#1 OMG / Gryffin
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" You all know that I love anything CRJ touches. The contrast between the staccato verses and fluid chorus is killer and keeps me coming back to this track.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" I'm a huge CRJ fan, but I don't always go along with her when she does covers and features. Gryffin's uninspired instrumental turned me off to this number and I gave up on it, expecting it to be milk toast. When it showed up on this list, and I was forced to listen to it again and again, something clicked, and I realized that CRJ was perfect for this song, and her sincerity and vibe totally make the song actually work.
#2 FIND U AGAIN / Mark Ronson
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" If you’ve been reading the blog for even a second you know that I love Mark Ronson. Cabello really shines on this track and she’s selling me something I don’t want to buy, but I’m almost sold.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" In my opinion, Cabello is emerging as a current pop powerhouse alongside Halsey and Dua Lipa. She has incredible control and versatility, both of which are shown off here.
#3 THERE FOR YOU / Gorgon City
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" The vocals on this really get me, and it drives me crazy that vocalists get so little credit (usually) with dance tracks.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" This scratches the same itch for me as Silk City's "Electricity." Classic, sophisticated piano-house, and that vocal just RIDES.
#4 GOOD AS HELL / Lizzo
Erin - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" One star removed for age. It’s old enough that I’m no longer excited when this track comes on, but young enough that I don’t miss it. This song was on my summer cool down playlist, so you know I have love for it.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" Not enough can be said about Lizzo's power and potential. Instant feel-good, pump-up classic. Side note, her line "I got a bottle of tequila I've been saving for you" always reminds me of Lupe Fiasco's line from "Superstar:" "Well your name ain't on the guest list, who brung you?"
#5 I WANNA DANCE / Jonas Blue
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" This has everything I want in a dance track, but specifically that je ne sais quoi. The lyrics are dumb and forgettable but rhythmically pleasing. The breaks are fantastic. It’s a little dark, which I love when I’m out dancing. 10/10 would recommend.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" I love the tightness in the bassline on this one. I like that it's unflinching; doing work on the dance floor.
#6 CRAVE / Madonna
Erin - ⭐️ "Turn it off" What is Madonna doing? She doesn’t sound like herself and this genre isn’t her wheelhouse, so it feels like a gross grab for cash, listeners, relevancy… Swae Lee has nothing to add here. The tempo is too slow for his natural cadence.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" For me, this one is a quiet champion, easy to sleep on. Its strength comes from subtle execution of current pop tropes, such as Madonna's barely-there Khalid-esque mumble singing in certain parts, and the gentle trap hats. However, I can't really hang with how deep the breakdown goes, and that it builds to nothing. Just the chorus comes back in. Though not super relevant anymore, Madonna does continue to deliver to her fans and to pop connoisseurs.
#7 MAD LOVE / Mabel
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" I like Mabel. Her voice on tracks is a definite bonus for me. This has a little more going on in the verses than some other dance tracks which makes it feel like more of a pop cross over.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" This has been a big year for Mabel, beginning in January when she was nominated for British Breakthrough Act at the 39th Brit Awards. She's had commercial success with three club-friendly singles this year: "Don't Call Me Up" (January), "Mad Love" (June), and "God Is a Dancer" (September) with legendary DJ Tiësto. Her distinctive vocal style, along with her fun, chic party vibe set her apart and she seems to rubbing elbows with the right people.
#8 ROOTS / Valerie Broussard
Erin - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" I can’t say with certainty what’s missing here, but this track is just not catching me. I’ve listened a dozen plus times and it’s hard to recall. It’s fine, but gets lost in this mix of excellent tracks.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" Galantis lurks in the pop EDM scene alongside Marshmello, Zedd, Chainsmokers, and the like. Toning down their style until all point of view is removed, and all that's left is pretty decent production and songwriting that lets the vocalist and the drop do the heavy lifting. I give this one three stars because it is definitely better louder. When the chorus hits it just feels good.
