April 1, 2015

BODYJAM 72 Music Review

bodyjam-72-booklet

Part of my process of learning a BODYJAM release is to listen to the music first before doing anything with the choreography. Considering the Les Mills program directors pick the music first and choreograph later, I’m trying to approach the release in the same way.

(See also: BODYJAM 72 Review)

Disclaimers:

  1. Some of the tracks on the actual BODYJAM release may be slightly different than the version released by the artist. For example, some are edited to make a track longer. Also there are times when Les Mills can’t obtain the licensing rights and use a cover artist instead. Track timings refer to the specific tracks I was given, which may not coincide with the official versions released by the artists.
  2. The YouTube links to the songs are not under my control; hopefully the links stay live.
  3. When mentioning other releases artists have been in, I’m referring to RPM and BODYJAM tracks that I have. Les Mills usually reuses songs in their other programs.

Warmup

Freaks (Extended Mix) – Timmy Trumpet & Savage

  • Genre: hip house
  • Key: e minor
  • Origins:
    • Timmy Trumpet (Tim Smith) is a musician, main room house DJ, and producer based in Sydney
    • Savage (Demetrius Savelio) is from New Zealand, probably most famous for Swing (2005)
  • Released: August 2014
  • Also in:
    • BODYJAM 71 (Too Turnt Up) – The Buzz
  • Thoughts
    • I absolutely loved Timmy Trumpet’s “The Buzz” from the last release; this track delivers as well
    • What an amazing way to get people moving and energized for the class — thumping beat, low brass, buzzy synths, gritty vocals
    • First drop at 1:20
    • “The bass and the tweeters make the speakers go to war; how the mighty trumpet brings da freaks out to the floor”
    • “Got that freak flow, freak show, welcome to the circus”
    • “Tell me, where da freaks at?”

Isolations (1)

Partition/Yoncé (Clean) (Medley Segment) – Beyoncé

  • Genre: electro R&B
  • Key: e minor
  • Origins: Beyoncé (Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter) is from Los Angeles
  • Released: February 2014
  • Also in:
    • BODYJAM 49 – One Night Only (Disco Version)
    • BODYJAM 52 – Video Phone
    • BODYJAM 53 – Why Don’t You Love Me (Jump Smokers Club Remix)
    • BODYJAM 54 – Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
    • BODYJAM 54 – Put It in a Love Song
    • BODYJAM 59 – Countdown
    • BODYJAM 59 (Run This Mutha) – Run he World (Girls) (Kaskade Club Remix)
    • BODYJAM 60 (Groovedown) – Love on Top
    • BODYJAM 66 (Hip Hop) – Crazy in Love
  • Thoughts
    • This reminds me a bit of “Booty Wurk” from BODYJAM 61 – club feel, lots of body imagery, bump-and-grind feel
    • Slower tempo with a deep bass and a steady groove

Isolations (2)

Partition (Dave Audé Main Mix) – Beyoncé

  • Genre: twerk
  • Origins: Dave Audé is house DJ and remixer from Los Angeles
  • Released: March 2014
  • Also in: Dave Audé is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • Just like the last release, the Isolations block spans two tracks where the first song is the original and the second is a remix
    • Trap 808 beats with low brass bring a different feel to the track we just heard
    • Some parts are a bit syncopated, so we might have some kind of Latin/moombahton moves to match

Rock ‘N’ Roll

Proud Mary – Tina Turner & Ike

  • Genre: rock / soul
  • Key: D major
  • Origins:
    • Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock) is from the southeastern US, and now lives in Switzerland
    • Ike Turner was an early pioneer of 50s music and was part of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue
  • Released: January 1971
  • Also in: The Turners are new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • In my four years involved with BODYJAM, I don’t think we’ve had anything in this genre; there was the contemporary rock block from BODYJAM 45, but that’s a more aggressive/electronic feel
    • I’m more familiar with the Creedence Clearwater Revival song from January 1969; the Tina & Ike version was released 2 years later
    • Slower tempo until 2:34 (about the half-way point), so we’re probably setting up each of the moves at half-speed
    • Given that this is a familiar song, I’ll be curious how participants will like this track
    • I have a feeling this will be a challenging cardio track, given that it starts deceptively slow (91 bpm) and then picks up the pace (170 bpm)

