4.30.2005

Anna Vissi

She is one of the hottest things coming out of Greece! She has been recording for quite some time with great success in her native language, and now she is ready to conquer the English-speaking countries. Other than her European-only release Everything I Am a few years ago, she has not released any other English-language material until just recently with the smash "Call Me". This song has been warmly recieved at many of the dance stations in the U.S. and abroad. And many remixes have been done for "Call Me". These can be purchased at the following two links: 1 & 2 (there are 2 sets). "Call Me" just recently topped the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart.

And a whole album is in the works. There has been a rumor circulating that the song "Agapi Ypervoliki" from Anna's 2001 album Kravgi will be translated into English and will be the next single. This could be a very good thing as this track has excellent vocals, and is perfect for the dance clubs and dance radio stations in its main mix. Hopefully the instrumental won't be changed for the English version as several of the translated songs on Despina Vandi's Come Along Now sounded dramatically different from the way they were on the original album Gia. If and when that happens, we'll have to wait and see. Anna's simple, but intelligent dance-pop is a great departure from much of the cookie-cutter stuff that can be heard on the airwaves these days. CHR and Pop radio has yet to embrace this new style of music.

Check out Moda's site for more information.

4.29.2005

Hot Upcoming Songs

Here are some of my picks of some hot up and coming songs.

  • Armand Van Helden - Into Your Eyes
    This is a hot little track that uses a repeated sample also. It has the funkiness normally found in an Armand Van Helden production. It's very retro-sounding and will be huge. This is the lead single off of his next album Nympho. Listen to a sample here. More remixes will be coming soon.

  • Taylor Dayne - Sanctuary
    This is a nice little come-back hit. Very trancy and progressive. Listen to a sample here.

  • Chaka Khan - I Feel For You 2005
    This one needs no introduction. This is an update of the 80's classic. The vocals have not been messed with. Listen to a sample here.

4.27.2005

A New Trend In Music...

Recently, there has been a new trend in hip hop music: some of it is dance-leaning! After all of those dance-leaning hip hop tracks from last year by Nina Sky (“Move Your Body” and “Turnin’ Me On) and Ciara (“Goodies”) , this year has already seen a few more of those kind of tracks emerging.

  • Tori Alamaze’s “Don’t Cha” already had some regional success while the Pussycat Dolls have teamed up with Busta Rhymes and re-did the track. The style is very similar to Tori’s original. The beats are almost identical.

  • And Missy Elliot teams up with Ciara to bring another hot track that samples an 80’s freestyle track. This one is called “Lose Control”. This is the first single off of Missy’s new album. This could be a good indicator of what is to come on her album. Missy usually has fierce beats. And let’s see who does the remixes. I see Armand Van Helden and Johnny Budz doing mixes, but that has not been confirmed yet.

  • And there is this cover of Debbie Deb’s “When I Hear Music” by a dance-hall singer named Shauna. It’s not bad. It’s perfect for the clubs.

  • And finally there is the previously mentioned “What’s Up” by Xscape. This is an all-and-out club track. It just went for adds and it is going to be huge.

Keep an ear out for these jams.

4.25.2005

My picks for this week



New Entries
This week features some new hot new entries. At 28 there is the latest from Mousse T. “Right About Now” is a rock-ish dance track in its main mix which has charted this week. Omarion’s “O” comes in at number 25. This is a hot track. At 23 we have Brooke Valentine’s guilty pleasure “Girl Fight.” And the highest entry of the week is at number 16. We have Kristine W’s recent smash “The Wonder Of It All.”

And this week, we have two re-enteries. The Cut-Up Boys mashup track “Give It Rapture” returns at number 30, while Uniting Nations returns with “Out Of Touch” at number 20.

Comments
The chart has increased to 30 slots after being just 21 then 25 slots. This was done to accommodate more songs. After 1 week at number one, Mariah Carey’s 2nd single “We Belong Together” is not number one this week. Xscape’s retro sounding “What’s Up” occupies the top spot this week. Many songs have gone up and down this week based on increased and decreased plays.

