Sunday 4 November 2007

Cheers, Dannii! You're Perfection.

Today is a glorious occasion for Dannii fans around the globe. The 5th of November 2007 will go down in history as the day that Dannii foisted her unreleased material on the buying public and proved that her scrapped crap is still better than any new pop music released this year. I'm waiting until my copy of "Unleashed" arrives in the post before reviewing that stunning masterpiece, so this post will focus on today's other new release - the amazing digital package known as "Club Disco".

I've been experiencing one long, screaming Dannii-gasm since downloading "Club Disco" this morning. I'm utterly overwhelmed by Dannii's incomparable musical genius. The previously unreleased tracks are phenomenal and the package provides an intriguing glimpse into the 2005 album that was scrapped in favour of "The Hits & Beyond". After listening to "Club Disco" a couple of times, I have no hesitation in saying that we missed out on one of the great pop albums of the decade when Dannii's first AATW album was abandoned. Here is my track by track review of "Club Disco":

1. Feel Like I Do - 10/10

The B-side to "So Under Pressure" is a sublime slice of dance-pop and certainly ranks as one of my favourite Dannii songs. A perfect opening track.

2. Perfection (Extended Version) - 9/10

The second single from "The Hits & Beyond" lives up to its title but there are better mixes of the track than this extended version. Fabulous, nonetheless.

3. You Won't Forget About Me (Radio Edit) - 8/10

Dannii's most recent top 10 hit is one of my least favourite singles but works nicely as an album track.

4. Love Fight - 7/10

I'm in awe of Dannii's songwriting ability. Who else could write such an upbeat, catchy anthem about domestic violence? Unfortunately, Dannii's visionary lyrics are let down by some of the worst production to emerge from AATW (and that's saying something!)

5. I'm Sorry - 9/10

The first new/unreleased song on "Club Disco" is stunning. Written by two alumni of Max Martin's famed Cheiron studio, "I'm Sorry" positively throbs with energy. This poptastic floorfiller should have been a single.

6. Gone - 9/10

One of the best beyond tracks on "The Hits & Beyond", "Gone" has lost none of its sparkle. Top notch dance-pop.

7. So Under Pressure (Album Version) - 10/10

Dannii's haunting ode to Kylie's cancer battle redefined the bounds of dance music. Never before has such moving subject matter been accompanied by such a wicked beat. Utterly majestic.

8. Good Times (Remix) - 7/10

A rather pointless remix, which fails to improve on the original. I wish they had left this one alone.

9. Sunrise - 7.5/10

Another "Hits & Beyond" album track. Originally one of my least favourite AATW offerings, "Sunrise" has grown on me immensely. The song loses a point for reminding me of Kylie's vile "Rendezvous At Sunset" every time I listen to it.

10. He's The Greatest Dancer - 9.5/10

Fuck off, haters! Dannii's #37 smash hit is epic and the LMC edit remains a triumph. Only Holidannii could improve on Sister Sledge.

11. I Can't Sleep At Night - 10/10

The best non-single from "The Hits & Beyond" - everything about this gorgeous anthem is exquisite. The production is excellent, the lyrics are saucy and Dannii's voice is butter! Throw in the brilliant Afterlife remixes and smutty video and you have one of the best singles never released.

12. I Will Come To You - 9/10

The second new/unreleased track isn't as instant as "I'm Sorry" but it's just as good. Penned by Nine Woodford and Rob Davis, "I Will Come To You" is surprisingly dark and moody. The intro is slightly jarring but the chorus is gorgeous. I particularly love the lyric "you are my home and home is where the heart is". This could be a real grower.

13. I've Been Waiting For You - 7/10

The B-side to "Perfection" is Dannii by the numbers. Decent filler.

14. Round The World - 8/10

A collaboration with Terry "Tezza" Ronald and Ian Masterson, "Round The World" is a burst of old school Dannii - unfortunately it's not the best example of what this fabulous trio can achieve. "Round The World" isn't awful by any means, it just sounds half finished. I love the throbbing guitar line but I have a feeling this was a work in progress. A treat for fans.

15. Do You Believe Me Now (With Roger Sanchez) - 10/10

Dannii's much anticipated collaboration with Roger Sanchez is superb. This sunny dance anthem is so much sweeter than I expected. The lyrics are cute and Dannii sounds more lovely than ever - if that's even possible! I love the male backing vocals in the breakdown. The mid-tempo pace is also a great introduction to the lounge tracks that follow. Well worth the wait!