Attack the Beat (1)

Business – Eminem

  • Genre: hip hop
  • Key: b minor
  • Origins: Eminem (Marshal Mathers III) is from Detroit and got his start in hip hop during the mid 90s
  • Released: July 2003
  • Also in: Eminem is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • This takes me back to when I started listening to hip hop and R&B back in the early 2000s
    • I really haven’t listened to much Eminem lately; it’s refreshing to hear his unique rhythm, flow, and style
    • Relatively old-school hip hop should be an interesting way to start the first block
    • “Let’s get down to business; I don’t got no time to play around. What is this?”

Attack the Beat (2)

Bang It to the Curb – Far East Movement & Sidney Samson

  • Genre: trap
  • Key: g minor
  • Origins:
    • Far East Movement is a hip hop quartet based in Los Angeles. The group formed in 2003 and consists of Kev Nish (Kevin Nishimura), Prohgress (James Roh), J-Splif (Jae Choung), and DJ Virman (Virman Coquia)
    • Sidney Samson is a Dutch DJ and dance musician
  • Released: January 2014
  • Also in: Both Far East Movement and Sidney Samson are new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • This track brings the tempo down a bit with the slow trap style; minimal instrumentation
    • Very urban feel; I can definitely picture some grinding moves contrasting with punctuated moves
    • “Make ’em serve — bang it to the curb”

Attack the Beat (3)

Revolution (Panic City Remix) – Diplo feat. Faustix and Imanos & Kai

  • Genre: electro trap
  • Key: c minor
  • Origins:
    • Diplo (Thomas Wesley Pentz) is based in Los Angeles
    • Faustix is from Copenhagen, Denmark
    • Imanos is from Vancouver, Canada
    • Kai is from Ontario, Canada
    • DJ Panic City is from Los Angeles
  • Released: November 2013
  • Also in: Although Faustix, Imanos, and Kai are new to BODYJAM, Diplo has been in…
    • BODYJAM 52 – Pon de Floor (feat. VYBZ Kartel)
    • BODYJAM 57 (Jungle Bounce) – Jump Up
    • BODYJAM 70 (Straight Up Hip Hop) – Express Yourself
    • BODYJAM 70 (Straight Up Hip Hop) – Set It Off (The FatRat Remix)
    • BODYJAM 70 (Straight Up Hip Hop) – Set It Off
  • Thoughts
    • The first time I heard this, I sung along with a slower version of Pressure (Alesso Remix) (because it has the same chord progression – i-III-IV-iv – and is in the same key)
    • With the syncopated beat, I can imagine doing some kind of Latin move (mambo/salsa)
    • Around 1:00, the beat drops out so maybe we set up a new move or two slowly
    • Very slow feel to the track until about 2:59; this is probably where we go at-tempo with whatever moves we’ve learned so far
    • Excellent cross-fade into the Fresh Prince of Bel Air…

Attack the Beat (4)

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (Theme from NBC’s The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

  • Genre: hip hop
  • Key: e-flat minor
  • Origins: Interestingly enough, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince was an American hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Released: May 1990
  • Also in:
    • BODYJAM 50 – I Wanna Rock
    • BODYJAM 70 (Alternate Recovery) – Boom! Shake the Room
  • Thoughts
    • So when I started rapping along during the first listen, I was surprised that there were more lyrics than what was part of the main theme song from the TV show
    • This track takes the hip hop back even further to the early 90s
    • Again, with this track being pretty familiar, I’m curious about how the participants will react, and whether we’ll be doing some old-school hip hop dance moves

Attack the Beat (5)

