Category: Featured

SONG OF THE DAY: Charli XCX – “Superlove”

It’s easy to see why NME named Charli XCX to their Young Brittania 2013 – Future of British Music list. Whereas most young dance pop artists are manufactured studio creations, Charli started off as an independent alternative artist, writing/cowriting her songs, and has kept that ethos firmly intact. Leading off her second solo album comes “Superlove,” an incredibly-written pop song about powerful infatuation and love with analogies that are both simple and deep. The hooks are catchy and it’s the kind of song that SHOULD be on the radio every 10 minutes. For club consumption, four remixers go in completely different directions. Its hard to describe the sound of Yeasayer as there really isn’t a steady beat (or any beat per se), but it’s not ambient and actually has a pulsing energy to it – imagine listening to ELO while in a K-hole. Frenchman Canblaster mixes electro, disco, fusion, stutter beats, and vocal effects for a kitchen sink effect that shouldn’t work- but does. Mike Mago’s mix is an extension of the retro ’90s house sound of his summer anthem “The Show.” The Wideboys mix is the most straightforward, a blending of their trademark bouncey electrosound with stadium elements for contrast. All four remixes are creative and show how a great pop song can work in just about any context.


Image Courtesy of Atlantic.

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY): Army of Lovers – “Crucifed 2013”

There really isn’t another group like the legendary camp trio (and sometimes quartet) Army of Lovers. Masterminded by Alexander Bard (who went on to create Alcazar and Gravitonas), they mixed outrageous period drag, ostentatious videos, and catchy eurodance pop to spawn a string of Hi-NRG club hits (and videos) including “Obsession,” “Israelism,” “Ride the Bullet,” and of course, their definitive classic “Crucified.” More than 20 year after original release, “Crucified” is updated with a new vocal performance by original singer Jean-Pierre Barda which, unbelievably, manages to camp it up even more. Playing up the religious imagery even further, Dominika adds a new verse encouraging you to enjoy her “Babylonian sex worker bosom.” The production adds a few modern electro touches but is quite faithful to the Hi-NRG original. The Nord mix is probably the most club-friendly, adding a few Swedish House Mafia stabs and keyboard lines while keeping the vibe. The Per QX and Sonny Switch Mix follows the retro ’90s house vibe by slowing down the tempo (and adding some odd evil male vocoder effects) making it sound like a Disclosure record for a leather bar. The real headscratcher, in a good way, is the SoundFactory mix which is reminiscent of the Pete Hammond mixes of a few years ago that took songs back in time with classic PWL-era production. For Sunday Funday, there really isn’t a better song out there that brings religion to the dance floor with tongue planted firmly in cheek (and hands in the air).


Image Courtesy of Stockholm Records.

SONG OF THE DAY: Carlos Mojica ft Asherah – “Take A Look”

Classic freestyle label Tazmania Records has modernized itself for 2013, finding EDM songs, like Sophia May’s “Anywhere With You” that work both in the clubs and on dance radio. Their new release by Chicago residents Carlos Mojica and Asherah, “Take A Look,” is another strong contender. Blending eurodance and electro, the production features a hooky synth line that builds in intensity from the emotional intro to the banging chorus. Asherah’s expressive vocal performance is quite strong, raw enough to convey the tone of the lyrics yet polished enough to fit the sound of the progressive stadium track. Dark Intensity’s mix contributes a New York-styled spin on the Dirty Dutch sound, combining aggression and big room sounds. Dutch producer Jesse Voorn’s take is notable for his blending of stadium house, harder sounds, and classic Hi-NRG for a nearly universal sound that would work for big room DJs as well as pop radio. If you haven’t heard of Jesse Voorn, check out some of his productions (“Closer,” “Seeme,” and “Magic is All Around”) and his recent mix of Jessica Sutta’s “Again.”

Courtesy of Tasmania Records.