The last week before Christmas is always tough. It’s your last week before the long break, you still have to show up to work even though no one is being anywhere near productive. Well at least you’ll have a few tunes to listen to!

This week’s edition of Shuffle Button features some favorites that somehow have not been able to crack the list. These songs get better the more you listen to them and will probably be stuck in your head at some point if you give them the chance.

The Juan Maclean – A Simple Design (Purple Disco Machine Remix)

We’re going to ease into the mix this week. Purple Disco Machine brings out the synths to transform The Juan Maclean’s indie dance hit into a deep house masterpiece. The combination of the synths and hypnotizing vocals from former LCD Soundsystem vocalist Nancy Wang take the listener to a world all his or her own. The finished result is something that imparts mellow vibes but also provides the listener with catchy snippets to latch onto long after the song finishes.

S-Express – Theme From S-Express (Tuff City Kids Acid Dub Remix)

You might recall that this isn’t the first remix of “Theme From S-Express” that’s been featured on the Shuffle Button. In fact, both remixes are from the same package released from Hot Creations. However, where Detlef put the bass behind the original and made it a dancefloor banger, Tuff City Kids (Gerd Jansen and Lauer) gave it a completely different treatment.

This version of “Theme From S-Express” is acid house through and through, not only in sound, but also in attitude. The song has a wacky and silly feel that has tons of fun with the source material. This combination of acid house and disco is light, fun, and a little bit mischievous.

Robert Clivelles feat. Kimberly Davis – Set Me Free (Louie Vega & C&C Music Factory Remix)

Any old school house-head should get excited by seeing these names above. Both Louie Vega and C&C Music Factory have been in the game for a very long time and any collaboration by them is pretty big news.

There’s so much going on in this song that it’s a testament to the producers that it all flows so well. Trying to fit in gospel vocals, keyboards that sound straight out of an old Doors song, and C&C Music Factory’s signature drums could seem very busy if not done right. Luckily for us that’s not the case because this masterstroke brings you straight back to a 90’s club.

Metrik – Fatso (VIP)

Metrik looked at his song Fatso from last year and thought he could do just a little bit better. Like a proper VIP this track keeps the energy and overall sound of the original. But the enhancement Metrik makes really opens up the song by pushing the last note just a bit higher.

It’s a small change that makes a whole lot of difference in expanding the range of the tune. It’s still a classic Metrik sound that makes the dancefloor jump.

Kink – Five

In classic Shuffle Button fashion, we’ve saved the heaviest for last. It’s time for some techno.

In “Five” there is no whimsy, there is no fun, just hard bass and dark sounds. Kink doesn’t try to complicate things here. He finds the exact sounds that hit the listener square in the chest and needles them back and forth to achieve maximum effect.

This is not a dancefloor stomper. This is a song that progressively gets heavier. After the brutal initial build, Kink does let the listener catch his or her breath with some uplifting melodies. However, the unforgiving power is always lurking in the background.

CHOOOOOON of the Week

David Guetta – Love Is Gone (Fred Rister & Joachim Garraud Remix)

For anyone that remembers early big room house, the first notes of this song should take you back. The intro is iconic and recognizable. When you heard this song come on you knew you were in for a hectic few minutes.

Fred Rister and Joachim Garraud perfectly capture the sound of the late aughts in their remix of this David Guetta song. The heavy breakdown is from a time when “Satisfaction” was everywhere and Benny Bennassi’s signature sound ruled the world.

It’s a perfect example of heavy distorted bass can be used creatively but still achieve maximum effect.

Thanks again for listening to the Shuffle Button, as always you can follow along on Spotify here. Please note that not all of the above songs are in Spotify, so the playlist won’t follow the article completely.

---

Share On