Talk Dirty – Jason Derulo feat. 2 Chainz

  • Genre: hip hop
  • Key: f# minor
  • Origins:
    • Jason Derulo (Jason Joel Desrouleaux) is from Florida
    • 2 Chainz (Tauheed Epps) is from College Park, Georgia (US)
  • Released: August 2013
  • Also in: Jason Derulo has been in two RPM tracks…
    • RPM 51 (Stretch) – What If
    • RPM 54 (Stretch) – It Girl
  • Thoughts
    • This song has been out for over a year and got plenty of air play in the US
    • Fun fact: the chorus of this song samples Hermetico by Balkan Beat Box
    • We’re pretty close to the end of the block at this point, so presumably we’ve learned most of the moves
    • Musically we’ve just jumped over 20 years into the future

Attack the Beat (6)

The Lawnmower – Aryay

  • Genre: electro trap
  • Key: e minor
  • Origins: Aryay (Mickey Karbal) is from Chicago
  • Released: March 2014
  • Also in: Aryay is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • I’ll admit on first listen, I stared at the speakers and said, “Oh my god, what it is that noise?”
    • This is definitely more progressive/edgy, which BODYJAM is sometimes known to get into. The last time I felt like this was Roman in Moscow from BODYJAM 66.
    • Sometimes Les Mills has the effect where the music doesn’t seem right on its own, but once you put the movement with it, everything makes sense — I’m hoping that’s the case here, especially because this is the finale song of the block

Recovery

Partition/Yoncé (Clean) (Medley Segment) – Beyoncé

  • Genre: rap
  • Key: e minor
  • Thoughts
    • This recovery track is short (1m 51s)
    • Despite being featured three times on this release, each mix of this song is unique. Track 2 can be found about 2 minutes in to the video linked to above for this track
    • Slow rap groove with a minimal beat and deep bass highlights and occasional synth harmonies
    • “Radio say speed it up, I just go slower”

Rage the Night Away (1)

Cannonball (Earthquake) (Yellow Claw Remix) – Showtek & Justin Prime feat. Matthew Koma

  • Genre: big room house / trap
  • Key: f minor
  • Origins:
    • Yellow Claw is a DJ group from Amsterdam (Bizzey (Leo Roelandschap), Jim Aasgier (Jim Taihuttu) and Nizzle (Nils Rondhuis))
    • Showtek is from Sweden
    • Justin Prime (Justin Putuhena) is Dutch
    • Matthew Koma (Matthew Bair) is from Brooklyn, NY
  • Released: January 2014
  • Also in:
    • Yellow Claw is new to BODYJAM
    • Showtek has been in several recent releases
      • BODYJAM 64 (D.R.E.A.M Two) – How We Do (Original Mix)
      • BODYJAM 67 (Get Loose When the Beat Drops) – Get Loose (Tiësto Remix)
      • BODYJAM 67 (Get Loose When the Beat Drops) – Get Loose (Original)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Ilovebooyah) – Hey!
      • BODYJAM 68 (Ilovebooyah) – Booyah (Original)
      • BODYJAM 69 (Mash It Bonus) – Cannonball
      • RPM 65 (Mountain Climb) – Get Loose
    • Justin Prime was part of Cannonball from BODYJAM 69
    • Matthew Koma as also been in several recent releases
      • BODYJAM 64 (D.R.E.A.M Two) – Sparks (Turn Off Your Mind) (Radio Edit)
      • BODYJAM 70 (Mash It) – Dare You (Cash Cash Remix)
      • BODYJAM 70 (Mash It) – Dare You (Tiësto vs. Twoloud Remix)
  • Thoughts
    • Coming right from the short recovery into the high-energy, fast-tempo house track
    • Trap is definitely a theme for this release — the TR-808 snares with fast rolls bring an interesting flavor to this track I’ve taught from BODYJAM 69
    • The crossfade to Booyah starts at 1:36, which whets the appetite of those who know the song; however, the pitch clash could have been handled a bit better

Rage the Night Away (2)

