Well, since SEB 219 is just going to be a nonstop, I guess we've come to the end of the "normal" part of the decade. Following with the usual tradition, I'll start off this thread by listing my top/bottom 10 and general impressions of the 210's decade...
Top 10:
1. Power Two / Hotblade – A true staple in SCP’s catalogue of power-packed, energetic male-led productions. Hotblade gives a full and thorough performance over a track that harkens back to everything that made eurobeat popular in the first place.
2. Forget My Heart / Marika – For most, this seemed to be more or less of a sophomore slump for Marika, but to me, it’s even better than her impressive debut on SEB 207. It may be a little laid-back, but slick vocals and well-balanced, steady-flowing production make it a bull’s-eye for me.
3. Fallin’ In Love Again (Fashion Version) / Jay Lehr – I originally dismissed this as one of Jay Lehr’s more forgettable entries, but having given it some time has caused it to grow on me tremendously. The tune itself is beautifully crafted, and the 80’s-italo backdrops compliment it perfectly. Personally, I strongly prefer the Fashion Version from SEB 211, although the upbeat, eurobeat version isn’t bad.
4. Crazy on Emotion / Ace – Though I quickly got tired of the melodically-lackluster Set Me Free, Crazy On Emotion is an outstanding performance and easily Ace’s best song for me since Futureland. It marvelously articulates his roots from the Euromach era, yet sounds up-to-date at the same time.
5. Because of You / Jager – Jager has become one of the most innovative and exciting titles in the eurobeat scene since his infectious debut on SEB 204. Like his other two tracks to date, Because of You achieves the nearly impossible by integrating lots of mainstream-friendly elements and still sounding genuinely eurobeat at the same time. The result, as usual, is quite stellar.
6. The Top / Ken Blast – Travis has a broad base of inspiration in his tracks that very few other eurobeat writers possess. His tracks are musically dynamic, and his creative lyrics top it off even further. Up with Marika, Travis is clearly one of the current driving forces of the Delta label.
7. I Dream of You / Yo Shine – One of the very few great songs on an otherwise poor SEB album. The story here is pretty much the same as it was on SEB’s 201 and 202 – Linda Ongarelli suits this sort of house-leaned, italo-structured style like magic.
8. Flying Over the Sky / Jungle Bill – Federico Rimonti is back with a vengeance. This song is quite an energy rush – more of an energy rush than anything I’ve seen from Hi-NRG Attack in a long time, especially since they’ve been taking a more experimental route over the past couple of years. This is definitely echoing HRG’s Euromach years, ensuring us that the label’s classic roots are still present and as strong as ever.
9. The Magic I Feel / April – A bizarrely beautiful and danceable production, not unlike April’s previous track, but clearly a substantial improvement. This style sounds a LOT like the group Perfume, which also loves to use vocoders and other futuristic elements into their tracks.
10. Rocket Man / Mega NRG Man – Though this isn’t really the most coherent song Tomas Marin has ever done, it still represents everything best about him to its fullest. Slamming synths, punchy vocals, and dynamic chord progressions make this a welcome addition to his large catalogue of hits.
HM:
- Take My Life / Rich Hard – Rich Hard is pretty much the only title from A-Beat C that I still really look forward, and he continues to shine as usual here. I still can’t get pirate images out of my head whenever I hear his stuff, since his songs all have an oceanic quality to them, and even his raspy voice sounds pirate-like to me. But that’s part of what makes his songs unique and interesting to hear.
Bottom 10:
1. Skylight / Dave Rodgers – The worst eurobeat songs for me tend to be the ones that sound dull and poorly produced. Well, this track kind of goes beyond that for me. Besides being sludgy and unmelodic, this track doesn’t even have a very coherent structure. The result is a dreary mess that’s pretty good for putting you to sleep and not much else.
2. A New Day / Digital Planet – Not much of an improvement over the wreck above, this track is so wispy and transparent that I don’t even remember (or care about) how most of it goes.
3. No Turning Back / Tora – This is an improvement over previous female-led SinclaireStyle productions? To me, it’s just sloppy and forgettable.
4. Jailhouse Rock / Speedogang – Elvis and eurobeat (or speed) are like oil and water, in my opinion.
5. Movin’ & Lovin’ / Melissa White – Melissa White has been pretty quiet as of late, but I would’ve hoped that her “comeback” (Promised Discoland was already old at the time of its release) would be better than this. This is just elevator eurobeat, totally out-of-style and out-of-inspiration.
6. Touch Me / Nikita Jr. – This would be the result if you took Nuage’s STELLAR You’ll Never Stop Me Lovin’ You and sucked out everything good about it. The hook has pretty much the same premise, but the track just isn’t pulled off very effectively.
7. Tower of Love / Cindy & Cy-Ro – Elisabetta and Nick are usually quite solid on their performances, but this lovey-dovey approach kind of falls flat with them, unfortunately.
8. Are You Ready to Fly / Dream Fighters – Oh, how the mighty have fallen. This track tries very hard to follow in the shadows of previous David Dima outings like King of the World and Mind Game, but somehow just doesn’t have that magic something that brought those songs to life.
9. Sunday Morning / Vicky Vale – The synth hook is pretty nice, but the vocal melody honestly leaves me quite cold. I just don’t like this song for some reason, perhaps because it’s so dull and sporadic. Simply not the type of Capaldi production that I like.
10. Let’s Get It Done Tonight / Ken Lazlo feat. Domino – Never have been much of a fan of this song. To me, it just sounds like a dragged-out, uninteresting house track completely out of place on Super Eurobeat.
DHM:
- Eurogrooves and Asia for releasing absolutely no original material the entire year. (Exception: Just A Dream / MC Boy was actually one of my favorites from SEB 214 and even has original lyrics during the rap verses)
Overall, I’m fairly disappointed by this decade. Aside from there being few tracks overall, there aren't very many truly strong volumes on-whole. 214 and 217 are fairly good albums, but even they lag behind my favorites in the series like 208, 195, and 173. SEB 212, in particular, is one of the weakest entries the series has seen in a very long time for me, despite the decent level of the first few tracks. 211, 215, and 218 are okay, but still relatively mediocre by general SEB standards.
Probably the only label that lived up to my hopes this year was SCP, and even then, I thought they were way stronger in the 160’s and 170’s, not to mention their early years as well. The rest were, for the most part, a mixed bag. I was especially let down by Dima this year. They were a juggernaut of amazing productions in the 190’s and 200’s, but that same spark was not at all present for me this year. The fact that they have no tracks in my top 10 is just a hint as to how little they had to offer in the 210’s.
I’ve stated it several times before, but for this, I’ll state it again: I desperately miss TIME/Eurogrooves and Asia. If they were still truly here, cranking out melodically masterful energy anthems, then my outlook of this decade would’ve most likely been radically different than it is here.
While the 210’s are still stronger overall than the 110’s, which had no albums that I found even remotely strong, they still clearly fall short of the general level for me. They’re about as good as the 180’s, which, looking back, I’ve honestly come to not care for that much.
