September 12, 2015

BODYJAM 73 Music Review

bodyjam-73-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.

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

We Came to Bang – 3LAU feat. Luciana

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: E-flat major
  • Origins:
    • 3LAU (Justin David Blau) is based in Las Vegas
    • Luciana (Luciana Caporaso) is from London and was born in 1973
  • Released: November 2014
  • 3LAU and Luciana are new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • Appears on Hardwell on Air episode 214
    • Good, driving semi-syncopated beat with an energy to start the class off right
    • “This could be the start of something new”
    • First drop at 1:52; second drop only has the percussion, which could be an opportunity for something special in the choreography
    • “If you’re looking for something, you already found it, this is it”

Isolations

Runaway (U & I) (Dillon Francis Remix) – Galantis

  • Genre: trap
  • Key: b-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • Galantis (Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklöw) are from Sweden
    • Dillon Francis is from California
  • Released: December 2014
  • Galantis and Francis are new to BODYJAM, but Francis appears in several other tracks on this release
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell On Air (episode 188 and Yearmix 2014 Part 1)
    • Slow beat to set the tone, then percussion stops to focus on the vocals and sparse accompaniment
    • First drop at 1:15
    • I’m familiar with the original mix, so it’s interesting to hear Francis’ trap remix; it has a trap feel yet doesn’t have any TR-808 drum kit sounds, which is refreshing

Retro Funk

Can You Do This – Aloe Blacc

  • Genre: funk
  • Key: a minor
  • Origins:
    • Aloe Blacc (Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III) is from California
  • Released: February 2014
  • Blacc is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • This style is not that common in BODYJAM, and it reminds me a little of having Proud Mary from BODYJAM 72 break up the EDM sequence
    • The feel and structure of the track should make for some simple, fun moves to put together
    • “Can you groove the way I groove?”

Jam in Love (1)

Drunk in Love – Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z

  • Genre: trap
  • Key: A-flat major
  • Origins:
    • Beyoncé (Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter) is from Los Angeles
    • Jay-Z (Shawn Corey Carter) is Beyoncé’s husband
  • Released: December 2013
  • Jay-Z is new to BODYJAM, but Beyoncé has been in plenty of other releases
    • 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
    • BODYJAM 72 (Isolations) – Partition
  • Thoughts
    • I don’t care for the whiny, overly pitch-shifted vocal at the beginning of the track
    • Musically this track is not all that exciting; it’s just a four-chord song
    • This is about what I’d expect from a trap song from Beyoncé, but the song doesn’t seem to have much definition (i.e., no big hits or drops)
    • The mystery of the Coaching section saying “Surfboard” from BODYJAM 69 Isolations finally makes sense.

Jam in Love (2)

Drunk in Love (Diplo Remix) – Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z

  • Genre: trap
  • Key: f minor
  • Origins:
    • Diplo (Thomas Wesley Pentz) is based in Los Angeles
  • Released: February 2014
  • Diplo has been in BODYJAM for a while:
    • 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
  • Thoughts
    • An interesting choice to have the same song back-to-back, but with different mixes; it could be an opportunity to do the same moves learned in the previous track but with more flava
    • The Diplo version sounds more like typical trap style than the original song
    • This mix has more musical contrast and variety (accompaniment, volume) than the original
    • The quieter section at the end as the next song cross-fades in could be a good chance to learn the next move at a slower tempo

Jam in Love (3)

When We Were Young (Zomboy Remix) – Dillon Francis & Sultan + Ned Shepard feat. The Chain Gang of 1974

  • Genre: progressive house / dubstep
  • Key: b-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • Sultan (Ossama Al Sarraf) and Ned Shepard are from Montreal
    • The Chain Gang of 1974 (Kamtin Mohager) is from Los Angeles
    • Zomboy (Joshua Mellody) is from Penzance, UK
  • Released: November 2014
  • All of these artists are new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • The track immediately shift gears musically — highly EQ’d synths and trap beats to room-filling, sustained chords
    • I love the contrast of progressive house for recovery/build-up followed by the heavy dubstep for the drop/”chorus”
    • First drop at 1:38, followed by one minute of a good slow and steady dubstep block with a subtle subdivided beat rhythm underneath
    • This is the longest track in the block

