Category: Song Of The Day

SONG OF THE DAY: M? – “I Don’t Wanna Dance”

Karen Marie ?rsted, a/k/a M?, blends together indie dance-pop, electro, and a touch of ’60s retro for the infectious and mistitled “Don’t Wanna Dance.” It has the same addictive feel that Justice had with “D A N C E” a few years back. The song also shows that she isn’t afraid to explore different sounds – just take a listen to her previous songs- the glitchy “XXX,” the wacked-out big band-flavored “Pilgrim,” and the world music-vibed “Maiden.” DJs will dig the big piano house-fueled MA mix and the NuHouse-flavored Urulu mix. Her forthcoming album “No Mythologies to Follow” will be one to watch for when it is released in March.

Image courtesy of Chess Club / RCA Victor

M? – “I Don’t Wanna Dance”

SONG OF THE DAY: Salt Ashes – “Somebody”

Imagine Kate Bush doing a dark synth-pop cover of Depeche Mode’s “Black Celebration,” and you have the initial buzz single of Veiga Sanchez (a/k/a Salt Ashes). For the “official” debut comes “Somebody,” a slick-yet-moody downtempo electronic record with the feel of a New Order side project – maybe Revenge or Electronic. The comparisons to Kate Bush are obvious, but there’s a hint of a Natalia Kills noir in there that gives it an even darker, angelic vibe. While not exactly club-ready, the Cruelty remix adds a new beat with a kind of RAC-meets-DFA vibe. With her unique and ethereal (yet powerful) voice, I imagine that there will be some strong DJ/Producer collabs coming soon.

Image courtesy of Radikal records.

Salt Ashes – “Somebody”

SONG OF THE DAY: Gala – “Taste Of Me”

When you’ve got a signature, it’s best to stick with it. I can pretty much write the same review I did of Gala’s last single “Lose Yourself in Me” for her new single “Taste of Me.” As in “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.” That’s not to say the two songs are overly similar – they aren’t – but they are both high-quality dance pop. What strikes me this time around is how fans of the recent work of fellow ’90s europop singer Robyn should be obsessed with Gala as well. While they wait for new material for from the blonde Swede, they can catch a similar vibe of “Call Your Girlfriend” both in lyrical (figuratively marking their romantic territory) and visual (single take video with intense choreography) content. One major improvement from the last single is the highly impressive roster of remixers who ALL turn in strong takes – Starkillers, Hoxton Whores, Bimbo Jones, and Almighty. Each crew hit a different sound, making it perfect for just about any club DJ to work into their primetime sets. Yes, I am obviously a Gala fan and after you listen to “Taste of Me,” I bet you will be also.

Image courtesy of Matriarchy records.

Gala – “Taste of Me”