No Particular Order Vol. 2: Top 10 Essential Dance Tracks
Donna Summer - “I Feel Love” (Doin tha damn thing live)
Hello everybody! It’s Dougie back with another edition of No Particular Order. This week it’s Top 10 essential dance tracks. These are tracks that in the 10 years I’ve been djing always seem to spark the party off, under most circumstances. Think of it as the Swiss army knife of tracks. These tracks can make Grandpa Joe jump out of bed or turn a funeral into the jam of the year. Let’s begin:
1)Donna Summers - “I Feel Love [Patrick Cowley Remix]”
Europe could not get enough of the original. So, Patrick Cowley (RIP) went back and made it a 16-minute long dubbed out epic. The other night I was spinning at the Drake Lounge and i related to Bryce (Vitamins For You) that i needed to take a break and i was djing by myself. He suggested this track, which i had thankfully had with me. So not only is it killer but essential for the mad dash/break if your djing solo.
2)The Clash - “Rock The Casbah/Mustpha Dance”
One of the best basslines of all time. I think this track is so effective because it has a little something for everybody: Punk, disco, dub, 80s. This is Clash mixing politics and pleasure.
3)Ram Jam - “Black Betty”
Okay this is not a dance track per se, but that kick/high hat exchange is house music ten years before it dropped. I usually play this as the last song of the night and people lose there shit to it.
4)New Order - “Blue Monday”
People know what song this is just from the kick in the beginning. A classic.
5)Grandmaster Flash - “The Message”
A classic. I love the dubbed out high hats in the break.
6)Daft Punk - “Da Funk”
Its one of those beats you can identify in the first bar and when that kick comes through it just confirms it. Its that slow 4-on-the-floor house tempo so it seems to mix with everything. Its true, you can judge how good a production is when it still sounds good pitched up or down at any tempo.
7)Zapp - “More Bounce to the Ounce”
I think one of the reasons why this song is so infectious is because its been sampled so many times. It just sits there in your subconscious mind and is instantly recognizable. A crowning achievement of west coast funk. RIP Troutman brothers.
8)Yazoo- “Don’t Go”
Remember they played this in Tango & Cash with the stripper with the huge fan behind her. I think i was 10 or something and it was the first time i listened to it. I recognized it, I mean, I had heard it before, no doubt. The synths just cut right through. This one made last years Halloween mix (http://www.divshare.com/download/2576204-02a)
9)Prince-"Kiss”
Love the Linn Drum programming on this one. Its one of those beats that have alot of swing but seem to mix with everything.
10)Run DMC vs Jason Nevins - “It’s Like That”
...because its like that and that’s the way it is.
I used to hate this remix but it can’t be denied. People love songs about inner city pressure (like ‘The Messsage’, look at that). This one also touches on world problems too but isn’t a party killer. How they do that?
Honourable mentions:
Kiss - ‘I Was Made For Loving You”
Salt N Peppa - “Push It”
Debbie Deb - “When I Hear Music”
Stardust - “Music Sounds Better With You”
Technotronic - “Pump Up the Jam”
Eurythmics - “Sweet Dreams”
George Kranz - “Din Da Da”
Michael Jackson - “Wanna Be Startin Something” / “Billy Jean”
Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock- “It Takes Two”
Kano - “I’m Ready”
Tag Team - “Whoomp, There It Is” (which coincidentally samples the Kano song^^^)
Shout outs to: Shit La Merde, Ziggy, Mike Tull, Grahmzilla, St. Mandrew, Egyptrixx, Sarah & Miss Jackie Brown for their 2 cents.
Until next week…
