Stream Strobelight here (soundcloud)
Inevitably, now the dust has settled and the American Idol experience is over (for now?), everyone has their favourites. It's the nature of the game of pop - you can't love everyone and everyone can't be beloved. Battles fiercer than those on Game of Thrones are waged by fans who believe their artist is worth more musically, lyrically and performance wise than anyone else you could bring to the table. It's a tale as old as time - Beatles vs Rolling Stones, Expose vs Cover Girls, Backstreet Boys vs N*Sync and so on and so on. Ultimately, if the music moves you then embrace the rhythm - and the lovely Kimberley Locke has emerged and remained as one of my favourite idols with many a fine tune under her belt. It began by bringing Debbie Gibson realness back to the charts with the effervescent (and still delightful) 8th World Wonder. Her first two albums (One Love and Based On A True Story) saw her show her ability to deliver a diverse range of music that broke your heart then lifted your spirits with songs of poignancy and celebration. Her Christmas album is the gift that keeps on giving year after year, bringing magic to the holiday season with it's warm and reverent tones. Most recently she's been ensuring you grab the one you love and shimmy (HARD) with her evocative and commanding dancefloor smashes. Is there anything this woman cannot do?! (Check out my best of the past mini-list at the bottom of this post for introductory or reminder suggestions of Kimberley's discography)...
I noticed the other day that her 2010 single "Strobelight" is back on her soundcloud page (link above) and she tweeted it as a new single. It's always been a favourite of mine and I've long believed that it still deserves it's time to shine. For the uninitiated, Strobelight is a glittering, thrilling disco extravaganza drenched in retro rhythms, a percolating beat and a super chorus that dances like the sunlight on a rippling river. It takes you back to a time when satin shorts and roller skates were the norm at the disco rink - in fact it may be the most 70s infused track since the glorious Step Back In Time by Kylie of Minogue (who recently did it again with It's Still Disco To Me). While to me it sounds completely heavenly in it's original radio mix, you may like it presented in different dance settings, and for those people there are a whole plethora of rocking remixes available on iTunes (here). Kimberley's done well in the past with dance remixes of her songs, so concentrating on the uptempo is no doubt a wise career move - yet when done in such an engaging manner, it doesn't feel like a career move at all. Just lovely aural popcorn...
Best of the past:
- 8th World Wonder (from One Love) ~ one of the most uplifting pop songs ever to come from an idol alumni. Totally sterling from start to finish, it set out Kimberley's stall as an artist who wanted classic pop tunes rather than bowing to current trends or fads...
- Fall (from Based On A True Story) ~ not only a stirring, emotive, deliciously heartbreakingly delivered ballad, but in it's rather good Bimbo Jones mix, a thumping dance anthem as well! Peter Cox of Go West fame has just recorded this for his latest solo album, fact fans...
- We Need A Little Christmas (from Christmas) ~ Everything about Kimberley's Christmas project was so timeless and classic that it was perfect listening for just about every holiday season since it's release. This track from Mame was the icing on the christmas cake, the angel on the top of the tree :)
25 ~ Nate Ruess, Moment
24 ~ Christopher ft Madcon, Limousine
23 ~ Brandon Flowers, Between Me and You
22 ~ One Direction, History
21 ~ MAX, Holla
20 ~ Christopher, I Won't Let You Down
19 ~ Roxette, It Just Happens
18 ~ Pet Shop Boys, The Pop Kids
17 ~ David Lindgren, We Are Your Tomorrow
16 ~ Ace Wilder, Don't Worry
15 ~ The Feeling, Wicked Heart
14 ~ Auryn, They Don't Know
13 ~ Fleur East, More and More
12 ~ Little Mix, Hair (NE)
11 ~ Travis, Magnificent Time
10 ~ Little Mix, Secret Love Song
09 ~ Ben Haenow, Start Again
08 ~ The Summer Set, Missin' You
07 ~ Auryn ft Anastacia, Who's Loving You?
06 ~ Gwen Stefani, Used To Love You
05 ~ Eric Saade, Colors
04 ~ MKTO, Hands Off My Heart
03 ~ DNCE, Cake By The Ocean
02 ~ Sergey Lazarev, You Are The Only One
01 ~ Christie & The Dream Beats, Wasn't My Fault (4 weeks)
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