Jam in Love (4)

Runaway (U and I) – Galantis

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: b-flat minor
  • Released: October 2014
  • Thoughts
    • As mentioned, I’ve heard this song before on Hardwell on Air, but it was the Kaskade remix, making the original seem a bit plain
    • It seems like there’s a theme in this release that we get different mixes of the same song, so it’s familiar yet a little different
    • First drop at 1:09
    • The outro is about 30 seconds that starts quietly and then has a build-up that ends abruptly; I’m guessing that we’ll be doing the routine one last time here

Recovery

I Want You Back – Jackson 5

  • Genre: R&B / funk / pop
  • Key: A-flat major
  • Origins:
    • Jackson 5 (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael Jackson) are form Gary, Indiana
  • Released: October 1969
  • Also in:
    • Jackson 5 has never been in BODYJAM, but Janet Jackson was in BODYJAM 45 (Feedback) and BODYJAM 68 (Together Again)
  • Thoughts
    • We have another really short recovery; the only ones recently shorter were BODYJAM 72 (Partition) and BODYJAM 63 (Boyfriend)
    • To be honest, I’ve never really liked Jackson 5 songs; the “ooh, ooh baby” slightly out of tune at 1:12 makes me wince every time
    • This will probably be one of those easily recognizable tracks that people will like; I’ll just power through it, hoping that the choreography will help distract me from the song
    • I find it amusing that this is the first “official: Michael Jackson song to be in BODYJAM considering the program director (Gandalf Archer) has the first few phrases of “Rock with You” tattooed on his forearm

Tribal Love (1)

Delirious (Boneless) – Chris Lake, Steve Aoki, & Tujamo feat. Kid Ink

  • Genre: electro house
  • Key: a-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • Chris Lake is from Scotland
    • Steve Aoki is Japanese-American from Miami, Florida
    • Tujamo (Matthias Richter) is German
    • Kid Ink (Brian Todd Collins) is from Los Angeles
  • Released: June 2014
  • Also in:
    • Chris Lake: BODYJAM 57 (Afro-Caribbean Street Party) – La Tromba Risin’ (Copyright Elevation Mix)
    • 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
      • BODYJAM 72 (Rage the Night away) – Rage the Night Away (Clean)
      • RPM 64 (Hills) – Get Ready (Steve Aoki Extended)
    • Tujamo is new to BODYJAM but is in several tracks in this release
    • Kid Ink is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • This song doesn’t have the usual punch like Aoki’s previous releases, but it’s a solid electro-house track to start the block
    • “Boneless” in the track name comes from skateboarding terminology
    • The cross-fade to the next track was done pretty well, given the genre shift from progressive house to dance hall

Tribal Love (2)

Like a Pro (Clean) – The Wizard

  • Genre: dance hall
  • Key: e-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • I can’t seem to find anything about this individual/group
    • The track found on Amazon.com says it features Nyanda (Nyanda Janelle Thorbourne) and Chedda (Tyrello Johnson), a Jamaican vocalist and DJ respectively
  • Released: February 2013
  • These artists are new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • It’s been a while since we’ve had dance hall (BODYJAM 65 with Get Busy), so I’m enjoying the electro-groove and scooped vocals
    • I can’t help but sing along to “Wine and go low, wine and go low, wine and go low low low…”

Tribal Love (3)

