The Hot 3 - August 2010

Some very exciting things are brewing with The Hot 3. In the next few weeks or so, you should notice some significant upgrades. I'm not talking just your standard Persian nose job type of change. I'm talking Heidi Montag, 13 plastic surgeries, and people wondering if you are still Heidi or some blonde member of the Addams Family. The Hot 3 is going on human growth hormone. And we're not stopping until our head is the size of Barry Bonds's. Very exciting stuff. Stay tuned devoted fans.

And now, to that super duper duper super hottie, The Hot 3 - August 2010. Drumroll please....

When I want to hear a song that just gets me moving, I need look no further than the Shapeshifters' "Helter Skelter." Some dance tracks require two, three, maybe four listens before catching on. This track takes no more than one. The first time I heard it, I was in love. You might remember the Shapeshifters from their 2004 jam Lola's Theme. The UK house duo hits it big with this 2010 release that is in heavy rotation in Ibiza. If there, you could find the Shapeshifters at their summer residency at Pacha.

1. Helter Skelter - The Shapeshifters

WIth play on over 100 compilations, the next Hot 3 track is certifiably massive. Brought to you by Swiss DJ, Remady, "No Superstar" was released in the US on the Ultra label at the end of 2009. It has been in heavy airplay in clubs this summer, and has put both the producer and the vocalist, Manu-L, on The Hot 3 radar screen. Its house composition makes the track less of an anthem and more of a catchy, beat driven, can't-get-it-out-of-your-head winner.

2. No Superstar (Full Vocal Mix) - Remady

Finally, an American-style dance track. The most popular dance hits in the States usually come in the form of pop, R&B, or Hip-Hop tracks remixed by DJs for the weekend club-goers who want to hear something familiar, yet dance-y. Sirius satellite radio partially promotes this style of music by playing songs from Britney Spears, Robyn, and Katy Perry all against the backdrop of a dance beat.

Although not my favorite type of dance music, there is merit to this approach. Dance music in the US is often looked down upon as if it were the blind, deaf, mute red-headed step-child of music. For many, the idea of a dance track is just a lot of "oonce oonce oonce."

Furthermore, there are no simple categories for dance music. Between house, trance, techno, jungle, drum and bass, breakbeat, hardcore, even dance music aficionados have a hard time categorizing songs. Most people think the whole genre is called techno, which it is not.

So to stay clear from all of that confusion and negative connotation, it might make sense for some to take popular songs and remix them to achieve "dance music." The problem is that for many devoted dance music fans, this style can be cheesy and too pop-ish. It would be like calling Kenny G's music jazz to Miles Davis and John Coltrane. They would laugh you out of the building.

There are some tracks, however, that hit the mark. The Riddler remix of Shontelle's "Impossible" is one of them. The original is a typical ballad-style R&B take on love. Nothing remarkable. The remix, however, by the Chicago DJ whose real name is Richard Pangilinan is a driving dance track that takes the vocals and transforms the track to a uniquely house-genre, dance hit. Nothing like putting the vocals of a Barbados-born singer on the dance beats of a Filipino-American DJ. The United Nations, welcome to dance music.

3. Impossible (Riddler Remix) - Shontelle

And, now, your *Gotta Have It* selection for the month. Because sometimes three just ain't enough.

1. Tarantula - Pleasurekraft -- the song really begins at the 3:15 mark. For my Persian peeps, Pleasurekraft is the duo of Kaveh Soroush and Kolle Ronngardh.

2. Move Move - Robbie Rivera/Rooster & Peralta

3. One Night in Havana - DJ Chus ft Gonzalez and Gonzalo

4. Whoomp There It Is (Housecat Mix) - Doodge & Viper ft. Tag Team -- great trip down memory lane on a legitimate dance remix.

5. Chase The Sun - David Tort and Norman Doray -- fantastic remake of the 2001 hit by Planet Funk. Shades of Ibiza in my mind.

6. The End - Pryda -- One of Eric Prydz's pseudonyms. Vaguely resembles a Middle Eastern beat. Not really, but close enough to get on this guy's *Gotta Have It*. If we could get more cool Persian, Arabic, South Asian beats on tracks, it would be massive. I'm already going on record as saying that if Iranians started making trance music with heavy Persian influences, we should call it Tehrance. You heard it here first.

7. Souk - Jay C and Felix Baumgartner or Les Djinns (Trentemoller Remix) - Djuma Soundsystem -- these two tracks are very similar as Souk is essentially a remake of the 2007 hit Les Djinns. So, listen to both and tell me which one you prefer.

As always, keep the suggestions coming. I love hearing from you and knowing what YOU are listening to.

Keep dancin',

Reza