:: arjanwrites music blog ::

Frankmusik Unveils Stirring New Video at 'Chasing Shadows' London Release Party

 By Steve Siegel (London)

Vincent Frank, aka Frankmusik, has had an eventful 12 months. After spending three years in Los Angeles working on various production projects and his second album, Do It In The AM, he relocated to his hometown of Croydon, just outside central London. Locking himself away in his gran’s apartment, Vince unleashed a flurry of creativity that resulted in not only his recent EP "Far From Over," but a totally fresh album, "In Between."

Late last week, at London’s exclusive member’s only club Soho House, ArjanWrites.com was invited to an intimate gathering where Vince debuted his new video for the album’s first single "Chasing Shadows." The video opens with a bright, yet almost melancholic synth drone, instantly calling to mind his "Complete Me" era sound. Then, before we know it, Vince begins singing, "The sun appears/ and so do they/echoes of the objects that they hold on to/in the cold light of day."

The mixture of organic piano, Vince's always potent pipes, and yearning synths nicely juxtaposes the classic Frankmusik sound with his obviously updated prowess as a contemporary songwriter. No Frankmusik song would be complete without a dramatic, powerful chorus and we do indeed get it here. Leading in with a smattering of toms and high pitch percussion, Vince engulfs us in an ocean of synthesizers as he gets brutally honest and sings, "I keep chasing shadows/I have been for years."

While the lyrics may be somber and authentically raw, the melodies are bright, injecting a contrast of emotions. It's Frank's pop signature that any listener can empathize with. However, last night was not only about debuting Vince’s new music, but also the accompanying video for "Chasing Shadows." Coinciding with the track’s dramatic feel, the "Chasing Shadows" video clip is done in black-and-white.

In the video, we find Frankmusik in abandoned gothic church, somewhere in the English countryside. Like the nature of the song, Vince appears contemplative as belts out the lyrics to "Chasing Shadows," moving variously between sitting in the gloomy light of the abandoned building and quite literally, chasing the shadows around him. Check out the video below and make sure to stay tuned for more info on one Arjanwrites.com’s favorite pop stars. (Thanks Steven Siegel for contributing this post. Based in London, Steven is a massive dance music fan and a budding DJ/producer. You reach Steve on Twitter and listen to his own productions on SoundCloud.)

Exclusive: Drop City Yacht Club feat. Jeremih 'Crickets' (Behind The Scenes)

Frequent readers of this blog may remember that I first introduced you to rising California pop trio Drop City Yacht Club when I wrote about their debut single, "Crickets." It's a hot and happening slice of hip pop that blends a radio-ready pop hook with a retro-styled groove and a sunny California attitude that has hit, hit, hit written all over it. 

Drop City Yacht Club (formerly The Freshmen) is the teaming of A. Wolf, Kristo and THX who make music for the Playlist Generation that is not confined to one singular genre or sonic aeshtetic. "We're all madmen in our own way," the group explains in a press release. "We don't approach our tracks like typical rap records. We're trying to write songs and break rules."

They add, "We want to shake some things up. There aren't any boundaries. We're all from Cali so it was easy to click. It always felt like it was meant to be because we were all on the same page about doing something fresh from day one."

"Crickets" is Drop City Yacht Club's official debut single that perfectly outlines their genre-mashing musical vision (and sense of humor as demonstrated by lyrics like, "I told her we should kick it, but all I heard was crickets).The group explains, "There's a self-deprecating undertone, and it represents who we are as characters. We take our music seriously, but we have no problem making fun of ourselves either."

The group unveiled the debut video of the song late last month that has already racked almost one millions views. Check out some exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot below. Also, make sure to tune in to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this week to see the group perform. (Download Drop City Yacht Club "Crickets" on iTunes now.)

Hot New Talent Alert: Listen to Callaway & Rosta "Rest Of Me" feat. Daniel Gidlund

It is no secret that Sweden is the home of some of the greatest pop and dance music on the planet. Artists, singers, songwriters and producers like Robyn, Max Martin, Sebastian Ingrosso, Avicii, Alesso, Icona Pop and many others continue to rule the pop charts and dancefloors everywhere with their big melodic hooks and finely tuned productions. Fortunately for fans, Sweden continues to be a fertile breeding ground for a lot of new dance-pop talent that is about to emerge.

Two newcomers you should keep a steady on are Callaway & Rosto who just released the anthemic house-pop stomper "Rest Of Me that taps into that distinct bittersweet and melancholic sentiment that rules Swedish pop. It's a track that you can easily file next to tunes by Swedish House Mafia and Avicii.

Callaway & Rosta is the partnership of Jacob Lundahl and Alex Rosta who have worked together on Sweden's bustling DJ circuit. Music has always been a big part of their lifes and after playing in rock bands in their early teens they both discovered and fell deeply in love with dance-music. During recent years they have built a strong reputation as reliable party DJs at the bigger clubs and venues around Stockholm. Alex won the Movida/Corona DJ Challenge and ended up as number two in the European finals.

Released through Uniform Beat, their potent "Rest Of Me" features the powerful, rock-edged vocals of Daniel Gidlund who was earlier featured on "Made Of" by Nause and "Feed The Dada" from Dada. (Click here to download Callaway & Rosta "Rest Of Me" on iTunes.)

Watch Now: Kylie Minogue is She-Ra [Funny Or Die]

While we're eagerly awaiting new music from Kylie Minogue, the Aussie pop superstar took some time out of her recording schedule to film something special for Funny Or Die. Minogue is featured as She-Ra in a live-action reboot of the classic cartoon that also features Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones) as Skeletor. This should give you a good chuckle to start your work week with. Enjoy.

Continue reading "Watch Now: Kylie Minogue is She-Ra [Funny Or Die]"

Hot New Talent Alert: Listen to Claire 'Games'

Most often the best discoveries are those that come completely unexpected and Claire is one of delightful new finds. Hailing from Munich, Germany, Claire is the teaming of singer/songwriter Josie-Claire Bürkle, Matthias Hauck, Nepomuk Heller and Florian Kiermaier. The four met by chance when they were all were working in the same studio building to score a track for a film a friend was producing. That recording session sparked a lot more creativity and ideas that ultimately made them decide to join forces as a band.

Claire likes to describe themselves as a "band that finds itself somewhere between synthpop, electronic-pop, half-time beats, hip-hop and indie." The truth is that Claire just makes plain good music that is synth-based and dominated by Bürkle's warming, arresting vocals. It's as if she breathes life into the stark and sleek synth stylings of Claire's music that creates a mesmerizing blend of dance-pop.

Their new single "Games" is a perfect example of that. Driven by a bouncy, '90s-inspired club groove, the song keeps the vibe hopeful and triumphant with its uplifting chorus and resplendent synth riffs. The track is taken from Claire's debut EP "The Empire" that the group released independently late last year, and that also includes tracks like "Pioneers," "Little Brother" and "In Two Minds." It's promising new dance-pop that has us curious for more. (Make sure to 'like' Claire on Facebook for updates.)