The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘Crash the Box’ by Mang Dynasty

This one starts with a bit of wood percussion and, ehrm, bird sounds. But soon the actual beat comes in, and it gets all those jungle drums going to lay down the rhythm for the people to get down to. After the minute mark there comes the synth and the handclap sounds, and the synth definitely has this hypnotic vibe going on. And if you weren’t dancing yet, then the bass comes in as well, so if all that percussion wasn’t enough for you, well, there you go. Love the slice of horns (or horn-like-synths, or whatever) that come in, just gives this one some character, especially if they add another section not that long after they’ve introduced the first one. Add some vocals as well, and you just have this thing that keeps on building and building the rhythm and momentum, which is what you want on the dancefloor. Who doesn’t like those moments that some new element comes in, or there’s a change-up that makes you dance even harder? Naturally, you want to balance that out, hence that Mang Dynasty takes it down a notch after the vocals are done, obviously building up from the basics again shortly after. So this thing just keeps on rolling and going and making you loving the dancefloor, as he knows how to make use of that elusive thing called momentum. I always love myself some Ray Mang, and this outing certainly is another thing from his oeuvre that makes me go.

‘He’s The Man’ by African Disco Special (Squeeze Me tight edit)

Let’s get the boogie in with this one. You’ve got that bass rolling like there’s no tomorrow, and that one gets a bit of help from a bit of piano, some horns, and of course a bit of that percussion to keep that rhythm going on. Then the chorus girls come in, singing that He’s the man, he’s the man, he’s the man. Consequently, the man comes in, telling her to squeeze him tight, with the chorus then telling the audience that He will do anything to please her, as She’s so sexy. So that lovey-dovey is going on right there on the dancefloor. It just has that vibe of getting it all hot and sweaty down where the people are doing their thang. And that bass certainly has a part in that, making people able to groove to that rhythm as the girls and the man talk about pleasing each other as they’re both sexy mothersomethings. All those rhythm elements sure keep up the pace, and there’s plenty of auxiliary sounds to bring that funky vibe onto the dancefloor. Just one of those epic ones that’ll get people all hot and bothered in the discotheque.

‘If You Break It’ by Jonjo Jury

Via the always lovely DiscoTexas label you get this catchy little number by Jonjo Jury, who both has the catchy and the immediacy going on. The catchy with that lovely understated rhythm, and the immediacy with the clear and bold production for the drums and percussion. That is juxtaposed nicely, as said, by the understatedness of the rhyhm part, which runs away with it like nothing else, especially after that little change-up around 1:22. Just love that moment and how he slides the rhythm in there. The lad also makes sure to add some auxiliary sounds to keep this one fresh to the ear, just to make sure that it’s not all just that rhythm part and those blasting drum sounds. Again a lovely change-up around 2:45, after which we also get the robotic vocals for the first time, which do say something to the effect that they love someone or the other, which is a nice bit of contrast. After that bit, you get in this amazing pop feel of the strings, which I totally didn’t see coming and which is really nice. I love the production on the drums, because they’re so blasting you get this big contrast when they’re turned away in favor of just the rhythm. That, combined with the strings after the vocals and the fact that the rhythm side of it is catchy enough to make you go, has me definitely intrigued for future output from this guy (as well as having me enjoying this one on its own!).

‘Pala’ by Roland Tings

This one transports us into the jungle with the animal sounds, but also those percussion sounds that he adds there. The whistling is a slice of the Caribbean I reckon, but in the mean time he has already put down this ground layer that is getting the boogie out there, especially with that low bass. Which is nicely juxtaposed by all these lighter auxiliary sounds on top. So the rhythm sounds are all pretty deep, but because of that lightness it doesn’t necessarily feel like this is a deep house thing only. There is this lovely upping of the pace around 1:50 to get all those hips shaking a bit more, though a short minute after he’s going for the strip down, from which he comes back with a totally different percussion element. It is a completely new sound, but still one in tune with the feel of the first part, maybe perhaps mostly thanks to the auxiliary elements that kind of stay the same. Again a change-up just after the four minute mark, including an increase of pace, and still in keeping with the feel that he’s chosen for this track. So it’s, in that sense, quite an eight minute journey of all sorts of percussion and rhythms within the same world, which is a fun one, and one to which you can do some dancing to as well. His debut will be released on Prins Thomas’s label this year.

