Here’s my quarterly RPM review post giving some details and thoughts about the 2019 Q4 release, RPM 84. I’ll start with my general thoughts for the release, and if you’re interested in a track-by-track breakdown, keep on reading.
General thoughts
RPM 84 is the twenty-ninth full release of this program that I’ve coached.
For this release’s music, my favorites are tied between the Mixed Terrain track (“On My Way”) and Speed Work (“Treat You Better”). The returning artists are Galantis, OneRepublic, Sheppard, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Timmy Trumpet, and Meghan Trainor. The new artists are ARTY, U2, The Regrettes, and The Golden Army. We have global mix of artists — Sweden, USA, Russia, and Australia.
Most of this release has a track structure about what a regular RPMer would expect. The track that stands out the most is the slow Hills track that has some atypical choreography in the first block.
The masterclass has two presenters:
- Glen Ostergaard (New Zealand) — Program Director for RPM, BODYPUMP, and SPRINT
- Fiona Fransisca (Dubai) — trainer/presenter for RPM, BODYPUMP, SPRINT, THE TRIP, and TONE; also a BODYCOMBAT presenter and GRIT coach
As Les Mills doesn’t seem to provide the release overview on their website, here’s what the program directors have to say:
Track 1, Bones is a happy, uplifting song to kickstart the ride. As usual, it’s all about welcoming people into the workout, using a lighter conversational coaching language.
The Pace track, Save Me Tonight, shifts up a notch or two, with big energetic instrumentals in the top speed.
Track 3, With Or Without You, a song everyone will resonate with, changes down a gear musically but certainly not emotionally or physically. The Pace is slow, so make sure you’re coaching Climbing Resistance well as this will be needed to stay on that slower pace and to get Intensity out of the track. This change of energy brings another dimension into the workout. Your challenge in this track will be to keep the energy up.
We will be On Our Way to having some fun again in Track 4. This track lights up the room with big vocals; if it’s your kind of thing, this is a great song to sing along to.
Your class will be saying Don’t Stop Me Now as the fun in Track 5 hits another level. A balance of coaching/work and fun will be needed; don’t get into the trap of only just connecting to the song. Say less, coach clearly only what you need to, then have some FUN!
Treat You Better is an emotive song, where we ride either on the beat or ahead of it.
The final mountain is a true banger! Mufusa musically hits the workout hard, especially in the 30-second Standing Attack phase in Blocks 2 and 3.
Finally, a cool Track 8; let’s Talk about the workout in this track. Praise and congratulate your class on their efforts and ask when their next ride will be. Enjoy!
Track-by-track breakdown
Pack Ride
Bones – Galantis feat. OneRepublic
- Cadence: 120 bpm
- Genre: electropop
- Origins:
- Galantis (Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklöw) is from Stockholm, Sweden
- OneRepublic (Ryan Tedder, Zach Filkins, Drew Brown, Brent Kutzle, Eddie Fisher, Brian Willett) is from Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Released: 31 Jan 2019
- Other releases
- Galantis
- BODYJAM 71 – You (Extended Mix)
- BODYJAM 73 – Runaway (U & I), and also the Dillon Francis Remix
- BODYJAM 79 – No Money (Dillon Francis Remix)
- BODYJAM 81 – Love on Me (Ookay Remix)
- BODYJAM 81 – You (Tom Staar Remix)
- BODYJAM 83 – Rich Boy (Quintino Remix)
- RPM 69 (Speed Work) – Runaway (U & I) (Kaskade Remix)
- OneRepublic
- RPM 60 (Mixed Terrain) – If I Lose Myself Tonight
- RPM 62 (Pack Ride) – Counting Stars
- RPM 67 (Pack Ride) – I Lived
- Galantis
- Thoughts:
- This uplifting track has a positive energy and ticks all of the usual EDM pop boxes musically.
- The choreography is standard — three efforts with the first one being the shortest.
- Point of difference: on-pace efforts in the second and third blocks have a 15-sec pause in the middle to match the music
- Good lyric cues:
- You bring an energy I’ve never felt before
- I don’t just feel it in my heart…
Pace
Save Me Tonight (Extended Mix) – ARTY
- Cadence: 130 bpm
- Genre: progressive house
- Origins: ARTY (Artem Stolyarov) is from Engles, Russia
- Released: 26 Jan 2019
- Other releases: ARTY is new to RPM and BODYJAM
- Thoughts
- Interesting note: the release’s version of this song is about 4 bpm faster than the original
- The choreography is standard — 30-second race in the first block, then climbs/races for the last two blocks.
- The 45-second race feels like forever to me for some reason.
- Point of difference: the gear is set close to the beginning of each block (e.g., Racing Resistance in block 1, and Climbing Resistance in block 2)
- Good lyric cues:
- Maybe it’s nothing, maybe it’s something
- ’cause I’m tired of waiting
Hills
With or Without You – Tail Coast
- Cadence: 57 bpm
- Genre: rock
- Origins:
- Tail Coast is a cover artist.
- U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.) is from Dublin, Ireland
- Released: 16 Mar 1987
- Other releases: U2 is new to RPM and BODYJAM
- Thoughts
- The choreography for the first block doesn’t make sense based on the music or previous climbing patterns; I had to just memorize it.