Overall Impressions of the 210's
Top 10 (without order)
-Wheelpower & Go / Dejo & Bon
-Let's Get It Done Tonight / Ken Laszlo feat. Domino
-I Dream of You / Yo Shine
-Passport to Dance / Eurodudes
-Beautiful Boy / Heather
-The Top / Ken Blast
-Power Two / Hotblade
-Dance Dance Let You Go / Oceania
-Love is Like A Rain / Delta Queens feat. Paul Harris
-Sun Fire / Dave & Futura
The Best Label of This Decade : SinclaireStyle
Honourable Mention : SUN FIRE
I don't think I need to list Bottom songs down. However, at least this decade is better than 200's, from which a single song I didn't truly enjoy. I'm content with that.
-Wheelpower & Go / Dejo & Bon
-Let's Get It Done Tonight / Ken Laszlo feat. Domino
-I Dream of You / Yo Shine
-Passport to Dance / Eurodudes
-Beautiful Boy / Heather
-The Top / Ken Blast
-Power Two / Hotblade
-Dance Dance Let You Go / Oceania
-Love is Like A Rain / Delta Queens feat. Paul Harris
-Sun Fire / Dave & Futura
The Best Label of This Decade : SinclaireStyle
Honourable Mention : SUN FIRE
I don't think I need to list Bottom songs down. However, at least this decade is better than 200's, from which a single song I didn't truly enjoy. I'm content with that.
I don't want to make a top 10 but I'll name every top favorite I have instead (In no particular order).
* Jager - I Won't Fall Apart (Rock Power Version)
* Hotblade - Legendary Heart
* Mr.Moog - Cowboy
* DJ Space'C - Danger Zone
* Virginelle - Baby Come Back
* Jager - Because Of You
* April - The Magic I Feel
* Domino & Scream Team - Boom Boom Scream
* Michelle Rose - You Are In Love
* Rich Hard - Take My Life
* Hotblade - Power Two
* Dave Rodgers - Skylight
* Alix - Maximisin'
* David Dima - Sunrise ~You'll Always Be Alive~
* Ken Blast - The Top
* Hotblade - Disconnected
* Lou Master - Up & Dance Up & Go
* Tipy & Tipsy - Dance Boom Boom
* Jungle Bill - Flying Over The Sky
* Mega NRG Man - Rocketman
* Ace - Crazy On Emotion
* Virginelle - Bye Bye Girl
* Oceania - Dance Dance Let It Go
* Rich Hard - On Your Wings
* Cy-Ro - No Money No Honey
* Alix - Hello Kitty
That is all.
Best label : SCP
Worst label : Asia, Hi-NRG Attack (slow stuff only)
Honorable Mention : Sun Fire, SinclaireStyle
* Jager - I Won't Fall Apart (Rock Power Version)
* Hotblade - Legendary Heart
* Mr.Moog - Cowboy
* DJ Space'C - Danger Zone
* Virginelle - Baby Come Back
* Jager - Because Of You
* April - The Magic I Feel
* Domino & Scream Team - Boom Boom Scream
* Michelle Rose - You Are In Love
* Rich Hard - Take My Life
* Hotblade - Power Two
* Dave Rodgers - Skylight
* Alix - Maximisin'
* David Dima - Sunrise ~You'll Always Be Alive~
* Ken Blast - The Top
* Hotblade - Disconnected
* Lou Master - Up & Dance Up & Go
* Tipy & Tipsy - Dance Boom Boom
* Jungle Bill - Flying Over The Sky
* Mega NRG Man - Rocketman
* Ace - Crazy On Emotion
* Virginelle - Bye Bye Girl
* Oceania - Dance Dance Let It Go
* Rich Hard - On Your Wings
* Cy-Ro - No Money No Honey
* Alix - Hello Kitty
That is all.
Best label : SCP
Worst label : Asia, Hi-NRG Attack (slow stuff only)
Honorable Mention : Sun Fire, SinclaireStyle
椛ちゃん、助けてぇぇぇぇぇ！
Top 10:
For the first time, I don't feel confident with my choice for #1 song of the decade. Although the Rich Hard song is easily the standout song of the 210s to me, it didn't blow me away as much as my previous number ones, e.g. 'The Magic of Sunshine', 'A Perfect Hero', and 'Power'. Even the Oceania song that came in at #10, while certainly an interesting production, is more middle-of-the-pack than a standout. So, it's a bit of an awkward top 10 for me.
The bottom 10 is similar. The only real disasters this decade were the Alix, Annie Love, Candy More, and Mc Boy songs. I've been quite vocal about my dislike for all of these songs, so I'm not going to repeat it here. I wouldn't call the Tora, Roberta, Megan, Irene, and Delta Queens songs 'disasters' as such, but they were the blandest of an excessively bland bunch of songs, for sure.
Now, onto my random thoughts on the labels...
SCP: SCP produced a couple of nice solid eurobeat songs, particularly 'Set Me Free' and 'Because Of You', but even those songs can't escape the criticisms I've been giving of SCP's sameyness that I've been complaining about for the last two years now. It seems to me that SCP are heading down SinclaireStyle territory with their overly safe productions; they've become far too predictable. What does 'Crazy On Emotion' offer that 'Set Me Free' or 'One Touch' don't? What does 'Power Two' offer that 'Plastic' doesn't? What does 'I Dream Of You' offer that 'Power Of My Love' doesn't? These are questions SCP should seriously be thinking about. I just don't understand why everybody is putting SCP on a pedestal. Yes, they've found a formula that seems to bode well with Western audiences like us, but they really need to change things up by producing a few ballads and other slower material (Jay Lehr was the only exception, which isn't good enough); it's all a bit of a speed and testosterone fest at the moment. I'm very aware of the fact that I'm in the minority though; for some reason, just about everybody on this forum loves being spoonfed the same thing a hundred times over and not get sick. I'll never work that out.
Rating: C
SinclaireStyle: I'm almost convinced now that SinclaireStyle is never going to return to that 'Move On Now Baby' and 'Flame & Fire' level of excellency that we were treated to from Leonardi's women back in the 180s, which is a real shame. At first, I almost wanted to ignore the Tora and Roberta songs in the 210s all together before I had even listened to them, since I could almost imagine what they were going to sound like... And I wasn't far off, really. Even SinclaireStyle's male performances failed to excite me in any way, shape, or form this decade (I think 'Wheelpower & Go!' is the most overrated song of the decade). I'm not sure what else this label can do to reinvigorate my interest in their songs, but if it's ever going to happen, Leonardi needs to step outside of his comfort zone and take huge risks. I just don't see it happening though, ever.
Rating: E
Dima: Dima, too, have dropped their level somewhat. While they were fortunate enough not to make my bottom 10, just about all of their songs fell within the middle-of-the-pack range. 'Sunrise' and 'The End of the World' were nice songs, but what do they offer that the Dima songs in the 180s didn't? Not much really. 'The Dark Side of Your Moon' and 'Make Me Wonder' were definitely the standout performances by Dima this decade. Those two songs may not be the most exciting productions around, but they're very reminiscent of the late Vibration. Anything that harks back to the 140s/150s even in a small way can only be considered a good thing. In comparison to the other labels this decade, Dima wasn't all that terrible, but I think the spark in their productions have faded away lots since their introduction to the SEB series. That's to be expected though.
