Pet Shop Boys' new single, "Together", was written and produced by Pet Shop Boys and ex-Xenomania Tim Powell at the beginning of September.
It will be released on November 29th on two CDs and digital download. The track-listings will also include "Glad all over" (a version of the 60s hit by The Dave Clark Five, arranged and produced by Pet Shop Boys and Tim Powell), "I cried for us" and "Together (extended version)", remixed by Tim Powell.
"Together" will also be included on Pet Shop Boys' new greatest hits album, Ultimate, to be released on November 1st.
The next release from the Popjustice Hi-Fi label includes a song co-created by 'exnomania' (*) Tim Powell.
It's called "Lydia" and it's the b-side to the single "Teenagers" from the singer/producer/graphic designer Japayork. The single is out on December 5th as a download and as a 7" gatefold CD.
The single's b-side is the first fruit of sessions with Tim Powell. You can download "Lydia" free over at the Popjustice Hi-Fi site, where you'll also find more info on the single release and Japayork himself.
Listen to it below:
(*) term coined by Popjustice to define a former member of the production/songwriting team Xenomania.
Emeli Sandé announced on Twitter that she is writing with Miranda Cooper this week. Last year, Miranda Cooper talked to Red Magazine about Emeli. Miranda said: «She's part of an exciting new generation of producers and writers, and I am always hearing great things about her.»
Emeli Sandé is a 23-year-old Scottish singer and songwriter who has been writing songs since she was 11. A former medical student, she has achieved two top 10 singles in the UK, by collaborating with rapper Chipmunk on "Diamond Rings" (2009), and then with Wiley on "Never Be Your Woman" (2010).
She also sings on Professor Green's "Kids That Love To Dance", and on Tinie Tempah's "Let Go" and is working on her debut album.
This week Tim Powell scored his first top 10 post-Xenomania with the single "I'm In Love (I Wanna Do It)", which he co-wrote. Some of his upcoming productions include Pet Shop Boys' "Together" and Ed Drewett's "Champagne Lemonade" and he has also been in the studio with Saint Etienne.
Today sees the first official release of his remixing alias "pepptalk", from the man who was once known as "Tony Lamezma". Visit Pepptalk's MySpace to listen to his reworks of Bright Light Bright Light's "Love part II" and Love Is Electric's "Beating Like a Drum".
BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT is singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rod Thomas. He is the second signing from PopJustice HiFi.
"Love Part II" includes the b-side, "Cry At Films", (with guitar and backing vocals from Scissor Sisters' Del Marquis) and a remix from Pepptalk.
The single is out now digitally and as a limited edition CD in gatefold 7" sleeve. Buy it now:
POPJUSTICE HI-FI is a label that specializes in "above-average pop tuneage". Its first release was "Waterfall" by Rosanna.
The label is a joint venture between Popjustice founder Peter Robinson, Dan Stevens and David Laub from Darling Artists and Virgin Records, so it's somewhere between an indie and a major label.
Popjustice Hi-Fi treats pop music like the most important thing in the world "because there is little evidence to the contrary". Click here for more.
TONY LAMEZMA was the generic name given to Xenomania's in-house remixes between 2004 and 2008. Those remixes were mostly done by Tim Powell, although occasionally other Xenomania members also had some input.
He mostly remixed Girls Aloud's singles; the only non-Xenomania production he reworked was Sophie Ellis Bextor's "Me & My Imagination".
Lamezma's remixes became cult favourites for their euphoric extravaganza and the "club banger" status. With Tony Lamezma you always knew what you were getting, and that was no bad thing at all.
2004: Girls Aloud - The Show / Girls Aloud - Love Machine / Girls Aloud - I'll Stand By You / V - Hip To Hip 2005: Girls Aloud - Wake Me Up / Girls Aloud - Long Hot Summer / Girls Aloud - Biology 2006: Girls Aloud - Whole Lotta History / Girls Aloud - Something Kinda Ooooh / Girls Aloud - I Think We're Alone Now 2007: Girls Aloud - Sexy! No, No, No... / Girls Aloud - Call the Shots / Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Me and My Imagination 2008: Girls Aloud - Can't Speak French
Tim Powell was a member of Xenomania from the very beginning. In March 2010, after 14 years with the team, Tim became an independent producer and songwriter. His first co-write since leaving Xenomania is out now (Alex Gaudino's "I'm In Love") and Ed Drewett's "Champagne Lemonade" (which he co-wrote and produced) will be released on 1st November. Tim has also worked with the Pet Shop Boys for their new single "Together", to be included on their new Greatest Hits album. Also look out for his remixes under the alias Pepptalk.
