Aaliyah
Since I'm desperate for music these days, I've started poking through my sister's CD case and have rediscovered Aaliyah. There's a couple of songs on her last album that I've fallen in love with- not so much for the content or whatever, but for their danceablility.
"We Need A Resolution" is great for port de bras. It's got this really nice scaling saxophone (I think- something that sounds similar to me, anyway, but I don't play anything , so I'm not sure) in the background, tempered by a toned down beat. Throw in the acutal vocalizations, and you've got something that's awesome for adagio and arm work, with a little edge. There are little dinging notes in the background of the rap, too, which makes the rap a nice section to pick up footwork a bit, with little piques or something.
"Loose Rap"... OMFG I LOVE THIS. I don't think I would use this for ballet so much, unless it was barre work- plies and grand plies, maybe. No, this song is made for... um... I don't know how to refer to it. Not quite grinding, but definitely close dancing- i.e., it comes on the radio and you grab your significant other and start dancing around the living room or kitchen. It's got this kind of rolling sound going on, which would work with a few Latin steps, merengue maybe... yay for dances that involve hip movements. Plus the lyrics are killer.
"Read Between The Lines" is so damn edgy. This one is also perfect for any kind of Latin dancing, because it's very passionate with a staccato piano and horn section background. Plus it has maracas and things. It's good for a close, flirty hip hop too; or something close and filled with tension if you want to work with the lyrics.
"I Refuse" is probably my favorite song on this album. It's very defiant, but it starts out slow, with a beautiful, haunting piano background. Then a guitar and strings get added, and the beat picks up- but it's an odd one, kind of an echoing clapping sound. Aaliyah's voice is exceptionally pretty in this one, and there's lots of breathy background lyrics. The song gets progressively more strident with the orchestrations, and in the middle they add a subtle electric guitar. The hook drops back to just the piano and guitar for a minute before adding a clarinet followed up by a whole woodwind section. Then they drop the whole thing for a very striking section with the whole orchestra and OMG tympanies! (I love tympanies. So much. Big drums make me happy.) The whole thing is very moving, ending with a pretty guitar riff and the piano. It's perfect for classical ballet... you can start out small with delicate, affecting footwork and then move into bigger steps. There's room for pirouettes and fouettes, arabesques, and even big leaps towards the end. The end is soft enough to return to the choreography from the beginning, which would tie the whole thing up nicely. It kind of reminds me of blueice20. Classical music and these lyrics... it mirrors his strength and occasional sadness.
The rest of the album is okay. It's stuff I would use for background music while doing other things, like rearranging my bookshelf or doing laundry. And it has the adverse side affect of making me miss my Alicia Keys CD's.
"We Need A Resolution" is great for port de bras. It's got this really nice scaling saxophone (I think- something that sounds similar to me, anyway, but I don't play anything , so I'm not sure) in the background, tempered by a toned down beat. Throw in the acutal vocalizations, and you've got something that's awesome for adagio and arm work, with a little edge. There are little dinging notes in the background of the rap, too, which makes the rap a nice section to pick up footwork a bit, with little piques or something.
"Loose Rap"... OMFG I LOVE THIS. I don't think I would use this for ballet so much, unless it was barre work- plies and grand plies, maybe. No, this song is made for... um... I don't know how to refer to it. Not quite grinding, but definitely close dancing- i.e., it comes on the radio and you grab your significant other and start dancing around the living room or kitchen. It's got this kind of rolling sound going on, which would work with a few Latin steps, merengue maybe... yay for dances that involve hip movements. Plus the lyrics are killer.
"Read Between The Lines" is so damn edgy. This one is also perfect for any kind of Latin dancing, because it's very passionate with a staccato piano and horn section background. Plus it has maracas and things. It's good for a close, flirty hip hop too; or something close and filled with tension if you want to work with the lyrics.
"I Refuse" is probably my favorite song on this album. It's very defiant, but it starts out slow, with a beautiful, haunting piano background. Then a guitar and strings get added, and the beat picks up- but it's an odd one, kind of an echoing clapping sound. Aaliyah's voice is exceptionally pretty in this one, and there's lots of breathy background lyrics. The song gets progressively more strident with the orchestrations, and in the middle they add a subtle electric guitar. The hook drops back to just the piano and guitar for a minute before adding a clarinet followed up by a whole woodwind section. Then they drop the whole thing for a very striking section with the whole orchestra and OMG tympanies! (I love tympanies. So much. Big drums make me happy.) The whole thing is very moving, ending with a pretty guitar riff and the piano. It's perfect for classical ballet... you can start out small with delicate, affecting footwork and then move into bigger steps. There's room for pirouettes and fouettes, arabesques, and even big leaps towards the end. The end is soft enough to return to the choreography from the beginning, which would tie the whole thing up nicely. It kind of reminds me of blueice20. Classical music and these lyrics... it mirrors his strength and occasional sadness.
The rest of the album is okay. It's stuff I would use for background music while doing other things, like rearranging my bookshelf or doing laundry. And it has the adverse side affect of making me miss my Alicia Keys CD's.