Waiting In The Wings
Missy Elliot Featuring Ciara - Lose Control
Shauna - Dance (When I Hear Music)
Taylor Dayne - Sanctuary
Tiesto - Adagio For Strings
Loleatta Holloway - Stand Up [AudioWhores Remix]
Basement Jaxx - Oh My Gosh
Shiny Grey - Why [Bob’s Le Dream Mix]
Britney Spears - Do Somethin’
Trick Daddy Featuring Khia - Jump On Da Dick (Suck On Da Clit)
Narcotic Thrust - When The Dawn Breaks

My Power Pick (One Year Ago)
Motorcycle - As The Rush Comes [G&D Chillout Mix]
Just as Party 92.7 signed off, this was one of the new songs added and became an instant classic. This song was so beautiful and dramatic in this version. The up tempo mixes were nice but this one was extra special..

Flashback Pick
Miquel Brown - So Many Men, So Little Time
This is one of those 80’s gay classics that will always be around. I have been hearing this one a lot lately on the radio and I felt this deserves the spotlight for a little while. This one makes you feel like going to your local gay club and taking home a few guys for some hot action later. And I couldn’t forget to mention Miquel’s first-rate vocals and the upbeat production

4.20.2005

Mariah Carey - The Emancipation Of Mimi

This is the latest album from Mariah Carey! It has been too long since she has released a new one. After the disastrous Glitter and the mediocre Charmbracelet, The Emancipation Of Mimi is a pleasant surprise! Fan sites and music forums have been buzzing about this album months before casual fans learned of its release. Several tracks from the album had been leaked months before the release. Some of these may be potential singles for later release, but it's too early to say. This album quickly sold 400,000+ copies within the first week of release and holds the top spot of the April 30th edition of the Billboard 200, knocking 50 Cent's album out of the much-coveted spot. The first official single from the album was the club track "It's Like That". It was a fun track that is great to listen too. It's all about going out and having a good time without worrying about stuff happening. And the remixes by David Morales and Scott Storch took it to a whole other level. The Morales Classic Club Mix and Club Mix lived up to their titles. They are a slice of classic house. Great for peak hour and late night play. The Stereo Experience mixes were much darker and lived up to their names as well. And the Scott Storch Mix was a remix aimed at the urban and CHR stations. It's pretty good. Now the second single currently getting play at the radio stations right now is the softer, downtempo ballad called "We Belong Together." This is a simply amazing song. The lyrics are powerful as are Mariah's vocals. This is on par with many of her previous hit ballads. The album is worth buying just for this song. Then there's the rest of the album. There are some ballads and dance tracks. "Shake It Off", "Get Your Number", "To The Floor", and "Say Somethin' " are the only other dance tracks on this album, in addition to the previously mentioned "It's Like That." These tracks are pretty good. All these cuts, except "Shake It Off" feature some guest performers. Kanye West, Jermaine Dupri, Nelly, Snoop Dogg, and Twista do the honors as featured performers. The rest of the album is downtempo ballads. These are classic Mariah songs. All of these are spectacular. "Fly Like A Bird", "Mine Again", "Circles", "Stay The Night", "Joyride", "Your Girl", "One & Only" and I Wish I Knew", in addition to "We Belong Together" make up the downtempo tracks. These are all pretty good. The only track on here that is a bit weak is "I Wish I Knew", but it's not a bad song. All in all, this album is a joy to listen to. This is one of the few albums in my collection that I don't find myself skipping tracks. Do yourself a favor and buy this album. You will not be sorry! As the posters said, the Voice has returned!

