Deejay Goldfinger - Runaway (Original TC Review)

Mastermind Music: Cat. # MMM2005001 

Released November 2005 

Track List: 

A. Runaway (Goldfinger's NRG Factor) (6:52) 

B1. Runaway (Dancefloor Saints Remix) (6:36) 

B2. Runaway (Dancerockaz Remix) (6:32) 

(2010 Update: Fortunately, we didn't get subjected to a surge of crummy hair-metal dance covers. Unfortunately, something even worse did emerge: ironic-hipster dance-rock -complete with ironic mullets. Ugh, I think I'd take a dozen tunes like this one than any more of that.) 

IN BRIEF: Time to grow a mullet. 

In a previous episode of Sykonee Reminisces Euro's Glory Years, I gave props to Deejay Goldfinger for being daring enough to give a whole verse to a rapper. Having personally given up on the genre since the rapper's unceremonious exit, the nostalgia factor in Can’t Stop Me earned the single a rather generous rating despite my complaints of the song very nearly ripping off Somebody's Watchin Me. 

Recently, I was personally contacted by Goldfinger to see if I'd be interested in reviewing his latest single, Runaway. After my initial surprise had passed (after all, we here at TranceCritic have been rejected by others for reviews that were less sarcastic than my Goldfinger one), I accepted the offer. Even if I wasn't particularly fond of Can't Stop Me, I was generously curious if Goldfinger would expand the rapper's role further than a single verse. After all, someone has to lead the charge to spur the eventual retro return of raps in euro dance music. 

However, Runaway doesn't feature any raps at all. This is a good thing, though, since this is a cover of the Bon Jovi hit Runaway. I doubt an MC would suit the theme of that song at- 

Back up a moment there. Did I just type Bon Jovi? As in, hair metal Bon Jovi? You bet. Since modern dance music continues to look to the 80s for inspiration, it was only a matter of time before the most mocked of all musical styles from that decade was tapped as well. The big question is how competently it would be done. 

I was never a big fan of hair metal but you cannot deny its, um, charm. Over-the-top? Certainly, but a great deal of music is. When you turn your brain off and let your hair down, it can be a most fun form of stupid music in decent doses. And no other kind of rock seems to inspire more folks to pull out their best air guitar moves without a care in the world. As such, the form of hard euro dance music Goldfinger is known for is a perfect template to work with, as it is just as equally stupid, fun music in decent doses. 

Sure enough, the rhythm in Runaway is punchy with suitably throbbing bass driving the whole enterprise. What really knocks me over, though, is just how good Felicitas Zoë's singing is. Having grown so accustomed to gals doing poor interpretations of older songs in a dance format (heck, sometimes the lyrics don't even make sense from a girl's mouth, as many times they’re cover songs written by guys), anytime someone not only does a competent job but even raises the song's effectiveness is a welcome, if all too rare, surprise. 

She absolutely nails the essence of Runaway's original lyrics (about a girl who runs away from home, if you hadn't guessed), lending a tragic touch to the feel of it since it comes from a female's mouth. You also get some kooky hair metal guitar licks lurking in the background, which in turn adds to the more playful nature of this slice of euro. I really could have done without the simple synth riffage midway through the song, though, as the sounds used in it just don't quite mesh with the rest of the elements on play. Ah well, that's what the remixes are for, right? 

The Dancefloor Saints provide a remix, and, just in case you didn't know it's by them, they repeat that fact throughout the song. The Saints aren't the first to use such a hokey technique but blatant advertising like this is annoying just the same. As for the remix itself, it's a little more groove-centric, Goldfinger's synth is gone, and you get some additional trancey effects during the chorus, but it remains almost identical to the A-side. The strength remains in Ms. Zoë's lyrics and the background guitars. 

Ah, now this second remix (done by the guys who help produce Goldfinger) is much better. You get hair metal guitars galore, adding to the cheese factor without going too far over the top. With the rhythm a little less throbbing, it complements all that riffage wonderfully. Throw in Ms. Zoë's vocals getting some extra mileage with effects in between the verses and choruses, and you have a nice little bit of clubbing fodder that'll get dancers whipping out air guitar moves in earnest. 

While I've never been a huge fan of dance covers of rock songs, this one outdoes most since it recognizes the strength of its source material and indulges in it gleefully. Unfortunately, because Runaway does tap the original source so heavily, this may also be its biggest drawback. It plays the nostalgia card perhaps a little too hard. The song would definitely get a reaction in a typical Top40 club but I can't see it having much longevity at home. Once you get past those hair metal retro vibes, the song is very standard euro club music. 

Also, I hope this doesn't become a trend. Runaway works better than it really should because Ms. Zoë's vocals are more inspired than most euro cover fare. However, I can see dance covers of hair metal tunes going horribly awry in the wrong hands all too often. 

