After The Killers briefly resurfaced with their holiday single "The Cowboy's Christmas Ball" late last year, the group went straight back into their brand-new Las Vegas studio to continue work on their much-anticipated fourth album. Details have been kept tightly under wraps, but in an interview with German music magazine Outro, frontman Brandon Flowers reveals a few details new details about the new record that is produced by the legendary Steve Lillywhite.

The new Killers album will be titled "Battle Born," Flowers reveals in the German interview. Continuing the group's ongoing love affair with Nevada, "Battle Born" is a direct reference to the official state flag of the The Killers' homestate. "These words have something to do with the fact that our country emerged from the wars of secession," Flowers explains, adding that Nevada's historic struggle is a metaphor for the album's big theme. "For us, ["Battle Born"] is not about civil war, but rather a struggle with the everyday things of life, whether that is a relationship crisis or a story about someone who was not born with a silver spoon in their mouth."

"The album will focus on big emotions like "longing, fear of loss and love," Flowers adds. As a result, "Battle Born" will be musically "less playful" not including any of the quirky sax solos and horn sections that marked their previous LP, "Day & Age." Instead the group incorporated the Casio VL1's "spartan synth sounds" and even a bass line that echoes the greatness of Lou Reed's "Take A Walk On The Wild Side." Guitarist Dave Keuning chimes in and notes that recording the album was "a sober process."

The album will count 15 songs, including "Battle Born," "Heart Of A Girl," "Flesh and Bone", "Carry Me Home" and "Runaways. Flowers remains coy about the album's title track but notes that it's "loud and the best piece of Flowers." The Killers "Battle Born" is scheduled to be released late September.

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If there's one thing that I deeply respect and admire about Kylie Minogue, it is that she's one of the very few pop superstars who has managed to stay true to who she is as an artist while she has continued to evolve her sound to fit her taste and fan appetite over the past two decades. From the moment her "Locomotion" arrived twenty-five years ago, Minogue has developed and cultivated an all-inclusive sound that is uniquely hers. Her music is sleek, sweet and sexy, yet never brash, polarizing or raunchy. 

Minogue perfectly walks that very fine line between pushing the envelop artistically and creating a sound with a truly global appeal that doesn't turn people off with bold imagery or other confrontational tactics. Her splashy new single "Timebomb" posseses all of Minogue's discerning qualities and more. It's a glowing blueprint of what make Minogue stand out from the pack. It's playful and edgy, but most importantly, just good fun.

In a brief email interview, Minogue explains how "Timebomb" came about so quickly. "I have started recording for my next album which is due out in 2013," she writes. "'Timebomb' was a track I felt was the perfect song to be part of the K25 celebrations. So, we decided to make it one of our surprise uploads on Kylie.com. Not only was I super excited about the song and the video, but the surprise element felt absolutely appropriate. It's the first time I've released a single like this and it was been so much fun. I love the fact that fans are responsible for the release with the 'tweet to unlock' mechanism, if feels fresh!"

The pop superstar also notes that more surprises may be coming. "It's definitely a sign of where I'm heading," she smiles. "I love making pop dance music so that's our launch pad but as always, there will be some variations on the theme. "(Download Kylie Minogue "Timebomb" on iTunes.)

You may not know his name (yet), but you most certainly know a couple of the massive pop songs he has written. Meet Ed Drewett, the savvy pop writer who is a driving force behind The Wanted's global chart sensation "Glad You Came" that he penned with Wayne Hector. With the world's pop eyes zooming in on The Wanted, this is a perfect time for Drewett to show that he has a whole lot more on his sleeves including some fantastic artist material that he's eager to share with the world.

This blog first alerted you about Drewett almost two years ago when he released his single "Champage Lemonade" that followed his feature on Professor Green's "I Need You Tonight." Since then, Drewett has continued to write songs for others while tuning a unique sound of his own. Today, Drewett finally unveiled the brand-new "Good Morning" that he is giving away for free on his web site to give as many people as possible a proper taste of his new music.

