00s Europop

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Looking at Polish MTV on honeymoon it struck me that all of Europe is making the same sort of hook-y, synth-y, perhaps mildly r'n'b-inflencted pop music that the UK is making (and that I really enjoy) but of course most of it never gets near the UK charts. In some cases this is because it's rubbish but other times marketing and language barriers must be the problem.

So this is the thread where you tell me about some terrific European POP SINGLES of the last few years - catchy modern bubblegum please. (I'd be particularly interested to know if any of the Popstars/Pop Idol/Fame Academy style shows in any other countries have produced the odd good single - where oh where is the Latvian "No Good Advice"?)

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 09:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Finland had "Popstars" for over a year ago, but the resulting band is playing afwul pop-rock shite. Jonna, a Popstars finalist who didn't quite make it has released pretty decent r'n'b tracks produced by the Finnish rap maestro Elastinen. I'm pretty sure you can download her records somewhere in the InterWeb, but I'm not sure how it's done.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:00 (twenty-two years ago)

But if you want to hear really cheesy, synth-y Finnish dance pop, you should check out Nylon Beat.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't understand why the Nena/Kim Wilde single isn't having the German bits translated to English and given a worldwide release. It's great.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:28 (twenty-two years ago)

In the Netherlands, "Idols" was last and this years TV-hit programme. Jamai, the winner with a wannabe Elton John aura, has since produced one big hit-single, "Step Right Up", a throwaway song with is more "Eurovision songcontest" material than good Europop. Yuck.

Three other finalists are also still "active" in the charts.

Jim, a 16 year old with good looks but a very very flat, deep voice. With shite songs to boot. Little girls love him.

Hind, a girl who was not afraid to show her Moroccan roots during the show, but unfortunately her output after the programme is MOR r'n'b stuff.

And there's Dewi, the most talented girl with good Popstar-looks, has recently released her first single. It's nice, not bad. I think she will be the one with stamina, she has the best 'potential', if that means anything.

(sorry, but I think the links are in Dutch only... but it'll give you an idea of the "idols")

― willem (willem), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:38 (twenty-two years ago)

with is more = which is more... obv.

― willem (willem), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh and Tom, there may not be a Latvian No Good Advice, but the Norwegian No Good Advice is "Here We Go" by Lene Nystrom. The swooshy noise over the end of NGA is used on this, though not to as good effect.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:32 (twenty-two years ago)

The Norwegian "popstars" singles are actually pretty decent. Particularly winner Kurt Nilssen who had the biggest hit of the summer here with a cover of Tal Bachman's "She's So High", and the more rock oriented music of 3. position David Pedersen.

Runnerup Gaute Ormåsen's attempts are quite throwaway though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Teenage Superstar by Kim Lian - not a Dutch No Good Advice as such, more a Dutch 21st Century Girls.

Sita - Dutch ex-idols/fame-academy contestant. Especially Happy & Hello were great singles. Pop in a somewhat more 'mature' way (like Lene Marlin and such ie there are some strummed acoustic guitars). She's rumoured to have recorded a version of Bizarre Love Triangle but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

K3 - the ultimate in Belgian toddler-pop. So sugary and 'pop' it makes your teeth hurt.

Kitty & The K - apparently Kitty used to be in the Swedish version of Big Brother and now does electro-y/riot grrl-y pop.

― (jg) ((jg)), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Junior Eurovision! I thought it was grate! I liked most of the entries (you must bear in mind that I'm a big St Etienne fan). Paul Richards to thread, I think...

― Jez (Jez), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I missed Junior Eurovision and I'm not too sad about it. Kids singing songs I generally don't mind - kids performing makes me irritated or queasy depending where on the uh 'Minipops Scale' they're pitched.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Alizee - "Moi....Lolita"

The only fathomable reason I can think of that this wasn't a garganyu-hit over here was tht it was in French, but then even people who have trouble with English could work out the title.

― Nick H, Tuesday, 18 November 2003 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

There is particularly one positive thing about Junior Eurovision when compared to Popstars and the "real" Eurovision.

The kids are actually required to write the songs they are performing. It is the only music competition I know where the rule is that only singer/songwriters are allowed in.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 15:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I can never find any Lene Nystrom MP3s and considering the magnificent "It's Your Duty" never got a UK release I doubt any of her other stuff will either :(

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

"It's Your Duty" was the only Lene Nystrom song to come up on SoulSeek, no sign of "Here We Go". "IYD" is pretty cool though.

