Christabelle Sandoo is a nomad diva who landed in the Oslo studio of Hans-Peter Lindstrom, the electronic producer whose 28-minute 2008 "Where You Go I Go Too" posited a new genre: epic prog-house. They're a perfect pair. Christabelle maximizes her limited instrument throughout, speaking with moist vowels between sung verses like Grace Jones in a training corset. Lindstrom's tracks shine like sun on snow, disco struts alternating with electro-funk chugs. Defining moment: a techno-fied cover of "Let It Happen" by Vangelis, another visionary European who never let genre considerations get in the way of a tasty overproduction.

“Time to Pretend”

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”