Melanie C Gets Sporty in 'Rock Me' Music Video, Announces Worldwide Single Release and Album Title

SOO much new Melanie C news to report. EEEEEE! As I mentioned last month, Melanie C's new single, "Rock Me" is due for release in Germany, Austria and Switzerland June 24th on her own indie label, Red Girl Records.  In more exciting news, it was announced through Melanie's official site that the single will be getting a worldwide digital release (hopefully INCLUDING the U.S.) between the June 24th and June 26th, depending on the territory. AMAZING!   "Rock Me" was co-written by Melanie C, German songwriter Dave Roth (Tokio Hotel) and Dave Jost and co-produced by Roth and Andy Chatterly (Nerina Pallot, Kylie Minogue).  "Rock Me" has been selected as the the official theme song for German TV channel ZDF's coverage of the FIFA Women's World Cup, which is a tremendous honor!

To celebrate the upcoming release of the single, we've been graced with the release of a hot new music video for the song, featuring impressive dance AND soccer moves by Melanie C and a troupe of sporty backup dancers.  The video was directed by German video director Marcus Sternberg (Run DMC vs. Jason Nevins, Schiller, Nena, Christina Stürmer) and filmed in Manchester.

"Rock Me" will be the first single released from Melanie C's upcoming fifth studio album, entitled The Sea.  The album features collaborations with Jodie Marr (Paloma Faith, MIKA), Cutfather (The Saturdays, The Wanted), Ina Wroldsen (The Pussycat Dolls, Pixie Lott), Jez Ashurst (A1, Brian McFadden), James Walsh (Starsailor) and Richard "Biff" Stannard," who consequently wrote the album's title track and had previously worked with Melanie on Spice Girls material as well as her debut solo single "Goin' Down."  From the sounds of it, The Sea could be Mel C's best album yet.  According to Melanie herself in a recent website Q&A:

"I really feel this could be the best album of my career. I've worked with great writers, got fantastic songs and I'm really excited about the production. After working in the theatre my voice is in pretty good shape and following a long break after having my little girl and my theatre run, I've been feeling even more inspired." {SOURCE}

I'm SO SO SO excited!  If "Rock Me" isn't enough to tide you over until The Sea's projected September release, check out this live performance of another new album track called "Stupid Game."  The song was co-written by Melanie, Adam Argyle and Martin Brammer.  You can also listen to a snippet of the "Rock Me" B-Side, called "Stop This Train."  According to Melanie, "It was a crazy fun moment in the studio with my old mate Peter Vettese. It's like nothing else on the new album but I love it so wanted you to have it!" {SOURCE}  Plenty of new Melanie C music to go around.  Now, go check out the "Rock Me" music video below and leave comments!  Are you happy she's back? {SOURCE}

Check out Melanie C on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//Twitter//YouTube

Dutch Producer/DJ/Remixer Sander Kleinenberg Set To Release Debut Album June 14th

Back in November I spotlighted a new video from Dutch producer Sander Kleinenberg called "Remember When," and I still love this song all these months later. Whenever it pops up on my iPod I crank it up and add a little pep to my step. Now comes word that Kleinenberg is releasing an album, 5K, later this month and I can hardly wait.

5K is Kleinenberg's debut studio album, and is due out June 14th on his own label, This Is Recordings (via INgrooves). To help promote the album, Kleinenberg is in the midst of a North American 13-date tour, touching audiences and filling floors with his "energetic dance floor beats" and "airy sonic dreamscapes." The album was co-produced by Josh Gabriel and mixed by Kleinenberg and Steve "Dub" Jones (Chemical Brothers, UNKLE, Audio Bullys). Featuring a guests vocalists including Ryan Starr ("Chemically"), Neil Ormandy ("Closer") and Jamie Cullum ("Remember When"), 5K looks to be the dance album of the summer. From the sounds of it, the album features a cool mix of hard dance beats, 80s inspired club music and even a bit of bass & electro infused jazz. Hot Hot Hot!