Like a Pro (Yellow Claw Remix) – The Wizard

  • Genre: dance hall / trap
  • Key: a minor
  • Origins:
    • Yellow Claw is a DJ group from Amsterdam (Bizzey (Leo Roelandschap), Jim Aasgier (Jim Taihuttu) and Nizzle (Nils Rondhuis))
  • Released: April 2013
  • Also in:
    • BODYJAM 72 (Rage the Night Away) – Cannonball (Earthquake) (Yellow Claw Remix)
  • Thoughts
    • Like with Drunk in Love from the first block, we get two songs back-to-back but with slightly different styles
    • That low-bass synth drop 16 seconds in fills the room
    • JAM has been incorporating more trap style as of late, and this track doesn’t disappoint

Tribal Love (4)

Delirious (Boneless) (Reid Stefan Remix) – Chris Lake, Steve Aoki, & Tujamo feat. Kid Ink

  • Genre: electro house / moombahton
  • Key: a-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • Reid Stefan is from Los Angeles
  • Released: August 2014
  • Reid Stefan is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • This is a slight variation on the previous theme: instead of back-to-back, we get a reprise of the song that opened the block
    • The moombahton drop at 1:20 brings more of the tribal style to the music

Tribal Love (5)

Baddest (Ape Drums Remix) – P-Money & Gappy Ranks

  • Genre: dance hall
  • Key: f-sharp minor
  • Origins:
    • Ape Drums (Eric Alberto-Lopez) is from Houston
    • P-Money (Peter Wadams) is from New Zealand
    • Gappy Ranks (Jacob Lee Williams) is a British dancehall musician of Jamaican and Dominican origin, from Harlesden, London
  • Released: December 2013
  • All of these artists are new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • The dance hall style and Patois lyrics keep things firmly in tribal style
    • Musically this is a pretty simple track — lyrics, drum beat, and an occasional solo synth

Tribal Love (6)

Baddest (Clean) – P-Money & Gappy Ranks

  • Genre: dance hall / hip hop
  • Key: f-sharp minor
  • Released: October 2013
  • Thoughts
    • This song samples BaDINGA! by TWRK (from the Isolations track of BODYJAM 69)
    • This is the fifth time we get the same track but a different mix; it’s interesting that we get the original track after the remix
    • The combination of styles — dance hall and 90s hip hop — make for some musical variety about half-way through the block

Tribal Love (7)

We Make It Bounce – Dillon Francis feat. Major Lazer & Stylo G

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: b-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • Major Lazer is a group consisting of (Diplo, Jillionaire, and Walshy Fire) from Los Angeles
    • Stylo G (Jason McDermott) is from Jamaica
  • Released: September 2014
  • Also in:
    • Major Lazer
      • BODYJAM 52 – Pon de Floor (feat. VYBZ Kartel)
      • BODYJAM 57 (Jungle) – Jump Up
    • Dillon Francis
      • BODYJAM 60 (Groovedown) – Feel So Close (Dillon Francis Remix)
      • Dillon Francis is also in three other tracks in this release
    • Stylo G is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell On Air episode 186
    • I like the combination of the house style with the Jamaican accent
    • The drop at 1:30 is similar to what I’ve been hearing in EDM — there’s a build and then the music holds back a bit, with a slight change in instrumentation
    • So far in the block, we haven’t had many lyrics to grab onto — “me say ya’ll make it bounce!”

Tribal Love (8)

