Masterbeat New House Releases 11/11/08

Okay, I know it's been more than a week since my last music review. I'd rather let a little extra time pass than review a lot of mediocre music. In any event, here's the latest!

Marc's Top House Picks for 11/11/08

1. Madonna - Miles Away (Miles Page Mix) & (Rebirth Mix)
   I received an excited e-mail from Brett about their newest exclusive -- Madonna's latest, Miles Away. To be honest, I haven't been impressed with her latest CD, but here's a reality: I play in a gay club, so Madonna is a must. I was excited to see that Johnny Vicious had done a couple of remixes of this track; I'm definitely a fan of his work. That said, I was disappointed with them. The Johnny Vicious doesn't have the kind of energy I'd expect from a Johnny Vicious track. To boot, the gays generally like their Madonna to have a "throw your hands in the air" sort of vibe and neither remix has much punch.
   
   That said, I'd go with the Morgan Page Remix as well as the Rebirth Remix. Both have a strong electro feel. While electro isn't my usual cup of tea, the Morgan Page mix has a good flow to it -- like some of Benny Benassi's better known tracks. The Rebirth mix has the contrast between some very flowing synths along with some stacatto sections that give it some pop.
   
2. Room for Two - Roots Before Branches (Studio Crashers Extended Mix)
   More pop-crossover that should play well especially to your traditional gay crowd. I confess, I know nothing about Room for Two and the vocals could pass for any of the second tier pop divas. At the same time this is a solid track -- something that would definitely be welcomed in your playlist for a few months. I was surprised to see that Almighty has a mix of this track and for those of you who like tracks that have a little bit lighter, but not quite trancey of a feel, you should definitely check it out. The Studio Crashers mix is a solid club mix with that fits the vocals and track as a whole.
   
3. The Veronicas - Untouched (Napack - Dangerous Muse Remix)
   If you're paying attention, you're noticing a pattern by now -- I'm definitely a little on the pop side today. There are four main remixes for Untouched: Eddie Amador, Napack - Dangerous Muse, Designer Drugs and Von Doom. The Eddie Amador feels a little heavy and plodding for my taste. The Designer Drugs mix features a lot of the electric guitar feeling that was part of the original release. I went with the Napack - Dangerous Muse mix because it has more of a mainstream club feel that flows well. Mainly a stylistic choice.
4. LeAnn Rimes - What I Cannot Change (Scotty K Klub Mix) & Good Friend and a Glass of Wine (Soul Seekerz Extended Mix)
   I'm not sure how much crossover appeal LeAnn Rimes has in the dance scene anymore. I doubt she'll find the kind of hit she had with Can't Fight the Moonlight or even a Suddenly. But LeAnn has had plenty of tracks adapted for the dance floor, so maybe she'll prove me wrong. What struck me most about this track is the interplay between Scotty K's instrumentation and LeAnn's vocals. They're a great fit and while the song isn't a smash hit, the combination of Scotty K and LeAnn make this worth a try. On the flip side, there's the Soul Seekerz' mix of Good Friend and a Glass of Wine. I love the Soul Seekerz and I enjoyed hearing them take on Ms. Rimes. If you like your LeAnn with a little bit of funk to it, check this one out.
5. Murk - Believe (Andrew Salsano & Danny Woo Remix)
   For those of you who like your music dark & melancholy and you've already got all the Offer Nissim tracks you can find, you can always count on Murk to give you what you like. This track reminds me a lot of some of the Star 69 tracks from 3-4 years ago -- like I Try by Made By Monkeys or Amuka's Appreciate Me. Nothing flashy, just dark and melancholy, Murk at it's murky best.