Paced by acoustic instrumentation and a grooving, laidback rhythm section, "Good Morning" is a charmer that hits the speakers like a ray of sunshine. Filled with optimism, the song tells a comforting story about enjoying the moment even when things appear bleak. "I can make it good when it is bad in your eyes," Drewett passionate croons. "If the rain falls, let it fall keep an eye out for gold. And if it is pouring let it slide." It's a wonderful tune with a universal appeal that has us curious for more of Drewett's new material.

 Ed Drewett "Good Morning" [MP3 - Registration Required]

"My heart is black and my lips are blue," newcomer Bebe Black cries out in the opening of her beautifully poignant pop noir tune "Deathwish" to set a demure, atmospheric tone that lingers throughout the track. Introduced by a woozy, slightly detuned piano, the song gradually develops from an aching chant into a tightly arranged, pulsing mid-tempo piano ballad with clubby undertones that prominently features Black's strikingly frosty vocals. It's an impressive tune by an equally compelling new artist who is without a doubt poised for the big time.

Hailing from Dorset, England, Bebe Black is signed to Columbia Records in the U.K. and will be unveiling more new material in the months to come to up the anticipation for the release of her official debut single some time later this year. The stylishly exciting debutant is already making a splash with her feature on Benga's new track "Icon," the first single to be released from his forthcoming second album "Chapter." Bebe is currently recording her debut album that will be released via Columbia Records, early 2013. (Download Bebe Black's entire "Live From Black Lion Sessions" EP for free on her web site.)

 Bebe Black "Deathwish" (Live from Black Lion Sessions) MP3

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After serving up deliciously effervescent pop ditties like "Ride Or Die," "Play The Game Boy" and "City Lights," pop newcomer A*M*E switches gears and makes a steep left turn to introduce an adventurous new sound on her new single "Find A Boy" that features Mic Righteous. 

Written by none other than British superstar Emeli Sandé and Naughty Boy, "Find A Boy" unveils a whole new side of A*M*E that neatly showcases her versatilty and firmly positions her as one of the most exciting new talents to emerge on the British pop scene this year.

To the uninitiated, A*M*E was born and raised in Sierra Leone, the war-torn nation in Africa where she lived until the age of 8. It was the timeless pop of groups like Backstreet Boys and *NSync that helped her cope with her dire environment and was the one thing that she could always rely on. Her family fled to the U.K. where A*M*E started school and quickly thrived. She started her own DIY fanzine, fronted a girl band in high school and sang solos in her school choir that sparked her ambition to pursue music professionally.

The fresh new sound of "Find A Boy" is solid proof of A*M*E's appetite to break out of the mold and take people by surprise with her music. Marked by a majestic, mildly menacing string arrangement and a stomping groove courtesy of producer Naughty Boy, "Find A Boy" is wildly unorthodox rave-pop confection that is dominated by A*M*E's chase for something bigger, bolder and better. "No more sad and no more lonely, find a boy and make him love me," she raves full of sass. "Find a boy with lots of money. he can keep me, he can spoil me. First make sure he can afford me." 

Rising Margate hip hop star Mic Righteous adds some spit and shine to the tune, and offers some words of advice. "You're looking for the bright one. You will get to find love in the nightclub," he raps. "Want to find a boy? Want to find a girl? First, go find yourself." But when it comes to finding a hot and happening new pop tune, look no further. A*M*E delivers just the kind of sweet and crunchy pop hits are made of. (A*M*E featuring Mic Righteous "Find A Boy" will be released inon July 23.)

If there's one discerning quality that all great songwriters possess, it's the ability to skillfully capture an emotion, boil it down to its purest essence and turn that raw sentiment into a timeless melody that's meaningful to people everywhere. Emerging singer/songwriter Matthew Koma is one of those rare songwriting talents who's a savvy observer of life with a keen sense of melody. Whether it's a soaring vocal hook of an explosive dance tune or a full-length pop number, Koma is a modern-day troubadour who knows exactly how to dose the emotional intensity in his music and deliver it with heartfelt gusto.

