Be it lounging at the pool or busting out moves on the dance floor, Deee-Lite “Groove Is in the Heart” and Marshmello and Khalid “Numb” deliver feel-good vibes in spades. These two modern-day staples are defining cuts that have cross-generational appeal. This new DLC debuts this Thursday in the Rock Band Music Store.
If it feels like you’ve been hearing Deee-Lite’s 1990 hit single “Groove Is in the Heart” at literally every party you’ve ever been to, that’s because you probably have. The timeless dance track is a powerfully unifying force that appeals to seemingly everyone – not just the club crowd. Metalheads, country fans, and R&B aficionados are all just as likely to be drawn into Deee-Lite’s mesmerizing orbit with this one. Drawing from a patchwork quilt of disparate musical forms ranging from jazz to funk (more on the “funk” part momentarily) to house to hip-hop, on paper “Groove Is in the Heart” almost shouldn’t work, but the cut emerges as a deft and decisive triumph by respecting the common threads that fuse those musical genres. The band – vocalist Lady Miss Kier, Supa DJ Dmitry, and DJ-producer Towa Tei – performs over a number of samples, principally the potent drum line from Vernon Burch’s “Get Up” and the main melody of Herbie Hancock’s “Bring Down the Birds.” Notably, the NYC-based trio is joined by Q-Tip who provides a furiously acrobatic rap during the breakdown and the legendary Bootsy Collins who lets loose with quite possibly the most iconic and memorable bass line ever (I said we’d get back to talking about the funk). Collins also enlisted the services of fellow jazz/funk pioneers Fred Wesley (trombone) and Maceo Parker (saxophone) to make “Groove Is in the Heart” a truly collaborative and wildly diverse powerhouse of a track. “We formed Deee-Lite just as the musical flames of house music and hip-hop were blazing,” Lady Miss Kier has explained. “Even with these two forces, we were also absorbing ’60s and ’70s jazz and funk, ’70s and ’80s electronic music, and ’60s acid rock.” Let’s see… Yup – that about covers it! This pan-generic banger has been getting folks on dance floors for three decades now(!) and the enduring appeal of “Groove Is in the Heart” is unlikely to ever wane. Get ready to get down!
Celebrated record producer Marshmello and superstar singer-songwriter Khalid teamed up again in 2022 for one of the most anticipated singles of the year. Five years and hundreds of millions of streams and views since 2017’s monster hit “Silence,” the two joined forces for “Numb,” released this past June. Unlike their previous partnership, which was primarily a dance ballad with R&B vibes, this time around the dynamic duo cultivate more of a deep house tune. Dripping with laid-back summer energy, the song straight-up slaps. A hypnotic four of the floor beat powers a mood-setting groove boasting infectious dance riffs and Khalid’s velvet-smooth vocal delivery. From the upbeat, hooky whistled melody at the very top of the song, to the gently comped guitar and pulsating bass throughout, you’ve got just over two-and-a-half minutes of sonic bliss. “Numb” was no doubt the soundtrack to any number of sun-kissed adventures this past summer, as the cut was massive, reaching #10 on the U.S. Mainstream Top 40 charts and faring even better on the Hot Dance/Electronic Charts where it ascended to #3. Of course, these two crossover stars are no strangers to jointly ruling the airwaves. "Me and Khalid always talked about doing another song, so I sent this idea to him and he loved it," Marshmello explained when the song was released. "I was super happy when I asked him if he wanted to do the song and he said yes because the song is a little different vibe for him, but I knew he would crush it. He sent it to me the next day and I immediately knew we had one with this." For his part, Khalid added, “Mello and I have a great friendship, and when we get together to make music, it's always great vibes. 'Silence' is a fan favorite that I love performing, so continuing our collaborations with 'Numb' is something that I'm looking forward to.” Get ready to shake off those winter blues and inhabit this bright and breezy track!
Deee-Lite “Groove Is in the Heart” and Marshmello and Khalid “Numb” are available for $1.99 each.
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*Please note that this week’s DLC tracks will be available for purchase on Thursday, December 29th.