This is the second single off of Aphrodite. Already a favorite by fans, this one is a cute modern disco/house song co-produced by Stuart Price. The original is simply perfect. There are remixes of this by Stuart Price, 7th Heaven, Bimbo Jones, Paul Harris, Sidney Sampson, Daddy's Groove, Mat Zo and Kris Menace. Stuart's mix is basically an extended version of the original. The 7th Heaven mix is in a similar direction as the original and plays up the disco elements. The Bimbo Jones mix is a tad darker. Paul Harris' mix is sort of the 'in-between' of the original and Bimbo mixes. Sidney Samson's mix is a bit more big room-ish. The Daddy's Groove mix has less vocals, however the instrumental production is really nice. It's hard but keeps the disco vibe of the original. Mat Zo's mix is a bit of everything but also keeps the uplifting vibe intact. Kris Menace's mix feels like a watered down, mild version of the original. Overall, the 7th Heaven and Daddy's Groove mixes are the best of the bunch.
Grade: A
August 31, 2010
August 23, 2010
Ultraviolet Sound - Suck My Kiss
This is the latest single from the electro/dance/pop act. Featuring the vocals of Sarah Hudson, "Suck My Kiss" is a cute, fun song with a twist. The song is so catchy with both its chorus and that "la la la" hook. The original is dance/pop at its finest. There are remixes of this by Johnny Vicious, Future Lovers, and Audio Assembly. Johnny Vicious offers a circuity mix which maintains some of that retro charm of the original. *Audio Assembly's mix is circuit-oriented as well. The uplifting strings and spacey synths are really good. Overall, all mixes are great.
*The Future Lovers mix was not available at press time.
Listen to the original here (the player is at the top of the screen)
Grade: A
*The Future Lovers mix was not available at press time.
Listen to the original here (the player is at the top of the screen)
Grade: A
Cascada - Night Nurse
This is reportedly the new single off of their fourth album. Lyrically, "Night Nurse" uses nearly every nursing-related cliche. Production-wise, this song sounds like a mishmash of Lady Gaga's first few singles, particularly "Just Dance" and "Poker Face", as did much of their last album. The addition of a male rapper doing shoutouts throughout the song doesn't help much. Natalie Horler's vocals sound good though. Overall, the song is just okay and leaves much to be desired.
Listen to the song here (YouTube)
Grade: B
Listen to the song here (YouTube)
Grade: B
August 21, 2010
Brandon Flowers - Crossfire
This is the lead single off of The Killers' lead singer's debut solo album Flamingo due later this year. "Crossfire" is a midtempo pop/rock song. A tad milder than his work with The Killers, however, this is quite good. Lyrically, it doesn't stray too far from that aesthetic. This is a great start to his solo era.
There are dance mixes of this by David Morales. David keeps the melody of the original as a backdrop for the entire vocal mix. The mix has both hard and soft parts which both work effectively. The mix could fit into a variety of sets as it's 'just right' for most of them. The dub plays up the harder, darker elements and is nice and tribal.
The original is quite good and the remixes make this song great.
Watch the music video of the original here (YouTube)
Grade: A
There are dance mixes of this by David Morales. David keeps the melody of the original as a backdrop for the entire vocal mix. The mix has both hard and soft parts which both work effectively. The mix could fit into a variety of sets as it's 'just right' for most of them. The dub plays up the harder, darker elements and is nice and tribal.
The original is quite good and the remixes make this song great.
Watch the music video of the original here (YouTube)
Grade: A
August 16, 2010
Scissor Sisters - Any Which Way
This is the second single off of Night Work. This funky, sexy disco throwback is much more catchy than the previous single "Fire With Fire." Featuring Jake's falsetto, this one is lots of fun. The lyrics have the right amount of sass and attitude. There are remixes for this by 7th Heaven and Keljet (so far). 7th Heaven's mix has a slight 80's new wave sound which fits so well. Keljet also takes a retro approach, giving the song a funkier feel. Both are quite good.
