europopped

OK it's the last 'Best Of 2011' post. Sure, I missed a few countries in the series (ran out of time) but I cannot leave out Russia, so here goes. So many big stars from Moscow dropped big budget clips last year, but let's focus on 3 slightly under the radar clips that are just fantastic this time. First up is a wild and joyous video full of Soviet-era iconography (and U.S.S.R techno cheerleaders!) from Disco Crash (Дискотека Авария). Their clip for "Нано Техно" (translates to "nano techno") is a must watch and a lot of fun. Next up is a promo from budding house/pop crossover singer Julia Lasker. Her promo for "Очень заводит меня" dropped in July and I still watch it weekly (it's like the Fast & Furious, Moscow edition, or something). Great song. Finally we have a video that is just gorgeous-looking from DJ Smash, "Rendez-Vous." Better than any Hollywood action film from 2011.

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What better way to welcome 2012 than via the one country that is producing future pop now (and has been ahead of the game for years)? Romania dropped so many damn-near perfect pop songs in 2011 there is no way to cover them all in one post. In terms of videos, here are three I think marry pitch-perfect pop with eye-catching visuals very well. First up is a 100% winner from red-hot collective Radio Killer. "Don't Let The Music End" is just unstoppable and the video gets insane at the end when paint flies everywhere (watch it all, trust me). Next is maybe my favorite video from any country in 2011, ROA's offbeat promo for "I Like It." Why Facebook hasn't made this song and video their official anthem is beyond me. Lastly we have a clip for what I think is one of the best songs of 2011 out of Romania, Liviu Hodor & Mona's "Sweet Love." The clip was filmed on the island of Zakynthos in Greece and captures a summer "vibe," much like Edward Maya's global smash "Stereo Love" did a few years ago.

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Sweden had a very good year...in America. I wrote as much in this CNN.com article from August pegged to Robyn (who had a buzzed about clip for her "Call Your Girlfriend" this summer). So many fantastic clips dropped from artistic directors such as Mats Udd in Sweden the past year it's impossible to narrow it to three. And 2011 was of course the year Swedish house music broke big worldwide after years of building (see Swedish House Mafia, Avicii etc). But the artist who may have made the most impact in 2011 was Lykke Li. A writer for the Associated Press in America just called her clip for "I Follow Rivers" the "best of the year by far." Next up is a divisive video from hotly tipped indie duo Icona Pop. The video will frustrate some with its breaks in the middle and non-linear form, but I think it's a genius risk-taking promo. Finally, we have a vibrant filmed-in-Manhattan video from an artist I had a small bit to do with crossing over onto these shores: Ola's "All Over The World." Check all three below.

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No other country across the Atlantic has that mysterious "X" factor more than Ukraine at the moment. So many surprisingly awesome music videos (see The Hardkiss, Julia Voice, Andreas, Richard Gorn, Tina Karol, Quest Pistols etc) are now coming out of Kiev I'm seriously thinking of starting a new blog just dedicated to the country. To say 2011 was a banner year for clips here is an understatement. The best was NikitA's just insane "Искусаю" (English version is "Bite") which generated one of the highest traffic days ever on this blog back in Feb., when it first came out. Lady Gaga only wishes she could be as outrageous as ex-Playmate Dasha and new member Anastasia (a former Armiya member), the duo who are NikitA. Next up is a fantastic song and clip by huge UKR star Max Barskih, where the singer is literally on fire in a video ("Lost In Love") directed by one of the world's best at the moment, Ukraine's Alan Badoev. Finally we have a promo for an act I've been obsessed with for well over a year, Mirami, and their catchy, epic "Miramimania." Ukraine is the future of pop music.

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Dear Spain, you made us dance in 2011. There are few other countries that do dance-meets-pop music better than you, and thank God you are here for all of us. My favorite song and clip this year was probably Rebeka Brown's epic "Big Bad Bitch," actually, but back in Feb., a divine Europop godess by the name of Soraya gave the world an amazing clip for "Dreamer" and it's damn near perfect. Later in 2011 a different, darker side of Spain emerged via OBK's "Oculta Realidad" clip, which is like Star Wars on acid in Madrid, or something (note the jawa people). Finally, we have one of my favorite dance-meets-pop singers, Edurne, playing the role of a stripper in her clip for "Oigo Mi Corazon." Catchy and caliente all around!

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