Category: Song Of The Day

SONG OF THE DAY: Vato Gonzalez – “Cats Are Evil”

Electronic dance music has become a major Dutch export and most of it can be easily categorized as dirty dutch, trance, or progressive. Vato Gonzalez stands out with his unique DIrty House sound which mashes glitch, electro, hip-hop influences, techno, ragga, and just about everything else so that every release sounds different, yet has his unique feel. His latest release “Cats Are Evil” has an eerie movie score vibe- going between background soundtrack sparseness, banging electro beats, twisted glitchy noises, whistling effects, and retro video game techno noises. The sole vocal sample- “Cats are Evil” may not please feline lovers but makes the perfect random context to tie the various sounds together. Here’s a track for DJs to throw on when they want to mess with heads of the crowds by playing something unexpected and unlike anything else out there. It will definitely work as a call to arms for his “army of bastards.”

Image Courtesy of Mad Decent Records.

SONG OF THE DAY: Mayra Veronica – “Ay Mama Mia”

With the weather turning cold, the timing of “Ay Mama Mia” to inject some Latin heat couldn’t be better.? Well-known as a USO spokeswoman and model, Mayra Veonica has been a hitting the dance floor with tracks like “If You Wanna Fly” and “Freak Like Me.” “Ay Mama Mia” is reminiscent of the festive vibe of classic Miami Sound Machine, think “Conga” or “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” updated with a modern sound.? A plethora of strong remixes will guarantee club play with diverse sounds from Chocolate Puma (big room with Latin breakdown), Sick Individuals (electro), Robbie Rivera (a horn-led tribal workout), and Razor N Guido (a New York take on swing house). ?It’s hard to choose a favorite mix, but I find myself favoring Dave Aude’s swing house take which brings in the rhythm line reminiscent of the Paul Johnson classic “Get Get Down” that was used in the original tropical version.? The video syncs classic footage of bombshells like Bettie Page and Trudy Wayne to Dave Aude’s mix – which isn’t surprising as Mayra is now the face of Bettie Page clothing.? For another visual interpretation, look out for the upcoming IFC feature film “The Songs of the Buena Vista Social Club” which will feature “Ay Mama Mia” as well.

Image Courtesy of? MVA Records.

SONG OF THE DAY: HIIO ft Terri B – “Something About You”

There has been a noticeable lack of soulful vocals on recent big room/progressive/stadium house tracks. This is why recent releases featuring Max C, Peyton, Janice Robinson, and Frenchie Davis have really stood out due to the powerful and sometimes gospel feel to their vocal performances. Continuing this wonderful trend is “Something About You,” the new single by South American duo HIIO (pronounced H2O- like water) featuring the vocals of Terri B. The uplifting production sounds like Almighty channeling classic Perfecto while attempting a progressive pop track (i.e. stadium house that is commercial but not cheesy). Terri B sounds incredible, possessing a voice that can be both soft, pretty europop and screaming gospel diva. What also stands out is the admirable vocal production, not for changing the sound of her voice, but obviously working with Terri to control the power and use it for emphasis in chorus and not oversing the whole record. For a frame of reference, take a listen to two songs from another “b-girl,” Sandy B, with the classic and pristinely-produced “Make the World Go Round” and the horribly-engineered mess “Everlasting Love” (with Jackie Christie). Listening to those back-to-back illustrate the importance of good vocal production and why “Something About You” will sound just as great on a club floor as it will on the radio or your iPod. DJs who find the original version to be too commercial-sounding should reach for the harder, electro/progressive remixes by DONS and Peter Gelderblom – two solid producers who just don’t seem to get the recognition for the great work they do. Listening to this track makes me want to know more about HIIO and track down their upcoming releases as they drop. After listening, I think you might agree.

Image Courtesy of 4 Kenzo Recordings.