Alex Gaudino & Maxine - I'm In Love
Alex Gaudino's new single was originally just a dance track with a catchy piano line and the looped "I'm in love" chant, in the same vein as Eric Prydz's "Call On Me".
But the song was given new life with a topline written by Tim Powell. A former Xenomania singer called Maxine Ashley stepped in to perform the vocals.
The single is out this week, on the Ministry of Sound label, and has been steadily climbing up the iTunes chart.
"Champagne Lemonade" is Tim Powell's first production work since leaving Xenomania. The song, which he also co-wrote, is Ed Drewett's debut single, to be released on November 1st. This is the video:
Pet Shop Boys - Together
The track-listing for the forthcoming Pet Shop Boys' greatest hits album includes 25 years of hits from 1985's "West End girls" to 2009's "Love etc." and concludes with a new song, "Together", written and recorded this month.
The new song was written and produced with Tim Powell and will also be released as a single. The release date will be announced shortly. Ultimate Pet Shop Boys will be out on November 1st.
Pet Shop Boys' latest album Yes (2009) was entirely produced by Xenomania. The team also co-wrote three songs on the album: "The way it used to be", "More than a dream" and the single "Love etc.".
Bright Light Bright Light - Love Part II (Pepptalk remix)
During his Xenomania days Tim Powell was also known as "Tony Lamezma", whose remixes became cult favourites. Now he continues to remix tracks under the name Pepptalk.
Starsmith revealed in an interview that he has been working with Miranda Cooper. He said: «I have a couple of people that I've worked with extensively on other projects. I called them, and they were interested, so I got to work with Alan Braxe, Miranda Cooper from Xenomania whom is just amazing. I've found a really big musical bond with her! You’ll have to see when the album comes out. Anything can happen by then».
Starsmith (real name Finlay Dow-Smith) is a 22-year-old electronic remixer, composer, producer and musician. He has created remixes for Katy Perry, Little Boots, Private, Lady Gaga, Frankmusik and many others, and also produced tracks for Ellie Goulding's debut album Lights and Diana Vickers' debut album Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree.
He has also been working with Cheryl Tweedy and is currently getting ready to release his own debut solo album. A song titled "28 Days", written by Miranda Cooper, Starsmith and Rob Davis was recently added to the Warner/Chappell database.
Tim Powell, one of Xenomania's former core members, recently co-wrote two songs that will be released in the upcoming months: Alex Gaudino's "I'm In Love (feat. Maxine)" and Ed Drewett's "Champagne Lemonade".
» ALEX GAUDINO - I'M IN LOVE (FEAT. MAXINE)
Originally featuring just the title line as vocal loop, "I'm In Love" now features the voice of Maxine Ashley, a former Xenomania singer. The new vocal edit of the song was written by Tim Powell, Alex Gaudino and Giuseppe D'albenzio.
Maxine is a 17-year-old singer from the Bronx. She was briefly part of a Xenomania group with Katie McKenna (now a member of Lite N Dark).
Alex Gaudino is an Italian DJ and producer, known for tracks such as "Destination Calabria," "Watch Out" and "I Love Rock and Roll."
"I'm In Love" went to #1 in the UK Upfront Club Charts and will be released in the UK on Ministry Of Sound on September 19th.
Ed Drewett is a British 22-year-old singer/songwriter. He's been writing his first album for the past year, which is set for release in early 2011.
His debut single "Champagne Lemonade" was co-written and produced by Tim Powell and is set to be released on October 25th. You can listen to a demo of the song on Ed Drewett's MySpace.
There's also a video on YouTube where you can see Ed Drewett singing "Champagne Lemonade" with Tim Powell on the piano ("Hello Internet!") - watch it here.
Ed Drewett recently appeared as a feature vocalist on the Professor Green track "I Need You Tonight", and he also co-wrote The Wanted's first single, "All Time Low".
Xenomania is a songwriting and production house based in Kent, England. It was founded by songwriter and producer Brian Higgins.
Since 1996, Xenomania have written, produced and remixed tracks for a string of successful artists including Girls Aloud, Pet Shop Boys, Sugababes, Dannii and Kylie Minogue, Saint Etienne, Cher, Gabriella Cilmi and many others.
SoundGirl, the new girl group launched by Mercury Records, said on Twitter today that they are "nailing another track in the studio" with Miranda.
Jodie Connor has revealed through Twitter that she has been in the studio with Miranda Cooper and David Dawood.
