Everything we gays touch eventually turns to gold. Whether it’s through gentrifying run-down neighborhoods, resurrecting vintage fashions or crowning new musical acts for the world to follow, we have the Mary Midas touch. It’s impossible to ignore that the genre of music we’ve nurtured since the 70s is now mainstream, fused with everything from hip-hop to R&B to rock. The infusion has finally conquered the States, with the summer of 2010 as the epidemic’s greatest evidence yet. We’ve narrowed the field of mainstream summer releases down to three must-have discs that will spark dancing everywhere from Pride festivals to bathroom showers.
Kelis
Flesh Tone
There’s been momentum building up to Kelis’s big reinvention, momentum that continues to build even after the needle is finally placed on the new album. Her first record since teaching us how to bring the boys to the yard four years ago, Flesh Tone is pure dance-pop hysteria from start to finish. With producers like David Guetta (“Acapella”), will.i.am (“Brave”), Benny Benassi (“Emancipate”), and album faves “4th Of July (Fireworks)” and “Scream,” Kelis is this summer’s real dance floor commander.
Available Tuesday, July 6
Pre-order on iTunes: $9.99
Scissor Sisters
Night Work
It’s gonna take more than a hot Mapplethorpe booty and devastating lead singer Jake Shears to make it into our three favorite dance-pop albums of summer, but Scissor Sisters pulls it off with Night Work. The third release from one of the greatest gay groups around gets dirty, which is just how we like it on the dance floor. With a secret weapon in famed-international producer Stuart Price, Scissor Sister might shred all indie-dance-pop competition.
Available Tuesday, June 29
Pre-order on iTunes: $11.99
Kylie Minogue
Aphrodite
Boasting similar album art, a similar demographic and the same release date as Kelis, you might be concerned for gaydored Kylie Minogue. No need. Kylie always packs dance hits in her arsenal, but Aphrodite’s soulful, retro sound transcends more than just the club scene. For the return to her “dance floor roots” (as Kylie calls it), the Australian superstar corralled producers like Stuart Price (he’s getting around more this summer than we plan to in Provincetown!), Jake Shears, Keane and others to produce a gorgeously lush album that might just be the best, most versatile pop offering of summer…
Available Tuesday, July 6
Pre-order on iTunes: $12.99
