Tag: John Dahlbäck

John Dahlbäck feat. Stockholm Syndrome – Untouched Hearts

“Shall we have a Friday BANGER?”

Tim: Not sure how we’ve not featured Stockholm Syndrome before, or at least not in their current form – they’re basically a rebranded, restyled and slightly trimmed Love Generation. HOWEVER, they’re here now, so shall we have a Friday BANGER?

Tom: Naming a band after a horrible psychological condition. Normal for a death metal band, a bold move in the world of pop.

Tom: Oh! For once, we’ve got a song introduced as a BANGER here, and it actually is. That’s really good.

Tim: Isn’t it? Although, I know it’s not the most important thing to focus on, but I’m really rather disappointed by how little effort was put into that YouTube ‘video’ – perfect opportunity, given the flickering, to have it be like a visual version of those word puzzles where you change one letter at a time and at the end it’s a completely different word.

Tom: The thing is: as someone who does graphics, I know there’s actually quite a bit of effort gone in there: all sorts of subtle movement and flicker effects. It’s just the result is so underwhelming.

Tim: Right – and even if you’re not doing that you could at least have it flickering in time with the BEAT, because that is quite the BEAT we have there. In fact, it’s quite the track all round, really. Big tune, big production, easy imaginable alongside a stunning laser/fire visual in a club, and big competent vocals.

Tom: Agreed. This is a floor-filler.

Tim: In short, LET’S HAVE A WEEKEND.

John Dahlbäck, Albin Myers & ILY – Vibe

“It’s a cut above the normal stuff”

Tim: Summer is coming, no doubt bringing with it a fair number of vaguely enjoyable but largely nondescript dance tracks. Presented here for your vague enjoyment, a song about exactly that.

Tim: So, let’s GET GOING and NOT STOP for at least the next, ooh, four or five months? Then it’ll be probably time for the northern sun to go down and all of us dancers to crawl back into our shells and calm down a bit, because apparently the main them for this year’s partygoers will be TORTOISES, which sounds quite fun, if not particularly exciting.

Tom: Y’know…

Tim: You may be thinking “why is Tim somewhat lazily just picking flaws in the song’s lyrics, just as he did yesterday? Has he got nothing much to say about the tune or the production or the vocals of this song?” Well, to I say “read my first sentence again.”

Tom: I was wondering that, because I’m wondering why you’re not hearing what I’m hearing. This sounds like a modern Kylie track to me. It’s good. There’s that same vocal quality and production, and as nondescript summer tracks go — well, yes, it’s not a floorfiller, it’s a Kylie album track at best, but it’s a cut above the normal stuff, surely?

Tim: Yes, I’m probably being a bit unfair on it. It is indeed sunny outside, so let’s feel that vibe, enjoy the mellow moments and DANCE to the big moments.

John Dahlbäck feat. Agnes – Life (Diamonds In The Dark)

“Well, that’s a lot better than the original.”

Tim: About a year ago, Swedish DJ John Dahlbäck brought out Life, a dance track that didn’t take the world by storm but was still fairly good. Twelve months later, there’s Agnes doing some vocal work and a video to wrap it all up nicely.

Tom: Well, that’s a lot better than the original.

Tim: Indeed – it’s safe to say the original somewhat pales in comparison, and it kind of underlines the fact that while there are lots of good instrumental dance track out there, many could be made a lot better by sticking a vocalist on.

Tom: As Avicii proved so well with ‘Seek Bromance‘.

Tim: We still have the decent dance tune below it, but now also some good singing on the top. Most of the time you can appreciate the pleasant melodies, the decent crafting and melding of the two, and the picturesque shots in the video. And when you’re drunk, you can sing along with the howling and wailing bits. Something for everyone.

Tom: It’s not a floor-filler as far as I can tell, but it’s not a floor-killer either.

Tim: Oh, and that annoying bit at the end is a throwback to the original with the two minutes of intro and outro for mixing. Less annoying if you think about it, though, as it’s now the bit that a radio DJ will talk over and not ruin a chorus.

Tom: “You’re listening to DANCE FM. How’s YOUR Saturday going? Text and let us know, we want to hear from YOU. PLEASE. We’re DESPERATE.”

Tim: Reminds me of a DJ who filled in for Dev on the Radio 1 early breakfast show for one week a while back; text-in theme was, on Monday, the ever-inventive game of hairdresser puns. You know, A Cut Above, Curl Up and Dye, etc. Because that was so brilliant, Tuesday was fish and chip places, Wednesday was kebab shops, and by Friday we’d sunk to tanning salons. “We’re going to start you off with Tanerife, but what have you got?” Answer, going by what was read out over the next hour and the increasing anguish in his voice: absolutely nothing. He wasn’t invited back.