New York DJ

DJ NYC Indie Pop & Rock Song Favorites of 2009 to Enliven All Kinds of Events

These days, if you’re not that familiar with indie pop and rock, and only see and hear the bands or singers at the more popular end of the indie spectrum, it’s easy to think all this kind of music falls into one of two types: either, 1) quiet, mopey acoustic folk sung by skinny white guys with thick beards, or, 2) spastic, nervy pop songs sung by skinny white guys (or girls) wearing tight jeans. 

That may be a little simplistic, but judging from the covers of Spin or Rolling Stone for the past couple years, that conclusion doesn’t seem complete hyperbole because these are the two type of indie music that tend to be most hyped. Many who don’t know indie music much might think then that indie is either only for private listening, since the quiet folksy stuff is too sad to play at the mellower parts of an event like dinner or cocktail time, and the dancier pop stuff is just too obscure for all but a few to know.

But as a dj in nyc who is exposed to so much new music of all genres each year both new and old, both obscure and mainstream, trust me – the world of indie pop and rock is much more wide-ranging than simply the sounds of what grabs the most media attention. (If you're looking for a general and expansive list of all kinds of indie songs from the '60s until now, check out our indie playlists on iTunes by typing in "iMix", then searching "djnyc", as well as looking at the indie categories on this blog and at the dj nyc news & music blog located here.) In our list below, and playable on iTunes here there’s a huge diversity of sound and level of media visibility in terms of the artists: There’s fun, upbeat indie music great for cocktail time that looks back to the sounds of early Prince (Empire of the Sun’s “Walking On a Dream”, MGMT’s very recognizable “Electric Feel”) or the pop soul of 1960s era girl groups (The School’s “I Want You Back”, Camera Obscura’s “Honey in the Sun”); there’s melodic dance grooves that look to the future by creating fresh, lush electronic soundscapes (Annie’s “Bad Times”); there’s lovely, sentimental songs of a folksy-country mood (Laura Cantrell’s cover of New Order’s “Love Vigilantes”, The Avett Brothers’ "I & Love & You”) that will probably be the talk of your dinner party for a bit. 

In fact, the “indie” label that has become so popular and rather thoughtlessly thrown around in the past decade or so has become such a catch-all that it’s almost without meaning in terms of defining a specific sound; to many people it means a lot of different sounds. About the only thing the term is useful for is alerting you to the likely presence of a certain sensibility – being somehow new and fresh and adventurous, and going against the grain of the mainstream in a variety of ways, even if at times that newness is a retro sound that’s been off the map for awhile.

And don't think indie music can only be used here and there as an occasional filler; it often can be showcased. There’s some indie songs on our list we played this year for important signature moments, like wedding first dances: The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Hysteric (acoustic version)”, a strikingly simple and tender song about love enduring after difficult experiences that features a beautifully crisp female vocal, and the quite close-to-mainstream Ray LaMontagne, with “You Are the Best Thing”, a bouncy, smoky tune that echoes ‘70s Rod Stewart, from that time long ago when his music had a gritty, rough-edged sexiness to it.

And remember, the indie music you choose to play today at your event could give you some "cool points" tomorrow for being seen to be the first to break out a song that later becomes popular and loved. Not so long ago bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and singers like Ray LaMontagne were considered obscure, and now they’re on Saturday Night Live.

1. Electric Feel - MGMT
2. Bruises - Chairlift
3. First Train Home - Imogen Heap
4. Walking On a Dream - Empire of the Sun
5. The’59 Sound - The Gaslight Anthem
6. Honey in the Sun - Camera Obscura
7. Lisztomania - Phoenix
8. Vanished - Crystal Castles
9. Love Vigilantes - Laura Cantrell
10. Sleepyhead - Passion Pit
11. I & Love & You - The Avett Brothers
12. Hysteric (acoustic version) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
13. My Girls - Animal Collective
14. Dominos - The Big Pink
15. This Tornado Loves You - Neko Case
16. You Are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
17. I Want You Back - The School
18. Bad Times - Annie

Some Great Covers by Indie Pop & Rock Artists to Enliven Your Event

Though indie pop and rock artists tend to have a more offbeat sound than those who dominate the mainstream pop and rock charts, one aspect of recording indie musicians have in common with even the most bland bar bands out there is having at least a couple of cover songs they like to perform. However, if an indie band or singer is at all worth its weight in quirkiness, they better well bring a memorable take on the classic (or, sometimes, more obscure) tunes they choose to play.