We Found Love (R3hab Remix) – Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: e-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • R3hab (Fadil El Ghoul) is from Morocco
    • Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty) is from Barbados
  • Released: November 2011; the original Rihanna song was released in September 2011
  • Also in:
    • R3hab
      • BODYJAM 59 (Warmup) – Til Death (R3hab Remix)
      • BODYJAM 60 (We Found One Close to Me) – Close to Me (R3hab Remix)
      • BODYJAM 61 (Warmup) – Throw Your Hands Up (R3hab Mix)
      • BODYJAM 64 (D.R.E.A.M One) – Scream (R3hab Remix)
      • BODYJAM 65 (Afro Jam) – Sending My Love (Original Mix)
      • BODYJAM 66 (#makethecrowdgo) – Don’t Stop the Party (R3hab & ZROQ Remix)
      • BODYJAM 67 (Get Loose When the Beat Drops) – Without You (R3hab’s XS Remix)
      • BODYJAM 70 (Straight Up House) – Flashlight
      • BODYJAM 72 (Rage the Night Away) – How We Party (Clean)
    • Rihanna
      • BODYJAM 45 (Recovery) – Livin’ a Lie
      • BODYJAM 60 (We Found One Close to Me) – We Found Love
      • BODYJAM 61 (Work Hard, Play Hard, Dance Hard) – Where Have You Been
      • BODYJAM 62 (TIBWTBSEII) – Where Have You Been
      • BODYJAM 67 (Pon de Salsa) – Pon De Replay
      • BODYJAM 68 (Konnichiwa Sweden) – Right Now (Sick Individuals Club Mix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Ilovebooyah) – Where Have You Been (Hardwell Remix)
      • RPM 55 (Pace) – We Found Love
      • RPM 60 (Pace) – Diamonds (Bimbo Jones Vocal Edit)
  • Thoughts
    • The crossfade into this song was well done
    • I suppose this counts as tribal because Rihanna is from Barbados
    • This track seems the most musically busy that we’ve heard so far; the intervals and directions between notes varies widely and the synths are very aggressive
    • For the block, this is the longest track (4:02)

Tribal Love (9)

C.U.B.A. – Calvin Harris

  • Genre: big room house
  • Key: f minor
  • Released: June 2014
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episode 175 and Yearmix 2014 Part 2
    • This is the instrumental version of Open Wide by Calvin Harris
    • The track gets a bit repetitive, but it’s an excellent build up to the drop of the next song
    • Also, from here to the end of the block, we depart from the tribal / dance hall motif and shift to house

Tribal Love (10)

Don’t Stop the Madness – Hardwell, W&W, & Fatman Scoop

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: g minor
  • Origins:
    • Hardwell (Robbert van de Corput) is Dutch
    • W&W (Willem van Hanegem and Wardt van der Harst) is a Dutch group
    • Fatman Scoop (Isaac Freeman III) is from New York
  • Released: December 2014
  • Also in:
    • Hardwell
      • BODYJAM 64 (D.R.E.A.M Two) – How We Do (Original Mix)
      • BODYJAM 67 (The Dark Block 2013) – Dynamo (Original) and Dynamo (Sven Kirchhof Remix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Ilovebooyah) – Where Have You Been (Hardwell Remix)
      • BODYJAM 69 (Warmup) – Jumper (Original Mix)
      • BODYJAM 70 (Straight Up House) – Everybody Is in the Place (Original Mix)
      • BODYJAM 70 (Mash It Block) – Dare You (Cash Cash Remix) and Dare You (Tiësto vs Twoloud Remix)
      • BODYJAM 71 (Bounce Generation) – Ping Pong (Hardwell Remix)
      • BODYJAM 71 (Mash It) – Knock You Out (Hardwell Remix)
    • W&W
      • BODYJAM 66 (#makethecrowdgo) – D# Fat
      • BODYJAM 69 (Warmup) – Jumper (Original Mix)
      • BODYJAM 72 (Rage the Night Away) – Shocker
      • RPM 62 (Speed Work) – This Is What It Feels Like (W&W Remix)
    • Fatman Scoop was in BODYJAM 59 (Isolations) – Drop It Low
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episodes 197, 201, and Yearmix 2014 Part 2
    • Since hearing this in December 2014, I’ve wanted this to be in JAM, so I’m not disappointed

Tribal Love (11)

Tremor – Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike, & Martin Garrix