Booyah – Flushing Outsider

  • Genre: trap
  • Key: e-flat minor
  • Origins: Flushing Outsider is likely a cover for Party Favor (from Los Angeles); the licensing is through Les Mills Music Licensing Ltd. so I guess the rights couldn’t get worked out for the actual track
  • Released: August 2013
  • Thoughts
    • Gandalf loves this song — he even named an entire block after it for BODYJAM 70
    • Again, staying with the trap style remix
    • Not counting the crossfade from the previous track, we only get 39 seconds of this song; the crossfade into Bang Bang starts at 29 seconds in
    • Given the brevity, I’m not really sure about the purpose of this track; my best guess it’s a segue from house to trap to pop

Rage the Night Away (3)

Bang Bang – Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj

  • Genre: pop-soul
  • Key: C major
  • Origins:
    • Jessie J (Jessica Ellen Cornish) is from London
    • Ariana Grande is from the US and doesn’t seem to be based in any one city
    • Nicki Minaj (Onika Tanya Maraj) is from New York
  • Released: July 2014
  • Also in:
    • Jessie J was in RPM 65 (Pack Ride) – Calling All Hearts
    • Ariana was in two tracks in BODYJAM 71
      • (Isolations) Problem
      • (Break on D Floor) Break Free
    • Nicki Minaj has been in…
      • BODYJAM 66 (Isolations) – Roman in Moscow
      • BODYJAM 66 (Recovery) – Freaks
      • BODYJAM 68 (Isolations) – The Boys
      • BODYJAM 70 (Too Turnt Up) – Dance (A*$ Remix)
  • Thoughts
    • This track takes the musical style in another direction — more mainstream
    • I hope there’s some kind of double-hit move that takes advantage of the “bang-bang” rhythm for the chorus
    • Looking at just track length, this is the second longest track in the block
    • “Bang bang into the room!”

Rage the Night Away (4)

Shocker – Headhunterz & W&W

  • Genre: house / hardstyle
  • Key: f minor
  • Origins:
    • Headhunterz (Willem Rebergen) is Dutch
    • W&W (Willem van Hanegem and Wardt van der Harst) is a Dutch group
  • Released: September 2014
  • Also in:
    • Headhunterz is new to BODYJAM
    • W&W has been in some other recent releases
      • BODYJAM 66 (#makethecrowdgo) – D# Fat
      • BODYJAM 69 (Warmup) – Jumper (Original Mix)
      • RPM 62 (Speed Work) – This Is What It Feels Like (W&W Remix)
  • Thoughts
    • Heavy pounding beats and buzzy synths take the block in a different direction
    • The soft, spacey part 30 seconds in could be a great place to slowly introduce a new move
    • Distorted synths and the highly processed vocals make for a edgy/gritty feel

Rage the Night Away (5)

How We Party (Clean) – R3hab & VINAI

  • Genre: Melbourne bounce
  • Key: f-sharp minor
  • Origins:
    • R3hab (Fadil El Ghoul) is a Dutch DJ and record producer born in Morocco
    • VINAI is comprised of Italian producers Andrea and Alessandro Vinai
  • Released: August 2014
  • Also in:
    • R3hab is no stranger to BODYJAM
      • 59 (Warmup) – Til Death Do We Party (R3hab Remix)
      • 60 (We Found One Close to Me) – Close to Me (R3hab Remix)
      • 61 (Warmup) – Throw Your Hands Up (R3hab Mix)
      • 64 (D.R.E.A.M One) – Scream (R3hab Mix)
      • 65 (Afro JAM) – Sending My Love (Original Mix)
      • 66 (#makethecrowdgo) – Don’t Stop the Party (R3hab and ZROQ Remix)
      • 67 (Get Loose When the Beat Drops) – Without You (R3hab’s XS Remix)
      • 70 (Straight Up House) – Flashlight
    • VINAI was in BODYJAM 71 (Bounce Generation) – Bounce Generation
  • Thoughts
    • Another shift in style and energy — from hardstyle to house/bounce
    • “This is how we f***in’ party!”
    • So we get this track for 43 seconds, and then we’re right back into Shocker, so I wonder what we would possibly be doing here

Rage the Night Away (6)

Shocker – Headhunterz & W&W

  • The first minute uses a sliding band pass filter high, low, and then back up; maybe this quieter section will be a chance to review what we’ve learned so far as there are only two tracks remaining in the block
  • Long build-up to a great hardstyle drop at 1:42 — this is BODYJAM!