16. Xanadu - 10/10

I've been eagerly awaiting Dannii's version of Olivia Newton-John's 80s classic since Dannii first announced that she had covered it. The original is one of my favourite tracks of all time and I was prepared to be sorely disappointed by this cover. I should have had more faith in Dannii's infinite musical wisdom because her "Xanadu" completely re-constructs the song, creating something wonderfully new and different. Dannii's "Xanadu" is a sparse, dark and languid piece of electro brilliance that deserves to be heard.

17. You Won't Forget About Me (Afterlife Lounge Mix) - 9/10

Afterlife should be contractually obliged to provide a lounge remix of every Dannii single! I much prefer this sultry mix of "You Won't Forget About Me" to the original. Perfect chill out music.

18. I Can't Sleep At Night (Afterlife Lounge Mix) - 10/10

This is Afterlife's finest moment and one of Dannii's best ever remixes. The lush instrumentation is a thing of beauty. A perfect way to finish off a truly magnificent album.


"Club Disco" is available to download from today. MP3s have already appeared on the usual websites but do the right thing and purchase "Club Disco" from AATW's digital music store here. Just think, you could be helping to fund Dannii's next boozy, sex filled trip to Ibiza - and that can only be a good thing. "Club Disco" comes with 4 free music videos and is very highly recommended.

11 comments:

Peibols said...

I can't wait to download it!

Dannii deserves an NGO, so she could come to Spain and relax in Ibiza (now the island is empty).

Xanadu seems really good.

Mike said...

I think Spain should give Ibiza to Dannii to say thank you for all the free publicity!

Xanadu is great because it's so different. If it was a straight forward cover, I don't think it would have worked as well. And I love lounge Dannii - I want a chill out album from Dannii next!

Peibols said...

Actually, people from Ibiza is asking for changes in our language like:

Ibiza -- Ibiizza
Spaniard -- Danniard
Spanish (as language) -- Danniish
the Euro (as coin) -- Danielluro

Our goverment is working hard on it.
And Beyond.

Anonymous said...

LOL @ your He's The Greatest Dancer love! You might be alone in that opinion...

Club Disco is truly another $ucce$$ for our favourite lezza! I hope I've helped funding her next strip club trip by buying it...

Mike said...

I'm totally going to learn Danniish! How does one say - "I need anoher drink and the address of the nearest strip club?"

Tommie - HTGD is LOVE! I don't care what anyone says...

Anonymous said...

I'm loving the new tracks! Do You Believe Me Now is wonderful. The others are still growing on my like a Dannii-fueled fungus. Can't wait for my other CDs & DVD to arrive!

Anonymous said...

does the club disco download come with covers front and back .

Anonymous said...

I am syncing it to my iPod as we speak! I can't wait to hear it!

And the Dannii releases were delayed here! They were all supposed to be out on Friday yet nowhere nearby ahd them even today (and I had them ordered in my local HMV and everything!) - I had to go up North and they only had the Video Colletion!

Mike said...

MF - Do You Believe Me Now is gorgeous. I really can't believe that quality material like that was overlooked in favour of Love Shit and Good Times. What the fuck?

Anon - You can download the cover here:

http://poptrashaddicts.blogspot.com/2007/11/minogue-mania-other-tid-bits.html

but I don't think it has a back cover. If it does, it didn't come with my downloads.

Jay - I got an e-mail saying my Dannii goodies are in the post! I'm so excited, I'll probably fall into some kind of Dannii coma when everything arrives!!

Jump! said...

I can't wait to sit down and listen to Club Disco w/o interruption. Im surprised to hear the dislike of Kylie's "rendezvous at sunset" which I thought was great. Oh well.

Dannii has so much amazing stuff unreleased or scrapped I'm surprised by two things:

First- AATW couldn't put together an original album last year-instead tacking tracks onto a greatest hits collection?

Second- How the hell did some of the released stuff make the cut over the amazing shit that was passed up?

Dannii probably will go into retirement after all the work she's been doing this month.


I can only think the creative team at AATW was just so under pressure they couldnt think straight.

Mike said...

I think AATW got cold feet and decided they might get more band for their buck by churning out a GH. Boy, were they wrong! The album would have been amazing. I've been a bit critical of some of Dannii's AATW output but their unreleased material is brilliant!

I have no idea how songs like Sunrise, Good Times and Love Fight made The Hits & Beyond over brilliance like I'm Sorry, I Will Come To You and Do You Believe Me Now. It's a mystery!