This morning, I checked Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart and saw that a song titled When Love Takes Over by a DJ named David Guetta had risen from #6 to #2 in only its sixth week. That’s a remarkably fast climb for a dance song, so I sat up and took notice.
Even more interesting to me was that the vocals were provided by Kelly Rowland, formerly of Destiny’s Child. Kelly did a spectacular job with her under-appreciated Ms. Kelly sophomore album, which featured the spectacular – and woefully ignored – Work, remixed to perfection by the Freemasons.
When Love Takes Over is a first-class stomping old-school romp through club town and a half! The best characteristics of Kelly’s vocals – the sass, really – are put to great effect here. Kelly doesn’t have a great vocal range, but when she soars into the anthemic chorus, you feel her joy, almost as if she grabbed hold of the microphone and wouldn’t let go, choosing instead to preach the gospel of love to the packed dance floor.
David Guetta’s production, of course, is admirable in this one. Tinkling piano lines, forceful string lines, and thumping bass lines moving in seamless perfection with the impact of the synths, well, it’s hard to resist. Try listening as well to the Electro Radio Edit, which replaces the strings with an electric piano line that brings back shades of the 90s, and, well, having grown up with Crystal Waters and CeCe Peniston, as well as the incomparable Martha Wash, well, this is just a blissful trip back to the days of old-school house.
Don’t take my word for it, though. Listen to When Love Takes Over and tell me it doesn’t make your feet tap and head bop to its joyful beat.
[audio:When Love Takes Over.mp3]And as a bonus, here’s the Freemason Remix of Kelly’s Work.
[audio:01 Work (Freemasons Radio Edit).mp3]