This week in dance music: we were at Madison Square Garden for the much-hyped (and rightly so) show from Skrillex, Four Tet and Fred Again.., we ranked all the songs on Madonna’s clubbiest album Ray Of Light, Daft Punk announced an extended edition of their 2013 classic Random Access Memories, six Rihanna songs entered Hot Dance/Electronic Songs following her Super Bowl halftime show performance and we spoke with Channel Tres about kicking his addictions and entering a new phase of life and artistry.
That’s a lot, but there is, in fact, more. Let’s dig in.
The Blessed Madonna feat. The Joy, “Shades of Love”
Following previous singles “Serotonin Moonbeam” and “We Still Believe,” The Blessed Madonna is back with another dopamine delivery in the form of her newest song, “Shades of Love.” Another homage to the roots of club culture, “Shades” is an instant transport to house heaven with its ringing bells, rolling piano-key melodies and synth lines fizzing with zest for life. At its center, South African group The Joy bring gorgeous harmonies and lyrics of encouragement: “Like the sun through the rainbow/ In the light/ You can glow/ Never forget that.”
“‘Shades of Love’ is about the one thing that we all truly share in common as humans. We need to be loved,” writes The Blessed Madonna. “That might be a different kind of love for every person but it’s still love and it’s what ties us together.” — KRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ
Everything But the Girl, “Caution to the Wind”
The much-anticipated comeback from the U.K. duo gets steamier with “Caution to the Wind,” a contemplative slow burn come hither. The track is the second single from the duo’s Fuse, coming April 21. “Lyrically, ‘Caution To The Wind’ is a simple song about arrival and seizing the moment,” says EBTG’s Tracey Thorn, “so with the music we tried to capture the feeling of a perpetual point in time.”
“I let the words quickly collapse and loop inside the production,” continues the group’s Ben Watt. “The drums emerge and repeat, and everything then starts to unfold in cycles of anticipation and release. I guess it’s just classic nightclub tension and euphoria.” — KATIE BAIN
Barry Can’t Swim, “Sunsleeper”
For nearly a year, Barry Can’t Swim has soundtracked some of our tenderest and most introspective moments with his music, a delicate blend of textures and softened rhythms, found in songs such as “Like the Old Days” and “Sonder.” But now it’s time to get back to dancing.
To start his 2023, the London-based producer has released a new single, “Sunsleeper,” which marks his debut on Ninja Tune. (Previously, he appeared on their Technicolour imprint.) Barry channels the power of the titular star to create a song that’s positively beaming in its dazzling percussion, euphoric vocals and gilded piano riffs, while still maintaining his key tenderness and intricacy. “Sunsleeper” is fun, fresh and balmy — festival season will surely come calling its name.
“It’s been a while since I’ve written a tune like this, pure party energy,” says Barry. “Stylistically it’s like the cousin of [my track] ‘Blackpool Boulevard,’ but with a Spanish vocal sample layered over it to bring even more warmth and energy. I wanted this to be the first release of the year — it’s all the core emotions of my sound, but bigger. And that’s what this year is about.”
Indeed, this year is already shaping up quite nicely for Barry. He heads stateside next month for a short tour, with dates in Austin, San Francisco, L.A. and Florida’s Okeechobee festival. — K.R.
Ric Wilson, Chromeo & A-Trak, “Pay It No Mind”
Nothing says “hell yes, it’s Friday” like some feel-good funk, and this new Ric Wilson, Chromeo and A-Trak collaboration “Pay It No Mind” is the feel-goodin’est tune this side of disco paradise.
“Pay It No Mind” sees the Chicago rapper drip carefree honey-dipped bars over a golden-sunset groove by world-renown DJ-producer A-Trak and his brother Dave-1’s band. That super cool robot voice singing on the hook? That’s Dave-1’s partner P-Thugg giving this tune the ultimate Chromeo treatment. What’s even sweeter? It sounds like there’s a whole album coming soon, based on what A-Trak said in this Instagram caption.
“In the summer of 2020 during lockdown, I got connected to @ricwilsonisme (s/o @rrstampede),” A-Trak writes. “Loved his music right away, and loved that he was rapping over funk tracks while also talking about serious subject matters like social justice and activism. Come to find out he’s an actual organizer based in Chicago. I remember thinking about how the architects of funk music (James Brown, P-Funk, Sly etc) were also making political music. This felt super pertinent to what was going on in the world too. I played his music to @dave1 and he said ‘let’s do a project with him!’ So Ric came over to @chromeo’s Private Sector studio (remember doing covid tests before studio sessions?) and we got to work with @peethugg. We continued to link up and eventually we had a full project on our hands. CLUSTERFUNK is really Ric’s vision; @chromeo and I just tried to tailor a soundscape for him to do what he does and show how unique he is.” – KAT BEIN
MK & Dom Dolla, “Rhyme Dust”
After going hella viral on Tiktok, MK and Dom Dolla’s deliciously groovy “Rhyme Dust” is officially out via MK’s own Area10 Records. Based on a steady, heavy beat and a synth wave that sounds a lot like the Twin Peaks theme, the track is a slice of undeniable tech house with a backstory as big as its kick. “We used to post stuff online to see if people liked it, and then if people like it you wrap it up, you finish it and you release it,” Dom Dolla recently told Dancing Astronaut. “We posted [this one] on TikTok to see what the vibe was…the internet ran away with it…but all the sudden the amount of hype and demand for the record to be release immediately was very intense.”
It was, however, Christmas time, so labels were closed and the guys were on tour. After waiting until the biz came back online, the guys each retooled their release schedules, got the sample (from Q-Tip’s 1999 “Breathe & Stop”) cleared, then rush delivered this rightfully very in demand heater. Thank you, internet. — K. Bain
Jayda G, “Circle Back Around”
Mark Twain famously said “write what you know,” and the same artistic approach applies for music. When a producer or musician opens their heart to their audience, deeply-personal stories resonate with the whole world. Jayda G’s “Circle Back Around” from her forthcoming LP, Guy, is a beautiful example of that technique made brilliant. The music video opens with a clip of her father, William Richard Guy, who passed when she was only 10 years old, speaking into a camera about his experience running from the cops as a young man. That story then becomes the foundation for G’s poetic lyrics and the movements of a dancer on screen.
The story continues to evolve, as we see her father return once again, explaining how he was diagnosed with a fatal disease and now films himself speaking to his family in order to cherish and preserve his life for decades to come. Now, that story becomes something we can all learn from, dance to and celebrate.
“I wanted the album to be a blend of storytelling, about the African American experience, death, grief and understanding,” G says. “It’s about my dad and his story, and naturally in part my story, too, but it’s also about so many people who wanted more for themselves and went on a search to find that. This album is just so much for people who have been oppressed and who have not had easy lives.” Guy is due out on Ninja Tune June 9th. We’re hooked already. – K. Bein