Category: Dance

Avicii feat. Agnes & Vargas & Lagola – Tough Love

“Ah, a Eurovision entrant.”

Tim: Second single from the upcoming album (which, I’ve since found out, is getting the profits donated to a mental health organisation, so it’s not icky after all).

Tom: They didn’t really get off to a flying start with the first single, so I’ve not got high hopes.

Tim: Piano dance is so ten years ago, country guitar so five years ago, so right now we’ve got, well, this.

Tom: Ah, a Eurovision entrant. Specifically, the type that uses some traditional instrument and scale for one bit while otherwise adhering to European pop norms.

Tim: It is a bit odd, isn’t it? Well, to most Western European ears at least. Took me a few listens to enjoy this, for that and also the same reason Wake Me Up took a bit of getting used to: it’s just so different, and so initially janky from one style to the next, that it seems almost irritating. After a couple of times, though, it kind of works a bit, in the way that I at least appreciate both bits individually, and am more or less okay with them being mixed up, I guess?

Tom: There are some really inspired parts in here. Okay, there’s one really inspired part in here, and it’s one chord progression in the middle eight. Maybe I would learn to love it, but I just don’t think I’m going to give it that chance.

Tim: Reading that back it comes across quite harsh, but I do enjoy it. Kind of.

Jubël – On The Beach

“That is a bit unsettling.”

Tim: Here’s a thing I never knew: the massive 2000 hit O.T.B. (On The Beach) was a cover, ish, of a 1986 track by Chris Rea.

Tom: I had no idea. That is a bit unsettling; it’s like the first time I heard the song that Groove Armada sampled for At The River. Anyway! It’s a cover?

Tim: Yes, and so’s this.

Tim: Nice, that, isn’t it? I know we’ve discussed the concept of chilled house music multiple times–

Tom: Along with the fact that I don’t really like it.

Tim: –which is why I’d like to give me one last chance to justify it. Thing is, this precisely sums it up: nice music, with a strong but non-invasive beat, that you can listen to in the summer, as background music when you’re hanging around relaxing with some mates, in a park, maybe, or, well, on the beach.

Tom: Yes, fine, all right, I’ll grant that this is a solid mid-playlist bit of gentle party music. I’d say it’s actually better than the 2000 hit, which does tend to outstay its welcome somewhat.

Tim: Arguably due to the fact that there were basically no lyrics in that at all. Here we’ve got full vocal verses, bringing us a fully decent chilled house song. The sun’s strong, the drinks are flowing, this is playing nicely in the background, and everyone’s enjoying themselves. Not too much, mind, or at least, if they are then ideally they’ll have separated themselves from the rest of the group and blimey, I’ve gone wildly off topic here. Basically: sun, drink, friends, this. A good afternoon.

Sick Individuals feat. MPH – We Got It All

“This sounds familiar. So, so familiar. But can I place it? Can I hell.”

Tim: This sounds familiar. So, so familiar. But can I place it? Can I hell.

Tom: It’s Zedd and Elley Duhé’s “Happy Now”. I mean, it’s distinct enough, but that’s what you’re thinking of.

Tim: It’s good track, mind, very good, and every little bit stands out. The first part starting out very strong, sounding like a chorus from some unidentifiable other song, then that instrumental dance breakdown, and then the final singy-shouty bit, also a bit familiar but not quite as much.

Tom: You’re not wrong! That’s some of the most promising first seconds I’ve heard in a while. And, once you get over the fact that it isn’t Happy Now, then yep — there’s a lot of good work in here.

Tim: All sounds good, then we go round and do it again for another 83 seconds. And then we’re done, rhythm still in our head.

Tom: And humming the melody to “Happy Now”.

Scooter & Xillions – Rave Teacher (Somebody Like Me)

“If this had been on the first album, would we be looking back on it with nostalgia?”

Tom: You have my attention.

Tim: Good. Because Xillions, a British/American production duo, put out Somebody Like Me a couple of years back, and Scooter have now done, well, what they do best.

Tom: Well, that’s more like their old stuff, isn’t it? That could happily sit on one of their earlier albums. And Scooter have always been inspired by the KLF; it’s nice that they’re still referencing that in their videos.

