Category: Song Of The Day

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY?FUNDAY):? Boy George – Feel the Vibration (Remixes)

Yes, I’ve been on a bit of a Boy George kick lately.? A few weeks ago, I wrote up “My God,” and imagine my pleasant surprise to come across this fun set of remixes of another song, “Feel the Vibration,” from his recent album ‘This is What I Do.’? The original version of the song is a bit hard to describe, with elements of Northern soul, Blue Lines-era Massive Attack, reggae toasting, and backing vocals from a ’70s Disney World theme park ride coming together as a hypnotic, funky track for George’s soulful vocals.? Roland Faber and Hoxton Whores speed up the tempo on their respective mixes and reassemble the diverse elements for modern takes on bassline-driven house.? The Smudgge remix goes a different direction, slowing it down and getting funky for a dubbed-out take reminiscent of The Shamen’s psychedelic ‘Axis Mutatis’ album.? As I prepare for my set opening for Boy George next weekend in Louisville, I invite y’all to download the remixes for free from his Soundcloud here:

Image Courtesy of Boy George.

SONG OF THE DAY: Kissy Sell Out ft Holly Lois – The Promise EP

DJ Producer Thomas Bisdee, better known as Kissy Sell Out of the beloved, multigenre-mixed show Kissy Klub that used to be on BBC Radio, is set to unleash ‘The Promise EP,’? his own twisted take on ’90s dance music. The title track is essentially a nu-house duet of singer Holly Lois and the overly effected male-sounding vocal that seems to magically appear in many recent tracks.? If you focused closely, pretty much every element could be trainspotted from a classic? track, yet the deft combination and smooth flow give it an incredibly fresh sound that would fit perfectly in a set with recent releases by Duke Dumont and Gorgon City.? While the other three tracks on the The Promise EP are strong and span dance genres well (oh, how it brings back memories of beloved speed garage), it is the quaintly-titled “Ecstasy” that stands out. With its blend of piano house (is that the hook from Happy Monday’s “Step On”?), classic techno, and a speed garage bassline,? it is truly a hands-in-the-air anthem.? Then again, can you really go wrong when harnessing the vocal prowess of classic diva Angie Brown on a ’90s-inspired dance record??

Image Courtesy of Carrillo Records.

SONGS OF THE DAY:? Disco Fries ft Amba Tremain – Love Me Right and Disco Fries and Loopers – Exposure

Oftentimes you will notice that producer/DJs alternate big room EDM tracks with commercial, vocal songs to show both their talent in the studio and to expand their reach in various arenas.? New York-based duo and frequent collaborators with lovable long-haired prankster producer Tommie Sunshine (as Fries and Shine), Disco Fries does just that with their recent releases.?? Released during the Winter Music Conference, “Love Me Right” is an energetic hands-in-the-air commercial electro record featuring a diva vocal performance by Amba Tremain (recently heard on Boy George’s album ‘This is What I Do’). The song stands out for just that reason – you can count on one hand the number of recent tracks where you hear a singer with a strong voice really SINGING boldly – and the lyrics almost qualify as Nu-House since those classic themes haven’t been explored in dance music lately.? Teamed with rising Dutch producer Loopers (who recently did a banging remix of the Matthew Koma vocal version of Showtek/Justin Prime collab “Cannonball (Earthquake)”), the Disco Fries duo unleash the banging big room track “Exposure,” which combines many of the current electro sounds with a progressive-sounding drop.? The contrast of the hard and soft make the track stand out from recent releases as well.? These two tracks show their depth as producers and when combined with their energetic DJ performances (as seen multiple times during Winter Music Conference), it’s easy to see why they continue to rise in the world of EDM.

Images courtesy of Zouk/Armada and Powerhouse.