The Weekly Froth! - 20160617

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week:  ‘Full Moon’ by Private Agenda

Private Agenda first put in a relatively melancholic synth before they get the funk in and the rhythm up with a forceful bass sound and some major horn action. This all is aided by percussion and, a short while later, a synth riff that is entered. At about the minute mark we get the vocals, telling it to Take it in your stride. As the vocals keep going the bass makes sure there’s always the rhythm to lean back on, and as the song moves into the chorus the synth riff return. Just before the three minute mark there’s a slight change up, including some '80s movie soundtrack vibes that I actually kind of like. The track really bets high on the main bass sound, with the vocals a good second (and even getting a minute in the spotlight at the four minute mark). Next to these things there’s always some sort of percussion or synth combo to help out. It’s a lovely, fun track with some nice hints of other genres to add to the good vibes.

‘Colours’ by Roosevelt (Prins Thomas diskomiks)

Prins Thomas knows how to get that dancefloor feel, and here, too, he gets the beat going from the very beginning to make sure there’s something for everyone to shake their hips to. But he overrules that sound for an even faster rhythm part, upping the tempo and the momentum until shortly after the minute mark, where he continues to ride it but with additional synth sounds. More piano is added, really giving you the full monty with this one. Every so often, a slight change in the track, for example pushing the synth sounds forward, making that one louder and louder over the deep rhythm sounds, and then the shift to a new sound in the foreground. It keeps it fresh, and it gives this sense of momentum. At 2:40 we get the Roosevelt vocals for the first time, and just after the three minute mark Prins Thomas even slows it all down so we can have a good listen to that. Then, first, he brings back the synths, going for new rhythm sounds just moments later. And we know Prins Thomas can keep this up for the entire length of the track, giving you 8 1/2 minutes of dancefloor music with all kinds of rhythm & synth mixtures and the occasional dash of Roosevelt, of course.

‘Martin’ by Matthias Zimmermann feat. Olivia Merilahti

First thing we hear are the vocals of Olivia Merilahti, saying that Everyone is lying, lying, lying to themselves. Zimmermann first gives you the synths, and then the beat, culminating into the electro-pop feel that is the main stay of this track. The vocals have a melancholic tinge to them, with the beat almost tropical and the synths providing these light touches. The pace is up-tempo though, and especially in the chorus it does get a sort of party vibe going. So there’s definitely some dancing that can be done. At 2:45 the beat is stripped for a short while, but for the last stretch it makes sure to make a comeback. A four minute electro pop track that makes sure to pack a punch.

‘I Keep Forgettin’ by Rayko Moscow Discow Rework

Rayko gets the deep synth sounds in, on top of a steady beat, for this ol’ Michael McDonald classic. Whose vocals, by the way, are immediately audible right from the get go. But, from a distance, still a tad hidden. Just like the piano sound, something which I believe I also remember from the original. Rayko gets the looping going, for a long time definitely going for the “I keep forgettin’” part, seemingly inching closer and closer to the chorus before moving away and starting all over agani. Which is cleverly done, just adding that one syllable every time. In the mean time, one can keep dancing to the deep synth, the beat, and the looping vocals that keep adding the heartache of a man that Keeps forgetting that things will never be the same again. It’s one of my favorite tracks, and this looping louie of an edit gives it a new twist on top of all the edits that are already out there. And more ways to consume a classic, that’s always welcome, innit?

‘Messin’ by Gap Band (Kon Remix)

The Gap Band is just one of those classic boogie-till-you-can-boogie-no-more bands that is always good to throw in there if you want to funk the place up. Kon starts out easy though, but after the thirty second mark we get that boogie-bass, the classic horn sounds, and the steady drumbeat to make sure you’ve got something to hang your hat on to. After the minute mark we get the vocals, singing that they Don’t know what to do. And those vocals, they bring that classic soul vibe, they are just lovely. We are also treated to a nice guitar riff, working well with the horns and the rhythm section, with some extra percussion throw in there after the two minute mark. Kon makes sure to put the emphasis on that slow-to-mid paced boogie rhythm, moving along also thanks those hand percussion sounds. The vocalists sing that There you go, messing with my mind, something which this track definitely doesn’t do. This rework is ultra smooth, super clean, and a nice treat for those wanting to do a little dance in that pace range.

‘Zenith’ by Kasper Bjorke feat. Null & Void

Kasper Bjorke starts with some piano on top of a beat that moves from regular to rapidly firing the sounds off. That speediness gets juxtaposed by the slow, deep synth sound that enters. The idiosyncratic nature of the drum is repeated by the glitchy computer sounds Bjorke then adds on top of a regular drum sound. Then, the synth and beat come back in, giving this track its backbone again, showing what is the main stay there. At about the halfway point a lot of the sounds are stripped again, but obviously he works his way back to them, even adding some pace for the second half of the tune. There are no vocals to be heard here, then again, most Bjorke albums seem to have a fifty-fifty split in terms of instrumental vs. songs with actual singing in them. Especially with the sounds underneath you hear the Bjorke signature, the dark synth and the mood that one brings. And that signature is always a good thing to have in there as far as I’m concerned.