Benny Benassi ft John Legend – Dance the Pain Away (Original)
Jus Jack & Oza ft Blessid Union of Souls – Love is the Answer (Tiesto)
Laid Back – White Horse (Funkerman)
Brass Knuckles ft John Ryan – Alive (Starkillers)
HIIO ft Abigail Bailey – Waiting For the Night (Original)
Denis the Menace and Syke & Sugarstarr – World in Your Hands (Antranig)
Far Too Loud – Drop the Bomb
Holmes Watson – LOL
Maison & Dragen – WOW (Original)
Cosmic Gate – Storm Chaser (Original)
Tiesto ft Kyler England – Take Me
Lange & Susana – Risk Worth Taking (Extended)
Tag: benny benassi
SONG OF THE DAY: Cedric Gervais & Howard Jones – “Things Can Only Get Better”
Yes, “Things Can Only Get Better” is an ’80s classic by one of my first musical idols – synth-pop deity Howard Jones. I remember one summer in High School when I saw him perform five times around Florida. When I first saw signs advertising this collaboration with French-born/Miami-based DJ/producer Cedric Gervais during Winter Music Conference in March, I got so excited that I nearly tore it down to keep as a souvenir – so yes, my expectations were high. The stadium/electro update features a few lines of vocals and sounds exactly like you would expect. Yes, it’s fun and energetic and will no doubt create magic on any dance floor with the hooky synth lines and uplifting vocal bits but, and there is a big but, it really doesn’t seem as amazing as it should be. In the same way that Scandinavian Techno Society mocked the Swedish House Mafia, this seems like it could be a spoof of all the cover/sample tracks that pop up on a weekly basis. It feels like something that Royal Gigolos would have done during Benny Benassi’s atonal noise period rather than something masterful from the gifted producer who created “Spirit In My Soul” and “Love is the Answer.” Then again, maybe Cedric’s ambition is to become a novelty act in the “Molly” vein (and it makes you wonder if Tyga will do a version of this as well). The video reinforces that with a David Guetta “Play Hard”-esque comical take where the main character gets caught in a Groundhog Day-like sequence that leads him to an amazing underground party – complete with flashing lights, pretty girls, and of course the main vocal hook exploding for big emphasis. Maybe since this song was such a major part of my youth I was hoping for something more creative and epic as opposed to a two line-sampling paint-by-numbers stadium track – like maybe a full vocal version, or something more creative like the Milk and Sugar version of “What is Love” from a few years back. Couldn’t he at least thrown us a bone and used the “woh oh oh” chant which the original song was known for in the drop out? Maybe this track will inspire other electronic producers to collaborate with the genius Howard Jones to revisit his classics while creating new music with him. With all that said, this is a fun track that I am no doubt overanalyzing, and those of us nostalgic for the ’80s will enjoy this as much as punters of the 2010s.
Image Courtesy of Spinnin.
SONG OF THE DAY: Davide Rivaz – “Colors”
With the plethora of tracks being released on a weekly basis, it’s often difficult to cut through the clutter. So when you hear a track that makes you stop, listen and feel something, you know there’s a magical moment – like the first time you heard “Bromance,” or for us long time punters “Children” or “Sunchyme.” Take a listen to “Colors” by Italian DJ/producer Davide Rivaz aka Rivaz. Truly uplifting and euphoric, the track lifts your spirits and takes you into that magical place that is light and full of happiness and energy. He even manages to bring in some rock guitar riffs without it sounding angry or aggressive, keeping it pretty and dreamy. Sure, there are the expected builds to electro and a few stadium house stabs, but the sound is so fresh and optimistic feeling that it stands out amongst the sea of clones. It really is no surprise that the big guys like David Guetta, Benny Benassi, Paul Oakenfold and Bob Sinclar are already supporting this massive track for the festival season. Special thanks to Lee Dagger for IDing the track when I approached him during his set at WMC.
Image Courtesy of Rivaz.