SONG OF THE DAY: Breach – “Jack”

What is Jack? Well, let’s start with Who is Jack. In the classic house track “Can You Feel It” by Mr Fingers (aka Larry Heard), Jack is the mythical deity who “declared Let There Be House and House music was born.” Jack as a verb describes dancing to house music and getting it in, so to say. For Ben Westbeech, aka Breach, “Jack” single is a throwback to old school house with the playfully repeated vocal line “I Want your body, everybody wants your body, so let’s jack.” The simplicity of the track is so refreshing that it becomes addictive after the first listen. With the current ’90s house revival, the track’s release couldn’t be more perfectly timed. As classic as “Jack” sounds, the bouncy house groove has enough modern elements and sounds to make it fit in 2013 just as easily as it would have in 1993. The hairy video has gone viral and fits nicely into the video meme that the Duck Sauce guys have been broadcasting (“Big Bad Wolf” and “It’s You”). If house isn’t your thing, check out the Cazzette remix of Ben Westbeech’s last vocal release, “Something for the Weekend,” for some harder beats (and shame on you for not embracing the “universal language spoken and understood by all”).

Images courtesy of Big Beat/dirtybird.

Notable Dance Podcast #016

Alaia & Gallo – Ole Ole (Extended)
Axis – Hands Up
DJ Prime – Tutti Fruity
Wideboys – Party People
Lee Dagger – Poseidon
Chase & Adam Rickfors – Freaks (Original)
Dada Life – Boing Clash Boom (Bingo Players)
Junior Sanchez ft Ineabell – Alive At Night
Vicetone ft Collin McLoughlin – Heartbeat (Popeska)
BT – Skylarking (Maor Levi)
Craig Connelly & Christina Novelli – Black Hole

SONGS OF THE DAY:?? Don Diablo & Matt Nash – “Starlight (Could You Be Mine)” and Don Diablo ft Alex Clare & Kelis -? “Give It All”

The original dirty dutchman Don Diablo is forever experimenting with his sound (check out the brilliant “M1 Stinger” for his last leftfield track). Teaming with rising UK producer Matt Nash, the result is “Starlight,” a refreshing take on the stadium meme, where the energetic part is more like bouncy electrohouse rather than the overdone three-chord brohouse cliche.? The vibe is reminiscent of the tragically overlooked Kat Krazy “See the Sun” from earlier in the year.? Watch for this one to be big amongst the superstar DJs, with Axwell championing it on his Axtone label.??? Featuring vocalist Alex Clare and Kelis, “Give It All” sounds like it might be the major pop hit that crosses Don over to the mainstream.? With the downbeat dubstep production, it feels slightly similar to Alex’s pop hit “Too Close,” but the lyrics and tone are much darker – questioning what you would do if your life was about to end and even the meaning of life while toasting a drink, celebrating for reason we don’t know.? It’s much more thought-provoking than a typical party record (maybe a testament to the vast unemployment of British/European twentysomethings) and sounds like a political statement that Faithless would be making in these uncertain times.? If you aren’t familiar with Don Diablo’s music, after you check out these two songs – go back and listen to “Hooligans,” “Amimale,” and “Make You Pop.”

Images courtesy of Axtone and Columbia.