Episode #51 - Melo

Back once again with the renegade master DJ Cruze! Episode #51 of the DJ Cruze Podcast finally drops onto your iPod (or other MP3 player obviously!) How did I manage to let this one slip so late into May? Life gets in the way sometimes! Sorry about that.

Don't worry though. This show is jam packed with the funkiest and chunkiest house music from my DJ box. Starting the show this week we've got the awesome Deadmau5 remix of Calvin Harris' "I'm Not Alone". You've obviously heard the original, given that it's one of the biggest cross over pop-dance tracks of the moment, but Deadmau5 gives it his trademark groove and brings us something a little more laid back. I'm loving the vocoded vocals on this one. I went to see Deadmau5 at Manchester Academy last weekend and if you get the chance to see him live then do so. The man's got far too much energy given that he's wearing a mouse head!

Big tunes are the order of the day in this show as next up is the big track "Leave The World Behind" from the Swedish House Mafia and their honourary Dutch member Laidback Luke. Chunky house music with a big old piano breakdown. Lovely! Next up is the Eric Prydz track "Lift" which harks back to the old anthems of the 90s. Large! Then a cheeky remake of "Bucci Bag" from Vandalism with Ian Carey on his electro-house remix tip. I've always loved the vocal on this track and I think Ian does it justice.

Next up is a DJ Cruze exclusive with my Funkfinders Electroid remix of DJ D & Will Dawson's new track "Do It Tonight". I've not heard the original track and I was only given one sample to work with so I think I've taken a disco cut-up house track and moved it over into electro house territory. Let me know what you think in the comments below. After that we've got the big new David Guetta track "When Love Takes Over". A huge tune which features Kelly Rowland on vocals. Expect this one to hit the charts in the next few weeks. Coming in after that we've got a cheeky house track from German Wunderkind Wolfgang Gartner. His track "Push & Rise" takes us towards Daft Punk with it's pitch-corrected vocals. Does anyone else think the electric pianos have undertones of Supertramp too? Or perhaps I'm just old enough to remember them!

Phonat then rocks the mix with his heavy hitter "Set Me Free" on The Young Punx Mofo Hifi label. It's part hands in the air anthem, part rave track, part fidget house, part cut-up disco and is all mashed together to gives us a wicked house track which transcends traditional boundaries. Phonat is a genius producer who I'd advise you all to keep a close eye on. He's going to blow the cobwebs off dance music this year! Next up is one of the biggest tracks at the moment for me. Eric Prydz gives us another anthem with his track "Melo". He just knows how to produce emotional house tracks. I can imagine dancing to this on the beach by Bora Bora. Awesome!

The DJ Cruze Classic this month is a great old track from 1993 by Deadly Sins called "We Are Going On Down". It's got a great remix from Bottom Dollar who were two awesome producers from the North-West of England. Their hands graced many a fantastic remix during the 90s. This track gives us chanting vocals, breakbeats and a big synth-stabbed breakdown. What more could you ask for in a classic house track?!

So enjoy this month's show and don't forget to comment below and tell me what you think of the tunes.

Original picture by Sheila Blige, used under Creative Commons licence.