Following his recent collaborations with Sebastian Ingrosso, Alesso, Zedd and Far East Movement, Koma steps out in the spotlight this week with the release of his debut EP, entitled "Parachute." The New York-born and bred singer/songwriter wrote and produced/co-produced all of the four tracks on "Parachute," working with collaborators Alex Da Kid (Nicki Minaj, Rihanna), The Runaways’ Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello (Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis) and The Smeezingtons’ Ari Levine (Bruno Mars, Bad Meets Evil).

Inspired by classic singer/songwriters like Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello, Koma has a very distinct point of view when it comes to songwriting. "I write about things that I know are sincere and that I can speak about from a real place," he tells Arjan in an interview. "I feel that's really the only way for me to connect with people. [Music] needs to come from an honest place. Songwriting is an honest process for me so it is very reflective of what I'm going through in that moment, experiencing or seeing."

While celebrating the break-out success of "Lights" in America with several high profile TV and radio appearances, Ellie Goulding has also been spending a lot of time in the studio to diligently work on new album material. According to reports, the British songstress has been collaborating with high-profile hitmakers like Swedish House Mafia and Benny Blanco to craft tunes for her forthcoming new album.

If you follow Goulding on Twitter then you know that she has also spent time in the studio with her pal Xaphoon Jones, the beatmaking half of hip pop duo Chiddy Bang. During one of their late night recording sessions, the topic of conversation must have turned to their love for The Weeknd that subsequently led to the recording of a cover of The Weeknd's emo-laden "High For This." 

The result is a fantastic reinterpretation of The Weeknd's original that once again demonstrates Goulding's ongoing fascination with acoustic folk, pop and electronica to create her own unique blend of alternative pop. Featuring simple fingersnaps and a sparse synth arrangement, Jones masterfully orchestrates a glowing sonic soundscape that is the perfect backdrop for showcasing Goulding's unique, angelic vocals. Simply sublime.

 Ellie Goulding "High For This" [MP3]

Adam Lambert perfectly balances style and substance in the freshly unveiled video for his new single "Never Close Our Eyes." Lambert makes a powerful statement in the video that goes way beyond the literal meaning of the song. In fact, the video neatly encapsulates Lambert's distinct brand of pop, which emphasizes the importance of individuality and self-expression no matter what other people say or think.

Set in a repressed Orwellian society, Lambert's video depicts a bleak, futuristic world with people being treated as slaves who must submit to a totalitarian regime that rules with an iron fist (and many watchful eyes). True to form, Lambert breaks out of the mold and sets off a firestorm of change that inspires others. He refuses to take his daily dose of mind-numbing medication and resists other brain-washing techniques to end up leading a colorful rebellion that crushes the status quo. 

Fans will agree that even though it may seem that the scenes and storyline are taken from a fantastical sci-fi novel, the concept of the video is really not that far removed from Lambert's own world of experience. Despite the odds and the baseless skepticism from naysayers, Lambert defiantly stayed true to his point of view and artistic convictions. Now ruling the album charts with his new album "Trespassing," the pop star shows that people who patiently and passionately follow their instinct without compromise will ultimately win.

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Following the release of "Addicted" late last year, Eric Solomon returns this summer with his brand-new single "Ground Control." The track is taken from his new EP, simply titled "The Eric Solomon EP," that will be unveiled in the UK and the rest of Europe in July. You may remember that I first alerted you about the Canadian singer back in 2009 when I featured a download of his Passion Pit remix that hit number one on Hype Machine a few days later and even was featured on RollingStone.com.