Rating: B
Go Go's Music: To me, GGM has been on a very, very long losing streak of bad songs spanning at least three decades! I literally didn't enjoy a single song of theirs in the 200s. However, thanks to a couple of great songs by Gobbi, that losing streak is no more. Indeed, GGM have done a nice job this decade of fine-tuning the productions of their older and more 'classical' aliases - in fact, I haven't enjoyed a GGM song as much as 'Sex (S)killer' in a VERY long time - however, that seems to be coming at the expense of their newer aliases. GGM really need to invest more time and effort into these aliases (e.g., Candy More), because right now they're all falling off the map; nobody is paying attention to them at all. GGM need to find the right balance there. I'm happy that GGM have moved on somewhat from those anesthesia-inducing soundworlds that have plagued them for so long, but GGM have not quite done away with it entirely yet, as Annie Love's song showed.
Rating: C
Saifam: Now, Saifam... What are we going to do with you? 'Just A Dream' was an absolute train wreck, and you know something is very wrong when NRGexpress has given a 1/5 rating to a eurobeat song (the Mc Boy song was the only one to receive the lowest rating from NRGexpress this whole decade). Saifam did produce a few nice covers though, especially DJ Space'C's 'Danger Zone.' I think most of my favouritism towards this song has to do with the fact that I hadn't heard the original 'Danger Zone' before listening to Saifam's version. I had a listen to the original on YouTube just recently and didn't really like it, which only made me like the DJ Space'C version even more. But even though Saifam produced a few nice covers, I can't name one person here who isn't frustrated with the sheer number of covers they're pumping out. I include myself among that bunch too. We all know what Saifam is capable of, since it was only about five years ago when they were producing gems such as 'Hi Hi Mazinga', 'Domino', Black U.F.O.', 'Like A Fire'... Need I go on? Farina really needs to get back behind the microphone again and start producing something original for a change.
Rating: D
Hi-NRG Attack: HRG seems to have found a nice balance between their faster and slower material, but unfortunately HRG haven't made much of a lasting impression on me this decade. As you can see from my top and bottom 10 lists, not one HRG song made either of those lists. I think HRG had their best decade ever in the 200s, so it was always going to be hard for them to maintain that level going into the 210s (especially after ending the 200s with the magnificent 'The Magic of Sunshine'). That's why I haven't really been that scathing of them this decade even though they haven't produced anything all that memorable. I'm still hopeful about HRG's future though, and I applaud HRG for being one of only very few labels to have diversified.
Rating: C
Delta: I haven't been too impressed with Delta either to be honest, haha. Seems to be a theme running in all of my label reviews, huh? What I was particularly disappointed about with Delta this decade was that Capaldi felt the urge to resort to ripping off one of his own songs that was also released this decade. That's the only reason the Emmanuelle song is in my bottom 10; the way it blatantly ripped off 'Sunday Morning' was just extremely lazy. Like I said in the 218 thread, I hope Capaldi will rediscover those creative juices sometime soon, since he is a talented producer with great capabilities. Having said all of this, not all is doom and gloom for Delta this decade. I'd like to applaud them for 'Time of Fighters' and 'Shalaka Boom' at least. Even though those songs didn't make my top 10, they both came very close.
Rating: C
Sun Fire: Given all of my very negative views of every label so far, you'd probably be thinking "uh oh, here we go again!" with Sun Fire, right? Well, you'd be wrong! Sun Fire was the only label I enjoyed listening to this decade with all things considered. I'm struggling to find a criticism for them, so that must mean Pasquini and co. did something right! The Rich Hard song 'On Your Wings' was the true starlet of this decade, and although it didn't blow me away as much as Ciao Ciao's 'The Magic of Sunshine' from the 200s, it's still a magnificent and solid piece of eurobeat art that everybody should be enjoying. Even the Norma Sheffield song wasn't a total train wreck; in fact, her song sits rightfully among the best songs of this decade. I almost can't wait to hear what else she's going to put out under Sun Fire. The Oceania song mixes the hard-thumping and bassy soundworlds of Sun Fire with the quirkiness of HRG (in the form of her vocals), and while this song was never going to bode well with everybody here, you can't deny that it's one of the more interesting productions this decade. I could go on and on about the other Sun Fire songs in the 210s, but I'll stop here. Absolutely incredible work Sun Fire! Keep it up.
Rating: A
- Rich Hard / On Your Wings
- DJ Space'C / Danger Zone
- Destinee / Make Me Wonder
- Go Go Girls / Sex Skiller
- Norma Sheffield / You're Amazing
- Dee Dee / The Dark Side Of Your Moon
- Ace / Set Me Free
- Jager / Because Of You
- Annalise / Love Toy
- Oceania / Dance Dance Let You Go
- Alix - Hello Kitty
- Annie Love - My Melody
- Candy More - I'll Fly
- Mc Boy - Just A Dream
- Emmanuelle - Don't Forget To Love Me
- Tora - No Turning Back
- Roberta - Rock My Heart
- Megan - Time To Say Bye Bye
- Irene - Every Heart Wanna Fly
- Delta Queens feat. Paul Harris - Love Is Like A Rain
For the first time, I don't feel confident with my choice for #1 song of the decade. Although the Rich Hard song is easily the standout song of the 210s to me, it didn't blow me away as much as my previous number ones, e.g. 'The Magic of Sunshine', 'A Perfect Hero', and 'Power'. Even the Oceania song that came in at #10, while certainly an interesting production, is more middle-of-the-pack than a standout. So, it's a bit of an awkward top 10 for me.
The bottom 10 is similar. The only real disasters this decade were the Alix, Annie Love, Candy More, and Mc Boy songs. I've been quite vocal about my dislike for all of these songs, so I'm not going to repeat it here. I wouldn't call the Tora, Roberta, Megan, Irene, and Delta Queens songs 'disasters' as such, but they were the blandest of an excessively bland bunch of songs, for sure.
Now, onto my random thoughts on the labels...
SCP: SCP produced a couple of nice solid eurobeat songs, particularly 'Set Me Free' and 'Because Of You', but even those songs can't escape the criticisms I've been giving of SCP's sameyness that I've been complaining about for the last two years now. It seems to me that SCP are heading down SinclaireStyle territory with their overly safe productions; they've become far too predictable. What does 'Crazy On Emotion' offer that 'Set Me Free' or 'One Touch' don't? What does 'Power Two' offer that 'Plastic' doesn't? What does 'I Dream Of You' offer that 'Power Of My Love' doesn't? These are questions SCP should seriously be thinking about. I just don't understand why everybody is putting SCP on a pedestal. Yes, they've found a formula that seems to bode well with Western audiences like us, but they really need to change things up by producing a few ballads and other slower material (Jay Lehr was the only exception, which isn't good enough); it's all a bit of a speed and testosterone fest at the moment. I'm very aware of the fact that I'm in the minority though; for some reason, just about everybody on this forum loves being spoonfed the same thing a hundred times over and not get sick. I'll never work that out.
Rating: C
SinclaireStyle: I'm almost convinced now that SinclaireStyle is never going to return to that 'Move On Now Baby' and 'Flame & Fire' level of excellency that we were treated to from Leonardi's women back in the 180s, which is a real shame. At first, I almost wanted to ignore the Tora and Roberta songs in the 210s all together before I had even listened to them, since I could almost imagine what they were going to sound like... And I wasn't far off, really. Even SinclaireStyle's male performances failed to excite me in any way, shape, or form this decade (I think 'Wheelpower & Go!' is the most overrated song of the decade). I'm not sure what else this label can do to reinvigorate my interest in their songs, but if it's ever going to happen, Leonardi needs to step outside of his comfort zone and take huge risks. I just don't see it happening though, ever.