Score: 6/10 

Written By Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Deejay Goldfinger - Can't Stop Me (Original TC Review)

Atticus Musikvertrieb: Cat. # AT65024 

Released March 25, 2005 

Track List: 

1. Can't Stop Me (C.I.A. Mix)

2. Can't Stop Me (Club Mix)
3. Can't Stop Me (Deepforces Remix)
4. Can't Stop Me (DJ Goldfinger N-R-G Factor)
5. Can't Stop Me (Doug Laurent Mix)
6. Can't Stop Me (Pop Radio Edit)
7. Can't Stop Me (Dance Radio Edit)


(2010 Update: I was grumpy and depressed when I wrote this, the initial enthusiasm over writing for TranceCritic having waned -reviewing a lot of mediocre euro dance can do that to a guy. In fact, it was the last review I'd write for at least a month and a half. Oddly enough, Deejay Goldfinger liked this write-up enough to send me a promo for his follow-up single. Heh, maybe I should have wrote like a miser more often.)


IN BRIEF: Is there an original idea left in euro?

It's been a while since I could get excited over anything in the euro camp. Most of the attributes of the genre -catchy riffs, fun raps, and innovative sound patches- seem to be all but a distant memory. Most of it went by the wayside towards the end of the 90s, almost disappearing altogether as the anthem trance machine dominated the club scene. Anthem trance had its moment in the spotlight though, and euro's been on a small rise again by making use of trance's successful attributes and applying it to making fun dance music.

And while there have been a few interesting tracks here and there, I've yet to hear anything of the magnitude that made songs from old heavyweights like 2 Unlimited, Snap!, Maxx, and Corona such classics. It's no small wonder labels keep returning to those tracks for updated remixes when most modern acts are lacking in anything creative.

So, I dive into Deejay Goldfinger's Can't Stop Me without high expectations. This opening mix certainly has some decent sounds but once the main vocals starts -more or less repeating the same thing throughout- its similarities to the Michael Jackson-sung chorus of Rockwell’s Somebody’s Watchin’ Me are more than just a little evident.

However, I am absolutely shocked to hear a rap by a male rapper! And by rap, I mean an actual full verse along with typical "can't stop; won't stop" MCing. Aside from Brooklyn Bounce, I haven't heard euro dance music make use of a male rapper in years, which is a shame because the raps were often one of the most fun aspects of that music. Why it was ever taken out, I haven't a clue but I suspect it was partially due to euro's increasing borrowing of ideas from trance that led to it. Trance and rap have never really been all that comfy in each other's presence (although it'd be interesting to see someone attempt it).

Anyhow, despite the surprise raps, this C.I.A. Remix doesn't really have much to offer. Sure, the chorus is catchy but that's more thanks to the original Rockwell hit than anything Goldfinger created.

The Club Mix slows things down a little to lay the rhythm on thicker, with added vocal effects and crowd noises during a few pad bridges; the vibe in the track is more conducive to club atmosphere. Still, the only real strength is the chorus thanks to its catchiness, but do we credit Goldfinger for using it, or Rockwell for creating it? Okay, okay, so it isn't one hundred percent identical to Somebody's Watchin' Me, but only by a note or two. I guess someone's been reading The KLF's The Manual.

The Deepforces Remix gives Can't Stop Me the hardstyle treatment, so expect plenty of throbbing percussion, screaming synths, and false builds that'll milk a moment for as much as they can. Really, it's not that bad of a mix but very functional as far as hardstyle is concerned. The only thing that will let it stand out from the pack is, you guessed it, the Rockwell inspired chorus (usually sung during the breakdowns).

Compared to the other mixes, Goldfinger's own NRG remix is kind of redundant. Sure, he plays with a number of fine effects throughout but nothing interesting is done with the big payoff riffs. It's just standard march-along screeching synths that we've heard plenty of times before; nothing new to see here.

Infusing a little funk into the song is Doug Laurent, thanks to a dirty bassline and breakbeats. It seems he's quite aware of Can't Stop Me's major influence and makes good use of drawing upon it for this mix. But, er, what's with the sound of kids in the background? Is Laurent making a subtle joke here?

The two radio mixes are quite similar, with the dance version making use of the club mix's sound patches, and the pop version attempting to instead sound organic with guitar strums. Both are serviceable but I prefer the dance version, as there's a great deal of variety of sounds happening there to keep things interesting. The pop version relies mostly on weak sounding synthesized acoustic guitars to carry the melody.

However, I wouldn't be surprised to see this song become a minor hit. Somebody's Watchin' Me is a track ingrained in most of the population thanks to the massive radio play it still gets to this day, and hearing a euro song inspired by it will instantly have folks humming along. But because Can't Stop Me doesn't do enough to distinguish itself from Rockwell's original chorus, I can't see this being more than a nostalgic novelty to those who hear it at first, and forgotten less than a year later.

Ah, well. At least the rapper might be making a return to euro. That's worth an extra star alone.

Score: 6/10

Written By Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.