This iTunes mix of cover songs by indie pop artists (also included are a few bands that were called “alternative” not so long ago) contains unexpected but yet fun and accessible takes on a wide range of mostly well-known songs that can do a lot to enliven many kinds of events. These covers will hopefully leaving you remembering them when you come across the original the next time – which is perhaps the best sign of a great cover.

This mix includes indie bands and singers not only performing a diverse selection of song genres, but also doing covers that are performed in a large variety of musical styles. As far as genres, there’s jazz standards (Over the Rhine’s crisp, smoky take on “My Funny Valentine”), bluesy soul (Feist speeding up Nina Simone's famous version of the song "See Line Woman" and changing the title to "Sea Lion Woman"), ‘80s pop favorites (“In Your Eyes” is given a strikingly pretty stripped-down treatment by Matt Ketteman and Cameron Mizell), innocent girl-group '60s pop made a bit badass (The Raveonettes’ sweet yet more raw version of “My Boyfriend's Back”), and even well-known indie songs from several years ago (“Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service is done by Iron & Wine in its usual hushed, acoustic folk style).

As far as musical styles, the artists here are all over the place - here, a good thing - in their approach to interpreting their cover songs. There’s some once-popular but now-forgotten songs that are pleasantly resurrected (“Holiday Road” from the ‘80s film National Lampoon’s Vacation, made shimmering and pretty and completely "de-cornified" by Matt Pond PA), electronic pop re-imagined with gentle acoustic treatments (“Take On Me” as done by A.C. Newman of The New Pornographers), classic rock performed with a danceable electro beat (Scissor Sisters’ version of “Comfortably Numb”), ‘80s hard rock given a sleek electro-samba feel (Sixth Finger’s take on Guns ‘n’ Roses’ “Patience”), and dancier tunes downshifted into unlikely but lovely ethereal dreaminess (David Bowie’s “Modern Love” as done by The Last Town Chorus).

The great thing about well-done cover songs – whether by indie artists or others – is that they can be played at so many kinds of events, and they can be played at almost any time during events which have different components that call for different energy, such as fashion shows, corporate parties and weddings. We’ve found in our years of experience DJ-ing throughout the city and the metropolitan area that covers are great to play because they offer both the familiar and the unfamiliar at the same time – your guests get something new and fresh, but built on a tune to which they know the beat or lyrics. Hearing a well-chosen cover song done in a fun style adds a playful touch to background-music atmosphere that can boost the energy of guest arrivals, cocktail hours and dinners without being too overpowering, or calling too much attention away from the conversation. And some of the songs in this mix can even be placed into a dancing set to add a rather un-risky fresh surprise into a group of songs of an appropriate genre or style of music your guests are dancing to at the time. As for smaller events like dinner parties or barbecues, playing a few of these songs here and there is almost sure to kick-start a few conversations, or even turn your guests onto new indie bands.

The first half of the mix contains mostly bouncy acoustic songs that would work well when guests are just getting to your event or having some cocktails, as well as faster songs that have a more electronic feel and can be used for dancing. The last half of the mix features more sentimental and/or quieter music, appropriate for dinner or smaller, more intimate gatherings.

Many of you might be fans of the indie bands on this mix, but you might not have heard these covers, simply because many times covers are left off of albums in favor of original songs, or because the covers were recorded for tribute compilations or were featured on movie soundtracks. Hopefully you’ll find some songs here you didn’t know existed from bands you like, and also be able to use some of those songs for events you’re planning, or for events for which you want to contribute to the music playlist.

Listen to the mix here.

Off the Beaten Track Songs for All Kinds of Road Trips

I’ve been away from the blog for almost a month - much longer than I had intended - but this was largely because for about two weeks I was on a road trip vacation with my girlfriend. I returned eager to make a collection of songs that people could use for all kinds of road trips – weekend getaways taken with a significant other, meditative solo excursions out of town, long family vacations, and so forth.

Now, this is a blog in which I usually write about how to use music and the DJ to make events such as corporate parties, weddings, and fashion shows succeed on a higher level. So DJ advice on songs for a road trip might seem a bit out of place - after all, road trips are not really considered an event, they of course don’t feature live DJs spinning from the passenger’s seat, and the music which people bring with them in their cars for a road trip is often very personal.