― Nick H, Tuesday, 18 November 2003 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Milky - Just the Way You Are

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 18:37 (twenty-two years ago)

That Kim Liam song is ace, cheers (jg)

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

"It's Your Duty" is terribly uncool.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 20:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, cool Europop, what a great idea that would be!

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Can anyone with a knowledge of Polish pop help me, I saw this one artist with a name like Kaszia Klach or something, kinda scuzzed up trip-pop this Janauary, went to her webpage,loved everything else she did, and then promptly forgot her name or the name of any of her songs. Anyone got an idea?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 20:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Europop (particularly from continental Europe) is of course generally uncool anyway, and has been since the beginning of time. The best music comes from the UK.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Aw, Geir, you're making us blush.

Anyway I meant "cool" as in I liked it and was professing my liking in hip youth-speak, daddio.

― Nick H, Tuesday, 18 November 2003 21:43 (twenty-two years ago)

That Sita song "Hello" is magnificent. It's like Hilary Duff and Avril Lavigne were merged, made singer of a duff indie band and brought their cheesiest cheesy keyboards with!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 00:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Remember that group who were going to cover Whole Again and Just A Little and make them US hits? Someone should do that for lost Europop classics and make a fortune in the UK. Kylie did "On A Night Like This" - which was done by Pandora (and maybe someone else) earlier, and it was rubbish but a big hit. TATU have shown it can be done, so if you're reading this, Pete Waterman, I'll take 25%. Thanks.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 00:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Dom - that's Kasia Klich. Her greatest hit, and the best tune is "Lepszy Model" - great charleston-R&B, tho she's no match for Lina. Other stuff of hers I've heard didn't leave much of an impression (there's also a nice chilly Dr.Dre-ish track, i think it's "Moze zrobnie wlasnie tak").

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 01:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Mind Taker- you're a star.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 01:41 (twenty-two years ago)

"Lepszy Model"... that's exactly the tune I was looking for.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 01:42 (twenty-two years ago)

oi Tom, saw you biggin' up A*Teens at nylpm. have you heard anything else other than "Upside Down"? The ABBA covers debut ain't spectacular (still, that Ace Of Base-riddimized version of "One Of Us" is utterly sublime), but the last two albums are great! If you haven't got em, try downloading "Halfway Round The World" and "Closer To Perfection" (A*Teens do electroclash! And it's the most fantastic thing ever!).

Germany's Pop Idol scene has provided at least one essential gem: No Angels' "Still In Love With You", lovely breezy mediterranean ballad. Less essential, but still very good: Jeanette's stadium rockout "Right Now".

anyone up for a german 00s pop balladry s/d, heh heh?
DESTROY, AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE: anything by Xavier Naidoo!!! (yes, including that piece of crap he did with RZA)
SEARCH: ... uh, can't remember much at the moment. this year's stuff? i guess i kinda like Yvonne Catterfeld's "Fur Dich", maybe it's just because of the beautiful fairytale kitsch of the video, i don't know. and i kinda like Martin Kesici's "Angel In Berline" too.

huge "urban" homegrown pan-european hits, probably of German origin, that probably won't make it elsewhere but were ubiquitous this year:
Outlandish - Aicha (sensitive guy-R&B a la Craig David, dead nice guitar, apparently a Khaled cover!)
One-T + Cool-T - The Magic Key (hip hop for kiddies. the video has been all over euro vid-channels all the time for, like, half a year! irritatingly sweet or endearingly cute, it's your shot.)

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 01:59 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry, meant to say Martin Kesici's "Angel OF Berlin"

also "irritatingly sweet" - should've read "irritatingly twee"

i'll maybe post more recommendations later.

Dom - have you heard anything by Lina? if you haven't and you like "Lepszy Model", you're in for a treat...

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:03 (twenty-two years ago)

If I have it's not stuck in my mind... I hop between Polish VIVA and the Italian 123 Hit Channel on foreign TV for my music video requirements, ever since Viva Zwei went down the pan (a black day for humanity).

Give me some song titles for her, I'll Kazaa them up.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I've put up Here We Go. I will remove it in 24 hours. (From the webspace, not from existence, fun-haters!). Stealing is wrong.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:15 (twenty-two years ago)

DESTROY, AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE: anything by Xavier Naidoo!!!

That's a bit harsh. Search : Seine Strassen.

Mind Taker OTM re: The Magic Key - twee as fuck but very catchy.

Destroy : We Have A Dream by Deutschland sucht den Superstar (=German Idols allstars) - possibly the worst pop song ever conceived.