Rating: E
Dima: Dima, too, have dropped their level somewhat. While they were fortunate enough not to make my bottom 10, just about all of their songs fell within the middle-of-the-pack range. 'Sunrise' and 'The End of the World' were nice songs, but what do they offer that the Dima songs in the 180s didn't? Not much really. 'The Dark Side of Your Moon' and 'Make Me Wonder' were definitely the standout performances by Dima this decade. Those two songs may not be the most exciting productions around, but they're very reminiscent of the late Vibration. Anything that harks back to the 140s/150s even in a small way can only be considered a good thing. In comparison to the other labels this decade, Dima wasn't all that terrible, but I think the spark in their productions have faded away lots since their introduction to the SEB series. That's to be expected though.
Rating: B
Go Go's Music: To me, GGM has been on a very, very long losing streak of bad songs spanning at least three decades! I literally didn't enjoy a single song of theirs in the 200s. However, thanks to a couple of great songs by Gobbi, that losing streak is no more. Indeed, GGM have done a nice job this decade of fine-tuning the productions of their older and more 'classical' aliases - in fact, I haven't enjoyed a GGM song as much as 'Sex (S)killer' in a VERY long time - however, that seems to be coming at the expense of their newer aliases. GGM really need to invest more time and effort into these aliases (e.g., Candy More), because right now they're all falling off the map; nobody is paying attention to them at all. GGM need to find the right balance there. I'm happy that GGM have moved on somewhat from those anesthesia-inducing soundworlds that have plagued them for so long, but GGM have not quite done away with it entirely yet, as Annie Love's song showed.
Rating: C
Saifam: Now, Saifam... What are we going to do with you? 'Just A Dream' was an absolute train wreck, and you know something is very wrong when NRGexpress has given a 1/5 rating to a eurobeat song (the Mc Boy song was the only one to receive the lowest rating from NRGexpress this whole decade). Saifam did produce a few nice covers though, especially DJ Space'C's 'Danger Zone.' I think most of my favouritism towards this song has to do with the fact that I hadn't heard the original 'Danger Zone' before listening to Saifam's version. I had a listen to the original on YouTube just recently and didn't really like it, which only made me like the DJ Space'C version even more. But even though Saifam produced a few nice covers, I can't name one person here who isn't frustrated with the sheer number of covers they're pumping out. I include myself among that bunch too. We all know what Saifam is capable of, since it was only about five years ago when they were producing gems such as 'Hi Hi Mazinga', 'Domino', Black U.F.O.', 'Like A Fire'... Need I go on? Farina really needs to get back behind the microphone again and start producing something original for a change.
Rating: D
Hi-NRG Attack: HRG seems to have found a nice balance between their faster and slower material, but unfortunately HRG haven't made much of a lasting impression on me this decade. As you can see from my top and bottom 10 lists, not one HRG song made either of those lists. I think HRG had their best decade ever in the 200s, so it was always going to be hard for them to maintain that level going into the 210s (especially after ending the 200s with the magnificent 'The Magic of Sunshine'). That's why I haven't really been that scathing of them this decade even though they haven't produced anything all that memorable. I'm still hopeful about HRG's future though, and I applaud HRG for being one of only very few labels to have diversified.
Rating: C
Delta: I haven't been too impressed with Delta either to be honest, haha. Seems to be a theme running in all of my label reviews, huh? What I was particularly disappointed about with Delta this decade was that Capaldi felt the urge to resort to ripping off one of his own songs that was also released this decade. That's the only reason the Emmanuelle song is in my bottom 10; the way it blatantly ripped off 'Sunday Morning' was just extremely lazy. Like I said in the 218 thread, I hope Capaldi will rediscover those creative juices sometime soon, since he is a talented producer with great capabilities. Having said all of this, not all is doom and gloom for Delta this decade. I'd like to applaud them for 'Time of Fighters' and 'Shalaka Boom' at least. Even though those songs didn't make my top 10, they both came very close.
Rating: C
Sun Fire: Given all of my very negative views of every label so far, you'd probably be thinking "uh oh, here we go again!" with Sun Fire, right? Well, you'd be wrong! Sun Fire was the only label I enjoyed listening to this decade with all things considered. I'm struggling to find a criticism for them, so that must mean Pasquini and co. did something right! The Rich Hard song 'On Your Wings' was the true starlet of this decade, and although it didn't blow me away as much as Ciao Ciao's 'The Magic of Sunshine' from the 200s, it's still a magnificent and solid piece of eurobeat art that everybody should be enjoying. Even the Norma Sheffield song wasn't a total train wreck; in fact, her song sits rightfully among the best songs of this decade. I almost can't wait to hear what else she's going to put out under Sun Fire. The Oceania song mixes the hard-thumping and bassy soundworlds of Sun Fire with the quirkiness of HRG (in the form of her vocals), and while this song was never going to bode well with everybody here, you can't deny that it's one of the more interesting productions this decade. I could go on and on about the other Sun Fire songs in the 210s, but I'll stop here. Absolutely incredible work Sun Fire! Keep it up.
Rating: A
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drnrg
- Eurobeat Guru
- Posts: 6957
- Joined: 17 May 2005, 07:18
- Location: searching for missing Eurogrooves trax
Jay
I pretty much can agree on your bottom 10, except tracks 7 and especially 10, but Kitty litter certainly stunk up the year. I would probly also would include Sally "Feel The Magic"., because it liteally puts me to sleep everTIME I listen to it.
What blew me awaywere your top tracks. In the past years ,I pretty much herald the same trax as you; this mostly in part ,because of Eurogrooves/TIME,but this year ,we are world apart. To tell you the truth, I can't even recall "Love Toy".
My final observation is that your taste in Eurobeat has changed tremendously from one year to another. One can usually tell this by the top tracks. The bottom tracks tend to stay the same, but your top tracks are almost 100% different than what you might have chosen in previuos years.That's not a bad thing. I think you either really outgrowing the current state of Eurobeat or really need that huge change in the music to satisfy you. maybe maturaty has played a part in that too?All I know is that Eurobeat cannot change too much, without starting to sound like some other type of dance music, so the labels gotta tread real lightly when it comes to change.
BTW, just where does the grade E fall in the grading scale? From your overall review of Sinclaire,I can guess, so bad that it doesn't even fall on the scale, but I wanna be sure.
I wonder if I be the only one that notice that drastic change in your Eurobeat musical style this decade?
[/quote]
The only raeson I decided to reply to your post, is because it really surprised me. Especially your top 10.Top 10:, Bottom 10:
I pretty much can agree on your bottom 10, except tracks 7 and especially 10, but Kitty litter certainly stunk up the year. I would probly also would include Sally "Feel The Magic"., because it liteally puts me to sleep everTIME I listen to it.
What blew me awaywere your top tracks. In the past years ,I pretty much herald the same trax as you; this mostly in part ,because of Eurogrooves/TIME,but this year ,we are world apart. To tell you the truth, I can't even recall "Love Toy".