But then again, our company doesn’t only DJ events that are live. We also provide carefully pre-crafted mixes of songs to clients as well. For example, when we provide music mixes to a restaurant in the city, the most important element is not beat-matching and getting people to dance, but the more mellow mission of crafting a mood or moods that enhance the guests’ time eating dinner or drinking cocktails. Plus, I took a look on iTunes and found their road trip collection – though fun – felt a bit generic and one dimensional. Sure, the iTunes collection might give some people a smile on their trip to blast “I Can’t Drive 55” by Sammy Hagar or “Life is a Highway” by...by...uh, that one guy who sung it, but there are so many other moods that music can put you in touch with on a road trip than just rockin’ out. Road trips can offer moments for pleasant reflections, for melancholy musings, for innocent joy, for quiet sadness, and a lot more kinds of feelings.

And really, a road trip is a sort of event to those embarking on it. It almost always arouses some sort of passionate feeling, usually it involves some degree of planning, and ever since cassette decks and Certron C-60 tapes came out in the early '70s, mixes of music have been almost as important as the gas money.

So I’ve assembled a mix of songs that hopefully you aren’t too familiar with, and that cover a range of emotions and that go with a variety of moments, from driving through the lights of a big city late at night to cruising along an empty rural highway under clear blue skies and bright sunshine. There’s mellow acoustic guitar instrumentals, folk, indie rock, electronica, classic rock, roots reggae, vintage country, vintage rock, synthpop, alt-country, blues, and more. From some of the songs' subject matter - cars, highways, welcome escapes, anticipated reunions - you'll be able to tell they're related to the theme, but other songs were chosen simply because they just have a certain feel - be it propulsive, sweet, lush, moody, dreamy, austere - that goes well with different kinds of road trip moments.

I'm sure there's a lot of great music out there that I don't know about that you really adore on your road trips. I encourage you to comment below with any suggestions you think would be good for people to know more about for a road trip mix, whatever the mood of the song, and if I get enough I'll make another mix incorporating those suggestions. Just please don’t include the obvious stuff that we've all seen in too many Hollywood movies or car commercials, like Foghat’s “Slow Ride” or Billy Ocean’s “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car.” We all know about those songs too much, and unfortunately we can’t forget them.

Go here to check out the mix.

Remixes of Big Band, Swing & Early Rock 'n' Roll Classics: A New Way to Freshen Up a Theme Party, or Any Event

On New Year's Eve, we had an excellent time ushering in 2009 by DJ-ing a huge party at a venue in lower Manhattan that featured a Roaring Twenties theme. (You can see some photos of the party below, and a photo slideshow of the night at Dan's blog, located at www.discjockeynyc.com)

Most guests brought a lot of Jazz Age spirit with them, and it was cool to look out into the crowd and see many of the women sporting stylish flapper hairstyles and the guys adjusting crisp fedoras. The event featured bands playing Dixieland-style jazz, a burlesque show, and even a group performing a fire-throwing routine (not exclusively 1920s, but it does get your attention!).

For our part in adding to the atmosphere, we played original and remixed versions of big band and swing tunes from Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, Louis Prima, Cab Calloway and revivalist swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, along with rockabilly and rock 'n' roll that had a swing-style rhythm to it, like Bill Haley, Elvis, and revivalist rock 'n' roll bands like the Stray Cats. Even though space was tight, everyone seemed to find enough room to dance, and the sexy vintage mix really went well with the retro Bacchanalia of the evening. And it was great to see the crowd sharing a sentimental moment to the swingin' big band version of "Auld Lang Syne" that we played the moment the clock hit midnight.

DJ-ing theme parties is great fun, and gives you and your guests a chance to delve deeper into genres than you usually can, and if the crowd is into these genres from the beginning, it can be an amazingly unique experience. But, being locked into a few genres for the whole event can also get boring quickly unless you have ways to freshen things up. This is especially true if the theme only involves a single genre or just a couple kinds of music, and if some of the crowd are neutral in their feelings toward the genre(s) that are featured.

Keeping things lively, though, can be done in many ways, such as playing lesser-known songs in these styles that still have a great rhythm; playing more cover versions of well known songs in the specific styles; throwing out a few mash-ups of songs; or finding related music that might not be instantly obvious to play, and stretches the borders of the theme a bit while still feeling right - in the case of our New year's Eve party, this was the "newer" (from the '90s and '80s) swing- and early rock-influenced artists I mentioned above, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and the Stray Cats.

