Following up the official song of the summer “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke moves from the Marvin Gaye “inspired” sound to a more modern, electro synthpop groove while keeping the trademark rapey- oops, lothario- lyrics in place. This time around, rather than waiting for bootleg mixes, club DJs can jump on Beatport and grab a banging electro mix by none other than Dutch producer/DJ Sander Kleinenberg. Returning from a bit of an absence, Sander ups the tempo, keeps the synth vibe, and dirties it up with some glitch and sick studio tricks. Yes, it’s still a mainstream-leaning remix, but his rework makes it cool enough for the big room DJs to play as well.
Category: Song Of The Day
SONG OF THE DAY: Jessica Sutta – “Lights Out”
When singers work with dance producers, there is often a conflict regarding the amount of lyrics in a song.? The singer wants to be the one telling the story, whereas the producer wants the beats and tracks to be the focus.? “Lights Out” stands out as a club track with pop lyrics where the shared focus elevates both elements.? As a member of the Pussycat Dolls, Jessica Sutta is no stranger to the pop world and her forays into clubland with Paul van Dyk, Dave Aude and as a solo artist (“Show Me” / “Again”) have been quite well-received. The track, by Waste Management, varies in styles seemingly inspired by Bingo Players, Zedd, and deadmau5, with enough rhythmic and mood changes to satisfy anyone afflicted with ADD (and yes, that’s a compliment). What others would consider a chorus is simply a bridge for Jessica as she goes for the money shot with the hands-in-the-air chorus.? Whether the song is written to a lover, to a DJ, or simply to a party is unknown but the plethora of hooks (‘oh oh oh’ chants, ‘put my hands higher and higher’ refrain) make it one of the stronger vocal dance records out right now.
Image Courtesy of Citrusonic Stereophonic.
SONG OF THE DAY: Dash Berlin ft Christina Novelli – “Jar Of Hearts”
While the idea of eurodance covers of pop songs is nothing new, every so often a new one comes along that breaks through the mold. Originally recorded (and co-written) by Christina Perri, the lyrics of “Jar Of Hearts” are touching and emotional, making them perfect for the pretty and velvety chords created by trance producer Dash Berlin. The soft and somber, yet powerful vocal performance by Christina Novelli (best known for “Concrete Spaces” with Gareth Emery) takes the darkly pop song to a new place, as if a mournful angel is challenging her fate. With the long break in the middle for the vocals, the trance-meets-stadium house track works best for big rooms or an end-of-night club track. The radio edit, starting off slowly and building in power is perfect for radio, an easy fit for just about any commercial dance station. You can almost imagine hearing the intro of “Jar of Hearts” blending right out of Henrik B’s “Echoes.”
Image Courtesy of Aropa/Armada Music.