Friday, April 04, 2008

Baby, let me show you how to do na na na

Did I ever mention on here that a few months ago I got to watch that Jon documentary I wanted to see and mentioned a few times? I did (and can confirm that though it's in Danish it has the option of English subtitles)--and I thought it was really interesting (especially for someone like me who's so into pop and loves so many popstars who quickly rose to fame through a reality TV show). It certainly doesn't make him out to be some perfect person, but it's very...humanizing, and though there are times you want to shake him and get him to, say, stop being so stubborn, there are (more frequent) times when, given what he's going through and what he's saying, you just want to let him know everything'll be OK and find him a really good friend. I really am going to go into more detail about it eventually...but not today. Writing about Infernal has reminded me of a Jon song they remixed that I'm posting today. This song isn't Jon's only connection with Infernal: he's also the singer on (well, at least one version of) Infernal album track "Ultimate Control" (which I've written about before). Today's song, though, is technically a Musikk feat. John Rock (John Rock being an alias of Jon) track that was released as a single a few years ago. Jon's collaborated with Danish dance producers Musikk several other times: on another Musikk feat. John Rock track, a cover of "Love Changes Everything," and on the "Jon vs Musikk" remixes of Jon's songs "Every Girl I've Ever Wanted" and "Falling."

Summer Lovin' (INF:RMX Radio Edit)--the song opens just with Jon's voice (albeit enhanced to echo around), but pretty quickly very Infernal-esque electronic beats come in (you'll know exactly what I'm referring to when you hear them). Those beats take what, in its original version, was a nice summery beachy dance song and make it pounding and intimidating and, even though those electro beats couldn't be more pure, kind of dirty--a lot like "Ultimate Control," actually, which is probably why I love this remix so much. If the original mix takes you to a sunshine-filled beach, the Infernal remix gets you alternating between the center of the dancefloor and some dark and dirty corner of the club. I know I've said it before, but Jon's voice is so fantastic for this kind of dance music--well, music in general, but I literally cannot get enough of it over these kinds of beats.

You can buy the Musikk feat. John Rock single "Summer Lovin'" (which has a bunch of remixes) here (physical) or here (digital). It's also available on iTunes here.

(Also, I need to take a moment to curse DSTP for introducing me to Jon--it's cost me way too much money!)

Next up: maybe that Belgian singer.

2 comments:

Myfizzypop said...

blimey you've been busy and i love it. I'm excited for some new Infernal material...what with that and new BWO songs out this week, it's going to be an iPod filled time. I tracked down some more Jon songs and have watched a bit of the documentary so far. I really am enjoying both. I may even be liking it more than Gareth Gates kitchen in his documentary a couple of years back... I think it must be really difficult to be hugely famous very quickly and then have the pressure of keeping that level of fame because everyone will label you a failure the moment you don't go top five...

Poster Girl said...

Paul, I had COMPLETELY forgotten the BWO album was out this coming week! I'm so glad you said something!

I think you're exactly right--and I know it's easy to cynically say, "oh, poor them, they're rich and famous, what tough lives they lead" (sarcastically), but for the kids--and that's what so many people who win these contests are--who suddenly become famous overnight--well, some of them just aren't...mature enough to know what to do when suddenly everything and anyone is open to them. And then when you do "return to Earth," when your career is no longer so stratospheric, not only do you no longer have amazing perks of fame, you also have to face the fact that you've got a good chance of being mocked and harassed, and at the least not taken seriously, wherever you go. I know I've not said anything new there, but the documentary does such a good job at capturing that, at providing moments that really stick with you and exemplify that, that it's worth watching.

Don't get me wrong--I still enjoy shows like these and the music of many people off of them. It's just a reminder that maybe we shouldn't always be so harsh on the contestants...

(And yes, I realize you can say they should have known what they were getting into, but I don't know if people really do get what it's like before they experience--CERTAINLY the people from that first generation or two of reality TV shows didn't, because no one knew how successful they'd be.)