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Mr. Lava's Trash Music Compendium Another round-up of the best, the worst, and the most intriguing trash of the past and present.
 Soca Gang feat. Van B. King- Chacaron (Long Version)2005 Soca Gang are ready to cash in on that reggaeton craze with their "Chacaron (Long Version)." At least the BPMs are a bit higher than in other representatives of the fledgeling genre. I really don't get this stuff, but in small doses it's a welcome departure from the usual boom-boom fare that is ever so slowly rotting my brain. Precious and Thomas Ferri - Cappucin (Red Version)2005 You have to love a singer who calls herself "Precious." Precious and Thomas Ferri deliver "Cappucin (Red Version)," which is a ridiculously fun electro grinder with lyrics that make no sense whatsoever ("Lose my senses with the sound / Head is spinning all around / Learn to fight a mean machine / It's my duty to begin."). This song is nuts. Best idea: The keyboard riff that sounds as if it's being detuned while it plays. L.O.B. - Deep Inside2005 There were two good songs entitled "Deep Inside" this year, one by the Italo-supergroup Club and the other being this track from L.O.B. Twisted female vocal samples frolic with an array of electro sounds, resulting in a pleasingly thick Italo concoction that will go straight to your head. Considering how excellent this is, I'd love to hear L.O.B.'s take on "Crockett's Theme." Because apparently they've done one, and rumor has it that rocks, too. Partypimpz - Holiday Rap 20052005 Partypimpz' "Holiday Rap 2005" is a reworking of a 1986 rap tune by MC Miker G and Deejay Seven, which contained samples from (or impressions of) Madonna's "Holiday." Being early 80s rap, everybody sounds pretty stupid, and I like that. I also like how one rapper brags that he and his friends are vacationing to those two choicest summer destinations: London and New York. Nothing against those cities, they're just not the usual sand, sun, and surf summertime destinations. It serves as a welcome reminder of the joy there used to be in hip-hop, before the entire genre was transformed into a violent, scowly-faced deadbeat fuckwad who takes himself way too seriously. The Outhere Brothers - Boom Boom Boom1995 The Outhere Brothers ("Out Here"? "Out There"? "Ow There"?) dropped their classic "Boom Boom Boom" on Europe's dancefloors in 1995. It's ragga-infused Eurodance, with nostalgia-inducing fat synth sounds reminiscent of the original "I Like to Move It." Danzel - Put Your Hands Up (in the Air)2005 Good ol' Danzel (of "Pump It Up" fame, and, before that, Belgian "Idol") returns with another Euro dum-dum delight: his take on the irrepressible Black and White Brothers classic "Put Your Hands Up (in the Air)." Good delivery, smooth production, pure chart-topping trash. Carolina Marquez - Pleasure Ground (Original Pleasure Extended)2005 Rocio Carolina Mateus Alfonso, i.e., Carolina Marquez, is hoping that the momentum behind her "Killer's Song" will propel her next single to worldwide domination. And Rocio Carolina Mateus Alfonso's handlers evidently have decided that since the "Killer's Song" boasted a big whistle sample, then her follow-up should also feature a big whistle sample. Which is pretty poor logic, innit? Nonetheless, the end result, which is called "Pleasure Ground (Original Pleasure Extended)," is every bit as good as her previous hit. It's dark—surprisingly spooky—with relatively minimal yet effective intrusion of the great Carolina's voice. "He's a king and I'm a queen," she proclaimed in the "Killer's Song," and after delivering such classics as 2001's "Ritmo" and this, the Bogota, Colombia-born Carolina has staged a successful intercontinental coup to snatch up the Imperial Crown of Eurotrash. Supasonic - Love Again (Lux Extended Mix)2005 What do I need to say about Supasonic's "Love Again (Lux Extended Mix)" other than that here is one of the best songs of the year? Boasting classic-sounding lush 1980's Italo disco synth work and a lovely female vocal, it reminds one of everything good about Italo dance music past, present, and hopefully future. "Supa" indeed! Uniting Nations - You and Me2005 Further evidence that original ideas are dead in dance music: Uniting Nations, whose only previous claim to fame was an inexplicably popular cover of a shitty 80's song, now do a cover of Together's "So Much Love to Give," only they got a vocalist to sing a bunch of new (albeit disposable) lyrics on top and retitled their product (it does not deserve to be called a "song") "You and Me." Actually, it has one thing going for it: It feels like a song, whereas the song that inspired it felt like a forty minute long skipping record played on a dirty needle. Mynt feat. Kim Sozzi - Back in Love (Mixshow Edit)2005 Mynt and Kim Sozzi's "Back in Love (Mixshow Edit)" has some of that French House vibe to it, plus that pleasant yet sorta stale quality American clubbers seem to like so very much. It seems to me that DJ Ross mined the same sound years ago with "Smile"—probably after somebody had mined it before him. Horizon - I Live On My Own (DJ Ross Remix)2005 Speaking of DJ Ross, his remix of Horizon's "I Live On My Own" is the juantiest tune in this set. Contains elements of the classic T42 feat. S#arp "Find Time" blended with Safeway's "Falling," Galleon's "One Sign," and Elton John's "Crocodile Rock." Which is to say 1) it probably sounds unlike anything you've heard before and 2) I need to come up with better references. An A+ study in catchiness, and I love it. I remixed Ross's remix a bit more. The original version is selling at American Disco on the confusingly titled Dj Zone 14 - Dance Session Vol. 6. My version can be found in a dumpster behind Atlanta's Grady High School. d3d4 - Sun Fun (Emanueleasti@petra Extended)2005 d3d4, who shat out a meandering Eurodance take on the Beach Boys' "I Get Around" a year back, now deliver "Sun Fun (Emanueleasti@petra Extended)." It sounds like a cover, but if it is I can't identify the original. It has a Beatles "Twist and Shout" quality to it, and a whiff of aforementioned Beach Boys. Charting in Italy, it brought a welcome blast of summer to their fall. This extended mix is about two minutes too extended, but that's for the DJ to figure out. Boney M - Gotta Go Home (Boney M 2000 Mix)1999 Boney M's "Gotta Go Home" gotta have a techno remix, ja? My trash prayers have been answered. It is understandable why this 70's group remains huge in Europe—they wrote so many catchy songs, each of which was buoyed by a well-proportioned mix of male and female vocals. This song is just another great Boney M tune. The compendiums: |
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