Tim: It is a lot more like the old stuff, isn’t it? Take another track and stick a load of RAVE on it, and it’s all the better for it.

Tom: That “sixth chapter” reference is pointing out that there’s been another change of lineup: you’ll be glad to hear that Wikipedia has a handy diagram.

Tim: As ever. So, every now and again I forget that the actual title of Scooter’s biggest hit was actually Ramp! (The Logical Song), and now with this title that makes a lot of sense – make a load of rave stuff and give it a name, and then plonk it on top of a track that roughly fits. Wouldn’t work for everything, of course – I can’t exactly imagine Back In The U.K. (The Miss Marple Theme) gaining much traction – but it does work. As for whether this track works: yeah. Yeah, I think it does.

Tom: It’s never going to be a classic, but maybe that’s more a sign of the times: if this had been on the first album, would we be looking back on it with nostalgia?

Tim: You know, I think that’s quite possible. It’s a decent enough track to start from, Scooter’s gonna Scoot, and together they work nicely. It’s good.

Seeb, Highasakite – Free To Go

“I like his style, therefore I like the track.”

Tim: We’ve not featured Highasakite before; they’re a Norwegian indie pop band with dancey undertones, and their lead singer, Ingrid, is featured here, with very dancey overtones.

Tim: Decent dance track, that. Standard Seeb style, and…well, there’s not much else to be said about it, is there?

Tom: I mean, you can sing the hook from Sigma’s “Nobody To Love” over that instrumental chorus, sure, it’s basically just a standard dance track.

Tim: We can note that it does have a middle eight, though, and part of me is tempted to keep track of to how rare that’s becoming; the entirety of the rest of me, mind, is screaming that that’s an entirely pointless and tedious thing to do. But yes, it’s a Seeb track, through and through. I like his style, therefore I like the track. Others may disagree, but I guess that’s subjectivity for you, no?

Broiler – Do It

“Blimey, that’s an early ’00s dance trance if ever there was one, isn’t it?”

Tim: Pair of Norwegians here for you, and, well, remember Dave Pearce doing Dance Anthems on a Sunday night on Radio 1 fifteen years ago? This might evoke some feels.

Tim: Because blimey, that’s an early ’00s dance trance if ever there was one, isn’t it?

Tom: Pitched-up vocals and a full-on washing-machine-spinning-up euphoric build and drum fill into the chorus. Yep. The rave revival continues.

Tim: And in a pretty good way as well, which is always nice.

Tom: I doubt it’s going to be on a Clubland compilation in ten years’ time, but it’s nice to hear this sound back. Apart from the fact that one synth patch sounds almost exactly like a raspy kazoo.

Tim: Yeah, there is that. But the big thing to note is just what is the ‘it’ that is being done by the target, and that our protagonist now wants to do? Well, some might leave it ambiguous, or more likely just blindingly obvious from the subtext, but here we go all out with “I just want your sex”, which is entirely fair enough. After all, if it’s early in the morning and you’ve just made eyes at someone on the dance floor, you’ve not really got time for subtlety. You just want their sex, and you’re going to shrug off your friends because they’ll understand, a hookup’s a hookup and it’s what we’re all out for.

Tom: I’ll be honest, Tim, that tells me a little bit more about your life than I wanted to know.

Tim: Oh, come on, we went to university together, don’t pretend you’ve forgotten. Mind you, that’s not all we’re out for – there’s hearing big outright bangers like this as well.

Avicii feat. Aloe Blacc – SOS

“Wouldn’t you want the first one out to be absolutely brilliant?”

Tim: So, slightly odd situation here. Apparently when Avicii died last year, he had about an album’s worth of material on his computer ready to go, and now it seems his family reckons enough time has passed for it to be released without it seeming too ethically dubious.

Tom: Actually ready to go, or works-in-progress that have been picked up by other people? Because if they’re not spectacular, it’s going to seem like an ethically dubious cash-in no matter what. A whole album, then?

Tim: That’s out at the end of June, here’s the lead track.

Tim: And that is, I guess, a perfectly decent Avicii track.

Tom: Apart from the middle eight where it suddenly becomes a mashup of Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” and TLC’s “No Scrubs”. And ‘perfectly’ decent? It’s… well, it’s okay.

