Focus Music Notes. "Out of the Blues". Popular music through the decades

It’s October and it’s time for Annie Mac’s annual review of the hottest dance records of the year that she has been instrumental in introducing to the nation’s pleasure-synapses through her groundbreaking Radio 1 Friday show and packed DJ schedule. Since her first Annie Mac Presents compilation in 2009, Annie has supported acts that have gone from being favourites on her show to national stars ( Magnetic Man , Plan B , Nero, Katy B ) and helped define the dance music zeitgeist. On this comp, 2011’s finest moments are represented. Azari & III ‘Reckless For Your Love’, Toddla T’s ‘Take It Back’, SBTRKT’s ‘Wildfire’ Jamie XX’s remix of Adele’s ‘Rolling In The Deep’. If you’ve been out clubbing this year this neat comp brings together the highlights as well as pointing to some names likely to be lighting up 2012 ( Jai Paul ). Annie has continued to take her signature sound worldwide in 2011; continuing what Diplo has called his ‘favourite party on the island’ in Ib...

Mona have announced ‘Shooting The Moon’ as their new single, the track is available to download now. To coincide with the release a brand new track, ‘No Sunshine’, will be made available from July 18th. The single is the third to come from the Nashville based bands debut album ‘Mona’, which was released on May 16th. Shooting the Moon - Mona -  Album  Mona - Mona WHAT THE PAPERS SAY “Mona have created an epic, impassioned and downright gusty debut that could propel them not just into stardom but into absolute veneration” Artrocker “Mona are reaching for the skies - and taking you with them!” Clash “Take heed lovers, fighters, poppers, rockers, godless, God-fearing... Mona are coming for your souls” NME

15 year old London-born soul singer Dionne Bromfield, whose debut album introduced the teenager as one of the finest young singers the UK has produced in years, returns with the April 11th release of her brand new single “Yeah Right”. The single, which features rising US rapper, reality tv star, and son of the Rev. Run Simmons, Diggy Simmons, is taken from Dionne’s eagerly awaited new album “Good For The Soul”. Released on friend and mentor Amy Winehouse’s Lioness label, the album is a collection of all new soul songs co-written by Dionne and some of the UK’s premier songwriters, and looks set to establish her as a writer and genuine star in her own right. Dionne Bromfield came to the attention of the world’s media when she became the first signing to Amy Winehouse’s Lioness Records label. ‘Everyone told me I could sing from about the age of ten, but I was so shy I didn’t believe them. It wasn’t until Amy was round the house one night and heard me and said ‘girl, it’s true. You can si...

PJ Harvey's eighth studio album ‘ Let England Shake ’ is set to be released on the 14.02.2011 through Island Records . Recorded in a 19th Century church in Dorset with long time collaborator Flood who co-produced the album with PJ Harvey, John Parish and Mick Harvey. ‘ Let England Shake ’ was also mixed by Flood. The album will be supported by a run of sold out live shows early next year, with dates in Brussels, Berlin, Paris, and London’s Troxy on February 27th and 28th. 2011 will also see Harvey return to the festival-stage, with more details to be announced. PJ Harvey will perform with a live band which includes Mick Harvey, John Parish and Jean-Marc Butty.

Last year The Prince of Grime scored two number one singles, (‘Number 1’and ‘Never Leave You’), released a critically acclaimed chart topping album, (‘Catch 22’), and notched up enough sales to make him the biggest selling British solo male artist of 2009 . He also performed at all the major festivals of the summer, supported Akon on tour, embarked on his own 18 date sold out nationwide headline tour, developed his Star in The Hood merchandise from T-shirts sold on eBay to a fully developed clothing range, and graduate with a degree in Digital Arts and Moving Imagery from The University of East London. This year has seen Tinchy Stryder complete a second sold out headline tour in the UK, open the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, expand his clothing range from online to in store (it is now stocked in over 60 stores nationwide) and start up a Joint Venture 360 music entertainment company with Jay Z (Takeover Roc Nation). All while writing and recording his third album ‘Third Strike’. Followi...

Nicki Minaj, the first lady of Young Money/Cash Money Records and one of the hottest artists on the planet right now, has her debut official single “Your Love” released on September 20th. The song, which samples Annie Lennox’s “ No More ‘I Love You’s’ ”, is taken from the 25 year old rap phenomenon’s feverishly anticipated debut album which is scheduled for release on November 22nd. Nicki Minaj’s star has been on the rise since she released her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over , in 2007. The mixtape featured Lil Wayne and the cover showed Nicki posing as a Barbie Doll. A second mixtape “ Sucka Free ” released a year later, increased the heat around Minaj and was followed in 2009 by mixtape number three “ Beam Me Up Scotty ”. Shortly thereafter Nicki, aka Harajuku Barbie, aka Nicki Lewinsky, aka Roman Zolanski, aka Ms Step Your Cookies Up , signed to Lil Wayne’s new label Young Money Entertainment and featured heavily on Young Money’s debut album “We Are Young Money” which spawned the...

Multi-platinum-selling, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter-actress ERYKAH BADU, one of the best loved, most constantly challenging and uniquely creative artists currently working in popular music, releases her new single ”Turn Me Away (Get Munny)” on August 2nd . The release of the single, taken from her universally acclaimed new album New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh, comes the week after Badu blesses the Brixton Academy with a sold-out one-off UK date on Saturday July 24. The new album is the Dallas native’s follow-up to her equally critically acclaimed 2008 album, New Amerykah, Part I: 4th World War. In contrast to New Amerykah, Part I: 4th World War, which was digitally produced and political in tone, New Amerykah Part II: Return of the Ankh features lush live instrumentation and taps into Badu’s emotional side by thematically focusing on romance and relationships. “ With Part I, I was standing at an apex, looking at what was going on around me politically, socially, and ec...

Grammy award winning, 15 million album selling, singer-songwriter Macy Gray, one of the most unique and original artists to emerge in recent times.  Macy, whose eagerly awaited new album " The Sellout " is out now performed recently at " Live from Leicester Square ". Macy's fans had the unique opportunity to see this global star up close at one of London's most intimate music venues. Macy's new single, " Lately ", which she recently performed live on Later With Jools, was released on June 14th through Concord Records/Island Records. " The Sellout " features 12 new songs and was co-written and executive produced by Gray in Los Angeles throughout 2009. Collaborators include Bobby Brown, The Bodyrockers' Kaz James and Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum formerly of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver . " The Sellout " tells the story of how I found my salvation in just being myself instead of who other people thought I s...