Beat Box
Fall’s Hottest Club Tracks
by Jimmy Newsum
A chill may be in the air but our nation’s gay dancefloors show no sign of cooling down. DJs and remixers are working overtime to keep the dark confines and pulsing rhythms of their rooms hot and sweaty. Here are the top scorchers being played this fall.
“Body”
Cherie Lily
Cherie Lily strips house music bare with an infectious high energy, hard-thumping club track that celebrates the underground ballroom scene. Written by Lily with a beat by legendary ballroom DJ Vjuan Allure, “Body” is a throwback to 1989’s hip house, when rap and electronic club music were first blended together to produce soulful groove tracks like Technotronic’s “Pump Up The Jam” and India’s “I Can’t Get No Sleep”. The wife of rocker Andrew W.K. says she hopes to inspire clubbers to sweat and feel sexy. With lyrics like “serving up body, bouncing that booty up against the wall-y,” she’s doing just that.
“Red Flag”
XELLE
The girl group best known for throwing an illegal dance party on a moving NYC subway train as a promo stunt for their song “Party Girl” is showing their more serious side this fall. Their brand new single, “Red Flag”, written by Zach Adam, JC Cassis and Rony G, strikes back against growing anti-gay sentiment in the world. It is a sharp departure from cotton candy but incredibly catchy songs like “Queen” and “Hologram”. “Red Flag” is a call-to-action, meant to inspire fans to stand up to people like Russian President Vladimir Putin. Still, with its high-energy vocals, danceable beats, and powerful synth rhythms, “Red Flag” remains true to the XELLE party sound.
“So Close To Me”
Kristine W
Kristine W continues to prove herself to be one of the best and most important dance vocalists of the past two decades. With its racing bassline and euphoric vocals, “So Close to Me” is an absolute must for dance fans. Several amazing remixes are available, most notably by powerhouse producers Todd Terry, Oscar G, Tony Moran, Cosmic Dawn, Andi Durrant, Steve More and Joe Gauthreaux. But this song carries an important message too. It’s a reminder that no matter how many electronic gadgets are invented, there is no stronger connection than real human contact. All people can relate to that. It’s time the rest of the world was clued in to the magic of Miss W.
“No Selfie Control”
Cazwell
The fourth single from Cazwell’s soon-to-be-released Hard 2 B Fresh album is his first disco-inspired track since “All Over Your Face”. “No Selfie Control” is a brilliant collaboration with up-and-coming Viennese producer Dizzy Bell where Cazwell actually sings. The song has some hilariously catchy lyrics set against a minimalist retro-funk track and smooth playa beat. One of the best lyrics is “If you could see me like I do, you’d be in love with me too.” Though meant to be funny, it’s an accurate reflection of a generation that has become obsessed with attracting the spotlight. Cazwell explains the song best, describing it as “a heartfelt track that was written for everyone on Instagram that is in love…with themselves.”
“Nobody Said”
Aiden Leslie
“Nobody Said” continues Aiden Leslie’s journey in search of life’s ideal. Where his previous club track, “Diamond Dreams”, focused on achieving fame and fortune, this latest tackles a subject many (including Leslie) feel is even more out of reach – finding true love. Leslie stylistically stretches out of his usual zone with this minimal pop track that is layered with heavy bass, synth and drums to create a modern, tight track meant to get fans moving in clubs. Vocally, Aiden Leslie is easily on par or better than most of the voices currently on mainstream radio.
