Britney Spears releases new single, Hold It Against Me

Despite all of her negative press - or perhaps because of it - the release of any new Britney Spears single remains an event. And so it is with Hold It Against Me, which has been hungrily anticipated by music bloggers -- so much so that a demo version with a different singer was circulating the web last week. For better or worse, Britney still brings the buzz.

The song was launched on iTunes today, and lyrically, it's predicated on a played-out pick-up line ("If I told you had a great body, would you hold it against me?"). Most pop songs are sexual come-ons, so this is neither surprising nor interesting. But it's the sort of quip that Britney often resorts to in song - a line whose subtext is, I know I'm being bad, but you still find me irresistible, right?

Yeah, Brit, you're right. Or mostly right, anyway. Hold It Against Me is pretty sturdy fare, with a forthright melody anchored by a grinding techno beat that culminates in an exultant, whooshing chorus. Brit's vocals are shamelessly breathy throughout - and let's face it, we'd feel let down if they weren't. In terms of dance-pop, it doesn't quite reach the heights of the recent Rihanna single Only Girl (In the World), but Hold It Against Me is still a solid single.

To me, the most exciting part of this tune is the breakdown section, which features some wonderfully jagged synths and wobbly bass line and demonstrates the increasing influence of British dubstep on modern pop.