Viva Zwei went down the pan (a black day for humanity)

OTM. The Fast Forward programme on Viva is as good as ever though.

― Herbstmute (Wintermute), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:29 (twenty-two years ago)

They changed the Satellite they use, though, so I'd have to set my (parents') satellite dish up to a different angle and all that malarkey to see Viva. Is Charlotte Roche still hosting FF?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Indeed she is.

― Herbstmute (Wintermute), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:31 (twenty-two years ago)

(rowr etc.)

― Herbstmute (Wintermute), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Dom - Lina is an american R&B chanteuse who made what is probably my fave R&B album ever - trip-hoppy, jazzy, but much better than it looks on paper - it ain't in the neo-soul camp, and it ain't the jiggy beyonce bling either. Her debut album (and perhaps the only one there'll ever be, sigh) "Stranger On Earth" was a major flop - were it not for The Face's review and later Tim Finney's pimpin, I probably would have never even heard of her. A neo-soul lovin' acquaintance of mine once complained: "She can't decide if she wants to be Erykah Badu or Destiny's Child!". And she really isn't either - but something else, strange, unique, wonderful, groovy, hooks-a-plenty, so consummate.

Download suggestions: "Waiting", "Watch Your Mouth (Baby Blue)", "Step Up", "3rd Finger Left Hand", "Playa No Mo", "Too Good", "Don't Say Nothin'"... well, basically everything except the godawful "God Loves Me".

sorry people for derailing the thread with this all this US-related talk! on with the euro...

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Outlandish - Aicha (sensitive guy-R&B a la Craig David, dead nice guitar, apparently a Khaled cover!)

This sounds like a cover of Offspring - Self Esteem without the chorus to me.

― man, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:35 (twenty-two years ago)

(rowr indeed, Herbie. Each year I fill in the FHM "World's Hundred Sexiest Women" form with her name at #1, safe in the knowledge that no other bugger in Britain knows who she is)

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:35 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.slow-backward.de/Gallerie/Profi__Seite_1_/Profi__Seite_2_/Charly_-_bw_11.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I hear the sound of a million satellite dishes creaking in unison.

― Herbstmute (Wintermute), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Is that what they're calling it nowadays?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 02:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Mind Taker - yeah I know "Sugar Rush" too which I like almost as much. I really want those albums now!

I have heard "The Magic Key" but am a bit scared of downloading it, I'll probably love it on MP3 though.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Outlandish is actually a Danish (albeit multi-ethnic) rap crew, they also had a quite decent hit with "Guantanamo", which is a Afro-Cuban flavoured rap track.

Finland also has a burgeoning rap scene, but it's mostly in Finnish. We even have our own kid rap star, he's called "Pikku G" ("Little G"), and he raps about how he digs his parents.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Mind Taker is smoking crack for hating Xavier Naidoo that much. His albums are overlong and pretentious, but his singles are cosistently brilliant. Not exactly sunshiny Euro-Pop, though.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 11:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I have the perfect candidate for you, Tom. I've been waiting for ages to have the chance to plug it on ILM:

"Musique" by Star Academy (you might find it denoted as 'Star Academy 2' as it was from the second TV series).

It's a cover of a 1970's France Gall song written by Michel Berger, so as you might expect it's a million miles away from the 00's Girls Aloud sound, but it's catchy as hell nonetheless and even tops France's own version.

― Jeff W (zebedee), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

France's Britney clone 'Lorie' is a bit of a favourite of mine,especially her singles 'Toute Seule'& 'Sur un air latino'(huge hit this summer in France)Also in the charts in France at the moment is French Affair's 'Comme Ci,Comme Ca' which has a nice early 80's electropop sound.Italy's Double Dee are also worth checking out,great eurodiscopop especially the singles 'You' & 'Shining'.'Just a Man's 'I'm Sorry' is also worth downloading from Kazaa,great eurodisco.Kate Ryan's 'Libertine' is also worth downloading.
Yes,Jez-watched Junior Eurovision,some great acts.Loved Malta's orchestral extravaganza.The whole thing had a great naive charm to it.

― Paul R (paul R), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 17:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course our latest crossover is CHIHUAUA, which if anything irritates me because I'm never sure if I'm spelling it right. I'd like it more if those irritating gits on the "subway" hadn't sung it in the Coke advert.

Tom please download Pikku G for club FT in honour of the wabbit.

― Sarah (starry), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I have already downloaded Pikku G naturally! "Shalala" - it was quite good!