now available at all music stores, and online

4.18.2005

My Picks For This Week

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

New Entries:
There are four new entries this week. Despina Vandi’s “Olo Lipis (I Believe It)” comes in at number 24. This has been a favorite for awhile now. Just as “Come Along Now vs. Gia” came off of the chart, this one comes to take its place. Next is Adina Howard’s latest offering “Butt Naked” at 23. This is still in the same X-rated style she has become known for. It’s a hot little ballad. This one makes you want to take off all your clothes and bump and grind with that special someone. At 16, we have “One Word” by Kelly Osbourne. This is a hot new song that is slowly climbing on the charts. The single comes out this week in the U.S. The Chris Cox Mix is the mix of choice. And impressive return for Ozzy and Sharon’s daughter. And the highest entry this week is from Bjork and Kelis with “Oceania”. This is a very unusual track. After the acapella album Medulla, Bjork returns with this down tempo track. Very nice. And Tori Amos’ “Hoochie Woman” re-enters after dropping out.

Comments:
After 4 strong weeks at number one, Mariah Carey’s “It’s Like That” is no longer number one! Don’t feel bad, folks! Mariah Carey’s second single from the magnum opus The Emancipation Of Mimi is number one now! After just being on the chart for 3 weeks! This is an amazing track. Many tracks have gone up and down this week.

4.17.2005

Revenge Of The MIA Songs

According to Mediabase 24/7 and Yes.net, many of the songs that went MIA on Energy 92.7 during the last few months have come back again! Not in a big way, but at least they are here again. Kevin Lyttle's "Turn Me On", Wynonna's "I Want To Know What Love Is", Destiny's Child's "Lose My Breath" and Flexy's "Mamasita" have all recieved a minimum of one spin during the last month. Keep an ear out for more.

4.15.2005

Thoughts On Energy 92.7

Yes it has been that long! The station has been on the air for 6 months now. It has come a long way. Compared to Party, Energy has done really well. The DJs, the music, and the advertisers are pretty good. And it’s getting better. There have been some changes in the DJ lineup, but that’s okay. There have been many adds during the last few months. During the last few weeks. See the list here.

And on another note, one year ago this week, Party 92.7 signed off after being on the air for just 23 months. It was just weeks shy of completing 2 years.

Changes & New DJs
In addition to the regular personalities, Fernando Ventura, Patrick LeMix, Matt The Brat, Trevor Simpson, Dieter, and sometimes Chris Shebel, Joey V will be joining them. He takes over for Jeff Miles who recently was tapped to work at another station somewhere else. I wish him well. He was doing pretty well.

And on Saturday nights, renowned DJ Dimitris Mykinos teams up with Trevor Simpson to bring hot music from the clubs to the airwaves. Dimitris holds it down on the mikes while Trevor spins on the wheels of steel bringing the hottest club hits to the masses.

And in terms of new additions, DJ Hope, formerly of Wild 94.9 has been hired. He mixes during the Saturday night mixes.

Songs That Have Gone MIA
Yes, it’s that time again too. Only three songs have fallen under the mighty axe that casts these great songs into a dark abyss. Ashlee Simpson’s “Pieces Of Me”, Motorcycle’s “As The Rush Comes”, Flexy’s “Mamasita” and Mario’s “Let Me Love You” have disappeared. The latter was just added a month and a half ago. What’s going on?

Songs That Went MIA & Came Back
Deborah Cox’s “Easy As Life” has come out of the abyss and made it back on to the airwaves again. Hopefully it will stay that way. And Gwen Stefani’s “Rich Girl” is back too. This went away for a couple weeks and has made a steady return. Destiny's Child's "Lose My Breath" and Beyonce Knowles's "Naughty Girl" back too.

A Comment Or Two On Adds
The list of the adds is available here. Many of the songs added during the last few weeks have been new songs that came out during this year. The majority of the songs have been from last year. Better late than never. Don’t get me wrong, those dance mixes of some of the songs are great. We’ll get to the Anna Vissi disaster in a minute.

