Welcome back to the second edition of Dirty Dancing. After a great response to the first article, we’ve spent the last few weeks searching the airwaves (and inbox) tracking down the best new - and forthcoming - dance/electro music has to offer.

Of particular interest to this month are a couple of pop/electro crossover tracks. With so many pop artists currently trying to re-invent themselves for a digital age, we’ve managed to find two that have done rather a good job. Check out Casablanca Reworks and Loverush UK w/ Bryan Adams for proof! Other offerings this month include the new album from DJ Food (which as far as I’m concerned should be on the shelf of everyone with the slightest interest in electronic music) and the hauntingly beautiful album from Nite Jewel, One Second of Love.

Casablanca Reworks - Maniac (Gomma All Stars/Burn Studios)

Transforming classic pop songs into modern electronic music is always a risky (and much-abused) business, but thankfully the producers have refrained from simply adding a heavier bass line and some sound effects, instead aiming to capture as much of the original's essence as possible. Reworked vocals from Peaches and a retro bass line rhythm, combined with a clever, well thought out video (starring Roman Polanski's daughter) make this an interesting, refreshing beak from the workaday ‘D&B style’ remixes of modern pop.


Boys Noize & Erol Alkan - Lemonade (Phantasy)

Undisputedly catchy, 'Lemonade'’s glitchy and ever-so-slightly retro synth will be stuck in your head for days. Although cheerful and light hearted, this has plenty of depth and energy to the bass and drum lines, which should be enough to motivate even the most lethargic of clubbers. If you like your music with a slightly more serious edge, check out the Gesaffelstein remix – an interesting piece which pulls in some of the more obscure sounds from the original.


Loverush UK Feat. Bryan Adams – Tonight In Babylon (Polydor Records)

Who would have thought it? Instead of sounding like something Bruce Springsteen might sing in the shower, ‘Tonight in Babylon’ has all the makings of a massive club anthem for 2012. Upbeat and soulful, Adams has brought plenty of his characteristic charisma to the vocals which (oddly?) merge well with the euphoric dance synth and bass lines. Loverush UK have supplied plenty of energy, and after his success with Chicane, Adams proves to be the canny operator when it comes to crossover success.


Fil Lavin – Soul Brother EP (Retrospective Recordings)

There is definitely more than a hint of reggae/dub roots to the Soul Brother EP. Sounding like a mix of early Dreadzone and slowed down, chilled out house, 'Soul Brother' is a little more electronic than tribal but is an equally beautiful composition. Effortlessly cool, deeply rhythmic and with an EP versatile enough to be a hit both on the dance floor or in the living room, Fil Lavin is well worth keeping an eye on in 2012.

Kris Menace – Falling Star (Compuphonic)

With a definite lean towards the intergalactic, 'Falling Star' is a superbly constructed effort, the space age melody offering the perfect soundtrack to your next moonshot. Expect subdued, quietly spoken vocals over spacey, swooping synth and introspective bass. This tune deserves many, many more plays than it is likely to get and I would be genuinely interested to see its effect on some of the larger dancefloors around the UK.

Kris Menace - Falling Star (Preview) by Kris Menace
DJ Food - The Search Engine (Ninja Tune)

Consistently eclectic, it's very easy to get lost in The Search Engine, the latest masterful offering from DJ Food. The mood, tempo and ideas fluctuate wildly track-to-track, ranging from funk/rock riffs reminiscent with hints of Nick Cave or early Kasabian to growly, super low vocals and trippy, futuristic computer noises. The underlying intensity is softened by the space age theme - possibly the only thing subliminally connecting each track on the album. It’s a fascinatingly odd, challenging ride but ultimately a must-have for anyone who considers themselves an electro connoisseur.

Blondes – Blondes (Feeding Time/RVNG Intl)

It wasn't until I heard Blondes on a bigger, better system than my home hi-fi that it really came into its own. Sounding perhaps a little bland when played at lower volumes, it takes a decent set of speakers or headphones to bring out the hidden bass nuances and obscure melodies hidden away in the album undercurrents. It takes a few listens to get your head around the slightly subdued feel, but for the persistent (or for those with better ears than me!) there are plenty of hidden gems. Also worth a look are the remixes for each track, the bass being slightly more pronounced and leaning a little further towards mainstream trance if that's your thing.

Nite Jewel – One Second of Love (Secretly Canadian)

Funky, smooth and vocally impressive, there is too much of an underlying edge to One Second of Love to call it a chill out album, but parts of it are well on the way. By turns dreamy and mobile with the occasional sparky drum break, this spans the indie/house/chill out divide rather well - and also succeeds in bringing something of its own character to the table. Listen from top to bottom for full effect. A top release!

RxGibbs – Futures (Cascine)

'Futures' may not be a hit on the dance floor, but in every other sense it has the makings of something quite special. Expect soft, ghostly vocals built into a dreamscape of sounds and drifting ambience. The bass and drum rhythms are softened and repressed, often replaced by something lighter such as tom-toms, whilst the collection of other instruments and sounds make it hard to focus on any one element of the tracks for very long. Technically accomplished and insightfully put together, 'Futures' is an obscure and yet fascinating listen.

RxGibbs - 06 Futures by CASCINE
Becoming Real / Dam Mantle – Paramnesia / Her Woes (split release on GETME!)

Lodged somewhere between dubstep and dance, the softly sung looped/distorted vocals over a spiky, bouncy rhythm and buzzing synth make 'Paramnesia' a genuine pleasure. There are also plenty of suitably weird electronic sounds chopped in to ensure the track does not become boring or repetitive – a very real problem with a lot of dubstep material! 'Her Woes' on the other hand, whilst equally brilliant in its creativity and design, has a much more melancholy air. With plenty of underlying intensity and depth, the vocals sound a lot more repressed and the focus is more on the long, drawn out minor chords instead of electronic sounds. A touch on the dark side but worth checking out.

That’s all from me this time. Please feel free to comment on any of the tracks featured – would love to hear your thoughts on some of the above! If not, thanks for taking the time to read Dirty Dancing - hope to see you all out partying soon!

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