Sander Kleinenberg first rose to prominence back in 2000 with the release of "My Lexicon," a hard hitting progressive house jam that earned him praise and recognition world wide. In 2001 Kleinenberg started releasing compilations annually, eventually forming his own label called Little Mountain Recordings. I first became familiar with Kleinenberg upon hearing his fire-starting remixing for the likes of Justin Timberlake, N.E.R.D., Annie Lennox, The Eurythmics, Sasha, Janet Jackson and more. Most recently, Kleinenberg has touched songs by Katy Perry ("Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"), Daft Punk ("Tron Legacy"), Dev ("Bass Down Low") and Innerpartysystem ("Not Getting Any Better"), turning some sure-fire hits into bonafied dance club bangers.

In addition to remixing and working on his own music, Kleinenberg has perfected the art of DVJing - other wise known as pairing live DJing with visuals and music. While Kleinenberg's tour has already started, it's not too late to get in on the action. Check out the remaining available club dates below and get on that! Fans should also get excited for 5K, which Kleinenberg describes as "a collage of AUDIO-biographical flavors." AMAZING! Download the Lifelike remix of "Remember When" on iTunes HERE. You can also pick up previous album singles "T.I.O.N.," "M.A.N.I.A.C.," and "R.Y.A.N.L." on iTunes HERE.

Tour Dates:

6/13 - Las Vegas, NV - XS
6/15 - Scottsdale, AZ - Cream
6/16 - Orange County, CA - Sutra
6/17 - San Diego, CA - Voyeur
6/18 - Los Angeles, CA - Avalon

Check out Sander Kleinenberg on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//Twitter//YouTube

Hot Video Alert: James Blake - Lindisfarne

21 year electronic singer and BRIT Award nominee, James Blake is an artist I've talked about in passing on the blog but never properly spotlighted. What better way to bring him to your attention than with a "Hot Video Alert" for his new single, "Lindisfarne." "Lindisfarne" is the third single taken from Blake's self-titled debut album, following 2010's Feist cover, "Limit To Your Love" and his last single "The Wilhelm Scream," which came out in March. Signed to R&S Records/ATLAS (and Universal Republic in the U.S.), Blake is a promising young talent who's style is very reminiscent to fellow electronic-singer/songwriter Imogen Heap. It's that same sound that Imogen Heap produced on "Hide & Seek," using a harmonizer to create that cloudy, muffled, electronically-altered a capella sound and I have to say...it's kind of sexy to me. Am I alone in that?  I guess I should clarify that Blake's talent isn't completely masked by vocal effects. If you listen to his previous two singles, particularly "Limit To Your Love," you really start to get a sense of his chops.  The boy can SANG.

James Blake was announced as runner-up in BBC's Sound of 2011 poll, coming in second behind singer/songwriter Jessie J and listed alongside big names like Clare Maguire, The Vaccines and Jamie Woon. Before landing the big time, Blake received some early support from BBC Radio 1 DJs Gilles Peterson and Nick Grimshaw, both of whom played some of Blake's early, indie material on the air. Before even releasing his first official single, Blake was getting praised left and right by the DJ community. "Limit To Your Love" was named "Hottest Record In The World" by Radio 1's Zane Lowe, going on to peak at #47 on the UK Singles Chart when it was released in November. Blake's self-titled debut album was released in February where it debuted at #9 on the UK Albums chart, #1 in Belgium, #2 in Denmark and even #123 on the Billboard 200 chart. Pretty impressive for a debut, no?

Check out the dark and somewhat disturbing Martin de Thurah-directed video for "Lindisfarne" below. De Thurah also directed the video for Blake's first single, "Limit To Your Love." In the video we see a small group of friends performing some sort of a pact with one another. The pact involves strange ritualistic dancing, body painting and even some blood. Very odd but oddly intriguing. Blake briefly appears in the video singing, but for the most part the video focuses on the story of the children. "Lindisfarne," is due out June 20th. Download James Blake on U.S. iTunes HERE.

**FYI** Lindisfarne is the name of a small English island.

Check out James Blake on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//Twitter//VEVO