Did I hear you ask for a daring fusion of styles made into a Dance album? We’ve got you covered.
We truly hope you enjoy this one as much as we do. Italian DJ and producer Riva Starr released his fifth studio album, Keep Me On The Dancefloor, on his label Snatch! Records on April 24th. The album marks a new direction for Starr, highlighting his growth as a producer and artist with a stronger focus on songwriting and collaborative efforts.
Riva Starr is renowned for his energetic DJ sets at major global festivals like Glastonbury and Fuji Rock. His influential label, Snatch!, has hosted stages at Creamfields and Tomorrowland. He’s worked with Horace Andy and Green Velvet, opened for Jamiroquai, and remixed tracks for Wiley and London Grammar. Perhaps you may know him best from his global hit ‘Eat Sleep Rave Repeat‘ with Fatboy Slim. Safe to say, Riva is no stranger to good music.
Keep Me On The Dancefloor
Across 13 masterfully crafted pieces, he teams up with a diverse range of musicians, including the electro-funk sounds of Chromeo, the laidback vibes of Flight Facilities, and the infectious vocals of Harry Stone, who features prominently throughout the record, to provide a comprehensive product that is both a nod to a distant past, and a trendsetter for future sounds.
Keep Me On The Dancefloor showcases a blend of musical styles that have influenced Starr’s career, seamlessly moving between Disco, Funk, Soul, and Filtered House, with even hints of classic Rock. The album aims to capture the positive moments and connections forged through music, exploring the feeling of unity experienced on the dancefloor.
The album title is really from my perspective—almost a personal request: how do you keep me on the dancefloor? For me, it’s all about vibey music with powerful lyrics and melodies. That’s where I’m at right now. I hear a lot of music out there that doesn’t quite hit the mark for me, as my tastes are constantly evolving. So, I decided to create my own vibe through original tracks and a series of remixes from producers I truly admire and respect.
-Riva Starr
Writer’s Picks
Whenever I do these Writer’s Picks sections, I like to really dive in completely blindly and see what track resonates with me the most upon first listen. I want to highlight that first impression. And this time it’s happened to me with a couple of records. Funnily enough, my favourites are not really tailored for the dancefloor, per se. That said, the one energetic track that won me over was ‘(I’ll Be Your) Paradise‘. What a lovely uplifting tune.
Now, for the two tracks that resonated with me like a glass cup breaking with the right pitch: ‘Only Love‘, featuring the voice of Harry Stone, and the closing track, which is my personal favourite of the entire album, ‘Wildfire‘, featuring Biishop. The former feels like a rainy afternoon drive through the motorway, after a long day of work. It feels like the right track to unwind to. But the latter? Oh, God. It’s a different world altogether. It reminds me of that one Above & Beyond track, ‘Only A Few Things’. They probably share many notes and progressions, but there’s something I cannot put into words that has me in such a peaceful state of mind when I listen to it. It makes me, I don’t know, it takes the weight off my shoulders for a wee second. And I appreciate that feeling. It feels like a reassuring hug. It’s one of those magical tracks you meet by chance.
Riva Starr — Keep Me On The Dancefloor Tracklist
- House Of Mirrors featuring Harry Stone
- It Feels Much Better featuring Harry Stone
- Set The Mood Right featuring Harry Stone
- Chasing Thrills featuring Harry Stone
- Know You Love Me featuring Flight Facilities
- Keep Me On The Dancefloor featuring Harry Stone
- Vicino O’ Mare (Reprise)
- Internet
- Only Love featuring Harry Stone
- We Made The World featuring Biishop
- I Was Lost (And Found You) featuring Chromeo
- (I’ll Be Your) Paradise
- Wildfire featuring Biishop
Final Words
I love to work on albums like this. I didn’t know what to expect, and I allowed myself to hear, to maybe escape my comfort zone for a little while. I’ve had this LP with me for a couple of months now, and every time I forgot about it, when I came back, it felt as refreshing as the last time. And for some reason I hadn’t got to the final track until just a few days ago. And it marked me. Somehow, I was saving the best for last, and those little surprises of life leave me wondering joyful things. So, huge thank you to the entire team, from the producers, to the singers, to the label, to the team that ultimately got this in my inbox. Thank you.
Allow me to close this review with a quote from the very album of this long play:
An album is always a more complete form of work compared to single releases. It allows you to build a story and express different shades of your sound spectrum. It’s like unfolding chapters in a book, where each track contributes to a larger narrative. I’m well aware that album formats are disappearing, and the way people consume music has changed—not many take the time to listen to a whole album anymore. But I still think it’s worth doing, if only for the purely personal satisfaction of expressing myself in that form.
-Riva Starr
Listen to Riva Starr’s brand-new album, Keep Me On The Dancefloor, by hitting the ‘Play‘ button on the Spotify player below. Also, click here to support the release on Beatport. Be sure to follow our page to stay up to date on the latest news and views regarding our beloved Dance music industry.
The post Riva Starr Blends Soulful House And Disco On Latest Album, Keep Me On The Dancefloor appeared first on EDMTunes.
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