Fergie
The Dutchesswww.Fergie.com
For those not in the know - Fergie is one of the four stellar singer-songwriter/rappers that make up the Black Eyed Peas. Produced by another other Peas, Will.I.Am, The Dutchess is the solo project Fergie put on hold while doing Grammy Award-winning accolades and traveling the world. We are the winners for the belated debut as the well polished and hip album covers a lot of soulful post-modern Americana urban territories from RnB grooves to diva ballads, hip-hop ‘til you don’t stop and punky rock turns. Some of my top picks include “Fergalicious” featuring Will.I.Am, “Clumsy,” “London Bridge,” “Pedestal,” “Voodoo Doll,” “Glamorous” featuring Ludacris and “Losing My Ground.”

Tinariwen
Amassakoulwww.Tribal-Union.com
Tribal nomads Tinariwen’s second release shares the bittersweet poetry of their people hidden in a coating of joyous celebration. Polyrhythmic and extra funky beats topped off with seductive harmonies and chant-like singing of the chorus coupled with bumping undertones weaves the poetry of the disappearing camel cultures of the Sahara desert. This is the original dance tribal music that is now being sacrificed and I’m thrilled they were able to record it. My picks: “Oualahila Ar Teninam,” “Amidinin,” “Ténéré Daféo Nikchan,” “Aldhechen Manin,” “Eh Massina Sintadoben,” “Alkhar Dessouf” and “Assoul.”

Patti LuPone
The Lady With The Torchwww.PattiLuPone.net
Torch songs are tear-jerky, hyper-dramas and/or melancholy slow-churn ballads about the joy of love and the longing and sorrow when your love is away or even gone forever. Broadway and concert legend Patti herself confesses “I think torch is short for torture since these songs are all about pain and sorrow, loss and loneliness.” She serves up a full volume of eclectic torch classics from Billy Barnes, Johnny Mercer, Truman Capote, George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter and plenty of others. My top picks: “The Man I Love,” “I Wanna Be Around,” “I’m Through With Love” and “My Buddy.”

MySpace Records
Volume 1www.SayAnythingMusic.com
Internet hook-ups and cruising, checking out musicians, bands, hotties and surfing profiles of everyone else is a pastime of a ton of youngsters of all ages on MySpace.com. Unique in that a newbie (and loads of veteran) bands freely upload music clips, videos and tour info so virtual unknowns can become cyber famous seemingly overnight. This compilation features 17 indie and garage releases all of whom, naturally, have MySpace profiles as do 60 million others including thousands of bands and DJs. My picks: AFI’s “Rabbits Are Roadkill on Rt. 37,” New Years Day’s “Ready, Aim, Misfire,” Say Anything’s “Every Man Has a Molly,” Fall Out Boy’s “Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner,” Hollywood Undead’s “No. 5,” The Summer Obsession’s “Melt the Sugar,” Plain White T’s’ “Take Me Away,” Copeland’s “Pin Your Wings” and Jupiter Sunrise’s “Arthur Nix.”

Ladytron
Witching Hourwww.Ladytron.com
Liverpool-based Ladytron spark synthpop magic with trippy electropunk and danceable cyber-garage rock. Harnessing vintage synthesizers and a glam doomsday aesthetic the quartet set off sonic waves of melancholy bliss calling forth the spirits of disco-past while drinking the spirits of present day dancefloor drinky-poos. My picks: “High Rise,” “Destroy Everything You Touch,” “Soft Power,” “amTV,” “The Last One Standing” and “Weekend.”

Chantal Chamandy
Love Needs Youwww.ChantalChamandy.com
Born in Egypt, Canadian singer/songwriter Chantal Chamandy grew up with international influences including her Lebanese mother and Greek-Egyptian father flavoring her musical tastes to include mid-Eastern and multifaceted influences including her operatic training. In short, she’s a savvy international diva in the making serving up an exotic and sensual fusion of international flavors perfect for seducing anyone to the dance. My picks: “You Want Me,” “More,” “Crazy,” “Take A Chance,” “Free” and “Forever.”

Persephone’s Bees
It’s A Nice Daywww.PersephonesBees.com
Russian-born singer-songwriter Angelica Moysov grew up with Russian folk, Gypsy, punk, new wave and imported American and British music swirling through her childhood. Combining wonder-twin powers with guitarist Tom Ayres and Bay Area rock veterans the resulting band featuring Angelica and her quirky songs swing out with catchy lyrics and fuzzy guitars for sheer pop bliss. Look out for a pile of remixes of this breakout single to entrance you to the dancefloor.

Bay Area Funk 2www.UbiquityRecords.com
Luv N’Haights records does it again! For their 50th release they dug deep into San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland soul and funk recordings from decades ago to unearth retro soulsters and funky compositions from the vibrant underground of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Think Latin, rock and blues-tinged pimp and hustler music. My picks: Mary Love’s “Born To Live With Heartache,” Project Soul’s “Ebony,” Sugar Pie DeSanto’s “Straighten It Out With Yo Man,” The Ray Camacho Band’s “Si Se Puede” and Mike Selesia’s “Brute Strength.”

