Songs That Make You Wanna: Catch Spring Fever
By Dani Purcell, Senior Writer
Twitter-pated: When the humidity starts to bake the rain from the pavement and the air grows balmy, and creatures in its ensnaring heat develop feelings of immense longing and tenderness for the ones they desire. Their eyes grow hazy when the earth gets green and desire keeps repeating, "REPRODUCE!"
The following tracks are dripping in thick beats, laden in sinister melodies at crawling paces, strong vocals with multiple harmonies and inclusion of flute, piano and violin—a complete list of songs that may induce* fantasies** about getting busy.
*the only thing more romantic than action is inaction
**or direct action
1. "Cowboys" by PortisheadHaunting trills of shrill piano weave seamlessly with lulling snare hip-hop rhythm, Beth Gibbon’s voice whining and sliding over it into a sinister chorus that transitions to a section of scratching and short pangs of samples.
2. "Walking Zero" by Sneaker Pimps
Low violins and cellos resound under bass pounding, and Kelli Ali’s girlish voice courses to a sassy, confrontational chorus that ends with, “My time is only given up to you / Too much to choose, / It's not mine to contemplate if I can lose / With this blood on my shoes.” The last minute or so consists of a dramatic violin solo that diminishes to the gritty bass beat before finishing. In case you haven’t been informed, violin solos are sexy.
3. "All Neon-Like" by Björk
A weird, dynamic bass line thumps beneath high-register music-box-like rings that draw a harsh parallel to Björk’s unusually fluid voice. The Icelandic siren’s range and ability to shift between notes' peculiar melodies (she also makes up words) crescendos in her crying, “Don’t get angry with yourself” repeatedly. Violin sections drift in and out beneath the bass and vocals amidst curious noises.
4. "#1 Crush" by Garbage
I know the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack is pretty corny, but cut me a break. I don’t know what’s with all the excessive moaning, but desperation and neurotic compassion can be seductive. The track was practically written as a make out jam – chunky but hollow-sounding beats and several of Shirley Manson’s “aaah-ing” between verses and claims she will burn, steal and kill to obtain affection before demanding: “You will believe in me / And I will never be ignored.”
5. "Nothing's Impossible" by Depeche Mode
Dark, industrial progressions pulse atop fluid noises over blips of lingering synth, Dave Gahan’s Brit-tacular, deep voice entrancing: “Even the stars that brighten tonight / Nothing’s impossible / I still believe in love at first sight / Nothing’s impossible.” High key notes resonate in volume and speed that climax to a ridiculous solo section so electronic it sounds artificial and surreal. The dynamics reduce to the guitar alongside blasting noises generating in volume and momentum before finally diminishing.
6. "I’ve Been Thinking" by Handsome Boy Modeling School (feat.Cat Power)
The Queen of All that is Twitter-pated! Chill snare beats jangle beneath smooth, abrupt, jazz-tastic guitar and soft violins—all simple yet effective in their construction and arrangement—the sultry comings on of Cat Power beckoning, “Be my boy,” piano scales toiling beneath a chorus of: “I’ve been thinking about / Using you.” The perfect seduction anthem—both playful and curious, muted and overt—and likely to produce some kind of body movement.
7. "3030" by Deltron 3030
A chorus of angelic voices and twin flutes harmoniously descending in octave open this funky beat factory of a jam. Del the Funky Homosapian’s nonpareil vocals, fondness for hyperactive speed couplets and bizarre allusions—“Tired of Feeling a Ghost in the Shell”—make this an unusual spot on the playlist. So maybe the lyrics speak to broader parallels of a modern world encroached in corporate capitalism: “Enterprisin’ wise men look to the horizon / Thinkin’ more capitalism is the wisdom and imprison / All citizens empowered with rhythm / We keep the funk alive by talking with idioms.” But fighting the man is hot, right?
8. "How Does it Make You Feel?" by Air
An electronic voice, artificial and seemingly damaged by throat cancer, reads a love letter he has written filled with melodramatic professions of affection: “You worry so much about not having enough time together / It makes no difference to me / I would be happy with just one minute in your arms.” The chorus consists of two men singing in third and fifth harmonies, “How does it make you feel?” Finally, another voice answers the question that has lingered for four minutes: “Well, I think you should quit smoking.” Regardless, it’s a fantastic pairing for drifting among the humidity, daydreaming.
9. "Wait in a Line" by Now It's Overhead
Snare drums crack and ripple beneath sweltering guitar lines, male and female voices “ooh-ing” and “ahh-ing” in an almost-round fashion. For those of you who have qualms with Kings of Leon, Now It’s Overhead sounds like a more lucid, sensual, tolerable compromise for you and significant other to enjoy together.
10. "Stay With You" by Lemon Jelly
Lemon Jelly really gets into splicing vocal sections and layering them in different orders or repetitions, but essentially the lyrics are: “I want to stay with you / For the rest of my life.” Lulling sound sections disappear and reappear between samples, a gaggle of different splices of the song layering and dismantling atop a hiccupping base melody and allegro drum beats.So there you have it, youngins. You know what’s up. Saunter that swagger, you’re all hazy-eyed. Go take your temperature and tell me you’re not feeling a little warmer, that you haven’t caught the fever.
