Category: Song Of The Day

SONG OF THE DAY: Mat Zo ft Chuck D? – “Pyramid Scheme”

While the use of ’90s samples has becoming quite prevalent recently, some make more sense than others.? British DJ/producer Mat Zo is best known for his big room progressive tracks (“Easy” with Porter Robinson, “Mozart” with Arty) and remixes (Empire of the Sun “Alive,” Kylie Minogue “Get Outta My Way”). He is also is a drum-and-basshead under the pseudonym MRSA, so digging back to seminal ’90s jump-up/drum & bass track “Rock the Funky Beat” by Natural Born Chillers doesn’t seem like too big a stretch.? For “Pyramid Scheme,” he constructed a progressive stadium house track which moves between big beats and quite a pretty midsection.? Enlisting Chuck D to come back and rerecord the vocal line (which was originally sampled from the Public Enemy track “Caught, Can We Get A Witness?”) is quite the genius move.? Though the track is strong in its current form, I have a feeling there will be another version forthcoming with an additional topline aimed at the pop market.? As for the title “Pyramid Scheme,” one can only wonder if it could be a sarcastic reference to the behind the scene mechanisms of the EDM industry.

Imagine Courtesy of Astralwerks/Anjunabeats.

SONG OF THE DAY: Bart B More – “The Napoleon Saga”

Who knew that KITT was French? Bart B More is back on Skrillex’s label OWSLA with “The Napoleon Saga,” two inspired electro tracks. “Napoleon” is a full-frontal dancefloor assault with aggressive electro, stuttered/syncopated loops, sick buildups, a touch of big room house, and a melody line incredibly similar to the Knight Rider theme (you know, the one Panjabi MC used for “Mandian Te Bach Te”). This new interpretation is insanely powerful to the point of being emotional jarring. “Napoleon” is memorable and aggressive, and perhaps that the reason for the title. “Saga” uses some of the same elements of Napoleon but is structured more like a track for an artist to write a topline to, rather than a full-on club jam. Close your eyes and it could be the next single from Rye Rye. Big room DJs should jump on “Napoleon” immediately (wow, that sounds inappropriate), as it will be an instant floor-response track.

Image Courtesy of Owsla.

SONG OF THE DAY: Harry Romero, Armand Pena, Alex Alicea and Crystal Waters – “Blow”

Sometimes too many cooks can make the broth better. The new club track “Blow,” on Subliminal, is one of those tracks where different influences come together to elevate it to a higher level. Seemingly coming from three different backgrounds, the three producers- Harry Romero (big room tribal/electro), Armand Pena (commercial tribal), and Alex Alicea (indie/progressive) construct an electro/tribal hybrid track with pounding energy, big build-ups, and catchy hooks that act as a bed for Crystal Waters’ party-hyping lyrics. While I am not sure if the reference to Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is intentional, the eternal life of clubland is like that fire that always burns. The song is all about having a good time and being ready when its the party is about to “Blow” up. You can just imagine this track being played in a big room with the countdown leading to a massive explosion or pyrotechnics. Commercial DJs should reach for the Keylow remix, which has a rhythm line that is quite similar to David Guetta’s “Sexy Bitch.” The video captures the nightlife of Lincoln Road on South Beach with several scenes filmed in the Mova Lounge. As someone who’s had the honor of spinning at Mova with Crystal Waters performing, I can attest that its a hot spot that definitely explodes with a party vibe.

Image Courtesy of Subliminal.