Ane Brun
A Temporary Divewww.AneBrun.com
Scandinavian divette singer-songwriter evokes a Judy Collins/Joni Mitchell hybrid feel with lilting dancing lyrics and tiered storylines weaving in from left field then disappearing like steam from a stopped railcar. Dubbed neo-folk by some and simply enchanting by others she has been filling venues through Europe and now launches this, her second release. My picks: “To Let Myself Go,” “Song No. 6,” “Balloon Ranger,” “My Lover Will Go” and “This Voice.”

Desert Dwellers
DownTemple Dub // Waveswww.DesertDwellers.org
Pushing the boundaries of yoga-friendly music into new dubby down-tempo soundscapes is the eclectic collective of producers and artists known as Desert Dwellers. On their first full-length album inner travelers will soar on exotic ambient techno-tribal beats utilizing traditional instruments married to modern technologies. My picks: “Om Namo Bhagavate,” “Misty Mountain,” “Solar Prayers” and “Bhodi Mandala.”

KT Tunstall
Eye to The Telescopewww.KTTunstall.com
Gutsy and sultry Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall whips out a dozen winners on her debut Eye to The Telescope. With searing lyrics and a direct poppy approach she leaps from cut to cut making each sound distinctively grown as it’s own hit while slipping in great music and sly sensibilities. The whole come off as “best of” which is surprising as this is her first album. My picks: “Other Side Of The World,” “Another Place To Fall,” “Under The Weather,” “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and “Miniature Disasters.”

Erase Errata
Nightlifewww.KillRockStars.com
Unhinged at the amp Erase Errata whips out the funky punky attitude adjustment paddle on their third release Nightlife, burning the house with scorching screedy guitars, big ideas and chick lit punked rhythms. Expect assaultive humor poetically throwing down against consumerism, war, poverty, political and corporate welfare and love. My picks: “Hotel Suicide,” “Tax Dollar,” “Rider,” and “Giant Hans.”

MSTRKRFT
The Lookswww.Mstrkrft.com
Toronto-based producing and remixing duo Jesse Keeler and Al-P debut their retro and electroclash in an unholy alliance to add anarchy to dancefloors as MSTRKRFT. Think disco robots mating for keeps. My picks: “Work On You,” “The Looks” and “She’s Good For.”

Colette & DJ Heather
House Of OMwww.Om-Records.com
House of Om’s deep-dish house label breaks ground with two divas on the DJ decks, Colette and DJ Heather. Colette’s wispy and graceful voice background lends to a progressive vocals mix – my picks: “Man In The House (Lance Desardi Mix w/Colette Vocals),” “No Problem (Piano Mix w/Colette Vocals),” “Dmttyo (Smitty & Coco Remix)” and “Feelin Hypnotized (Blackliquid Remix).” DJ Heather serves up gritty, nasty and soulful house grooves to churn butter with – my picks: Inland Knights’ “No Stoppin,” Trademarq’s “Orange Julius,” Tracey Cooper’s “Uptown” and Brett Johnson & DJ Heather’s “Everything’s Electric.”

Cibelle
The Shine Of Dried Electric Leaveswww.SixDegreesRecords.com
London-based, Sao Paulo-raised wispy chanteuse Cibelle floats above ambient chilled lovelies to woo any monsters into lullaby land and sooth all savage beasts. Think missing link connecting Joni Mitchell to Bjork. My picks: “Phoenix,” “City People,” “Minha Neguinha,” “Mad Man Song,” “Arrête Là, Menina” and “Esplendor (Refreshed).”

Cheb I Sabbah
La Ghriba: La Kahena Remixedwww.SixDegreesRecords.com
In the North African country of Algeria, DJ and producer Sabbah was born and undoubtedly influenced by the international trade and creative arts current flowing through the region. Remix nirvana is found and nurtured on Cheb I Sabbah’s La Ghriba: La Kahena Remixed as he enlists eleven remixers to reinvent his global electronica trance and dance songs into club-friendly hip shakers transcending every room in the house. My top picks: “Sadats: Les Filles de Marrakech Remix,” “Alkher Illa Doffor: The Nectar Remix,” “Esh ‘Dani, Alash Mshit: The Rai of Light Club Remix,” “Sadats: The Sufi Sonic Remix” and “Toura Toura: The Medina Remix.”

Chus & Ceballos
Back 2 Backwww.Stereo-Productions.com
Spanish DJing duo Chus & Ceballos (Chus Esteban and J. Pablo Ceballos) deliver modern house dubbed “Iberican” which I’m guessing is the eclectic and lush Ibiza chilled shake and bake grooves combined with post-modern tech touches and American studio producer caressing. This 2CD mixed compilation lets each DJ loose and provides a well rounded house tour visiting every bedroom on the way. My picks: Luca Ricci’s “Musica vs El Dinero” featuring Monica Hernandez, Anton Fielding & Tiny Sticks’s “Afro Punk’d,” Richie Santana’s “After Hours,” Moth’s “Himalaya,” Mad8 vs. Shawn Christopher’s “Deep Sleepless Night (Andrea Doria mix),” DJ Chus’ “World Routes (London 909 remix),” Little Green Men’s “Through With You (Chus & Ceballos remix)” and Angel Lopez’s “The First Rebirth.”