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 17:11 (twenty-two years ago)

There, marvellous. Do words like "bling" and "shizzle" translate well to Finnish or does it all sound like Tove Jansson with beats?

― Sarah (starry), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Models' 'Ding a Dong' is another cheesy filterdisco eurofave of mine from last year.

― Paul R (paul R), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Check out Tick Tock by Klea Tom, I think there are alot of dance remixes but the version I heard alot last summer was excellent, europop I guess, with a great lyric. A bit Sugababes also.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

It sounds like bouncy pop-hop as you'd expect.

This thread has been k-helpful!

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

now that Paul's mentioned Italy, the time has come to bring in the supreme master of 00s italo-disco...

GIGI D'AGOSTINO!!!!!

Search: "Super (Un Deux Trois)" (stomping oriental madness!), "L'Amours Tojours" (try finding the 4/4 version, though the other one is good too), "La Passion"... his remix of Shakira's "Tango" is also great, and the Nik Kershaw cover ("The Riddle") is rather neat.

and lest we forget...

EIFFEL 65!!!!!

whose debut album was, after all, called "Europop"! But that's from '99 so it doesn't count. I picked up "Europop" and the followup "Contact!" from a bargain bin recently, and the latter has some totally fantastic tunes on it. I don't even know what the singles off the album were (it was such a flop that poor E65 have been reduced to singing in Italian just for their home market!), but I warmly recommend seeking out: "Losing You", "Back In Time", "Crazy", "Johnny Grey".

More '02/'03 italo-dance goodness:
Magic Box - If You (wistful contempo Italo-disco at its finest)
Moony - Dove (I'll Be Loving You) / Acrobats / Flying Away (classy handbag perfection. each subsequent single - slightly deminishing return, but still all good. If you haven't heard "Dove", go go go!)
Praise Cats - Shined On Me (piano-diva-house will never die!)

seems that italo-disco's currently on the wane, nowadays their music channels are full of rubbish italian rock bands :(

oh, and - if you're curious about Italy's greatest R&B superstar, try Tiziano Ferro's "Perdono Rosso". I don't like it, but maybe u will.

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Tom - if you're gonna pick up an A*Teens album, get "Teen Spirit" for starters. It's got "Upside Down" and "Sugar Rush" on it, and is quite consistent (even if suffers a bit from the "Deserters Songs" syndrome: the first three tracks, or at least tracks 1 & 3, overshadow everyhting that follows)

This year's "New Arrival" is patchy, but the excruciatingly naff cover of "School's Out" (w/ ol' Alice Copper!) is the only song I really don't like on it - the rest veers from okay to bloody awesome, and it will probably be in '03 my album top 5.

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks Mind Taker,enjoying the Magic Box track.Just downloading their 'For Your Love' too.Also checking out a couple of tracks from the new A Teens album.Have you heard any of the new S Club 8 album?I've heard a few loops so far,sound great-must get the album.

― Paul R (paul R), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

S Club 8 = S Club Juniors, right? i loved "Automatic High", but "Sundown" left me cold... and, while we're on the s club tip, the Rachel Stevens album disappointed me... but i'll definitely check the SC8 album out if i get the chance.

my faves on the last A*Teens album (the european edition; usa edition got released last year with different tracklisting and was called "Pop Til You Drop") - Closer To Perfection, Floorfiller, Cross My Heart, Have A Little Faith In Me

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 21:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Any opinions on the first Zoot Woman album? I loved the "Living In A Magazine" 12"... what i heard from the latest Zoot Woman record sounds rather sterile and lacks momentum.

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 21:16 (twenty-two years ago)

and now, for those most adventurous, some 00s Croatian pop tips!

Karma - Zavrti zivot
(like Alcatraz doing schafel, or something... with guitars!)
Colonia - Nevjera
(the biggest cro-dance outfit, heavily indebted to italo; this one's a typical hi-nrg banger with swirly arabic bits)
Sajeta - Kosulja plava
(warm glossy disco)
Ivana Brkic - Previse od mene trazis
(a cover of some old russian trance-pop hit, says a friend of a friend)
Vuco - Napijte me, napijte
(serbian folk smuggled to croatia via R&B & some francophonic touches)
Stampedo - Ljubav u Mehiku
(probably impossible to find via p2p, but worth giving it a search - sweet romantic mediterranean loungecore like you've never heard it before)

or just type "Vuco" into kazaa and pick randomly. he's the greatest madman of croatian pop scene, and also has a rock sideproject called Zivo Blato - or, in translation, Quicksand. Under that moniker he tried to crack the US market, and failed. If you want to know what he wanted to seduce the american rock public with, here ya go, right click:
http://www.vanbalona.com/CudesnoUho/Endless_Number.mp3
it's... crazy stuff. the amazingly bad english, the duelling guitar & accordion solos...c'mon, just download it already!