‘Right Here, Right Now’ by Giorgio Moroder feat. Kylie Minogue

That back catalogue of this guy called Giorgio Moroder though. I mean, darn it, such a king of pop he is, and unabashedly so. And that’s what this track sounds like too. Enlisting the vocal prowess of Kylie Minogue (for whom time goes by... so slowly), this is a slice of three minute synth pop that maybe sounds most like some of the stuff Daft Punk did last year. You’ve got the vocal chorus with Minogue’s vocals taking center stage, after which beat and synth come in to get the dancefloor going again. Naturally, there’s more going on. There’s layer upon layer of Minogue’s vocals, there are robotic voices, there’s a bit of guitar action going on as well, and it all culminates into one of those four minute slices of radio goodness. As said, it is unabashedly pop from head-to-toe-and-back-again. But it is Moroder pop, so yeah, gotta pay the dude some reverence, always. Gotta make him feel the love (as it feels so good, so good, so good, soooo gooood, and it takes my breath awaaaaayyy).

‘You Might Need Somebody’ by Shola Ama (Mousse T’s Soul Train remix)

Oh, do you remember this one? This 1997 version of ‘You Might Need Somebody’, that classic ballad, which gets some additional bass from Mousse T to add some extra groove to the mix. There’s also a bit of emphasis on that kick, so that it keeps the soul, but you can slow dance a bit better to this one in the club. Loads of stuff to like, obviously, one of them being the nostalgia factor. But also that piano, that little guitar that occassionally crops up, and naturally that sad tale song soulfully by Shola Ama, as we all need somebody in our lives, don’t we? Again, the bass in the background, that’s what primarily gives this one that extra groove, though obviously you’re staying for those vocals.

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the week: ‘Try To Talk To You’ by Hercules And Love Affair feat. John Grant (Morgan Geist remix)

This is multiple forms of talent right here. I love the guys from Hercules and Love Affair! Perhaps I loved the first and third albums the most (the latter one came out this year!), but that live line-up on the tour of the second album was friggin’ amazing and blew me out of the water. Guest singer on this one is John Grant, who I recently saw live in the pouring rain (see my Primavera Sound report for that), and the guy on remix duties is Morgan Geist. There are numerous things here that anchor this one in gay culture, both in terms of the content (the song is about the moment someone realizes he has AIDS) to the form, as it is house music in all its glory. So you’ve got the beat to jack to, the synths to get working on, and the emotional punch of the vocals and lyrics, which Geist keeps in there nicely. Geist, who also releases music as Storm Queen, is one of my fav guys out there, and here again he reminds me why. The build-up is nice, with enough “low” and “high” moments, plenty of vocals, but also moments to get a bit tribal to the music to. He makes a song that was already good on album (though there are some other killers on there) and makes it a seven minute club ride whilst keeping all that was good about it in the first place. The transitions from one section to the next are smooth, and near the end he strips the beat for the vocals to go at it one more time whilst giving any DJ the opportunity to already slip the next beat right on in there. Might be hearing this one in the clubs I reckon.

‘Luv Magic’ by Laurence Guy

Let’s Play House is just one of those labels that you know usually delivers the goods. This track is billed as a “slowmo edit”, and a good “lead” or “closer”, so lets just see about that (it is, either way, a free download, so you can try that one out for yourself). It starts with some synths and a bit of the ol’ tribal percussion, then the synths build up some noise which is the cue, obviously, for the beat to come in. Then you can hear the female vocals for the first time, talking (which is, I feel, less common for women in house to do than for men), and after that you get the tribal drums back in again. After the second round of vocals, you get a nice little guitar and some extra disco strings to go with them, after which again the drums take the front and the beat gets set aside a bit. That he plays with what the main rhythm is, is nice, and the best part is that you just can keep on dancing to it (also because I believe there’s still a bass in the background running along with the whole thing as a security net). I feel there’s also a bit of voodoo vibe going on in this one. I just love the percussion here, love how it oozes this hotnsweaty vibe, like you’re playing this in the swamps at umpteen degrees out there. It’s a nice groover for sure.