Rage the Night Away (7)

Rage the Night Away (Clean) – Steve Aoki feat. Waka Flocka Flame

  • Genre: hip hop / trap / EDM
  • Key: e-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • Steve Aoki is Japanese-American from Miami, Florida
    • Waka Flocka Flame (Juaquin Malphurs) is a rapper from Atlanta
  • Released: April 2014
  • Also in:
    • Steve Aoki
      • BODYJAM 58 (Turbulence in Paris) – Turbulence (cover)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Mash It Block) – Turbulence
      • BODYJAM 69 (Alors on Danse) – Ladi Dadi
      • BODYJAM 71 (Warmup) – Freak
      • RPM 64 (Hills) – Get Ready (Steve Aoki Extended)
    • Waka Flocka Flame got his debut in the last release, BODYJAM 71 (Too Turnt Up) – TTU (Too Turnt Up)
  • Thoughts
    • Starts with a tempo change (slowing down) from Shocker for about 30 seconds before the crossfade starts into Rage the Night Away
    • Around 1:40 the tempo picks back up again
    • This mix not only plays with the tempo, but glues several different things together — crossfading from the previous track, hip hop / rap from the lyrics, and then a build up (no drops in this track) to the drop at the beginning of the next track
    • “Lost my mind, I’ma lose it again”

Rage the Night Away (8)

Rage the Night Away (Flosstradamus Remix) – Steve Aoki feat. Waka Flocka Flame

  • Genre: trap
  • Key: e-flat minor
  • Origins: Flosstradamus is the stage name of Chicago-based DJs J2K (Josh Young) and Autobot (Curt Cameruci)
  • Released: August 2014
  • Also in: Flosstradamus also got his debut in the last release, BODYJAM 71 (Too Turnt Up) – TTU (Too Turnt Up)
  • Thoughts
    • This is the longest track for the block (just over 5 minutes)
    • Another good drop at 1:38 with a long build-up before it
    • Lyrics come back in 2:24 (half-way point) for about 30 seconds
    • What’s with the yelling of “Squat!”? Maybe Glen should work this into BODYPUMP.
    • There are three drops which are pretty good, yet this track seems like it fits more toward the middle of the block. I’ll be curious what it feels like to dance it.
    • “Make the money stack!”

Groovedown

Best Mistake – Ariana Grande feat. Big Sean

  • Genre: R&B / hip hop soul
  • Key: b-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • (See above for Ariana Grande’s bio and previous releases)
    • Big Sean (Sean Michael Leonard Anderson) is from Detroit
  • Released: August 2014
  • Also in: Big Sean was in BODYJAM 70 (Too Turnt Up) – Dance (A*$ Remix)
  • Thoughts
    • The energy level of the track fits with the Groovedown focus, yet it seems more soulful than happy (like the releases for the last two years); it reminds me of Take Care from BODYJAM 61
    • When Big Sean comes in, the accompaniment drops out just leaving the beat

Mash It (1)

