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: ‘Be A Better Man’ by Situation (Greg Wilson & Derek Kaye remix)

This one starts with a nice synth and a mid-paced beat to get it all going on. Soon, though, we get a little riff in there— which sounds amazing— and the cymbals also do their work. Then, more keys, on top of more guitar, and then a bass sound is added for some extra rhythm. Greg Wilson and Derek Kaye really build this deeper disco sound out nicely, giving something extra every so often to keep it wheeling and dealing, and then, at 1:50, the flush, with the vocals coming in, saying they Go down anywhere you are. I love the vocals, so lush, and the transition from with vocals to without is superb, hitting the right tone with the instruments right there. When the vocals come in, they come in with a little bit of immediacy, adding some momentum to the track. I love the rocky edge the boys give this tune a little bit later in this track, which is the sound they work as they fade out the rhythm for a moment before, obviously, working that one right back in there at 5:20 (doing it with the bass, let me tell ya). Just a real dancefloor corker by the two veterans who just know about how to do all this.

‘My Own Throne’ by Pat Lok feat. Claire Mortifee

I love the secondary sound next to the thudding beat, that vocal line of dah-dah-da-da, a bit higher pitched to juxtapose the other sound at the start (aka , the beat) nicely. After that, some actual singing, saying that she will claim her throne, which is then helped out by a synth sound. After the first verse ends we go a bit glitchy with all the sounds, though that gets balanced out by that same vocal line as at the start (which is a find, let me tell ya). At about the 1:45 mark Pat Lok dials down the beat, going for the vocals and a more gentle percussion sound. At 2:30, after a short build-up, again primarily the vocals, though after that one the main sounds of the song start up again to do some dancing to. The vocals by Claire Mortifee really make this one gel together, not just with the singing, but especially the more rhythm lines she produces, which keeps intact that delicate balance.

‘Atmo’ by Nicholas feat. Paul Cut

I love Nicholas’s dancing chops, and here he starts out by a nice, galloping sound produced by a percussion that helps out the beat. Then, more dancing perc sounds. Whilst all that is going on we hear The People talk and jive and stuff as, just before the 1:30 mark, Nicholas turns up the beat once more, this time getting some of those piano sounds in as well. And, at 2:15, he really gets jazzed up, putting the piano as primary marker, and even continuing the solo as the dance beat returns. Around 3:30 we get the bass that starts plugging along, paving the way for another turn up of both the beat and the piano sounds. It’s just another House music stomper by Nicholas, who just knows how to get them people moving. You can slide this one in on any set, really, helping to keep the big Mo alive.

‘Am I Wrong’ by Anderson Paak (Sammy Bananas Bootleg)

Love how the looping starts, the cymbals and beat laying down the groundwork on top of which the same sound repeats itself at the same moment. Then, at about the forty second mark, the deeper drum, and also already a semblance of vocals, which first audibly come through at about the minute mark with a well placed Well I … Then a subtle, jazzy bass comes in, giving it this nice R&B vibe. The vocals, subdued-yet-soulful, start getting in more lines, now a Only one at a time, which then gets repeated a few times before a little break that is the prelude for a little riff and, especially, a little bit of them horns. Those work up to a return of the bass and the other rhythm sounds, bringing back the vocals as well.  That break-n-horns thing gets repeated a little bit later on, but then the return sees even more horns and even more of that part of the vibe, aside from the rhythm instruments. It’s a lovely slow burner, intricate and one to dream away to at that beach fest as the sun shines.

‘Strong Feeling’ by Superprince

How about immediately starting with that super catchy guitar riff, with the bass working underneath to keep this one moving forward. It immediately sets the tone and pace for this one, which is only added to by the horns that come on, adding the funk, adding the dancefloor soul. Then, the old school vocals, with the gentlemen singing Carry on, as everything keeps Rolling, rolling on. Then, after the unison, the individual vocals, with one man stepping forward and giving you that slick-interpersed-with-a-little-growl-now-and-again vocal turn. When he is done we get the boogie guitar, as the bass sound is still providing the groundworks on which one can dance to. And they sure know how to keep that funky business high up there, not letting up and not letting go of that what gets people on the floor. High paced, high energy, and people can be working up a sweat for sure on this catchy little tune right there.

‘Brick House’ by The Commodores (A Young Pulse Friendly Re-Work)

Young Pulse takes on that old school Commodores sound, giving you all of the good ol’ disco dancefloor stuff that you can handle. Obviously with the drum and bass sound as prime sounds to keep that rhythm right. But also, the horns and the vocals, singing that she is a Brick (horns) house. I love the multiple horn layers in the verses, and then all that funk in the chorus, with that lovely bass second to none. When Young Pulse moves into that chorus, such a smooth endeavor how they funk that up. During the interlude at 2:50 there are some woodwork percussion sounds, then those big, bold sounds we feel we remember those times by, and then, for a moment, they dial it back with just the higher pitched sounds there before the bass re-enters moments later, with the big brass section to help them out. One of those instantly recognisable tracks where Young Pulse makes sure that it brings the funk and the fun for all ages, really.

