What's not to love about Dean Lennon? He's introduced me to some of my favourite music over the years (and does a mean hair cut). Now he's teamed up with producers/artist/songwriters/all round general sex symbols MuddyLoop on what may well be this year's most intoxicating dance track, Party's Over. What is rather brilliant about the track is that it manages to incorporate a whole shitload of musical influences, yet never feels like it's pandering to trends or that there is too much happening to make sense of it all. Elements of electronica, 80s glamour, nu-wave chic, dub step and a little bit of trip-hop permeate the track that doesn't so much as start as it does launch into existence with an alluring synth driven groove. Dean's delicious, vocoder-lite vocals step up as if emerging from the misty club haze of dry ice, from silohuette to reality with a wonderfully seductive tinge to his voice. He spins an enticing tale of a hedonistic lifestyle full of chemical stimulants, wild nights, strobing lights and crowded club life that can often seem giddy and heady at the time, but actually dulls the senses to reality. When Dean sings "You feel love when you're sober/you always need me when the party's over" it's as sweetly romantic yet far more real than any sentiment expressed in your average Whitney-esque ballad. What makes this track a real treat is the fine balance that has been perfected between unfiltered vocals and a living, breathing instrumental that responds intuitively to the lyrics. So many dance songs feel that a persistent, relentless beat all through the song is all that is needed - MuddyLoop prove that the music is as much part of the narrative as the lyrics are with brilliantly thought out production that ebbs and flows with the needs of the song. It makes for a sensuous, hypnotic track that - appropriately considering the lyrics - feels like it should be played in the 3am cool down part of the DJ set but actually sounds pretty darn amazing any time of the day or night. Dance music that you can get your teeth into - stunning stuff :) Listen to the track, devour and love.
(But wait! There's more! As an added bonus, there is another Dean fronted track on the MuddyLoop soundcloud page - Sex With Love! It's not quite a lyrical sequel to Party's Over, more of a spiritual sibling - talking of how easy it can be to confuse sex with love. It's no less enticing or mesmerising than Party's Over and once again a large part of the charm of the track is down to those relateable lyrics that bring into stark focus every lonely night you've had (and indeed the need for human contact - one can be equally as lonely when surrounded by a crowd of people). Haunting muted synths and intricately placed sound effects bring the song to life and provides a mechanical backdrop for the song that acts as the perfect mirror for the going-through-the-motions nature of the lyrics. MuddyLoop are certainly purveyors of fine, insightful dance music - and they've found a great companion vocalist with Dean Lennon).
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