Album Cover Conventions

What are the typical features that an album cover has?

- Band name and album title
- A distinctive often illustrative image
- Track listing on the back
- Record company
- Release year
- Copywrite infomation
- Lyrics booklet - infomation on the band members, lyrics, band webstie/contact details, thank you's and recording infomation.

How would you categorise the covers in front of you?

 Categorise by:

- Photos of artist
- Drawn/painted/computer generated conceputal image
- Photographic art
- Decade it was released
- Whether its a vinyl or CD
- Band or single artist
- Style of packaging - Digipak, CD case, Vinyl, extra sleeve.

Album Covers have many different functions. What do you think these are?

- Promote the artist
- Give infomation and details on the band
- Put across a message whther it be mundane or serious such as a political message
- Brands the artist giving them something the audience can relate to and identify with that person and nobody else.
- Interests the audience - they want to hear more music from the artist that they like, therefore an album has a purpose of pleasing and satisfying the audience.

Album Cover Analysis

LOSTPROPHETS - THE FAKE SOUND OF PROGRESS

Front Cover
- Artistic photo of them recording the album; immediately says that this is a band about the music not the image.
- Black and white which gives it an arty look.
- Electronic equipment; at first your not sure what your looking at.
- The album title is very small and doesn't stand out; located at the bottom of the image.
- A random action figure located at the top-right; this is almost a logo a lot of their dedicated fans will recognise.
- Even the title of the band name is small; you have to look for it as it doesnt jump out.

This is a very unconventional album cover as it is the bands first aswell. You would think that a bands first album would be about them and getting them recognised - building up a fanbase. Instead you have an album cover which isn't really giving any particular message. To me, what this does is put absolutely all the emphasis on the music and nothing on the image of the band. It is almost like this album cover was made only for the fans they already had has it doesnt really attract any new ones.

Myspace Research

Dredg - www.myspace.com/dredg

The Dredg myspace opens at the top of the page with a picture of their album cover, blended in to become apart of the layout and look of the overall myspace. The branding they have given to their album has become the overall theme for their myspace as this promotes the branding they have created for their album. The release date of the album is clearly shown at the top of the page which is inportant for the reason of letting fans know exactly when they can purchase their album.

If you scroll down the page to the next part of the myspace you can see the traditional layout of having a picture of the band on the left and a playlist of songs on the right. This part of the myspace acts as a portal to a lot of the content, it gives links to more photos, videos, commenting the myspace, adding as a friends and so on. The playlist on the right is something that most if not all band myspaces have on their page and this is due to the fact that people need to listen to their music. If someone who hasn't heard their songs stumbles across their myspace the aim of the page needs to be to make them a fan before they leave. This is done through visually attractive artwork but also giving the person a chance to hear the music they create.

As we scroll down even further we come across the bands releases and tour dates. The band releases section features all albums the band has released aswell as band merchandise such as t-shirts. The tour dates are also important for letting fans know when they can see them live. Amongst other conventional things such as a comments section and a top friends list it is important to have something different on your myspace, maybe something to offer the fans. Dredg has thus allowed fans to get the chance to win a signed guitar in promotion of their new album. This is something our group should take note of as in  our genre of music giving something back to the fans is very important.

Mastodon - www.myspace.com/mastodon

The Mastodon website like the Dredg one immediately opens with the cover and album artwork of their latest release. The artwork is interesting and unusual and straight away I want to know more about it. Connected on to this image is all the traditional parts of a myspace; pictures, video, store, add to friends, and a link to the artists site. One thing that seems common with most band websites are adverts for special offers and chances to win a prize. With Mastodon this is no different as almost straight away we are offered free shipping on orders over $50 until the end of December - perfect for the upcoming Christmas. Mastodon just like the Dredg myspace have a playlist, picture of the band, merchandise and upcoming tour dates. These seem to be some of the essentials on a band myspace as most artists follow convention and have it in. A decision to be made in the group will be: do we want to challenge or conform to this convention? In my opinion I think it would be best to stick with this convention as it makes life easy for the viewers of the myspace as everything is so simply layed out.