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 21:33 (twenty-two years ago)

and, a few killa Serbian gangsta femme turbofolk cuts:

Jelena Karleusa - Gili gili
Stoja - Neka pati sve nek plati

(i know most of you won't bother downloading most of my recommendations - but people, just this once, trust me. download the Jelena Karleusa tune, it is a-ma-zing!!!)

that'll be enuff for now, i'll restrain myself from monopolizing this thread any further!

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 21:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Europop is not rubbish, its what the world needs now. I personally recomend Alizee. "Moi Lolita" is a gem and her new album is not bad at all. How I wish the language wasn't an obstacle for foreign songs to be hits. I'd so much rather see Alizee on the spotlight than Britney or Christina Aguilera.

― daavid, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 22:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"Moi ... Lolita" did get to #9 in the UK - a rare non-English-language hit here.

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

metal mike saunders on tik n tak:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0247/saunders.php

metal mike saunders on the a*teens:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0123/saunders.php

barry walters on LOTS of '00s europop:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0302/walters.php

― chuck, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 23:38 (twenty-two years ago)

yay, that metal mike saunders review is one of the main reasons i purchased "teen spirit" in the first place!

― Mind Taker, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

A Britpop revival is what the world needs right now.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 20 November 2003 01:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I have already downloaded Pikku G naturally! "Shalala" - it was quite good!

Oh dear, now you've done it! No, actually I like "Shalala" as well. You won't understand the lyrics, but they're about how Pikku G's in love with 9th grade classmate, and the teacher is mad for him for not paying attention to the teaching, and his mom is mad for him because he tried to steal money from the piggy bank to take his love out (that's why there are those hig-pitched vocals on the track, it's the teacher and the mom). He's really kinda sweet, he probably doesn't even know what the "G" in his name stands for.

There, marvellous. Do words like "bling" and "shizzle" translate well to Finnish or does it all sound like Tove Jansson with beats?

There is indeed a Finnish rap slang. Some of the words are taken from the ordinary youth slang (which influenced by Swedish, English and Russian), some are modified straight from the US rap talk (for example, "wack" = "wäkki", "dope" = "douppi") and some are coined by the rappers themselves ("taaki", "pössis", "börsta", etc.).

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 20 November 2003 12:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Did "Moi...Lolita" really get to number 9? I thought it got lost in the depths of the top 40. Still, what a song. And Alizee is hella hott.

Edward o, please please please leave "Here We Go" up until at least tonight when I can get home and download it. I'm becoming rather addicted to "It's Your Duty" and I need another hit of Lene.

― Nick H, Thursday, 20 November 2003 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Nick, are you on Soulseek?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 20 November 2003 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, but my supposed broadband is being very slow at the moment and won't connect me to Soulseek.

― Nick H, Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay. I've put it back up, coz you asked so nicely and because people who like "uncool" music deserve INSTANT GRATIFICATION. Enjoy.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Downloading as I type. Cheers Edward, if Europop is my god, you are surely my messiah.

― Nick H, Thursday, 20 November 2003 16:11 (twenty-two years ago)

No, Mind Taker is the messiah. Everything he has recommended has been utterly brilliant. That Endless Number thing is genius.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 20 November 2003 16:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Only I can't seem to find that Jelena Karleusa track.. but Soulseek throws up that she did a song with... Tarkan? This is the "Kiss Kiss" Tarkan, right? If so, it's got to be the greatest thing ever, and why must there by 639 people in the queue?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 20 November 2003 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Wahey, back on Soulseek. I'm "Nick H" if you're looking. I don't have a whole heep of Europop but there a few Alizee tracks I managed to get and a few others.

― Nick H, Thursday, 20 November 2003 16:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got "Gili Gili" now - very good and yes you can hear why she did a Tarkan team-up.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 20 November 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Nah, Nick, I was just going to suggest you could get Lene off me. I'm somekindofmiracle - actually I can't get your file list up.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 20 November 2003 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I was probably offline, sorry. Good name by the way, still haven't got the GA album but waiting with baited breath for the re-release next week.

