SONG OF THE DAY: Aly & Fila ft Chris Jones – “Running Out of Time”

If there’s one common theme for 2013, it seems to be the ’90s revival. Over the past few months, tracks inspired by (and even sounding like) ’90s techno, europop, and underground house have made their way into clubland. Leave it to Egyptian trance duo Aly & Fila to follow a different muse- Seattle-based grunge/alternative rock. Imagine Pearl Jam doing stadium house and you got the basic idea of “Running Out of Time.” Enlisting British vocalist Chris Jones adds grit and texture to the dark and driving track. Is that real guitar I hear? Are those tape rewind transitions inspired by the infamous Kicks Like a Mule mix of Awesome 3 “Don’t Go?” One thing for sure, this track is a departure for the trance duo as it sounds unlike anything they’ve done in the past. As the lead track to their forthcoming artist album, it sets the course for some unique future sounds.

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY): Damon Paul ft Patricia Banks – “The Sun Always Shines On TV”

When classic songs get covered, it’s like old friends coming over for a visit to relive wonderful memories. Originally recorded by a-ha in 1985, “The Sun Always Shine on TV” was covered by europopsters Diva in the mid ’90s and again by Milk Inc in 2003. Ready for 2013 comes German DJ Damon Paul who obviously likes to inject some fun into his production (note the playfully named Miss Vio Line who performed on his last single “Next Life”). Straight-ahead europop with elements of stadium is the production style with the obligatory dubstep breakdown is the approach, though the absence of a seemingly omnipresent (and unnecessary) rapper is much appreciated. Frequent collaborating vocalist Patricia Banks (“Last Christmas,” “Ai Se Eu Te Pego”) contributes a quality vocal which fits the track perfectly. For club consumption, more aggressive mixes by Guenta K and Bodybangers toughen the track up while keeping the full vocal in place. DJs looking for a track that mixes perfectly (and ironically) with the recent Pitbull/Christina Aguilera collaboration should definitely drop this one.

Image Courtesy of Future Soundz.