  • Genre: big room house
  • Key: f minor
  • Origins:
    • Dimitri Vegas (Dimitri Thivaios) and his brother Like Mike (Michael Thivaios) are Belgian/Greek
    • Martin Garrix (Martijn Garritsen) is Dutch
  • Released: April 2014
  • Also in:
    • Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
      • BODYJAM 57 (Street Party Riot) – Tomorrow (Give In To The Night / The Tomorrowland Anthem) (Pedro Henriques & Digital LAB Remix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Mash It) – Leave the World Behind (Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs. SHM Dark Forest Edit)
    • Martin Garrix
      • BODYJAM 69 (Alors en Danse) – Wizard
      • BODYJAM 70 (Straight Up Hip Hop) – Helicopter
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episodes 159, 180, and Yearmix 2014 Part 1
    • It’s too bad this track is so short and is basically a build-up to the last track; it has some interesting qualities

Tribal Love (12)

Stopping Us – Deorro

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: f minor
  • Origins:
    • Deorro (Erick Orrosquieta) is based in California
  • Released: December 2014
  • Also in:
    • BODYJAM 70 (Straight Up House) – Flashlight
    • BODYJAM 71 (Warmup) – Freak
    • BODYJAM 71 (Mash It) – Dechorro
  • Thoughts
    • The crossfade from the last song was excellently done
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episode 196
    • This track has good energy to finish out the block
    • We get a 40-second wind-down phase at the end of the song which reminds me a lot of older JAMs, especially D# Fat from BODYJAM 66

Groovedown

Latch – Disclosure feat. Sam Smith

  • Genre: garage house
  • Key: f minor
  • Origins:
    • Disclosure is a brother duo (Howard and Guy Lawrence) from the UK
    • Sam Smith is also from the UK
  • Released: October 2012
  • Also in:
    • Sam Smith was in RPM 65 (Outro) – Stay with Me
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episode 167 and Yearmix 2014 Part 2
    • This is a very fitting way to end the class — interesting groove, instrumentation, and lyrics that reinforce connection

Mash It (1)

Don’t Stop the Madness – Hardwell, W&W, & Fatman Scoop

  • This song has such a great build phase, which is what made me want in JAM
  • Unfortunately most of the song is tainted by the cross-faded (at the same volume) S.A.X track, so this track doesn’t get to shine on its own. What makes matters worse is that the two songs are different keys which makes it very distracting. (Pitch correction/matching is fairly common in most DJ software, so I’m not sure why this wasn’t done.)

Mash It (2)

S.A.X – Laidback Luke & Tujamo

  • Genre: electro house
  • Key: a-flat minor
  • Origins:
    • Laidback Luke (Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen) is a Filipino-Dutch DJ
  • Released: January 2015
  • Also in:
    • Laidback Luke
      • BODYJAM 53 – Holiday (Laidback Luke Remix)
      • BODYJAM 55 – Not Myself Tonight (Laidback Luke Mixshow Edit)
      • BODYJAM 58 (Isolations) – Do! Do! Do! (Laidback Luke Remix)
      • BODYJAM 58 (Turbulence in Paris) – Turbulence
      • BODYJAM 60 (Shuffling to Epicland) – Speak Up
      • BODYJAM 63 (The Dark House Block 2014) – 1234 (Original)
      • BODYJAM 63 (Thunder Kicks Ninja Styles) – Beautiful World (Laidback Luke Remix)
      • BODYJAM 67 (Mash It) – Dynamo (Original) / Dynamo (Sven Kirchof Remix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Mash It) – Leave the World Behind (Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs. SHM Dark Forest Edit)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Ilovebooyah) – Turn Me On (David Guetta & Laidback Luke Remix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Mash It) – Turbulence (Original Mix)
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episode 198
    • Half of this track is build-up to the drop at the one-minute mark; the build-up gets a bit repetitive with the two-note saxophone riff
    • The crossfade to the next track was better done than the previous track

Mash It (3)