― Nick H, Friday, 21 November 2003 00:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Would very much like to know more about some 95-99 Europop too, particularly the stuff that missed the charts, or missed me due to my ridiculous liking-unpop at the time. Everything between, say, "Saturday Night" and "Boom Boom Boom Boom!", chronologically.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 21 November 2003 02:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Hypothesis; "Boom Boom Boom Boom" by The Vengaboys is 33.3% better than "Boom Boom Boom" by The OutHere Brothers.

Discuss.

― Nick H, Friday, 21 November 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

To everyone who enjoyed my recommendations - i'm happy to serve. :) i'll check out all the singles mentioned on this thread that i haven't heard, when i go on my next downloading binge.

Edward - yes, Karleusa did her version of "Kiss Kiss" (as did some egyptian dude, and some greek dude, and that russian giant dude... then there's also the US version, Stella Soleil's Kiss Kiss, which isn't as sparkly productionwise as Holly's, but has a far superior vocal performance). I haven't heard it, but I think it's called "Dijamanti". She also covered Despina Vandi's "Gia".. or maybe it was the other way around, I'm not that great a turbofolk expert.

And then there's her absolutley fantastic cover of the gypsy classic "Oro osmoro" - pounding, fast and aggresive, totally bonkers, with typically headfuck time signatures. It's a must! Another great Karleusa tune: "Pazi se".

"yes you can hear why she did a Tarkan team-up."

Tom, you could say the same for most of Serbian mainstream artists! The kind of music Karleusa makes -“turbofolk”, basically the more modern, clubbier version of firmly Balkan and heavily arabic-influenced Serbian folk music (for an example of this, try Mitar Miric’s “Opasnica”) - is basically the default pop option in Serbia. And very popular in the whole ex-Yugoslavian and Balkan region.

You’ll be better off searching for this stuff on Kazaa than on Soulseek, though. Coz – if you’ll let me do some amateur-sociology generalizing for a moment – Soulseek is the domain of discerning middle class music geeks. And discerning ex-Yu middle class music geeks are not supposed to like turbofolk. Why this is so, I could write a book about. (it's a messy knot of many issues, mostly class and nation-based) I tried writing a short digest post about it, but i wrote tons of stuff and didn't even get halfway thru with all the points, so i backed off... for now. would you be interested in an article about it for Freaky Trigger, Tom?

(my fave Vengaboys tune is "Sha La La", btw)

― Mind Taker, Saturday, 22 November 2003 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

YES PLEASE MIND TAKER!!!

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Sunday, 23 November 2003 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)

That would be supa-cool, MT.

Where are the Vengaboys from? (I mean the producers, not the front-act.)

― Nick H, Sunday, 23 November 2003 23:57 (twenty-two years ago)

ok, I'll do it. in a few weeks or so. freakytrigger@hotmail.com is the address i should send it to, right?

― Mind Taker, Monday, 24 November 2003 10:38 (twenty-two years ago)

meanwhile, another one to check out:

Bertine Zetlitz - Girl Like You

downloaded this via Siegbran's recommendation. mad props to Siegbran!!! Bertine is from Norway, she did this song with Richard X, and it's pure electro-pop heaven.

― Mind Taker, Monday, 24 November 2003 10:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, freakytrigger at hotmail dot com - publication of articles is first of each month (or thereabouts) unless something like my getting married happens and interrupts everything.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Monday, 24 November 2003 10:43 (twenty-two years ago)

another suggestion: chipz (or rather ch!pz). turns out they've scored two number one hits here in the netherlands this year, but since mtv and (its locally grown cousin) tmf refuse to play their stuff, i seem to have missed them completely. NOT A GOOD THING! current hit Cowboy is an insanely catchy cross between the Cottoneye Joe and the A*Teens (to be honest, when I saw them perform on Dutch Top Of The Pops I thought it *was* the A-Teens. they look v.v. similar.)

― (jg) ((jg)), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Another electropop gem:

Roxane - Re-Arrange (Belgian)

― Siegbran (eofor), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Revive! I've been raiding the foreign chart sites looking for gems, and here are some I have been enjoying. Some are blatantly Europop, some of them are sort of hip-hop influenced.. yadda yadda..