My final observation is that your taste in Eurobeat has changed tremendously from one year to another. One can usually tell this by the top tracks. The bottom tracks tend to stay the same, but your top tracks are almost 100% different than what you might have chosen in previuos years.That's not a bad thing. I think you either really outgrowing the current state of Eurobeat or really need that huge change in the music to satisfy you. maybe maturaty has played a part in that too?All I know is that Eurobeat cannot change too much, without starting to sound like some other type of dance music, so the labels gotta tread real lightly when it comes to change.
BTW, just where does the grade E fall in the grading scale? From your overall review of Sinclaire,I can guess, so bad that it doesn't even fall on the scale, but I wanna be sure.
I wonder if I be the only one that notice that drastic change in your Eurobeat musical style this decade?
[/quote]I was likewise, very surprised by his top ten as well. Almost to a point where I thought that he was just making a joke post. But to be honest, everyone who had posted their list so far had me raising my eyebrows at least once.drnrg wrote:The only raeson I decided to reply to your post, is because it really surprised me. Especially your top 10.
What blew me awaywere your top tracks. In the past years ,I pretty much herald the same trax as you; this mostly in part ,because of Eurogrooves/TIME,but this year ,we are world apart. To tell you the truth, I can't even recall "Love Toy".
My final observation is that your taste in Eurobeat has changed tremendously from one year to another. One can usually tell this by the top tracks. The bottom tracks tend to stay the same, but your top tracks are almost 100% different than what you might have chosen in previuos years.That's not a bad thing. I think you either really outgrowing the current state of Eurobeat or really need that huge change in the music to satisfy you. maybe maturaty has played a part in that too?All I know is that Eurobeat cannot change too much, without starting to sound like some other type of dance music, so the labels gotta tread real lightly when it comes to change.
I wonder if I be the only one that notice that drastic change in your Eurobeat musical style this decade?
drnrg wrote:The only raeson I decided to reply to your post, is because it really surprised me. Especially your top 10.
So which songs do you two think should have been in my top 10 list instead? Were you expecting more aggressive material? HRG songs? Or what? Just curious.WNight wrote:I was likewise, very surprised by his top ten as well. Almost to a point where I thought that he was just making a joke post.
I thought 'Love Toy' might raise eyebrows, but if you've been tracking my last few top 20 charts of the week (I haven't made one in a while, though), I don't think the inclusion of Annalise is that surprising since it did make it to #1. I'm not sure why I like that song so much though, perhaps it's because it's classic A-Beat C and very nostalgic in the same way that 'The Dark Side Of Your Moon' is to Vibration. Also, I found myself going back to eurobeat songs from the early 2000s much more this year than any other year previously, so maybe that explains the slight favouritism towards the more classical-sounding eurobeat released in the 210s.
But other than 'Love Toy', what else surprised you?
I very much agree on your last point that eurobeat shouldn't diverge too radically from its current path, but I think you also need to remember that this genre encompasses a much wider range of styles than merely aggressive male eurobeat and airy female eurobeat. That's what comprised 90% of the songs this decade. Where are the male ballads, for example? We used to get loads of them from Brian Ice, Manuel, Dusty/Fastway, and heaps more back in the 150s/160s. We've had a few exceptions to the rule these past two decades, but not many at all.drnrg wrote:My final observation is that your taste in Eurobeat has changed tremendously from one year to another. One can usually tell this by the top tracks. The bottom tracks tend to stay the same, but your top tracks are almost 100% different than what you might have chosen in previuos years.That's not a bad thing. I think you either really outgrowing the current state of Eurobeat or really need that huge change in the music to satisfy you. maybe maturaty has played a part in that too?All I know is that Eurobeat cannot change too much, without starting to sound like some other type of dance music, so the labels gotta tread real lightly when it comes to change.
It's on a scale of A-F, so a rating of E is pretty bad. The only reason SinclaireStyle didn't get an F was because of that Nando song released on 218, which is the only song I actually enjoyed from Leonardi in 210s. Just missed my top 10.drnrg wrote:BTW, just where does the grade E fall in the grading scale? From your overall review of Sinclaire,I can guess, so bad that it doesn't even fall on the scale, but I wanna be sure.
-
drnrg
- Eurobeat Guru
- Posts: 6957
- Joined: 17 May 2005, 07:18
- Location: searching for missing Eurogrooves trax
Jay
Probobly the fact that you stopped posting your weekly top 20 also thru me off , since I really didn't know what was on your play list these last couple of months.
It's funny how you praise the majoraty of Sun Fire's material, yet nothing by the actual man behind the steering wheel. Giancarlo Pasquinni
[/quote]
Something like that. You already mentioned and explained why it didn't make the list, but since you brought up the point of ballads; I thought "Sunrise" would have been a dead ringer for your top list. It certainly one of the most epic songs Dima has written. As for HRG; I don't recall weather you enjoyed "Crazy Diamond" or not but that particular song steered far away from the current Eurobeat state That for me it was Italo disco more than anything. I mean, if a change is what you craved; I thought that song delivered. Aside from that;l actually did kinda think Ciao Ciao "Together" or maybe even "You Are In Love" Michelle Rose would have a fair shot. I'm also surprised "Shalaka Boom" didn't make the cut. and cannot see any reason why "Passport To Dance" didn't make the list either. As for Sun Fire; I was kinda hoping to see "Lonely" on the list..and Lou Master goes without saying, because it has that Eurogrooves like feel in the intro and riff.So which songs do you two think should have been in my top 10 list instead? Were you expecting more aggressive material? HRG songs? Or what? Just curious.
Probobly the fact that you stopped posting your weekly top 20 also thru me off , since I really didn't know what was on your play list these last couple of months.
It's funny how you praise the majoraty of Sun Fire's material, yet nothing by the actual man behind the steering wheel. Giancarlo Pasquinni
[/quote]Not exactly, aggressive materials have never been the top preferred style for majority of the forumers here but I was thinking that since you mentioned male ballads, wouldn't Skylight or maybe Fallin In Love Again would have at least made the list? I did recall you liking both songs. Ultimately, it's your list, your choice, but I am just kinda curious how they didn't make the cut while something like the Jager song which I didn't even recall you liking actually made it?Jay wrote:So which songs do you two think should have been in my top 10 list instead? Were you expecting more aggressive material? HRG songs? Or what? Just curious.
Besides, I still don't see how Sunrise can be properly compared to Tsundere Night or Stormbringer, and as far as male ballads go I guess it could be considered one, and a pretty epic one at that? But again, it's your list. I am just curious.
Funny, because I did wanted to mention something along that lines as well, but since it's only directed at Jay. I should save my comments for later.drnrg wrote:It's funny how you praise the majoraty of Sun Fire's material, yet nothing by the actual man behind the steering wheel. Giancarlo Pasquinni
Top 10
01. Jager - Because of You
Anyone who knows me knows I tend to play the living hell out of any song I really like. It's not uncommon for me to loop a single song over 200 times in a single week before taking a break from it. Last.fm says I've listened to this song over 700 times, and that's not inclusive of all the plays it got in my car or at work, where I do most of my listening. Only one other song has lasted longer than Because of You, and that was What D'you Want from Me.