Another thing common with both of the myspaces I have looked at so far is that they both have links to the videos of their released songs - something which are group will almost certainly have. The Mastodon also has videos of live performances which is a treat for fans to watch. The Mastodon myspace also has a biography which details when the band was formed and the journey they have had up until now. With our myspace, I think it is important to have this as we are a new band just broken on to the scene and need to let people know something about us so we can build a fanbase and have a real connection to the fans.

Between The Buried And Me - www.myspace.com/betweentheburiedandme

The Between The Buried And Me myspace immediatley follows the conventions of myspace and opens with the image of their new album. It tells us the name of the album and also shows in large the artwork with is the background for the myspace, so it is hard to miss it. Another thing unlike the other two, it opens with a teaser video which promotes their now album and gives fans a chance to hear some of the riffs from it.

When we scroll down just a little bit we come to an advert, just like the other two, offering deals on the new album and merchandise. Once you get down to the main bulk of the myspace you come across the typical things you would expect to find. That being the view pictures/videos, post a comment, add as a friend, online store and a link to itunes to obviously buy their music and support them. It is important to make it easy for the fans to find their music and support them with their money in an age where illegal downloading is a massive issue for the music industry. The band for their picture have a pan/slideshow of images that don't show them as a band but rather the equipment they use. This really brings home the message that its about the music and not the artist. I have been on their myspace a while now and unless I click on the bands pictures links I can't see what they look like. This is in great contrast to other pop band images such as The Saturdays and Beyonce which as soon as you visit their page you are surrounded with images of them as it is all about the image.

The myspace also follows the traditional conventions with a tour guide, playlist of songs, top friends and comments section. It is also common on bands myspace to come across their equipment sponsors.

Andrew Goodwin Music Video Theory

1. The video above is Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye West - Run This Town, this new music video is directed by Anthony Mandler. The song is catorgised as hip-hop as there is both rapping and singing featuring popular artists known for their work in this genre. The video compliments the confidence/arrogance needed for the style of music, as the video portrays each performer as a leader. This is done by them almost preaching to crowds and always being at the front so they are the ones we are looking at.
2. There are many examples of times when the lyrics are illustrated or amplified by the visuals, for example, the first line of the lyrics says, 'feel it comin' in the air'. This illustrates the crowds that that have been marching in the last shot, it represents a revolution. Another example is the lyric 'only thing thats on my mind, is who's gunna run this town tonight'. This is illustrated by a possible power struggle, the people with weapons and torches have taken over an area. After Rihanna sings this part of the song, the video cuts to the three leaders, the three people who are the stars of the song - Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West. The next part where Jay-Z answers Rihanna's question is where he says, 'we are, yeh I said it, we are' (1:13) is amplified by his minions standing behind him.
3. The video cuts to the beat of the song and as with most hip-hop the beat is clear and repetitive and so the cutting is made a very interesting is some places. For example, at 1:24 and 1:27 the pace the cutting speeds up cutting between close-up's and long shots of Jay-Z and this is done because there is a drum roll fill giving the opportunity to do so. The video to the song does not illustrate the instrumental parts of the song, maily because most of the song is either rapping or singing. The beat of the song serves the purpose of enhancing the flow of the lyrics and so the video illutrates the lyrics not the instrumental. There are very clear changes of pace within the video as Rihanna's singing is slower than Jay-Z and Kayne Wests rapping. Therefore when she is singing her part of the video the cutting slows up and when the other two come in to it it speeds up to go with the flow of the music. An example of this is at 0:49-0:52 when the camera lingers for 3 seconds before cutting, this is rare in the rapping sections which tend to cutting in close then back out long - really mixing up the distance and framing of the shots.
4. The three stars in this track get as much video time as they do in the music. What I mean is that when Rihanna is singing she is always on camera and Jay-Z isn't. When Jay-Z and Kanye West are rapping Rihanna isn't in the shots. Due to Kayne Wests verse being late in the song we only really see him until 3:30. We see him in the background of the group shots but he is never the focus and our eyes are never drawn to him. The image of the band is slick and powerful. Everyone is dressed in black and looking very stylised - you wouldn't see anyone walking down the street dressed like that. Rihanna's outfits are not like the outfits in other videos of this genre where women tend not to wear much. The appeal is of her power and confidence and this is in edition to her being a really good looking woman.

