May 3, 2015
Beat Box: Dance Beats Spring Into Action
Jimmy Newsum READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Flowers aren't the only things blooming this spring. New beats by some of the leaders of dance are popping up all over. Here are the top tracks and remixes being played right now.
"Tick Tick Trick"
Dina Delicious
This season has seen an abundance of novelty club singles by underground nightlife personalities, many offering little more than a cringe worthy experience. However, Dina Delicious stands wigs and shoulder pads above her downtown fashionista peers. "Tick Tick Trick" is actually really good! Lyrics are clever and the sound is melodic and catchy. Dina Delicious proves she's capable of delivering a party record with mainstream appeal in this radio-ready Katy Perry-esque track that can stand its own against anything we've heard from the other glossy girls of pop.
"Game of Thrones"
Andre Xcellence
(American Commission)
The latest single from this pop rapper is a high-powered club banger about the games people play in their quest for love. The track that manages to name-check everyone from Hollywood little person Peter Dinklage to musician John Mayer (even Nintendo and Pop-Tarts) is reminiscent of Azealia Banks' "212", where rap-meets-EDM in a tightly bound, lyrically clever tune. The title, of course, pays homage to the HBO fantasy drama series and it's not-to-be-missed music video features RuPaul's Drag Race alums Manila Luzon and Courtney Act in a fierce dance battle developed and created by famed Haus of GaGa choreographer Michael Silas. Shirtless Andrew Christian underwear models Noah Wright and Pablo Hernandez appear in the video too, for some extra eye-candy. Of course, in the end, Andre Xcellence reigns supreme over all with this sure-fire hit.
"Shite"
Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly
(Dauman Music)
If you want to get your freak on, look no further. Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly, a new underground group from the UK, is Midnight Oil meets Blue Man Group. In their first single to release to the states, they blend pounding bass-drum beats with screaming synths and hypnotic chants; then whip them together at warp-speed tempo for frenzied dance floor banger that will leave you spinning. There are five mixes in all - personal favorites are the Tony Byker and Shinola remixes - but each radiates with passion, wit and pure adrenaline fun.
"Journal 8"
Cary NoKey
(Rob Fusari Productions)
The debut album from Cary NoKey plays like an audio diary. In it, the Grammy-winning producer, Rob Fusari (best known for discovering Lady Gaga and his hits with Whitney Houston and Beyonce), reveals how success left him feeling unfulfilled. Turns out, his road to enlightenment began by stepping out of his male persona and embracing his feminine side. There are elements of Queen, Radio Gaga, and Steely Dan in his album with each song delivering a personal message meant to inspire and entertain. "No 1 Can No" is about not being to hide from one's true self. "My Name is Lisa" is about the different personalities that developed within Rob at an early age as a possible coping mechanism to escape a tormented childhood. Then there's "The Hardest Sh*t," where Eagles meets The Cure, for an in-your-face track about bouncing back and accepting life's challenges. Overall, the album shines in its authenticity.
"Jump The Gun"
Adore Delano
(Sidecar Records)
In the seventh single from her "Till Death Do Us Party" album, Adore Delano proves once again that she knows what this generation of restless, pleasure-seeking clubgoers from across all genders and cultures want today. Theme-wise, it's bad-girl fun: A sexually-driven banger that encourages fans to embrace the unconventional. It's something Ke$ha or Miley might release. In fact, the part where Adore sings "Jump the gun, I got the boom boom bang" seems to be a nod to Ke$ha's "Boom Boom Bang," but it's not. It's actually borrowed from "RuPaul's Drag Race" Gia Gunn's iconic quote, "I don't jump the gun, I am the boom boom gun." Adores' vocals, along with the track's menacing piano melody, sinisterly clever rhymes, and synth electro all pull together to make pure brilliance.