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: ‘I’m Not In Love’ by Petula Clark (Luxxury Edit)

Not too long ago I already featured a live edit of a Luxxury tune in this column, and here I go again. I’m a sucker for these things I’m afraid. This time the boys take on Petula Clark, and they get it going with a nice little bassline to get the catchy on. There’s some piano in there, as well as some drums to make sure the rhythm is bolstered, but it most definitely is the bass that does the works. After a minute in we get the first words out of Petula Clark, though it’s still the bass that’s the focus. After the 1:40 mark it enters the next phase, with a nifty rhythm guitar and the auxiliary sounds getting a bit of that disco feel in, all the while Petula Clark is now really singing, telling us that she is Not in love (ohhh, no-hoo). When the verse is done, the bass is back, though at 3:10 Clark gets back in the fray, with the string quartet, the backing vocals, and all and more of that. The combination of that nice bassline and the Petula Clark original with all of the disco vibes is a nice one that makes this one super for the dancefloor. And at one point even the horns come in, and that’s something I’m a sucker for as well.

‘Pyor’ by Darius

Now, Red Bull, they actually do some nifty things for lovers of electronic music. You’ve got the Red Bull Academy action going on, but apparently there is also the Red Bull Studios sessions in Paris, where a producer comes in, has a week, and comes out again with a free EP for all y’all to download. This time it’s Darius who was locked up in there, coming out with, amongst others, this tune with loads of synth action. At the twenty second mark we get some rhythm sounds in, though it’s still the multiple layers of synths that are the mainstay here. After about forty seconds there is some extra beat and percussion going on, and some of that guitar has joined in as well. At 1:30 he dials it all down though, going for a soft piano over an ever present synth that carefully builds up, not getting to the climax before some percussion comes in to help out a bit. The build-up is nice and long, making sure the anticipation is growing before he drops some of that synth-house action at about 2:40. Love how he slides it back down a bit at about 3:10, that’s really cool as he slowly starts to wind it down. Think the idea of Red Bull to do this is pretty wicked, and with Darius you sure have one who brings the goods.

‘On The Rocks’ by DJ Sonniku

DJ Sonniku takes us away to tropical islands for this one, where the waves crash on the rocks while we have one on them. After the minute mark an actual beat comes in for the first time, accompanied with multiple kinds of percussion, all with different functions. Some to help out with the rhythm, others to instill that tropical vibe as if we’re partying way out where the sun still shines. DJ Sonniku nicely shifts from more rhythmic focused moments to periods where he also lays down the feel, like with the sound that comes in at about 2:45. In the mean time he does lay down this nice, hypnotic rhythm that he only strips away after the three minute mark to get some of that hand-percussion going along with a bit of that light synth. Naturally, he does come back to the beat, and he does so at about the 4:15 mark, juxtaposing it with a nice bit of piano to not go too far off the deep end. As said, he lays down both a nice groove as well as a nice Beaches vibe here.

‘Miss Broadway’ by Belle Epoque (Alkalino re-edit)

I do love me some ‘Miss Broadway’, I really do. Just that snazzy, naughty attitude that this track has, from the opening instruments to the big, bold, vocals screaming MOOONEEYYY. And leave it to Alkalino to get a good dancefloor edit out of that, riding the starting sounds and making sure those vocals full of attitude and pezazz come out. In the mean time that synth is going, that bass is rolling, and the dancefloor can vogue their ass off on this close to eight minute long ride to the Belle Epoque. At about 2:25 we also get the horns in as well, and Alkalino also focuses on keeping up that groove in the background and juxtaposing that with the punchy, gritty vocal delivery and the yelps of Moooneyy. At 3:55 we get those iconic string sounds, and here again, Alkalino shows us how to use such original elements to get all the juice out of it for some sweetness in that edit world. At 5:15 we do get the male vocals, saying that, Uh-huh, they like it. So do we, honey, let me tell ya.

‘Shout (About It)’ by Young Pulse

Young Pulse gets that, ehrm, pulse going with a steady beat to go with that little piano riff that’s put on top of it (along with some of that ol’ woodwork percussion). We already hear the vocals shout about it as some extra rhythm sounds are put in there to help out a bit, with at 1:15 the big disco entrance coming in, and what we get is a super funky bass to juxtapose the lighter piano sound. Just before the second minute mark the soulful vocals come in, singing that he Used to hide his feelings, but obviously, he is now coming back on that idea, as you should let everyone know how much you’re loving her, it, and everything. So, if you feel on top of the world, shout about it! In the mean time that bass is still rolling. Around the four minute mark we get some instrumental interludes, with the guitar, the hand percussion, but also still that rhythm bass to make sure all that is kept going on. Nice and funky edit of Lamont Dozier’s early Eighties track.

‘Hangin On A String’ by Loose Ends (SanFranDisko remix)

SanFranDisko knows how to get the old school on the dancefloor, as the name already implies. Here they take on the '80s R&B peepz of Loose Ends, bringing a nice slow groover in ‘Hangin On A String’. They make sure to get the guitar in there, as is evidenced at about the 50 second mark, where it is clearly audible on top of the percussion base. Then the vocalist comes in, singing that he Feels it to, what am I supposed to do?, eventually diving into the line “You (you you) have got me hanging on a string now, which elicits a response from the female vocalist. I love the lush vibe, the mid-paced percussion groove, and the clarity that some of the elements have, like the vocals, like that guitar, etcetera. It sure isn’t a muddled affair, which brings out all the good in this to get grooving to. The female vocalist sings that she is Not your baby, as the boy is still feeling he’s hanging on. At the four minute mark, again, a nice, clean switch from verse to guitar intermezzo, with the percussion making sure you can do that shimmy and keep that dancing vibe up. Nice edit to get some of that soul and love right there on the dancefloor.