Benjamin Kassel
What is the apocalypse in "Dance Apocalyptic"?
That's a question I've had recently as I've gotten to thinking about just one of Janelle Monáe's show-stopping numbers.
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Benjamin Kassel
- Mar 13, 2022
- 3 min
The irony and unity in hearing a crowd singing"Dancing On My Own"
Robyn's 2010s-defining hit is narratively unfitting such a response... but deep down, such an act really makes a lot of sense.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 25, 2022
- 5 min
"Inner Light" speaks to my anxious self in a re-emerging social climate
Elderbrook and Bob Moses' lyrically driven house production has been a personal anthem since I first heard it about half a year ago.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 22, 2022
- 5 min
"Digital Love" is my favorite electronic track of all time
...and I break it down today to pay tribute to the two robots with human souls who made it.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 12, 2022
- 5 min
"Intrasport" shouldn't work as well as it does, but I can't stop dancing to it
In complete King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard style, its weirdness only makes it better.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 6, 2022
- 3 min
"Say Nothing" does all the talking itself
Flume's new release is chock-full of fascinating details as he plays with time and musical space.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 24, 2022
- 3 min
I'd been hoping for a Years & Years collaboration like "Sweet Talker," and it delivered
Olly Alexander finally making a true house track — alongside Galantis — was an excellent decision in the production of his first solo album.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 13, 2022
- 5 min
"Sacrifice" is both a dance floor-ready pop anthem and a narrative turning point
In The Weeknd's newest single, he revels in his old lifestyle one last time before his outlook on love shifts across the rest of the album.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 12, 2022
- 3 min
"aNYway" is house formed straight from its disco roots
Duck Sauce create "disco's revenge" by sampling the genre that preceded it, paying tribute to New York in the process.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 3, 2022
- 3 min
"Call On Me" — but not the one you're probably thinking of — is a call for perseverance
Between its beat and its lyrics, Ryan Riback's retouching of Starley's dance-pop number is one of my favorite productions from the late 10s.
Benjamin Kassel
- Dec 14, 2021
- 4 min
Tracking Jon Batiste's influences on "FREEDOM"
The R&B and jazz virtuoso's artistic voice is shaped by multiple iconic inspirations — including some from his hometown.
Benjamin Kassel
- Dec 14, 2021
- 4 min
"I'm Not Alone": a self-reckoning on self-destruction
Who knew that a house track could breed such philosophical discussion?
Benjamin Kassel
- Nov 18, 2021
- 4 min
"Tear It Down" and the art of crafting a true sonic narrative in dance music
The Aston Shuffle expertly execute a slow, but sure build, capping it off with the most satisfying release in the final break.
Benjamin Kassel
- Oct 29, 2021
- 4 min
Bob Sinclar and Steve Edwards say, "World, Hold On"... but how do we do that?
And to what exactly are we supposed to hold on? Well, the answer is... a lot of things.
Benjamin Kassel
- Oct 28, 2021
- 4 min
Yes, I wrote a serious article about "The Safety Dance"
Given both the song's origins and its more modern use, it honestly makes a good amount of sense to approach the topic in this way.
Benjamin Kassel
- Oct 26, 2021
- 4 min
"Adorn" is classy 10s R&B at its best
Miguel's most successful song is a modern configuration of the genre, with an old-fashioned word at its core.
Benjamin Kassel
- Sep 29, 2021
- 4 min
"My Head and My Heart" places a Eurodance classic into a new, house-based context
Ava Max demonstrates how to build up from a sample, creating new material in a different style while also not losing sight of the original.
Benjamin Kassel
- Sep 13, 2021
- 4 min
"Unknown Song" captures my present anxieties and questions, then tries to answer them
As the track oscillates between major and minor sections, I try to allay my fears. Do I succeed?
Benjamin Kassel
- Sep 12, 2021
- 4 min
"Lights" instantly threw me back a decade when I heard it, and I both did and didn't mind that
Sometimes you forget how much you love a song until you hear it for the first time in years. Thanks to autoplay, this is one of those songs.
Benjamin Kassel
- Sep 7, 2021
- 4 min
"Little L" sounds like a happy, groovy jam until you parse the lyrics
On a down day where little seemed to go right for me, a healthy dose of house-like funk temporarily lifted my spirits.
© 2021— by Benjamin Kassel. Proudly created with Wix.
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