02. Dejo & Bon - Wheelpower & Go!
It's a macho guitar party with two of my favorite singers in the biz, and it's about racing. It's a perfect formula as far as I'm concerned. My only beef with the song is the lack of solo parts.
03. Dave Rodgers - Skylight
This song is far too much fun to blast in my car and sing along to like damn fool. Normally the light airy feel would put me to sleep and I'd ditch the song quick, but this one has some extra sparkle that keeps me coming back to it.
04. Hotblade - Legendary Heart
This is hands down the most energy-packed song of the decade, and it feels so alive and strong and manly. Yum.
05. Alix - Maximisin'
I'm always impressed when a girly fluffy kiddie song catches my attention in a good way. I usually find them annoying and repulsive, as it's really not my taste. It's got just enough beef to keep me from ditching it outright, and it's super catchy. Even if I wanted to hate this song, I just can't do it.
06. Ken Laszlo Feat. Domino - Let's Get It Done Tonight
I was pretty scared 211 was going to be a big mess when I found out how slow most of the songs were. I tend to have a hard time staying interested in anything slower than 140 bpm. Thankfully, this song stood out. Despite being so slow, it begs to be blasted, and blast it I do.
07. Lilly - I Believe in Miracle
As I'm sitting here coming up with my top songs, I'm surprising myself. Slow songs and girly songs are making the cut. WHAT. This especially was one of the slowest songs of the decade, excluding the healing remixes, but it has a certain charm.
08. Ken Blast - The Top
This has been my go-to "get stuff done" song the past couple of weeks, and for good reason. It's a hell of a thing to proclaim you're at the top. You've got to back it up. The song is excellent all around, and look, it's in the top.
09. Tora - No Turning Back
I was getting just a little bit tired of all the warped crazy female-led songs coming from SS, and then this appeared. I rejoiced when I discovered Roberta was no longer trapped in a wind tunnel. I love everything about this song: the maturity, the full bassy feel, the vocals, and especially the lack of a wind tunnel.
10. MC Boy - Just A Dream
Can you say speedy? I was never a fan of the original, so I didn't expect to like this song at all. Surprise, surprise, it got thrown on loop for a while. When a song is done right, it's impossible to ignore it.
HM
01. Ace - Set Me Free
02. Rich Hard - Take My Life
03. Virginelle - Bye Bye Girl
04. David Dima - Sunrise ~You'll Always Be Alive~
05. Jay Lehr - Fallin' In Love Again (Fashion Version)
Bottom 10
01. Oceania - Dance Dance Let You Go
02. Dream Fighters - Are You Ready to Fly
03. Lolita - Rhythmysticaltycious
04. Mr. Moog - Cowboy
05. Joe D. Toaster - Crazy Diamond
06. Sarah - Aloha-Oe Until We Meet Again
07. Domino & Scream Team - Boom Boom Scream
08. Megan - Time To Say Bye Bye
09. Go Go Girls - Sex Skiller
10. Francis Cooper - Cherry Lips
01. Jager - Because of You
Anyone who knows me knows I tend to play the living hell out of any song I really like. It's not uncommon for me to loop a single song over 200 times in a single week before taking a break from it. Last.fm says I've listened to this song over 700 times, and that's not inclusive of all the plays it got in my car or at work, where I do most of my listening. Only one other song has lasted longer than Because of You, and that was What D'you Want from Me.
02. Dejo & Bon - Wheelpower & Go!
It's a macho guitar party with two of my favorite singers in the biz, and it's about racing. It's a perfect formula as far as I'm concerned. My only beef with the song is the lack of solo parts.
03. Dave Rodgers - Skylight
This song is far too much fun to blast in my car and sing along to like damn fool. Normally the light airy feel would put me to sleep and I'd ditch the song quick, but this one has some extra sparkle that keeps me coming back to it.
04. Hotblade - Legendary Heart
This is hands down the most energy-packed song of the decade, and it feels so alive and strong and manly. Yum.
05. Alix - Maximisin'
I'm always impressed when a girly fluffy kiddie song catches my attention in a good way. I usually find them annoying and repulsive, as it's really not my taste. It's got just enough beef to keep me from ditching it outright, and it's super catchy. Even if I wanted to hate this song, I just can't do it.
06. Ken Laszlo Feat. Domino - Let's Get It Done Tonight
I was pretty scared 211 was going to be a big mess when I found out how slow most of the songs were. I tend to have a hard time staying interested in anything slower than 140 bpm. Thankfully, this song stood out. Despite being so slow, it begs to be blasted, and blast it I do.
07. Lilly - I Believe in Miracle
As I'm sitting here coming up with my top songs, I'm surprising myself. Slow songs and girly songs are making the cut. WHAT. This especially was one of the slowest songs of the decade, excluding the healing remixes, but it has a certain charm.
08. Ken Blast - The Top
This has been my go-to "get stuff done" song the past couple of weeks, and for good reason. It's a hell of a thing to proclaim you're at the top. You've got to back it up. The song is excellent all around, and look, it's in the top.
09. Tora - No Turning Back
I was getting just a little bit tired of all the warped crazy female-led songs coming from SS, and then this appeared. I rejoiced when I discovered Roberta was no longer trapped in a wind tunnel. I love everything about this song: the maturity, the full bassy feel, the vocals, and especially the lack of a wind tunnel.
10. MC Boy - Just A Dream
Can you say speedy? I was never a fan of the original, so I didn't expect to like this song at all. Surprise, surprise, it got thrown on loop for a while. When a song is done right, it's impossible to ignore it.
HM
01. Ace - Set Me Free
02. Rich Hard - Take My Life
03. Virginelle - Bye Bye Girl
04. David Dima - Sunrise ~You'll Always Be Alive~
05. Jay Lehr - Fallin' In Love Again (Fashion Version)
Bottom 10
01. Oceania - Dance Dance Let You Go
02. Dream Fighters - Are You Ready to Fly
03. Lolita - Rhythmysticaltycious
04. Mr. Moog - Cowboy
05. Joe D. Toaster - Crazy Diamond
06. Sarah - Aloha-Oe Until We Meet Again
07. Domino & Scream Team - Boom Boom Scream
08. Megan - Time To Say Bye Bye
09. Go Go Girls - Sex Skiller
10. Francis Cooper - Cherry Lips
My Top 10 from the SEB 210's
01. KEN BLAST / THE TOP (Delta)
Blew me away on the first listen, and still amazes me everytime I hear it! The vocals and production finally totally clicked for me here - this is the kind of song that I knew Travis was capable to creating with the help of the Delta production team, and it's just a masterful feast for the ears. The lyrics hold a great personal relevance for me as well, so all-round it's easily the top song for me from this decade!
02. ALIX / MAXIMISIN' (SCP)
And the best artist debut of the decade goes to... ALIX!! This track has a completely addictive mix of disco grooves and house elements with the instantly recognisable "bright" SCP synths and one of the most vivacious sounding female vocalists to enter the scene in ages. I'm still completely obsessed with this song and it's more unique structural elements breathe new life into the genre.
03. JAGER / BECAUSE OF YOU
This seems to be a pretty strong fan favourite, and rightly so. It is easily Jager's best song to date. The melody is dramatic and instantly catchy, while the more commercial style of the structure is complimented beautifully by SCP's lively production and Jager's fantastic vocals. This song really helped to cement SCP back at the top of the tower in the SEB stable this decade.
