HOT  HALF DOZEN 10.24.23

From the Sound of a Black Rooster (Sonido Gallo Negro) to Duran Duran and the enigmatic Rubio and popster Binx, we have selected a sparkling set of 6 songs from the 200 submitted this week.

199 songs and albums submitted this week

Empathize with Villains, single by Binx. Binx keeps expanding her talent. In this song she brings highly produced notes to a grab your gut fast-paced pop banger that moves up and down her vocal range. The result is full of hooks and an overall sound that makes you want to hit repeat and get all the nuances. Stream on Spotify and major platforms.

Juliet, single by AleXa.  A gentler, more emotional AleXa soothes you and takes you in her musical arms before spinning you off in a mid-tempo dance tune colored brightly by her carefully modulated vocals about the Shakespearean love story. This fast-rising Oklahoma-born Korean pop sensation shows her range in Juliet and it is a joy to listen to. On Spotify.

Psycho Killer, single by Duran Duran with Victoria De Angelis. Great old wine in a hot new bottle guided by the out -of -this -world bass playing of Maneskin’s Victoria de Angelis. If you liked the original by Talking Heads, you will love this one. On the upcoming album Danse Macabre, available for pre-order on all major platforms and the Duran Duran Official Store.

Bufo, single by Sonido Gallo Negro. I don’t usually review songs by a group of goofy guys, but the Mexicu City-based Sonido Gallo Negro is an exception, especially since they added Molly Lewis to the group. “Bufo”is one song from the 2022  album Paganismo and it is an experience as much as much as a song. Pyschedelic Peruvian cumba, chica and tropical sounds blend into a fun and sometimes funny dance tune. Spanish. On all major platforms. Fun video on youTube with a flying saucer, dancer Zianya “Yaya” Gonzales, and the goofy guys in masks.

Venus and Blue, album by Rubio. Rubio is the name of an experiment in music by the renowned Chilean artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Francisca Straube.Venus and Blue is her latest product under the Rubio name, and it is a hypnotic set of 10 songs that weaves and sails  and spins with both inner tranquility and outer energy. Every song is worth repeating and some will never leave your mind. Spanish. On all major platforms

Hackney Diamonds, album by The Rolling Stones. No list would be complete without the new abum from the bad boy kings of rock and roll. Hackney Diamods is  not Sticky Fingers, and there is nothing on it like “Gimmie Shelter” or “Satisfaction”, but it keeps you moving and the familiar vocals of Mick Jager resonate all those synapses that have been lying fallow sine 1966. The only song that approaches classic standout status  is “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” with Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder. The lead off song,  “Angry”  has gotten the airplay and streams (11 million) and gets into your ear and hooks you, but is actually kind of muted for the Stones. All in all, Hackney Diamonds is more than worth the 48 mintues playing time, but I will still keep “Satisfaction”  and “Synpathy for the Devil” in my playlist.

Bonus: Despechá by Roslia.Fast moving, fast talking pop in Spanish. Check her out.

Patrick O’Heffernan