Yuksek - The Edge
Yuksek is one of my favourite House DJs. You wouldn’t know he’s French from his songs, though.
Ministry of Sound: Clubber’s Guide 2012 (Preview mixed by Jean Elan)
I want some of these tracks. But all of this, all of it, reminds me how much better European House is than American House.
Starkillers & Nadia Ali - Keep It Coming (Teaser)
This song releases 26.12.2011.
House/Electro is becoming more popular in the US because people like David Guetta got to partner up with people who are already famous in America. The result is something which is… kinda good but kinda cheap. It uses just a little bit in the way of House beats and melody to make it dance-able but the celebrity is kind of what keeps it in.
But this? This is what it should be more like. This is good Electro, with the benefit of a good reasonably-famous vocal.
RadioN6 - B U Tiful (Original Mix)
A little Trance-y, a little House-y, but overall a pleasure to listen to.
My friend Sarit is a talented hobbyist DJ based in Phuket, Thailand. I wish he could get into it more professionally, but he has other priorities.
From this link, you can stream his monthly chillout House broadcast. He plays somewhat regularly at the local bar Zimplex.
Yelle - Ce Jeu (TEPR Remix)
Honestly, I’m going through these because it’s occurred to me that I haven’t found many good House tracks in months.
Yelle - Que veux-tu
There’s a comment here about how she’s apparently bad at dancing. And someone else responds “Hey, come to a trance rave, we all dance like this.”
And it’s so true. American club culture of the last 10 years has evolved around Rn’B, Hip Hop and Rap. It means smooth beats which people find easy to dance sensually to.
European (and Asian) club culture has grown up around techno. We had those 90s Eurodance songs (from the Pet Shop Boys to the Vengaboys… *shudder*), then Trance (Tiesto, Armin van Buuren) took over, there was a brief flirtation with Rave (Scooter, Happy Hardcore), and then… it was House.
In my experience, Americans preoccupy themselves at parties and clubs trying to look good dancing to the music. Europeans just let go and have fun. It makes all the difference.*
*In Asia, a lot of people stand around nodding to the beat, watching the white people dance. It gets kind of sad sometimes.
Just compare, really. People in America follow a lot of hip hop dancing, which is intricate, requires a lot of muscle control, and looks good on stage. I remember the huge crowd around the stage at the Zurich Street Parade in 2008 watching people dance… Techtonik. While that’s also physically straining, it’s not half as pretty. But it looks more fun.
Fedde le Grand & Patric la Funk - Autosave
This link for just the song.
Hanging out with DJs makes you picky.
I had 3-4 friends back in university who DJed seriously, and I got to know them fairly well. As a result, I got used to listening to their banter regarding music. I got used to listening to their appreciation, how they mix, and watched how they work.
So in the past 3 years I have been extremely difficult to satisfy in nightclubs. By music, anyway. I get used to the normal stuff they play in popular nightclubs, and it’s 90% mainstream in the clubs which play House music at all.
The majority still play mostly hip hop and variants of the same.
But when I do find a House DJ who mixes well, I am genuinely and highly impressed. Not to mention rather loyal.
