Hello sunshine, hello holidays, the month of June is finally upon us! Who says summer, says afternoon soaking up the sun in a park or at the beach with friends. But a day of fiesta outside wouldn’t be complete without the best music. It’s not polite to turn up the volume too loud when surrounded by strangers, but with the right playlist, your Bluetooth speaker can quickly become your best tool to make new friends. So, here’s my personal overview of the songs that stand out in the house and dance music scene. As the name suggests, I share here three new releases to discover and two hits to play again, to complete your FULL HOUSE. Happy Pride month and don’t forget to use sunscreen!
Three Recent Songs to Discover
Guy Laliberté : I Can’t Sit Down
It’s no longer a secret that Guy Laliberté took the world of house music by storm a few years ago, taking over the turntables of the most prominent clubs on the planet. The founder of Cirque du Soleil approaches the art of DJing the same way he approached the circus arts: with the desire of sharing his passion and bringing rich emotions to his audience. Mission accomplished with his latest song, I Can’t Sit Down, released on his Wannabe a Frog Records label. The song blends touches of blues and western music, incorporating instruments like harmonica and guitar, creating a perfect harmony between old and new. You’ve got to discover this!
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Kungs + Purple Disco Machine : Substitution
Kungs + Purple Disco Machine. Any other questions, anyone? The union of the creative forces of two powerhouses, one French and the other one German can only give one result: the hit of the summer on the house radios and charts. Valentin Brunel, aka Kungs is best known for his hits Never Going Home, Regarde-moi and Clap Your Hands. Purple Disco Machine, which is at Montreal’s New City Gaz on May 27, gave us the mega-hit Hyptotized, Dopamine and In The Dark. Together, they offer a track that blends the best of the two DJs. Impactful both on the side of the pool and during a vino with your buddies, Substitution offers a snappy rhythm and a catchy melody that will quickly make you want to bust a move. We’re in awe.
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TOKiMONSTA : Golden Year (David Bowie)
Is this new or is it a classic? We don’t know, but I decided to include this remix of Bowie’s masterpiece in recent releases since Korean-American DJ TOKiMONSTA has just released a brand new version of the song. And it really deserves a listen. Released on the Parlophone Records label, the remix is part of a trio of songs revisited to mark the artist’s 75th birthday. TAKiMONSTA, also known as Jennifer Lee, has collaborated with several renowned artists, including Beck, Duran Duran and Disclosure in addition to having collaborated on the Squid Game series, on Netflix. It’s hard to adequately tackle a monument like Bowie, but the result is flawless.
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Two Hits to Play Again
Zaho de Sagazan : Tristesse
The young Nantes singer Zaho de Sagazan blew up radio stations all over France last year with her emotion-filled electronic rhythms. Discovered during the Trans Musicales Festival in Rennes, the artist launched three singles in 2022 before releasing Tristesse last February. The catchy-sounding song tackles self-control with the blunt lingo that can only come from a French performer. Zaho De Sagazan launched her very first album, Les symphonies des éclairs, last March, so I recommend this audacious artist who will fill you with all sorts of feelings, except tristesse.
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Midi Culture : Oh Mammy
Dalida fans will quickly recognize the nostalgic sample from Mamy Blue, written in 1970. This deep house version by the Romanian DJ and producer Midi Culture launched in 2020 will, however, transport you very far from the Parisian blues that had inspired the original title. Brilliantly integrating a powerful vocal choir and fine electronic guitar notes to a spellbinding bass background, the song blows a Mediterranean wind that will make you wish you can dip your feet in a nearby pool. Make sure you’re by the water or that you have a Mai Tai in hand before pressing play!
