choices for great Robyn songs. But one thing is for sure, you cannot just listen to the part 3 alone. It will make you crave for Robyn more. That's how great this record is people!

Track list:

01. Indestructible

02. Time Machine

03. Call Your Girlfriend

04. Get Myself Together

05. Stars 4-Ever

What do you think?

Official Video: Kylie Minogue - Better Than Today

Exciting news greeted me two weeks before the release of this video when it said that it will be released earlier. When it was confirmed that Better Than Today is the upcoming third single off Aphrodite, I was uncertain whether I was excited or disappointed. It is a good song but I'm still not confident about it being a single.

However, the music video that was both directed by William Baker (Kylie's long-time stylist, creative director and friend) and Kylie herself, gave the song a more impact and meaning. Watching the video makes you listen to the song and appreciate it more. I thought it is a simply chic video! Kylie donned her high fashion couture with her signature smoky blue Aphrodite eye make-up. The best thing about the video is its backdrop! The psychedelic visuals of mixed abstracts and pacman!

The male synth players donned a pacman head mask. When I say pacman - not referring to the boxer, alright? The video showcased a recreation of one of Kylie's live performances, except that it's lip-synch on the vid. Kylie does sing live in almost all of her live performances.

Some of the peeps I know had some comments that it reminded them of the 2 Hearts video but a way better version - which I agree on to a certain degree.

Enjoy the vid!

Your thoughts please?

Official Video: Taio Cruz featuring Kylie Minogue - Higher

I saw this news via Twitter that Kylie and Taio Cruz are doing a collab on one song. I am not keen on Taio Cruz and his songs but given that Kylie is in it, it got me really excited!

The song is called Higher - a fitting title for Kylie and her music genre. I don't really dig the song much, except the part that Kylie sings. The line it's taking me higher, higher suits her voice a lot!

In the video, Kylie and Taio barely touched each other - probably the image that Kylie has that a newbie cannot just touch a goddess. K's look in the video reminded me a lot of her Red Blooded Woman video

Here's the vid:

What do you think?

Bigfish presents Cream Halloween Ball 2010: Rave in Wonderland featuring John Paul, Binary Finary & Ronski Speed

Just recently held, Cream annual Halloween Ball presented by Bigfish was yet another successful event. Given a new but smaller venue, the place was packed with party animals in their fiercest and most outrageous costumes. 

Of course, my friends and I have have really planned for this year. This is the only yearly event of Bigfish where I don't really care who's spinning. I just came for the party with my friends and to parade my costume to everyone else! And this is my first time at Cream after 2006! I could say I came back with a fierce vengeance. =)

We got a table together with our other friends and it was a good decision to. At least we had a place for touch ups or to deposit any stuff or a couch to rest on when we get julasity.

We got in almost 2AM already due to traffic jam caused by influx of people trying to get to the venue added by the nasty rain. After some door issue and crowd penetration, I got to the venue and Binary Finary were on the decks. I didn't really care, I just wanted to parade around for my friends to see and notice me and perhaps take some shots to forever capture those priceless moments. In short, I was craving for attention and boy I really got it! A lot of it! Gaano kadalas ang minsan?! (How often is 'sometimes'?)

It felt really great and my costume was in harmony of what were my other friends are wearing. Most of my other friends were in Football outfits. My best friend was in a cheerleader outfit, a really sexy one. One was a bunny (who could be a mascot) and one was dressed as Jacob Black (from Twilight), but he wasn't really dressed as he was topless. So I thought he could be the water boy! (LOL) Finally, I was in a very sexy referee outfit. All of us combined, we make a football field cast! We were complete. The players were kicking ball, cheerleader was dancing, I was whistling and flashing my yellow and red cards -- it was really a SCENE! Photos can give you a sense of what had transpired.

Here are some of them:

Pouty, Poutier, Poutiest

with the captain ball from both teams and the journalist

Cheerleader & Referee

my hot boy toy

Still fresh - Ashley, Vanessa & Bunny Paras

Hope you like the photos. Comments are welcome. Be honest and kind =P

Album Review: Rihanna - Loud

Rihanna's 5th studio album Loud landed in most markets today 15 Nov 2010. Though I got the leaked iTunes version, I'm still waiting to grab myself a physical copy of the album. 