Bad – David Guetta & Showtek feat. Vassy

  • Genre: electro house
  • Key: f minor
  • Origins:
    • David Guetta (Pierre David Guetta) is French
    • (Showtek has already been mentioned in this post)
    • Vassy (Vasiliki Karagiorgos) is Australian; she provides the vocals
  • Released: March 2014
  • Also in:
    • David Guetta has been in…
      • BODYJAM 47 – Tomorrow Can Wait (Tocadisco Evilmix)
      • BODYJAM 66 (Jammin’ for the Rest of My Life) – Rest of My Life
      • BODYJAM 67 (Warmup) – I Can Only Imagine
      • BODYJAM 67 (Get Loose When the Beat Drops) – Little Bad Girl (Fedde Le Grand Remix)
      • BODYJAM 67 (Get Loose When the Beat Drops) – Without You (R3hab’s XS Remix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Straight Up House) – Turn Me On (David Guetta & Laidback Luke Remix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Straight Up Hip Hop) – Right Now (Sick Individuals Club Mix)
      • RPM 60 (Mountain Climb) – Just One Last Time (Hard Rock Sofa Big Room Mix)
  • Thoughts
    • The first 15 seconds reminds me of the beginning of Greyhound
    • Great combination of the EDM sound from Guetta with the buzzy drops typical of Showtek
    • I don’t really care for the overly processed, squeaky vocals

Mash It (2)

Freaks (Original Mix) – Timmy Trumpet

  • The Savage mix used to start the class is a tough act to follow
  • Tempo slows at 1:16 and stays slow for the rest of the track (about 2 minutes), so I’ll be curious how this fits with the mashed choreography

Mash It (3)

Stand Up – Ludacris

  • Genre: hip hop
  • Key: b-flat minor
  • Origins: Ludacris (Christopher Brian “Chris” Bridges) is from Atlanta
  • Released: August 2003
  • Also in:
    • BODYJAM 46 – How We Do It “Around My Way”
    • BODYJAM 66 (Jammin’ for the Rest of My Life) – Rest of My Life
    • BODYJAM 67 (Get Loose When the Beat Drops) – Little Bad Girl (Fedde Le Grand Remix)
  • Thoughts
    • I listened to this song quite a bit back when it came out; however, I’m used to the explicit version so I may not want to rap along too much
    • The Attack the Beat block had some hip hop tracks from over a decade ago, so this track brings that same feeling
    • Good hip hop groove with similarly styled lyrics (club/street imagery)
    • “When I move you move”
    • “Take note to the brand new dance… like this!”

Mash It (4)

All about That Bass – Meghan Trainor

  • Genre: bubblegum pop
  • Key: A major
  • Origins: Nantucket, Massachusetts
  • Released: June 2014
  • Also in: Meghan is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • I didn’t expect this song to be in BODYJAM; it definitely fits more with SH’BAM, and it’s received so much air play in the US, so I’m a bit tired of it
    • At least it’s only about 90 seconds long
    • Given the feel of this track doesn’t match those for either of the blocks, I’m eager to see how the choreography works here

Mash It (5)

Bad – David Guetta & Showtek feat. Vassy

  • Bringing back the track that started the Mash It block
  • Other than the outro there’s nothing musically new in this track

Overall thoughts

Note: I don’t look at the masterclass or even read the sizzler before writing these notes. I have the track list, my music player, and a nice pair of headphones and listen to each track at least three times.

  • This release continues the trend of having a two-track Isolations block, using a different mix of the same song for the second part.
  • The Rock ‘N’ Roll block is new (at least for the BODYJAM releases that I’ve done, going back 6-7 years).
  • In both blocks we still have a healthy dose of trap style; I really enjoy listening/dancing to this kind of music, so we’ll see how long it stays around before the next big thing lands.
  • Attack the Beat is all over the map in terms of style and time period. BODYJAM is known for giving people something more familiar while also exposing some new styles.
  • Rage the Night Away is fairly cohesive; however, having two tracks that are shorter than one minute seems a bit odd — perhaps the flow of the choreography will make the transitions make sense.
  • The Mash It block has some solid tracks with a good mix of music styles and some fresh sounds.
  • Reprises and remixes
    • The warmup comes back in the Mash It block
    • Three unique mixes of Parition
    • Shocker is used twice, almost how Flashlight was used twice in BODYJAM 70 (although the second version was a different part of the song)
    • Starting and ending the Mash It block with the same song

Keep an eye out for my next post about this release!