Lighting Research

I'm going to look in to different lighting styles within this post, and learn about how lighting creates a feel and a mood in music video. The direction we want to go with the style of our music video can be decided tomorrow when we have a meeting. The first set are of Desaturated and Stylized lighting whereas the second set are Saturated and Colourful.

4 P's - Music Marketing

a) What band/artist related products can audiences buy?
Products which audiences can buy range from the music that they produce which comes in many different formats, such as cds, downloads and dvds. Other products include the bands merchandise which fans buy to be associated with the artist usually consisting of mainly clothes and posters. A lot of money also gets spent on gig tickets as fans want to see there favourite bands live.

b) Where can audiences buy/listen to music/merchandise/hardware?
The internet has recently taken over from high street shops as online sites such as Amazon and Play have become more favourable compared to HMV and other retailers. Downloading is now popular, this applies to both paid for content and illegally downloaded music. Bands myspace pages also offer fans a chance to hear their music. All of their videos can also be freely viewed on sites such as Youtube.

c) Give 2 or 3 examples of paid-for/subscription based and free products.

• Record companys sometimes give out free sampler cds in places like magazines to give their artists greater exposure. Both Epitaph and Roadrunner records have done this in recent months.
• Mailing lists are also very popular among artists as they keep the fans up to date on breaking news.

d) List between 5 and 10 examples of creative music marketing strategies (including at least 3 internet based examples).

• Saosin gave fans the chance to be credited on their album booklet if they texted in their name to a given number. Example of subambulant marketing.
• Radiohead let fans decide on how much they wanted to pay for their new album. They were the first to do this and it has recently spread to other media platforms with the new 'Championship Manager' video game poised to do the same.
• Slipknot posted a video on youtube and their myspace 'encouraging' fans to go to their shows on their 2008 US tour.
• If you preordered Enter Shikari's new single online you got the service charge on your gig ticket discounted for a show on their upcoming tour.

Lostprophets - Start Something

Lyrics

Start today, now show us how you feel
Make your way, it's time to choose
Have my say, I know, I know what I see
Have my say, they think you'll lose
For all this to mean so much to me
For all this, you make a move
Pass you by, it's all in this life you have
Pass you by, goodbye to you

[Chorus:]
1, 2, 3, 4 Move
If you don't stop there, you'll make it through.
Stop dreaming, start something
When it's in your hand just start anew

It's ok to use your ability
You must know, it's hard to choose
Time will tell, it's hard that the way you feel
means you always seem to lose
Seize the day, the one that you left behind
It seems so strange that you don't move
Frozen still in front of your own lights
Win or lose, its time to choose

[Chorus]
1, 2, 3, 4 Move
If you don't stop there, you'll make it through.
Stop dreaming, start something
When it's in your hand just start anew

Research Task: The Saturdays

The Saturdays are a pop girl group comprising Una Healy, Mollie King, Vanessa White, Rochelle Wiseman and Frankie Sandford. The later two were in a previous band known widely as S Club 8. After that went to pot, they faded from the limelight and had to regroup and rebrand themselves to crawl their way back to the top of pop. The Saturdays made their recording debut in 2008 under the record label Fascination Records, a sub-division of Polydor Records. Their debut album, Chasing Lights, produced five UK Top 25 singles: If This Is Love, Up, Issues, Just Can't Get Enough and Work. The band embarked on their first headlining UK tour, 'The Work Tour', in June 2009.

The Saturdays appeal to an audience of a younger age and both genders for different reasons. The girls aspire to be like them as they are fashionable, hip, attractive and talented. The group are also young themselves with members of age 20 and are therefore great rolemodels. The boys while appreciating all of this are more interested in their appearance. The record companies have segmented the audience by taking advantage of each members individuality and giving them each a colour which they are known for. The bright colours also attract the attention of people interested in the band.

Carol Vernallis

Carol Vernallis says the camera in music video seems to mimic the way we view sonic space... do you agree? Do you think we are conditioned by music video to read sonic space in particular ways?

In music video the camera does mimic the way we view sonic space, as it cuts quick and fast within the space thats available, and by doing so it creates a lot of energy and excitement. By creating these feelings the music video is indeed conditioning us to view sonic space in a particluar way.

