SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY): Martha Wash – I’m Not Coming Down

Everyone loves Martha Wash. From her start as a backup singer for Sylvester to her classic with the Weather Girls “It’s Raining Men” and more than 30 years of club anthems, Martha is beloved in gay clubland as a legendary diva. For 2014, she is back with “I’m Not Coming Down” a house record that shows both the soft and powerful side to her voice. She can sing but she can also sang (as is the proper idiom for her unmatched vocal prowess.) Surely to be featured at every circuit party this summer, It comes as no surprise that it is flying up the Billboard Club Chart and set to reach the pinnacle any day now. One sure sign of how much she is loved by clubland is the sheer volume of remixes with more than 20 different ones currently floating around (Rosabel, Tony Moran, Danny Diggz, DJ Ting, Gustavo Scorpio, Phil B & Leo Frappier, John Le Page & Brian Cua, Todd Terry, Ranny, Alex Acosta, Guy Scheiman, C-Rod, Deep Influence, Giangi Cappai, James Anthony, Wayne G, Mauro Mozart, Guy Scheiman, Albert Cabrera, John Lepage, Gustavo Scorpio, Phil B & Frappier.) As the most remixed record of the year (aside from Cher’s “Take It Like a Man,”) it’s a good thing that we are in a digital age because there is no telling how many cd singles would need to be released to cover all the remixes and dubs. If perchance you’re a dj and can’t find a suitable mix among those, there is even a sick electro bootleg mashup with Showtek. Having worked with Martha several times over the years, she is also a joy to perform with and always has a fun sense of humor. Evidence of this is the video for “I’m Not Coming Down” which is clearly a tongue-in-cheek spoof of the 90s NuHouse meme with her updating the classic “Give It To You” video with hot shirtless men dancing all around her.

Image Courtesy of Purple Rose.

SONG OF THE DAY: Rui Da Silva – Love is the Leader

This is shaping up to be a big year for Portuguese producer Rui Da Silva. Not only has he reunited with DJ Vibe to reform the Underground Sound of Lisbon, but he’s dropping quality progressive and tribal house tracks like “Sunrise” and “New Lover.” His new track “Love is the Leader” is another deep and proggy house workout with a sizzling groove (literally because of the effects in the background- listen closely) and great vocals from Penny F. If you listen closely, he pays respect to his ’90s house roots with a keyboard hook subtly reminiscent of Alcatraz “Give Me Luv.” In addition to the solid original mix, Chus & Ceballos give it a darker, tribal spin and the Groove Syndicate dubs it out with a funky retro take. Speaking of Underground Sounds of Lisbon, a track from their reunion performance at Rock in Rio, possibly called “Groovejet,” features a male vocal and is everything you would want from them. It sounds like vintage USL through the lens of 2014, respectful of their classic tribal sound and updated with a tasteful modern vibe.

USL @ Rock In Rio from Kismet Records on Vimeo.

Image courtesy of Kismet Records.

SONG OF THE DAY: Anna Lunoe – All Out

With the song “Breathe,” Anna Lunoe caught our attention with the way she effortlessly blended genres, sounds, and effects for a modern take on retro grooves. On “All Out,” she takes similar elements, 2-step garage undertones, and lush Enigma-like background vocals to craft a pop song which sounds like what Sia would have written for an ’80s-era Madonna song. While a song might have a key change with the last chorus to raise the emotion, there’s a complete beat structure change which is so subtle yet defined that it has the same effect. Something about her music and voice is reminiscent of Ayah Marar, and a collaboration of the two would most likely yield magical results. Since “All Out’ doesn’t come out until July, after getting your pop fill jump over and check out her collaboration with Skrillex, “Bass Drum Dealer,” for a free download that will bang you out with a mix of retro rave/techno and breakbeats.

Image courtesy of Ultra.