Each Friday, the CODE crew reviews their favorite dance tracks of the week. Listen to the cuts below, and see what Kerri, Zel, Jacob and Elissa have to say.
Lucas Nord featuring Tove Lo: “Run On Love (Radio Edit)”
The bright chords that open this tune, leading directly to Tove Lo’s Sia-like voice belie the sad meaning of this unsigned EDM jam summer gem. You can hear Lucas Nord’s Swedish-ness in the hooks – the catchiness of this tune is solidly Scandinavian. Just before you might write the whole thing off as a typical pop tune, the darkness washes over and the synths pound just enough to sink their Nordic claws into your soul; what you thought was hope was posthumous nostalgia. It’s just like a torrid ill-fated romance…or just maybe a Nordic summer. –Zel
Helix: “Track Titled 1” (Night Slugs)
When he’s not begging for weed money on Twitter or pinning his hair into a striking updo, Georgia-based producer and SIF Helix (a.k.a. Beau Thigpen) is actually making music. Last week, he returned to Night Slugs with his addition to the label’s “Club Constructions” series: Five tracks of expertly-composed percussion and sparse instrumentation. “Track Titled 1” stands out, as it bears all the hallmarks of a classic Thigpen production, form its stubbornly unimaginative name to the sputtering drum blasts that make for an arresting rhythm. –Elissa
Alex Sibley: “Trouble” (Intec)
Newcomer Sibley represents the generally house-focused ‘hood of San Francisco to the international techno community with a taut, percussive three-track EP for Carl Cox’s Intec. Title cut “Trouble” builds with phasing, skittering pads and frantically looped voices before busting out with a well-sprung kick drum that could carry a DJ set nicely into a house pass. –Kerri
Nervo: “Hold On” (Vicetone Remix) (EMI)
Nervo’s “Hold On” has been around for a while, but the latest remix pack, released earlier this week, breathes new life into the staid original. Vicetone’s take is the most innovative of the three included (others come from R3hab & Silvio Ecomo, and Dimension), preserving the relaxed undertones of Nervo’s original while adding enough big-room elements to make it dance floor friendly. Fred Falke’s version from the first remix package was previously considered the best of the bunch, but Vicetone’s added ‘oomph’ is much appreciated for late night listening. –Jacob