She suggests that the jumping camera focus is like the camera in place of our eyes, doing what we do when we listen. However, this is predefined for us by the Director - we have even less choice to look away/outside of the Director's choice than we do in film - do you agree?

Yes this is true, music video does a lot more to focus on certain aspects within the realm you are viewing. There is also a lot more happening, too much for us to manage it all discarding the use of imagination, and therefore the director predefines it for us. This total disgregard for the imagination of the viewer is embodied in the fact that the camera is indeed in the place of our eyes and we are being shown what to look at. In this sense we have much less choice than in film, but film is a different concept all together trying to achieve different things.

She says music video is more like listening than viewing - do you agree?

I disagree, the concept of a music video is for the visuals to work in harmony with the music and to either illustrate, amplify or contradict the song. Although, it is important to note that the visuals are helping us with the listening, as it shows you what to tune your ear into such as the vocals, guitar, bass, drums etc. If there was a shot of a guitar player playing a sick riff then you would automatically tune your ear into what he's playing while the rest of it becomes background. Therefore, the listening in my mind is equal to the viewing, niether is more important, the point is they work together.

"We compensate imaginatively for what we do not see in the frame" - Agreed?

I agree, there is an element of imagination used to compensate for what you cannot see because when you are being shown a shot of a guitar player you automatically know without even thinking that the drummer is still doing his part. Music video is a very unpredictable style of media and this is where the imagination comes in to it for me. As it tends to accomplish so much in such a short space of time there's only so much the camera can show you in the time available and everything it can't is left to the imagination.

The constant motion in a music video and the variances it shows mean that a strong CU is a stable point. The music video "brings us towards these peaks, holds us against them, and then releases us" - do you agree?

I agree, a stable CU provides a point at which the viewing experience can be more relaxed than the shakey, handheld long/mid shots, due to less movement within the frame. It makes the viewer feel more comfortable and allows them to view the artist's performance in close. This can be seen as a 'peak' as it is used to not only relax the audience but break up the shots and add variety to the camerawork, after it passes the camera can once again conform back to constant motion.

Is the viewer "sutured (stitched) into the diegesis of the film world through the editing"?

Within the world of film it is important for the editing to be seamless and unnoticable so that the viewers suspension of disbelief in upheld. However, in contrast, the suspension of disbelief in music video is created through techniques such as sound, lip-syncing and a convincing all round performance making the viewer believe that the band are actually performing the song there and then for them specially. What this allows for is a greater use of crazy editing and special effect techniques to enhance the performace as suspension of disbelief is much less of an issue, if even an issue at all.

Music video is freer in terms of viewer identification and perspective - agreed?

Yes I agree, music video is freer in terms of viewer identification and perspective as although the director chooses what to show us, at the end of the video the viewer has a culmination of many performance perspectives. This has allowed the viewer to become very familiar with the sonic space of the video and has seen things such as guitars, outfit and props etc. which give the viewer something to identify with. For example, when I watch a music video I'm always looking out for the guitar so I can spot what make and model it is (sad I know) as this is something I can identify with.

Carol Vernallis believes the image alone cannot tell the story - do you agree?

I agree, as obviously the music in music videos is vital in sending out the message of the song. This is a key difference between film and music video. The imagery in film is very different, slower and tells a story of it's own, whereas music video while still needing the visuals for illustration/amplification can tell the story through it's lyrics.

WORKSHOP END RESULT

Track Research

Protest The Hero - Bloodmeat


In my mind this is a music video which is very important to analyse as instead of having a separate narrative and performance based video it interweaves the two together. It does this very well and a lot of atomosphere is created through the darkness and the carefully placed lighting. The setting seems to be inside a plain warehouse which has been spruced up with homely props. For example, the lamp shades cleverly provide atomospheric lighting while also being a great edition to the general mise-en-scene of the scene.


The performance aspect to this video is also very interesting and a lot can be drawn from it which we could implement in to our own music video. The band are not standing in the standard formation of singer at the front, guitars/bass at either side and drummer at the back. Instead we have an interesting layout where all the guitars and bass players are standing at the side in a line with the drummer opposite them and the singer in the middle towards the back of the room. While this sounds uncoventional for this genre what this allows for is a better and more interesting use of the camera. With the space now created in the middle the camera can now get up close and personal with each and every member of the band. The space can also be used for members of the band (mostly the singer in the video) to come in to the middle and be the 'star' so to speak. The side on view we often get from the guitarists is also refreshing as when cutting to them playing complex riffs we see a lot more of the guitars which is interesting for the viewer.


