Dance Fever

D'ya ever get a craving for something you normally find distasteful? I do. It's my fundmentally bi-polar nature I think, that or I'm just fickle. All day I've had an unmistakeable urge to hear...dance music.

I'm not a dancer, by any stretch of the imagination, and techno music usually give me a rash. I like the physicality of rock music, the sound of strings and muscle and wind, even compressed to death and distorted it sounds physical and organic, which I can respect. Techo music has sounds and beats, that's it. It's tough for me to find the talent involved, especially since it all seems so similar, like variations on the same theme (theme being car-alarm-set-to-pounding-fake-drums).

However urges like today hit me frequently, when my head bobs all by itself and I find myself dancing in place at work. In order to save my musical sanity, I've had to develop a dance playlist, and since I'm all about public service, I've decided to share my favorite 10 dance/techno songs, in no particular order-

1- "Impressive Instant" by Madonna- Not one of Ms. Ciccone's hits, but track 2 on "Music" is a bleeping, pulsing masterpiece, artifice as art.

2- "No Expectations" by I Am The World Trade Center- Techno with dry, indie-rock vocals, absolutely lovely.

3- "Ghettochip Malfuncton" by Beck- Actually a remix of "Hell Yes", but it is so vastly superior to the original, that it should have replaced it on future pressings of the "Guero" album. It's kinda sexy.

4- "Let Your Head Go" by Victoria Beckham- Yes, Posh Spice. What of it? It's ridiculously catchy and she's got the icy, breathy techno diva vocal tics down pat.

5- "Bizarre Love Triangle" by New Order- Ah, the boys (and girl) from Manchester. Really, any of their mid-80's singles would do, but this is my favorite.

6- "2nd Floor" by The Creatures- Siouxsie's drums/vocals side project took a decidedly techno turn on the "Anima Animus" album, and this is the best and most uptempo track.

7- "Master and Servant" by Depeche Mode- All my black-clad friends in junior high loved this S & M anthem, and it's still one of my faves when I'm in the mood for a trip down memory lane

8- "Sex Dwarf" by Soft Cell- Another creepy, sexy masterpiece.

9- "Teardrop" by Massive Attack- Ornate and slow, with beautiful vocals by Liz Fraser from Cocteau Twins, not really dancey, but sort of trip-hoppy.

10- "Roads" by Portishead- Totally gorgeous, bluesy voice, heavily echoed guitars and a slowed down dance beat. Totally glorious.