04. ACE / CRAZY ON EMOTION
The highlight of SCP's Summer Fest release, and easily the best track on the otherwise fairly underwhelming SEB 218, this track really encapsulates everything that has made Ace such a massive star in the Eurobeat world. His vocal presence is unquestionable, and the quirky production again from SCP takes cues from disco-style elements with a quick-changing bassline in the chorus that always seems to suck me in - great stuff!
05. HOTBLADE / DISCONNECTED
Amazing - SCP make it 4 tracks in a row in the top 5 - they truly are the star label of the 210's for me! This track from Hotblade continues his relentless journey to SCP super-stardom with probably the best chorus hook in the whole decade. This track is just pure adrenaline, and while most people were put off by Hotblade's shouty delivery, for me it just adds to the energy and excitement.
06. DAVID DIMA / SUNRISE ~YOU'LL ALWAYS BE ALIVE~
A drastic change of pace here for one of the most emotionally charged tracks of the decade. I'd always thought it was a beautifully thought-provoking production crafted with a lot of love and feeling, but for me this track took on a completely different complexion after someone mentioned the lyrics in relation to the Japanese tsunami - it just fits so well and really raises this track to a brand new epic level. Beautiful.
07. RICH HARD / TAKE MY LIFE
Wow, here's a surprise - Sun Fire make an appearance in my top 10! I've been a very harsh critic of this label as I know how great Pasquini productions used to sound, whereas now they have any over-compressed bass and occasionally amateurish synths. This track was by far the best track they have ever done - the chorus has a great sense of pain and desperation, and the vocals prove that auto-tune can be effectively used in modern Eurobeat in a tasteful way. Not quite Pirates, but very very close
08. DEJO & BON / WHEELPOWER & GO!
The award for the most epic guitar solo in a Eurobeat production goes to... DEJO & BON!! Seriously, the intro to this track is unlike anything I've heard from any label, and just like Toy For Love this track seems to have hit that perfect spot that SinclaireStyle only seem to be able to hit once every decade for me. The melody has been likened to Disconnected by some - I don't really hear that, but it's certainly stood the test of time this year for me.
09. FRANCIS COOPER / CHERRY LIPS
Another survivor from 211 makes an appearance here with Hi-NRG Attack's only top 10 track this decade. Unsurprisingly, it's another awesome slow italo-style stormer that they mastered so well last decade - this time around, Francis puts in a really sweet performance on vocals while the production is packed full of life and vitality. Sadly the slower tracks recently have started to sound a bit stale - I hope we haven't heard all that the label has to offer in this style...
10. VIRGINELLE / BABY COME BACK
GGM round out the top 10 with this fantastic techno-inspired stomper. The kick drum has a different tone giving this one a new kind of energy that I haven't heard before from this label. Gobbi is at her masterful best with a melody that allows her to show off her great range, and while this perhaps isn't as gratifying as the stunning Good Love & Mystery, it certainly cements her as the top vocalist at GGM now.
Honourable mentions:
TORA / NO TURNING BACK
SinclaireStyle took his females out of the wind tunnel and did a pretty good SCP impression! Love this one
CIAO CIAO / TOGETHER
This one seems to have a slower italo-style melody with a stunning soaring chorus while also embracing the speedier beats and synths. A great combination!
ACE / SET ME FREE
Seems to have been all but dismissed by the majority, but it loved the challenging structure of this one and the funky tones in the production - a perfect pre-cursor to Crazy on Emotion.
DAVID DIMA / DON'T WANNA BE A SURVIVOR
This one stood out from all the Dima male tracks as having that added spark to the production and melodies.
HOTBLADE / POWER TWO
Before Disconnected came along, I believed this would be Hotblade's best ever song - sadly not, but it's still great though
My Bottom 10 from the SEB 210's
01. ALIX / HELLO KITTY
I was devastated that such an amazing debut could be followed by such utter rubbish. I've consoled myself with the thought that this track was never meant for me, but that doesn't help the fact that it's far too sickly sweet and horribly annoying.
02. SARAH / ALOHA-OE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
What's worse than Saifam incessantly spewing out cover after cover? Yes, that's right - Saifam spewing out a cover of an song that was ridiculously ugly in the first place. Just terrible!
03. SPEEDMASTER feat. CINDY / PRETTY GIRL ROCK
See the comments above - they could pretty much be copied and pasted here...
04. TIPSY & TIPSY / DANCE BOOM BOOM
Another Saifam song in the bottom 10, surely not?? Yes, it's true - this track combined horrible bad 90's birthday party dance with nothing new to be honest - the result, an instant skipper!
05. FUTURA / LONELY
Oh Futura, why do you insist on trying to be Nuage? You will never have a tenth of her talent, especially with a horrible Junior Eurovision reject B-side like this - the production here is truly woeful!
06. CHRISTINE / DANCIN' TOGETHER
Yep, any time a Christine song appears on SEB, you can pretty much guarantee that it'll make my bottom 10 of the decade. There's just something about her vocal style that really winds me up for some reason - this is more saccharine sweet nonsense that I can't stomach!
07. THE FRISBEES / BABY GO!
Oh sweet lord, what the heck is this? Bubblegum eurodance taking over Eurobeat? Just terrible - both vocalists sound horribly matched and neither can really raise this track above the awful to mediocre level...
08. DELTA QUEENS feat. PAUL HARRIS / LOVE IS LIKE A RAIN
Note to all Eurobeat producers - listen to Sunrise by David Dima. That's how to craft an aishu track that doesn't curdle milk. This track sadly uses every old trick in the book and ends up sounding like it's stuck in the dark ages.
09. ALEKY / LITTLE TWIN STARS
I'm so disappointed to have to put Aleky in the bottom 10 since I have loved her in the past, but this track is just awful. I hate the melody and I don't get the theme. Aleky also has a tendency to sound a bit like the super-annoying Amy Diamond in certain parts, which isn't good.
10. GO GO GIRLS / SEX SKILLER
This track reaffirmed to me that Lolita/Virginelle and Domino should always just release tracks independently from now on. The melody and theme here is all over the place here, and the production was sloppy and haphazard.
Overall, this decade has produced quite a number of classic tracks in my eyes - most of which come from SCP with their new-found love for the Eurobeat genre with commercial twists. Saifam were just awful, and Dima probably disappointed the most this decade (but only because I expect so much from them nowadays!)
Can't wait for another SEB decade to see what treats it has for us. I'm hoping we lose the 3 non-stops during the year and revert back to 9 albums of brand new material - note to all producers, get producing loads of awesome tracks over the next 3 or 4 months to give Avex a treasure trove of tracks to fill up the next decade with
01. KEN BLAST / THE TOP (Delta)
Blew me away on the first listen, and still amazes me everytime I hear it! The vocals and production finally totally clicked for me here - this is the kind of song that I knew Travis was capable to creating with the help of the Delta production team, and it's just a masterful feast for the ears. The lyrics hold a great personal relevance for me as well, so all-round it's easily the top song for me from this decade!
