Category: Song Of The Day

SONG OF THE DAY: Xenia Ghali ft Katt Rockell – Broken

Pitbull proves he really is Mr. International by discovering Greek DJ/Producer/Songwriter Xenia Ghali. Rather than focus on the obvious – that Xenia Ghali is one of very few female DJ/producers (Reid Speed, Dani Deahl, Nervo, Havana Brown, Maya Jane Coles, Nora en Pure), let’s talk about the song. The progressive house song has a dark yet warm pop feel, with a hint of a ’70s rock vibe giving it a unique edge. The lyrics are subtle but strong, with the empowering story of reclaiming your life by leaving a destructive, controlling partner. Yes, it’s some heavy stuff that feels like something Adele might have written. The song appears to be the English language version of the song “Gennithika Gia Sena” that she released earlier this year with Greek singer Tamta. While I don’t speak Greek, listening to both versions it’s clear that newcomer vocalist Katt Rockell makes the song her own with sheer vocal prowess (be sure to check out her trip pop motivational anthem “Pushin” as well). “Broken” is instantly memorable on first listen, and it’s easy to see why dance radio has embraced it so quickly. Don’t be surprised if it goes all the way and crosses to pop radio as well with further collaborations with Katt Rockell (“Get Right” and “That’s What You Call Love”) continuing the streak.

Courtesy of 305 Music.

SONG OF THE DAY: Sweet Rains ft Reina – Forever

It’s been far too long since we’ve heard new music from Reina. The beloved singer of club anthems “Find Another Woman” and “Anything for Love,” and pop crossovers “No One’s Gonna Change You” and “If I Close My Eyes” has been out of the spotlight since the 2010 release of “Just Let Go,” popping up for guest spots on records by Jipsta and Cezar as well as a few club dates. Her comeback record with Sweet Rains “Forever,” was worth the wait. With an intro reminiscent of Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own,” the sweet pop feel showcases Reina singing in a softer and more controlled tone than you might expect. As the the bridge drops down, her vocals grow more powerful- leading to a catchy and emotional chorus. In the radio edit, each of the three choruses raise in intensity until the powerful last refrain. Even with her immense vocal prowess, she doesn’t oversing (even though she has the pipes to really wail, or SANG as they say in the gospel world), rather focusing on the emotion and communicating the song for a pop audience. For clubland, Nukage and Iggy toughen it up with a big room electro mix, while Serving Ovahness brings a touch of progressive house with a tribal overtone. The modern tribal-oriented mixes by Nick Harvey and Ranny will definitely find much love on the circuit scene. Clubland has missed you, Reina… Welcome back. Here’s hoping this is the first of many new club anthems featuring her brilliant voice and big heart. This record also launches a new record label Lafayette Street records which will focus on vocal dance music.

Image courtesy of Lafayette Street Records.

SONG OF THE DAY: Kristine W – Love Come Home

Originally recorded by Our Tribe (Rollo and Rob Dougan) with Franke Pharoah, “Love Come Home” was released in 1994. What many don’t realize is that Kristine W was prominently featured as a backing vocalist, to the point where it became almost a duet. When it came time to put together her greatest hits album, New & Number Ones, Kristine rerecorded the song and with the help of Subgroover gave it a modern sound. Combining EDM/progressive house with powerful and soulful gospel vocals, “Love Come Home” will catch your attention instantly. On first listen, it sounds like what you would hear on dance radio credited as Zedd featuring Kristine W, so it’s almost shocking that it was done back in 2012. Someone was ahead of their time. For Kristine W, this doesn’t come as a surprise as her debut album “Land of the Living” (produced by Rollo and Rob Dougan) is widely regarded as one of the landmark dance albums of the ’90s. Remixes are forthcoming by Todd Terry, Hermanos Inglesos, Phill Wellz, and Andy Sikorski – so expect some major club action. The video is also worth checking out as Kristine channels her inner Lucia Holm (Sunscreem) in a spiritually uplifting journey of following dreams and wishes coming true.

Image courtesy of Fly Again records.