Benassi Bros
by Bradley Stern
filed under: Album Review, Benassi Bros, Madonna, Martin Solveig, The Demolition Crew, William Orbit

20120323 pictures madonna mert alas marcus piggott mdna booklet 20 Madonna   MDNA (Album Review)

Madonna‘s ascent to the throne as the Queen of Pop (which began roughly 20 years ago give or take, depending on which articles you read), happened as a result of her ability to reinvent herself as an artist, challenging taboos regarding gender and sexuality via the appropriation of underground cultural phenomenons and entertaining the world over with her extraordinary talent as a live performer. She also knocked out a decent song or two.

The reality, though, is that her latest studio album MDNA–the twelfth of her career overall–is not about reinvention: It’s about reclamation.

After just under three years spent behind the director’s camera of W.E.–her take on the romance between Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII–the Queen of Pop found herself going stir crazy, having spent months researching, writing and splicing pieces of her movie together in the editing room. (Or more likely, bossing around some poor schlub to carry out her demands.)

Coupled with a highly publicized divorce after 8 years from director Guy Ritchie in late 2008–a (somewhat) surprisingly still-raw subject that largely weaves itself throughout her latest record–Madonna’s current mantra du jour is best captured in her new album’s most defining lyric: “I need to dance.”

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by Bradley Stern
filed under: Benassi Bros, Benny Benassi, Dhany, Naan, Sannie Carlson, Whigfield

08a1377d03be8025c3629299f8e6f935 Benassi Bros: Rocket in the Sky

A late night treat for all my Muusers: Whether it’s the weed, the E, or perhaps a shallow glass of Merlot helping you to settle into a long night’s slumber, I’ve got just the thing to make sure you’ve traveled far, far into dreamworld.

Enter Benny Benassi, notable DJ behind many of today’s hottest club mixes and mashes. Back in 2005, the Italian producer teamed up with his cousin Alle under the monniker Benassi Bros. to release …Phobia, a sublime collection of trance hits that will one day be given a proper review here at MuuMuse as a result of its complete and utter brilliance.

From that album came several singles including “Rocket in the Sky,” released on May 16, 2006. For whatever reason, the song was re-recorded with dance artist Dhany for the single’s release, upping the pitch of the original and somewhat ruining the timeless feel of the track. Accordingly, we will not bother ourselves with that rendition.

Instead we will appreciate the original version, written and recorded by Danish singer Sannie Carlson (also known as Whigfield and on this record as Naan).

For many years now (okay, roughly three), “Rocket in the Sky” has provided the perfect infinite white noise for me during the night hours–often I’ll even wind up falling asleep to the pulsating throb of …Phobia (is that weird?) There’s something altogether entrancing and lulling about the space-age production coupled with the vocoded-to-death vocals–enough to make me crave the song long after I first stumbled onto the album.

I hope you all enjoy this one as much as I do.

DL: Benassi Bros – Rocket In The Sky (featuring Naan)




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