Wednesday, 16 December 2009

• Top 10 International Club Bangers of the Decade

  (in chronological order)
  
  

  (the ten best songs from Non-America that had us dancing on couches)
  

  
  (according to me)
  
  "One More Time" Daft Punk, 2001
  
  At least one song by French house musicians Daft Punk had to be on the list. Their "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was heavily utilized in Kanye's 2007 powerhouse "Stronger," and I still vaguely remember the choreography from a 2002 Gap commercial featuring "Digital Love." But "One More Time" wins because of its sheer ubiquity and continued popularity to this day, as well as its celebratory lyrics which allow for a brief moment of pure, exuberant happiness before the night is done.
  
  "Mundian To Bach Ke" Panjabi MC, 2002
  
  I can't honestly remember a single dance club I've been to in the tri-state area that hasn't blasted British DJ Panjabi MC's 2002 "Mundian To Bach Ke" at some point in the night, although I can remember a time when it was only a few people busting out into frenetic, stomping and spinning bhangra; eight years later, I'm certain entire clubs have charted on the Richter scale immediately after this song came on.
  
  "Call on Me" Eric Prydz, 2004
  
  Swedish DJ Eric Prydz' 2004 track "Call on Me" has the least lyrics out of every song on this countdown (and in history?). There's not too much one can say about a song which can barely speak for itself except, maybe, just: listen, watch, enjoy.
  
  "Welcome to Jamrock" Damian Marley, 2005
  
  The legendary Bob Marley's son Damian's "Welcome to Jamrock" was released in 2005-the resurrected classic beat (Ini Kamoze's "World a Music") coupled with a righteous political message had millions the world over cruising down any given street bopping their heads and feeling like they were really part of something. *Jamaica Jamaica...*
  
  "Je Veux Te Voir" Yelle, 2005
  
  French singer/rapstress Yelle's 2005 "Je Veux Te Voir" not only has a bumping electronic beat but is also a massive diss to fellow French rapper Cuizinier of the band TTC, philosophizing on how bad he would be in bed, how untalented he is, and how she would love to laugh at him if he were in a porn flick. Apparently, he made fun of her because she used to be a hairdresser.
  
  "Everytime We Touch" Cascada, 2005
  
  Everytime I hear this song in a club I feel the static of ten thousand other partyers maniacally jumping alongside me, and the slow build up makes drunk biddies everywhere sensuously reach for the sky while waiting for the hardcore marching band beat and electronic chorus to kick back in. If you're not inebriated in any way, then the German artist Cascada's 2005 hit "Everytime We Touch" could probably be accompanied by a simple fist pump *HOLLA NJers!!*.
  
  "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit" Fedde Le Grand, 2006
  
  Dutch House DJ Fedde Le Grand's 2006 track "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit" was inspired by a vocal sample by an American artist, which possibly explains the majority of the lyrics of the unreasonably energizing song: "Put your hands up for Detroit-our lovely city!" As an American who's never been to Detroit or heard anyone, not even Detroit native Eminem, describe the city as "lovely," I can attest that were it not for this song's infectious backing track and hypnotic repetition, one might be seriously confused as to why or how this song came into existence. Thankfully it did though.
  
  "Paper Planes" M.I.A., 2007
  
  M.I.A., the Sri Lankan rapstress who grew up in England almost outrageously combined a guitar sample by The Clash with a chorus sung by children from Brixton, South London inspired by raunchy old school hip-hop to perfection on 2007's "Paper Planes." Despite having a years-old underground following, it was only in 2008 that this track truly exploded after having been the theme song of both Pineapple Express and Slumdog Millionaire (*and* soundtracking the commercial for Michael Moore's 2009 documentary Capitalism: A Love Story)-but it will forever be responsible for entire crowds tossing up gun fingers all over clubs across America.
  
  "Calabria" Enur Featuring Natasja, 2007
  
  Danish producer Enur's remix of "Calabria" featuring vocals by Danish rapstress Natasja blew up in late 2007, less than a year after Natasja's untimely death. To say her music would live on is an understatement as it is still being blasted on airwaves across America, continues being remixed for newer club versions, and even made its way to a Target commercial at some point.
  
  "Dance Wiv Me" Dizzee Rascal, 2008
  
  Many know Dizzee Rascal as a perpetrator of the "grime" scene, which is an urban style of music born of the inner cities of London. Grime culture has been reflected in the sometimes-funny music of Grime rapstress Lady Sovereign and parodied by Sasha Baron Cohen's character Ali G, but Dizzee's 2008 single "Dance Wiv Me," is pure clubbing and dancing love. Infinite e-props for the line "so I creep creep creep like TLC."
  
  Do you like these songs? What were your fave songs-national or international-of the past decade?
  

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