Weekly Playlist #5: Eurodance Mania!

Eurodance is one of those genres where you're rarely assured of quality, yet somehow you're always going to find fun. Whether it's the poppy 2000's sound or the heavier 90's dance tunes, there's something eternally entertaining about the combination of big synths and sappy vocals. But don't take my word for it, see for yourself - just don;t go in with a critical ear ;)

Throwback Thursday #3: Dune, "Expedicion"

Happy Hardcore may be a lost art in this day and age, but that doesn't stop the classics from maintaining their status. As the genre of pure fun, unbounded by speed limits, synth styles, or having to be actually good(!), happy hardcore spins off hundreds of artists and albums across two decades. With "Expedicion" releasing in 1996, it was riding the wave that brought happy hardcore to the mainstream charts in a number of countries, most notably Germany, and paved the way for Eurodance to take over the world (well... sort of). "Expedicion" is definitely a product of it's time, from the title that seems to desperately want to be Spanish, as well as the dusty-looking cover that seems incongruous when paired with the unapologetically cheesy tunes inside.

The music itself shows its age as well, with the jaunty synths serving as an obvious reminder of the era of its production. This isn't to say that it's bad, of course - if it was, it would hardly merit an article! "Million Miles From Home," the album's lead single, is certainly still the best track on offer here, with its imaginative vocals accompanied by exactly the pounding bass that you'd expect from something marketed as "hardcore." Even if the rest of the album doesn't appeal, it's so old now that the CD is worth buying just for that track alone - and if you like it, you're sure to get mileage out of "Expedicion" (the track) and "Rainbow to the Stars" as well. The instrumental tracks, sadly, are much weaker, and generally just feel like they're missing the vocals that made the singles so entertaining. "Expedicion" (album again!) definitely feels at times like a pop record, and perhaps should be treated as such, but some of the weirdness on offer in the more hardcore-leaning tracks makes this harder to do. In fact, overall, it would be fairly difficult to call "Expedicion" a truly good album overall. There's a lot of filler given that there are only 11 tracks in the first place, and finding an audience to enjoy every track would be difficult. Nonetheless, it's definitely worth listening to the singles, as they're hugely enjoyable as something very different to the pop music of today. You won't find Ariana Grande or Sam Smith singing over acid lines or 190bpm drum tracks, nor will you find lyrics as silly or innocent as Dune's in the current charts. In the end, then, it's hard not to recommend "Expedicion," even if it's just for the singles. Like I said, it's phenomenally cheap to pick up now, making it even harder to say no.

Trance Tuesday - Alright Now [Vocal Trance]

Today's Trance Tuesday is a simple track spotlight, for the (not-quite) latest track by Above & Beyond, "Alright Now." It's a floaty and well-crafted piece of vocal trance, and as always, Justine Suissa's vocal work is exemplary. However, this track can't escape the fact that the drop sounds an awful lot like that of "Sun & Moon," one of A&B's hugely successful tracks from several years ago. As good as "Alright Now" might be, it's definitely worse-off for it's similarity to earlier work. If one were being uncharitable, it might be suggested that it's a cynical attempt to recapture the success of "Sun & Moon," and while I wouldn't necessarily go so far, it surely wouldn't have been too much to ask for a less samey tune...
Nonetheless, "Alright Now" deserves a listen for the beautiful lyrics and just to get another fix of Suissa's dulcet tones.

Bonus Playlist: Six Sad Songs

Track of the Week 20/08/2017 - The Ian Carey Project, "Get Shaky"

This week's TOTW is an old disco classic, and my personal joint-favourite track of all time!
Ready to light up any dancefloor, house party or club night, "Get Shaky" is a triumph of dance music - catchy, irresistible and just all-round fantastic. A contender for track of it's decade, not just this week...

Weekly Playlist 18/08/2017 - "Why Brexit Why"

This week's playlist is a celebration of foreign music in a range of European languages. The entirely unsubtle title is just me coming to terms with the fact that new foreign CDs are going to get ever harder to come by, and they're often not easy to find already! Anyway, enjoy a quality selection in German, Romanian, Spanish, French and Greek, and as always, share the tunes with anyone you think will like them! You might like to listen on shuffle to get a nice mix of languages, or just listen through as the playlist is sorted into each language.

Track of the Week 13/08/2017 - Dorian Popa, "De Amor"

Hmm, another week, another Romanian pop song ends up my most played track. Must be something magical going on there right now! Anyway, "De Amor" was very nearly last week's Track of the Week in the first place, presenting a real feel-good vibe. It's not a particularly inventive track but it's a prime example of fun pop, and is worth a listen (or several hundred!).