Fintelligens - Vaan Sil On Väliä
Natalia - I've Just Begun To Fight
Nina & Kim - Om Du Stannar Hos Mig
Bosson - You Opened My Eyes (dead soundalike for DJ Sammy)
Buse - Love 2 Night
Da Buzz - Let Me Love You Tonight
Preluders - Losing My Religion (yes, THAT Losing My Religion)
Gomez & Dubois - Ronde De Nuit
Sarek - Solen Gimmar
Markoolio - Vilsie I Skogen
September - We Can Do It

But if you only download one, try to get Zsedényi Adrienn's Szeress Most - especially the dance mix. I think it's Hungarian, might be wrong about that, though. Anyway, it's utterly utterly fantastic. It's got absolutely everything I adore about Europop.

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 7 December 2003 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)

OH MY GOD I just downloaded the (second) Alizée album and it's actually perfect!

― The Lex (The Lex), Sunday, 7 December 2003 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I've been getting tracks here and there without regard to what album they're on - and yes, some of them are very very good indeed, but Moi Lolita is a teensy bit of a red herring. There are guitars!

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 7 December 2003 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

It IS perfect and it has made my december. I love you kids

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Sunday, 7 December 2003 15:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I just had the horrible idea you guys may actually like the Norwegian trance/dance act Dina...

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 7 December 2003 15:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Re. Ch!pz, they are the scariest sounding band ever. I got "Ch!pz In Black" which tells the tale of Ch!pz battling against evil aliens to a pounding Euro-club beat.

In other words, great.

― Nick H (Nick H), Sunday, 7 December 2003 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Alizee's "I'm Fed Up"/"J´en ai marre", at the start with the strings and all, sounds a bit like "Papa Don't Preach", doesn't it?

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 7 December 2003 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)

'J'ai Vingt Ans' is gorgeous

― Flex Kavannah (Ferg), Sunday, 7 December 2003 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Mind Taker, I'd love to read your article. I hope it gets posted.

As an American, I have to say I'm glad that American pop music hasn't completely dominated European music, even if it's influence is undeniable.

― Jeff Sumner (Jeff Sumner), Sunday, 7 December 2003 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Alizee's "I'm Fed Up"/"J´en ai marre", at the start with the strings and all, sounds a bit like "Papa Don't Preach", doesn't it?

That's EXACTLY what I thought when I heard it... also "Moi Lolita" isn't so much of a red herring for the first album, it's all frothily unfashionable synth-action on Gourmandises (though it is a red herring in that there are only three good songs on that album).

I don't know if anything on Mes Courants Électriques matches up to "Lolita" but "C'est Trop Tard" comes damn close.

Also - I've now heard that Lene Nystrom non-single. IT IS GENIUS. "He'll get a rise, you'll get a raise!" We should start a campaign for it to be released and, like, dominate 2004.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 8 December 2003 01:30 (twenty-two years ago)

J'ai Pas Vingt Ans, rathuh

― Flex Kavannah (Ferg), Monday, 8 December 2003 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

The Lex, haha, that "rise/raise" line was my favourite in the song too. It is utterly god-like. Surely it would generate at least a cult following if released in January or February.

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Tch. It's already got a cult following. We are the Lene cult. Did you like the whole album, Nick?

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)

THERE'S A WHOLE ALBUM?!?! Has it actually been released or anything?

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes. Discussion is on this thread.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:45 (twenty-two years ago)

It sounds wonderful! Slsk appears to be inexplicably down at the moment though.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I know, and I was right in the middle of getting this fantastic Hungarian single with a flute in it!

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)

God. When I finish this as-yet-unstarted essay, I'm going to treat myself to, like, everything mentioned on this thread. I was in the middle of the LAST Bubba Sparxxx song on his album, grrr.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Did you like the whole album, Nick?

Yep, pretty good. I don't really get your bagging of "Bad Coffee Day", I quite liked that one. And "It's Your Duty" is clearly miles better than "Virgin Superstar".

I'll post something on my blog about it sometime once I've given it another listen.

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 8 December 2003 16:49 (twenty-two years ago)

two months pass...

Revive, because this thread cannot die!

On subsequent listens to the Lene album I conclude it is a globe-crushing meisterwork of few equals. "It's Your Duty" is the best track, but "Pants Up" is pretty awesome. I think Tom mentioned it on NYLPM, but it really is the maturity (by which I mean adult nature) of the lyrics which gets me - "Just because I've got red hair, doesnt mean I'm red down there".

I've also decided that the A*Teens are missionarys sent from the perfect world we could have had to show us what we are missing out on. Do they have any faults, other than the fact they are not huge outside Scandanavia?

So it's been a couple of months - have people got any new recommendations? She was mentioned earlier, but Lorie's "Ensorcele" is like Alizee at Mardi Gras.