#9 SALVATION / House Gospel Choir
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" You all know that I love anything CRJ touches. The contrast between the staccato verses and fluid chorus is killer and keeps me coming back to this track.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" I'm a huge CRJ fan, but I don't always go along with her when she does covers and features. Gryffin's uninspired instrumental turned me off to this number and I gave up on it, expecting it to be milk toast. When it showed up on this list, and I was forced to listen to it again and again, something clicked, and I realized that CRJ was perfect for this song, and her sincerity and vibe totally make the song actually work.
#2 FIND U AGAIN / Mark Ronson
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" If you’ve been reading the blog for even a second you know that I love Mark Ronson. Cabello really shines on this track and she’s selling me something I don’t want to buy, but I’m almost sold.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" In my opinion, Cabello is emerging as a current pop powerhouse alongside Halsey and Dua Lipa. She has incredible control and versatility, both of which are shown off here.
#3 THERE FOR YOU / Gorgon City
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" The vocals on this really get me, and it drives me crazy that vocalists get so little credit (usually) with dance tracks.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" This scratches the same itch for me as Silk City's "Electricity." Classic, sophisticated piano-house, and that vocal just RIDES.
#4 GOOD AS HELL / Lizzo
Erin - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" One star removed for age. It’s old enough that I’m no longer excited when this track comes on, but young enough that I don’t miss it. This song was on my summer cool down playlist, so you know I have love for it.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" Not enough can be said about Lizzo's power and potential. Instant feel-good, pump-up classic. Side note, her line "I got a bottle of tequila I've been saving for you" always reminds me of Lupe Fiasco's line from "Superstar:" "Well your name ain't on the guest list, who brung you?"
#5 I WANNA DANCE / Jonas Blue
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" This has everything I want in a dance track, but specifically that je ne sais quoi. The lyrics are dumb and forgettable but rhythmically pleasing. The breaks are fantastic. It’s a little dark, which I love when I’m out dancing. 10/10 would recommend.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" I love the tightness in the bassline on this one. I like that it's unflinching; doing work on the dance floor.
#6 CRAVE / Madonna
Erin - ⭐️ "Turn it off" What is Madonna doing? She doesn’t sound like herself and this genre isn’t her wheelhouse, so it feels like a gross grab for cash, listeners, relevancy… Swae Lee has nothing to add here. The tempo is too slow for his natural cadence.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" For me, this one is a quiet champion, easy to sleep on. Its strength comes from subtle execution of current pop tropes, such as Madonna's barely-there Khalid-esque mumble singing in certain parts, and the gentle trap hats. However, I can't really hang with how deep the breakdown goes, and that it builds to nothing. Just the chorus comes back in. Though not super relevant anymore, Madonna does continue to deliver to her fans and to pop connoisseurs.
#7 MAD LOVE / Mabel
Erin - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" I like Mabel. Her voice on tracks is a definite bonus for me. This has a little more going on in the verses than some other dance tracks which makes it feel like more of a pop cross over.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" This has been a big year for Mabel, beginning in January when she was nominated for British Breakthrough Act at the 39th Brit Awards. She's had commercial success with three club-friendly singles this year: "Don't Call Me Up" (January), "Mad Love" (June), and "God Is a Dancer" (September) with legendary DJ Tiësto. Her distinctive vocal style, along with her fun, chic party vibe set her apart and she seems to rubbing elbows with the right people.
#8 ROOTS / Valerie Broussard
Erin - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" I can’t say with certainty what’s missing here, but this track is just not catching me. I’ve listened a dozen plus times and it’s hard to recall. It’s fine, but gets lost in this mix of excellent tracks.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Turn it up" Galantis lurks in the pop EDM scene alongside Marshmello, Zedd, Chainsmokers, and the like. Toning down their style until all point of view is removed, and all that's left is pretty decent production and songwriting that lets the vocalist and the drop do the heavy lifting. I give this one three stars because it is definitely better louder. When the chorus hits it just feels good.
#9 SALVATION / House Gospel Choir
Erin - ⭐️⭐️ "Leave it on" This just isn’t my kind of dance music. There’s not a lot of build, not a lot to drop, nothing to hold onto lyrically, nothing to hold onto melodically. I’m not saying I could do better, but I’m not listening to this on purpose either.
Matt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My jam" This is what it's all about right here.
No comments:
Post a Comment