The performance of the band members is also another important aspect of the video to note. The guitar players are not moving all over the place, rather, standing still. They head banging with the music in certain parts of the song (heavier, chord parts) and in other more complex parts they concentrate on what they are playing. They instead of just going mental and putting everything they can in to performing with over the top eccentricity feel the music and react accordingly with the song. The singer, however, is always moving and constantly performing what he sings and since he is on screen for the most amount of time this brings a real energy to the video.

Song Ideas

Architects 'Were All Alone'
The song 'Were All Alone' is by the Brighton metalcore/mathcore band, Architects. The track is a fast paced song full of great beats and riffs as well as punchy vocals by the frontman Sam Carter. It's an exellent choice for our music video as so much energy is created through the speed and harshness of the track. This is one of the most important aspects of a music video in this genre. It has to be lively and seriously energetic so the viewer is engaged throughout, wanting to headbang along to the track. When listening to this song it achieves all I have just mentioned without a music video and so here we have an opportunity to build further upon this with our project and create a video which is largely performance based.



The lyrics certainly lend themsleves for a chance to do a narrative within the video aswell:

"I am your hero
Still I sleep alone at night
In years you'll thank me
For getting everything right
I am the sun
Still I sit alone in a red sky
Keeping my eyes on you
Were all alone

In time you'll find that
Were all on our own (all on our own)
Were all on our own , chasing nothing
My dreams have fallen , I'm wearing thin
I need something to fill this void I'm constantly in
And I can't do this

I am your hero
I just don't care tonight
In years you'll forget me
I got everything right
I am the sun
I didn't rise today
I left you in darkness

And I just don't care anymore about you
You can sit and suffer alone without me

I am your hero
Save your "thank you"'s

In times to come ill rise above this
But for now I can't ill just sit here
My dreams have fallen once again
My dreams have fallen once again

I need something to fill this void I'm in."

The lyrics can be interpreted in many ways and could be about a range of themes which give the group a lot to go with when stringing a simple but effective narrative together. My opinion on the lyrics is that the song is about a one-sided relationship. The guy gets treated badly throughout and even though he did everything right, the girl still doesnt love him. He knows one day she'll realise the mistake she made but for the guy it's small consolation in the present.

Matt and Nick's Lip Sync

Me and Nick decided it would be an important experience to do a lip sync for a heavy music track as our music video is going to be based around a song of the same style; a lot of screaming. I didn't know how it was going to look and I had a slight hunch that it would look a bit off. However in the end, I think in many places it is a rather convincing performance (0.18, and 1.14 - 1.18). When filming both mine and Nicks performances we were limited with our framing as we couldn't move backwards due to the small space. We therefore did it all pretty much CU and MCU. When doing my performance I was concentrating on singing in to the camera so the lip sync was clear, whereas Nick was focusing more on movement and performance. As the video cuts back and forth this contrast makes the end result much more entertaining and effective.

Workshop Evaluation

1. What do you think you learnt from Friday's workshop? It could be specific things about making a music video OR general things about the production process.
The workshop on friday was a very important experience for me as I got to see the director Jake Wynne in action. His hands on directing approach was interesting to see and made me realise this is something I would enjoy doing. His instructions to each person on set were very clear and to the point which made the job of an actor easier to deal with. At all times he seemed in control and clear about what we were doing and we were going to do later down the schedule. Another area within the workshop in which I learnt a lot from was performing. The main advantage of this area was gaining the confidence and just general experience of being in front of a camera to pull off a convincing performance. It has also made me realise that performing in my own music video is something that I want to do. The fact that I was being directed by an amazing director such as Jake Wynne mean't that I gained experience of working with him and responding to the performance advice he gave me. The overall feel of organising a shoot was important as I allowed me to understand just how complex it is. Getting all the props, actors, costume and equipment at the same place for a whole day is no easy task. Another area which was important was learning the feel of being on set and also how things such as a track operates or the idea of putting tracing paper over lights. I would, however, liked to of seen how the cameraworks and had more involvement in the practical side of it.

