SONG OF THE DAY: Harry Romero – Tania (Remixes)

The Brazillian/South American dance music meme seems to be getting big this summer. If you go back and listen to the original version of “Tania,” released by Harry Choo Choo Romero, you might be surprised to realize how current it sounds. The groovy track with sexy beats, stuttered sampled vocals, and a Latino soul feel (like classic Masters at Work) would fit in any 2014 nu-house or deep house set. The song title comes from Brazilian artist Tania Maria, whose voice is sampled from her record “Made in New York.” ToolRoom reboots the track with new mixes by Filterheadz (tribal with a hint of electro), Purple Disco Machine (slowed-down tempo with a spaced-out feel and an addictive beat that both clashes and blends perfectly at the same time), and Riva Starr (keeping the basic feel of the original and speeding it up with a bit of a tasteful Klubbheads feel). All three remixes are quality and it will be interesting to see who they get for the part two package. Those who are enjoying the Fatboy Slim ‘Bem Brasil’ tracks should definitely check out “Tania” as well.

Image courtesy of Toolroom.

SONG OF THE DAY: Audien & Matthew Koma – Serotonin

So many times when you hear a great track, you can already imagine what a vocal on top of it will sound like. “Machina” by Audien floated around last summer and received a good bit of buzz. This progressive stadium track showcases Audien’s prettier and more uplifting side – like “Wayfarer,” “Leaving You,” and “The Reach.” On first listen, you can already hear the vocals. Though it may not be labeled as “Machina,” it is pretty clear that “Serotonin” is based on that track. Matthew Koma gives an emotional vocal performance that elevates the track to an even higher level with great lyrics that just make you feel good and pretty much anthropomorphize serotonin. It’s one of the gorgeous hands-in-the-air epic tracks that sounds just as good on the dancefloor as it will on the radio. It also goes to show that with the right kind of human interaction, there is really no need to get “Wasted.”

Image courtesy of Spinnin.

SONG OF THE DAY: David Guetta & Kaz James – Blast Off

It seems as though David Guetta is taking a similar path as Paul Oakenfold with his current project. While Paul is reimagining trance classics like “Toca Me” and “Cafe del Mar” with a 2014 touch, David is using seminal club classics based on samples as his inspiration source. Following up “Shot Me Down,” which reworked the Audio Bullys take of the Cher/Nancy Sinatra classic, on “Blast Off” he mines the same 1978 Van Halen sample of “Ain’t Talkin ’bout Love” that Apollo 440 used for their 1997 top 10 hit “Ain’t Talkin Bout Dub.” The raging electro “Blast Off” harnesses the primal rock energy of the guitar sample with the same aggression and powerful feel of the Apollo 440 drum and bass version. Aussie DJ/singer Kaz James, best known for the rock/dance hybrid classic “I Like the Way You Move” with the Bodyrockers, spits some MC-styled lyrics that will energize the festival kids to bang it out and “Blast Off” all summer long. If David is taking requests for his next JackBack track, I would suggest using Spiller’s “Groovejet” as inspiration and going housey for a new summertime Ibiza poolside anthem.

Image Courtesy of Jack Black.