SONG OF THE DAY: Happy Enemies – Hood Anthem

Last week while at the Winter Music Conference, I asked several producers how they name their instrumental tracks.? Since many said it was based on the spirit or emotion, I guess it is time for me to make a trip to Israel – or the “Hood” of the Happy Enemies.? The Israeli duo have channelled the energy of classic hard-hitting euro tracks like 666 “Amokk” and Sash “Intercontinental Invaders” and added the deeper, moody breaks that are currently de rigeur.? The contrasts makes both elements even stronger.? Add in a triplet and broken beat passages to mix things up and the constant changing beats make “Hood Anthem” one of the freshest-sounding bangers of the year so far.? The fact that it is a free download from their Soundcloud makes it even more enticing, as does the fact that their next release is coming soon on Armada.

happy enemies hood anthem

Godfather of House Music Frankie Knuckles Passed Away

Frankie Knuckles has passed away. The Godfather of House Music spun at The Warehouse in Chicago during the late ’70s and early ’80s, which is where the term “house music” came from. Recipient of the first Grammy for remixer of the year, he has worked on just about every important soulful vocalist in the past 30 years – Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, and Patti LaBelle just to name a few. His spirit touched us all and his influence on our world will be felt every time we whistle…

Here is a link to my favorite interview with Frankie Knuckle from 2004 during the promotion of his ‘A New Reality’ album.

SONG OF THE DAY: Adassa – Backfire

After enjoying a week of BANGERS at Winter Music Conference, it’s nice to return home and hear a great vocal record with an incredibly strong set of remixes. Let me introduce to you- Adassa. Fans of Latin music already know her as the “Reggaeton Princess” and she is entering the world of dance-pop with different singles aimed different countries. While other markets are getting records featuring Flo Rida, Pitbull, and Snoop Dogg, US DJs are getting “Backfire,” a record showcasing her strong vocals (think a Latina Leona Lewis) and songwriting skills (a deep, almost confessional record where she considers sabotaging a relationship to ensure a painless breakup). The darkness of the lyrical content fits in the realm of Zedd “Stay the Night,” making a great fit for radio. Of course, DJs are all about the beats, and there is a mix for everyone – Danny Mart (a modern fusion of electro and tribal), DJ Samuel Kimko & Don Candiana (a commercial take on progressive stadium house), JC (bouncy funky house a la Crazibiza), Lucas Reyes (subtitled as tech-house, but sounds more like nu-House to me), and Simec (trap pop). All that is missing is an over-the-top Mariah Carey-ish music video featuring her working hard to get noticed and loved by her unappreciative spouse and we’ve got a major hit contender for the spring.

Image Courtesy of Kult.

adassa backfire