2. For you, what was the best bit?
The best part of the shoot was the performance side as it allowed us to be really active and at times was very funny as Simon is a comical genius. The whole idea of pulling off a great performance is to relax and feel comfortable in front of the camera and as time went on and we had a few takes under our belt we really got in to it, and as a result had a lot of fun.

3. How do you think the work we have done will impact on your group project?
The work we have done for the workshop was an important experience and one I feel quite lucky to have had. It is a vital stepping stone on the way to creating our own music video. The experience of seeing a director at work will be a useful tool in the real shoot and give each member of the group a chance to have a go at 'being in charge' for a little while. Also, the experience of performance will also be important as I feel a lot more clued up as to what to do and whats required in pulling off a great performance.

The Wombats - Lets Dance To Joy Division

The Wombats are an indie band from Liverpool, UK. They comprise two native Liverpudlians; Matthew Murphy, provider of vocals, guitar and keyboards, drummer/vocalist Dan Haggis and bass player/vocalist Tord Øverland-Knudsen.

The three band members met in 2003 at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, soon becoming friends and starting to jam together. In 2006, the band released their debut album "Girls, Boys, and Marsupials".

Their last single "Let's Dance to Joy Division" was released in October 2007, to coincide with the release of their debut album, entitled The Wombats Proudly Present: A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation which reached #11 in the UK Albums Chart. The release was being followed by a European tour ending with a thanksgiving party at Liverpool Academy.

Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris. Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences, to develop a sound and style that pioneered the post-punk movement of the late 1970s.

Despite the success of the band Ian Curtis ill health plagued the band as a lack of sleep and long hours destabilised Curtis's epilepsy and seizures became almost uncontrollable he slipped in to depression and commited suicide at the eve of the bands American Tour 1980.

The song 'Lets Dance To Joy Division' is about having fun and being happy even though everythings is wrong and going wrong. The title is almost a metaphor since their dancing to a band who's lyrics are dark and solemn. Let's dance to Joy Division, And celebrate the irony, Everything is going wrong, But were so happy.

The Treatment

The video for the song would start with a break up between a girl and a boy both aged 20 and follow the girl walking out and down the street. There are shots of sadness and even tears. As she walks past the venue where The Wombats are playing she looks up and decides to go in and take a look as it's a free show. As she walks in she is stunned by all the colourful lights and immediately starts to cheer up. As the chorus is about to start some people from the crowd get her to join in and dance with them. What proceeds is cross-cutting between the band members and her having a great time and really feeling the message of the song. As she makes her way to the front of the crowd the lead singer picks her out and gets her up on stage and she starts dancing with the band members and having the time of her life. From the moment she walks in to the gig venue the camera is cross-cutting between her and the band. Everyone is wearing really extravagant, colourful clothing which are really brought out by the extensive lighting. The song finishes with her up on stage - completely forgotten about her break up as if it didn't matter, and the music has had this effect on her.

Some Favourite Music Videos

ARCHITECTS - EARLY GRAVE


HURT - RAPTURE


TOOL - VICARIOUS


PATRICK WOLF - HARD TIMES

Music Genre's

There are many genre's within music, all of which appeal to a range of people and allow them to form opinions on the styles of music they enjoy. The most popular music genre's are:

Pop - a genre which has become very popular, widely due to its accessability amongst young and old audiences. Pop artists include:

Mariah Carey
Kelly Clarkson
Fergie
Nelly Furtado
Madonna
Rihanna



Hip-Hop - a genre which is very successful and mainstream, being widely featured on music channels such as MTV, Kiss and The Box. Artists such as:

N-Dubz
Flo Rida
T-Pain
LL Cool J
Run-D.M.C



Rock - a genre which is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950s. Music usually utalising electric guitar, bass guitar, drums and a vocalist. Popular artists include:

AC/DC
Led Zeppelin
The Cure
R.E.M




Heavy Metal - the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. Examples of Heavy Metal bands are:

Metallica
Children of Bodom
Machine Head
Slayer
Testament




Dance - a genre which was composed specifically to facilitate dancing, and includes elements of hip-hop and electro. Artists:

Prodigy
Eric Prydz
High Contrast
Lady Gaga