― Nick H (Nick H), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

More Europop pls.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Monday, 29 March 2004 11:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Some overlap from the Rolling 2004 thread and other places:

Pay TV - Trendy Discoteque
Autolove - Bulletproof Heart (both these first two were Swedish Eurovision contenders)
Sasa Tin & Kedzo - 365
K-System - Guardian Angel
Groovehouse - Ugy Szeress
Beryl - Je Te Suivrai
Kaksio - Ajattelen Sua
Hitch Hike - Travel Girl
David Guetta - Love Don't Let Me Go
Sweet Coffee - Holdin' On
Kate Ryan - Only If I
J-Five - Modern Times
Boosta Iconoclash - Rock 'n' Roll Robot
K3 - Hart Verloren

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 29 March 2004 11:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Way up-thread, someone was asking for the Latvian "No Good Advice". Will the Estonian "No Good Advice" do instead?

Club "Kung-Fu", by Vanilla Ninja.

They also have a track called "Toxic" (no relation) which is along similar lines.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Monday, 29 March 2004 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think you want to know much about Hungarian europop. The language makes every song absolutely weird. But hey, you can ask me anything.

― matulageci (matulageci), Monday, 29 March 2004 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Dig some Laith Al-Deen. Also "Guten Tag" by Wir Sind Helden, which is a lousy German indie-light band's very catchy shot at NDW.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Monday, 29 March 2004 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

K3 - Hart Verloren -> Translated into Heart Lost which obv is (not) really funny when you know that one of the girls (all three have a name which starts with the letter K) SEDUCED the married manager. *gasp* Knowing they need to project a virgin like image, this was a big THING in Belgium.

http://houbi.com/belpop/covers/k34.jpg

they are so silly, i quite like them.

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Monday, 29 March 2004 14:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I mentioned Spray on the Rolling Singles thread, but they are great. They've done a cover of "Run With Us" which was the end credits theme tune to The Racoons, but even better, look for "Child Of The 80s", which is a cutting critique of the 80s nostaligia we're in set to pounding Europop beat. No idea where they're from.

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 29 March 2004 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Spray used to be half of the Cuban Boys and their Living In Neon elpee is one of the greatest in the history of ever ever. They reside in Preston at the moment (apparently). The album only came out in US on Ninthwave records (in september 2002) but can be ordered from amazon.com and more info and general stuff-ness fdound at www.spraynet.co.uk

(I love Spray beyond all reason)

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Monday, 29 March 2004 19:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, Spray are good, props to Alex for turning me onto them, especially the last half of the album, which is amazing: "She's A Brainiac", "So Close" and "Leave It To The Girls, Boys" being some of the most amazing electropop ever.

Matulageci, tell me stuff about Hungarian pop. I love "Egyetlen Szo" by T.N.T. (the similiarity between it and "Talkin' All That Jazz" intrigues me too) and if there's anything else along those lines I want want want want.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 29 March 2004 22:29 (twenty-one years ago)

as one would expect, i'll second Sasa, Tin & Kedzo's "365" - it's the Croatian "No Good Advice"! ie a reality-TV-related single that's really good. sounds a bit bland at first, but is immensely catchy and improves with every listen.

other great recent Croatian pop singles:
Colonia - Plamen od ljubavi
Nina Badric - Takvi kao ti
Edo Maajka - Prikaze

it may not be strictly "europop", but since Turkey strives to be a part of EU, make sure you've heard Tarkan's awesome "Dudu".

truth be told, i haven't heard much devastatingly great europop recently... if you like Eiffel 65-style italo, go for Haiducii's "Dragostea Din Tei". nice slinky metallic R&B action from Italy: Giorgia's "La Gatta". maybe try Walkerman's "Listen To Mama", from last year. not totally sure it's european, but certainly sounds like it - has a Lou Bega feel, though it's nowhere near the godlike genius of "Mambo No.5".

since i can't recommend much new stuff - Tico, i dare you to download a few Yugoslavian 80s pop tunes! and i'd be very interested to hear what you thought of them:
Lepa Brena - Decko mi je skolarac
Lepa Brena - Disko urnebes
Lepa Brena - Zeravica
Bijelo dugme - Napile se ulice

― Mind Taker, Monday, 29 March 2004 22:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Edo Maajka - Prikaze

This is an amazing single, but definitely definitely also search "No Sikiriki" which may actually be even better. (Actually, it's currently on my blog.. and will be until Wednesday-ish)

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 00:50 (twenty-one years ago)

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