Tag: Dakota

Saturday Flashback: Alex Ross feat. Dakota, T-Pain – Dreams

“Oh, it’s that Dreams!”

Tim: Funny how coincidences happen: yesterday we discussed Jonas Blue kickstarting the tropical-covers-of-classic-pop trend, and yesterday afternoon I heard this for the first time in bloody ages.

Tom: Oh, it’s that Dreams! I thought it was going to be a Fleetwood Mac cover. Or a Cranberries cover.

Tim: In fact, probably the first time since it was a first released last March, actually, since who the hell jumps on a bandwagon six months after everyone else has stopped, launches a summer track in the middle of flipping March and then expects it to get played? Well, Alex Ross, apparently.

And credit where it’s due it’s not a terrible rendition of the song, at least given the questionable target it’s aiming for.

Tom: Interesting choice adding T-Pain in there, too; this didn’t need his middle eight, but I’ve got admit it actually improves what was originally a fairly dull song to cover. You’re right: this hits the target.

Tim: We may not approve of that target (nor, indeed, may anyone else in their right mind), but since FastCar came along it’s right there and ready to be hit. In fact, if I’m perfectly honest, if I were to remove my ‘tropical covers are unnecessary and frequently awful’ blinkers, I might even approve of it as a remix.

Tom: I think I’m with you there. I think I might actually like this?

Tim: Because it does sound nice and summery; it’s a listenable enough version of the track; it’s entirely inoffensive; and occasionally if it comes on in the background you’ll think “huh, this is quite nice”. At least, that’s what I did yesterday.

Saturday Flashback: Jonas Blue feat. Dakota – Fast Car

“It took me a while to get used to it.”

Tim: Yesterday’s song reminded me of this track, and I ummed and ahhed a lot about whether to link to Tracy Chapman’s original or this cover; in the end though, it was Friday, so it had to be tropical.

Tim: And yes, I’m well aware that many people think of this in the same way sensible people think about Calum Scott’s version of Dancing On My Own – namely, that anyone who even considers playing it should be hung, drawn and quartered. I, though, disagree.

Tom: It’s changing the emotion, sure, but at least it’s not changing it to Mopey Bloke With A Guitar.

Tim: It’s arguably a not too distant predecessor of the covers of Never Gonna Give You Up and Africa, and for me this is very much on the Africa side of the spectrum, in that I like it. It took me a while to get used to it, mainly because the original was forcibly drummed into my head several times a day on a family holiday in France when it was my sister’s favourite.

Tom: There’s a long history of remixes and covers changing the mood: on a first or second listen, that synth does seem to get in the way rather a lot. It’s loud, it’s reedy, and it’s not entirely pleasant.

Tim: Ah, but after a while, though: it’s good. It has the similar melancholiness to it, but a contrasting beat underneath which helps distract from the incredibly depressing lyrics. And that’s always helpful.