It’s great to hear Emma Bunton’s “Free Me”. It’s a fun little track which we should have heard sooner, but it’s great that it’s here.

And the dance mixes of The Killers’ “Somebody Told Me” and Maroon5’s “This Love” are refreshing to hear. The originals have been huge on other formats, and these two songs were DJ favorites as official dance mixes were available. Thankfully, Energy jumped on these.

And the new Kelly Osbourne track “One Word” is quite hot in Chris Cox’s Radio Mix. It’s hard to believe she is the same young woman who covered Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” several years back! This is a great track and deserves more play.

Jen Cuneta’s “Come Rain, Come Shine” is another fun little song. The day feels just a little brighter after this song comes on. You feel really energized and good. Like you have gone on a nice 3 and half minute vacation.

Now I wish I could say the same for that awful remix of Anna Vissi’s “Call Me” by Trevor Simpson they are playing! The remix that is being played is like a nightmare you wish you would wake up from. The beats, the bassline and the elements are fine. It’s hypnotic. It makes one think of Deep Dish’s recent smash hit “Flashdance”, but the vocals are the problem. It’s not too much vocal. Too little. It’s just the chorus and the refrains repeated over and over again. A version with the verses used would have been better. If this remix is re-done and has verses put back, the track could significantly improve. This goes under the “What were they thinking category?!”.

Narcotic Thrust’s latest “When The Dawn Breaks” is one of the new adds this week. This is a male vocal house track. This one is quite good as well. It’s hard to compare it to the previous singles, but it stands out.

On a similar note, Ryan Cabrera’s “True” is simply amazing. It’s nice to hear some male vocal tracks.

Gold & Recurrents
Some new recurrent tracks have been added to Energy during the last few days. In-Grid’s “You Promised Me (Tu Es Foutou)”, Enya’s “Only Time [Remix]”, Jennifer Lopez’s “Jenny From The Block”, Madonna’s “Die Another Day” and Britney Spears Featuring Madonna’s “Me Against The Music” . In terms of older tracks, George Michael’s “I Want Your Sex” has begun to be played a little more.

4.11.2005

My picks for the week



Gone this week:
Ciara Featuring Missy Elliot - 1,2 Step
Chemical Brothers Featuring Q-Tip - Galvanize
David Morales Featuring Tamra Keenan - Here I Am
The Cut Up Boys - Give It Rapture

New Entries:
There are four new entries this week. The highest entry of this week is DJ 7Up’s Mashup “Dance & Sing” by Madonna vs. Stardust. This combines Stardust's Ibiza anthem from 1998 with Madonna's first club hit. The result is a fun little track filled with nostalgia. Rosko's "Love Is A Drug" has slowly made its debut on the chart. This was recently number one on the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart several weeks ago. And finally Rob Thomas makes his way on to my chart. I had heard the song only twice in it's original mix prior to hearing the remix by Junior Vasquez. I have been loving this remix. There are more on the way, so I may change my ranking of the song. And coming in at 21 is Armand Van Helden's latest track "Into Your Eyes." This is is the 1st new single off of the forthcoming Nympho which may release in June. "Hear My Name" and "My My My" were the previous two singles from the New York Mix Odyssey CD and are also on the new project. This one will rise quickly on my chart.

Comments:
Mariah Carey’s “It’s Like That” continues its reign atop the chart for a fourth consecutive week. Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” has jumped up from 19 all the way to 9. With the remixes just waiting in the wings, this looks like it could be number one really soon. Since I began my chart 4 weeks ago, Mariah has been at the top every single time. And Jenn Cuneta’s “Come Rain, Come Shine” makes a strong jump to number three after being on the chart for just 2 weeks. This could possibly be number one soon.

4.05.2005

WMC 2005 Wrap-up

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
It took me forever to finally bring out all the info for the WMC. I have the list of all the winners at the 20th Annual International Dance Music Awards. And I have some links to some pictures from the event.

Photos: 1 2 3


Here is the list of the winners.

