Umlauts:

Dimension-X - Why'd I Have To Fall In Love With U?

I've been gone for a long time. Out of the loop, not attuned to the ebb and flow of the Europop. I do know that for all its unity in landmass, Europe is regionalised. Sometimes songs don't seep northward or eastward from where they've already been hits.

This has, perhaps, been out for a month or three, but distressingly, it only seems to have made a splash in Greece, Macedonia and Cyprus - and some airplay in Lebanon. I'm reminded, of course, of a little Greek song from a while back, you may remember it - Travel Girl. Not that this sounds like that - the reference points I'm getting here are David Guetta, How Did You Know (77 Strings) and a bit of I Like It by Narcotic Thrust.

The song itself has an interesting history. It's a cover of a 1980 song by Matthew Fisher, who played in Procul Harum. I'd class it as being an obscurity, but evidently, was an absolute cult classic in Greece through the 80s, even seeing a single release as late as 1996. No doubt there's a fascinating story to be told as to why this song was so popular there, but I'm not anywhere near knowledgable enough to tell it.

Evidently, Dimension-X, a Greek dance project enlisted TF, the singer, from one of those reality TV shows. It's often a tough ask, singing a directed song like this in a genre that's communal and (according to detractors) impersonal like dance. But aside from the groove itself - impeccable, this really does sound more like a French house track, though not of the frenzied kind that tends to cross over and across borders - there's something very believable about it. TF does a good enough job riding along the disco pulse, adding the right amount of emotion to the pained lines of the chorus without going overboard.

Personality may be minimal, but amid the throb, such can go above and beyond the hook, detracting from it. Depending on the frame of mind I listen to this in, sometimes I can't even hear the vocals, the next listen, it's like they're all I can hear and the anguish - all concocted, mind - is deafening. Some note progressions are just inherently sad, and dressing them up in going-out clothes can't hide the resignment, resentment and regret, all as much cornerstones of amazing pop as beats and bass and hooks.

Basically, a perfect cover. I love it, and you can too.

posted by Edward O @ 7:45 AM