Tag: todd terry

SONG OF THE DAY: Gala – The Beautiful

This is one of those collaborations that seem so random that it could either result in brilliance or madness. Europop legend Gala (“Freed From Desire”/”Let a Boy Cry”), whom we last heard on “Taste of Me” teamed up with house legend Todd Terry for the quirky yet delightful “The Beautiful.” The lyrics question the pursuit of material wealth and fame when inner beauty and resolve is much more valuable. Gala’s distinctive voice sounds better than ever with her trademark melodic talk/sing. Todd Terry shows the newcomers how to update the classic (and even his own) house sound with modern elements for a truly fresh vibe. Putting the two together is definitely brilliant. Loge21 remixes the track with a Chromeo vibe while the Hoxton Whores go big room with bouncy house- with the original vibe intact. The video is delightfully subversive, with Gala being bound yet clearly in control at the same time perfectly echoing the true meaning of the lyrics.

Image Courtesy of InHouse Records.

SONG OF THE DAY: Kristine W – Love Come Home

Originally recorded by Our Tribe (Rollo and Rob Dougan) with Franke Pharoah, “Love Come Home” was released in 1994. What many don’t realize is that Kristine W was prominently featured as a backing vocalist, to the point where it became almost a duet. When it came time to put together her greatest hits album, New & Number Ones, Kristine rerecorded the song and with the help of Subgroover gave it a modern sound. Combining EDM/progressive house with powerful and soulful gospel vocals, “Love Come Home” will catch your attention instantly. On first listen, it sounds like what you would hear on dance radio credited as Zedd featuring Kristine W, so it’s almost shocking that it was done back in 2012. Someone was ahead of their time. For Kristine W, this doesn’t come as a surprise as her debut album “Land of the Living” (produced by Rollo and Rob Dougan) is widely regarded as one of the landmark dance albums of the ’90s. Remixes are forthcoming by Todd Terry, Hermanos Inglesos, Phill Wellz, and Andy Sikorski – so expect some major club action. The video is also worth checking out as Kristine channels her inner Lucia Holm (Sunscreem) in a spiritually uplifting journey of following dreams and wishes coming true.

Image courtesy of Fly Again records.

SONG OF THE DAY (SUNDAY FUNDAY): Martha Wash – I’m Not Coming Down

Everyone loves Martha Wash. From her start as a backup singer for Sylvester to her classic with the Weather Girls “It’s Raining Men” and more than 30 years of club anthems, Martha is beloved in gay clubland as a legendary diva. For 2014, she is back with “I’m Not Coming Down” a house record that shows both the soft and powerful side to her voice. She can sing but she can also sang (as is the proper idiom for her unmatched vocal prowess.) Surely to be featured at every circuit party this summer, It comes as no surprise that it is flying up the Billboard Club Chart and set to reach the pinnacle any day now. One sure sign of how much she is loved by clubland is the sheer volume of remixes with more than 20 different ones currently floating around (Rosabel, Tony Moran, Danny Diggz, DJ Ting, Gustavo Scorpio, Phil B & Leo Frappier, John Le Page & Brian Cua, Todd Terry, Ranny, Alex Acosta, Guy Scheiman, C-Rod, Deep Influence, Giangi Cappai, James Anthony, Wayne G, Mauro Mozart, Guy Scheiman, Albert Cabrera, John Lepage, Gustavo Scorpio, Phil B & Frappier.) As the most remixed record of the year (aside from Cher’s “Take It Like a Man,”) it’s a good thing that we are in a digital age because there is no telling how many cd singles would need to be released to cover all the remixes and dubs. If perchance you’re a dj and can’t find a suitable mix among those, there is even a sick electro bootleg mashup with Showtek. Having worked with Martha several times over the years, she is also a joy to perform with and always has a fun sense of humor. Evidence of this is the video for “I’m Not Coming Down” which is clearly a tongue-in-cheek spoof of the 90s NuHouse meme with her updating the classic “Give It To You” video with hot shirtless men dancing all around her.

Image Courtesy of Purple Rose.