1 T2 (featuring Jodie), “Heartbroken.” This has been kicking around for several months for those in the know (i.e., everyone but me, apparently), but it’s the first track from the hype-of-the-moment U.K. dance style known as “bassline” that has captivated ears and feet (i.e., mine) beyond the confines of its scene. And what a great sound: tongue-splice-up girly vocals over a skinny dance beat, the sweetest, saddest candy-pop you’ve ever heard. (Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0) (youtube.com/watch?v=WTsHWzvJWDQ)
2 Black Buddafly, “Flashing Lights” [remix]. Kanye West’s version, currently riding high on the charts, is masterful, at least until he opens his mouth, at which point you feel the air in the room dissipate. Better to go with this delectable girl-group remix—more a karaoke version, really—which intensifies the disco in the song by turning up the sizzle. (4.0) (myspace.com/therealblackbuddafly)
3 Dear Jayne, “Rain.” Debut single from an Atlanta all-girl trio, and the coolest R&B precipitation jam since Missy Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).” “When you kiss me, boy, it feels like rain” is as deliciously evocative as the music itself here: smoothly jacked-up R&B with crisp, echoed snare shots pitter-pattering their way into your you-know-what. (4.0) (myspace.com/dearjaynemusic)
4 David Guetta (featuring Cozi), “Baby When the Light.” French DJ/producer Guetta teams up with dance songsmith Cathy Dennis (cf. Kylie’s “Can’t Get You Outta My Head” and Britney’s “Toxic”) for a percolating pop-house track, highlighted by Cozi’s vaporous, incandescent vocals. (3.5) (myspace.com/mycozispace)
5 Janet Jackson, “Feedback.” I at first dismissed this as little more than a clever metaphor (“strum me like a guitar/blow out my amplifier”) dressed up in the usual R&B production thrills, but the tune continues to gnaw at me. You could argue that producers Rodney Jerkins and D. Mile reduce Ms. Jackson to a digital automaton—and that Jackson herself gives in so willingly to their evil designs—but personality was never her strong suit, and for silly-ass robo-funk this is good stuff. (3.0) (myspace.com/janetjackson)
6 These New Puritans, “Navigate, Navigate.” U.K. post-punk track from January’s Beat Pyramid. It takes a lot of chutzpah to lead things off with a jagged, rhythmic drone of a single that runs on for 16 minutes, but remarkably, they pull it off. Almost. Truth is, I might prefer the remix, which is but a scant 11:47 ... (3.0) (myspace.com/thesenewpuritans)
7 Jordin Sparks (featuring Chris Brown), “No Air.” R&B smoothies come together for a lighters-up high-school power ballad in which they take each other’s breath away while simultaneously unleashing their inner Roxettes. (3.0) (myspace.com/jordinsparks)
8 Sonic Youth, “I’m Not There.” Cover version of the title track from the recent Todd Haynes Dylan flick. Bob’s original (a previously unreleased 1967 demo) is a wondrous thing, with its casually gorgeous, we-ain’t-goin’-nowhere vibe. Sonic Youth play the song a bit flat in comparison, but lock into a sexy mono-groove, and with lines like “She’s my Christ-forsaken angel,” they make the unlikely source material feel written to order, same way they always have in their best covers. (3.0) (youtube.com/watch?v=cwr8qRwWNLo)
9 Will.i.am (featuring Barack Obama), “Yes We Can.” Clearly the “event” single of the moment, based entirely around Obama’s speech following the New Hampshire primary, and launched online via a video directed by Bob Dylan’s son (with a celeb endorsement list that includes Scarlett Johansson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). As a piece of get-out-the-vote pop it’s regrettably a bit mawkish, but there are two moments that stick: the rhythmic crowd chant of “We want change!” and Barack himself stutter-repeating the chorus toward the end. There was more than enough greatness to work with here; apparently Will.i.am has as difficult a time keeping up with Barack as Hillary does. (3.0) (youtube.com/watch?v=1yq0tMYPDJQ)
10 Cascada, “What Hurts the Most.” German-bred Euro-popsters retread a classic ’90s dance formula on this somewhat unlikely Rascal Flatts cover: atmospheric intro, squelchy synthesizer line doubling up on the chorus, exuberant female vocals scaling the heights of ecstasy, floor-pounding 4/4 beat. Not bad, but be advised that some things go better with Advil. (2.5) (myspace.com/cascada)