Finding the Rhythm

One of my favorite releases from last year was Destination, written and performed by Jacinta Brondgeest (who perhaps for obvious reasons goes by her first name only). It was a catchy tune with a cool groove that founds its way into nearly every gig I played for several months.

Jacinta is back this year with a new dance single entitled Can’t Keep It a Secret, which she co-wrote with producer Tony Moran. While I’ve only heard one of the mixes so far, it’s another strong new track from an obviously very talented artist.

I’ll leave the details of her bio to her own web site, but one of the things I really dig about Jacinta is the face that she actually writes her own music. So many so-called “dance artists” are really just vocalists who lend their voice to the works of others. (Notably, Ultra Naté comes to mind, not that I dislike her or think she’s untalented—nothing could be farther from the truth. But she’s a singer, and only a singer.) Singing is a genuine talent, no doubt. But the ability to belt-out a tune in a capable manner, and write the lyrics, and write the music, and perform the music… Well, it’s a rare combination, especially in the world of dance music.

Now admittedly, Can’t Keep It a Secret is a collaboration with a famous producer, so perhaps I’m contracting myself here. But you can really hear the influences and commonalities between this new track and her older songs (which you can sample on her web site as well), and she and Moran—in whatever balance—really pulled it off with this one.

There’s a definite trend in dance music lately with rock influences, and I find it pretty interesting and fresh, actually.

Of course, it started with the obvious: Dance remixes of popular alt rock like The Killers, Coldplay, etc. That’s been happening for years now to good effect. But while those are alt rock songs, and the original flavor has been retained, most of the mixes are distinctly stronger in dance feel than rock feel.

I probably first noticed this with the Redanka mix of Meck’s Feels Like Home. Meck, the alias of UK DJ Craig Dimech, apparently had a huge UK smash dance hit with Thunder in My Heart, a song I must confess I haven’t heard. But Feels Like Home certainly got my attention, and in no small part due to the fact that it grafts a dance beat onto an otherwise very rock-like composition, arrangement and production. Frankly, it’s one of the freshest sounding dance tracks I’ve heard in a long time.

CAPP Records out of California are working on a new compilation for summer release, to be titled Bounce. One of the songs on the new compilation is a cover of the Cranberries song Zombie from Andrew Spencer and the Vamp Rockerz. CAPP provided me with an advance copy of the song-in-progress, and I’ve even played it a few times during my gigs. The song was received quite well, but it takes the concept of rock and dance blends to a new level.

The radio edit of the track begins with a 100% rock sound. In fact, the casual listener would think it’s the original version of the Cranberries’ own song. But not far in, there’s a clever and catchy transition from rock to a thumpy, irregular kick drum that then levels out into the usual four-on-the-floor dance beat. At that point, it’s classic dance cover material. Finally, at the end, it’s back to the rock roots again.

I’ve not heard the true dance remixes yet, and I have a hard time envisaging how the producers will retain that feel in a version of the song intended for beat matching, but I hope they can pull it off, because the radio version leaves my musical ear totally off-kilter and confused—in a very pleasing way indeed.

Time will tell if this new approach from Meck, Andrew Spencer / CAPP Records and others persists. But from where I sit, it’s a fresh, grab-your-crotch-and-get-your-attention take on club dance music.