The most venerable way, though, for the DJ to liven things up and extend the party when spinning at a theme or any event is the remix. And while remixes have been used to extract maximum sweat from dance floor patrons since the disco era, for music from the first half of the 20th Century, this really hasn't been much of an option (save for that irritating version of "Puttin' on the Ritz" and its remixes done by Taco in the mid '80s). But recently, there have been more remix versions being made of big band, swing and rock 'n' roll songs from the '20s, '30s, '40s and '50s. Most of the good remixes of this type add thicker, modern-sounding beats to carefully, stylishly re-assembled versions of the original songs. (An album cover of a compilation of these remixes, Big Band Remixed & Reinvented, is pictured above.) At our New Year's Eve party, being able to sprinkle these songs in our set was a welcome addition, as it gave the crowd something that was at once both familiar and accessible, but also new and different, and our crowd really responded well to this fresh vibe.

We'd definitely suggest including a few of these remixed vintage songs at your event - whether your event is a theme party featuring vintage music only, or if you simply want to feature a set of songs from these older eras at a non-theme event. Ultimately, this emerging kind of "vintage remix" is great to have available, as it re-energizes older genres that can sometimes sound tired to many ears, yet are often wanted or needed at events that feature multiple age groups. Better yet, there's a range of moods to these remixes as well - some more suited for a lounge atmosphere, some for the heavy dancing part of the event that usually comes later on.

See what you think. Here's some samples of these kind of remixes: the first takes the Gene Krupa version of the swing classic "Bugle Call Rag" and attaches to a set of sexy, late-night beats; the second tune is a high-energy, swinged-out remix of the even more classic "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley. If you want the full range of these remixed songs, go to our complete iTunes mix, located here.

 

All Kinds of Off the Beaten Track Christmas Songs

It’s a few days after Thanksgiving, and, like most everywhere else in the country, in New York City the usual Christmas songs are starting to be played at establishments everywhere there's a sound system, from the tiny bodegas to the biggest department stores.

We know there’s plenty of you out there who don’t want to hear that same old, one-size-fits-all mainstream radio template of holiday songs that essentially boils down to a heavy dose of mid-century crooners with a splash of Paul McCartney or Mariah Carey thrown in now and then. So, we’ve put together an iTunes mix of about 40 excellent Christmas songs, most of which you likely haven’t heard at all. While some of these tunes are traditional Christmas songs that have been covered by newer artists and others are original Christmas songs that have received little or no mainstream radio airplay, taken together, all these songs cover a very  wide range of genres. The only criteria for the mix was that the songs be memorably well-performed, rather unfamiliar or underplayed, but also accessible. In other words, this mix is comprised of music you might hear at a party where the DJ is playing fresh Christmas songs to satisfy all kinds of musical tastes.

To that end, we’ve arranged the mix like you’re arriving at the start of a party: We begin with some ambient tunes, then things pick up from there, building intensity as we move through alt-country, indie pop, loungey electronica, jazz, soul, reggae, soca, salsa, meringue, Latin pop, hip-hop, and rock. Hopefully, after you’ve listened to the mix, you’ll feel good that there’s a lot of fresh Christmas music out there of many styles, and by artists you might not have known had risked potential embarrassment to record Christmas songs!

Some highlights of the mix include the Cocteau Twins' dreamy take on "Frosty the Snowman," which manages the difficult task of sounding ethereal and otherworldly while remaining faithful to the song's simple melody; a remixed version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" that uses thick beats and well-placed horn samples to do a great job of sexing up this often-played song (featured on the album Merry Mixmas that's pictured); and Soca General's "Santa Bring de Soca," a quick, happy burst of tropical-sounding festiveness that will surely get you to look for a place to put your winter coat if you hear the song while anywhere near a dance floor.

So, throw some of the songs from this mix on your iPod, and you might even be able to get through the whole season without even hearing "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer."

You can listen to the mix here.

Indie Wedding Song Mixes, Parts 8, 9 & 10

Recently, on iTunes, we completed our iMix collection of indie wedding songs. As I have explained in posts describing the previous 7 entries in the collection, the tunes in these last 3 mixes cover a range of "wedding moods," with some songs appropriate for first dances, some for atmosphere during dinner or cocktail hour, and some you could use for a less traditional take on ceremony processional and/or recessional music. (Go here to see my posts on the previous mixes in the collection.) What unites all the songs we've picked in this whole collection of about 200 songs is simply that they're all great to help craft a soundtrack for a wedding that features eclectic and unusual pop and rock which often explores romance from a less mainstream, more fresh point-of-view.

