fter a few columns where France and Sweden have perhaps been given too many entries, I've decided to leave them out this time around in search of some more variety. I pause to note that two of my previous raves (“Nightwish” and “Marly”) were mentioned as ones to watch in this week's Popbitch, so you might yet get to hear another Indian pop track in the charts...

Bombay Vikings - Chhod Do Aanchal (India, #1)
Hopefully that next Indian crossover hit will be this: a startling, exciting single, indebted as much to rap and dancehall as European chart pop, with an incredibly poppy chorus, deep synth bass and infectious R&B verses. "Mundian To Bach Ke" is hardly a useful reference point, think "Romeo", but not solely in English. Not that this alters the fact that it's catchy and fluidly melodic enough to sing along even if you don't understand what it's going on about. Oh. And the requisite touch of Sweden is in the backing and the changed last chorus.

Antti Tuisku - Yritta Ymmartaa (Finland, #10)
An impeccably produced single for a Suomen (Finnish) Idol contestant, built around a divine string sample I can’t identify. Said sample is augmented by a well-placed acoustic guitar and a simple but effective beat. The song placed on top of it is quite nice mid-tempo R&B with a gorgeous, lilting chorus that ducks and swoops around the strings artfully. The combination is effortless and quite affecting, particularly when the song ends abruptly leaving just a brief string fade-out, perfect as both a conclusion and as a segue back to the beginning when put on repeat. If this sample and beat haven’t been used before, then someone in the UK or US should snap it up and do something massive with it post haste.

Drengene Fra Angora - Team Easy On (Denmark, #1)
Actually I'm not sure of the country of origin here, but it's top of the pops in Denmark, and with good reason. Old school in precisely the same way hip-hop records aren't, but perhaps could be if they took their inspiration from 80s cartoon themes (especially Japanese ones), it features a bunch of people that have decided the best way of enriching the fast-paced retro music is by speaking over it in a variety of really silly voices (the second verse has to be heard to be believed, I'm not entirely convinced that it's a human voice). The chorus is moronic but as a bridge between the verses and the delicious crash-sample-infused breakdown in the middle—itself a pure pop pleasure—its inanity is perfect.

Jacques Houdek - Sve Bih Dao Da Sam Njen (Croatia, only on radio charts)
Clearly electrifying the listeners in Varazdin with this excellent Craig David-esque number must slightly offset Jacques' difficulty with looking really, really weird. Well, Craig David before he decided to ship coals to Newcastle on his second album. Built around a slinky and insistent acoustic guitar and the always-pleasing Colonia beats, this is smooth and engaging, fat-free R&B bereft of any needless melisma or overwrought attempts at conveying emotion, but with a strong melody at its heart. Jacques' vocal arrangements are sparse and restrained, but very effective.

Magnifico & Turbolentza - Hir Ai Kam, Hir Ai Go (Italy, #50)
There really need to be more songs sounding like "Livin' La Vida Loca" that hit the mainstream. This song has the same blistering guitar lines as its hooks with only sparing use of brass, but with the pleasing addition of whooshing noises and utterly nonsensical lyrics name checking various places around the world and a title that makes sense once you read it aloud. The spare brass comes out briefly after the chorus to give it a slightly more Latin sound than the formless chorus accompanied by vaguely hip-hop influenced samples that are eventually revealed to be "Let's dance!", hardly an unreasonable request here.

Alter Ego - Rocker (Germany, not charting presently)
Imagine if you will, an even ruder version of Mr. Oizo's one-off annoying novelty number "Flat Beat" with synthesized whistling noises that are actually eerie and as such strangely out of place in such a one-trick salvo, electronic pulses and the sleaziest, filthiest bass you've heard since Benny Bennassi's own annoying novelty. Perhaps a tad too long for some, this must have had a blink-and-miss it run in the charts or missed them altogether. Luckily, I've got an awfully high threshold for any song as aggressively, bludgeoningly squelchy as this. Your mileage may vary.

Babasonicos - Putita (Argentina, #1)
A bit more laid-back than my usual recommendations, but this lot, who've had a few songs that are somewhat reminiscent of the Super Furry Animals though they've been around longer, are deservedly doing massive things with this. Opening with a deceptive Latin strum before some dream-pop chords arrive to put enough haze over things to prepare you for the sleepy vocals come in. The intensity increases just enough for the chorus, which sounds searching and gorgeous with its sprightly drumming, strings and some deep-buried keyboard noises. By the time it comes around for the second time it approaches campfire sing-a-long status, such is its simple catchiness.