Tim: Well, not perfectly decent – for starters, the D on the end of ‘pound of weed’ really should be pronounced more forcefully than it is.

Tom: Oh dear. Yes, it should.

Tim: And that’s kind of my issue. See, if you were part of his friends and family, and you were sitting on a load of good stuff that could have the potential to backfire, wouldn’t you want the first one out to be absolutely brilliant? A ten out of ten, everyone drop what you’re doing, can’t stop dancing type number? And this…well, it’s good. But it’s not that.

Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman – Look Away

“I like to think he’s just texting and necking a beer.”

Tom: Darude! I’m still surprised they got Darude!

Tim: Me too, kind of. As previously mentioned on these pages, Finland did this year with Darude what they did last year with Saara Aalto – namely, he provided three tracks, the Finns chose between them, and here’s the winner.

Tim: Why is Darude in a box, pretending to play a keyboard that is not even pretending to be wired up to anything? No idea. Does it matter? Probably not, if they’re going for star power and all that, because otherwise there’d be no point whatsoever in even having him on stage.

Tom: And that’s before we even start to mention the dancer on top of the box. I wonder what Darude’s doing while he’s not in shot? I like to think he’s just texting and necking a beer.

Tim: Either that or quickly…actually, no, I won’t go there. Musically, it strikes me a being very similar to Russia’s 2016 entry, perhaps best remembered for its incredible staging. That came third, in the year when the winner was the Ukrainian anti-Russia protest song; with no political baggage this year it might do alright, as long as they improve the staging a bit.

Tom: Middle of the table, I reckon. It’s not bad by any means, it’s just a bit forgettable.

Tim: Yeah. So let Darude out of his box, see what he can do.

Europa with Madison Beer – All Day And Night

“Mesdames, Messieurs, le disc-jockey Sash! est de retour.”

Tim: Europa, a new project comprising Jax Jones and Martin Solveig, and I think this is the first time we’ve ever had a ‘with’ for a featured artist. How exciting!

Tom: “Mesdames, Messieurs, le disc-jockey Sash! est de retour.” Not quite, of course, but those synth patches are at least an homage.

Tim: Absolutely. It doesn’t sound anything like a standard Martin Solveig track, doesn’t sound anything like a regular Jax Jones track either, which I guess is the point of creating a whole new brand. We’ve a bit more of a RAVE vibe to it, and it’s been a good fifteen years or so since that’s been a thing and I’m pretty happy to see it back to be honest.

Tom: Nostalgia tends to run on a thirty-year cycle, which means it’s about time for it to ramp up into our own childhoods, Tim. Updated versions of 90s rave culture is going to be the sound of the next few years, and this is part of the vanguard. I’d say “expect Clubland Classix to put out another compilation” but they’ve never really stopped.

Tim: True, I suppose. Whether we do indeed have a full revival coming remains to be seen – maybe we will have a new Sash! and a new Faithless. In the meantime, let’s enjoy this, and start hoping.

Mike Perry, Sonic Avenue & Hot Shade feat. Mikayla – Closer

“It deserves more than being cut short after less two and half minutes.”

Tim: You ever wondered what might happen if Alan Walker got his hands on a ballad? I’m guessing something like this.

Tim: And oh, damn, do I want more of that.

Tom: That’s such a good introduction and first verse — and you’re absolutely right, that chorus sounds a lot like Alan Walker’s style. Or, rather, Alan Walker’s style back when it was new and exciting. (Harsh, I know, but I really didn’t get that track you sent over a few days ago.)

Tim: Fair enough, as I’m not sure even I’d describe it as new and exciting – it’s just, there. Or, indeed, here.

Tom: You said you want more, though?

Tim: Correct. I’ve moaned more than enough previously about middle eights going away, but those very last seconds made me think we going in for a lovely new stringy melody for twenty seconds or so, perhaps repeating for another twenty with a good beat on top of it, before coming back for one final triumphant chorus. As it is…nope. Damn you, Mike, Sonic and Hot. Damn you all, because that’s a great track and it deserves more than being cut short after less two and half minutes.

Tom: Streaming is making music shorter, it seems.

Tim: True, and I guess a song that never properly resolves is that much more likely to be repeated. It’s a great vocal, a nice melody and a bloody fantastic dance section. I WANT MORE.