Some standouts on mix 8 include the breezy ramshackle sound of "Scythian Empires" by Andrew Bird; "I Love How You Love Me," Camera Obscura's lovely minimalist version of an oldies pop song made popular by Bobby Vinton and the Paris Sisters; and a pair of classic alternative tunes from the '80s that influenced today's indie rock, "Just Like Honey" by the Jesus and Mary Chain, and "A Strange Kind of Love" by former Bauhaus lead singer Peter Murphy. Go here for mix 8.

Much of Mix 9 nods back to some of the influencers of today's indie rock and pop, such as The Blue Nile's "Saturday Night," an orchestral pop song so sweeping and cinematic you'll see visions of black and white movie lovers in your head; the tender lullaby feel of The Innocence Mission's "Happy, The End"; and the romantic jazz club feel of Fairground Attraction's "Allelujah," which glides along so gently and elegantly on the silky vocals of Eddi Reader (the song is featured on the band's excellent but relatively obscure album The First of a Million Kisses, cover pictured). Go here for mix 9.

Finally, mix 10 largely retuns to the acoustic feel of our first mix in the collection. Included on this last mix is a stripped-down, acoustic guitar cover of Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" by Matt Ketteman and Cameron Mizell, which conjures a Mark Kozolek/Red House Painters-like haunting prettiness from the instantly-recognizable melody; the clean, soaring vocals and shimmering acoustic guitar on Alison Krauss's "Simple Love," and ex-Velocity Girl singer Sarah Shannon's sweet, loungey tune "Along the Way." Go here for mix 10.

Yet More Indie Wedding Music Playlists

Because more couples seem to be searching for indie music to play at their weddings, we've put together more iTunes playlists (mixes 6 and 7) of our favorite indie wedding music. As mentioned in my last post about our previous mixes (go here for that post), while some of these songs are great for first dances, more of them you'll likely find can be used in other areas of your celebration, especially to establish your own unique atmosphere (but still accessible to the parents, as well as those cousins from Indiana)  during cocktail hour or dinner.

Of particular note on these mixes are "In the Morning" (mix 7) by Club 8, a Swedish duo (pictured) that combines pleasant jangly guitars with sunny, ethereal female vocals and a touch of loungey mellowness in the tradition of groups like The Sundays, The Cardigans and Saint Etienne. This song would fit in perfectly during a dinner, and because it has a vintage, breathy Astrud Gilberto quality to it, it could even be mixed in with some samba. Also check out "The Luckiest" (mix 6) by Ben Folds, a piano-driven song that pairs a beautiful vocal melody with endearing lyrics about a clumsy guy who feels so fortunate to have found love. This song seems custom-made for a first dance - and even more so if one of you is considered a bit klutzy!

Mix 6 is here, mix 7 is here.

More of djnyc's Favorite Indie Wedding Songs

Many clients we DJ for are first attracted to us because of our awareness that a wedding doesn't have to feel like a wedding. While these couples still want some traditional elements, like a first dance and a cake cutting, and want an overall sentimental vibe, they also want songs played throughout the celebration - and especially during the early part of it - that aren't they typical wedding fare like overplayed jazz standards, stale '70s and '80s lite rock, or more recent but often generic-sounding Top 40 hits.

The couples who want their weddings to have an unpredictable soundtrack often request many songs and artists that fall into the genre called "indie" rock or pop music. Because this label is a catch-all for so many different sounds - from the cerebral, melancholy pop of a band like Death Cab for Cutie to the ethereal guitars of M83 to the nervy symphonic electronica of the English duo Frou Frou (pictured is the cover of their album, Details) - it's often hard to define what exactly unites all this music, besides it being the iPod of an East Village or Williamsburg hipster. From our perspective, though, it's rather simple to know what qualifies as "indie" - any new-ish rock or pop sound that's a bit under the radar, eclectic, unexpected, or sometimes all three.

Here's a few more iTunes mixes of songs we've played for couples over the years, and some we haven't but think would be quite appropriate for anyone looking for a more offbeat feel to their wedding music. (Also included are a few songs from artists that influenced today's indie music, like The Pixies, R.E.M. and the Velvet Underground.) We posted Part 1 of these mixes last month, a list of acoustic indie first dance songs, which you can listen to here. The songs on these subsequent mixes are intended for the earlier parts of a wedding, but certainly not all are intended as first dance suggestions. Some of these tunes will strike you as excellent first dance songs, especially the Magnetic Fields' funny and tender "The Book of Love," (on mix 5) but most others, like the alternating blissful and exhausted tone of Frou Frou's "It's Good to Be in Love" (on mix 3) are less custom-made for a first dance than they are simply songs that offer a more original perspective and/or sound to evoke a sentimental mood than most mainstream pop. Therefore, you'll likely find you can fit these in anytime during the cocktail hour or dinner of a wedding.