Watch the music video here (YouTube)
Listen to the 7th Heaven mix here (YouTube)
Listen to the Keljet mix here (YouTube)
Grade: A-
Watch the music video here (YouTube)
Listen to the 7th Heaven mix here (YouTube)
Listen to the Keljet mix here (YouTube)
Grade: A-
August 13, 2010
Donna Summer - To Paris With Love
"To Paris With Love" is her latest single. Co-written by Donna and longtime collaborator Bruce Roberts (most notably on the duet "Whenever There Is Love" and "I Got Your Love"), Donna sings about her love of the French city. The song is very light and delicate in its original version. Donna's vocals are much more subdued than her usual. This sounds like something one may hear at a posh cafe. There are some club mixes of this by Wawa, Craig C, and Mendy (so far). Wawa's mix is electro/dance-pop oriented. This gives the song some much needed energy. Craig C's mixes are in a similar direction but a little harder. Mendy's is electro/house-ish as well. The Wawa one is the best of the bunch so far. Additional mixes were announced so those may be released at a later time.
Listen to the original here (YouTube)
Purchase the remix EP including the original here (iTunes)
Grade: B+ (for the original)/A- (for the Wawa mix)
Listen to the original here (YouTube)
Purchase the remix EP including the original here (iTunes)
Grade: B+ (for the original)/A- (for the Wawa mix)
August 9, 2010
Jason Walker - Leave It All Behind
The soulful singer is back with a brand new single after being out of the spotlight for some time. "Leave It All Behind" is a nice return to form after venturing into a different direction for a short time. Lyrically and vocally, this song is top notch. The main version is a fun hybrid of Dance and Rock. There are remixes by Joe Carrano, Chad Jack, and Quentin Harris. Joe's mixes have that familiar sound he has come to be associated with during the last decade. They are energetic while having an uplifting feel. Chad delivers two different versions, each bringing something different. The first one is circuit-driven with some piano-house elements. His second one his a bit harder. Quentin's mixes are electro/circuit-flavored. Overall, all the mixes are great.
Purchase the CD maxi here (PerfectBeat)
Grade: A-
Purchase the CD maxi here (PerfectBeat)
Grade: A-
Freemasons featuring Wynter Gordon - Believer
The British duo is back with a new vocal track featuring the vocals of rising star Wynter Gordon. This is just as memorable as many of their previous singles which they have released during the last 5 years. Production-wise, this one is a bit more chilled than their usual Disco/House masterwork. The familiar beats, strings, and bassline are there, however everything else is a bit different. It's very nice. Wynter's vocals are lovely.
Listen to the main Summer Of Pride Mix here (YouTube)
Grade: A
Listen to the main Summer Of Pride Mix here (YouTube)
Grade: A
August 6, 2010
Divine Brown - Sunglasses
This is the latest single from Canadian singer Divine Brown. Sung about the oft worn accessory, this song is a lot of fun. "Sunglasses" shows off Divine's soulful voice really nicely. This is perfect for club consumption with the Cajjmere Wray and Worms remixes. Cajjmere opts for an electro/tribal styled mix which lends itself well to the song. The Worms mix is electro-house as well, but a little funkier. Both are quite good.
Watch the Cajjmere Wray remix video here (YouTube)
Grade: A-
Watch the Cajjmere Wray remix video here (YouTube)
Grade: A-
August 3, 2010
Martin Clancy and the Witness Protection Programme - Flat Foot
This one has 'classic' written all over it. From the lush strings to the funky bassline and understated beats, this one has all the makings of something from the heyday of Disco. The vocals are great, complementing this retro jam perfectly. The main mix is pure Disco heaven. There are additional mixes by Stonebridge, Richard Morel, DJ Meme, Liam Bates, DJ Bander, and Louie Balo & Trakkula. Stonebridge toughens things up just a little while Richard Morel toughens it up a lot more. DJ Meme and Liam Bates both preserve the Disco atmosphere of the original while making it slightly more modern. DJ Bander vs. Floppy Kid's mix is sparsely produced keeping it to the bare minimum. Louie Balo & Trakkula's mix is a noisy, electro mix which doesn't really bring much. Also included is a mix called the Clancyhouse Elizabeth Jane mix which has an electro-tinged "I Feel Love" type production. Overall, the original, DJ Meme, and Liam Bates versions are the highlights, however, Stonebridge and Morel's closely follow.
Listen to the full original version here (MySpace)
Buy the vocal mixes here and the dubs here (Amazon)
Grade: A+
Listen to the full original version here (MySpace)
Buy the vocal mixes here and the dubs here (Amazon)
Grade: A+