Bounce (feat. Kelis)

Song: Bounce (feat. Kelis)
Artist: Calvin Harris
Album: Bounce





So in keeping with possible songs of the summer that don't have a chance at becoming so, I will double-down with another track that has the word "bounce" in it... the new Calvin Harris single... "Bounce." (!!!) I was pleasantly surprised that Mr. Harris was working on new material so soon after his excellent sophomore album, "Ready for the Weekend" from 2009, and yet... so much has changed since then in pop music, and maybe he's just trying to strike while the oven is hot, given how he's recently been ripped off...

When "I'm Not Alone," the big trance-tastic first single from his eagerly awaited sophomore album was released, I was surprised at how un-pop it was.  I loved the song, but felt that Harris was so close to writing a pop dance track from his debut, that that is what he was going for with the next record.  Well, "Alone" was a bit of a misnomer, as subsequent singles had his own brand of electro-pop all over them. (Title track, "Flashback," & "You Used to Hold Me.")  Despite these tracks being killer and on constant rotation through my ears, he didn't break through here in the States.

But American producers were listening, as we saw Chris Brown lift the open of "You Used to Hold Me" and then add a very similar hook to "Alone" for his single "Yeah 3x" as well as pop group JLS, who seem to straight-up sample "Alone" on their single "Eyes Wide Shut." (none were by permission btw)  So Harris has taken his sound, grabbed new-to-dance-pop queen Kelis, and come up with "Bounce."  I loved Kelis' recent album "Flesh Tones," and her voice works perfectly within Calvin's production.  I must say at initial listen I wasn't blown away like I was with "I'm Not Alone," nor the instant pop bliss of  "Ready for the Weekend," but it's still been on repeat, and once that simple synth/piano rift gets into your head... you're stuck.

Harris first put out another track from his third album, due sometime this year, an instrumental called "Awooga," which is all hard beats with another simplistic but totally mind-numbing riff.  He's a master!  Can't wait to hear more from this, but in the meantime... I'll be playing "Bounce" everywhere.

Enjoy.

Bounce

Awooga

I'm Not Alone