- This is my least favorite track. It seems to last forever, and it’s a boring four-chord song that’s extremely repetitive.
- Point of difference: slow tempo for six minutes
- Good lyric cues
- (I didn’t really find any relevant lyrics.)
Mixed Terrain
- Cadence: 138 bpm
- Genre: indie pop
- Origins: Sheppard (George Sheppard, Amy Sheppard, Jason Bovino, Emma Sheppard, Dean Gordon) is from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Released: 1 Feb 2019
- Other releases
- RPM 77 (Mixed Terrain) – Keep Me Crazy
- Thoughts
- I had to make sure I didn’t over-listen to this song while working up this release, as this one typically gives me goosebumps. I also love the 1×8 pause before the second race of blocks 2 and 3 kick in.
- Everything about this track says “move” to me; it compels a positive, forward energy.
- Structurally this track is typical — races and climbs in all the usual places.
- Point of difference: None
- Good lyric cues
- I’m on my way
- We’re on fire now
Intervals
Don’t Stop Me Now – The Regrettes
- Cadence: 86 bpm
- Genre: punk rock
- Origins: The Regrettes (Lydia Night, Genessa Gariano, Brooke Dickson, Drew Thomsen) are from Los Angeles, California
- Released: 3 Jan 2019
- Other releases: The Regrettes are new to RPM and BODYJAM
- Thoughts
- This is a cover of the Queen song by the same name which hit it’s fortieth anniversary in Jan 2019.
- Although it’s not my favorite style, it’s interesting to see something other than drum-and-bass for the Intervals track. Several of my members liked this one.
- I’m perplexed why the choreography isn’t split into four blocks, as there’s a logical break after the first peak. That would make the pattern ABAB instead of AA.
- Point of difference: musical style (both in genre and the original song)
- Good lyric cues
- I feel alive and the world I’ll turn it inside out
- So don’t stop me now
- I’m traveling at the speed of light
Speed Work
Treat You Better – RÜFÜS DU SOL
- Cadence: 126 bpm
- Genre: alternative dance
- Origins: Rüfüs Du Sol is from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Released: 9 Nov 2018
- Other releases: RPM 83 (Speed Work) – Underwater
- Thoughts
- I realize that it makes sense with the structure of the beginning part of the music, but it’s a bit odd that the first round has 2×8 of racing. I’m not sure how I would write it differently, though.
- The music buildup during the climbs followed by the drop into to the race is phenomenal; it gives me chills.
- Points of difference: long (45-second) climbs that break up the racing efforts in the second and third blocks
- Good lyric cues:
- Let’s begin again
- I know that the sun keeps shining
Mountain Climb
Mufasa (Extended Mix) – Timmy Trumpet & The Golden Army
- Cadence: 70 bpm
- Genre: big room house / hardstyle
- Origins:
- Timmy Trumpet (Timothy Jude Smith) is from Sydney, Australia
- The Golden Army is from somewhere in the United States
- Released: 7 Dec 2018
- Other releases
- Timmy Trumpet
- BODYJAM 71 – The Buzz
- BODYJAM 72 – Freaks
- BODYJAM 74 – Mic Check / Hipsta
- The Golden Army is new to RPM and BODYJAM
- Timmy Trumpet
- Thoughts
- Three progressive climbs to match the more aggressive style of the music; it’s almost tribal. I’m also a sucker for anytime where there are pauses in the music to break up the expectations.
- The choreography for the first block is odd: Climb, Attack, Climb, Attack with gears on the first and last phrases. That was more difficult to memorize.
- I like the last block where you think the track is over, and then BAM!, thirty seconds of Power Climb.
- Points of difference: None
- Good lyric cues: N/A
Ride Home / Stretch
- Cadence: 136 bpm
- Genre: R&B
- Origins: Khalid (Khalid Donnel Robinson) is from Fort Stewart, Georgia, United Sates
- Released: 7 Feb 2019
- Other releases
- BODYJAM 84 – 17 Rollin’
- RPM 79 (Speed Work) – Silence (Illenium Remix)
- RPM 82 (Speed Work) – Ocean (DubVision Remix)
- Thoughts
- The whole set of choreography took me quite a long time to get in my brain. There are times where I want to change gear or speed because of the musical phrasing, but there’s nothing to do.
- (By the way, the released version of the choreography is incorrect: The music timing doesn’t match the track.)
- Point of difference: Timing of the stretches is odd
- Good lyric cues:
- Can we just talk?
- Figure out where we’re goin’
Outro
GOOD MORNIN’ – Meghan Trainor feat. Gary Trainor
- Genre: dance pop
- Origins:
- Meghan Trainor is from Massachusetts
- Gary Trainor is Meghan’s father
- Released: 8 Feb 2019
- Other releases
- Meghan Trainor
- BODYJAM 72 – All About That Bass
- BODYJAM 79 – Me Too
- RPM 82 (Ride Home / Stretch) – More Than Friends
- Gary Trainor is new to RPM and BODYJAM
- Meghan Trainor
- Thoughts:
- I don’t have much to say about this outro track; decent energy and feel, and about what you’d expect from a vanilla pop song.