Erasure
“The Violet Flame”
Mute
Erasure sticks to the familiar and well-executed synthpop groove that has served the duo so well over the years. And while they aren’t cranking out anything pushing at the boundaries of the genre (and really, who is expecting them to?), they are delivering some crazy-good grooves that get their faithful fans in dance mode.
Bouncy and fun tracks like “Promises,” “Sacred,” “Stayed A Little Late Tonight” and “Elevation” can easily hold their own against any of the group’s biggest pop hits. And Erasure still does stark and moody tracks like few can, creating the perfect soundscapes for Andy Bell’s distinctive voice on tracks like “Be The One” and on darker tracks like “Smoke and Mirrors.”
If you are looking to set the mood for an upbeat but laidback evening and maybe inspire some dancing, “The Violet Flame” will definitely light that fire.
Gorgon City
“Sirens”
Priority/Capitol Records
Are all the best dance-pop duos from other countries?
Entering the fray with the first full album is Gorgon City, a U.K. production duo serving up a blend of house, electronic and dance music that isn’t yet ready to lock horns with the likes of Chromeo or Daft Punk, but is still solid enough to merit us sitting up and taking notice.
Like many of their overseas contemporaries, this duo knows the value of keeping it simple and catchy. If you are looking for hyper-kinetic, aggressive dance music to rigorously dry hump to on the dance floor, this isn’t your designer bag. They stick to the basics: a good beat, solid vocal talent and classy tastes in electronic grooves.
Danceable stars show up to lend their talents, like Jennifer Hudson on the pulsating “Go All Night” and Katy B giving a sultry sheen to “Lover Like You.” Male singers give the songs a smoldering flair, like “FTPA” with Swedish singer Erik Hassle and R&B swagger on “Unmissable” featuring Zak Abel.
There isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking on “Sirens,” unless a remarkable sense of restraint and songwriting efficiency count for something these days.
If you want to rock the party in style, take a trip to Gorgon City.
Jennifer Hudson
“JHUD”
Arista Records
Jennifer Hudson continues to masterfully straddle the line between the classic R&B diva and the slick modern pop star on her latest album, “JHUD,” which seems to have its feet firmly planted in both 1979 and 2014.
Catering to the fan base she snagged in her award-winning turn in “Dreamgirls,” Hudson delivers some impressive disco songs (most of which, unsurprisingly enough, are penned by Pharrel Williams) on solid and confident tracks like “It’s Your World,” “I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel)” and “He Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere.” Guest appearances by R. Kelly (why are people still collaborating with this guy?), T.I. and Iggy Azalea come across as superfluous on those tracks and almost ruin the throwback feel of those songs. When you have a voice like Hudson’s, you don’t have to have rappers and pop starlets stomping their way through the breakdowns on your songs.
Elsewhere, Hudson tried to keep pace with her slickly produced electro-pop peers. “Dangerous,” with its four-on-the-floor sassiness and synth-heavy delivery, could have been a Rihanna song. “Walk It Out,” with its choppy kinetic rhythm, seems to be competing with the empowered R&B grooves of Beyonce. “I Still Love You” is a straight-up club banger that sounds like it has already been remixed.
To be honest, you could pair up Hudson with a gypsy polka band and she’ll blow the doors off the place. Yeah, she can float against any of the pop divas out there, but there’s something about the more-analog-sounding songs that fit Hudson’s voice like a badass leather coat.
Still, “JHUD” shines brightest when the modern and the classic tones collide. “Just the Type of Girl” and “Bring Back the Music” are breezy and organic, containing some of the most fun and effortless-sounding moments on the album.
At this point in the game, we know Jennifer Hudson can do whatever she puts her mind to. Once she sheds the gimmicky guest stars, she’ll be an even-more formidable musical force to reckon with.