A song that sounds like it is from the 90's but is not - watch the new Alphabeat video now!

Alphabeat are a very electronic band and have thus far stayed with the imagery that befits such a group.  That all changes with the video for 'Heat Wave,' which shows the group backstage and performing in some sort of perhaps-misguided effort to paint them as a "proper band" in the vein of those knobbish boys with guitars that play festivals and are generally very crap.  It's still quite pretty though, and the guy who is clearly the hot one (you know exactly who we're talking about so stop pretending you don't) keeps getting hotter so we're fine with it.  Also, as live videos go, it's a pretty great way to approach it.  The effects and such are spot-on.

The song itself is....not their best, but somehow, coupled with the video treatment, the whole things just kind of works.  Which is super in theory but will quite obviously do nothing to save the floundering 'The Beat' album campaign.  With this run at the charts all but lost, look for some kind of either crap or very brilliant rebranding their next LP. 

The new Alphabeat video ticks all the boxes - watch 'DJ (I Could Be Dancing)' now!

Alphabeat are the current leaders in 90's dancefloor nostalgia.  While others are still toying around with 80's synth sounds and Dynasty shoulderpads, Alphabeat have pioneered the next logical step for pop.  Full on, 'Rick Dees and the Weekly Top Forty playing an Expose-dance-mix' 90's jams.  Amazing?  Amazing.

The video for their new single is equally as brilliant as their music manifesto, but in case you don't believe us here are some of the more important points:

1.  There are GIANT LP RECORDS in it that SPIN AS PEOPLE STAND ON THEM
2.  There is a lot of neon

That's really all you need to know going in, actually.



Out May 31, from the re-released/retitled "The Beat Is..." album.

Alphabeat make a 'Hole In My Heart' - watch the video now!

Alphabeat's BIG COMEBACK SONG 'The Spell' didn't really set the charts afire, despite being very very good, so prior to the launch of the full album (also called 'The Spell') they are releasing another single.  It is just as 90's-pop but less accessible and at first listen far less commercial than 'The Spell,' and truth be told screams "BAD SINGLE CHOICE" at a very loud volume.  But still, the guy is quite hot in the video and there are some pretty colors to keep us busy. 



The single is out the 22nd of February while the album hits on March 1

Chart Chat UK: Oct 25, 2009

The UK Top Five is quite diva-heavy this week, as we see a reality show contestant one-two punch at the top.  Alexandra Burke, the X-Factor winner, slides down to number two with her Flo Rida collaboration 'Bad Boys,' giving up the top slot to Popstars: The Rivals winner/X-Factor judge Cheryl Cole.  Cole's debut single, despite being rather divisive, was always going to make a big splash, and splash it does, with 290,000 copies sold - over 130,000 of those on its first day of release.  Thus it becomes the fastest selling single of 2009, and handily thrusts Cole into the 'Top Stars' bracket.  At 4 we have Robbie Williams, whose comeback has been described by the media as both an epic failure and a spectacular win.  In reality it's probably somewhere in the middle, but it must be encouraging to all involved that 'Bodies' didn't fall off the face of the earth after its debut last week.  The number 5 spot brings us to another artist whose comeback has been a bit questionable.  Whitney Houston, once one of the most bankable singers (and actresses) in the business, has fallen on some difficult times in recent years.  You might have heard about it.  If not, here's the short version:  Whitney married Bobby Brown, did some crack, stopped eating, divorced Bobby Brown, and may or may not have quit doing drugs.  In any case, her first official comeback single, 'Million Dollar Bill' hardly set the charts on fire out of the gate.  But a few weeks on and an AMAZING and shambolic X-Factor performance later, the song vaults up 9 spots to grab Whit's first UK top 5 since 2000.  The rest of the top 10 is pretty uneventful, with some minor shuffles of weeks-old tracks, save for the number 10 entry from Young Soul Rebels.  The not-unpleasant 'I Got Soul' isn't anything to write home about, but it's better than another Black Eyed Peas track isn't it.  The Saturdays continue their swift descent, down 6 to 14, just below Shakira who drops 5 down to 12.  17 and 20 see new entries this week, with Cobra Starship's 'Good Girls Go Bad' and Alphabeat's 'The Spell,' impacting the chart.  This is likely as far as both tracks will go, as each were fully released this week.  For Cobra Starship this is a great result, while Alphabeat has to be a bit disappointed with such a lowly position for their 2nd album's lead-off single.  Christina Aguilera's 'Hurt' enjoys another run at the top 40, re-entering at 25, thanks to its performance on X-Factor, and at 36 we find Lostprophets, whose 'It's Not The End of the World...' faceplants down a full 20 places.

The UK Top Ten:
1 - Cheryl Cole: Fight For This Love
2 - Alexandra Burke: Bad Boys
3 - Chipmunk: Oopsy Daisy
4 - Robbie Williams: Bodies
5 - Whitney Houston: Million Dollar Bill
6 - Taio Cruz: Break Your Heart
7 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
8 - Jay-Z: Empire State Of Mind
9 - Michael Buble: Haven't Met You Yet
10- Young Soul Rebels: I Got Soul

Alphabeat debut 'The Spell' video

ScopiSat is obsessed with Alphabeat's new single. It is retro and fun and has a melody and a chorus and 'it has a beat and you can dance to it.'



The video is.....well it is.

Alphabeat cast The Spell on us

Alphabeat always rubbed ScopiSat just a little the wrong way (delightful single 'Boyfriend' notwithstanding) but this new track just may change our minds. While everyone else is stuck doing 80's schtick (I'm looking at you, Ladyhawke), Alphabeat one-upped them all and decided to go 90's schtick. All it's missing is a Real McCoy-style rap in the middle eight and some repeat plays on 'Open House Party.'




The single is out soon, with album 'The Spell' to be released October 19 in the UK, both on the band's new label Polydor