Author: DJ Ron Slomowicz

SONG OF THE DAY: Benny Benassi – “House Music”

Sometimes the most obvious things slip by me. I have been slamming “House Music” by Benny Benassi for months as a DJ but as a reviewer I have forgotten to write it up. To say that this is an energetic record is like calling Lady Gaga noticable in a crowd. Its staccato intro doesn’t even being to prepare you for what is about to come. A few pads and the spoken voice increase its intensity until a dropout comes and the screachy loop becomes center stage. At this point, when the beat comes back in is when the music literally forces you to jump up and down and scream. Very few records inspire such an intense reaction on first play. Three months later, this track still has people screaming everytime it’s played. “House Music” is quite reminiscent of Benny’s biggest hit “Satisfaction” in that it is a head-scratching WTF moment. With its relentless energy and masterful simplicity, the misnamed “House Music” is easily one of the biggest club tracks of 2011.


Image Courtesy of Ultra.


Image Courtesy of Ultra Music.

GLOSSARY: Dubstep

By: Ben Noman

Definition: Dubstep is a new genre within electronic dance music. The best way to recognize a dubstep track or mix is by the reverberating sub-bass that is present in most productions. The sub-bass is reverberated at different speeds to give a sense of movement and insistence. The tracks are typically higher in BPM, ranging between 138 and 142 typically. The style does not favor four-to-the-floor beats, instead relying on spaced, syncopated percussion that the listener typically adds their own mental metronome to. Recent incarnations of the genre have found life through dubstep remixes of popular artists like La Roux and Lady Gaga. Newer artists such as Nero incorporate dubstep into their drum and bass and layering it with new vocals to create a more accessible sound. Most recently, singer Britney Spears has tapped into this rising trend in her song “Hold It Against Me,” that features the sub-bass frequencies and syncopated beats during the bridge segment.

Origin: Arising in the late 90s/early 00s, the genre has lately seen a more pronounced foothold in mainstream music. Dubstep originated from dub remixes of 2-step garage that was taking over London at the time. Remixers attempted to introduce new sounds into the 2-step genre, resulting in a sound that would soon require its own name. Dubstep, the word, is simply the combination of “dub” and “2-step”.

Artists: Skrillex, El-B, Oris Jay, Jakwob, Zed Bias, Steve Gurley, Skream, Bassnecter, James Blake, PantyRaid, Nero

SONG OF THE DAY: DaCav5 – “Dirty Style”

A wise man once said that when you remix a song for the clubs, you go after three markets – Europe, gay clubs and the Jersey shore. Listening to the debut from DaCav5, its an easy bet that they got the Jersey shore market covered completely. The electropop club banger is everything you would expect for a night of energetic fist-pumping. Dirty dutch-styled beats a la Afrojack or Sidney Samson, check. Multiracial trio of rappers flowing playfully about their exploits, check. Sexy, yet subdued girl cooing the chorus, check. Video with scantily clad vixens, bulging pecs, dancing dwarf and beer helmet cam, check. Everything is in place and ready to go for their special cameo appearance on the next season of MTV’s ‘Jersey Shore.’ They could totally follow the lead of what Lucas Prata achieved with ‘My Super Sweet Sixteen.’

Continue reading SONG OF THE DAY: DaCav5 – “Dirty Style”