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: ‘You’re So Special’ by Chesus (Jacques Renault edit)

From the start this one gets the festive tones in, with a right amount of house as its base and the disco sounds running right on through it all. At about the thirty seconds mark there are the vocals for the first time, though at that point still slightly muffled. The sound cleans up though, getting a clear drum in with some of them horn sounds, and the classical tones of the original that we know so well. Renault keeps it running though, just looping the vocal line mentioning that you are a Very special lady, but not ready to cash in on the big kahuna just yet. Instead, at 2:30, he moves to a deeper beat, with the original sounds hidden deep and far underneath that blanket, giving himself some time to crawl out from under that one again. Which, about a minute later, happens, with the clarity returning in the drum and other instrumentals. Around the five minute mark, near its end, the track goes back to the deeper bass, moving this lovely dance tune to its close.

‘The Spell’ by David August

David August starts this one by providing us with some atmosphere, with the deep synth that comes in at about the twenty second mark doubling in function as both aiding the aforementioned and a working as a sort of riff. Then the drums come in, taking over the role of the deep sound with the synth moving to a more lighter tone. At the 1:30 mark they strip it all out, just putting the atmospheric synths in again and what sounds like some vocal work. Then, a more rhythmic drum line, indicating the start of the second part of this track. If you just listen to something like at 2:40, where basically all the additional sounds also give off a kind of broody vibe whilst not disturbing the momentum of the drums until these are taken out completely yet again, that kind of exemplifies this track nicely. This time around, there’s a long interlude, that first sees some spoken word before it moves to the piano. It’s a track that moves you through a couple of phases, all building blocks to the overall atmosphere, which seems to complement the SoundCloud picture next to the track quite well I’d say.

‘Off The Wall’ by Michael Jackson (Young Pulse rework)

This has just about got to be one of my favorite albums, such an unmitigated joy runs through it. And Young Pulse takes on the title track, giving you the vocals first, then putting a deep bass underneath that becomes more and more prominent before the actual funk comes in just before the minute mark. That funk is driven, amongst others, by the steady pace of the drum, and the little guitar riff running right on through it. And Jackson, in the mean time, sings that Tonight, just enjoy yourself (a sound advise for all y’all across the world, I’d say). In the mean time, all the rhythm parts keep on working, the horns come in to get it going on as well, and Jackson is talking about Boogie down, which one certainly should have the intention of doing when having this song on. It’s a fab track, and the rework keeps all them dancers doing their thang on this ol’ classic.

‘World Turning’ by Fleetwood Mac (Ray Mang edit)

Ray Mang opens with some spoken word about expression through music and stuff, taking about until the thirty second mark before the almost country sounding guitar riff comes in with the piano basically dictating the pace. The minute mark sees the growly male vocals enter, singing about The world turning, and how they need to get their Feet back on the ground. Ray Mang has a nice piano momentum working there, giving you that hypnotic loop but without any of the “normal” rhythm instruments until after the two minute mark, when the drum kick comes in to help out all that country&western that’s going on. At the three minute mark he mixes it up a bit again, and the guitar is let loose some as well, giving you a bit of that solo work on top of a fairly minimal base almost solely consisting of those drums. This until some extra percussion is added after four minutes have gone by, drumming their way to the end of this rework of some old Seventies Fleetwood Mac.

‘Sleepwalkin’’ by Cheryl Lynn (Doctorsoul Wake Me Up Dub Rework)

Doctorsoul is giving you the dancefloor vibes with that kind of drum, adding the deep bassline to put Cheryl Lynn’s tune to. Those are the main elements to get that mid-paced funk moving, really bringing those vibes with the guitar riff and the more Caribbean sounding percussion as the track moves closer and closer to putting those vocals in. In the mean time he keeps running with the deep bass, giving that some extended focus in this dub. Just after the three minute mark Doctorsoul lightens up the mood a bit, moving slightly away from the deeper bass to get the guitar sounds in a bit more, and then finally adding the vocals with Cheryl Lynn singing that she wants you to Wake me up with your love. With, at this point, you getting the full goodness of the 1982 track. And after such patience, Doctorsoul is relishing having her in now, adding the echoes to the vocals to prolong the goodness and savor the flavor of this funky little number.

‘Key To Life’ by Kauf

Kauf starts with some guitar, building a melancholic nighttime sound around it with a bit of a grainy growl in the bass. This is juxtaposed by the relatively higher pitched vocals, which give you that distanced, alienated vibe on top of the more angelic “aaah-haaa” chorus line that sometimes double the main voice. The drum and bass are there to provide the deep canvas, with primarily the guitar that keeps cutting through it, almost as a mediator to the vocals and the rhythm sounds. As soon as Kauf mentions the Key to Life the grainy bass gets back before the drum kicks up the pace a bit and whilst the guitar keeps moving through it, giving you that Darkside feel a bit, that nice mixture of a hypnotic, melancholic dance sound with the guitar lines cutting right on through all of that. Especially nearing the last minute there is a part where the layers build up, though never making it too muddled, but instead creating a unison that fits the atmosphere he has set out from the get go. A lovely cut from the upcoming album (early 2017 it’s saying at the minute).