02. ALIX / MAXIMISIN' (SCP)
And the best artist debut of the decade goes to... ALIX!! This track has a completely addictive mix of disco grooves and house elements with the instantly recognisable "bright" SCP synths and one of the most vivacious sounding female vocalists to enter the scene in ages. I'm still completely obsessed with this song and it's more unique structural elements breathe new life into the genre.
03. JAGER / BECAUSE OF YOU
This seems to be a pretty strong fan favourite, and rightly so. It is easily Jager's best song to date. The melody is dramatic and instantly catchy, while the more commercial style of the structure is complimented beautifully by SCP's lively production and Jager's fantastic vocals. This song really helped to cement SCP back at the top of the tower in the SEB stable this decade.
04. ACE / CRAZY ON EMOTION
The highlight of SCP's Summer Fest release, and easily the best track on the otherwise fairly underwhelming SEB 218, this track really encapsulates everything that has made Ace such a massive star in the Eurobeat world. His vocal presence is unquestionable, and the quirky production again from SCP takes cues from disco-style elements with a quick-changing bassline in the chorus that always seems to suck me in - great stuff!
05. HOTBLADE / DISCONNECTED
Amazing - SCP make it 4 tracks in a row in the top 5 - they truly are the star label of the 210's for me! This track from Hotblade continues his relentless journey to SCP super-stardom with probably the best chorus hook in the whole decade. This track is just pure adrenaline, and while most people were put off by Hotblade's shouty delivery, for me it just adds to the energy and excitement.
06. DAVID DIMA / SUNRISE ~YOU'LL ALWAYS BE ALIVE~
A drastic change of pace here for one of the most emotionally charged tracks of the decade. I'd always thought it was a beautifully thought-provoking production crafted with a lot of love and feeling, but for me this track took on a completely different complexion after someone mentioned the lyrics in relation to the Japanese tsunami - it just fits so well and really raises this track to a brand new epic level. Beautiful.
07. RICH HARD / TAKE MY LIFE
Wow, here's a surprise - Sun Fire make an appearance in my top 10! I've been a very harsh critic of this label as I know how great Pasquini productions used to sound, whereas now they have any over-compressed bass and occasionally amateurish synths. This track was by far the best track they have ever done - the chorus has a great sense of pain and desperation, and the vocals prove that auto-tune can be effectively used in modern Eurobeat in a tasteful way. Not quite Pirates, but very very close
08. DEJO & BON / WHEELPOWER & GO!
The award for the most epic guitar solo in a Eurobeat production goes to... DEJO & BON!! Seriously, the intro to this track is unlike anything I've heard from any label, and just like Toy For Love this track seems to have hit that perfect spot that SinclaireStyle only seem to be able to hit once every decade for me. The melody has been likened to Disconnected by some - I don't really hear that, but it's certainly stood the test of time this year for me.
09. FRANCIS COOPER / CHERRY LIPS
Another survivor from 211 makes an appearance here with Hi-NRG Attack's only top 10 track this decade. Unsurprisingly, it's another awesome slow italo-style stormer that they mastered so well last decade - this time around, Francis puts in a really sweet performance on vocals while the production is packed full of life and vitality. Sadly the slower tracks recently have started to sound a bit stale - I hope we haven't heard all that the label has to offer in this style...
10. VIRGINELLE / BABY COME BACK
GGM round out the top 10 with this fantastic techno-inspired stomper. The kick drum has a different tone giving this one a new kind of energy that I haven't heard before from this label. Gobbi is at her masterful best with a melody that allows her to show off her great range, and while this perhaps isn't as gratifying as the stunning Good Love & Mystery, it certainly cements her as the top vocalist at GGM now.
Honourable mentions:
TORA / NO TURNING BACK
SinclaireStyle took his females out of the wind tunnel and did a pretty good SCP impression! Love this one
CIAO CIAO / TOGETHER
This one seems to have a slower italo-style melody with a stunning soaring chorus while also embracing the speedier beats and synths. A great combination!
ACE / SET ME FREE
Seems to have been all but dismissed by the majority, but it loved the challenging structure of this one and the funky tones in the production - a perfect pre-cursor to Crazy on Emotion.
DAVID DIMA / DON'T WANNA BE A SURVIVOR
This one stood out from all the Dima male tracks as having that added spark to the production and melodies.
HOTBLADE / POWER TWO
Before Disconnected came along, I believed this would be Hotblade's best ever song - sadly not, but it's still great though
My Bottom 10 from the SEB 210's
01. ALIX / HELLO KITTY
I was devastated that such an amazing debut could be followed by such utter rubbish. I've consoled myself with the thought that this track was never meant for me, but that doesn't help the fact that it's far too sickly sweet and horribly annoying.
02. SARAH / ALOHA-OE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
What's worse than Saifam incessantly spewing out cover after cover? Yes, that's right - Saifam spewing out a cover of an song that was ridiculously ugly in the first place. Just terrible!
03. SPEEDMASTER feat. CINDY / PRETTY GIRL ROCK
See the comments above - they could pretty much be copied and pasted here...
04. TIPSY & TIPSY / DANCE BOOM BOOM
Another Saifam song in the bottom 10, surely not?? Yes, it's true - this track combined horrible bad 90's birthday party dance with nothing new to be honest - the result, an instant skipper!
05. FUTURA / LONELY
Oh Futura, why do you insist on trying to be Nuage? You will never have a tenth of her talent, especially with a horrible Junior Eurovision reject B-side like this - the production here is truly woeful!
06. CHRISTINE / DANCIN' TOGETHER
Yep, any time a Christine song appears on SEB, you can pretty much guarantee that it'll make my bottom 10 of the decade. There's just something about her vocal style that really winds me up for some reason - this is more saccharine sweet nonsense that I can't stomach!
07. THE FRISBEES / BABY GO!
Oh sweet lord, what the heck is this? Bubblegum eurodance taking over Eurobeat? Just terrible - both vocalists sound horribly matched and neither can really raise this track above the awful to mediocre level...
08. DELTA QUEENS feat. PAUL HARRIS / LOVE IS LIKE A RAIN
Note to all Eurobeat producers - listen to Sunrise by David Dima. That's how to craft an aishu track that doesn't curdle milk. This track sadly uses every old trick in the book and ends up sounding like it's stuck in the dark ages.
09. ALEKY / LITTLE TWIN STARS
I'm so disappointed to have to put Aleky in the bottom 10 since I have loved her in the past, but this track is just awful. I hate the melody and I don't get the theme. Aleky also has a tendency to sound a bit like the super-annoying Amy Diamond in certain parts, which isn't good.
10. GO GO GIRLS / SEX SKILLER
This track reaffirmed to me that Lolita/Virginelle and Domino should always just release tracks independently from now on. The melody and theme here is all over the place here, and the production was sloppy and haphazard.
Overall, this decade has produced quite a number of classic tracks in my eyes - most of which come from SCP with their new-found love for the Eurobeat genre with commercial twists. Saifam were just awful, and Dima probably disappointed the most this decade (but only because I expect so much from them nowadays!)
Can't wait for another SEB decade to see what treats it has for us. I'm hoping we lose the 3 non-stops during the year and revert back to 9 albums of brand new material - note to all producers, get producing loads of awesome tracks over the next 3 or 4 months to give Avex a treasure trove of tracks to fill up the next decade with
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