Despite our lingering fears that Britney Spears may no longer possess the sufficient motor skills or metal capacity to, say, download her own album, no less make it, Popdust unequivocally loves Femme Fatale—out today after months of anticipation. Whatever she did or didn't do on Femme Fatale, she did or didn't do it brilliantly. Setting aside the issue of Britney's "agency" on Femme Fatale, it's the best sounding, best written pop album we've heard this year, and it may be the best record, from start to finish, of her career. That's a tribute to Britney's embrace of (or lack of resistance to) state-of-the-art, four-four dance music, but mostly it's a tribute to the brilliance of the Dream Team of writers and producers who created Femme Fatale, among them Max Martin, Dr. Luke, will.i.am, Bloodshy & Avant and Benny Blanco. The best parts of Femme Fatale aren't necessarily the big choruses, or any extended intros or breaks, but the short bursts of sonic playfulness that wallpaper the album—blips, throbs, hisses and squeaks you'll be whistling reflexively throughout the day. Here are the ten most striking examples, counted down, with their producer/mastermind credits.
10. "Till the World Ends" (Dr. Luke / Max Martin / Billboard)
9. "Inside Out" (Dr. Luke / Max Martin / Billboard)
8. "Trip to Your Heart" (Bloodshy / Henrik Jonback / Magnus)
7. "Gasoline" (Dr. Luke / Benny Blanco)
6. "Hold It Against Me" (Dr. Luke / Max Martin / Billboard)
5. "Big Fat Bass" (will.i.am)
4. "Seal It With a Kiss" (Dr. Luke / Max Martin / Dream Machine)
3. "How I Roll" (Bloodshy / Henrik Jonback / Magnus)
2. "I Wanna Go" (Max Martin / Shellback)
1. "Trouble for Me" (Fraser T. Smith)