Can’t Hold Us Down – Axwell Λ Ingrosso

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: d minor
  • Origins:
    • Axwell (Sven Axel Christofer Hedfors) is Swedish
    • Ingrosso (Sebastian Carmine Ingrosso) is also Swedish
  • Released: November 2014
  • Axwell and Ingrosso are new to BODYJAM (surprisingly, considering this group is pretty well known in the EDM scene)
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episode 193
    • Around the 30-second mark, there are parts of 1-2 seconds of dead air
    • There’s a slight tempo change; the track starts at 128 bpm and speeds up to 140 bpm

Mash It (4)

Dangerous (David Guetta Banging Remix) – David Guetta feat. Sam Martin

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: e minor
  • Origins:
    • Pierre David Guetta is French
    • Sam Martin is from Oregon
  • Released: October 2014
  • Also in:
    • David Guetta
      • 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 68 (Konnichiwa Sweden) – Right Now (Sick Individuals Club Mix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Ilovebooyah) – Turn Me On (David Guetta & Laidback Luke Remix)
      • BODYJAM 72 (Mash It) – Bad
      • RPM 60 (Mountain Climb) – Just One Last Time (Hard Rock Sofa Big Room Mix)
    • Sam Martin is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episode 192
    • Big synth chords come in about 30 seconds into the track; the drop is 40 seconds later
    • As per usual, I’m sure this song will feel different with the choreography; however, just on listening to it, I feel it’s too repetitive with not much contrast in musicality and feel

Alternate 4/5

Burnin’ Up – Jessie J feat. 2 Chainz

  • Genre: pop / R&B
  • Key: b minor
  • Origins:
    • Jessie J (Jessica Ellen Cornish) is from London
    • 2 Chainz (Tauheed Epps) is from College Park, Georgia (US)
  • Released: September 2014
  • Also in:
    • Jessie J
      • BODYJAM 72 (Rage the Night Away) – Bang Bang
      • RPM 65 (Pack Ride) – Calling All Hearts
    • 2 Chainz was in BODYJAM 72 (Attack the Beat) – Talk Dirty
  • Thoughts
    • To be fair Drunk in Love is not exactly a family-friendly song, so it makes sense that there’s an alternate track
    • This song is a little different musically as most of the track is just vocals and a beat with little accompaniment
    • Style-wise it transitions to the next song in the block (When We Were Young) pretty well

Bonus Block: Oldschool (1)

NRG – Chill and the Image

  • Genre: nu disco
  • Key: f minor
  • Origins:
    • Duck Sauce is an American-Canadian DJ duo consisting of Armand Van Helden and A-Trak (Alain Macklovitch)
  • Released: April 2014
  • This group is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • This is a cover of Duck Sauce – NRG (Skrillex, Kill the Noise, Milo & Otis Remix)
    • The song that’s sampled is Melissa Manchester’s 1985 track “Energy”
    • Appears in Hardwell on Air episode 148 and Yearmix 2014 Part 2
    • This track has interesting fusion of styles — some parts industrial, some parts 80s, and others current EDM.

Bonus Block: Oldschool (2)

Arms Around Me – Hard Rock Sofa & Skidka

  • Genre: progressive house
  • Key: f-sharp minor
  • Origins:
    • Hard Rock Sofa are a Russian electronic dance music duo composed of Alexander Shapovalov and Denis Chepikov
    • Skidka is also Russian
  • Released: April 2014
  • Also in:
    • Hard Rock Sofa
      • BODYJAM 62 (Turn up the Quasar) – Quasar (Original Mix)
      • BODYJAM 68 (Konnichiwa Sweden) – Let’s Go (Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa Remix)
      • BODYJAM 70 (Mash It) – Get Down
      • RPM 60 (Mountain Climb) – Just One Last Time (Hard Rock Sofa Big Room Mix)
    • Skidka is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • The synth brass loop gets a little old (about a minute and a half)
    • When the vocals come in, the style shifts to funk, and then the crossfade takes it to the R&B Timberlake style

Bonus Block: Oldschool (3)