Having done my initial listening sessions, I've really fallen in love deeper with Only Girl (In The World) and thought that it was the best choice as a lead single. The song speaks so much about the album's feel and character - fun, carefree, flirty, LOUD! The synths entagled in rich rhythm and drums plus the signature electro sound of Stargate makes a perfect club anthem! This song is sure to join the ranks of her other hits that will forever be etched in her career that launched her to stardom. Songs like Umbrella, Don't Stop The Music and Unfaithful. 

I also noticed the evolution of Rihanna's voice in the album, her range was higher, wider giving a vibrant impact on the album's loud attitude. This is mostly evident in Only Girl and Complicated

It was also confirmed by Rihanna's team that What's My Name (featuring Canadian R&B sensation Drake) will be the next single and the video is already being shot. My impression of the song is Stargate's Euro synthpop meets Rihanna's Barbadian singing style plus Drake's sexy voice. The result, a dancey, radio-friendly record but otherwise, forgettable. 

Other songs like the provocative S&M, which is another Stargate produced track was also confirmed to be the third single and an accompanying music video will also be released. Man Down is probably the most Barbadian-influenced track in the album - very similar to her I Got That track from Good Girl Gone Bad. The fun & playful Raining Men (with Nicki Minaj) is also an attention grabber along with the mellow side of the album California King (Bed), Cheers (Drink to That) and Love The Way You Lie - Part II which this time, features rapper Eminem) proves Rihanna's versatility as a recording artist. Love The Way You Lie part II is an acoustic throwback to RiRi and Eminem's chart-topping hit Love The Way You Lie. Do you remember Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' The Empire State of Mind? A. Keys also had her own piano version of the song in her 4th studio album. Nothing, I just want to segue that info and relate it to how Rihanna did it with hers. LTWYP2 in my opinion is a much better version with Eminem's less raps and more of part from RiRi.

Noteworthy tracks: S&M, Only Girl (In The World), Love The Way You Lie - Part II, Cheers (Drink to That), California King (Bed)

Track list:

01. S&M

02. What's My Name

03. Cheers (Drink To That)

04. Fading

05. Only Girl (In The World)

06. California King (Bed)

07. Man Down

08. Raining Men

09. Complicated

10. Skin

11. Love The Way You Lie - Part II

What do you think?

Album Review: Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas II You

Mariah Carey comes back with a festive vengeance this holiday season! Her 13th studio album (and second holiday album) landed a few weeks ago and was performing very well on various charts both on Billboard and other international charts.

Merry Christmas II You is Mariah's second Christmas album (first was Merry Christmas released in Nov 1994), it peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200. The album contains MiMi's version of traditional Christmas/Yuletide cheers and gave them new life, much like how she did it on the first Christmas album and she also came up with new tracks that she worked with the likes of Jermain Dupri. Four new songs: Oh Santa, Christmas Time Is In The Air Again, When Christmas Comes and One Child were included. Oh Santa is the first single released off the album. MiMi also confirmed there is a video in the works for O Come All Ye Faithful

I like how she marked these traditional cheers with her singing character. My favourite rendition would have to Little Drummer Boy and The First Noel / Born Is The King. The album also contains a live version of O Holy Night which was done sometime in the 90s. I inferred so as I can tell by the sound of her voice that it wasn't a recent live recording. But still great, nonetheless. Another highlight of the album is a duet with her mother Patricia Carey for the song O Come All Ye Faithful. Finally, a new (as MiMi claims it, a more festive) version of her chart-topping Christmas hit All I Want For Christmas Is You also made the cut.

In my opinion, she had done an equally great job in rendering traditional songs to her own version however, in terms of the new tracks, I would say Merry Christmas had better tracks: All I Want For Christmas Is You, Miss You Most At Christmas Time, Jesus Born On This Day are three great tracks that you can listen to even if it's not in season. Probably due to better contributors and collaborators - Walter Afanasieff. 

