Dance Downloads of the Week

JOE has decided to further assist the Irish public in its never ending battle to keep iPods sounding fresh. Every week, we will be bringing you five essential tracks for dance music fans.

N*E*R*D - Hypnotize U. Download here.

NOTHING is the title of the fourth studio album from Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shae Haley – collectively, the three musicians-slash-producers-slash-singers-slash-songwriters known as N*E*R*D. (No-one Ever Really Dies). Formed as a concept band in their hometown of Virginia Beach in 2000, N*E*R*D stands – defiantly – ten years later as a group of musicians who have worked tirelessly to carve out and conquer a new space in an otherwise nebulous musical world.

Amazingly, this was not the album you were intended to hear. Early in 2010, Pharrell, Chad and Shae sat in their Miami recording studio listening to roughly 20 songs recorded over the previous year, that they believed would form their newest album.

“People are concerned with war and the world. People are still dealing with their issues even if we think things have changed,” explains Pharrell. “And when we looked back on those 20 records, they weren’t really saying what we wanted to say. They weren’t good enough.”

And so N*E*R*D scrapped all 20 of those songs and decided to start over. Daft Punk produced Hypnotize U is a deliciously infectious slice of hip-hop with a melody that will stick to your head like superglue. It is the third release from their new album – an album I'd recommend you buy.

Listen here:

Brookes Brothers, Last Night. Download here.

Since their first forays into drum&bass production back in 2002, The Brookes Brothers have come a very long way, establishing themselves as one of the A-list production power-houses in the scene today. Signed exclusively by Breakbeat Kaos in 2007, the duo have gone on to chart-topping success and garnered recognition that most can only dream of within only a few years.

Last Night has all the energy filled potential of a green banana, with its deep and gnarly sub-bass, vocal hook and driving synths it's sure the make people sit up and take notice.

Listen here:

French Horn Rebellion, This Moment. Download here.

French Horn Rebellion is composed of brothers Robert and David Perlick-Molinari hailing from Brooklyn New York. They first came to my attention early last year with their Beach's and Friends release. Since then I've been following them very closely.

This Moment is from their forthcoming and very eagerly anticipated debut album titled The Infinite Music Of French Horn Rebellion – Let's hope they have the longevity the title claims.

Listen here:

BURNS and Fred Falke, Y.S.L.M. (You Stopped Loving Me). Download here.

Frédérick "Fred" Falke is a France-based house producer and DJ who's better known for his work with Alan Braxe with whom he produced Intro, a classic which sampled The Jets’ 1987 hit Crush On You.

This time around he has teamed up with 24-year-old Brit newcomer, BURNS, who has remixed the likes of The Gossip, Empire Of The Sun, Ladyhawke, Wolfmother, Calvin Harris, Passion Pit, Kasabian, Dizzee Rascal, and many more.

Listen here:

Storm Queen, Look Right Through. Download here.

Morgan Geist, a native of New Jersey, has been producing high quality music since 1994. Geist's new project Storm Queen marks a return to his roots with an analog approach towards modern house music with a disco pedigree. The results are stunning to say the least. Look Right Through is pure analog warmth. Its bumping bass lines, pristine pads and a sublime vocal make this a true house aficionado's dream.

Their track You Stopped Loving Me is a filtered/disco house gem that's been smashing dancefloors from Miami to Ibiza all summer long.

Listen here:

JOE’s Dance Downloads is compiled by veteran DJ Craig G. The Dubliner has performed sets in numerous clubs during the course of his 18-year career including The Dragon Nightclub in Dublin and The Vic Nightclub in Galway. His mixes, meanwhile, have been featured on 2fm. Craig G has been working with Rampage School of Dance for the past eight years, putting scores for their live performances. Their last collaboration enjoyed a sold-out run at The Mermaid Arts Theatre.