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D(elicious) & G(orgeous) Debuts

March 8, 2011 0 Comments

Though Dolce & Gabbana is making plans to fold its D&G line, another D (Beth Ditto) and G (Ellie Goulding) are just getting going. Today, on International Women’s Day no less, these two ladies’ brilliant debuts were finally (finally!) released on iTunes and Amazon MP3 after weeks of waiting (just about 52 weeks, in Goulding’s case).

Frontwoman for indie outfit The Gossip, Beth Ditto has no plans to give up her job as one of music’s fiercest rockers. But on her debut solo EP, she’s taking the dancefloor by storm, moonlighting with the help of Simian Mobile Disco. (Read my earlier posts about their collaboration here and here.)

The self-titled EP serves up four tracks of delicious four-on-the-floor love. First single “I Wrote The Book” takes a page from the days when house music was clubland’s soundtrack, while Ditto’s video is inspired by early 90s Madonna, genuflecting to both “Justify My Love” and “Vogue.”

Purchase Beth Ditto – EP via iTunes, Amazon MP3.

British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding released Lights last March, but unless you sought out the import (me), a 4-track sampler released last September (An Introduction to Ellie Goulding) had to serve as your temporary point of entry to this new pop talent. (Read my previous posts here and here.)

But now it’s Lights on in the U.S., and I couldn’t be happier for Goulding, who kicks off a North American tour next week with a quartet of showcases during SXSW. While I’ve previously spotlighted “Guns And Horses,” “Starry Eyed,” and the album’s title track (which all appeared on the sampler), “This Love (Will Be Your Downfall),” co-written with the talented Starsmith, is a gorgeous, sparkling tune that merits a mention.

Purchase Ellie Goulding – Lights via iTunes, Amazon MP3 (where it’s just $5.99).