SONG OF THE DAY: Unknown Artist – “No Price”

There’s been a good bit of buzz on this disco track “No Price” for a few weeks. I’ve held off on mentioning it simply because I can’t confirm the details of the people behind it. Annie Mac started the story by playing it on her BBC Radio 1 show back in March, and it has since been referred to it as a “disco mystery.” The track is full-on classic disco with a hint of modern phasing and electro. The vocals are catchy as heck and the beat is infectious, following the disco revival vibe of records by DJ Cassidy and Robin Thicke. The song has all the makings of a major summer record along the lines of Daft Punk or Duck Sauce. It is confirmed that Dave of Chromeo is the male vocalist, which makes it seem likely that the Oliver duo are behind the production – though it’s also rumored that the producers are really a supergroup, which makes me think that Arthur Baker could be involved. Follow this logic – if you dig online you will find a Deekline & Wizard breaks remix of a North End track called “Can’t Put No Price” which has a similar guitar and vocal sample to “No Price.” North End was the name of a studio project of Arthur Baker (who was also behind Happy Days, sampled by europop act PJ in 1999).
Yeah, it’s a stretch, but you never know. What isn’t in question is that “No Price” is a funky disco pop confection that will be buzzing all summer long at clubs around the world.

Song will be released on New State Records.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

SONG OF THE DAY: Solidisco ft Skyy – “Top of the World”

Some disco sounds good right about now.? Buffalo NYC-based duo Solidisco have been releasing a solid stream of disco remixes and sample records over the past few years. There was that Sweet Sensation-sampling “Hooked” record (with the sick JWLS remix) and “Never Let You Go” (my trainspotter brain couldn’t clock that sample), and a really funky mix of Natali Yura’s “Scream For Love.”? For their new single “Top of the World,”? Solidisco mined the Salsoul catalog, found Skyy’s 1980 record “Here to You,” sampled one vocal line and built a funky disco track around it.? Fitting perfectly with the DJ Cassidy record we just wrote up, “TOTW” shares the low-120s BPM and that “feel good” run-to-the-dancefloor vibe.? It really is a refreshing change from all the aggressive electro that seems to be dominating clubland at the moment. Could you imagine a night where the DJ mixed in these records along with some of the ’90s Nu-house alongside some electro and stadium as well?? That sure sounds like the “Top of the World” to me.

Image Courtesy of Ultra.

Solidisco ft Skyy – “Top of the World”

SONG OF THE DAY: DJ Cassidy ft Robin Thicke and Jessie J – “Calling All Hearts”

DJ Cassidy is a true superstar DJ.? He’s spun the biggest celebrity events for everyone from Beyonce & Jay Z and Naomi Campbell to? Oprah Winfrey and President Obama.? When deciding what kind of music he wanted to create for his solo debut album, he analyzed his favorite dance music and discovered that everything was released between 1978 and 1982.? To recreate that soulful disco sound, he reunited the actual original musicians and producers to create a modern take on the classic sounds.? The resulting music is unlike anything else out there right now.? This is run to the dance floor, happy, sing-along good time party music.? Songs that make you want to actually dance – not just jump and down and rage (not that there is anything wrong with that). The first single “Calling All Hearts,” co-written by Claude Kelly, brings in Robin Thicke and Jessie J who sound raw and real yet absolutely polished and perfect at the same time.? The hooks of “Calling All Hearts” are so catchy that it will be stuck in your head on first listen.?? I had the honor of hearing a preview of the album at the Promo Only Summer Sessions last August, and as amazing as “Calling All Hearts” is, it might not even be the best song on the album.? If you are a fan of Daft Punk, Robin Thicke, Tensnake or any of the other modern interpretation of disco or NuHouse – you should definitely be listening to this.? After listening to the song, watch the making of clip which shows studio sessions with the vocalists and instrumentalists from Earth Wind & Fire, guitar work with Nile Rodgers, and horn and string arranger Jerry Hey (who worked on Michael Jackson’s classic albums).

Image Courtesy of Sony.

DJ Cassidy ft Robin Thicke and Jessie J – “Calling All Hearts”