Stream Hip hop here (Spotify)
Buy Hip Hop here (Apple Music)
Read all of my Debbie Gibson (& related) remixes-from-the-vaults posts here
To understate it, 2020 has been a bit of a disappointment, hasn't it? The world has become a very different place and, at times, it can feel bleak and gloomy. The one bright spot that has kept me going is the creative endeavours of others - whether it be new music to lift my spirits or some of my favourite artists diving into the vaults to unleash long-lost gems. Debbie Gibson, for one, has been dusting off the Masters At Work mixes of some of her early 90s club hits (including One Step Ahead and Losin' Myself); her record label at the time has now also uncovered Chris Cuevas' 1991 single, Hip Hop and popped the M-A-W mix package on Spotify and Apple Music. What's the connection? Debbie co-wrote Hip Hop (with S. Andrew Zulla) for Chris' debut album Somehow, Someway. I'll confess that I bought young Mr Cuevas' album because of the Debbie Gibson connection - but soon came to appreciate that Chris was actually quite a savvy songwriter and performer in his own right. He wrote all remaining songs on the album, giving listeners a balance between sassy floor fillers and heartbreaking ballads. Think of him as Tommy Page with a bit of an edge...
Hip Hop was the album's second single and whilst it didn't exactly set the Billboard Hot 100 alight, it did find an audience in clubs all across the USA, ultimately reaching number 16 on the Dance Club chart. Produced by Jellybean, the song is an in-your-face bop all about the appeal of letting your inhibitions go and letting your best self be on the dance floor. Who hasn't fell hard for the allure of a commanding beat, letting the groove take over your body until it is almost like you have no control over your shimmy?! Chris was definitely keeping the NRG up on this song, his lower register in the verses and gruff quasi-rap moments giving the song a frisson of excitement that was palpable. The chorus soars thanks to diva-esque backing vocals. The House Mixes added clattering percussive rhythms to the song, bringing to mind Janet Jackson's Alright and Heavy D's Now That We Found Love. Meanwhile the Masters At Work Dub is largely instrumental, accentuating the synth bursts and enticing drum loops. They are just as sizzling now as they were nearly 30 years ago - well worth a listen. Because it don't mean a thing without that swing...
Top 25 songs of the week:
25 ~ Kylie, Say Something
24 ~ The Fizz, All We Ever Can Do (NE)
23 ~ Neon Trees, Used To Like (NE)
22 ~ Sabrina Carpenter, Let Me Move You
21 ~ Ava Max, Who's Laughing Now
20 ~ Erasure, Nerves of Steel
19 ~ Bright Light Bright Light, I Used To Be Cool
18 ~ The Go-Go's, Club Zero
17 ~ Jason Mraz ft Tiffany Haddish, You Do You
16 ~ Roxette, Let Your Heart Dance With Me
15 ~ Johnny Hates Jazz, New Day
14 ~ Delta Goodrem, Solid Gold
13 ~ Smith & Thell, Year Of The Young
12 ~ Gary Barlow, Elita
11 ~ Swayday, Disconnecting
10 ~ The Killers, My Own Soul's Warning
09 ~ Mariah Carey, Save The Day
08 ~ Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Crying At The Discotheque
07 ~ Dua Lipa, Levitating (Blessed Madonna Remix)
06 ~ Fly By Midnight ft Shoffy, Caffeine
05 ~ Beware The Bear ft Sean Smith, Wishing on The Water
04 ~ The Struts ft Robbie Williams, Strange Days
03 ~ Steps, What The Future Holds
02 ~ McFly, Tonight Is The Night
01 ~ Kylie, Magic (2 weeks)
Very cool track, That drum loop i know i've heard in many different club mixes still to this day.
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