Category: Featured

SONG OF THE DAY:? Funkerman – “Push’em Up”

As I was listening to Fedde Le Grand’s “Rockin and Rollin” yesterday, I was wondering what his partner in crime Funkerman was up to.? From the sound of his new imprint Can You Feel It records, it sounds like Funkerman is morphing into Discoman (and not just because of the “I Feel Love” cover playing on his Festival YouTube preview). ?We’re not talking retread ’70s disco, but a modern update at a groovy tempo with acidic lines and catchy vocal hooks.? There is a sparse, funky feel that will suck you in and it’s not too fast (or trying to hard). ?If you like “Push ’em Up,” be sure to check out his recent “Paradise/Dashboardlight” track as well.

Image Courtesy of Can You Feel It Recordings.

SONG OF THE DAY: Fedde Le Grand – “Rockin’ and Rollin'”

A festival monster with classic DNA… Energetic Dutchman Fedde Le Grand continues his exploration of rock and Daft Punk-ish influences from “Raw,” with the accurately titled “Rockin’ N Rollin’.” Starting off with a vibe not dissimilar to Freemasons recent “Bring It Back,” vocal samples crescendo into a full-on rock-edged shuffling beat. It’s intense, aggressive-yet-still-accessible, almost like dBerrie’s “Zenith” or Tristan Garner’s “Machine Gun” made for the masses. The vocals are effected to an extreme before the drop-down leads to a swirling synth line with the feel of Abba’s “Voulez-vous” pumped with testosterone. The massive staccato and stuttered build-up will drive any floor wild. Originally deployed at Ultra, the track will no doubt be a festival favorite all summer. The only question is which rapper will be called on for the topline, I imagine someone like Busta Rhymes would have the perfect flow.

Image Courtesy of Flamingo.

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY): Dido – “End of Night (Remixes)”

I will be the first to admit that Dido is not the first artist I think of when I am reaching for a floorfilling club anthem.? Her songs tend to be more downbeat, introspective, and dare I say depressing- not really the ultimate source material for hands-in-the-air fun.? Maybe this is why her new single “End of Night” blew me away so much.? Produced and co-written by Greg Kurstin, the pop mastermind behind two of the year’s best dance pop records, Tegan and Sara’s “Closer” and Rita Ora’s “Radioactive,” the song spins Dido’s telling off of an ex-boyfriend as an ’80s-vibed nu-romantic La Roux-inspired electro track.?? What makes it even more special is that both remixes feel like modern takes of ’90s dance styles – Vince Clarke’s mix sounds like an updated DNA-ish hip-house track, while Bimbo Jones go hands-in-the-air Hi-NRG europop (imagine Motiv8 reworking Yaz’s “Don’t Go” for an idea). ?Whoever A&Red these remixes deserves kudos for one of the more interesting remix packages of the year.

Image Courtesy of RCA.