Like I Love You (Extended Club Mix I) – Justin Timberlake

  • Genre: dance pop / R&B
  • Key: b minor
  • Origins:
    • Justin Timberlake is from Memphis, Tennessee
  • Released: October 2002
  • Also in:
    • BODYJAM 50 – Love, Sex, Magic
    • BODYJAM 52 – Lovestoned / I Think She Knows
    • BODYJAM 66 (Groovedown) – Let the Groove Get In
    • BODYJAM 67 (Recovery) – Summer Love
    • RPM 61 (Stretch) – Mirrors (Radio Edit)
  • Thoughts
    • This definitely qualifies as “old school” as this track was on Timberlake’s first album Justified
    • Simple guitar riff, basic beat, occasional synths, and vocals — a simple groove to move to
    • The crossfade to the next track was pretty well done

Bonus Block: Oldschool (4)

Jealous (I Ain’t with It) (Dillon Francis Remix) – Chromeo

  • Genre: electrofunk
  • Key: A-flat major
  • Origins:
    • Chromeo is a Montreal electro-funk duo David “Dave 1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel
  • Released: April 2014
  • Chromeo is new to BODYJAM
  • Thoughts
    • The original song should be familiar to most folks, as I’ve heard it on the radio a few times
    • First drop at 0:47 with very buzzy bass synths; the drop at 3:06 was much better
    • Given the track is a little longer than the other songs in this release, we get two vocal sections and two instrumental sections

Bonus Block: Oldschool (5)

Uptown Funk (Instrumental) – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

  • Genre: funk
  • Key: d minor
  • Origins:
    • Mark Ronson is from the London
    • Bruno Mars (Peter Gene Hernandez) is from Honolulu
  • Released: November 2014
  • Also in:
    • Bruno Mars
      • RPM 52 (Stretch) – Lazy Song
      • RPM 61 (Pack Ride) – Treasure
  • Thoughts
    • Given this is just the instrumental, I don’t have too much to add — the instrumental version here is only 1m 29s
    • BODYJAM has used the technique of having an instrumental version followed by the original version before: BODYJAM 58 (Turbulence in Paris) – Til the World Ends; BODYJAM 69 (Alors en Danse) – All of the Lights

Bonus Block: Oldschool (6)

Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

  • You can’t not dance to this song — it has a catchy hook and a solid groove
  • The track almost has a James Brown feel to it
  • I will admit I’ve done this track a few times to a Zumba routine and enjoyed dancing it

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.

  • Obviously if you’ve made it to the end of this post, you realize a point of difference in this release — 26 tracks in the standard release (including Mash It). Then there’s six more in the bonus block. BODYJAM 70 was the first release to start the craziness of lots of small tracks — usually under 2 minutes each.
  • The Mash It concept came in with BODYJAM 68. BODYJAM 67 was the last time we had a bonus block.
  • The Retro Funk track is like the Rock ‘N’ Roll block from the last JAM — something with a different style to mix things up.
  • There are five songs where we hear two different mixes — three of them are back-to-back and the other two are reprises.
  • The Jam in Love block seems pretty solid with a slow trap-style to start and a reprise of the huge song Runaway. I absolutely love When We Were Young and can’t wait to dance that one.
  • As for the recovery, again I’m sure people will like it, but I don’t care for the song.
  • There are some interesting (i.e., not well known) tracks in the Tribal Jam block with lots of good grooves. I was a bit disappointed that Gandalf didn’t keep the tribal (dance hall) feel through to the end — the last five tracks are firmly house/electro/EDM.
  • The Groovedown is catchy and a nice way to end the class.
  • Other than my complaints about not letting Don’t Stop the Madness shine, the Mash It block seems okay. Musically it’s not as amazing, however I imagine the “star tracks” were saved for the main release.
  • I enjoy the mix of styles for the Oldschool bonus block; it’s interesting what we consider “old school” these days.

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