It’s a hot summer out there and there are some hot tracks out there as well. And as the temperatures rise so does the length of my playlist as well. From some serious House to a few Pop queens and some remixed Hip Hop, we’ve got you covered for some new ear candy.
First up is a new track by a female who calls herself Leaf. And the TroyBoi Remix of her latest single “Money” is definitely giving Hip Hop a good kick in the ass. Her flow is tight and the half speed production adds another level of sickening (which for those who are gay urban lingo challenged that means “good”).
And keeping in theme of money, our next selection is something I am quite familiar with….”No Money” by Galantis. And the Lucky Charmes Remix serves up just the right amount of House and Club.
So, I guess every few years Britney Spears drops a single to remind us that she’s still here. I heard the original version of “Make Me” featuring G-Easy and was not impressed. But after hearing the Trace Adam Club Mix I took a second listen and liked what I heard.
Although I don’t think Ariana Grande’s current album is doing as well as her last one, she keeps pumpin’ out singles. “Dangerous Woman” is the title track from her latest album and originally is a power ballad. And although there are a few remixes I find Canada’s Barry Harris had the right idea with his reproduction of this one.
I heard my next selection was released to block Taylor Swift from releasing her next single. And given all the Kanye and Kim drama over her knowledge of being called “bitch” in Mr. West’s “Famous” track, I’m kinda glad that she has waited to release her next song. I personally am not a fan. And apparently Katy Perry isn’t a fan of Taylor either after her “Bad Blood” dis track. So, Katy’s latest single is an uplifting anthem called “Rise”. And from the previews of the remixes it sounds like they are doing a rush job to get them out. I liked the DJ Amanda vs. The Wideboys Remix. Not sure if Amanda nailed putting the vocal in the right key, but the Wideboys production is definitely the best out what I have heard so far.
So believe it or not, there are still some men left in dance music. I know most are usually the producers and remixers, but occasionally a few actually lay down a vocal. Jerome Price’s “Me Minus You” is a good example of a good Club track. Don’t get me wrong….I loves me some screaming divas, but every now then I want the guys to come through as well.
And another unlikely male vocal on my playlist would be by Charlie Puth. So far, his music has been kinda Radio Pop driven. But I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the MAGIXX Club Mix of “We Don’t Talk Anymore” featuring Selena Gomez. This is definitely a full on remix from the downtempo easy listening versions that I got through my record pool.
Usually I don’t care to much for covers of what I consider to be a classic. But I have come across a few that really reinvented the songs. A good example would be when Adeva did her House remake of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”. But many don’t realize that Aretha’s version is a cover of the original by Otis Redding. And in both cases, each artist made the song their own. However, Mr. Mig & Gino Caporale’s remake of Phreek’s “Weekend” featuring Angela Devine was not an reinvention. The vocal does not compare to Christine Wiltshire’s but the production of remixer Kue definitely updates this classic for a new audience to learn and love.
I guess the thing I love the most about a DJ Amanda remix is that she is fearless. She’s not afraid to take an R&B or Hip Hop track and go to town. So, when I saw there was a new DJ Amanda vs. Razor-N-Guido Mix of TLC’s “Creep” I became very excited. With the technology and computer programs out there now any song is fair game to be remixed. And I have to say, she got it right on this one.
One of the trends that really bugs me is this one of producer/remixers renaming songs and putting their name as the artist or first. Our next selection is a classic example of this trend. “Freak My Bassline Soundz” is actually a House remix of Missy Elliott’s “Get UR Freak On” by some producers who call themselves My Digital Enemy. It’s a hot remix….I just wish the track was named properly and gave credit to Missy like it should.
Our next track is a sexy Hip Hop track by Baby Bash featuring E-40 called “No Time Outs”. It’s basically an ode to getting the job done in the bedroom…without any breaks. Gotta love that!
Given the fact that my first introduction to Sia was the video for David Guetta’s “Wild Ones” featuring her and Flo-Rida, I thought she was the cute bi-racial girl on the screen. It wasn’t until a live performance of “Chandelier” that I got to see her in all her wigged glory. And I’ve been room temperature on most of her solo releases. But her “Cheap Thrills” featuring Sean Paul really caught my attention with its Reggae infectious groove. And when I found a bootleg mashup with Jason Derulo’s “Talk Dirty” I was really got my groove on.
In my opinion, there are a few recording industry whores out there…Pitbull, Nicki Minaj and Sean Paul. What is a recording industry whore? It is the type of artist that will do a guest spot on anybody’s record…and I do mean anybody’s. And I guess Sean Paul is flexing these days. Our next selection is “Trumpets” by Sak Noel and Salvi featuring guess who…the Paul of Sean. The Zea Edit is great but too short for my taste.
And we finished our mix with DJ L.A.’s “Lean Back” throwback remix of Fat Joe & Remy Ma’s “All The Way Up” featuring French Montana & Infa Red. All I can say is this remix is “Fiyah”!
