Solange - 'I Decided'
Once again we have to tip our hats to the Freemasons, who have taken a lot of the Ronson-esque Neptunes production off the original version and re-cast the song, with extra focus on the fire and honey pouring out of Solange's mighty larynx. But this isn't a case of British producers taking an American production and making it palatable for the UK (which they're quite open about admitting they have done before), because actually there's not much to choose between the two versions in terms of musical goodness.
Here's the original (part 1)
And here's the Freemasons edit (part 2)...
Both have that '60s Motown thing going on, both owe Diana Ross a drink (and very possibly a platinum sandwich, depending on how well the single does), and both sound completely different to the work of Sol's older sister*, despite certain vocal similarities.
The Neptunes version is jazzier, more true to the Motown Sound (waspy synthesizer parts aside, and is largely based on 'Where Did Our Love Go' by the Supremes. But it's a bit more noodly and generally easier to ignore.
The Freemasons version seems to stick to the point a lot better, and seems to have picked 'Chain Reaction' by Diana Ross as a place to start from. And Solange seems to be a smidge louder in this version. On the down side, you do lose the fun of the Motown thing.
Which makes this a very rare beastie indeed, a song which can survive a mauling by remixers and still come back smelling of hit. That's hit with an H, you understand...
Download: Out now
CD Released: August 11th
(Fraser McAlpine)
*Oh DO keep up. Solange KNOWLES?
PS: disagrees about the singing, but not about the song.
Comment number 1.
At 6th Aug 2008, Psychology101 wrote:Honestly I had never heard of Solange untill I saw this video. At first I thought it was Beyonce as they look and sound so similar but that's ok since I like Beyonce. After listening to the song a few times more it really grew on me and I love it! I just hopes she gets the recognition she deserves for this in the charts and hopefully it isn't beaten by Rihanna's 5th (?) song which will no doubt be a number 1 thanks to all the Rihannoids.
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Comment number 2.
At 6th Aug 2008, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:There are Rhiannoids? Erk!
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Comment number 3.
At 6th Aug 2008, Psychology101 wrote:Hahaha, a name I just made up for the thousands of young girls who worship the ground Rihanna walks on.
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Comment number 4.
At 10th Aug 2008, Kat wrote:Hehe, loving the Rhiannoids!
2nd wins out imo, but neither are something that I can imagine going out of my way to listen to
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