Okay, enough introduction: For Part 2 of our favorite indie wedding songs, click here. For Part 3, here. Part 4, here. And Part 5 here. And coming soon: Our favorite indie wedding dancing songs, for when you've had a few drinks and your non-cliche music-lovin' butt wants to get shakin'.

Cut Copy, "Lights & Music"

During early parts of many types of events, we always like to spin a few mellower indie songs, and lately tunes from Phoenix, Camera Obscura and Death Cab for Cutie have been making it into our sets. But this new single from the Australian band Cut Copy might soon be added, as its light dance groove and catchy chorus stuck pleasantly in my head the first time I listened to it. I think once we start playing it, people will be coming up and interestedly asking, “Who is this?”

I think this partly because the song has such an inviting and catchy chorus, but also because the band sounds slightly like about 17 other bands from the ‘80s and ‘90s, both popular and obscure: The debonair-sounding vocals of the verses recall the male singer from the band Human League; the dirgy guitars seem like the Cure’s; a backing vocal that seems piped in from a monestary is reminiscent of The Ocean Blue; the electronic instrumental break that leads up to the first chorus channels Daft Punk; the chorus, with its airy vocals and vague lyrics about a broken relationship, evokes the blissful melancholy of classic New Order; and the synthesizer fills during the chorus sound like those from a Sugarhill Gang single. Others may see different bands from the same era of music in this song, or even more artists than I’ve mentioned, but you get the idea.

The great thing about the song, though, is that out of all these spare parts from (mostly) bands past their prime, Cut Copy creates something that sounds much fresher than it should. I think it’s simply because if you take enough different past sounds, put them together in the right way, and produce them with the right energy, you’re bound to get something that sounds not just like the sum of its parts, but like something quite original.

That said, if you miss the sound of some of these aforementioned bands, you’ll really like this song.

Off the Beaten Track First Dance Songs: Mint Royale with Lauren Laverne, “Don’t Falter”

At weddings I have DJ-ed over the years, by far the majority of the first dance songs couples pick are slow. Of course, it’s easy to see why – a romantic mood is easier to capture in a slow song. However, one speed does not have to fit all. I’ve noticed over the years that the romantic spirit of some couples is not always the textbook, sentimental-but-serious, red roses-and box-of-chocolate kind of romance. Some couples are energetic and silly, and that's what they love about their being together, and/or what their friends and family love about them as a couple. For a pair like that, a faster song might be something that better captures their essence.

By faster song, I don’t mean something of blistering speed, like a hardcore punk declaration by Minor Threat, or a thrash metal anthem by Metallica. I mean songs that are at more of a mid-tempo. One of the rare couples that I've DJ-ed for to choose one of these songs picked “Happy Together” by the Turtles – a fun, bright pop song. Another couple that I DJ-ed for just this last weekend chose “More Than a Woman” by the Bee Gees, and did a silly but well-rehearsed dance to the song that would’ve looked right at home in the movie Saturday Night Fever and made that white-suited disco maestro John Travolta character proud.

I think sometimes couples choose slow songs simply because they think they have to do it. But, like I mentioned in a previous post about first dance songs at weddings, I think this is because they don’t take the liberty to think about what they would really like. Because of movies, TV shows, and other conventional weddings they’ve attended, they might think a slow song needs to be the first dance song. But I always encourage couples to not to censor their thoughts about their night and how they want it to be. By doing this, they may allow themselves to see that a particular faster first dance song feels more “them.”

The song “Don’t Falter” by Mint Royale, an English electronic dance music band that often uses guest vocalists, absolutely bursts with a feeling of celebratory-ness, and I’ve always thought it would make a great first dance song for energetic, effervescent couples. Though the song is not specifically about a couple deciding to get married, it is appropriate for a wedding in so many ways: it’s sunny and sweet; it has a catchy melody and a nice mid-tempo dance beat; and the pretty, slightly ethereal female vocals sing positive and thoughtful lyrics about the exhilaration of being in love, including a lyric that contains the phrase “he’s officially mine,” and a chorus that practically evokes the sentiment of marriage vows.

Have a listen, see if the song fits you.