Hey everybody, 2018 is well and truly underway. Everyone is back at work, the memories of all the time off over the holidays are fading fast, and everything is settling back to normal. In that spirit, The Shuffle Button this week will be all about providing you with songs to sing that will let you dig in to what you have to do.
Camelphat & Elderbrook – Cola
We’re going to start off this week strong with one of the best songs from 2017. Camelphat and Elderbrook unleashed “Cola” on the world and it spread like wildfire. It was all over BBC Radio 1, at countless festivals, on a myriad compilation albums, and even nominated for a Grammy.
It makes sense the minute you put it on. The subtle bass-line with rhythmic bells over the top create a hypnotizing sound that draws the listener in. It doesn’t immediately blow you away, but it grows on you, and before you know it, you find yourself bouncing along to the tune and singing it for the rest of the day.
Kah Lo – Fasta
Staying with songs that were released during the (northern hemisphere) summer but stuck around with the changing of the seasons, frequent collaborators Kah Lo and Riton once again dusted off their signature sound to compose another feel good, bouncy tune.
Fasta has the combination of a Caribbean vibe with the house energy that this collaboration effortlessly creates. In the same vein as “Rinse & Repeat” and “Betta Riddim”, it is straightforward and has the perfect elements the slowly dig its claws into you. It’s a cleanly produced song that makes sure to sticks to tried and true concepts and not overcook the production.
Karizma – Work It Out
Now that we’ve gotten our feet under us, we’re going to start to head for songs that you don’t have to wait to enjoy.
“Work It Out” let’s you know exactly what it’s about from the get-go. Karizma takes Diane William’s gospel classic by the same name and moves it out of the church and into the club. The catchy vocal provides the spirit of a Sunday morning service and the house bass-line ensures that we’re not only clapping but we’re also moving our feet.
Count us in as parishioners at the church of Karizma.
GotSome – Nomad Chat
We’re travelling once again, now we’re going to let some tribal house transport us deep into the jungle. We’re trading singing praise for chanting.
“Nomad Chat” forces the listener to stumble into a strange, new, primitive custom. However, even thought he words are foreign, the feeling is somehow familiar. GotSome’s spirit is infectious and the tribal beats compel you to let your base instincts take over.
Prince – I Wanna Be Your Lover (Dimitri From Paris Re-Edit)
We’re going to wind down this week’s selections with an ultimate sing along. It might just be a reason for us to listen to a little Prince, but frankly any excuse to listen to Prince is a good excuse.
Obviously, the original is a classic, so Dimitri From Paris didn’t have to do too much work to make his edit great. But the touches he does add make his version stand out. The choice to focus on a live version of the song is a great start and captures the energy and heart of Prince in concert. It also allows Dimitri From Paris to extend the outro to emphasize the change of pace that the original release hints at but doesn’t fully explore. It goes together so well that you would be forgiven if you just assumed it wasn’t an edit but a straight rip from a concert album.
CHOOOOOOOOON of the Week
Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner (DNA Remix)
CHOOON has flirted with the early 2000’s multiple times, but for this one we’re going even further back.
This song is so quintessentially 90’s it almost hurts, and like the other songs featured this week, it just drills right into your brain so that you’ll find yourself singing it days after you hear it.
There’s two main parts of this song, the first is Suzanne Vega’s vocal. It was originally written as a narrative of a visit to a diner for a cup of coffee. It is a cappella and frankly slightly haunting. A nice little Easter Egg, is that the diner Vega centers her experience around, Tom’s Diner, has been featured in Seinfeld as the coffee shop the crew frequents.
The second is the backing provided by DNA. It’s just so 90’s. Everything from the low, slow, and moody bass, to the persistently intruding horns transport you back a few decades. But perhaps the element that most completely nails the 90’s vibe is the airy and meandering horn that’s providing the slightest of accents that seems to be a common thread throughout so many of these early 90’s dance songs.
Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week.
If you’re interested in reading more about Camelphat & Elderbrook’s “Cola” take a look at the article below.
CamelPhat and Elderbrook’s #1 Beatport Hit “Cola” is THE House Track of the Summer, Out Now on Defected Records
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