Born in Montreal and raised in the African Congo until he was forced to leave during an embassy relief effort during the civil war. He returned to Montreal where found solace in music, and taught himself to sing, play and produce his own music. After joining a band and hitting the road to tour at age 16, Solomon signed as a solo artist to Epic/Sony for the release of his debut album. The arrangement didn't last long, as Eric found himself in the all-too-common shuffle of label buy-outs. Determined to succeed regardless of industry setbacks, Eric began teaching himself audio engineering as a way to return to his musical roots.

His remix of Passion Pit sparked a bunch of great new intiatives for the singer. He even starred in MTV's Youth Electric, a reality show that chronicled the lives of three Vancouver artists.

After his early success in North American, Solomon is now gearing up to take his music to Europe. In July, he will release "The Eric Solomon EP" in UK that includes tracks like "Time Bomb," "Addicted" and his new single "Ground Control. " I'ts an electro-edged pop number about living it up and letting fo that features Solomon's distinct vocal swagger and a fitting lyrical nod to David Bowie's "Space Oddity." (Support new pop and download Eric Solomon's music on iTunes.)

With Loreen winning the Eurovision Song Contest this past Saturday, this is a great moment to check out more exciting new dance and pop music that is produced in Sweden. One of the best sources for finding new Swedish pop is Uniform Beat, a brand-new label that specializes in cultivating and promoting new Swedish dance pop with an international appeal. The label is part of Playground Music, the biggest and most established indie music company across Scandinavia.

Some of the artists that are part of Uniform Beat's developing roster include Artymove, Goldfinger & Script and Smith & Thell whom I've alerted you about previously. But there's a lot more new Swedish goodness from Uniform Beat that needs to be shared. To satisfy our ongoing cravings for fresh new music, the label will be unveiling "March To A Uniform Beat on June 4. It's a new CD compilation series that includes an overview of artists, songwriters and producers who are part of Uniform Beat's line up of talent.

One of the lead tracks on Volume 1 of "March To A Uniform Beat" is a brand-new track by rapidly-rising duo Smith & Thell, entitled "Super DJ." It's a fast-paced dance pop banger that shows off the group's incredibly hooky and sleek dancefloor aesthetic. Also featured are the pumping Club Edit of Mayka's "Lie," Materikaa's grinding "The Real Me" and the '80s-edged "Blending" by Emma Bates that includes some classic 808 drums to up the retro qualities of the song.

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With One Direction making Billboard chart history and The Wanted gearing up for a massive, sold out arena tour stateside, there's no doubt that boyband pop is making a mighty comeback in the States. And with fresh-faced British pop acts pushing the genre back into the spotlight, it was only a matter of time before an American boyband would surface to take a well-deserved spot alongside of them. Case in point is Midnight Red, a five-piece outfit who released their first single last year and was a guest on New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys' co-headlining tour last summer to get a taste of the big time.

Midnight Red is the teaming of Joey Diggs Jr. Thomas Augusto, Anthony Ladao, Colton Rudloff and Eric Secharia who all bring their own skill, focus and unique vibe to the group. The five got together back in 2009 through the efforts of veteran A&R executive and Kings of LA label founder, Pete Farmer and superstar hitmaker RedOne (Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Far East Movement), who brought the group to Interscope Records. RedOne has also had a heavy hand in the group's artistic development. He produced not only their previous "One Club At A Time" but also their brand-new single, "Hell Yeah!"

Midnight Red's minty fresh "Hell Yeah!" has RedOne's pop brilliance written all over it. The song is a hella hooky and instantly infectious pop romp that kicks off in high gear with a stomping, electro-edged dance groove that fits the group's slick and sparkly harmonies perfectly. The tune takes listeners from its catchy verse to a brief pre-chorus that leads into a gigantic, soaring chorus that will without a doubt resonate globally. "Let crash the party like we don't care," the group rightfully boasts, ready for chart battle. "Hell Yeah!" is a hit-savvy tune by a promising new pop act that is, quite franky, too irresistible to be denied.