Lesson: Songs That Sound Like Ke$ha and stuff...

You know, I don't care what you say, Ke$ha is awesome. Honestly, if you can't rock out to Tik Tok, you're trying too hard. Loosen up you uptight son of a bitch and have some FUN for once! But, let's look at these songs... It's clear that Tik Tok has had a heavy impact on popular music. In a similar way, LMFAO and Far East Movement really led the way on this new wave of pop music.

94/100

(Sound familar? That's right... Tik Tok)

Remady Feat. Craig David - Do It On My Own

93/100

Flo Rida Ft Detail-Shakin My Head

Obviously, its impossible to overemphasize the techno scene that really brought this era of pop. For instance, David Guetta's songs definitely have this sort of quality. Which is why Sexy Bitch was so successful. Hmmmm its interesting to trace some of these things back a little huh? I'm not claiming that that is the direct lineage but its hard not to hear the connections.

Major Lazer and La Roux Mixtape!

Major Lazer and La Roux team up?? Bonkers.

I'm not sure how many of you are up to date on this mixtape, but its nuts.

I introduced one of the songs in an earlier post, but I feel the need to showcase other gems in the mixtape entitled "Lazerproof". Oh yeah, and you can get it free here.

For those of you who are not music-savvy, La Roux has been been playing nonstop on the radio for quite a couple of months now, and you've most likely heard this.

Trivia: They are a two piece unit, but the male half does not participate in lives. Also, they are from England. Also, they were playing Bulletproof on the radio about a year earlier in Tokyo (opposed to the US.)

98/100 (Mashup: Hip-hop & Dubstep)

Mash up of La Roux's "I'm Not Your Toy" and Gucci Mane's "Lemonade". It's awesome^2 if you know both songs, but the banger is when Gucci's verse starts and the beat DROPS. Ugh. Filthy.

Major Lazer & La Roux - I'm Not Your Lemonade

92/100 (Mash-up: Electro-synth-pop)

I little taste of music to come, this one features none other than Amanda Blank. If you have a weak heart and are easily offended by sexual references, you probably shouldn't listen to this one.

Major Lazer & La Roux ft Amanda Blank - Quicksand

90/100 (Mash-up: Ska)

Diswan iza BIG CHOON!

A brilliant mash-up of a dub-ska riddim "Artibella" and the La Roux vocals.

Major Lazer & La Roux - Colourless Artibella

Genre: A Lesson for Newbies - Electronica part 1.

Everyone's heard the term "techno", perhaps even "trance", or "electro", "house", etc. But do you know which is which? Perhaps? Well, in case you wanted know the difference, here is a several part series of undetermined length to try to help explain this to you.

First off, techno is commonly used to describe the larger umbrella of sub-genre within the realm known as "electronic dance music" aka EDM. Electronic music was pioneered in the 70's by several groups, with Kraftwerk from Germany being one of the main groups to emerge from this early era of "electro".

Here is their classic, The Robots.

Yet, the term "techno" was not coined until a little while later in Detroit. A youth movement that centered around DJs and parties was vibrant in Detroit in the mid to late 80's. It was in this culture that classic "popping" soundtracks were born, such as Cybotron's "Clear".

Sound familar? Maybe? In any case, you should recognize the part that's been sampled in more recent mainstream songs, such as Missy Elliott's Lose Control

Something that people may not know about techno is that it was influenced by not just electro-pop groups such as Kraftwerk, but also had strong soul, disco, and funk influences. In fact, many in the predominant crowds that incubated techno were not Caucasian, which is somewhat of a reversal in at least the image of the demographic of techno today.

... To be continued.