‘Giorgio’s Theme’ by Giorgio Moroder

Immediately from the get go you get those trademark synths out there, and you know that the man himself, Giorgio Moroder, is back in action. After the opening synth he puts in something near orchestral, seemingly sounding like he is conducting a whole blipping orchestra for this one. So it grows and gets bigger and bigger, and at one point he slides the beat in there, and then the drums, and this thing is off to the races. It’s got a real manic pace to it, and in the background you still hear the orchestral effects. You also have some points where he lets just his synths speak though (those, btw, are the points where live you’re going to get a shitload of applause, I’m pretty sure of that). Again, same structure, a build-up on epic scale, very cinematic in a way, after which obviously he puts the rhythm back in, this time with the drums and a little guitar riff. He adds some deeper piano sounds in there as well, and those contrast nicely with those higher synth sounds. At this point, we’re still only halfway, but it’s pretty clear what this track is. It’s got a bigness, boldness, an epic scale that’s almost cinematic in nature. Also, it is definitely designed for a big audience. Even the stripped down moments, they are short enough for everyone to get through without feeling the need to fetch some drinks. He’s playing some festivals I believe, and I’m sure they’ll be packed, and in terms of scope, this one will serve him well I think.

‘Hold Tight’ by Sinkane

Sinkane is back, and he’s brought an organ with him, and he lets that’s one off the leash at the start as he starts up that slow, nasty boogie of his. New Orleans voodoo I’m vibing. The contrast to those bold sounds and that bassline are definitely those high vocals, that plead “you want me, come get me, I’m waiting for you”, as the background vocals croon and croon little words and little lines. I love the slow, funky vibe this one has, and especially near the end it veers away a bit from the bolder sounds from the start and into a smoother funkiness. I saw this young man play live twice, and the first one was a bit hesitant and not a particularly memorable experience, but the second time was definitely a step up. If he adds more tracks like this to his repertoire, the next time will be even better no doubt.

‘Sweet Love’ by Samuel Jonathan Johnson (MadDisco extended edit)

This one, from the get go, has just all these disco vibes going on. From the vocals to just the sounds, it is all so very classic and genre. And who doesn’t love a bit of genre eh? Especially when there are some smooth vocals out there singing “Sweet love, that’s what the world needs!”. There’s plenty of that old guitar playing in here, coming for you from all sides of the aisle, and they all work perfectly together. Add the piano, a bit of bass as well, and obviously those smooth vocals with the positive message. There are some nice subtle transitions, though what makes this track so fun is that essentially, even if it all sounds so straightforward at times, there’s basically a whole jazz jam session going on with the guitars and piano and bass and stuff. Not sure how they managed to keep that so tight and easy on the ear, but they sure did. You can enjoy it as some nice little disco tune, but you can also try and enjoy some of the individual instruments and how they play together, which is a nice little bonus they throw out there as well.

‘Prisoner Of Your Love’ an Eric Dunks Duncan remix

This one starts out with the beat right up and ready to go, and it quickly gets some extra percussion and then some other sounds as well, to get some flavor into this one. After about a minute in you get the main sounds in there, which are relatively high in terms of tone, so definitely going for some good vibes for the dancefloor here. Especially when the almost Eastern sounding synth wall comes in. It all leads up to the moment the male vocals come in though, and they throw in some extra percussion to lead us to that. “The walls are closing in / I can’t find a way out / I’m a prisoner of your love”, they sing, first without a beat underneath them, but sure enough they come in for the second go around as you can’t let the dancefloor waiting for too long. After that you get some standard house rhythms which are nice, and in the background you have these drum rounds which fit in nicely. It is a nice one to be dancing to in the club, for sure. It’s just got all the things you need there, and the male vocals and the chorus just fit the club atmosphere. I really love the change-up at the four minute mark, and those kind of moments keep this one fresh enough to keep dancing to.