Are you one of the fifteen people who will be left in Dublin once the mass Electric Picnic exodus takes place this weekend? Well not to worry, us remaining few stragglers will still be around the city to have a good time, and here are five songs to get your EP-less weekend off to a good start!
NELLY – "Get Like Me" featuring Nicki Minaj and Pharrell Williams
Nelly has been missing from the rap game for a minute, but he’s being brought back with this tune that should have every guy and girl tapping into their inner twerking stripper. Pharrell brings that same chilly minimal drum-beat that he laid on “Blurred Lines”, and Minaj drops in for a killer supporting verse. To the dance-floor!
PET SHOP BOYS – "Vocal"
The second single and final song on the Pet Shop Boys’ Electric, their best album in twenty years. Vocal comes with a staggering, pulsing production from Stuart Price, the guy who made Madonna relevant again (for a little while) with her Confessions On A Dancefloor album. Anyone of the nine songs on PSB’s Electric album could be on this list, but Vocal wins out for just being the most fun.
EMINEM – "Berzerk"
The first single from The Marshall Mathers LP 2 finds Slim Shady back in some celebrity taunting lyricism (“I woke up in Monte Carlo with the ugly Kardashian…”) and classic song sampling (both the Beastie Boys “The New Style” and Billy Squire’s “The Stroke” can be heard in there). Produced by the legendary Rick Rubin (“99 Problems”), this is Eminem in an attention-grabbing return to form.
MILEY CYRUS – "Wrecking Ball"
After THAT performance at the VMA’s, we’ve all momentarily forgotten that Miss Montana also occasionally sings songs without sticking her tongue of her head like some kind of exorcised exhibitionist. Wrecking Ball was produced by King Of The Pop Songs that is Dr. Luke (seriously, wiki that guys production discography, it’s insane), but it was also co-written by Cyrus herself, which goes to show she’s quite talented when she needs to be. If you’re in the mood for a modern version of an 80’s power ballad, then this is the one for you.
PRINCE – "Gett Off"
You probably wouldn’t know this, but Prince has actually had ten albums out in the last ten years, but has been notably missing from any kind of chart action. But he’s soon to be seen on current queen of hip Janelle Monae’s upcoming lady The Electric Lady, which should plant him firmly back on everyone’s radars. But until, here’s one of his most suggestive, aggressive and kind of hilarious songs of all time. “Twenty-three positions in a one-night stand!” Amazing.
Words: Rory Cashin
