MUSIC@TWO_SENSER: GET LUCKY - A TALE OF TWO VERSIONS

One of the great things about music is how a single song can be interpreted and re-interpreted; how a track originally written for the dance floor can be taken apart and re-imagined into something completely different.

I love coming across these unexpected gems, and sometimes the covers often turn out to have more of an impact than the originals.

Take for instance, the happy, funky tune that is Get Lucky by Daft Punk. This new collaboration by the French electronic music masters with Pharrell Williams on vocals and the inimitable sound of Nile Rodgers' guitar brilliantly encapsulates where today's dance music began and where it is today in just over four minutes. The production is immaculate and instantly raises the bar for the entire dance pop enterprise.


Now... look what happens when London folk trio Daughter comes along and produces this amazing cover. Rather than stick within constraints one might consider genre-appropriate, Daughter often branch out into the delightfully absurd with their cover work.

In the hands of singer Elena Tosca and her band, the track takes on a brooding, chilly air and soaring, synth-heavy soundscape, giving so much more of an intimate meaning to the lyrics. But that catchy beat and irresistible chorus are kept pretty much intact

A beautiful thing:

MUSIC@TWO_SENSER: Orbital - Live at KEXP

When I was a teenager in the late 1990's, Techno was ruling the airwaves. It was alternative, rebellious and had this sub-culture associated with it that made it cool and edgy.

Orbital were at the forefront of this Techno revolution, and helped it become part of mainstream popular music.

The band's name was taken from Greater London's orbital motorway, the M25, which was central to the early rave scene and party network in the South East during the early days of acid house.

Orbital were both critically and commercially successful, and known particularly for their element of live improvisation during shows, a rarity among techno acts.

The English electronic duo, consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll, enjoyed a career that ran from 1989 until 2004.  In 2009 they reformed for a number of live events, but that was about it.

Their music has since become synonymous with countless video games and movie soundtracks. Their electro, punk  influenced beats have remained timeless, even over a decade later.  

But now, finally, they've reunited properly and have been back in the studio recording fresh material.
In this live set from Seattle's KEXP Radio, the lads perform tracks from their new album, Wonky.

Sounding great: