by Paul V.

Singled Out

Robyn “With Every Heartbeat” (Interscope)

Sweden’s latest export is bound for hugeness—finally—here in the states, and her latest single (written with Andreas Kleerup of the Teddybears) is one of the most beautifully melodic and poignant dance tracks you’re likely to hear all year. Her full CD drops on April 15.

The Ones - The Ones (ATOC)

You most likely know the Ones by osmosis: “Flawless,” their 2004 breakthrough single, was appropriated by George Michael, and it’s currently the theme song to Bravo TV’s Make Me A Supermodel. And from the label and producers who first brought you Scissor Sisters comes this supercalifagalicous debut from the NYC trio who flaunt and snap and pose like, well, no other. The kids consist of vocalists Paul Alexander, JoJo Americo and Nashom (who met while working at the Patricia Field boutique), each touting a background in performing, DJing and being stylists within the underground club and fashion scene. And on their surprisingly good debut, they do their best to conjure what used to be: retro dance floors packed with the gay and the straight, the fashionable and the fearless—where you could shake it to Sylvester, the Thompson Twins and Dee-Lite in the same hour. While their vocals mainly consist of chants and rants about fabulousness, partying, dancing and looking fierce, it is the Ones’ knack for delivering those ultra-delicious grooves that anchors the disc. That’s not to say there aren’t a few memorable hooks or melodies, because lead tracks like “Ultramodern” and the reggae-tinged “I Feel Upside Down” manage to stick inside your head after they bump your hips. They might not be “just like perfection” or without flaws, but the Ones manage to craft an uplifting, entertaining and empowering collection with queer glitter speckled all over it.

Bob Mould - District Line (Anti)

It might’ve taken him 40 years to finally come out, but Bob Mould (formerly of Husker Du and Sugar) seems quite happy in the gay Doc Martens on his feet now. And with some of that peace comes a less acerbic, more content man who isn’t afraid of a few “he/him” pronouns in the lyrics now. One listen to the pleading “Who Needs to Dream?” affirms that with this phrasing: “The shape shifting, weightlifting/Hope the presentation will catch his eye/And it did, and then he saw the string/He grabbed it and leads you on your leash.” Here, Mould’s traditional layers of guitar are ever present, and he’s paired up again with Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty and fellow DC queer Richard Morel on bass. The record opens with the driving “Stupid Now,” which is classic, Sugar-esque Mould (similarly on “The Silence Between Us”), while a few tunes later, he gets acoustic and heartfelt on “Again and Again.” On “Shelter Me,” the disc’s most different moment, he’s in full-on electro mode. The good news is that all of this feels incredibly cohesive—rather than like the work of four separate Bobs. He’s got a firm grasp of each of his personae, and he’s as ferocious and passionate as he’s ever been. And the man sure—still—knows his way around writing some amazingly good hooks, assuring us he’s not ready to mellow out just yet.

Junkie XL - Booming Back At You (Nettwerk)

Always at the cutting edge of club land, producer/remix guru Junkie XL manages to blend old-school techno with ultra-futuristic electro shaking beats that raise the temperatures on any dance floor. His fifth proper CD is all over the stylistic map and features some excellent collaborators on vocals. Most ears will probably prick up immediately for his cover of Siouxsie & the Banshees’ “Cities in Dust,” featuring the sandpaper vocals of L.A.’s Lauren Rocket. JXL transforms the shadow-dance goth of the original into a frenetic tornado of whizzing, relentless synthetic beats. Rocket also appears on two other tracks: First single “More” offers the explicit solution to global warming and political strife, which is “f*cking more,” and on “No Way,” twee 8-bit blips and bleeps provide the soundtrack for Rocket’s Gwen Stefani-goes-electroclash musings. He then enlists Electrocute to handle the vox on the sultry and melodic “Mad Pursuit,” which has a lazy shuffle beat and glamtastic sheen a la Goldfrapp. But the heat in the room gets turned way back up on the sinister “1967 Poem,” which builds like volcanic lava and spews out bang-ass beats and some scorching profanity from DJ Steve Aoki. Of the non-sung tracks, chunky joints like “You Make Me Feel So Good” and “Stratosphere” keep pulses racing and asses shaking. And that’s the point: Junkie XL makes no bones about crafting music strictly geared to get everyone dancing, including all those bored, fashion-damaged poseurs lurking in the shadows.

Check out DJ Paul V. spinning: Bootie L.A. the first Saturday monthly at Safari Sam’s and on various Fridays at Miss Kitty’s Parlour. Tune in to Indie 103.1 FM on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. for the “Smash Mix” and on Saturdays from midnight-3 a.m. for “Neon Noise.” For more info, visit myspace.com/smashmix.