SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY):? Little Mix – “Move”

Normally, I would wait until the video drops to write up a UK pop band, but this song has been stuck in my head since I first heard it.? Little Mix, the girl group that won the UK X Factor season 8, preview their second album ‘Salute’ with the insanely catchy and hooky “Move.”? The old school disco vibe of the track is a poppier translation of the Robin Thicke/Daft Punk meme and makes a perfectly-polished pop confection.? Some may scoff at the traditional values expressed in the lyrics like the girl playing hard to get and waiting for the boy to ask them out, but asking the guy to put on a bit of show and dance to catch a girl’s eye isn’t necessarily unfair, especially considering all the preparation it takes for girls before they go to the club (makeup, hair, outfit, etc.). The original tempo of 120 BPM can be sped up to be mixed into house sets, which I did when I first got the radio edit and had to play it immediately.? A week later, a full set of pop remixes arrived featuring Alias and Mike Rizzo that will satiate any commercial dance floor.? For a bit of edge, DJs should check out the electro-bass hybrid mix by Deekly and Eighty Six for something that will take their dance floor by surprise and make them really “Move.”?I just wish it was a bit longer. ? Here’s hoping the US record label rush releases this and get the girls a reality show. Hey, it worked for The Saturdays.

Image Courtesy of Simco.

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY): Little Mix ft Missy Elliott – “How Ya Doin”

As we in the United States are enjoying the delicious pop goodness of Little Mix’s debut single “Wings,” those in the UK are delving into their fourth confection – the ’90s-inspired “How Ya Doin.” Wow, is it just me, or has just about every other song I’ve written up in the past few weeks had a ’90s inspiration? The Little Mix crew camp it up with a ’90s hip-pop dance beat for a playful telling off of an unwanted suitor via modern phone etiquette. Reaching out to “Beep Me 911” rap diva Missy Elliott was a masterful decision proving that the foursome are either majorly wise beyond their years or have the best management team ever. Further proof of that is the video, sponsored by Live Colour XXL hair dye, which is highlighted with massive product placement as the girls’ colorful locks are highlighted by the just as animated backgrounds . Almighty’s hiNRG mix camps it up further by increasing the tempo for commercial dance floors without chipmunking the vocal. While the Almighty crew left off Missy’s rap, we can’t help but wonder why Missy hasn’t dropped the definitive EDM album? After all, she’s the one who first explored jungle with Timbaland and worked with producers like Basement Jaxx before anyone else in the hip-hop world did.

Image Courtesy of Syco/Columbia.

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY):? Little Mix – “Wings”

Everyone loves a fun pop song about girl power.? Little Mix (formerly Rhythmix), who won the 8th UK season of The X Factor, were formed as a mash-up of solo singer and group members who just gelled perfectly together.? This same kind of mash-up is embodied by their second single – the combination of syncopated hand claps, marching band drums beats, jump rope cadence, and dubstep wubwubs comprise the perfect backbeat of rhythms for their energetic vocal performance of the empowering lyrics.?? DJs should go directly to the incredibly strong Alias remix, which elevates the energy with a modern fusion of hands-in-the-air Hi-NRG and electro.? The emphasis on the “hey hey” vocal chant is perfect for crowd singalongs, and the remix is one of the rare examples of a commercial pop song that can fit big rooms clubs while maintaining full vocals.?

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