Mercury Records: cat 9871115
Released 2005

Track list:
1. I Like The Way (Radio Edit) (3.22)
2. I Like The Way (Junior Jack Rock Da House Mix) (8.10)
3. I Like The Way (Tom Neville Touch My Body Mix) (7.28)
4. I Like The Way (Linus Loves Mix) (5.46)
5. I Like The Way (Bimbo Jones Delano Mix) (6.49)
6. I Like The Way (Full Length) (6.45)


IN BRIEF: Smells like grunge.

I suppose I should be thankful for this record. With trance's commercial prospects falling through the floor circa 2003 it was up to a rejuvenated house invasion to keep dance music in the singles charts. The oldest of the dance genres, house is currently enjoying something of a renaissance, with every producer looking back at the neon plastic wonderland that was the 1980s for their inspiration. Every record that hasn't sampled an old pop hit from the decade sounds like synth-pop or electro with rocket-propelled beats behind it. And while it was an interesting gimmick for a while, we're all becoming mighty sick of being reminded of our parent's record collection whenever we step into a club.

Step forward the Bodyrockers, who clearly know what they're aiming for. Rather than day-glo keyboards and fuzzy slabs of electro, they've turned to the scruffy punk of the early 90s for their inspiration. Ragged guitars given a 21st century sheen to them and deafening drum thrashings feature heavily, and the (male!) vocalist revels in an almost Cobain sleazy gravel-edged delivery of his lines. Don't worry though, this isn't angst-tormented rockers at work, rather it's firmly aimed at the dancefloor, so the lyrics are about pure enjoyment of the opposite sex, delivered with a knowing grin.

For effort and style, this certainly gets full marks. The structuring of the track bears no resemblance to any house track currently getting a rinsing, and the Bodyrockers clearly want to be perceived as a trendy band rather than a couple of geeks firing up a sampler in their bedrooms. These guys have attitude, something all too lacking in dance music. And it's no surprise this record is more popular with the fairer sex.

We'll talk, as always, about the Radio Edit rather than the stretched out Full Length mix, which typically wastes its extra space. Opening with a drum attack straight out of the intro to Blurs Song 2, we move into a throbbing, catchy bassline and meaty kick drums. However, this brief rhythm section is quickly cut out to a lengthy monologue by the singer, listing the things he likes about whichever lucky lady he has his eyes on. The bassline begins to morph into a twisted electric guitar riff, rising in volume until the key line is delivered: "But most of all; I like the way you move!" It's really a one trick record, with the catchy riff being vaguely reminiscent of Deep Dish's recent (and quite similar) Flashdance. The vocalist, for all his swagger, is really doing little more than being a tuneful MC to the rhythms at work, enhancing the music rather than dominating the track like a rock star. It's a smart move. The Bodyrockers have managed to make an incredibly basic track last the duration without losing its grip and simultaneously added more character to it than most producers conjure up in their entire career.

Now, the remixes. An assemblage of obscure and vaguely familiar producers are on hand to provide different spins on the track, although as it's such a basic concept, they don't have much to do other than re-arrange the samples. Junior Jack, the highest profile name on the list, does exactly that, chopping the vocals about a bit and stirring up some fresh beats. Yawn.

Tom Neville goes one up on the original in crafting the carefully controlled mayhem of grunge into the intro, but quickly throws in a fairly generic thumping beat so not to scare off the dancefloor. They reappear for short interludes at later dates in the track though, and squeaky electronic loops and bubbling synth lines are thrown into the mix at odd points too. This is slightly more groove-orientated mix than the peak-time anthem feel of the last two tracks. The same is applicable to the Linus Loves Mix, which is entirely instrumental, and twists the track into a funky house version (which seems to be mandatory on a house single). Bimbo Jones Delano (!) similarly goes for that funky sound, with a very groovy 70s bass guitar sound and looped cheers in the background in places. These last two mixes are pretty disposable though, and were probably made for the green backs they brought the remixers. Ah well.

Apart from the incredibly lacklustre remix suite, this isn't a bad single. The main track certainly has style and works well enough on the dancefloor, as tried and tested by DJs as high calibre as Eric Morrillo. Ultimately it's not the most complex track, and certainly not very demanding, but for a simple high-energy houser offering something slightly different, it works just fine.


Written by System-J for www.TranceCritic.com May not be reproduced or republished without the consent of TranceCritic.com. All rights reserved.

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Title: Bodyrockers - I Like The Way
Category: Single, EP
Sub Category: House
Reviewer: SYSTEM-J
Added: May 17th 2005
Viewed: 14031 Times
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