SONG OF THE DAY: David Guetta ft Skylar Grey – “Shot Me Down”

It would be so easy to slag off this record as a retread of the Audio Bullys’ UK Top 3 pop hit “Shot You Down” from 2005 because it is essentially the same concept: the chorus of the Cher/Nancy Sinatra song “Bang Bang” as an intro to some banging big beats. However, since it is produced so well and will sound great on the dance floor (and might provide some exposure to the brilliant and underappreciated singer Skylar Grey), I feel like it’s definitely worth a listen. Skylar captures the ’60s vocal style of Cher/Nancy so much so that on first listen it sounds more like a sample (which the Audio Bullys used) rather than a new vocal. The electro beats sounds like just about everything (that is, a mash of Garrix/Showtek – which could have been made by anyone). David Guetta is at his best when he brings club sounds to the mainstream through R&B/pop collaborations and this song fits that bill perfectly. Since this is the first of a “series of beats designed purely for the dance floor,” being released while David is working on his new album, it makes me wonder if this the direction he is going. If you get addicted to the track, like you might, don’t bother looking for it on iTunes or Amazon as it is exclusive to Beatport for the next month.

Image courtesy of Jack Black Records.

David Guetta ft Skylar Grey – “Shot Me Down”

SONG OF THE DAY: DJ Cassidy ft Robin Thicke and Jessie J – “Calling All Hearts”

DJ Cassidy is a true superstar DJ.? He’s spun the biggest celebrity events for everyone from Beyonce & Jay Z and Naomi Campbell to? Oprah Winfrey and President Obama.? When deciding what kind of music he wanted to create for his solo debut album, he analyzed his favorite dance music and discovered that everything was released between 1978 and 1982.? To recreate that soulful disco sound, he reunited the actual original musicians and producers to create a modern take on the classic sounds.? The resulting music is unlike anything else out there right now.? This is run to the dance floor, happy, sing-along good time party music.? Songs that make you want to actually dance – not just jump and down and rage (not that there is anything wrong with that). The first single “Calling All Hearts,” co-written by Claude Kelly, brings in Robin Thicke and Jessie J who sound raw and real yet absolutely polished and perfect at the same time.? The hooks of “Calling All Hearts” are so catchy that it will be stuck in your head on first listen.?? I had the honor of hearing a preview of the album at the Promo Only Summer Sessions last August, and as amazing as “Calling All Hearts” is, it might not even be the best song on the album.? If you are a fan of Daft Punk, Robin Thicke, Tensnake or any of the other modern interpretation of disco or NuHouse – you should definitely be listening to this.? After listening to the song, watch the making of clip which shows studio sessions with the vocalists and instrumentalists from Earth Wind & Fire, guitar work with Nile Rodgers, and horn and string arranger Jerry Hey (who worked on Michael Jackson’s classic albums).

Image Courtesy of Sony.

DJ Cassidy ft Robin Thicke and Jessie J – “Calling All Hearts”

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY): Just Ivy ft Akon – “Paradise”

It’s pretty much a safe bet that I am going to like anything that the Wideboys happen to remix.? Back in November, I got the promo of “Paradise” and I played it pretty much blindly.? Listening back to my radio set, it just leapt out at me.? It was like, what the heck is this catchy pop song?? “Paradise” is the debut single from European singer Just Ivy, a summery-vibed escape song with somewhat simple lyrics that just gets ingrained in your head without you even realizing it.? While her vocal is somewhat processed, she sounds like a cross between Leigh Nash (Sixpence None the Richer) and Nina Persson (The Cardigans), with just a hint of Lumidee’s rasp.? In addition to the previously-mentioned Wideboys remix,? there are incredibly strong mixes by Starkillers, R3hab, and Sean Finn which toughen the song up with a more aggressive electro feel while keeping the vocals intact.?

Image Courtesy of Pearl / The Orchard.

Just Ivy ft Akon – “Paradise”