SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY):? Mary Kiani – Family

Disclaimer:? It is a safe bet that whenever certain singers release a new song, that I will jump up and down and scream like a fanboy.?? That list includes (but is not limited to): Tina Cousins, Luciana, Heather Small, Kerli,? Robyn, and Mary Kiani.? So imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon “Family,” which was posted on Mary Kiani’s Soundcloud nearly 8 months ago.? Built on the theme of finding your own family, the frolicking hands-in-the-air Hi-NRG electro track is a modernized take on the classic girl-twirl with the current style of chorus breakdown.? The mathematical approach to the lyrics had me flashing back to the top 10 pop hit “3 Is Family,” by the dearly departed Dana Dawson, but a bit more open-minded without the heteronormative delineation.? The idea of building your own family of those who love you has always been a foundation of the gay world, so this song is just another reason why we queers have always embraced Mary Kiani as our beloved big-voiced Scottish diva.

SONG OF THE DAY: Haji and Sheldon – Inception

Seamus Haji is one of those rare producers who lives in both the commercial and underground worlds. One moment he is reworking a big pop record by Foxes, The Saturdays, Usher, or Mariah Carey for the dance floor and the next he drops something much deeper, like “Inception.” This new collaboration with Sheldon is much more on the progressive house tip- not stadium, but big, expansive and experimental, with huge washes of synths leading a journey reaching gorgeous heights and down to deep valleys. When Danny Howard premiered this on his BBC radio show, he referenced Eric Prydz, and while there is definitely a section reminiscent of “Pjanoo,” it is neither a knockoff nor an update but more an experimental groove with a variety of influences. Although I am not normally a fan of progressive tracks, “Inception” is something special that could draw new people into the prog world as it really embraces you on an emotional level and takes you on a sonic journey with the many layers that build over its six-minute length.

Image courtesy of Trice Recordings.