PLAY IT FOR THE BOYS-DontstopthePop's '08 boys!

You might have never heard of these boys, some you will have...you will in the future. Dontstopthepop regularly features female popstars. Alas, today its about the boys and three singers in particular who aren't merely cut above the rest but slash, stomp and soar up and over their rivals. The three of them are Don't Stop the Pop's ones to watch out for 2008. The following months will be theres. Their music on their myspace player reveals something very unique and record labels large or small must sign them immediately. Two of the boys are very much out of Dont Stop The Pop's comfort zone: namely the region of hip hop but they are absolutely amazing and must be heard! These boys will be huge by the end of 2009, hopefully picking up Brit Awards, Swedish Grammys and appearing in movies.....lets play it for the boys of 2008...

Master Shortie: Listen to Bringing' It Bk

Master Shortie is a brilliant artiste. He is just about to release his MixTape which is excellent cos the snippets on his myspace promise sound excellent. The boy is going to be global. Bringing together Neneh Cherry, the early days of hip hop and with some brilliant lyrics, his material so far has been absolutely glorious. The witty lyrics of the 1980's, the nod to the Thundercats and electro baselines get DSTP into a freaky-deeky-daze-craze. Some might say they've heard it all before but his boy is MUCH better than Kayne West! Bringing It Bk needs to be a single. Trinkets of superb lyrics like "Sweet-like soufflé" and "Pizza Hut and Root beer" trickles over the amazing synths on the track Ur Way.


The stories he tells reflects narratives to most kids born in the 1980s but lived in the 1990s in the United Kingdom. Master Shortie celebrates the hip hop of the 1980s and not of the 2000's. If you like your Betty Boo, Robyn, Neneh Cherry, Sam Sparro, and Verbalcious (now Verbz) you'll really like Master Shortie. Footnote: the boy is good mates with Verbz as you can see above (btw check out Verbz on M Pokora's new Cd!). The music is catchy, lyrics are fast, funny and loaded with exuberance: DontStopthepop predicts this boy's star will soar...as you can tell DSTP is a huge fan!

Lorentz: Listen to Stockholm Serenad

Such is the brilliance of the Lorentzs' version of rap/hip hop that despite the fact all his music is in Swedish it transcends the walls of language. Stockholm Serenad retraces the 1980's New Romantics, Duran Duran and Gary Newman while also being wonderfully brand new. Molding together the sounds of Christian Falk, The Knife, Swingfly and Neneh Cherry Lorentz challenges the status quo. Lorentz is the boy to knock out Teddybears from his position to become the king of Swedish hip-hop. Whether it be sampling Alice Deejay, or his excellent remix of Precis San Mode or his serenade to Stockholm the music of Lorentz is pioneering and out of the Other. He raps "biaaaaaaaaatch" like no other hip-hop boy I know.

Genre's are put aside, all attitude is removed and just surrender yourself to extremely catchy slicks. Precis San Mode is a deeply intimate electro hip hop track that outfunks Rick James. Fellow Swede Robyn has an amazing rival in the form of Lorentz. New beats, new sounds and just the right amount of beats per minute make Lorentz one to watch this year. Stockholm Serenad is a misty dance track that bounces into the 1980's, bumps into Culture Club and warps into 2008 dripping with a soundtrack that rejoices in pure creative jouissance. Lorentz is one talented boy...

Simon Curtis-Listen to Put Your Make-Up On

I discovered Simon through the one and only The Zapping site which has officially returned to blogworld through his FizzyPop so yay! Simon Curtis sings from the heart and about some very sensitive moments in a boys life. As such I relate. His music utilizes some amazing throbbing baselines (see Answer) with potent vocals leading his material to a great climax of tentative emotions that verge on completion. I love the fact that Simon refuses to go for the jugular. He teases with his first album Alter Boy. All of which makes Simon very much one to watch this year. It is the next couple of months that we shall hear much more of Simon. Call it a hunch. I dunno. I just think its his time now. According to Simon he is releasing Alter Boy with newly recorded material a bit like Robyn did when she had to re-release her album for her new UK fans (thanks Paul - Ed). So make sure to bookmark his myspace and keep your eye on Paul's FizzyPop which will have all the latest and exclusive information regarding Simon.