Tracklisting: The Guilty Pleasures of Dance Music on My IPod Playlist

So, yes, guilty pleasure confession time: I was a huge pop fan in the 1980's. I listened to a lot of different dance songs. Even though my musical tastes evolved mostly into Rock and Alternative I still do listen to and download the occasional dance track. Its difficult for me to admit that, but there it is--out there for public consumption.

Hell, most of my friends know while I was never a club hopper, I've always been a dancing fool at weddings. I have a good time moving to the rhythm of the beat and getting into the groove (boy you got to prove, you're love to me, etc, etc.).

I've also come to believe some of the dance music love is embedded within my DNA. Dad was born in Israel and both he and mom and dad both lived there for quite some time. I have to think some of that Mediterranean blood flows in my veins, manifesting itself through the styles of dance beats that I seem to be most attracted to listening. I actually hope that someone can tests the hypothesis that there is a connection between Latin and Mediterranean ethnicity and the appreciation for dance beats.

So here's a sampling of some of the more recent dance songs on my play list, consider them all instant recommendations:

Matt & Kim--Daylight: a.k.a. that song from that beer commercial. A quick but fun tramp with a piano track that ties the song together. Boppy and upbeat, but if it was longer it might overstay its welcome.

www.youtube.com/watch

The Juan MacLean -- Happy House: The album version is a long and sprawling twelve minute opus, but the radio edit is a manageable three and half minutes that condenses the track into its best moments. Percussion and keys in the beginning provide the huge riff for the song. Plus, I'm always a sucker for female lead dance songs (provided by Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem).

www.youtube.com/watch

Kaskade -- Angel On My Shoulders: Another female led vocal )Haley Gibby, who has such an intriguing quality in her voice, perfect for songs like this) with a male DJ providing the groove and move. I rarely buy full dance albums, but I did purchase his entire new album "Strobelight Seduction" because of his talent and I was not disappointed.

www.youtube.com/watch

Sean Kingston - Fire Burning: I so did NOT want to like this because of the use of the word "shorty" in the chorus among other reasons. Somehow it became a constant on my summer dance play list and I want to dance to this song all the time.

www.youtube.com/watch

Cobra Starship feat. Leighton Meester -- Good Girls Go Bad: Another one I didn't want to like because of the Gossip Girl song, but beat is just too addictive to deny.

www.youtube.com/watch

DJ Tiesto feat. Tegan & Sara -- Feel It In My Bones: Tegan & Sara sold me on buying the track in the firstplace. The fine worksmanship, especially on the mid-tempo verses kept me listening.

www.youtube.com/watch

Cascada -- Evacuate the Dancefloor: It comes the closest to being in synch with the semi-cheesy but addictive songs that I heard during my trip to Israel in 2000 (Alice Deejay, Kylie Minogue). Very poppy, very guilty pleasure, but it picks you up and doesn't let you go, which is what makes for a good dance song.

www.youtube.com/watch

Enur -- Calabria 2007: a.k.a. the brass and clap-track filled club song that gets in your head and doesn't get out. Most recently seen during commercials for the "Doctor dismal because he's stuck in the Hamptons Boohoo" drama Royal Pains. Don't like the remix with MIMS on it, pass on that for the 2007 version.

www.youtube.com/watch

Calvin Harris -- I'm Not Alone (deadmau5 Mix): I sampled a few tracks from his new album a few weeks ago and wasn't into it so much, but this I discovered this eight-minute remix while searching for "Calabria 2007" and immediately purchased it off iTunes. It has a nice soft touch in the beginning and builds up to a pulsating trance that kept me moving my head. Again, a reminder of being in Israel.

www.youtube.com/watch

CSS -- Move On: One of the most popular bands to come out of Brazil. I've been listening to this for most of 2009. A simple and innocent beat, but the key to this song is the intonations throughout the song from lead vocalist's Lovefoxxx.

www.youtube.com/watch

The Sounds -- Don't Wanna Hurt You: They received some attention for touring with No Doubt and Paramore over the summer, but I've been a fan since I reviewed their album "Dying to Say This To You" for 411Mania several years ago. It took another year and a half for this one to make its way into a GEICO caveman commercial, so if you hear this song, you'll likely recognize it...and be surprised at how many times the "F" word is used during the song (effectively at that). One of my favorite dance-rock songs in recent memory.

www.youtube.com/watch

Bonus throwback recommendations: Basement Jaxx , Where's Your Head At?, Fatboy Slim, Right Here, Right Now