1. BEST UNDERGROUND DANCE TRACK
Flashdance - Deep Dish – DDR

2. BEST ALTERNATIVE / ROCK DANCE TRACK
What You Waiting For - Gwen Stefani – Interscope

3. BEST LATIN DANCE TRACK
Latin Project – Musica De Amor - Electric Monkey

4. BEST HI-NRG / EURO TRACK
Love Comes Again - Tiësto – Nettwerk

5. BEST HOUSE / GARAGE TRACK
How Would U Feel – David Morales with Lea-Lorién – DMI Records/ULTRA

6. BEST R&B / URBAN DANCE TRACK
Yeah – Usher – La Face

7. BEST RAP / HIP-HOP DANCE TRACK
Drop It Like It’s Hot - Snoop Dogg & Pharrell – Geffen

8. BEST PROGRESSIVE HOUSE / TRANCE
Nothing But You - Paul Van Dyk – Mute

9. BEST POP DANCE TRACK
I Like It - Narcotic Thrust – Yoshitoshi

10. THE ORTOFON BEST AMERICAN DJ
Christopher Lawrence

11. THE ORTOFON BEST EUROPEAN DJ
Tiësto

12. THE ORTOFON BEST GLOBAL DJ
Paul Van Dyk

13. BEST INTERNET DANCE RADIO STATION
BBC Radio 1

14. BEST DANCE RADIO STATION
BBC Radio 1 London

15. BEST DANCE RADIO MIXSHOW DJ
Armin Van Buuren – A State Of Trance

16. BEST URBAN RADIO STATION
WQHT New York Hot 97

17. BEST URBAN MIXSHOW DJ
Funkmaster Flex – WQHT – New York

18. BEST LATIN RADIO STATION
WSKQ – La Mega – New York

19. BEST LATIN MIXSHOW DJ
Mickey Garcia – Latino Mix – New York

20. BEST SATELLITE RADIO CHANNEL
XM 81 BPM

21. BEST DANCE VIDEO
Call On Me - Eric Prydz – Ultra

22. BEST CD COMPILATION
Involver – Sasha – Global Underground

23. BEST FULL LENGTH DJ MIX CD
A State Of Trance - Armin Van Buuren – Ultra

24. BEST PRODUCER
Tiësto

25. BEST REMIXER
Peter Rauhofer

26. BEST NEW DANCE ARTIST SOLO
Eric Prydz

27. BEST NEW DANCE ARTIST GROUP
Scissor Sisters

28. BEST DANCE ARTIST SOLO
BT

29. BEST DANCE ARTIST GROUP
Chemical Brothers

30. BEST DANCE MUSIC RETAILER
Dancerecords.com

31. BEST RECORD POOL
Balance – Chris Fortier Director

32. BEST DANCE MUSIC PUBLICATION
DJ

33. BEST RECORD LABEL PROMOTER IN-HOUSE
Phil Nieves - Ultra

34. BEST INDEPENDENT RECORD PROMOTER
Cary Vance – Promo Only Promotions

35. BEST U.S. DANCE RECORD LABEL
Subliminal

36. BEST GLOBAL DANCE LABEL
Defected

37. BEST DANCE EVENT
Ultra Music Festival, Miami

38. BEST U.S. CLUB
Spundae, San Francisco

39. BEST GLOBAL CLUB
Space, Ibiza

40. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Henry Stone

4.04.2005

My Picks For This Week

This week's chart features three new entries. Adam Sandler's hilarious track "The Gay Robot Groove" make's its first appearance on the chart at 21. This track is very much in the same vein as that Junior Vasquez remix of the Margaret Cho routine "Daddy Gay Song." Then there's Mariah Carey's latest track "We Belong Together" coming in at 19. It's going to climb fast. And then at 16 is Victor Calderone's exclusive mix of Madonna's "Bedtime Story." This is commercially unavailable at the moment.