The first album renditions sounded like as how her music was at that time while the second album showcased renditions that represent MiMi's evolved and current sound. 

Track list:

01. Santa Claus Is Coming Town (Interlude)

02. Oh Santa

03. O Little Town Of Bethlehem / Little Drummer Boy

04. Christmas Time Is In The Air Again

05. The First Noel / Born Is The King (Interlude)

06. When Christmas Comes

07. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) / Housetop Celebration

08. Charlie Brown Christmas

09. O Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus

10. O Holy Night (Live from WPC in South Central, Los Angeles)

11. One Child

12. All I Want From Christmas Is You (Extra Festive)

13. Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)

Your thoughts?

Movie Review: Amphetamine

Amphetamine is the second installment of a Scud Trilogy. The sequel examines the limit of passion as oppose to it's prequel Permanent Residence which examines the limit of life. 

The movie stars newbie actors: Thomas Price, a half HK-Chinese/half British actor who also now appears as a Channel [V] video jockey; and Byron Pang who was a former model and a runner-up from Mr. Hong Kong 2005 pageant.

With Scud's infamous style of frontal nudity in his films, this movie defines the line between a pornographic material and an artistic perception of sexuality. Although I must admit that it is Thomas Price that gave me the urge to hunt this movie down. 

I get the story of two men, one who's in struggle of his sexuality and one who's struggling to find the love he's always wanted. With Daniel (Price) being the more stable of the two, he supports and guides Kafka (Pang) and share him his life. In return, Kafka gives his best to return the love that Daniel is showing him despite the traumatic past he had previously. Kafka and Daniel do share another thing aside from their sexuality and love -- drugs. Amphetamine in particular. They use this substance to enjoy their togetherness and sometimes to escape whatever that is bothering them esepcially Kafka. Not knowing that the love they have is more than addicting than the substances they are taking in. 

Amphetamine is your typical gay HK movie but this time it involves drugs which has always been happening in reality but remains a taboo. 

I was drawn to this movie because of Tom Price as mentioned above and have learned to realised that Byron Pang is hot himself. If you like some eye candy, manly body, or even a softcore porn with a good plot -- this movie might suit your palette. Sex scenes are both homo male-to-male and hetero. There also scenes where Daniel and Kafka first met, I've always yearned for that feeling and every time I feel it, it just makes you want to fall in love! 

If you can get this movie on DVD, it's worth the money! Both guys are enough compensation for your eyes for the story's lack of thrill it gives your brain cells. 

What do you think?

Official Video: Robyn - Indestructible

As I have inferred previously, Robyn confirmed Indestructible as the next single off Body Talk pt. 3. A more upbeat, disco-infectious version of the song is included on the third and final installment of the Body Talk series. The acoustic version of the song is also included on Body Talk pt. 2. Unlike Hang With Me, of which acoustic version didn't make that impact on me, with Indestructible I happen to like both versions. In fact, I think I even like the acoustic/orchestral version more than the dance version. Nonetheless, I love both styles!

The video cuts between scenes of Robyn wearing a tube costume with coloured liquids in it (tube costume custom-made by Lucy McRae) and scenes of couples making love. It was directed by Nils Ljunggren and Max Vitali.

At first look, the video may just seem your typical sex scenes-filled concept but once you get to watch it as a whole, you're gonna validate your first impression as true. Although the tube costume thing looks quite impressive at first especially with the liquid flowing in it changes colour every so often, I couldn't help but imagine Robyn looking like a hospital patient with the tube attire.

Check the video out.

What do you think?

Official Video: Katy Perry - Firework

I bring you the music video of Firework, Katy's third single off her chart-topping album Teenage Dream.

The video gave this song a deeper impact of it's meaning. Although the title was taken literally into the concept, I think the production still managed to produce a really quality video, a more pop, dancier version of Christina's Beautiful.

My favourite part of the video is when all the crowd were ignited with fireworks and dancing at the quadrangle.

Here's the video -- enjoy!

Your thoughts?