Blog: XO's Middle Eight

Today Marina And The Diamonds takes a big leap forward. Radioactive is her "sell out" moment, or so she intimated in a blog post awhile back. But it isn't. Yes, it's totally In The Now, or maybe even the recent past, as if she did a mashup with Rihanna . But she has not gone Ibiza disco - that's a ruse. The message of the lyric is pure Marina, who has long been obsessed with all things American, including [...]

So beautiful, the video below. Watch it all the way through. It's for one of the finest songs, Holocene , on Bon Iver's new album. I like how this manages to convey the grandness of nature and man at the same time. …and at once I knew I was not magnificent hulled far from the highway aisle [...]

Bjork's new album, Biophilia . STUNNING. * *This is a Chaka Khan joke-free zone

Today is The Queen's 53rd birthday. Rather than a feeble attempt at celebration here, this year you need to read Adem's Happy Birthday Madonna post, filled with quotes and videos. A choice example: If I was a girl again, I would like to be like my fans, I would like to be like Madonna. Message to the lady: Bring your A-game in 2012. Nothing less.

10+1 Thoughts on Lucky Day by The Nicola (Roberts) 1. The song is already in the pantheon for its kissing sequence (0:27) "mwah mwah mwah mwah!" 2. Is that a wig? 3. I suspect this will be the album's Big Pop Moment. It's a Dragonette track, for godssake. 4. Hiring dancers to work for FIVE seconds, starting at 1:24 [...]

By Hedi Slimane . More photos here . Amazing.

Alpines Cocoon I am rendered mute by this song. Holy fuck. Alpines : Soundcloud | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Live

I am trying out tumblr, purely for posting images I like that seem too random to devote to a blog post. One of the first is this gorgeous vinyl single cover from Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy (later of The Lilac Time ). They don't make them like this anymore. Now, album art - what singles? - is dominated by headshots that will look good on a tiny iPhone. kicky&fresh::the xolondon tumblr I've been [...]

Not much happens in this video: Laura Marling* in a cathedral. But the song is strong enough to carry it. Really, the whole video hinges on the way she spits the lyrics through gritted teeth. She stands before the maker, stares up and delivers this takeaway: "Where I've been lately is no concern of yours." I am seeing Laura this September in a synagogue , but the UK fans can practically recreated this video by seeing her [...]

Bright Light Bright Light's new - and perhaps finest - single, Disco Moment , is out now. As I said in June, this is " galloping discopop" with a ribbon of sadness running through it. Oh, you seem to change your mind in a heartbeat, But still you try to keep your arms somewhere around me [...]

He holds me in his big arms Drunk and I am seeing stars This is all I think of Watching all our friends fall In and out of Old Paul's This is my idea of fun Playing video games Lana Del Rey - Video Games

• Lana Del Rey - Video Games

In word association, when you say Andy Bell , I say Easter Vagina With Butterflies. Right? It's pretty. It looks sweet. But would you eat it? Lips like sugar indeed. Meanwhile, Chartrigger says the album is "light years better" than the last one. Where In The World Is Leslie Feist ? Up a tree? Natch. One wonders [...]

Sarah Nixey's album kind of slipped out of pinging range earlier this summer. Perhaps because, to my ears, it's really autumnal. It's a record for cold, grey Saturdays in October. Or rainy nights in. Or maybe the discolettes only notice shiny pop baubles in 2011. Whatever, this album, Brave Tin Soldiers, is worth going back to as the days become shorter and cooler. Frost As Midnight is literally wintry... the English do that so well. Other standout tracks worth your shillings are the [...]

• Microfilm - The Homecoming (Microfilm remix)

This is not a drill! If you have access to Amazon UK, you can now download a FREE, non-album track from Will Young. The Way That I See is a discotastic throw-down with a shimmering 30 second bridge that's far more elegant than the rest of the Pascal Gabriel- penned track. Download The Way That I See now (UK only) If that [...]

In a cosmic twist, it happens that exactly one year to the day after I fell in love with Judie Tzuke's gorgeous song If (When You Go) , I crush hard on her new single, Solid Shoulders. If you are prone to high drama, walking around with massive strings orchestrating your every move, then this song is a tonic - or a catalyst - for you. Released with The Goodes (but all Judie [...]

• BigMoon - Solid Shoulders - The Goodes ft Judie Tzuke

Every once in awhile Gaga removes the slime and meat and spikes and actually works a good look. This is one. Blond Shelley Duvall + 1975 Anjelica Houston + some hot bodyguard she should straddle = Success.

Will Young is going ALL OUT to sell his new single, Jealousy from the forthcumming album Nipples! Bulge! Leotard! Echoes. For more preview shots from the new video, check Digital Spy. Video out momentarily. Thanks to Paul for the alert!

The new Laura Marling single, Sophia . Starts as simple, measured folk and becomes something quite beyond that. Soaring!

That image above was supposed to move . Bizzotch was supposed to be waving her hands in the air like she just don't care. And then she froze up. Little bits: Cute video of Beth Ditto losing her shit when she met George Michael last weekend at Lovebox in London. Two blazing Adele remixes at [...]

It is only 5 months until Christmas. Just sayin'