Calvin Harris Does Florence

I've been a huge fan of Florence + The Machine since the beginning but Ceremonials just doesn't float my boat. It's not a bad album by any means but the spark - and quirky pop sensibility - that made Lungs one of the best debuts in recent memory is missing. That's not to say it's a complete waste of time. I have a soft spot for "Shake It Out" and "What The Water Gave Me" is a mysterious delight. You can now add the Calvin Harris mix of "Spectrum (Say My Name)" to that list. While the Scotsman appears to have completely lost the plot as a producer (that hideous Scissor Sisters' single is Exhibit A), he can still knock out a decent remix. Florence now has a towering club anthem to plug and it could be just what she needs to get European fans back on board. It's probably a little too dance for Australian radio but I approve and think a remix album is now officially warranted. Listen to Calvin breathe some life back into music's moodiest bitch below.

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Florence Gets The Benny Benassi Treatment

"Lungs" was one of my favourite albums of 2009 and kept me company well into 2010. But somewhere towards the end of last year I began to suffer Florence-fatigue. Her transformation from the Benjamin Buttons of indie-pop to the dolled-up hitmaker of today was disconcerting and I began to suspect she was a bit of a one-trick pony when the dreary and predictable "What The Water Gave Me" dropped a couple of months ago. Happily, "Shake It Out" restored my faith. The organs and tambourines give it an unexpected gospel sound and the lyrics kill me. I'm tempted to get this couplet tattooed on my forehead as a constant reminder to wise the fuck up:

I am done with my graceless heart,
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart

So what do you do with a beautiful spiritual hymn that sinks like a stone on iTunes? Call Benny Benassi and ask him to jazz it up with a dance remix for radio. This sounds like a very bad idea for so many reasons but it works. I'm not too proud to admit that I love Benny's version. It's more palatable to non-depressed/damaged listeners and the superstar DJ's killer beats are going to tear up dancefloors around the globe. All of a sudden, the second coming of Florence fills me with joy. May she continue to sell out at every possible opportunity!

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