Category: Song Of The Day

SONG OF THE DAY: Morgan Page & Nadia Ali – “Carry Me (Remixes)”

Almost a year later, and Morgan Page’s album In the Air continues to spawn strong single releases. On original review, we referred to “Carry Me” as a standout from the album. Deeply melodic and filled with emotional tension, “Carry Me” gives us Page at his most effective, working with a stellar vocalist who knows how to write an excellent dancefloor ballad. That brilliant balance of pretty, pop, and progressive made it the perfect material for club remixes. For the stadium/progressive lovers, Nilson & the 8th Note keep a lot of the original feel and heighten the drama with the vocals laying over a subtle bed which rises to a hands in the air crescendo. If you like it harder or more electro with a touch of glitch, rising Dutch mastermind Dyro turns out a floor filling prime time monster. These two remixes just prove that when you start with such a strong song, the remixes are going to be strong as well.

Image Courtesy of Nettwerk.

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY): Gala – “Lose Yourself in Me”

With mind and senses pure, I can honestly say that I was a big fan of europop in the ’90s, and Gala was one of my favorites.? “Freed From Desire,” “Let a Boy Cry,” and “Come Into My Life” – in their original versions and the remixes by Da Loops and Motiv8 were mainstays of my radio and club sets for quite a while.? Imagine my sheer delight when I recently stumbled upon “Lose Yourself in Me,” released last June on her own label Matriarchy.? The song has all of the elements of classic Gala – that unique, tough-but-sweet voice, intelligent lyrics written above the level of most dance pop, and a catchy repeated chorus hook.? The sound is definitely current, yet there’s an influence of the melancholy t.A.T.u sound that adds a duality of emotion to the sound.? For club play, remixes are a mixed bag (literally) with a contrasting Veldt/Gangnam style mash (JoeySuki), the old school Hi-NRG hands-in-the-air girl twirl (Clap), and the electrohouse/stadium fusion (Hakimaki). ?I could only imagine how great the vibe on the set of the Tron-style video was, as you see the oft-somber Italian girl smiling and having a lot of fun.? Isn’t that the kind of energy you want from a europop song??? While credible DJs may turn up their noses at such an obvious pop record, lyrics like “Find Yourself in Me, I’ll Set You Free” make it a perfect song to start a set with.???

Image Courtesy of Matriarch Records.

SONG OF THE DAY: Armin van Buuren ft Trevor Guthrie – “This is What It Feels Like”

Everyone’s buzzing about the premiere of “This is What It Feels Like” last night on BCC Radio 1. Armin describes his forthcoming album ‘Intense’ as a mix of house, electro, and trance with a touch of dubstep and rock, so this lead single is a great setup, fusing stadium house and trance with elements of rock. If you are a fan of recent tracks by Daddy’s Groove and Carl Nunes, “This is What It Feels Like” will feel similar- yet instead of experimenting with alternative rock, it embraces more of the classic and progressive rock genres, with Armin adding his signature euphoric and pretty glaze on top if it. The vocals of Trevor Guthrie (formerly of SoulDecision) are heartfelt and emotional with an INTENSity as he sings lines like “don’t even know how I survived” that will bring you in as part of the melody. The piano lines and “ooh” vocal hooks compliment the vocals perfectly and complete the track. “This is What It Feels Like” feels like it can be a crossover pop hit upon release internationally, even strong enough to bring Armin some Top 40 attention in the US. As a first taste of Intense, the song makes us look forward to his explorations into the new world of Trance 2.0.

Image Courtesy of Armada.