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: ‘RockMeLoveMe’ by Tiger & Woods

I love the loopin Louie’s that are Tiger & Woods, chaining all those loops together just right to get that whole dancefloor momentum going, giving it the hypnotic movement thing one can’t sit still to. Here, too, they get it going with this kind of spacey synth sound, which they, at one point, start riding, and not letting off. Which is, really, what we’ve come to expect. Especially as, continuously, things are added and subtracted, like the piano at the two minute mark, immediately changing the feel of the track a bit as the tone of the instrument is unlike other things that are making up the track at that point. There are also some vocals, not surprisingly repeating the same words over and over, which give it a nice funky vibe. With that and the piano it does get a funk tinge, which balances the inherently more mechanical feel of the way they build the track together. The piano is, naturally, not the only instrument that does it’s thing, with a clear and distinct percussion line moving through there as well to get that extra rhythm in. Apparently they are gearing up to release a new album, which is only something I can get excited about! As you quickly come to understand by the way, it is a preview, and the hammering home of it is really the only annoying thing about the stream of this track, but all the more reason to strengthen patience and just wait for the minty freshness of a newly released LP.

‘Tranquillo (Melt My Heart)’ by Carly Simon (Young Pulse edit)

This one starts out pretty minimal with a steady beat and just some synths to build mood. After that, a piano riff comes in, the vocals are already apparent in the background, and then the bass arrives to give a bit of boogie to it. Add the horns, a little guitar riff, and a minute in the track has fleshed out to a nice disco edit asking you to Melt my heart (why don’t ya?). At 1:40 a short break before all the rhythm elements return with, this time, Carly Simon singing the verse. It’s a real disco kind of tune here with all the horns and other disco touches, with Young Pulse doing all them things to make it just this sweet and smooth ride. At the four minute mark he even works the instruments a bit, though he always returns to the chorus and its horns. And that’s the way we like it, really, don’t we?

‘Mediator’ by AlunaGeorge

AlunaGeorge starts this one out with the orchestra, before breaking with the drum and her sweet vocals arriving on top, singing that she doesn’t think This is fixable. There’s a little guitar riff in this slow burning R&B track, that adds some synths when the chorus comes in, with AlunaGeorge upping the emotions a bit. After the chorus there is a short instrumental interlude, after which she continues to lay out her role as Mediator, upping the pace in delivery slightly as she asks to let Me talk to him, let me be your friend, he’s no good to you, he don’t need your help. It has this lovely, slow old school R&B vibe, with a bit of class and a bit of sass.

‘Building A Beginning’ by Jamie Lidell

My goodness, I remember seeing Jamie Lidell just after releasing ‘Multiply’, which skyrocketed him up in the popularity rankings. Soon, the soulful singer is coming back, with this being the opening track, a sad sounding soul turn that talks about Building a beginning (with you). It’s a slow burner, with the band in the back laying down the groundwork with the drum and that little guitar that lets out a short solo every now and again. It really sounds as one of those bands in a Jazz cafe doing their ditty, a bit of rhythm, a bit of straying and improvisation, as the singer croons on top of it, with plenty of oeeh-hoo’s, improv lines, and the like. Some old fashioned craftsmanship at work here. Lidell showcases his impeccable voice again here, and the band vibe gives it a nice vibe that probably announces the sound of the album pretty clearly I reckon.

‘Remember Red’ by Chris Malinchak

I was turning on a stream of a festival this weekend, and luckily dived in there just in time to witness the set of Chris Malinchak. The comments on SoundCloud confirm what I already was thinking, huge sampling by Madonna, and who can blame anyone for going that route? But, understated. The start, too, just a bit of that rhythm, some vibe sounds are used to get that dreamy, floaty thing going, but no hard beat, no punches. And just before the minute mark, a little bass that gives you the idea you’re being seduced at some beach in the Caribbean somewhere. The track has a lovely flow to it, some enticing Ahh-ha-ha-haas in the vocal background, luring you like the sirens just offshore. Near the end we get some spoken word, telling us to remember that these are Maybe the best of times. And certainly, when listening to this, good vibes all around.

‘Somebody’ by Whitney Houston (Rayko Super Disco Rework)

It is always a good time to get back to that ol’ Whitney Houston powerhouse, and really, what is a better dancefloor filler than a good edit of her amazing vocal turn in ‘I Wan’t To Dance with Somebody’? Rayko, over some hand percussion, first goes for Whitney repeating the Don’t you want to dance line, after which he moves her a bit to the background in favor of the percussion and rhythm, putting the emphasis on that instead of just throwing Houston’s vocal prowess out there. This change in balance gives it a refreshing feel, as the vocals don’t overpower the track, you are still steered by the rhythm percussion that Rayko provides in there (along with some of those synths), but it is still very much clearly THAT Whitney song which basically means you just have to dance (coppers will come out and arrest you for not doing it, ya know?). Rayko also chooses for the repetition in the vocals, picking up mostly the same words to repeat, and all other lines then Don’t you want to dance seem even more de-emphasized. Fun edit by a real master of it, with as source material just one of those darling things.